Beautiful and Rocky St. Mary’s Island, Udupi, Karnataka
St. Marys island beach is located around 59 kms away from the city. There are some beaches with golden sand and pretty seawater. In this beach you can find the rocky sand. You can find the basalt rocks in this beach. They have been split into vertical hexagonal blocks. This is the place where you cannot find any habitation, you only have some rocks where you can sit and view the beauty of the beach. You can find a variety of fishes in this place.
St. Mary’s Island can be reached by 30 minutes boat ride from Malpe Beach which is about 10 Kms from Udupi. This island is uninhabited and there is no possibility to stay overnight here. You can approach this beach by using a boat from the Malpe harbour. The boat services were prohibited for three months during the monsoon by the district administration.
In this beach you will not be able to experience the fun of water games and swimming as this place is rocky. You have the privilege to enjoy the view of the beautiful sunset and sunrise. It is entirely covered by the Arabian Sea and you can find some coconut trees here and there.
The Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama halted in this place in 1498 just before reaching Calicut. He name one of the islands as “ EI Padron de Santa Maria.” The islands in the north are around 252 yards widthwise and are about 1 sq mile in area. The most attractive part of this place is that you can find the coconut trees and this shows the real beauty of this beach. The most exciting thing about this place is that you can sit on the rocks and take a pleasure of the scenery.
December to March is the best time for you to visit this place and this is the time when the climate is cool and serine. This place is situated 7 kms away from Udupi that has the closest railway station. If you are traveling by air you can go to Mangalore first and them to Udupi.
Where to Stay?
How to Reach?
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By Air: The nearest airport is at Mangalore which is 58 km from Malpe, the boarding point of ferries for St. Mary’s Island. One can easily get a cab or a bus for Malpe from the airport.
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By Rail: The nearest rail head is at Udupi, which is 4 km from Malpe. One can easily get an autorickshaws or a cab for Malpe.
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By Road: Malpe is well connected by road to Mangalore and Udupi. There are lots of public and private buses that connect Malpe to Mangalore and Udupi.
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By Sea: From Malpehe Harbor regular ferry services can be availed to reach St. Mary’s Island. Ferries are the only way in and out of the Island. It costs around INR 250-300 per person (two-way) and covers the distance of 8 km in around 20 minutes. The last boat to the island leaves at 5:00 PM and the last boat back leaves at 7:00 PM.
