Udupi visitor travel related 25+ FAQs answered

First time visitors to Udupi usually have these questions. I see these questions asked again and again in facebook groups, in twitter and via direct messages. Answering all of them below so that your visit to Udupi is better organized.

1. What are the sea facing resorts in Udupi?

• KSTDC has a resort next to Malpe beach- Paradise Isle Beach Resort
• Paradise Lagoon is a luxury resort near Kodi Bengre, with their own house boat
• There are several homestays that have come up all along the coast, including The Blue Matsya Ocean, Ocean Beach Resort etc near Kapu lighthouse
• NH 66 is just 3 to 5 kms from ocean, so any hotel next to highway is fairly closer to beach if not next to beach

2. How much time do we need to explore in and around Udupi? Is one day enough?

One day is a bit tight. I would suggest 2 days. Below are some of the attractions/destinations and approx time taken

• Udupi Sri Krishna temple complex visit and darshan- 1 hour
• Udupi to Malpe beach, beach activities, floating bridge, sea walk: 1 to 2 hours
• St Mary’s island visit: 3 hours from Malpe
• Coin Museum, Udupi: 20 minutes
• Visiting Manipal town- Hastha Shilpa Museum, Tree Park, Anatomy Museum etc: Half a day
• Visiting Kapu beach & light house: 2 hours minimum including transport, 4 hours in leisure.
• Scenic drive between Malpe and Kapu via Mattu Beach: 1 hour
• Visiting Kodi Bengre (12 kms from Udupi) Delta beach and nearby attractions: 2-3 hours
• Udupi outskirts-Kunjarugiri, Pajaka Kshetra etc: 2 hours

3. Do we get bikes and cars on self drive rentals in Udupi?

Bikes and scooters are available for self drive rental on Royal Brothers. There are many unofficial agencies as well that rent white board two wheelers.

Cars on self drive: Not in Udupi. You may get in Mangalore

4. If we have an extra day, where can we go from Udupi?

• Option 1: Mangaluru side- Padubidri blu flag beach, Sasihithlu beach, temples in Mangaluru town, Tannirbhavi beach & treepark etc
• Option 2: Karkala, Varanga, Moodubidire
• Option 3: North: Barkuru, Kundapura, Maravanthe, Ottinene

5. Best places to eat in Udupi?

• Woodlands restaurant
• MTR & Saffron
• Diana
• Kediyur hotel

6. What are the must try dishes while in Udupi?

• Gadbad ice cream
• Patrode
• Neer Dose
• Banana Bun

7. What is the best route to reach Udupi via Bengaluru by road?:

Via Hasana, Moodigere, Sringeri, Agumbe would be your best bet.

Charmadi Ghat is the next best option.

8. How are road conditions in and around Udupi?

Roads are good overall. You may find some bad patches if you go to interiors/offbeat spots. NH66 is the main highway passing through Udupi (with multiple toll booths). Most highways connecting to nearby cities like Kollur, Karkala, Agumbe etc are decent.

9. What is the best season to visit Udupi?

November to February is when rain is less, land is green and weather is pleasant. This would be the best time to visit Udupi. March to May expect lots of heat due to summer, June to October expect lots of rain due to the monsoon.

10. Are there any waterfalls in Udupi or water adventure to try?

Udupi has several waterfalls but these are best visited between August and January/Feb as water levels drop to nil in summer. List of waterfalls in Udupi in this post.

Watersports such as Kayaking are available in multiple spaces- Saligrama, Mulki, Padubidri, Kemmannu etc. Beach side activities are available in Malpe beach- boat rides etc. Rivers will have some water even in summer, but be careful. Do not enter rivers without supervision or not knowing how deep it is or how loose the soil is.

11. Can we also get some ayurvedic treatment/Massage when in Udupi?

Yes. There are many popular ayurvedic retreats in and around Udupi

• Thonse Health center, Kodi Bengre
• SDM Ayurveda Hospital, Katapady
• Hitayu Ayurveda Center behind MGM College, Kunjibettu and more

You can stay for few days to few weeks and plan your ayurvedic treatments

12. Can we go to Murudeshwara/Gokarna from Udupi and return same day?

Murudeshwara is 100 kms north of Udupi, Gokarna is about 180 kms from Udupi (80 kms from Murudeshwara). A day trip to these two destinations is viable. You can start early and return to Udupi late night. Trains are also available. However Gokarna has many places to see so might warrant a night stay if you wish to explore in detail. Yana Caves, Honnavara, Mirjan fort are few other places on the way

13. What are the must visit temples in and around Udupi?

Udupi Sri Krishna temple complex is no brainer. Other possibly interesting temples nearby are listed below.

• You can visit Kunjaru Giri & Pajaka Shetra around 10 kms away.
• Bappanadu temple near Mulki
• Durgaprameshwari temple near Kumbhashi
• Neelavara temple and Go Shale 

1000 pillar Basadi in Moodubidre, Karkala Gomateshwara & Chaturmukha Basadi, Varanga lake temple are few other interesting religious places to visit.

14. Is it convenient to reach Udupi by train?

Udupi railway station is about 4 to 5 kms from town. You can hire an auto or taxi and reach your hotel. Not very inconvenient but train from Bengaluru arrives at 4.25 AM and then you’ve to plan your travel to final destination. Buses on the other hand not very convenient to travel (ghat section makes it hard to sleep) but will drop you closer to your final destination

15. Is Vistadome available to reach Udupi?

Yes, train between Karwar and Bengaluru with vistadome coach stops at Udupi. You can definitely consider the same.

16. Can we do Udupi and Kollur in one day?

Kollur temple is about 80 kms from Udupi town. Travel, temple visit and back would take half a day minimum. If you intend to explore a lot around Udupi then clubbing Kollur for same day is not viable. If you wish to limit Udupi exploration to Sri Krishna temple and Malpe beach then yes, you can go to Kollur early morning and explore Udupi down in the evening. 

If you plan to visit Kodachadri as well, that would be additional 3-4 hours. Better to keep 1 full day for Kollur + Kodachadri + any other spot along the way, such as Maravanthe

17. Any timings for Sri Krishna temple?

You can visit the temple complex anytime during the day. Darshan can also be done anytime, except during a short duration when certain rituals might be going on and visitor entry is restricted. You may have to wait for about 30-45 minutes. You can visit Goshala or other temples in the complex at this time, so no need to worry a lot about temple timings.

18. What are some really offbeat places in and around Udupi?

Check this post.

19. What are the adventure activities we can try near Udupi?

• Kayaking is available at Kemmannu, Saligrama, Mulki, Padubidri
• Watersports available at Malpe beach (will be closed during monsoon season)
• House boats available at Kodi Bengre

20. Are there any pet friendly places in Udupi?

There are centers that can take care of your pet dog for about 300 INR per day. You can speak to homestay owners if they are fine with a pet.

21. Do Udupi people speak Hindi?

You will be able to manage with Hindi & English for basic needs

22. What to buy in Udupi?

Following items are worth buying when in Udupi

-Mattu gulla (GI tagged brinjal variant)

-Udupi sarees

-Fresh cashew nuts from factory outlets

-Toddy palm fruit, if in season 

-Pooja items, idols and other wooden crafts

- Jaggery from alemane (during season)

23. Can we watch Yakshagana or Kambala when in Udupi?

Yakshagana and Kambala are seasonal events and schedule would vary year after year. Thus is may be difficult to squeeze in Yakshagana/Kambala to fit into your schedule. However if you are visiting during October-April timeline and have some flexibility, you might be able to identify upcoming Kambala/Yakshagana event and attend the same.

Here is how you can plan to attend Kambala event.

24. Is it possible to explore Udupi using public transport or we need taxi?

If you have enough time, key places can be visited using bus + auto or walking. Buses are available to visit most o the temples, Malpe & Kapu beach etc and you will get an auto for last mile drop.

25. What are the cheapest places to stay in Udupi?

Budget lodges are available in and around Udupi bus stand. You will get a room for under 1000 INR per day. For little more comfort and space, a budget of 1500-2000 INR per day would be helpful. Udupi Residency near bus stand gives 24 hour check out.

If you can afford 3000-4000 INR per day then many luxury hotels are at your disposal

- Manipal Inn

- Sharada International

- Samanvay

- Ocean Pearl Udupi

- White Lotus

26. Is it safe to visit Udupi during monsoon season?

Yes & No. I have a detailed guide here on this topic.

Got any other questions related to Udupi? Let me know, I will try to answer them.

Related: Udupi travel guide *