It was already January of 2017 and we did not even realise it being busy for the past 2 months in all the shifting and getting settled in the new place. Our souls screamed for a vacation and since we had a long weekend ahead we planned to visit Udupi for a few days.
We took an overnight bus from Bangalore and reached Udupi at around 7 in the morning. After having a hearty South Indian breakfast at the bus depot we took an auto to our hotel near Malpe Beach. The sky was a bit overcast and Malpe beach looked absolutely surreal in the weather with very little people in the beach. Though my heart wanted to sit on the beach enjoying the cool breeze and the sound of waves, but it was time to catch the ferry to St Mary’s island which was the main reason we chose Udupi for our vacation. So we dropped our bags at the hotel and started walking to the harbour which is 10 minutes walk from Malpe beach.
The ferry ride to St Mary's Island took around 25 mins and once we stepped down from the boat and made our way through the tall coconut trees of the island, the turquoise water of the sea came into view. The place looked insanely beautiful with rock formations spread all over the island and the sea water reflecting many shades of blue. The hexagonal rocks found here are basaltic rocks that are created due to volcanic activity. These rocks on the shore make the place even more beautiful providing a picture perfect background to get clicked. We spent some time exploring the island and caught the ferry back to Malpe.
Over the next 2 days we planned to visit some other beaches in Udupi like the Kaup/Kapu beach, Kodi beach and planned a day trip to Kudloo falls. Kudloo falls is situated deep inside the forest and the only way to reach there is to trek through a steep stony path for around 30-40 minutes which is an adventure in itself. Even the forest was very beautiful with absolute silence ruling it except the foot steps of the visitors and we stopped in between to click some pictures and relish its beauty. It felt all worth the effort once we reached the falls as it was very picturesque surrounded by lush greenery and the sight of water falling from 126 feet in to the pond below was very refreshing. This is a perfect place to enjoy nature isolated from the crowd and we spent some quality time there sitting and enjoying the natural beauty.
We stopped at Kodi Beach before returning to our hotel and by the time we reached the beach it was sunset time. There were very few people in the beach as it is not as famous as Malpe/Kaup, but that makes the place even more serene and desirable for people looking for peace. In some time, the sun started going down the horizon painting the sky with hues of red and the sea shore reflecting the colour of the sky as the waves receded.
The next day we visited our last destination that was Kaup/Kapu beach. Kaup is a beautiful beach with an old light house on a hillock and provides great views of sunset. If you can brave the narrow spiral staircase that leads to the top of the light house, you can have a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. We heard from our driver that if you have the time to stay in Kapu a little longer after sunset, then the light coming from the light house makes the place look very dreamy. As we had to catch the bus back to Bangalore in the same evening, we could not stay there after sunset . But if you ask me, this is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited and if I had the time I would have preferred to sit there on a rock for hours overlooking the sea and still not get bored.
If you plan to visit Udupi, avoid the summer months and rainy season. Even in January it was very hot and humid though the nights were pleasant. In rainy season, the ferry service to St Mary's island are stopped due to rough sea and St Mary's is of course not a place to be missed. Try out the seafood (especially the fish) which is delicious and if you are a vegetarian, do not miss the authentic South Indian food at MTR restaurant. So what are you waiting for, go ahead and book a trip to this coastal paradise.