Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Malpe
0820
A laid-back fishing harbour on the west coast 4km from Udupi, Malpe has nice beaches
ideal for flopping about in the surf. A good place to stay is the
Paradise Isle Beach Resort
(
2538777;
www.theparadiseisle.com
; s/d from ?1300/1500, with AC ?3000/3500;
)
; ask for a room
with a sea view. It can also organise
houseboat cruises
(per couple ?4000;
Oct-Mar)
on backwa-
ters that are similarly scenic to Kerala's, yet untouched by tourism.
From Malpe pier you can take a boat (?100 return, 45 minutes) every 30 minutes from
9.30am to 5.30pm out to tiny
St Mary's Island
, where Vasco da Gama supposedly landed in
1498. Over weekends the island is busy with locals inspecting the curious hexagonal
basalt formations that jut out of the sand; during the week you might have it to yourself.
No boats run between June and mid-October.
Buses to Udupi are ?7, and an autorickshaw ?70.
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Jog Falls
08186
Nominally the highest waterfalls in India, the Jog Falls only come to life during the mon-
soon. At other times, the Linganamakki Dam further up the Sharavati River limits the wa-
ter flow and spoils the show. The tallest of the four falls is the Raja, which drops 293m.
To get a good view of the falls, bypass the scrappy area close to the bus stand and hike
to the foot of the falls down a 1200-plus step path. Watch out for leeches during the wet
season.
Jog Falls has buses roughly every hour to Shimoga (?65, three hours), and three daily to
Karwar via Kumta (?25, three hours), where you can change for Gokarna (?21, one hour).
For Mangalore, change at Shimoga. A return taxi from Gokarna will cost around ?1800.
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