St. Mary’s Beach- Udupi

Hello guys! It's been another crazy ride past 2 months since I last wrote. Many things have changed since then. I've resigned from my job at Mysore and I've joined Microsoft Hyderabad (currently working from home at Guwahati, Assam). It's good to be back at home with parents after a very long time. I'm sharing an experience of an impromptu trip which I had done right before India went into COVID-19 second wave lockdown. This is just a part of the whole trip. I'll be sharing more on this trip later.

St. Mary’s Beach is comprised of four islands, which according to folk legend, Vasco Da Gama landed on during his journey from Portugal in 1498. He had fixed a cross on the island and named one of them “O Padrao de Santa Maria”, as a dedication to Mother Mary, from where the name actually originated. The northernmost island has a basaltic rock formation in a hexagonal form which is one of a kind in India. Such kind of hexagonal formations had been seen in the Madagascar regions and it is believed to have been a part of Madagascar before the rifting around 88 million years ago. The island is also called “Coconut Island” due to the abundance of coconut trees.

These islands are located in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Malpe in Udupi, Karnataka. I’ve been lucky to have visited this place on the 12^th of April, 2021 right before Karnataka went into official lockdown for the second wave of Covid-19. Tourists are allowed to visit only one of the islands and you can explore the entire island yourself, except the rocky areas which are risky to trek and restricted for tourists. The restricted areas are clearly marked with flags and ropes. The island covers an area of around 500 meters in length and 100 meters in width. There are security guards constantly monitoring any violations of the island rules. The specialty of the beach is that the beach of the Western part of the island is entirely made of seashells and there’s no sand. There are seashells scattered throughout the beach and you’ll be walking on the seashells. There are a variety of plants that grow alongside the coconut trees which are very unique. Beach water can be accessible only on the Eastern part of the island as the Western part is covered with rocks which is a restricted area for tourists. The water is comparatively clearer than any other normal beach as it is quite far into the sea from the coast. There are beautiful photogenic spots throughout the island, so make sure you carry a good camera and not regret later. For instagrammers and vloggers, you can spam your feed with multiple stories and posts or even go LIVE as you have proper cell reception and internet connectivity even so far from the shore. To sum it up, this is “a breathtaking view”.

       

As the name suggests, it’s an island and hence cannot be accessed by road. Ferry rides are available every 15-20 minutes from Malpe Beach, Udupi. The ferry ride takes around 20-25 minutes to reach the island. However, the ferry has to be fully occupied, otherwise you’ll have to wait till the ferry gets filled with other people. The last ferry leaves Malpe Beach around 5:00 pm. The last ferry back from the island is around 6:00pm. The entire island is scanned by the people maintaining the ferry service wherein they check whether anyone is left out before the last ferry leaves the island back for the shore. The closest city to Udupi is Mangalore which is a commercial port of Karnataka and is around 55-60 kms from Udupi. The same distance can be covered in an hour’s time as it’s a straight four-lane highway with 2-3 toll gates. The closest airport to this destination would be Mangalore International Airport which is around 60 kms from Udupi. There are regular trains available from Mangalore to Udupi. 

 

This location is closed during rainy season from June to September due to the high tides which almost cover the island. The best time to visit would be December to February and make sure to visit the place during sunset. The view of the sun setting on the Arabian Sea from the island is simply breathtaking. You can sit and enjoy the sunset. 

 

 

The ferry ride to the island cost me ₹400 per person. I was mentioned by others that the price isn’t constant and keeps changing throughout the year. You’ll also have to pay around ₹50 while entering the “Malpe beach gate” if you take a car.

The island is a NO PLASTIC zone and hence do not carry plastic water bottles. Even if you happen to carry, you’ve to submit the same at the entrance to the island and take a token. Later, the same can be collected on your return by showing the token.

While you’re waiting for your ferry on the Malpe Beach, there are multiple water sports like banana ride, parasailing, sofa ride, jet skiing, etc. There are multiple games available on the shore as well, like the ATVs, Camel rides, etc. There’s a lighthouse around 20-25 kms from Malpe Beach. This is on the Kapu Beach.

The view from the lighthouse is a breathtaking one. Unfortunately, when I had visited, the lighthouse was closed. But this is a must visit location if you’re in Udupi. Kapu Beach even has scuba diving facilities which can be availed at around ₹ 4500 per head. There’s a place called Kayakboy in Mulki which is around 15-20 minutes by road from Malpe Beach wherein you can try Kayaking at an expense of ₹500 per head at the backwaters of the Arabian Sea.

If you’re looking for a place to stay near Malpe Beach, the Paradise Isle Beach resort would be perfect. It is right next to the Malpe Beach and one room charge is around ₹5000. The rooms are spacious with all amenities and a beautiful dining experience with a beach view from the hotel. I had personally stayed there and I would recommend it to anyone. However, if you’re looking for a more budgeted place, there are multiple hotels available in the city at a much cheaper price.

The total trip will not cost you more than ₹ 2000 including the stay and food at a decent hotel. This is excluding the additional expenses that you can incur while considering kayaking and other water sports. This also doesn’t include the travel to Udupi from your respective location.

St. Mary’s Island is obviously a must visit place for people who like to explore and no doubt one of the most beautiful places to visit during sunset.