Cover Image Credit: Wikipedia
Udupi is a quaint little coastal town in Karnataka that lures travelers from far and wide with its pristine beaches that are fringed by coconut trees, whimsical waterfalls amidst dense jungles, adventurous trekking trails that run through the bountiful ranges of the Western Ghats, and reverential temples. Being a place that is abundantly blessed by Mother Nature, the things to do in Udupi are endless.
Best Time To Visit Udupi
Image Credit: Ashok Prabhakaran for Wikimedia Commons
Udupi is known for its gorgeous Krishna Temple and its traditional food. A lot of travelers visit Udupi every year and if you are planning to do the same then here are all the details about the best time. The best time to visit Udupi is in the winter season. During the winter season, the weather is pleasant and you will be embraced by cool breezes. To make the most of your trip and to be easily able to explore the city, you must plan your vacation from October to March.
Top 11 Things To Do In Udupi
Udupi is an ultimate holiday package that has something special to offer to its diverse visitors. Adventure lovers can experience surfing, trekking, and camping, families can enjoy beachside vacations and trips to museums and sanctuaries, honeymooners can enjoy a romantic beach retreat, and senior citizens can go on a pilgrimage tour. Here is a list of things to do in Udupi that you must check out before you leave for your vacay!
- Maple Beach And Bengre Beach – Surf Your Heart Out
- Kudlu Falls – Trek Through The Jungles
- St Mary’s Island – Explore The Offbeat Location
- Jomlu Theertha – Plan Your Picnic Here
- Coin Museum Corp Bank – Marvel At The Huge Coin Collection
- Local Markets – Paradise For Shopaholics
- Anejhari Butterfly Camp – Get Closer To Nature
- Kaup Lighthouse – Soak In The Beauty Of The Sea
- Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village Museum – Marvel At the Century-Old Architecture
- Udupi Cuisine – Try The Delicious Dishes
- Pajaka Kshetra – Breathe In Spirituality
1. Maple Beach And Bengre Beach – Surf Your Heart Out
Much to the excitement of water sports and adventure lovers, surfing is one of the most thrilling things to do in Udupi. Udupi has two spectacular beaches – The Maple Beach and Bengre Beach that are ideal for surfing. If you are a novice, there are a handful of surf clubs along the coast where you can enroll for surf lessons. Most of the clubs provide surfboards and other safety gear needed for surfing. Once you have got the knack of surfing, glide over the waves and have a whale of a time.
Ideal For: Adventure, friends, water sport lovers
Ticket Fee: Starts INR 1200 per person for a group session
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Maple Beach, Bengre Beach
Must Read: Water Sports In Udupi: A Guide To The Most Enthralling Experience
2. Kudlu Falls – Trek Through The Jungles
Deep inside the dense jungles of the Western Ghats, lies the Kudlu Falls, also known as Kudlu Teertha Falls or Sita Falls. To catch a glimpse of Sita Falls, one needs to walk for 4 km inside the jungle, and cross a stream. From there, trekking for about three to four kilometers is one of the top things to do in Udupi to explore the city’s untamed beauty. The sound of the milky white waters gushing down from 150 feet into a big pool can be heard from quite a distance. The waterfall remains closed during the monsoons.
Activities: Trekking, Jungle walk
Trekking Level: Moderately tough
Entry Fee: INR 50 per person
Location: Kudlu Theertha Falls, Udupi
Suggested Read: 6 Illuminating Churches In Udupi Unveiling The Glorious Past
3. St Mary’s Island – Explore The Offbeat Location
St Mary’s Island is a cluster four individual islands namely Coconut Island, North Island, South Island, and Daryabahadurgarh Island. These islands look mesmerizingly beautiful with clean white-sanded beaches, rich wildlife, and several enchanting rock monoliths that are sure to awaken the shutterbug in you. Being an offbeat destination, the island is serene void of the maddening tourist crowd. Sunsets at these beaches are soul-stirring and witnessing them is one of the best things to do in Udupi.
Timings: Ferry from Malpe: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM. The island remains closed during the monsoon season from June to September.
Entry Fee: INR 250 per person, Camera: INR 200, Ferry: INR 250-300 per person
Location: 4 miles off the coast of Karnataka
Suggested Read: 6 Waterfalls In Udupi You Must Visit For Reviving Your Soul
4. Jomlu Theertha – Plan Your Picnic Here
Jomlu Theertha Waterfalls is known as the second waterfall of Sita and is surrounded by verdant greenery. One can spend hours soaking in the natural beauty of this place and then enjoy a refreshing bath in the cool waters of the waterfall that cascades from a height of 20 feet. Fishing here is one of the really interesting things to do in Udupi Karnataka.
Activities: Picnic, Fishing
Entry Fee: Free
Timings: 6.00 AM – 6.00 PM
Location: Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary
Caution: Swimming is prohibited as the currents of the waterfall are strong.
Beware of leeches and slippery rocks.
Suggested Read: 23 Interesting Places To Visit In Udupi On Your 2022 South India Tour
5. Coin Museum Corp Bank – Marvel At The Huge Coin Collection
Also known as Corporation Bank Heritage Museum, this museum has an enviable collection of ancient coins that were used by various dynasties. Some of the coins date back to 400 BC king rule era and the museum also gives its visitors an insight into the banking system of India. Currently, the museum has 1400 coins with a current market value of over 4 million rupees.
Location: Corporation Bank Road, Thenkpete, Maruthi Veethika, Udupi
Entry Fee: Free
Timings: 10.00 AM – 05.00 Pm Mon – Sat; Closed on Sundays
Suggested Read: 11 Udupi Temples You Can Visit For An Ecclesiastic Experience This 2022 Vacation!
6. Local Markets – Paradise For Shopaholics
Udupi is a great place to buy silk sarees like Kanchivaram, Dharmavaram, and Banaras. The most popular shopping street – the Ratha Beedhi, is modest and great for buying stuff like local spices, vessels, earthenware, and souvenirs. Traditional vessels like aluminium pans to make Guliyappa and ‘aruvamane’ that is used for cutting vegetables and scraping coconut can be found in these markets. Shopping is one of the best activities to do in Udupi. Visitors can also head to shopping malls like City Centre Mall, Dubai Shopping Centre, or CPC Plaza to buy branded merchandise.
Timings: Shops at Ratha Beedi are open from 5.30 AM – 5.30 PM
Suggested Read: Shopping In Karnataka: 10 Spots To Shop!
7. Anejhari Butterfly Camp – Get Closer To Nature
Nestled cozily within the thick jungles of Mookambika Forest Reserve, staying at Anejhari Butterfly Camp is a perfect retreat for nature lovers. This private accommodation has some of the best trekking trails along the Souparnika River and one can spot many species of exotic birds and butterflies here. There are many outdoor activities for kids here and the Byndoor Beach is just a stone’s throw away distance.
The camp offers an amazing opportunity to trek the Kodachadri peak, the 10th highest peak in Karnataka. There is a temple here and enjoying a visit to the temple at night is one of the daunting things to do in Udupi at night.
Location: Mookambika Forest Reserve Kundapur Taluk, Udupi, Kollur
Activities: Nature walks, birding, butterfly watching, trekking, camping
Ideal For: Families, friends, Adventure
Stay Options: The camp has 1 tented cottage, 4 wooden cottages, and a 10-bed dormitory
Suggested Read: 7 Must-Try Udupi Cafes Where You Can Satisfy Your Foodgasm!
8. Kaup Lighthouse – Soak In The Beauty Of The Sea
Standing gracefully on the beach of Kaup village is a beautiful lighthouse that was built in 1901. The lighthouse was built to caution the ships sailing by about the rocky shores. Tourists can enjoy climbing up the spiral stairs of the lighthouse that leads to a narrow balcony above. The views of the Arabian sea from the heights of the lighthouse (100 ft) and the smell of the sea breeze is undeniably embracing. You can click a few pictures and enjoy close up views of the high-intensity lamps used in the lighthouse. While visitors are usually allowed to stay atop only for a few minutes, the experience is so cherishable.
Location: Kaup Beach, 13 km from Udupi
Timings: 04.00 PM – 06.30 PM Mon – Sun
Entry Fee: INR 10 per adult
Ideal For: Friends, families, photo buffs
Suggested Read: 21 Historical Places In Karnataka Every History Buff Should Visit In 2022
9. Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village Museum – Marvel At the Century-Old Architecture
This open-air museum has an exotic collection of traditional structures that are adorned with original pieces of antique furniture. The museum organizes various tours based on the seasons to let you explore the beauty of the structures on display. “The Southern Stroll” tour is scheduled between October and May and takes you on a guided tour through the structures like Mangalore Christian House, and Bazaar Street.
“The Northern Trail” tour is also scheduled from October to May and the houses of Southern Karnatak like Vaderhobli House of the Koni Karanths, Yerukone House and Nelyadi House, the Navayath Muslim House from Bhatkal, the ‘Kunjur Chowki Mane’ and many others can be seen. The “Heritage By Night” tour takes you through the beautifully lit houses of the museum after the sun sets.
Distance from Udupi: 6.4 km
Timings: 10.00 AM | 11.30 AM | 2.00 PM | 4.00 PM Each session of the tour will be 1.5 hours
Entry Fee: Rs 300 per head for adults; Rs 150: for college students & senior citizens with valid IDs; Free Entry for children below 10 yrs accompanied by adults
Suggested Read: 7 Major Airports In Karnataka For A Safe & Joyful Trip In The Air
10. Udupi Cuisine – Try The Delicious Dishes
Udupi cuisine is popular nationwide and no wonder you can see a Udupi tiffin center in every nook and corner of India. Serving lip-smacking renditions of breakfast and tiffin items like Masala Dosa, Patrode, Kotte kadubu, and Neer Dosa, the lunch of a Udupi veg meal is lavish with more than 15 dishes that include Chitranna (Spiced rice), steamed rice, ajethna, rasam, paapads, buttermilk, and many others.
Dishes are usually served in plantain leaf and each of the dishes have their own designated places on the leaf. While in Udupi, refrain from this absolutely flavorful treat, only to regret later.
Best Restaurants For Vegetarians: MTR, Naivedya, Mitra Samaj
Best Restaurants For Non- Vegetarians: Woodlands, Thamboolam, Kediyoor Gazebo
Suggested Read: 10 Awesome Places To Visit Near Coorg On Your Next Holiday To Karnataka
11. Pajaka Kshetra – Breathe In Spirituality
Image Credit: Shashidhara halady for wikipedia
Pajaka Kshetra is the birthplace of Shri Madhavacharya (1238 – 1317), a renowned Dvaita philosopher that is located on the Kunjaru hill. The Pajaka village has many things like a tamarind tree, two big stone, a footprint that are associated with Shri Madhavacharya’s childhood in the village. The four tanks on the four sides of the village are highly reverential and tourists can take a holy dip in them. The local people believe that doing so washes away one’s sins.
Location: Sri Pajaka Kshetra, Kunjarugiri, Udupi
Distance From Udupi: 12.7 km
Entry Fee: Free
Ideal For: Spirituality seekers, Pilgrims
How To Reach Udupi
If you are all set for your vacation and are eager to know about the ways you can reach Udupi then keep reading and pick the best option that suits you!
- By Air: Udupi doesn’t have its airport. Board a flight till Mangalore International Airport and then you can hire a can till Udupi. Mangalore International Airport is well-connected to all the major cities and is located 50 km from Udupi.
- By Train: Udupi railway station is well-connected to all major cities and you can take a train.
- By Bus: Udupi is connected to all major cities in Karnataka and nearby states. You can easily take the bus till Udupi.
Further Read: 9 Museums In Karnataka: Top Creative Spots With A Rich Heritage
Despite being a small town, the list of things to do in Udupi is no less than an exotic holiday – swim, surf, sun lounge, and savor scrumptious vegetarian meals and delectable seafood. Extending warm hospitality to its visitors, Udupi is one of the safest and budget-friendly destinations. So plan a trip to Udupi with your family or gang for friends and explore the marvels of this city in Karnataka.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Things to Do in Udupi
What are the top attractions to visit in Udupi?
St. Mary’s Island, Malpe Beach, Kaup Beach, Jumadi Islands, Udupi Sri Krishna Matha, Barkur, Anegudde Vinayaka Temple, Padubidri Beach, City Centre, Udupi Anantheshwara Temple, Coin Museum Corp Bank, Mattu Beach, Pajaka, etc. are the top tourist attractions in Udupi.
What are the most popular things to do in Udupi with children?
The following are the popular things to do in Udupi with kids - visit Maple Beach, Bengre Beach, St. Mary's Island, etc. , get refreshed at Kudlu Falls, spend illuminating hours at Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village Museum, stay at Anejhari Butterfly Camp, etc.
Is it safe to visit Udupi during Covid?
Make sure that you have completed both the doses of vaccinations and get yourself tested at least 48 hours before your departure. You need to follow all the travel guidelines mentioned by the authorities.
What is the best time to visit Udupi?
The best time to visit Udupi is during the cooler months from October to March when the climate is usually pleasant for sightseeing and indulging in activities.
Which is the nearest airport to Udupi?
Mangalore Airport is the nearest airport which is just 54 km away from Udupi.
How many days are required for sightseeing in Udupi?
It is suggested that you stay for 2 nights and 3 days to enjoy sightseeing and experiencing the activities in Udupi to the fullest.
Are there frequent ferries to St. Mary’s Island?
The ferry rides to St. Mary’s island start at 9.00 AM. However, the ferries usually wait for the boat to be full before they start their ride. Also, ferry rides are subject to weather conditions.
Is it safe to surf in Udupi?
Yes, it is absolutely safe to surf at Maple Beach and Bengre Beach. Nevertheless, tourists are advised to wear safety gear and adhere to the guidelines of the instructors.
What is the language spoken in Udupi?
Tulu and Konkani are the languages spoken by the native people of Udupi. However, most of them are fairly comfortable with English and Hindi.
Is the lighthouse at Kaup Beach open at night?
No, the Kaup beach lighthouse is open only until 6.30 PM.
