Tourism in Manipal: Things to do in Manipal

A university town located in Karnataka, Manipal provides a captivating view of the Arabian Sea to the west and the Western Ghats range to the east. Formerly under Shivalli village Panchayat, Manipal is a center of academic learning, healthcare, industry and finance.

Location

Situated 3 km west from the temple city of Udupi, and 60 km to the north of Mangalore, Manipal is set in the rocky surroundings of the quaint Malabar Coast of southwest India, about 8 km from the Arabian Sea.

History

Manipal came into forefront in the 1950s, when Dr. T.M.A. Pai, a doctor, banker, educator, industrialist and philanthropist transformed this barren hillock into today’s world-famous university town.

Fairs & Festivals of Manipal

Makara Sankranti: This 7-day festival is celebrated at Udupi in the month of Makara (15th January) when the sun shifts to the zodiac sign of Capricorn. It comprises of a grand chariot festival carrying images of Lord Krishna, Chandamouleeswara and Ananteshwara in procession.

Best Time to Visit Manipal

For a Tour to Manipal, the best time to visit is between the months of October and March.

How to Reach Manipal

By Air

BY AIR -

By Air:The nearest airport is at Mangalore.

By Train

BY RAIL -

By Rail :The closest railway stations are located at Udupi and Mangalore, which lie on the Konkan railway route.

By Road

BY ROAD -

By RoadManipal is well-connected by a network of roads to Udupi and Mangalore. You can avail of luxury buses operating between Mangalore and Manipal.

Tourist Attractions in Manipal

Make your Tour to Manipal memorable by visiting these famous tourist places near Manipal :

Heritage Village: This village has eight museums, which exhibits the conventional arts, crafts, paintings and textiles of Manipal. It is a literary center to help literature find its cultural moorings and an extensive documentation center. It is actually the house of Vijayanath Shenoy, displaying household objects in a distinctive architectural setting.
Planetarium: The second planetarium in Karnataka, one can gaze at the stars from here even at daytime.
Anatomy museum: A part of the Academic Centre MAHE, it preserves different types of collections related to the human body.

Places around Manipal

Explore the land of Manipal, visiting the places around it, while on a Tour to Manipal :

Malpe: Situated about 9 km to the east of Manipal, Malpe is an important natural port of the Karnataka coast, providing some mesmerizing picturesque views. Main attractions of the place are the unexplored St. Mary's Island and the northern-most Daria-Bahadurgad Island.
Brahmavar: This ancient cultural center has three main temples - the 9th century Mahalinga temple, the Gopinatha temple and the Janardhana shrine.