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Karnataka

Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island

Temple town beside a basalt-column island

BeachSpiritualIsland

Best time to visit Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March to May and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: June to September

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Calm sea, boats to St Marys Island running smoothly - the best window by far.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Hot and sticky by April-May, but boats to St Marys run right up to the monsoon - start early and be off the sand by noon.

Monsoon June to September Do not go

Boats to St Marys do not run Jun-Sep and the sea is rough - the island, which is the entire point of coming, is unreachable.

Autumn October to November Prime time

October: boats resume, sea calming, temple town far quieter than winter.

What Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island is actually like

A pilgrim-and-daytrip crowd rather than backpackers, but easy enough to wander solo.

Getting to Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island

Fly Mangalore, 1h to Udupi/Malpe; also on the Konkan Railway line.

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
0 m
State
Karnataka
Coordinates
13.3492, 74.7038

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island?

November to February is peak season in Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island. March to May and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to September. October: boats resume, sea calming, temple town far quieter than winter.

How many days do you need in Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island?

2 days is the usual stay. A pilgrim-and-daytrip crowd rather than backpackers, but easy enough to wander solo.

How do you get to Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island?

Fly Mangalore, 1h to Udupi/Malpe; also on the Konkan Railway line. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Udupi-Malpe & St Marys Island?

Jan: Paryaya, biennial handover festival at Krishna Matha. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

Nearby, and where to go next

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