About Mangalore

Country: India | State: Karnataka

Ideal Trip Duration: 2-3 Days

Nearest City to Mangalore: Mangalore

Best Time to Visit Mangalore: October to February

Peak Season: December to January & May to June

At a distance of 132 km from Coorg, 251 km from Mysore, 275 km from Karwar, 345 km from Bangalore, 372 km from Goa, 413 km from Coimbatore, 420 km from Kochi, and 682 km from Chennai, Mangalore (or Mangaluru) is an important port city on the west coast and the headquarters of Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. Located at the confluence of Nethravathi and Gurupura Rivers, it is one of the popular tourist places in Karnataka, and among the stunning places to visit near Bangalore.

Lying between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, Mangalore is one of the major ports of India. The city derives its name from the deity of Mangaladevi Temple, among the must include places in Mangalore tour packages. The sultans of Mangalore built the city as a strategic shipbuilding base. Today, the city is one of the major ports involved in coffee and cashew export.

Mangalore was occupied by many rulers such as the Rashtrakutas, Kadambas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas, and Vijayanagar dynasties as well as the Portuguese in the mid16th century. The region was later occupied by Hyder Ali in the year 1763 and then came under the rule of the British from 1768 to 1794. Tipu Sultan again took control of this area in 1794. After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the city was re-conquered by the British and it remained under British administration till India's independence in 1947.

Mangalore is a scenic place dotted with coconut palms, hills, and streams, and is known for its temples and beaches. The Mangaladevi temple, Kadri Manjunatha temple, St Aloysius Chapel, the Rosario Cathedral, the Jama Masjid, Mukka Beach, Someshwara Beach, Tannirbavi Beach, and Panambur beach are some of the prominent places to visit in Mangalore. It is also famous for its seafood and Udupi-style dishes.

Dharmasthala, Subramanya, Kollur, Udupi, Karkala, Venoor, and Moodabidri are the nearby places of interest. Mangalore is the starting point of many Udupi tour packages., Dharmasthala, and Gokarna Tour Packages.

Yakshagana is the most famous folk dance in the city and it is quite spectacular. This is a night-long drama and dance concert that serves as the perfect representation of the cultural heritage of Mangalore.

About 15 km away, Mangalore airport is well connected by flight with the cities like Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi, Kochi, Trivandrum, Pondicherry, Goa, Kolkata, Dubai, Bangkok, and Singapore. There are two important railway stations in Mangalore one is Mangalore Central and the other is Mangalore Junction. Mangalore Central is the hub for trains with Mangalore as the final destination while Mangalore Junction is the halt for long-distance trains passing through Mangalore. Mangalore has train connectivity with Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Nagarcoil, Trivandrum, Kochi, Karwar, Cannanore, Coimbatore, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, New Delhi and Madgoan.

There are two main bus stations in Mangalore - KSRTC Bus Station with connectivity to Bangalore, Goa, Mysore, Hubli, and Mumbai. The other bus station is called State Bank Bus Stand with buses to nearby towns in Kerala and Karnataka.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Very Good
STD Code: 0824
Languages Spoken: Tulu, Konkani, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
Major Festivals: Details Not Available
Notes/Tips:
Aati festival is the major and popular festival in Mangalore which is celebrated with huge enthusiasm. Dusshera, Ganesh puja, Janmashtmi and Diwali are other festivals celebrated in Mangalore.

The best time to visit Mangalore would be between the months of October and January when the climate is pleasant. Usually it takes 2 full days to visit major tourist destinations in Mangalore.

How to Reach Mangalore

By Air

Nearest Airport: Mangalore - Mangalore Airport (18 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Mangalore Central Railway Station (0 Kms)
Mangalore Junction (6 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Mangalore KSRTC Bus Station (3.5 Kms)
Mangalore Service Bus Station (1.5 Kms)

Top 11 Places to Visit in Mangalore

#1 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

At a distance of 12 km from Mangalore Railway Station, Tannirbavi Beach is located towards the southern end of Mangalore Port. The beach is the property of Mangalore port trust. This is one of the best beaches in Mangalore and among the top Mangalore tourist places.

The soft sands of the beach and breezy winds of the Arabian Sea offer a memorable experience as part of Mangalore Tour Packages. It is also a favorite spot to watch the sunset. You can see the remains of a ship which sank 15 years ago near the beach. This beach is comparatively deserted and is a great spot for safe swimming.

Due to the poor connectivity, it's important to have your own vehicle to visit this beach in Mangaluru.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free

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#2 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

At a distance of 3 km from Mangalore Railway Station, Mangaladevi Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the Bolara locality of Mangalore. It is one of the top places to visit in Mangalore.

The temple is dedicated to Goddess Mangala Devi, from whom the city derived its name Mangalore. It is one of the must-visit places as part of Mangalore Tour Packages. The temple was built in the memory of Princess of Malabar Mangale in the 9th century.

Mangaladevi temple has a rich heritage and historical significance. The temple has a special significance for unmarried girls as it is believed that those who worship here and perform a special pooja will have their wish of finding a suitable groom fulfilled.

The Navarathri is the famous annual festival of this temple. On the ninth day (known as Mahanavami) a large number of devotees participate in the .....

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#3 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

About Kudroli Temple

At a distance of 2.5 km from Mangalore Railway Station, Kudroli Temple, or Gokarnanatheshwara Temple is a sacred Hindu temple located in the city of Mangalore. It is one of the top places to visit in Mangalore, and among the popular pilgrimage sites in Karnataka.

Kudroli Temple is dedicated to Gokarnanatheswara, another form of Lord Shiva. This is the only temple in Karnataka started by Narayana Guru, the famous social reformer from Kerala, and among the must include places in Mangalore tour packages.

History of Kudroli Temple

Kudroli Gokarnanatha Temple was established in 1912 by a devotee named H. Koragappa, with the guidance of Narayana Guru. It is significant to note that Sri Narayana Guru, a prominent figure in the fight against the caste system and a proponent of social equality, selected this site for the temple's construction .....

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#4 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

At a distance of 1.5 Kms from Mangalore Railway Station, St. Aloysius Chapel is located inside St. Aloysius College Ground situated in the heart of Mangalore city. The walls of the chapel are covered with the paintings of the artist Antony Moshaini of Italy. The church was built in the year 1899-1900 by Father Joseph Willy. It is one of the top attractions in Mangalore.

This Chapel is comparable with the Sistine chapel in Rome. The special beauty of the chapel is the wonderful series of paintings. The two types of paintings in the chapel are fresco on plaster and oil on canvas. The sloping portion of the ceiling has paintings of St Peter and the Crowing of the Cock, Saints Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, Philip, Mathew, Bartholomew, Simon and Jude. The central row of paintings on the ceiling depicts the life of St Aloysius Gonzaga to whom the chapel is dedicated.

Monday: 9:30 AM - 12.30 PM & 2 - 4 PM, Tue-Sun: 9.30 AM to 1.30 PM & 3 - 5.30 PM

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#5 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

About Kukke Subrahmanya Temple

At a distance of 100 km from Mangalore, Kukke Subrahmanya Temple is a sacred Hindu temple located at Kukke near Mangalore. It is one of the most famous temples in Karnataka and among the must-visit places as part of Mangalore holiday packages.
Lord Kartikeya, revered as the deity of all serpents, is worshipped here as Lord Subrahmanya. The Kukke Subrahmanya Temple is regarded as the dwelling place of 'nagas', where worship is conducted for Lord Subrahmanya alongside the serpent king Vasuki. This temple is also viewed as the ultimate destination for achieving salvation for individuals afflicted by various 'naga doshas'. Additionally, devotees hold the belief that taking a sacred bath in the Kumaradhara Thirtha and performing Madesnana can cure severe ailments such as leprosy.

Mythology

Dedicated to Lord Murugan, Kukke Subrahmanya Temple is one of the important temples of .....

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#6 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

About Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple

At a distance of 70 km from Mangalore, Dharmasthala is a sacred town in Karnataka. Situated on the banks of the Nethravathi River, it is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in Karnataka, and among the popular places to visit as part of Mangalore packages. The main attraction of Dharmasthala is the famous Manjunatha Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Manjunatha or Lokeshwara. This place is also known as Sri Kshetra, and is one of the top places to visit near Mangalore. It is said that the Shiva Linga worshipped at this temple was procured from Kadri Temple in Mangalore.

History & Mythology of Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple

Dharmasthala Temple is an 800-year-old Hindu temple situated in Dharmasthala. Manjunatheshwara, or Dharmasthala Manjunatha, is the chief and the presiding deity of this .....

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#7 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

At a distance of 12 Kms from Mangalore Railway Station, Pilikula Nisargadhama is an eco-tourism destination with integrated Park, Zoo, Botanical Garden & Boating facilities.

Established in 1990, the park is spread over 350 acres of land. The Zoo houses variety of animals like deer, wild boars, tigers, leopard, lion, and snakes both poisonous and non poisonous, porcupines and few birds.

Botanical Garden had about 15,000 different types of plants and flowers on display including orchids that are indigenous to Western Ghats area. Adjacent to this, there is a Manasa Water Park.

Timings: Summer - 10 AM to 6 PM & Winter - 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM.

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#8 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

At a distance of 1 Km from Mangalore Railway Station, Sri Sharavu Mahaganapathi Temple is situated in the heart of the Mangalore city. It is an ancient temple with 800 years of history.

The word Sharavu means an arrow. According to legend, Maharaja Veerabahu of Tuluva region killed a cow with an arrow by mistake. In order to erase the sin, the king installed a Shivlinga which is now worshipped as Sharabeshwara. It is also believed that the divine image of Sri Dhashabhuja Mahaganapathy appeared on the southern wall of this sacred temple.

The temple complex houses many shrines dedicated to the deities Sharavu, Kadri, Mangaladevi and Kudroli. There is a temple tank called 'Sharatheertha'. Vinayaka Chaturthi, Rathosthava & Deeposthava are important festivals of the temple. It is also a renowned center for cultural activities such as dance, drama, and Yakshagana.

Timings: 6 AM - 8 PM

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#9 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

At a distance of 25 Kms from Mangalore, Kateel Durga Parameshwari Temple located near Permude (on SH 66A) is a holy temple situated in the middle of the sacred Nandini River. Goddess Durga is the presiding deity of this temple. It is one of the famous temples near Mangalore and among the best places to visit in Mangalore.

The Devi is seen in a seated posture with four arms. Since the temple is located in the middle (Katee) of the River, the place is called Kateel. Other deities in the temple are Rakteswari, Mahaaganapati, Ayyappan, Kshetrabalas & Nagas. It is believed that Goddess Durga Parameshwari is fond of music & dance, and a play team is dedicated completely for the cultural activity of Yakshagana illustrating the miracles of the Goddess Durga Parameshwari.

Annual festival is celebrated for 8 days in the month of April. Navaratri and Laksha Deepotsava in Kartika Masa are the other major festivals .....

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#10 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

At a distance of 3 Kms from Mangalore Railway Station, Bejai Museum also known as Shreemanthi Bai Museum is located at Bejai.

The Bejai Museum is the city's only museum and well known as a treasury of many ancient artifacts. The museum houses idols, paintings, metallic icons, statues, lamps and inscriptions made out of copper. One major attraction is the copper inscription containing the verses of Keladi Venkatappa Nayaka dating back to 1624 AD.

Timings: 10 AM - 5:30 PM. Closed on Monday.

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#11 of 44 Places to Visit in Mangalore

At a distance of 4 Kms from Mangalore Railway Station, Kadri Temple is one of the famous & beautiful temples in Mangaluru. The presiding deity of the temple is Sri Manjunatha, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. It is one of the best places to visit in Mangalore.

The original structure of the temple dates back to 10th century. However, the temple was convered to a stone structure in 14th century. The 1.6m tall statue of Lord Shiva made of bronze is placed in seated position with three faces and six arms.

There is a natural spring on the backside of the temple, called as Gomukha. The water from this spring flows into 7 ponds of different sizes. Devotees come here and wash themselves before entering the main temple. The strange feature of this temple is that the temple tanks are placed at higher ground level compared to the central sanctum itself.

The temple has separate shrines for Goddess Durga, Lord Ganesha & Lord Ayyappa. Lakshadeepotsava celebrated in Kartheekamasa (Nov/Dec) .....

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