- Best time
- October to March
- Nearest airport
- Mangaluru (about 55 km)
- Nearest railway station
- Udupi
Things to do
Malpe is the most activity-focused beach on this stretch of coast. Operators run jet ski rides, banana boat rides, parasailing, zorbing and speedboat trips, and there are horse and camel rides on the sand. The beach also has a floating bridge, described as the first in Karnataka, which lets you walk out over the water when the sea is calm. Children spend hours building sandcastles, and the beach is a good spot for both sunrise walks and sunsets.
St Mary's Island
A short boat ride from Malpe takes you to St Mary's Island, known for its hexagonal columns of volcanic basalt. Boats run in the fair-weather season and stop during the monsoon, so check before you go.
Food and stay
Seafood is the speciality, from fish fry to prawn and crab curries in the Mangalorean style. If you want something else, Udupi's famous vegetarian restaurants are only a few kilometres away, and Mangaluru is also within reach. Places to stay range from simple hotels to beach resorts with sea views.
Nearby
- The Balarama and Anantheshwara temples in the Malpe and Udupi area.
- Sri Krishna Matha in Udupi town.
- Kaup Beach and its lighthouse, further south along the coast.
Best time and how to reach
October to March has pleasant weather and calmer seas, the best conditions for water sports. Mangaluru International Airport is about 55 km away, with taxis and buses for the onward trip. Udupi is the nearest railway station, and local buses and autos run frequently between Udupi and Malpe. The drive from Bengaluru takes most of a day, so many travellers break the journey or come by overnight bus or train.
Also nearby
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