At a glance Maravanthe is a lovely strip of sand between the sea and NH17, near the backwaters of the Sowparnika River in Udupi District.
About the city Maravanthe, even in the monsoons with the accompanying murky skies and choppy waters, is luring enough to make traffic pause on the highway. Standing on NH17, at the point where it cuts between the Sowparnika River and the Arabian Sea, you have a view that for long will remain unmatched.
How to reach Road: Car: The drive to Maravanthe along the glorious coast via Udupi is beautiful Bus: The best way to get to Maravanthe is to take an overnight luxury bus to Kundapur, then a taxi to Maravanthe. Sugama (Tel: 080-2283986) and Durgamba, (Tel: 3365871) among others, operate daily night services from Bangalore. Journey Time Road: 10 hrs from Bangalore
Distances 456 km North West from Bangalore From Bangalore NH4 to Nelamangala NH48 to Mangalore via Kunigal, Hassan and Mani NH17 to Maravanthe via Udupi and Kundapur
Best Seasons September to March.
Places in and around There are many ways to have fun while at Maravanthe, and foremost is water sports for enthusiasts. Maravanthe is not a destination for those who do not like to get their feet wet. You have to embrace the sea and roll in the sand to make your trip worthwhile. Plus the coral reefs off Maravanthe are still unexplored and hold an exquisite assortment of marine life. Underwater sports Turtle Bay Resort and Soans Holidays make arrangements for and also have adequate and reliable facilities for scuba diving and snorkelling. For a group of six, the cost may go up to Rs 1,000 for each person. Sea rides But if you would rather not explore underwater, fret not. A boating trip around the Arabian Sea can be as enchanting with the captivating vista. Hiring a boat for about an hour can cost you anywhere between Rs 800 and 1,000. A 1/2-hr ride costs Rs 250. A shorter ride will cost even less, but the ride out to sea (about 3-4 hrs) on high tide can cost about Rs 1,000. Take a ride to the Lighthouse Beach, which until recently was an outpost for gold smugglers but is now a very calm retreat. Maravanthe, by virtue of its unique location, holds more in store. To its east, verdant islands dot the enchanting backwaters of the Sowparnika River, a romantic circuit for a ferry ride. There is a place on the riverbank, right on the highway, from where you can rent boats for around Rs 500, again for a group of six. Ask your hotel for further details. Kodi, Koradi and Bijadi Located on NH17, about 12 km south of Maravanthe, is Kundapur, a major transport junction, close to which are some interesting beaches. The most popular (within a 10-km radius of Kundapur) are Koradi and Bijadi, safer and more isolated, located away from the highway. Access to these are by taxi or rickshaw. A taxi to Kundapur costs approximately Rs 200; half-day is Rs 450 and full day Rs 900. Your trip won't be complete without a visit to Kanchugode, the adjacent fishing village. Watch the local fishermen venture out to the sea in their colourful dinghies.