Udupi Coast Weekend
Udupi coast · 21–24 November

Two slow days
by the sea

A house of our own near Malpe beach for two nights. We arrive, shower and sleep. Then sunsets, a temple morning, good food, and a boat ride if we feel like it. Nothing rushed, for the parents and the baby.

Sat night bus out · Mon night bus back 7 adults + 1 baby ₹43,758 all-in · ₹14,586 each
Kinaara Homestay, a yellow two-storey house behind a gate with palms
Kinaara · our house in Malpe

Arrive at 7:30, not 4

Weekend trains are waitlisted. AC sleeper buses with toilets get us in after breakfast time instead.

The house is ours till we leave

Two nights, Sun → Tue. Monday ends with a shower and dinner, not hanging around with bags.

Everything is 5–20 min away

Beach, temple, island boat and bus stand are all short hops. No long drives with the baby.

AC, cot, hot water

3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms for 7 adults, so nobody waits in the morning.

The plan

Mornings and evenings out, afternoons at the house. Every outing is optional.

Sat 21 · 11:20 pmBoard the Varahi AC sleeper in Bangalore. Eat dinner at home first. Parents get lower berths, and the baby sleeps with whoever's on a double berth.

Sunday 22

Arrive & rest
  1. Reach Udupi, auto to the house

    About 15 minutes to Malpe.

  2. Shower, breakfast, sleep

    Order breakfast to the house, or ask the host. Then everyone naps till lunch.

    Ask the host for an 8 am early check-in when booking.
  3. Lunch, then more rest

    Udupi meals, or fish thali in Malpe. The hot hours stay indoors.

  4. Into the sea at Malpe

    5 minutes from the house. Bathe in the waves, then stay for the sunset around 6:05. Shower back at the house.

    Stay inside the yellow-flag zone, waist-deep, where the lifeguards are. The baby gets their feet wet with an adult.
  5. Dinner and an early night

    Seafood in Malpe, or veg in town.

Monday 23

Temple, sea, home
  1. Krishna Temple, before the crowds

    15 minutes away. Calm early-morning darshan for the parents.

    Carrier, not stroller. Shoes come off.
  2. Breakfast on Car Street

    Masala dosa, goli baje, filter coffee. Mitra Samaj is the famous one.

  3. St Mary's Island (optional)

    About 25 minutes by boat from Malpe to the basalt rock columns, back by 1. Skip it if anyone's tired.

    Sun hat and life jacket. There's little shade on the island.
  4. Lunch, then a long rest at the house

    This is why we kept the second night.

  5. One more sea bath, last sunset

    Back in the water at Malpe while the light goes. Then home for a hot shower.

  6. Shower, pack, dinner

    Leave the house fresh.

  7. Bus from Udupi

    The Varahi AC sleeper reaches Bangalore at 5:15 am Tuesday.

Getting there

Live on redBus, checked 3 Nov for 7 berths.

Out · Sat 21 Nov
23:20
Bengaluru
8h 7m
07:27
Udupi · Sun
Varahi Travels · A/C Sleeper (2+1)
★ 4.9 · 266 ratingsToilet on board
₹1,299per person
20 berths left
Back · Mon 23 Nov
21:20
Udupi
7h 55m
05:15
Bengaluru · Tue
Varahi Travels · A/C Sleeper (2+1)
★ 4.7 · 205 ratingsToilet on board
₹1,299per person
24 berths left

Backups the same nights: Varad Lines (★4.6–4.7, toilet, free date change) at ₹1,299–1,399, and FlixBus at 9:45 pm for ₹828 but with no toilet listed. There are 167 buses out and 160 back.

TRAINS
The Panchaganga Express is waitlisted both ways (Sat 3AC WL 24, Mon 3AC WL 16), and it reaches Udupi at 4:16 am anyway. The bus is the more comfortable option this time.

What it costs

Bus and stay are live prices. Food and autos are estimates.

Estimated total
₹0

St Mary's boat adds about ₹2,450 for all of us, if we go. FlixBus on the way out saves ₹3,300.

Minutes from the house

Approximate driving times from Kinaara.

Arabian Sea 20 min 10 min Our house Malpe beach Boat to St Mary's Krishna Temple Bus stand St Mary's Island · 25 min by boat
  • 5min
    Malpe beach & sea walk

    Sunsets, the breakwater, snacks.

  • 10min
    Boats to St Mary's Island

    Tickets on the spot. Boats run Oct–May.

  • 15min
    Krishna Temple & Car Street

    Best before 8 am.

  • 15min
    Udupi bus stand

    Where the Varahi bus starts and ends. Confirm the exact point on the ticket.

Where we stay

2 nights, Sun 22 → Tue 24, all fees in. Both have AC, a cot and hot water.

To book

In this order. Berths go first.

  1. 7 berths, Sat 21 nightVarahi 11:20 pm, Bengaluru → Udupi. On redBus, check the date says 21 Nov, then filter Bus operator → Varahi Travels. Pick lower berths for the parents.
    redBus ↗
  2. 7 berths, Mon 23 nightVarahi 9:20 pm, Udupi → Bengaluru. Check the date says 23 Nov, then filter Bus operator → Varahi Travels.
    redBus ↗
  3. Kinaara, Sun 22 → Tue 24When booking, message the host about an 8 am check-in on Sunday and a cot for the baby.
    Airbnb ↗
  4. Nothing elseAutos and the island boat are paid on the spot.

Good to know

For the baby
  • Carrier for sand and temple steps
  • Sun hat, baby sunscreen, light full sleeves
  • Mosquito repellent for the evenings
  • Their own food, and water for the boat
For the parentsLower berths on both buses. The bus has a toilet. Afternoons are always back at the house, and every outing can be skipped.
Baby on the busPrivate operators usually let a baby under 2 travel on a parent's berth for free. Confirm with Varahi when booking.
Getting in the seaMalpe has lifeguards and flags. Red means stay out, yellow means it's fine to go in. In late November the sea is usually calm, and the monsoon ban on going in the water is long over. Stay waist-deep and keep away from the rocks at the ends. Carry a change of clothes and a towel. Swimming isn't allowed at St Mary's Island.
WeatherAfter the monsoon: dry, around 31° by day and 22° at night. Water is warm, around 28°.