8 Most Beautiful Beaches In Mangalore

Mangalore, a coastal city in Karnataka, gets its name from the Mangaladevi temple located there. It’s well known for its culture, tradition, history, and cuisine and attracts scores of visitors every year. The beaches in Mangalore are another feature of the city that draws in large crowds. Each of Mangalore’s beaches is popular for its own unique reasons and worth at least one visit.

There are around nine beaches in Mangalore and all of them are open to the public. While you might have to pay an entrance fee at some beaches (in the form of parking charges), entrance to others is free. The post-monsoon season, or the period from November to February is considered to be the best time to visit any beach in Mangalore as the seas are quite rough and dangerous during the monsoons and the humidity is quite uncomfortable in summer.

While all the beaches here are unique and beautiful in their own way, it is left to the individual to decide which is the best beach in Mangalore.

Also Read: 11 of the best places to visit in Mangalore

Let Us Take A Look At The Eight Most Beautiful Beaches In Mangalore

1. Tannirbhavi Beach: Neighbour To Mangalore’s Most Popular Beach 

Tannirbhavi Beach is relatively calm and less crowded compared to the rest of the beaches in Mangalore. Nonetheless, it is beautiful and attracts many visitors on a daily basis. This Mangalore beach is an ideal weekend getaway and has more than one access point. However, only one point is open to the general public and the rest are restricted. While there is no direct public transport to this beach, which is around 10 km from the city, you can hire a taxi, take your private vehicle, or take a ferry from Sulthan Battery. Parking facilities are provided for those who arrive in their private vehicle, however, a small fee is required to be paid.

Locals usually come out to this beach during weekends and it is often frequented by couples. You will also find a lot of families here looking for a peaceful time. If you don’t want to sit out in the sun, you can take shelter under the casuarinas trees that line the beach. This is a fun place for a picnic or a short nap. On occasion, you will even spot fishermen going about their daily routine, taking their boats out and returning with the catch of the day. What makes this place a great respite from city life is its relative remoteness. Tannirbhavi Beach is located right next to one of the most popular beaches in Mangalore, Panambur Beach. In fact, if you walk north along the beach, you will end up at a jetty that divides the two beaches.

Till recently, this beach was considered more isolated as few people used to visit this place. However, after the beach was developed and fitted with modern facilities like proper washrooms, parking spaces, lifeguards, and food stalls it saw more visitors. A few concrete benches and sheds have also been added to the beach, along with tall light masts, for the safety and convenience of visitors.

2. Someshwara Beach: Home To The Ancient Somanatha Temple

Located in Ullal, 10 km south of Mangalore, Someshwara Beach is one of the most unique beaches in Mangalore as there is a large rock at the centre known as the Rudra shila. Many visitors come down to this beach, which can be reached by road from the Mangalore-Kerala highway, to climb atop the large rock, sit at its edges, and gaze at the horizon. While it is fun to climb and sit on the rock, it can be dangerous as huge waves lash at the rocks and a fall from here can lead to serious injury.

This Mangalore beach’s name comes from the Somanatha temple that is located at the end of the beach. It is believed that the temple, dedicated to Shiva, was constructed by Queen Abakka Devi of Ullal, India’s first female freedom fighter. Another natural wonder of the beach, besides the large rock, is the pond next to the temple. The pond has a perennial underground source of sweet freshwater. The beach is also home to Ottinene Hill, which is a beautiful vantage point from where you can view the city below, the river Netravati and the big beautiful Arabian Sea.

Unlike most of the beaches along Mangalore’s coast, this beach is quite rocky. The hidden rocks and strong currents make the beach unsuitable for water sports like diving or swimming. There are barely any facilities at this beach, except for a few food stalls, so tourists are advised to carry drinking water and food.

3. Ullal Beach: Popular Among All Mangalore Beaches

This Mangalore beach is located right next to Someshwara Beach towards the south and is about 15 km from Mangalore city. You can reach this beach by road from the Mangalore-Kerala highway. Around this beach, you will find some interesting places to visit like the remains of Queen Abakka’s fort, Queen Abakka’s Jain temple, St Sebastian Church, and the Sayyid Madani Dargah. What makes this one of the most beautiful beaches in Mangalore is the beautiful view that draws in scores of visitors every day. The beach is lined by the beautiful Arabian Sea on one side and golden sands, coconut palms and casuarina trees on the other. 

Here, you are free to take a dive and swim in the waters. There are also a number of sports activities for adrenaline junkies and for foodies, there are several food stalls. Some other things you can do at the beach include taking a nice long stroll, lounging on the sand, and staring at the beautiful skies above. At this beach, you will find many families or groups of friends looking for a fun break. You will also find the odd couple here and there, on a romantic walk along the shoreline. Located along the Someshwar-Ullal beach, you will find the Summer Sands Beach Resort, which is one of Mangalore’s popular beach resorts.

4. Surathkal Beach: Neighbour To One Of India’s Greatest Institutes

The small town of Surathkal, home to the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), is lined by Surathkal Beach on the west. Close to the college, located around 12 km from Mangalore city, Surathkal Beach is frequented by college students from nearby institutes and locals who come here to picnic. What makes this one of the most unique beaches in Mangalore is that the sands are smooth, so much so that you can easily walk barefoot. There are plenty of buses and auto rickshaws available from Mangalore to Surathkal. You could also rent a vehicle or a taxi or even travel by your own vehicle. There isn’t much to do here other than lounging on the beach, taking a nice long stroll along the shore, gazing at the sunset, and enjoying the view.

Apart from this, at the end of the beach, situated on a rocky hillock is a lighthouse that offers a beautiful uninterrupted view of the landscape and the horizon. This lighthouse is open to visitors between 4 and 5 PM. If you happen to be on the beach at dawn, you may catch a glimpse of the fishermen from the nearby villages launching their boats. Closeby on a hillock is the ancient conch-shaped Sadashiva Temple, dedicated to Shiva, which is surrounded by four ponds, whose water is considered to be sacred. While there is only one budget hotel in Surathkal, there are plenty of affordable rooms available in Mangalore, which is a short drive away from the beach. 

5. Sasihithlu Beach: Host Of The 2016 & ’17 India Open Of Surfing

A relatively unknown beach in Mangalore, Sasihithlu Beach, located in Sasihithlu village, is located about 25 km from Mangalore and 2 km from NITK. As the existence of this beach is largely unknown, it is less crowded, making it the perfect spot for a quiet weekend away from the city. It is a great place to visit as the white sands on the shores are clean and the view is serene. To reach the beach, you would need to walk through the village and a thicket of acacia trees.

The Sasihithlu Beach is a convergence point for the rivers Nandini and Shambhavi with the Arabian Sea and is visited mostly by tourists and local fishermen. At the beach, the Nandini and Shambhavi rivers flow around the Munda island and then merge with the Arabian Sea. The beach is a great place for friends, and family to hang out, and gorge on the fresh fruits salads and coconut water available at the food stalls. Additionally, Sasihithlu Beach has also been host to the Karnataka Surfing Festival and the India Open of Surfing in 2016 and 2017, events that attract scores of surfing enthusiasts who battle it out to win prize money.

6. Chitrapura Beach: Mangalore’s Hidden Gem

One of the most peaceful beaches in Mangalore that is perfect for a break from the mundane, Chitrapura Beach is located about 10 km from the city. The beach does not get many visitors and is therefore relatively clean. Located along Chitrapura Beach Road, Chitrapura Beach is popular among those who know of it for its unparalleled beauty and serenity.

To get to the beach, you can either opt for public transport or take your private vehicle, however, after a certain point (up to around the Carribean Resort in Mulki), you have to walk to the beach. Beach lovers and nature lovers in general come to this beach to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. This is the perfect place for one to stroll along the shimmering sands, enjoy a nice swim or spend some quiet time gazing at the sunset or sunrise. Considering how secluded this beach is, it is the perfect getaway for couples who want to be close to nature.

7. Kodikal Beach: Most Photogenic Beach In Mangalore

Considered to be one of the most photogenic beaches in Mangalore, Kodikal Beach draws visitors mainly for its stunning beauty. This is, once again, a relatively unknown beach and is frequented by locals looking for a great picnic spot and surfers. Located about 10 km from Mangalore city in Baikampady, you can travel to this destination by road. Here, visitors are often seen enjoying a nice swim, surfing, taking photographs, and taking a nice quiet stroll along its sandy shores. People also come here to enjoy the sunset or sunrise with their families or friends.

8. Panambur Beach: Site Of The Annual Kite Festival And Mangalore’s Most Popular Beach

Panambur Beach is hands down one of the most famous beaches in Mangalore. Located about 9 km from Mangalore city, this beach has some of the highest numbers of visitors every year. Panambur Beach can easily be reached by road from NH 66. You can either reach the beach by bus, auto-rickshaw, taxi or private vehicle. Considering that it sees a lot of tourist traffic year after year, the beach is kept neat and clean and is maintained very well.

There are also a lot of lifeguards at the beach as the seas can get rough and many have lost their lives here. While visitors are allowed to go for a swim, the lifeguards issue a warning by blowing their whistle if you get too far into the water. There are other water sports that you can enjoy, like speed boating, surfing and jet skiing. If you prefer to stay on land, you can also go on horse and camel rides and ATV rides. There are plenty of food stalls on the beach, as well as on the way to the shore. You will also find trucks selling ice cream and swimwear. The beach has modern facilities like public toilets and parking facilities (charges are applicable), however, the number of people that visit the beach is so large that parking is difficult to find.

Families, groups of friends, and couples frequent this beach. There are also a lot of tourists who come here during certain seasons. People come here for a nice stroll, taking selfies and photos, watching the sunset, and play around in the water. Close by Panambur Beach is the New Mangalore Port, where ships and boats come to drop anchor. Another great feature of this beach is that several festivals or music shows are held here. Every year in January, the beach is the site of an international kite festival whose participants come from all over the world. There have also been a few air shows, music concerts, and music band battles held here.

Also Read: Top 12 Mangalorean food items you simply must try when you visit

Some FAQs To Help You Get More Acquainted With The Beaches In Mangalore