St. Mary's Island, Udupi

The Mangalore Airport is located close to Malpe. From the airport, one can take a bus or a taxi to reach Malpe Beach. From the beach, one will have to take a ferry to reach the island. The Udupi Railway station is located close to Malpe. From the railway station, one can take a bus or a taxi to reach Malpe Beach. From the beach again one will have to take a ferry to reach the island. There are many buses that one can take to reach Malpe Beach. If not by bus one can also travel by taxi or an auto-rickshaw to reach Malpe Beach and then take a ferry from there to reach the island. The best time to visit this island is from the months of October to January.

There are many places for one to stay close by to this island. The prices too are affordable. Some of the names of the places are Paradise Isle Beach Resort, Bluewaves Seafront Cottages,  Silver Sands Malpe Beach Villa, Aryaan Resort and Residences, The Ocean Pearl, etc. There are also many places where one can eat food at. Some of the names of the restaurants are Oh! Cafe, Hot N Spice, Kaliyuga Restaurant and Toddy Cafe, Sea Breeze, White House Restaurant, etc.

Malpe Beach: This beach has a never-ending coastline and it is surrounded by three rocky islands on the west. This place is also the largest port in Karnataka. Many people who live in Malpe are engaged in fishing and also tile manufacturing. One finds clean white sand here and also palm trees which create quite a relaxing environment. From this beach, one can watch an amazing sunset as well. The tourist can also indulge in various water sports here like surfing, banana boat rides, jet skis, speed boats, etc.

Kodi Beach: The beach is surrounded by water on three sides. It is here that the River Suvarana enters the Arabian Sea and that is why this beach is also called Delta Beach. There is a small port here for fishing. The place is also well known for its seafood. One can enjoy watching a good sunrise and sunset here. There are fishing villages close by which one can visit too.

Mekkattu Nandikeshwara Temple: This temple is said to have been the creation of Lord Parashurama. All the idols in this temple are made of wood. Since a lot of wood is found near this temple that is why the deities are made of wood here. The idols are approximately ten feet tall. They are colorfully painted and they remain in the same state for 150 to 200 years after which the deities are made again. Nobody performs any Abhisheka in this temple. The main deity who is worshipped here is Nandi the vahana and the army lead of Lord Shiva. There are a number of other wooden statues in the temple who are the warriors in the army. One also finds statues of women warriors along with the men. The head dressing of these statues is also quite noteworthy thus making this temple a unique one.

Kallu Ganapathi Temple: It is one of the oldest temples in the Shiriyur village. This temple is located inside a rock cave. In this temple, one finds statues of Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, and Goddess Parvathi. The statue of Lord Ganesha is in the silver standing posture. This statue has four hands and two of them represent the varada hasta which means the inclination to worldly things and the other two hands represent salvation. Offerings are made to Lord Ganesha by the Thulabharam ritual wherein a devotee weighs himself or herself on a weighing scale and depending on the weight offerings are made in the form of gold, fruits, or other grains to God. Food is given to all those who visit the temple. The Ganesh Chaturthi Festival is celebrated on a large scale here.

Hoode Beach: This beach is located in Bengre. The place is quite scenic. One can enjoy watching good sunrises and sunsets here. The beach is quite rough as compared to other beaches but it is very well maintained. There is a surf club opened here because the sea too is quite rough making it a hot spot for surfing. The best time to enjoy surfing here is during the monsoon season. There are also shacks at this beach where one can relax and have a good time with friends and family. The atmosphere at this beach too is quite pleasant.