Mangrove kayaking
Flat water, mangrove tunnels, kingfishers. Karnataka Tourism lists it as a signature experience and it starts at the bridge up our lane.
Things to do
Everything worth doing between Mangalore and Kundapura.
This coast hides its best parts. There is no promenade of signs telling you where to go, and the guidebooks stop at Malpe. So we wrote down the whole list — what it is, how far it is, when to go, and whether it is actually worth your morning.
Distances are measured from our gate in Parampalli, Saligrama. Everything on this page is either something we can arrange for you or something we will point you at and take nothing for.
On the water
The reason people come here without knowing it yet.
Backwater boat trips
Motorboat and houseboat-style trips on the Suvarna and Seetha, from Kemmannu and Kodi Bengre. Sunset departures are the ones to book.
Water sports at Malpe
Jet ski, parasailing, banana boat, speedboat. The loud, fun end of the coast — go for the afternoon, come back to the quiet.
St Mary’s Island
Hexagonal basalt columns, a National Geological Monument, 6 km off Malpe. First ferry of the morning or not at all.
Surfing at Mulki
India’s first surf school has been teaching here since 2004. Genuine beginner courses, not a photo opportunity.
Our own beach
Loungers and parasols on sand that stays empty at the weekend. No entry fee, no vendors, no jet skis. This is the whole point.
Inland
An hour east the coast turns into rainforest.
Most beach visitors never look inland, which is a mistake. The Western Ghats start about fifty kilometres from here and they are one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots on earth.
Agumbe
54 km from Udupi · ~1 h 45 from us
Rainforest village on the ghat edge, eight metres of rain a year, and the
centre of king cobra research in India. The sunset point is famous; the forest
is the real reason.
Someshwara & Kudremukh
~70–110 km
Contiguous protected forest running from Someshwara up through Kudremukh
National Park. Trekking inside the sanctuary needs a Forest Department permit
— arrange it before you drive out.
Waterfalls
40–90 km
Jomlu Teertha, Koodlu Theertha, Barkana and Onake Abbi. Full power just after
the monsoon, October to January; a trickle by March.
Kollur & Kodachadri
~80 km
The Mookambika temple at Kollur is one of the most visited in Karnataka, and
the Kodachadri ridge behind it is a serious day’s walk with a very good
view at the end.
Temples & culture
Udupi is a temple town that happens to have beaches.
Sri Krishna Matha
23 km · 30 min
Thirteenth century, viewed through the nine-holed Kanakana Kindi window, and
a free meal served daily to anyone who turns up. Dress code applies.
Anegudde & Barkur
12–20 km
Anegudde Vinayaka is one of the seven sacred spots of coastal Karnataka.
Barkur, once a regional capital, is now scattered temple ruins and almost no
visitors.
Kaup lighthouse
35 km
Built 1901, 27 metres, usually open to visitors late afternoon. Climb it for
the sunset, then get off the rocks before dark.
Yakshagana
Seasonal, Nov–May
The overnight dance-drama of this coast — painted faces, drums, stories
that run until dawn. Ask us; performances are announced locally, not online.
Reference
Everything, with the drive time.
Measured from Parampalli. Times are realistic for a car in daylight, not best-case.
| Where | Distance | Drive | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our beach | 50 m | walk | Sunset, swimming, doing nothing |
| Parampalli kayak launch | ~2 km | 5 min | Mangrove paddling, early morning |
| Saligrama town | ~3 km | 7 min | ATM, chemist, buses |
| Kodi Bengre / Delta Beach | ~14 km | 25 min | River meets sea. Do not swim. |
| Kemmannu hanging bridge | ~16 km | 25 min | Boat trips, backwater islands |
| Maravanthe | ~20 km | 25 min | The sea-and-river highway strip |
| Udupi town | 23 km | 30 min | Krishna Matha, food, shopping |
| Malpe beach & harbour | ~28 km | 35 min | Water sports, seafood, ferry |
| Kundapura | ~25 km | 30 min | Seafood, quieter beaches |
| Kaup lighthouse | ~35 km | 45 min | Sunset from the top |
| Manipal | ~28 km | 40 min | Cafés, cinema, bookshops |
| Mulki (surfing) | ~55 km | 50 min | Beginner surf courses |
| Agumbe | ~75 km | 1 h 45 | Rainforest, sunset point, cobras |
| Kollur Mookambika | ~80 km | 1 h 45 | Temple, Kodachadri trek |
| Murudeshwar | ~110 km | 2 h 15 | The enormous Shiva statue |
| Mangalore airport (IXE) | ~85 km | 2 h | Arrivals |
| Jog Falls | ~150 km | 3 h 30 | Long day. Go Oct–Dec or not at all. |
Ask us
What we book for you, and what we just point at.
We are not a tour desk and we do not want to be one. Some things are easier if we make the call — the operator knows us, the timing matters, or the number is not online. Everything else we will happily draw on a map for you and take nothing for it.
We arrange
- Mangrove kayaking, with a guide, at the right state of the tide
- Backwater boat trips, including sunset departures
- Airport, station and bus-stand pickups
- Scooter and car hire
- A driver for a full day inland — Agumbe, Kollur, the waterfalls
We point you at
- Water sports and the ferry at Malpe — walk up and pay there
- Surf courses at Mulki — book directly, they fill up
- Temples, lighthouses and beaches — no booking needed
- The restaurants we actually eat at, with directions
Read more
The long versions
Each of these is a proper guide — timings, costs, what to bring, and the parts nobody warns you about.
Beaches
Malpe Beach
Water sports, the sea walk, the fish harbour and the ferry — the complete guide.
Planning
Where to stay near Malpe
On the beachfront or out of it — an honest comparison, including us.
Activities
Water sports on the Udupi coast
Every activity, where it happens, and roughly what it costs.
On the water
Backwater boat trips
Kemmannu, Kodi Bengre and the hanging bridge islands.
Activities
Surfing in Mulki
India's first surf school, the season, and whether it suits beginners.
Day trips
Agumbe rainforest
The Cherrapunji of the South, 54 km from Udupi.
Day trips
Waterfalls near Udupi
Which ones are running when, and which need a permit.
Food
Where to eat
Real places, named, from the temple canteen to the fish harbour.
Culture
Temples near Udupi
Anegudde, Barkur, Kaup and the seven Mukti Sthalas — beyond the Krishna Matha.
Day trips
Kollur & Kodachadri
The temple in the valley and the 1,343 m ridge above it.
Day trips
Murudeshwar
The 123-foot Shiva on the headland, and whether it justifies the drive.
Culture
Yakshagana
Painted faces, drums, and a performance that runs until dawn.
Planning
The coast with children
What works by age, which beaches are safe, and how to handle the heat.
Day trips
Manipal
Coffee, bookshops and a major hospital, forty minutes away.
Planning
Working remotely from here
Connectivity, power, time zones — the honest assessment.