Udupi Tourism (2021) > Top Places, Temples, Travel Guide

"A Coastal Temple Town Filled With History"

Udupi Tourism

Udupi is a coastal town in Karnataka, most famous for its vegetarian cuisine and South Indian restaurants all over the country. With beautifully carved ancient temples, laidback beaches and unexplored forests, Udupi is also the place where the educational hub of Manipal is located. Situated 60 km from Mangalore, Udupi is famous for its temple culture.

Surrounded by the Arabian Sea on one side and the Western ghats on the other, this pilgrim centre is the most important city in Karnataka after Bangalore and Mangalore. Being a holy town, one of the most important attractions here is the Krishna Temple. Udupi is also known as Rajata Peetha and Shivalli locally.

Some of the most beautiful beaches in Karnataka are in Udupi. Malpe Beach is a tourist hotspot as it has beach shacks selling some of the most delicious seafood fresh off the boat, a beachside culture unlike any other in Southern Karnataka and many water sports too. From here, you can take a boat to St. Mary's Island which is famous for its black rocks.

Top Udupi Itineraries

Places To Visit In Udupi

St. Mary's Island

Kudlu Falls

Malpe Beach

Jomlu Teertha

Krishna Temple

Manipal

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Top Hotels In Udupi

Country Inns & Suites By Radisson Manipal

8.6 (377 reviews)

$ 48 onwards

White Lotus Hotel

9.0 (240 reviews)

$ 31 onwards

The Ocean Pearl, Udupi

8.6 (134 reviews)

$ 60 onwards

Hotel Tranquil Manipal

8.7 (122 reviews)

$ 30 onwards

Samanvay Boutique Hotel

9.3 (89 reviews)

$ 35 onwards

Fortune Inn Valley View - Member ITC Hotel Group, Manipal

8.2 (115 reviews)

$ 58 onwards

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Mythology

The beautiful city of Udupi along the Arabian Sea has many interesting legends intertwined with its history. It is believed that Chandra, the moon god, received redemption for his sins from Lord Shiva after doing penance here, which led to the naming of the city as Udupi. Udu essentially means star, and pa means leader - hence referring to the god of the stars or God Chandra. There are also many lores surrounding the city’s most popular attraction, the Krishna Temple.

According to the most famous legend, the great saint Sri Madhvacharya was meditating on the coast when he saw a ship about to capsize. He guided the ship to safety away from the waters, and in return, the grateful sailors offered him anything he wished from the ship as a gift. The sage asked for gopichandana, or clay, which unbeknownst to the sailors, covered a majestic statue of Lord Krishna that they had been transporting from Dwaraka, which is Lord Krishna’s birthplace. Sri Madhvacharya unearthed the statue and placed it in its current place of worship in the temple.

Architecture

Udupi is extremely famous for its religious architecture devoted to the Gods and saints of the Hindu religion. The Krishna temple includes, in addition to its majestic statue of Lord Krishna, beautiful chariot structures or rathas. All deities in the temple face the west, and a unique feature associated with them is that they are worshipped through windows.

These windows are plated with silver and have nine holes - also known as Navagraha kindi. Next to the Krishna Temple lies the Udupi Anantheshwara temple, which is believed to be over 1000 years old. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The city also has the Tulu Ashta Mathas, which are Hindu monasteries set up by the saint Sri Madhvacharya. These group of 8 monasteries preach the Dvaita school of Hindu philosophy.

Restaurants and Local Food in Udupi

Udupi is almost synonymous to Udupi restaurants popular all over the world and the traditional Udupi cuisine which gives the cuisine of Karnataka a distinct flavor and personality of its own. Hence, while in Udupi, one must experience the local Udupi cuisine which is rich in flavors, ingredients and variety. The popular items of the platter here are Upma, a wide variety of dosas, Bisi bele bath (a spicy preparation of rice), Idlis, Rasam, Goli baje, Payasa, Kheer, Pelakai Halwa ( Jackfruit Halwa) and countless more.
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Suggested Itinerary for Udupi

Day 1- You can go to the main market for a stroll, especially in places like Ratha Beedi, where you can buy precious curios and souvenirs and taste the delectable local cuisines.
Day 2- You should begin ideally with the Udupi Krishna Temple. Then, you can proceed to the famous Coin Museum, which houses an exquisite collection in the coins, from ancient to modern history.
Day 3- The final day can be reserved for a refreshing retreat at one of the beaches in Udupi, be it Kodi Beach, or the Kapu Beach. You can also visit Shri Ananteshwar Temple & Shri Kundeshwar Temple.

Best Time to Visit Udupi

Commuting within Udupi

Udupi Photos

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FAQs on Udupi

What is famous about Udupi?

A beautiful confluence of history and culture.

What is not so good about Udupi?

Extremely congested in peak seasons. Politically volatile.

Who should visit Udupi?

Ideal for cultural seekers. Suitable for backpackers touring nearby sites like Bengaluru, Mysore etc.

What is the best time to visit Udupi?

The best time to visit Udupi is during Winters from October to March because of its unabated heat during summers. The winters are pleasant here, while the temperatures soar up to 40 degrees during the summers. However, evenings are relatively cooler in Udupi. Monsoon, on the other hand, is a suitable time for travelling to Udupi and the nearby places because the temple town has a lush green surrounding after the rains. Udupi is the cultural centre of Karnataka, and there are several festivals and events celebrated there with unmatched pomp. The mutts and temples are patrons of art, hosting many cultural events regularly. Most of these take place in winter. Visiting Udupi during the months when these events are in full swing is ideal because the aesthetic enthusiasm is at its zenith.

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What is the local food in Udupi?

What is the best way to reach Udupi?

Udupi is well connected to the rest of India by rail & road. Regular rail and bus services ply to and from the city of Udupi; buses being operated both by private and government owners. There is no direct flight connectivity from Udupi. But Mangalore airport, 60 km away, is the nearest airport that connects Udupi to the rest of India and a few Gulf countries.
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What are the things to do in Udupi?

The top things to do in Udupi are St. Mary's Island, Krishna Temple, Malpe Beach, Kaup Beach, Mookambika Temple, Kudlu Falls. You can see all the places to visit in Udupi here

What are the places near Udupi?

The top places near to Udupi are Coorg which is 147 km from Udupi, Kudremukh which is located 58 km from Udupi, Gokarna which is located 143 km from Udupi, Mangalore which is located 48 km from Udupi, Goa which is located 260 km from Udupi

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Udupi Reviews

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Nehad Zein 2 years ago

Udupi is a district that features hundreds of temples and numerous beaches within its relatively short radius. The beaches are serene, frequently complemented by pink skies, especially during sunset and sunrise. The town of Udupi is well known for its cultural heritage, especially for how it has maintained its authenticity over the few years despite epic modernization happening just a few kilometers away in Manipal. Its contemporary, just like the cuisine which although primarily vegetarian is tantalizing for your taste-buds.

Muhammed Salih 2 years ago

Manipal is now known as a student's city as it is an education hub and provides everything a student might need. With Hill Stations and Beaches really nearby, it ups the ante for people to visit or just come to study. Agumbe Hill station is just an hour and a half away, most of the beaches are just 30 minutes away from the city.

rinu antony 2 years ago

It was an amazing island. many peoples are coming over there even foreigners.visiting time from 9 am to 4 pm. boat rates 250 to 300 depends boats..nothing other entry fee to island. only snack food only available there in island..so u must fill your belly before getting into boat...haha...volcanic rocks are there and that's a beauty scene.....

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