Udupi & the nearby Malpe Beach of Tulu Land, Karnataka

If you are aware of the South Indian cuisine restaurants present everywhere in India, then Udupi would be synonymous with them, BUT If you have travelled there, then like me… when you hear Udupi, you would think of Krishna temples, Malpe beach and what not.

I travelled there a while back and then wrote very few posts on it, but recently just recommended it to Canadian friends…. so here is a quick write up on stuff to do there…

1) Krishna temple in Udupi is a good place to see. There are some 9 Mutths around the temple. Each mutth takes up temple care-taking periodically, it’s interesting. There is a bhojnalaya there where they serve free lunch for all… a good place… Culturally and structurally it is a very unique place. Caste system is very much prevalent there so that also for many of us would be unique. It does not seem to be an exploitative caste system because I met a lower caste woman there who showed me around. She was quite normal, except when we talked about caste system. She was like but of course the Brahmins are so much purer than me. So I was like ‘okay then….’

Temple Entrance…Love the yellow

temple sacred pool

Interesting boat carving within the temple sacred pool….

Of 9 mutths this is one of them….

Interesting curio shop…

Interesting curios …these are all wooden stuff….

2) Malpe Beach – this is quite nearby from Udupi…about 6kms or so. There is an old Balaram temple there which is unique because Balaram is Krishna’s brother n not too many temples for him. It has a lovely verandah around it with a banana seller there. They don’t speak English or Hindi. They only talk Tulu and Kannada. I would love to go and just talk with people… if only I can get a babble fish from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. 😉

Overall the town is quaint n small to walk in. There is a fishing wharf place which some people find interesting… it has a ship breaking factory, but I wasn’t sure if it was all safe. I mean seemed a bit deserted. So being solo I really didn’t go there….

A quaint building in Malpe …

Near the fishing wharf…

The Malpe Beach itself is quite great. When I went it was pretty empty which is great. The sea is fierce as we move South side of the Arabian Sea. It was good to see the Mahatma Gandhi Statue there on the beach… this man really made a mark in all corners of the country and world! 🙂

Gandhi everywhere!

Malpe Beach….

3) St Mary’s Island – from Malpe beach there is a ferry that goes to these islands – apparently they are interesting with some unusual rocks. The ferry have specific timings so enquire beforehand if you wish to go…. I had gone there in monsoon so the ferry was closed.

4) Kapu lighthouse – On the way from Udupi to Mangalore there is a little place called Kapu or Kaup. This is really charming with great Karnataka backwaters. It has a lighthouse which is a nice place to visit n see – only not sure of a accommodation there so if you are in a taxi or have really light luggage then you can go see the lighthouse. Travellers @shadowsgalore said they have done a backwater cruise somewhere here, so if you want you can contact them..

Arabian Sea in all its glory!

Kapu Lighthouse

Karnataka Backwaters

Happy Travelling! 🙂

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sia on May 23, 2015 at 11:40 AM

That is a lovely Malpe Beach and a lots of places here to explore in Karnataka…!!!
Reply
- Priyanka Dalal on May 23, 2015 at 11:55 AM
  
  Yep Sia, it is lovely.
  Reply
R Niranjan Das on February 2, 2015 at 4:22 PM

Nice post. Love Malpe beach. Yet to visit the interesting St. Mary’s island.
Reply
- @priyankawriting on February 5, 2015 at 10:41 AM
  
  Thanks Niranjan 🙂
  Yea Malpe beach is great. I feel the quality of arabian sea really changes as you go down south… gets more fiercer after Goa…
  Reply

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About the Author: Priyanka

Solo Traveling since 2009. Digital Nomad. Business Growth Marketeer. Wild, Socially Weird. Yoga, Minimalism, Spirituality. Vegetarian. Gujju.... and lots more adjectives. 😉