What to expect
Highlights
- The beach promenade, shacks and water sports.
- The boat jetty for St Mary’s Islands.
- Fresh seafood and the fishing harbour.
Malpe Beach
Malpe, about 5 km west of Udupi, is both a busy fishing harbour and a clean, lively beach with a promenade, shacks and water sports. It is one of the best-known beaches on the Karnataka coast.
Practical guide
Plan Malpe Beach
Who's going?Tailor Malpe Beach to your trip
Typebeach
Nearest baseMalpe
DistrictUdupi
Best timeOctober to February
Time needed1 to 2 hours (more with the island trip)
EntryFree
Places to visit2→It is above all the gateway to St Mary’s Islands, with boats running out to the basalt-pillar islets, and a fine place for a seafood meal by the sea.
Getting there
How to visit
- ~5 km from Udupi; reach it by auto, bus or taxi.
- Swim in the safer, flagged areas; buy the St Mary’s Islands boat ticket at the official counter and note the last return boat.
Distance by road
- Mangaluru60 km
- Shivamogga145 km
- Chikkamagaluru145 km
- Karwar175 km
- Bengaluru400 km
Road km to Udupi; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February; the sea is calmest and boats to the islands run more reliably.
Weather in Malpe BeachSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Malpe Beach
Sunrise6:22 am
Sunset6:11 pm
Golden hour best light5:11 pm–6:11 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:11 pm–6:36 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌒 Waxing crescent · 44%
Retreating monsoon. October and November still see spells of rain from the retreating monsoon, though it is usually lighter than mid-year. Conditions are generally good but worth checking.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- Swim only where it is safe and flagged; use only the official island boats and wear the life jacket.
Photos
Malpe Beach in pictures
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Malpe Beach
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Malpe Beach — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
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Top experiences around Malpe
One more place around Malpe worth a day of its own.
islandSt Mary's Islands
3.3 km · ~8 min by auto
A cluster of small islands off Malpe famous for their columnar basalt — hexagonal rock pillars formed by ancient volcanic activity — reached by a short boat ride and declared a National Geological Monument.
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Add a nearby businessBefore you go
Malpe Beach — at a glance
TimingsDaylight; boats in season and daylight
Best timeOctober to February; calm sea
Entry: Free (activities/boat charged)
Getting here
How to reach Malpe Beach
~5 km from Udupi; auto/bus/taxi
Getting back
If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.
- KSRTC— the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries.Online booking.
- Indian Railways— live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Malpe Beach
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
If you need help at Malpe Beach
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Malpe Beach
islandSt Mary's Islands
A cluster of small islands off Malpe famous for their columnar basalt — hexagonal rock pillars formed by ancient volcanic activity — reached by a short boat ride and declared a National Geological Monument.
3.3 km · ~8 min by auto · straight lineK
Kemmannu Hanging Bridge
Place
heritageKemmannu Hanging Bridge
A 280-foot pedestrian suspension bridge built in 1991 between Padukudru and Timmanakudru near Kemmannu. The last verified status report recorded it closed as unsafe; confirm locally before travelling and do not plan on crossing.
4.5 km · ~11 min by auto · straight line
templeAnantheshwara Temple, Udupi
An ancient Shiva temple (Anantheshwara/Chandramouleeshwara) beside the Krishna Matha on Udupi’s Car Street, older than the Krishna temple and closely linked to Madhvacharya, who is said to have given his last discourse here.
6.3 km · ~16 min by auto · straight line
templeSri Krishna Matha, Udupi
The 13th-century Krishna temple founded by the saint Madhvacharya, where the deity is worshipped through a silver-plated nine-holed window (the Navagraha Kitiki); it is the seat of the eight Udupi mathas and the origin of the famed Udupi vegetarian cuisine.
6.3 km · ~16 min by auto · straight line
viewpointManipal End Point
A landscaped viewpoint on the edge of the Manipal plateau overlooking the Swarna river valley and the Western Ghats — a popular garden-and-sunset spot in the university town.
9.5 km · ~16 min by cab · straight line
heritageBarkur
A historic temple town north of Udupi, once a medieval capital of the Tulu country, dotted with old temples such as the Panchalingeshwara and Kalikamba and scattered ruins.
13.0 km · ~22 min by cab · straight line
templePajaka Kshetra
The birthplace of the 13th-century philosopher Madhvacharya, about 12 km from Udupi — a quiet pilgrimage site with shrines and sacred tanks at the foot of a hill.
14.3 km · ~24 min by cab · straight line
beachKaup Beach
A beach south of Udupi at Kapu, dominated by a 19th-century lighthouse on a rocky headland that can be climbed for sweeping coast views — known for its sunsets and rock pools.
15.9 km · ~27 min by cab · straight lineK
Kundeshwara Temple
Place
templeKundeshwara Temple
Kundapura’s namesake Shiva temple near the Panchagangavalli estuary, a living town shrine traditionally associated with the Alupa ruler Kundavarma.
29.3 km · ~49 min by cab · straight line
beachKodi Beach, Kundapura
The town-side beach west of Kundapura near the Panchagangavalli river mouth, with a long sandy shore and an active estuary landscape.
30.0 km · ~50 min by cab · straight line
beachMaravanthe Beach
A striking beach on NH-66 where the road runs on a narrow strip with the Arabian Sea on one side and the Souparnika river, backed by the Kodachadri hills, on the other.
39.0 km · ~65 min by cab · straight line
templeKollur Mookambika Temple
A revered temple to the goddess Mookambika (a form of Adi Shakti) at Kollur in the Western Ghats foothills on the Souparnika river — a major pilgrimage centre and the base for the Kodachadri trek.
57.2 km · ~95 min by cab · straight lineOn the map
Where Malpe Beach is
Good to know
Malpe Beach — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Malpe Beach?
October to February; the sea is calmest and boats to the islands run more reliably.
What are the entry fee and timings at Malpe Beach?
Entry: Free (activities/boat charged). Timings: Daylight; boats in season and daylight.
How do I reach Malpe Beach?
~5 km from Udupi; reach it by auto, bus or taxi. Swim in the safer, flagged areas; buy the St Mary’s Islands boat ticket at the official counter and note the last return boat.
How much time do I need for Malpe Beach?
1 to 2 hours (more with the island trip).
What else is near Malpe Beach?
Nearby you can pair St Mary's Islands (3.3 km), Kemmannu Hanging Bridge (4.5 km), Anantheshwara Temple, Udupi (6.3 km), Sri Krishna Matha, Udupi (6.3 km).
Read before you go
Malpe Beach guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Malpe Beach itself yet. These cover Malpe and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Story
The Coastal Karnataka Road Trip: Gokarna to Mangaluru
9 min read · Read →
Story
How Kundapura got its name
5 min read · Read →
Story
Yakshagana nights on the Udupi coast
5 min read · Read →
Story
Kodi beyond the sunset
5 min read · Read →
Itinerary
One day in Kundapura
5 min read · Read →
Itinerary
Two days on the Kundapura coast
5 min read · Read →
Image credits
Photographs: Raghavan2010, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), Ananya Rao Katpadi (CC BY-SA 4.0), Vaikoovery (CC BY 3.0), Shravan Kamath94 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.