Manipal
Manipal, the university town is situated 5km east of Udipi, Karnataka. Administered by Udupi city municipality, the place is surrounded by rocks, rural farmlands, cascading hills, inland waterways with Arabian Sea to the west and the Western Ghats ranges to the east. It is a progressive industrial, commercial and educational centre famous for its Medical college. The name 'Manipal' is derived from Mannu (means mud) Palla (means lake) in Tulu language. The lake which is still here, offers boating facilities.
The place was founded by Dr. T.M.A Pai in 1950. He established various educational and industrial enterprises of national significance and status in this town. Now Manipal has all the modern facilities of transport, communication and banking. The place at present is run by the Pai Family with the support of Manipal Group of Companies & Manipal Educational Trust. There is a planetarium located on the banks of the Manipal Lake dedicated to Dr. T.M.A Pai. Various programmes conducted here gives an awareness about astronomy and also inspires interest in stargazing. It is a part of the Manipal Heritage Park. This parks consists of various scientific and cultural attractions. Another attraction of the place is its small anatomy museum established by Vijayanath Shenoy, which exhibits his personal collection of artifacts.
The other attractions of Manipal are Brindavan Garden, Hasta Shilpa, End Point, Venugopala temples and Yakshgana Institute of MGM college. The Institute of Yakshgana is famous for Yakshagana performances held during the night. The artists dressed in stunning consumes and elaborate make-up with their quick movements to the drumbeats and song recital by the Bhagavatar, is very attractive to watch.

Malpe

This important natural port of the Karnataka coast line is situated about 6 kms to the west of Udupi, at the mouth of the Malpe or Udyavara River. An important fishing and trading port, the place is endowed with natural scenic sights like endless stretch of golden sand, gracefully swinging palm trees, the clean blue sky and murmur of the sea. The main attraction of this place is its famous Silver white Sand beach - Malpe beach. It is a favorite holiday spot with boating, fishing and bathing with its peaceful surroundings. It is administered by Udupi City Municipality.

About 6-8 km away there is an enchanting island called St. Mary's Island, just a square mile in area and not more than 250 yards in width, which can be accessible by ferry from Malpe. It is a group of small islands with an impressive geological formation of hexagonal pillars of volcanic rocks. Vasco da Gama was supposed to have reached one of these islands which he called 'EI Padron de Santa Maria' in 1498, before reaching Calicut. The coconut palms and the golden sand make the island very attractive. There are three rocky islands in the west of Malpe among which the Daria-Bahadurgad, the northern-most island is well known for its export of processed fish. Another attraction of the place is the famous Vadabhandeshwara Temple and the icon of Sri Balarama, installed by Sri Madhvacharya. This place is visited by a lot of tourists.

Kaup Beach
This beautiful beach is located at Kaup, 12 km south of Udupi on the coastal belt that passes through the West Coast National Highway. The white sand beach and the cool blue water make the beach very attractive. A ruined fort, an old 100ft high lighthouse and the two temples of Goddess Mariamma are the nearby attractions.Top

Brahmavar
Brahmavar or Brahmavara situated about 13 kms north of Udupi, is an ancient cultural center of the region. The name Brahmavar means 'a settlement of Brahmins'. The place is famous for its three main temples, the 9th century Mahalinga temple, Gopinatha temple and the Janardhana shrine. The idol of the deity in the Gopinatha temple is a fine example of Hoysala architecture. The town of Brahmavar is sandwiched between Suvarna and Sita rivers. These rivers originate from the Western ghats and form beautiful backwaters around Brahmavar. The rivers which join the Arabian Sea a few kilometers from Brahmavar offers boating facilities to the tourists.