Need advice on Coastal Karnataka trip

lehaid2008

Hi,

I am planning to travel to Mangalore for about 10 days from Mumbai by KSRTC Volvo with my family of 4 during the last week of October. I'll be hiring a car in Mangalore. I am planning to visit Coorg, Udipi, Mookambika Temple , and want to visit most of the beautiful beaches along the coast (including Maravanthe, beaches around Udipi, Murudeshwar, Ankola and Honnavar) till Karwar, from where I'll taking a train to Mumbai. I also wanted to visit Jog Falls region around Shimoga. I need advice from people who've been here, how to best to make use of a car and the route to be used to cover these places. I've heard the NH-17 in Karnataka is in a very bad shape, so was wondering if there was any other way to explore the coast.

pmvelu

Hi,

From Mangalore, you could also include Kukke Subrahmanya [Very Famous Temple for curing Naga [Snake] Dosha , Sringeri [Famous Mutt] [ We are surprised with the Mega-Fishes in the pond over here Which are so Big and People normally throw "Puffed Rice" and These Mega-Fishes will pound to get that and by sitting on the Ghat and watching those fishes in the post-Afternoons , it's a Best Experience] . One another intresting info is : As Fishing is banned in this temple tank from time immemorial, Fishes does not shy away they just play not minding people's presence!

And you could include "Dharmasthala" which is very Famous again religiously !



I would Say :-

1. No need to Keep Mangalore as a Base as all these places are far enough and you could get cheap and best Temple Devasthanam accomodation especially in Kollur and Shringeri

2. A Sample route might be :- Mangalore -Madikeri [Coorg]-Kukke Subrahmanya-Dharmasthala-Shringeri-Udupi-Kollur-Maravanthe beach-Murdeshwar-Gokarna [Shiva temple very famous and we ourselves can do the Abhisekham and Archana / Aarathi to the main deity] - Karwar

3.If Jog Falls is compulsory,you could visit from "Bhatkal" Or "Murdeshwar"

4. If Time permits and if you are interested, you could Visit Horanadu too which is nearer to Shringeri

5. Kollur , Shringeri , Horanadu and Kukke Subrahmanya are scenic too along with the Religious importance attached to it .

6. And if you feel ok, Madikeri [Coorg] could be left out as that's odd-man out in this plan and Coorg needs 2 Days to explore and enjoy as such !

7. NH-17 was poor sometime back even [When we Travelled also] but it's not worst as such ! [ I mean it's manageable and for udupi to Karwar only option is NH-17 ]

8. Beaches wise, in udupi [Malpe beach is excellent .Around 5 kms from Udupi bus stand] , Mangalore beach [Nothing much to say], Murdeshwar beach [I havent visited] but the "Tallest Shiva Idol" is nice, Maravanthe beach [Spectacular and NH -17 just passes 10 to 15 metres from this shoreline and very nice ], Gokarna beach [The beach next to shiva temple is crowded and kind-of-Dirty and infact we can't even sit on the beach and hence you try to visit the other beaches of Gokarna which are nice]

Hope this Helps and please post if you need more info !

Regards
Velu

n kumar

Hi,
Day 1 = travel to coorg and night stay at madikeri.
Day 2 = madikeri.
Day 3 = Leave madikeri in the morning after breakfast and arrive at kukke subrmanya by afternoon, darshan and after lunch proceed to dharmastala, darshan, night halt.
Day 4 = After breakfast travel to sringeri, reach by afternoon, darshan, after lunch proceed to horanadu, darshan,dinner,night halt.
Day 5 = Early morning start to udupi and arrive by afternoon darshan,visit udupi beach and night halt.
Day 6 = In the morning travel to maravanthe beach and after lunch reach murudeshwar in the evening, night halt.
Day 7 = Leave murudeshwar in the morning and arrive at kollur by afternoon, darhsan, lunch, travel to jog falls - night halt.
Day 8 = Leave jog falls by afternoon and arrive at gokarna by evening.
Day 9 = explore gokarna
day 10 = catch your bus/train to bombay,
Incase if you require any more information please post.

Rithesh

I need some suggestion on the same route
Iam reaching Mangalore on Saturday 9.30 am . I want to visit Kollur and Dharmasthala . I want to be back at Mangalore Monday 1 pm . Can you please let me know how best can be done .

This is what I feel

Mangalore to Dharmasthala - 9.30 am to 1 pm Saturday . Stay at Dharmasthala .
Leave Dharmasthala to Kollur - Sunday 9.30 to 1 pm . Is this time OK ?
Visit temple and leave to Uduppi in the night . How long temple is OPEN in the evening in Kollur .


Visit temple on Monday morning at Uduppi and leave to Mangalore.

pmvelu

Hi Ritesh,

Dharmasthala is like Mini-tirupathi IF it's your first trip there. For Darshan itself, it will take from 2 hours to maximum 4hours in week-ends!. Please plan accordingly and it will be pretty hot in day time[ Recently I visited this place last to last week-end] [ In Mangalore, From Mangalore Railway station,get auto to State bank bus stand [15 Rs Flat] and get Private bus to Dharmsthala].

In Dharmasthala, Getting accomodation is next challenge and hence as soon as you reach Dharmsthala,get an auto [Flat 15 Rs again ] and ask him to drop you at "Saketh Guest house" [IN Whole of dharmsthala , all the accomodations are owned by temple devasthanam and Saketh Cottage is the biggest of all and after enquiring at all the other 6 guest houses owned by devasthanam with no hope we reached this place but luckily rooms were there ] and get room First and then proceed to temple for Darshan ! [We got 100 Rs room which will have Attached bathroom and 4 Beds [ Cement ones] with 2 extra mats too and rooms are good over here with "Hot water" for Bathing in room itself from 06:00 am to 08:00 am. [ Not sure about your group's composition,But in Dharmsthala cottages, the norm is 7 am to 6 pm , there won't be any power in any rooms but from 6 pm to 7 am, there won't be any powercuts.] Hence ask for room atleast in first floor and above.

Next hint, Leave all your luggages in your room itself and get auto Or walk upto Temple[ Hardly 1 km] [ As Depositing luggage in "Free Cloak Room" will take minimum 1/2 hour to max 1 1/2 hours and that itself will be a big Queue].

Next Hint, anything other than Water bottle ,Biscuits for Kids is considred as luggage and when we went one older village lady is having a relatively bigger luggage and after being in the queueu for nearer to 2 hours, just before the Main temple entrance, she was asked to leave by temple Guard .

Another info which might help you is, for Males [ Banian & Shirt needs to be removed before entering the Devasthana. So have a Towel with you to use there].

Once you are done with Dharmasthala, My Take is, Get back to Mangalore itself [For better connectivity to Kollur - Again the same State bank bus stand] and from here lot of buses to Kollur and it will take 3 1/2 hours .

In Kollur,get down at bus stand, get an auto [15 Rs Flat] to temple OR you can walk also [Hardly a Km]. Here also, Males should not wear banian Or Shirt to enter temple.

Yes, From Kollur, buses are there to udupi in an interval of 1 hour and udupi temple is open till atleast until 8 pm [ I visited at 7 pm once If I am not wrong. anyways do a google on this as I am not so sure]. Udupi is much crowded and My suggestion is , Stay in Kollur itself for the night [ Temple Accomodation available for 200 Rs / night just 100 metres before the temple ] and FIRST bus from Kollur to udupi is 6 am [Again , be at bus stand earlier as we reached kolur bus stand at 5:40 am in the morning and bus was more than half full]which will drop you in udupi at 8 am [From Bus stand, Auto costs 15 Rs Flat to temple and it's 1.5 kms away if you want to walk] and darshan will take 1 hour max [There won't be any queue as such] and you can get back to Mangalore in 1 1/2 hours Flat from udupi !


Hope this helps & If you need more info , Please Post !

P.S:- Attaching few photos of Dharmasthala Temple Accomodation

Velu

Attached Thumbnails

         

Rithesh

Hi Velu ,
Lot of information . Appreciate your response . Some more clarification .
Seeing the dependency , I will try for a car . how much time it will take from Mangalore to Dharmasthala

If there is car , can I directly travel from Dharmasthala to Kollur . how much time this will take ?

I will go with your other suggestion of staying back at Kollur and leaving early morning to Uduppi. What time temple opens at Kollur - Any idea ?

pmvelu

Ritesh,

If you could hire a car from Mangalore, you could do the following in those 2 1/2 Days.

Day 1:-

Mangalore-Kollur-Udupi [Complete Darshan by 12 pm ]-agumbe[ Via Ghat Scenic Road] - Sringeri [ Observe the Mega fishes in the Temple Pond [Best time 4.30 pm + until 6.30 pm] and also complete your darshan and then Night halt]

Day 2:-

Sringeri [ Start by 6 am] - Horanadu [ Annapooraneswari Temple - No Crowd and Darshan could be done in 1/2 an hour]-Kalasa [Temple and just 5 kms from Horanadu]-Dharmasthala [Night Halt ]

Day 3:-

Dharmasthala [Start by 6am] - Kukke Subrahmanya [1 1/2 Hours from Dharmasthala] -Mangalore [ Very well you can reach by 12 Noon Maximum]

Please be aware Day 2 will be Rushing but with this itenary you are covering South Canara and North Canara "Most Auspicious & Religious places in 1 Go "

General :-

1 .Dharmasthala , Kukke Subrahmanya, Mangalore will be uncomfortably Hot in this season and Kollur / Sringeri / Horanadu will be pleasant ATLEAST at night !

2.At Dharmsthala , NO SPECIAL DARSHAN queue and hence Plan for an long spell of Standing in the Queue in General Darshan Queue

3. Only in Mangalore & Udupi you have choices and Variety of hotels [ Food & Even Rooms] and all other places we need to adjust a bit !

4. If you have Kids Or Aged and do not want to Rush , You could do the following:-

Day 1-> Mangalore-udupi -Kollur [Night Halt]
Day 2 ->Kollur-Udupi[Via]-Karkala[Via]-Moodbidri [1000 Pillar Jain Temple]-Panambur Beach -Mangalore

Off-Topic :-

Infact in my last to last week trip we did:
Mysore-Hassan-Belur [Via]-Chicmkagalur [Via ] -Shringeri [Night halt on Day 1]
Shringeri - Horanadu-Kalasa-Kudremukha NP[Via]-Dharmasthala [ Night halt on Day 2]
Dharmasthala - Kukke Subrahmanya-Sulya[Via]-Madikeri[Via] -Mysore [Back at home -Day 3]

and we did on our own car and Me being the only driver and it's 673 Kms End-to-End . So I Might have a different meaning of rushing .. Please Plan Accordingly !

Have a Fantastic Journey & In case you need more info on anything on this circuit, Please Post !

Velu

Manzey

This belt has one of the best bus services (frequency wise) and you won't feel the need to hire a cab and you should experience the way these bus drivers drive bus in this area.

Cheers!

Rithesh

You are master in this route . Really admire your planning . Some final tuning recommendation requrired . I have marked my doubts along with your response

pmvelu

Can I cover Udupi and Kollur and reach Sringeri by 4.30 pm ?

You can reach srinigeri at the maximum by 6.00 pm. Make sure you start early from Mangalore and cover udupi [ 1 hour travel + 1/2 an hour darshan] + continue to Kollur [ 11/2 travel] + 1 hour darshan ! From Kollur, Shringeri is around 2 1/2 hours by Cab ! [ You could run through this plan with Cab wallah also to make doubly sure]


What time I will be reaching Dharmasthala - before 12 ?

No. Not at all possible. You can reach Dharmsthala by 3 to 4 pm !

And Again Ritesh, You just show the print out of this plan to Cab wallah and he can plan Accordingly !.. But generally people who hire cab from Mangalore will cover all of this in 3 Days to be precise !

Have a Fantastic Pilgrimage !

Velu

Rithesh

Thanks for the update .
Planning to avoid Dharmasthala and include other suggestions given by you .

pmvelu

Have a Fantastic Trip & Share your travel experiences with us !

Velu

Rithesh

Plan shifted to first week of April .
This is tentative plan as of now
Udupppi - Sringeri (Day 1)
Kollur - Murudeshwar siva temple (Day 2) .
????? 1.00 pm train from Mangalore . (Day 3).

Have to look at how can I include horanadu Annapoorna and kalasa temples . Any good map site covering this area .

Rithesh

Velu - Is there anything which I can cover on the way from Murudeshwar temple to mangalore ?

pmvelu

@Ritesh,

Between Murdeshwar - Mangalore, you already made plans to cover Udupi & Kollur .Apart from that,

1 .You could try to spend some time in "Maravanthe Beach" just before Kundapura
2. You could try out Malpe Beach [ 5 kms from NH-17] just in udupi
3.You could try out Surathkal beach oppoiste to REC, Surathkal [around 15 kms before Mangalore]
4.If you are interested in Jain Architecure, you can visit Moodbidri [ Murdeshwar-Udupi-Karkala-Moodbidri-Mangalore is the route]

May be My suggestion is ,

If it's your first trip in that region,

Option 1:-

You can plan for Udupi, Kollur,Shringeri,Horanadu,Kala sa and back to Mangalore [ Provided you hire cab from Mangalore itself]

Option 2:-

You can plan for Udupi,Kollur,Murdeshwara and back to Mangalore . This can be done in Public bus / Train itself in 2.5Days . If you do this option, you could visit Kadiri Temple in Mangalore which is nice & Calm and also Mangaladevi temple [No Architecural Wonders but this deity is the base for the place name and is considered to be very sacred]

Hope this helps
Velu