St Mary's Island is a set of columnar basalt formations pushed up from the sea floor — the same geology as the Giant's Causeway, twenty minutes by boat from Malpe. Back on shore, Udupi is the temple town whose kitchens produced the entire Udupi restaurant tradition. It is a food trip with a coastline attached, and it costs about a third of what Goa costs in the same week.
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When to go
November to February is dry, warm and calm. The boats to St Mary's do not run in the monsoon and the sea from June to September is genuinely dangerous.
Udupi right now and the next 7 days
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Udupi, planned for you
A satellite map for every day with each stop pinned in order, photos of the places, timings, what each part costs, where to sleep and eat, and a checklist. One PDF that works offline: print it, or send it to everyone going.
- Day 1 Arrive in Udupi · St Mary's Island by boat
- TravelTrain: Bengaluru / Mumbai → Udupi (Konkan Railway)₹900
- 11:00St Mary's Island by boat₹400
- 15:30Anantheshwara & Chandramouleshwara templesFree
- Day 2 Sri Krishna Matha
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Udupi on the map
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The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Udupi & Malpe · Open in Google Maps ↗
Map by Google. Places are found by name, so check the exact spot in Google Maps before you go.
Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Every price is what the bus, room or ticket itself costs. We take no commission and sell no packages, so this is what you pay booking each piece yourself.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 6 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Udupi & Malpe in 2 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00St Mary's Island by boat3 h · ₹400 each · Columnar basalt columns, sixty million years old. Boats stop entirely in monsoon.
- 14:30Lunch break
- 15:30Anantheshwara & Chandramouleshwara temples1 h · free · Older than the Krishna matha and almost empty.
- 08:00Sri Krishna Matha1 h 30 m · free · The deity is viewed through a carved silver window. Free meals served to all comers.
- 13:00Lunch break
- 17:15Kaup lighthouse at sunset2 h · ₹50 each · Climb it. Twelve kilometres south by local bus.
How to get to Udupi
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Train Cheapest
₹900The Konkan line down the coast is worth the trip on its own.
Overnight bus
₹1,200Several operators nightly, drop in the town centre.
Local bus, last leg Last leg
₹20Every ten minutes from the service bus stand.
Getting around once you're there
Local bus
₹20Constant between town, Malpe, Kaup and Manipal. Costs nothing.
Scooter
₹400For the beaches north and south that the buses skip.
Boat to St Mary's Island
₹400From Malpe jetty, government-run, roughly hourly in season.
Auto
₹120Town to Malpe. The bus is six times cheaper.
Where to stay in Udupi
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Budget room
₹800/nightDozens of them, clean and plain. Walking in is normal.
Beach guesthouse
₹1,400/nightNear the sand without paying resort rates.
Hotel
₹2,200/nightPlenty of options; Udupi is a business town as well as a temple town.
What to eat, and what it costs
Udupi veg meals on a banana leaf
₹70The original. Unlimited, and served faster than you can eat it.
Masala dosa at the source
₹50The dish was formalised in this town's kitchens. Eat it for breakfast, standing up.
Coastal fish thali at Malpe
₹160Anjal or bangude, fried in rava. Note the temple area itself is vegetarian.
Goli baje and filter coffee
₹40Mangalorean bonda. Four in the afternoon, every afternoon.
Places to visit and things to do in Udupi
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
St Mary's Island by boat
₹400Columnar basalt columns, sixty million years old. Boats stop entirely in monsoon.
Sri Krishna Matha
FreeThe deity is viewed through a carved silver window. Free meals served to all comers.
Malpe beach & Paradise Isle
₹100Clean, wide and — unusually for India — with lifeguards.
Kaup lighthouse at sunset
₹50Climb it. Twelve kilometres south by local bus.
Manipal food walk
₹400A university town with a disproportionate density of good cheap food.
Anantheshwara & Chandramouleshwara temples
FreeOlder than the Krishna matha and almost empty.
Day trips and next stops
Murudeshwar
₹150Train or bus north
Bus up the ghat
Mangaluru
₹80Train or bus south
Gokarna
₹250Konkan Railway north
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- The sea at Malpe has rip currents. Swim between the flags where lifeguards are posted.
- St Mary's boats stop completely from June to September and sometimes in rough weather outside that.
- Temple dress code is enforced — men are often required to remove shirts in the inner area.
Ways to spend less
- The ₹20 local bus runs to Malpe every ten minutes. An auto costs six times that for the same trip.
- Eat in the town, not at the beach. Same food, half the price, and the temple canteen is free.
- The Konkan Railway run north at sunrise is one of India's great train journeys and costs almost nothing.
Say it in Kannada
A few words go a long way, especially when you ask a price.
Hindi and English work in most towns and with drivers.
The pronunciation is a simple guide, not a native recording. Spot a mistake? Tell us.
Before-you-go checklist
Udupi in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Udupi & Malpe?
On our month-by-month scores, the best months are Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec. November to February is dry, warm and calm. The boats to St Mary's do not run in the monsoon and the sea from June to September is genuinely dangerous.
How do I reach Udupi & Malpe?
Train: Bengaluru / Mumbai → Udupi (Konkan Railway), 9–12 h, about ₹900 one way. Overnight bus: Bengaluru → Udupi, 8 h, about ₹1,200 one way. Flight + road: → Mangaluru (IXE), then 1 h 15 m, 1 h + 1 h 15 m, about ₹7,500 one way.
How much does a 2-day trip to Udupi & Malpe cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹1,800 on a shoestring, ₹3,000 mid-range or ₹6,000 in comfort over 2 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is train (Bengaluru / Mumbai → Udupi (Konkan Railway)) at about ₹900 each way.
How many days do you need in Udupi & Malpe?
2 days is right for most people. That covers St Mary's Island by boat, Anantheshwara & Chandramouleshwara temples, Sri Krishna Matha, Kaup lighthouse at sunset without rushing.
Is Udupi & Malpe good for families or solo travellers?
Out of 5 on our scores: solo 4, couples 5, families 5, groups 4. It works well for families. It is easy to do on your own.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Udupi & Malpe?
This is the birthplace of the Udupi vegetarian tradition. The temple town is entirely veg, the meals are unlimited, and a vegetarian eats better here for ₹70 than almost anywhere in the world.
Will my phone and cards work in Udupi & Malpe?
Phone signal: Full coverage. Cards and UPI: Widely accepted in town. Cash: Boats, buses and stalls.
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Kudremukh Peak trekHard · 1 day (6–7 h) · Oct–Mar (permit/season dependent)From ₹1,200 at the base
KodachadriEasy · 2 days · Oct–FebFrom ₹900 at the base
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Make the plan yours
Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we don't sell packages or bookings, we take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Every guide is free; our only paid products are optional downloadable trip plans and itineraries. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 6 October 2026 · Photo: Subhashish Panigrahi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: Ashok Prabhakaran from Chennai, India · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · Photo: Nativeplants garden · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Outlander07 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: KshitizBathwal / Skyscape Photography · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
