To the south by the shores of Arabian Sea is located the port town of Mangalore, a rambling, green, friendly town that is a serene getaway, a little off the beaten track and ideal for those who want a slightly laidback sort of vacation. The approach of Mangalore by road or rail is as eye-filling as by air, with rolling hills, verdant vistas, sparkling streams gurgling to rendezvous with the sea, and the smell of salt water getting ever stronger as the coast draws nearer.

The landscape is dotted with tiled-roof buildings, topped with the famous Mangalore tiles made with the local hard red clay, and built with laterite, a soft rock easily sliced into large building blocks Some of the old houses even have elaborate wood-work.

The exceptionally fine location of Mangalore on a narrow coastal strip between the towering Western Ghats on one side and the azure Arabian sea on the other has attracted settlers form afar. The city is virtually a Tower of Babel, with the sounds of several languages mingling on the streets. Mangalore is known for the industriousness of its people and natural splendor. The place also has a history of maritime activities.

Tourist Attractions and Excursions in Mangalore
Today, Mangalore is a largish town in Karnataka. Yellow bananas hang in small, open-fronted shops; churches and temples dot the countryside; and most of the buildings are tiled and have a live in homely feel. The town has been built on sub-montane terrain. The sea, however, is never too far away. Some of the tourist sites and excursions are listed below.

Mangladevi Temple: Virtually all the famous buildings in Mangalore are shrines. The Mangladevi temple and its deity reputedly gave Mangalore its name. The four-armed idol gets all the reverence due to the Mother Goddess. Originally, however, she was a princess of Kerala named Premala. A large temple chariot stands on the road outside the temple..

Kadri Temple: Another fascinating shrine is the Kadri temple. This was originally a Buddhist vihara which was taken over by the Nath community because they have affiliations with Buddhism. The beautiful bronze idol enthroned in this temple does have some of the attributes of the icons of the Vajrayana Buddhism practiced by the people of the Himalayas. A spring of water in the Kadri temple which gushes out of a spout fashioned like the auspicious mouth of a cow: a gomukh. Devotees believe that it is connected with the sacred river Ganga. This holy water also flows into nine tanks which have soul-cleansing virtues.

Mausoleum of Seyyid Mohammed Shareeful Madani: The dargah (mausoleum) of Seyyid Mohammed Shareeful Madani has been painted in bright colors. It has risen around the tomb of a Muslim divine who had come to Mangalore from the holy town of Medina. According to local belief, any animal dedicated to the saint and released anywhere in India will find its way here unescorted!

Someshwar temple: Abbakka Rani was a 16th century princess who hated the Portuguese, divorced her husband for accepting their impositions, fought him and eventually gave up her life rather than surrender to the Iberians. The reputation of the Someshwar temple centers around the fact that Abbakka Rani used to worship here five centuries ago.

Milagres Church: The impressive Milagres Church had, apparently, been rebuilt in its present location because the original one had been destroyed by Tipu Sultan when he invaded the city.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary: The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary is the seat of the Catholic Bishop. Much has been made of the murals on the walls of the Chapel of St. Aloysius’ College. They were reputedly painted by an Italian brother of the Jesuit order about a century ago.

Ullal beach: In spite of all the changes that have come about over the years, the chief characteristic of Mangalore is still the tropical natural beauty. A popular destination for holidaymakers is the Ullal beach, which has a resort for longer stays. There are several unspoiled places along the coast to the north and south of Mangalore. A large safari park is being developed at Pilkula, jointly by the forest, horticulture and tourism departments.

Udipi: About 60 km north of Mangalore is the pilgrim centre of Udipi, with its famous Krishna temple. It was here that the saint Madhavacharya preached his philosophy of dualism 700 years ago. Udipi is also a household name in India for its famous cuisine spread all over the country by the ubiquitous “Udipi restaurants”.

For those with a sweet tooth Mangalore has one of the largest chocolate factories in Asia that has been established in the hinterland of the city. The development of Mangalore has been spearheaded by the setting up of the new all-weather Mangalore port.

The harbor, with extensive mineral-handling facilities to export the rich iron ore excavated and processed in the Kudremukh area up in the hills, together with the newly completed Konkan railway along the West Coast, has made Mangalore a transport hub.