Incredible Karnataka: 5 reasons why you must visit Malpe

The Konkan Coast includes Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. From Udupi, Murudeshwar, Kumta to Gokarna and Karwar, Karnataka is responsible for quite a beauty on the Konkan Coast.

Pramod and I are lucky that we call Bangalore our home, mostly because it is a tad easy to explore Karnataka. While tourists are always flooding Goa’s beaches and Kerala’s backwaters, Karnataka is more often than not overlooked despite comprising some of the most beautiful beaches in India. Coastal Karnataka is still a gem that is yet to gain its deserving popularity.

Bringing in more perspective, when we were planning a trip to Udupi, we hardly found any beach resorts. It was so unlike Goa, at least, where every beach has several resorts in or around it. We eventually found one beach resort in Malpe.

Earlier this year (2021), we visited Udupi and Malpe, a natural port in the Udupi district for three days. It was my (Sakshi) first time in coastal Karnataka and it did not take much time to fall in love with it.

Instead of Goa, plan a trip to Malpe next time. It is an underrated short-trip destination from Bangalore. The best time to visit Malpe, Udupi is through October to March; the winter months especially for its pleasant weather as the summer heat with added humidity can get unbearable.

Chill at Paradise Isle Beach resort

We found just one beach resort that looked decent and was bang opposite the Malpe beach. The room prices were pocket-friendly and we were even offered a room upgrade. Our package included breakfast and for lunch and dinner, we headed to their in-house restaurants. One was beach facing and had good offers on drinks. The prices were a bit high but the food was nice and the ambience was lovely.

Chilling at the Paradise Isle Resort was the best short break we could have asked for, waking up to the beach views, away from the bustling Bangalore city. Even at night, you could just walk out of the resort and sit on the beach.

Malpe Beach

Plan a trip in the middle of the week (if possible) to avoid the weekend crowds on the beach, especially in the evening. We woke up early to witness the sunrise and chill on the beach with very few people anyone around. It was beautiful and peaceful. The sound of the waves is soothing, right?

St. Mary’s island

It is a collection of islands in the Arabian Sea. There are frequent ferries from Malpe to the island. With thick golden sands under your feet, foamy water crashing against the rocks and the surroundings of only blue waters and tall palm trees – welcome to St. Mary’s Island.

You must definitely not miss St. Mary’s Island because according to studies, the hexagonal, basalt rocks on the island were formed millions of years ago when Madagascar broke away from the Indian subcontinent.

Malpe Seawalk

You can spend an evening walking to the Malpe Seawalk and then follow the road till, well, the road ends. Or go there for a morning walk. It is around 1.7km from the resort. The 450-metre sea walk has the Arabian Sea on one side, and backwaters on the other (the Swarna River empties out into it at some point). There are plenty of rocks and benches to sit in if you want to just chill.

There is a small entry fee. Also, you can take a government ferry from the Seawalk to St. Mary’s Island. The prices here are much less than what the private ferries ask on Malpe Beach.

Beach hopping

It was love at first sight with Maravanthe beach. It comes on the way from Malpe, Udupi to Murudeshwar. You have the picturesque Kodachadri Hills in the backdrop to the Sauparnika River on one side and miles of pristine white sand on the other. Maravanthe beach is a uniquely positioned beach with the Arabian Sea on one side and Souparnika river on the other. Moreover, Maravanthe reminded us of Sri Lanka’s Galle.

Kodi Bengere beach or Delta Backwater beach is a part of a small village in the Udupi district, where the Swarna River meets the Arabian Sea – another beautiful sight.

After Maravanthe beach, our second favourite was Kaup/Kapu beach. Apart from its natural beauty of clean sands, big rocks and greenery around, the lighthouse was a highlight on the beach. It was built in 1901 by the East India Company on the shores of the Arabian sea.

Also, there are many day trips you can take from Udupi, such as heading to Mangalore, checking out architectural marvels in Murudeshwar and Sringeri, to name a few.