Today’s blog post discusses the details of the ideal road trip from Pune to Udupi. This 6-day Udupi itinerary includes all the must-visit places and the must-do day trips from Udupi.

When I first decided to visit Udupi, I thought it would be a short weekend vacation, but I ended up staying here for almost a week. If time hadn’t been an issue, I would have stayed longer and leisurely explored this underrated town and its surroundings.

If you don’t have time to read the entire blog post, save this post for later. But here’s the cliffnotes version of the 6-day Udupi itinerary.

• DAY 1 – Drive from Pune to Udupi.
• DAY 2 – Explore Udupi.
• DAY 3 – Explore the remaining places in Udupi.
• DAY 4 – Visit Prasanna Anjaneya Temple, Murudeshwar, and Honnavar.
• DAY 5 – Hike to the Yana Caves.
• DAY 6 – Drive back to Pune.

The above itinerary is for a road trip I took from Pune to Udupi and back. You’re welcome to adapt it to suit your specifications. Depending on your hometown, whether you’re driving or travelling by train or plane, the number of days you’ll be travelling will alter the itinerary.

Before planning a trip to Udupi, you’ll need to know what you can do there. That’ll require extensive research. But no worries, I have done the research for you. You can read my blog posts on 8 must-visit places in Udupi and the 5 must-do day trips from Udupi.

DAY 1

The first day of the road trip is going to be a long and tiring one. You’ll be driving from Pune to Udupi. It’s a 707 km drive and takes 14 hours. Usually, it wouldn’t take 14 hours to drive 700 kms but due to road repairs and construction underway, it takes so long.

I left Pune around 5 a.m. and arrived in Udupi at 9 p.m. It took longer than I expected because my navigation decided to stop working in the ghats, and I deviated 40 kms from the route. Therefore, ensure you have downloaded the offline maps.

If you’re travelling from a different city, the distance and route might differ.

The first day will be long and tiring, but over the next few days, you’ll realise it was worth it.

DAY 2

After the long drive the previous day, you deserve a slow, lazy morning. After a delicious and fulfilling breakfast, get ready to explore Udupi. Today, you’ll be exploring four sites and two restaurants.

DELTA POINT

First on today’s itinerary is Delta Point, which involves a short scenic drive. Upon arriving at Delta Point, take a boat ride to see the joining of the Sita and Swarna Rivers. During this 1.5-hour boat ride, see a naval island, get close to the mangroves in the Sita River, pass by a dockyard where Goa’s casino ships are built, and just enjoy the quiet.

KODI BENGARE BEACH

After the boat ride, walk past the colourful houses till you arrive at a stone wall. On the other side of the wall is the Kodi Bengare Beach. This wide stretch of sandy shore is underrated and seldom sees any footfall. Here, you’ll find a clean, golden sand beach and clear blue and emerald green waters. If I hadn’t seen this beach myself, I wouldn’t believe it was a place in India.

LUNCH

All the walking and exploring will leave you famished, so it’s time to stop for some mouthwatering seafood at Machali restaurant. The restaurant is a 30-minute drive from Delta Point, but you won’t regret it.

My favourite was their prawn thali and prawn ghee roast. For those who aren’t keen on seafood, their chicken thali is good too.

SHRI KRISHNA MATH

You’ll want to head back to the hotel after lunch, but power through. Drive for 8-10 minutes to the Shri Krishna Math. It is a beautiful temple and has religious significance. People from near and far come here to pray to Lord Krishna.

Depending on how long the darshan queue is, you’ll be there for 30 minutes or more.

MALPE BEACH

Later, you can head back to the hotel to rest. Then, around 4:30-5 p.m., visit Malpe Beach. For the next couple of hours, you’re free to do what you want. You can go swimming, walk on the beach, shop for clothes and souvenirs, indulge in water activities, eat, take photos and more.

TRAVEL TIP:- Stay to watch the sunset. Wait 10-15 minutes after the fades because that’s when the real magic happens.

DINNER

For dinner, head to “Thimmappa”, Udupi’s crowd favourite seafood restaurant. This was the first restaurant I visited in Udupi. They offer thali-style dining.

If you love trying new dishes, I recommend tasting their local fish, which is just as delicious as Bangra, Surmai or pomfret.

After dinner, head back to your hotel. Try to sleep early, because tomorrow’s itinerary is fully packed.

DAY 3

Today, you’ll be exploring the other places in Udupi. So, after a traditional breakfast, it’s time to head out and get exploring. You’ll be exploring four places today.

ST. MARY’S ISLAND AND MALPE SEA WALK

The first stop on today’s excursion is the Malpe Sea Walk. To get to the sea walk, you’ll have to drive there. From the parking lot, walk. You’ll encounter a large statue of a fish, a turtle, fishermen pushing a boat, and even a sea witch.

Right next to the sea walk is a ticket counter for a ferry to St. Mary’s Island. First, purchase the ticket for the ferry. If there’s time before the ferry leaves, you can explore the Malpe Sea Walk. Or you could do it upon returning from the island.

St. Mary’s Island is home to clean, pristine beaches and black basalt volcanic rock formations, which will remind you of the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. Walk around St. Mary’s Island and check out the Instagram-worthy photo spots.

Upon returning to Udupi, explore the Malpe Sea Walk. If you didn’t before. This walk is 450 metres long and is bordered by the Malpe beach on the right and the backwaters on the left.

It is a beautiful path, and it should be on your list of places to visit in Udupi.

LUNCH

After an eventful afternoon, it’s time for lunch. So, drive to a small and simple restaurant, Hotel Sai Fish Land. A local recommended it to us.

At first glance, it seems like a shack. It is, but the food is great. The seating area is compact with a handful of tables. They offer thali-style dining.

I especially loved their neer dosa, prawn ghee roast, brown rice and fish curry. They also serve chicken thali. I think.

After lunch, you can return to the hotel. But if you’re going to go scuba diving, then head over to Kapu Beach.

KAPU BEACH AND KAPU LIGHTHOUSE

Around 4 o’clock, drive to Kapu Beach. It is a short drive away and a beautiful beach with a lighthouse and backwaters.

Kapu Beach is a beautiful beach and offers more water activities than Malpe Beach. It also has scuba diving for adventure enthusiasts. However, if you want to go scuba diving, I recommend doing it in the morning or afternoon.

You can indulge in various activities and watersports. At 5:15 p.m., head to Kapu Lighthouse, sitting atop a large boulder, overlooking the beach. Climb to the top and enjoy watching the sun set over the horizon.

TRAVEL TIP:- The lighthouse is open for 90 minutes in the evening, so don’t be late.

DINNER

After witnessing a beautiful sunset at Kapu beach, it’s time to end the day with an awesome dinner.

For dinner, head over to Hotel Mahalaxmi, another local recommendation. It was a simple restaurant with good food. I ate their chicken biryani. It was good, but their fish curry was better.

After dinner, head back to the hotel. Head to bed early, because tomorrow is going to be a long day.

DAY 4

Today’s itinerary involves a bit of driving and stopping at a new destination every hour. All the places on today’s itinerary can be visited as day trips from Udupi.

They were on my route back to Pune, so I decided to visit them on the way home instead of travelling to and from Udupi.

Begin the day with a heavy and fulfilling breakfast, whether you’re taking a day trip or returning home.

Since you’ll be visiting 4 places today, start early but no later than 9 a.m.

PRASANNA ANJANEYA TEMPLE

The first attraction on today’s expedition is the Prasanna Anjaneya temple, 40 minutes from Udupi.

This is a small, simple temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. But what makes it worth visiting is the 80-foot Hanuman statue.

The temple is down a narrow road just off the highway.

The temple is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

MARAVANTHE BEACH

After praying and seeking blessings at the temple, continue to drive for 30 minutes to reach the iconic Maravanthe Beach.

You might have seen photos of a road running between a coconut grove and a shore with water breakers forming small beaches. People often associate Udupi with this photo of Maravanthe Beach.

What people don’t know is that Maravanthe Beach is 1 hour from Udupi.

It is a beautiful place, and you should visit it at least once during your stay in Udupi.

MURUDESHWAR

The third place in today’s expedition is Murudeshwar.

From Maravanthe Beach, drive for 1 hour to Murudeshwar, home to the enormous Shiva statue and temple with a tall gopura.

Upon arriving in Murudeshwar, run to the gooura ticket counter. Purchase the ticket to visit the top of the gopura and join the queue for the lift. That’s because, in the afternoon, the queue is long and the waiting time is up to 20-30 minutes.

Later, visit the temple to pray and seek blessings. From there, walk up the hill to the Shiva statue. You can explore the museum at the base of the statue.

If you’re not tired of beaches, spend some time at the Murudeshwar Beach.

NOTE:- You can stay in Murudeshwar or Kumta and visit Honnavar and Yana Caves as day trips.

LUNCH

After all the walking and exploring, you’re probably famished. You have two choices. If you aren’t willing to wait, you can have lunch at any of the restaurants in Murudeshwar. There are a few on the Murudeshwar Beach.

Or, you can be patient and have lunch at any of the restaurants along the highway.

HONNAVAR

The last destination for today is Honnavar, 30 minutes from Murudeshwar.

Honnavar has stunning backwaters of the Sharavati River, a mangrove forest, a boardwalk, a stream flowing between coconut trees and more.

You can easily spend a few hours here. I highly recommend the boat ride (even though it is noisy) and the mangrove boardwalk. It is beautiful and a must-visit in Honnavar.

The Sharavati river backwaters are wide, so there are several boat services scattered around the area. I recommend finding the one closest to the Mangrove boardwalk.

DINNER

After visiting Honnavar, it’s time to head to our stay for the night. If, like me, you are heading back to Pune, you can stay in Kumta, 30 minutes from Honnavar. For dinner, dine at the hotel or at one of the few restaurants in town.

For those visiting these places as a day trip, head back to Udupi. It is a 2½ hour drive back to Udupi. You can stop for dinner at one of the several restaurants along the highway or at Thimmappa restaurant in Udupi.

DAY 5

As I previously mentioned, you can visit the places stated in the itinerary for days 4 and 5 as day trips from Udupi. Or you could make pit stops at these destinations en route to Pune.

If you stayed the night in Kumta, then get an early head start to avoid hiking in the unbearable afternoon heat. It is a 50-minutes drive through the jungle to reach the base of the Yana Caves.

For those who returned to Udupi the previous day, I recommend skipping breakfast and leaving your hotels as early as 7 a.m. That’s because you have a long 3½-hour drive to Yana Caves. You can stop for breakfast on the way.

TRAVEL TIP:- There is a small shop at the Yana Caves’ entrance that serves a simple breakfast of omelette and bread.

YANA CAVES

The Yana Caves are a group of two old black limestone rock formations. The smaller of the two is the Mohini Shikhara, and the bigger one is the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara.

There is an interesting legend of how the two caves came to be formed. It is said that Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu joined forces to stop Bhasmasura, the demon King’s reign of terror. When he died by the fire of his own hand, this produced an enormous impact that turned all the limestone in the area black.

The hike to the caves is easy to moderate and takes 45-50 minutes each way. The entire expedition takes 2-3 hours.

Yana Caves are a beautiful and must-visit place.

TIMINGS AND TICKETS:- The entrance to Yana Caves is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is an entry fee of Rs. 10 per person.

LUNCH

After the tiring but beautiful hike, you’ll be famished. The small stall at the trail entrance serves lunch sometimes. Or you could wait for a short time. Whether you’re returning to Udupi or continuing towards Pune, you’ll find some good restaurants along the highway.

Since I was heading back to Pune, I decided to wait and have lunch in Palolem in Goa. It was a 2-hour drive from Yana Caves. If you’re not willing to wait so long, there are other restaurants on the highway.

DINNER

Those returning to Udupi can rest and later head over to Malpe Beach to soak in the sun and enjoy some beach time.

And those who are continuing towards Pune, you can stay in North or South Goa.

I preferred staying in North Goa, so after a delicious seafood lunch in Palolem, I drove another 2 hours to reach Candolim, where I stayed the night.

If you’re not too drained from the drive and long hike, you can go shopping and beach-hopping.

North Goa has some great seafood restaurants. You can dine at any one of them.

DAY 6

Today is the last day of the 6-day Udupi itinerary. It’s time to pack your bags and head home. 😔

Those who returned to Udupi last night, depending on the distance and route to your hometown, you’ll have to check out early, or you can have a lazy, relaxing morning and check out after a late breakfast.

And those of you who headed to Goa, you have two choices. You can stay another day or three, since it’s Goa. Or, like me, you can enjoy a slow morning and a late breakfast before heading home. I would’ve loved to extend my stay in Goa, but due to prior engagements, I had to return home.

The drive from North Goa to Pune is 8-9 hours, so after a late breakfast, we checked out of our hotel at 11:30 a.m. Despite having just eaten, I had to stop in Amboli Ghat. It’s tradition to have chai, onion bhajji, maggie and vada pav.

The snack break in Amboli Ghat kept me satisfied for a long time, and I wanted to eat biryani at Niyaaz (search for Annapurna Hotel at Koganoli Toll Plaza), so I had a late lunch.

If you haven’t tried Niyaaz’s biryani, you’re missing out.

Due to the diversions and road work, it took us longer than we thought to get home. We reached home around 11:30 p.m.

I was sad the trip was over, but at the same time, I was happy to return home.

CONCLUSION

That concludes the 6-day Udupi itinerary.

Prior to travelling to Udupi, I had seen photos of the beaches, but I always reasoned that the images were edited. It was only after experiencing it myself that I realised the water really is clear, blue, and emerald green.

I always love it when places surprise me and drastically alter my expectations for the better.

Before my closing statement, here’s a summary of my 6-day Udupi itinerary.

• DAY 1 – Drive from Pune to Udupi
• DAY 2 – Explore Udupi
• DAY 3 – Explore the remaining places in Udupi
• DAY 4 – Visit Prasanna Anjaneya temple, Murudeshwar, and Honnavar.
• DAY 5 – Hike to Yana Caves
• DAY 6– Head back home.

I hope this 6-day Udupi itinerary was helpful. If you have any inquiries or suggestions, let me know in the comments.

Also, I hope this ignites your wanderlust because,

To leave home is to grow, to return is to understand.

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