Udupi

Get in

Udupi is well-connected with the cities on India's west coast. NH-66 (formerly NH-17) runs right through Udupi, connecting it to Mumbai and Goa to the North and Mangalore and Kochi to the South. Konkan Railway connects Udupi to the same cities. The city is around 406 km from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. Rail connectivity with Bangalore is good, but travelling by road is a good option, as you are exposed to the beauty of the nature. The road journey through Agumbe ghats is really mesmerizing.

Get around

Buses, cabs and auto-rickshaws are ways to get around the city. Udupi has excellent city bus services run by various private companies. Buses generally start and end at the main bus stand. There are bus stops throughout the city. Ask around. Tickets can be bought once you board or from the conductor just before boarding. Rates start from ₹5 per 2 km.

See

Udupi has some nice beaches, lush greenery, the quaint charm of a small town and many temples. Many of the places to visit are not very well known to many people outside of Udupi. If you are an adventurous person who loves nature, there is a lot to explore in Udupi.

Do

Udupi has some great beaches, but thankfully, they aren't big water sports destinations like Goa, though there are some options. If you are the adventurous sort, you can head south to Mulki, Mangalore where the Ashram surf retreat combines surfing with spiritualism.

If the mountains are what you are after, turn east to Karkala, where Agumbe and other places provide some excellent trekking opportunities.

For a cultural experience, try to catch a performance of Yakshagana, a Bhoota Kola or a Naga Mandala. The latter two are essentially religious rituals, but a sight to watch. The Yakshagana is a genre of dance-drama that is native to the Karavali region. The performances are advertised only in local Kannada newspapers, so it might be somewhat difficult to catch them. Also, to fully appreciate Yakshagana, you need to understand Kannada or Tulu.

Buy

thumb|300px|Merchants at the temple. Shopping at Ratha BeediWhile Udupi, like any other city of moderate size, offers many opportunities to shop, and the Ratha Beedi area around the temple is a popular and interesting destination to buy what the city is best known for. Most people who visit the temple combine their religious sojourn with a shopping expedition. On festive occasions, the area around the Krishna temple comes abuzz with many temporary shops set up for the occasion.