Bangaluru.org - " St. Mary's Island " Islands in Karnataka

St. Mary's Island St. Mary's Isles (Latitude 13° 20' 60" N; Longitude 74° 40' 60" E ) are a group of small islands lying a little to the north of the port of Malpe 7 kms form Udupi. Vasco-da-Gama landed in 1498 on one of these islands which he called `EI Padron de Santa Maria'. It is from this that these islands got their present name. They are just a few scattered projections of rock rising out of the western or Arabian Sea around Malpe.

St. Mary's Island

The northern-most island is about a square mile in area and not more than 250 yards in width. It has coconut gardens which make it the shadiest of all the islands and give it a true South Sea colour. The island is noted for its famous basalt rocks which Kulkunda, where a large cattle fair is held at the time of the have crystallized into columns and split into hexagonal mosaic. It is a really geological monument and tourists heaven.

The islands hold out possibilities of being developed into a popular holiday resort.

Vasco-da-Gama landed in 1498 on one of these islands

this is the only spot in India where basaltic rocks show up such peculiar formation.

Daily Trip to St. Mary's Island ( 9.00 am to 5.00 pm )
For Tickets to St. Mary's Island: +91 820 2538779

Distance:-	406 km West of Bangalore (7 km from Udupi)
By Road:-	9 hours + boat
By Air:-	1 hour and 1 hours by road + boat
Route:-	Take NH48 to Mangalore via Hassan, Sakleshpura & Mani; NH17 to Udupi
When to go:-	October to December would be ideal.
Tourist offices:-	KSTDC(bookings and info) Badami House, NR Square, Bangalore Tel: 080-2275869, Fax: 2352626 Email: kstdc@vsnl.in For more information Asst. Director Tourism Regional Tourist Office Krishna Building, Car Street, Udupi 576 101 Phone: +91 820 2529718 Booking Office: +91 820 2538779 Asst. Director Fisheries Malpe port, Malpe- 576 108 Phone: +91 820 2537801 http://www.karnatakatourism.org/
Where to stay :-	Karavali Hotel (Tel: 0820-2522862; Teriff: Rs 400-3,000). Hotel Sharada International ( Tel: 0820-2521968; Tariff: Rs 295-1,150) Hotel Janardhan (Tel: 0820-2523880;Tariff: Rs 195-740) Rama Krishna Hotel (Tel:2523189; Tariff: Rs 170-500) if you stay in Manipal :- Hotel Bhavani (Tel:2571332; Tariff: Rs 250-440) Hotel Green Park (Tel:2570561 ; Tariff: Rs 250-500)
Where to Eat :-	Mitra Samaj Amantran & LX Brasserie (Tel:2523189) Ideal Restaurant (Tel:2526576) New Cinema Restaurant (Tel: 2526607)