Turtle Bay is a famous beach at Trasi near Udupi. Turtle Bay is one of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches of India. I found it to be a better bet than a crowded Goa. With the Souparnika River running parallel to the Arabian Sea, the entire stretch from Kundapur to Trasi is very scenic. Turtle Bay beach is an excellent idea if you are looking for a quiet and clean beach holiday.
Where is Turtle Bay
Turtle Bay Beach is located at Trasi near Marvanthe Beach in Karnataka. Trasi is 10 KMs from Kundapur. Udupi is the nearest city at 50 KMs.
How to reach Turtle Bay near Udupi
Trasi is located on National Highway 17 and is well connected to Mangalore, Goa and Mumbai both by Train and Road. Folks coming from Bangalore can drive down the 430 KMs distance in 8-9 hours via Nelmangala-Hassan-Sakleshpur-Mangalore-Udupi
The closest Airport is at Mangalore, 100 KMs away.
Where to stay
The best place to stay at Trasi is at Turtle Bay Beach Resort. It is located on the Beach. Rooms are clean and service excellent. The contact number is +91 8254 265422.
Marvanthe Beach
Marvanthe Beach is a spectacular sight with the Arabian Sea on one side and River Souparnika on the other side. Fishing is the main occupation of the villagers who use simple boats and trawlers.
Turtles of Turtle Bay
Turtle Bay got its name because of the migration of Sea Turtles to Trasi area to lay eggs. October to December is the nesting season for the Sea Turtles. Several conversation activities are held in this are to preserve the endangered Sea Turtles from fishing and egg predation. Special cleanliness drives are organised by the Government and NGOs like FSL India as a clean beach is required to attract the Sea Turtles to lay eggs!
In fact Volunteers from various countries have been working with the local people in conducting surveys, awareness campaigns, building hatcheries facilitating promotional activities.
The Beach at Turtle Bay provides one of the most beautiful Sun Sets you can ever see. The raging ball of fire rapidly vanished behind the azure blue waters of the Arabian Sea.
Activities at Turtle Bay beach near Udupi
Scuba diving and Snorkellng is a good idea at Turtle Bay courtesy the rich coral formations under the Arabian Sea in these parts. The Turtle Bay resort makes all arrangements for the trips.
A leisurely way of sipping the beauty of this place is to take a Boat ride in the evening. Plenty of boats are docked at the Beach and can be hired for a short trip.
Bird watching is a favourite activity among nature enthusiasts at Turtle Bay. Some of the species you can spot easily are Green Heron, Lesser Sand Plover, Rock Pigeon, Ashy Drango, Red Throated Fly Catcher, Jungle Babbler and Cormorant among others.
My personal favourite was to read a book on one of the numerous hammocks hanging between the coconut trees facing the Arabian Sea! The rhythmic sound of the waves splashing against the rocks along with the chirping of the bird life provides an ideal backdrop for good reading.
Other places near Trasi
Maraswamy Temple near Marvanthe Beach is an interesting temple with 3 deities. One of the deities is the rare Varaha of Lord Vishnu in the form of a Wild Boar, making it one of the few Varahaswamy temples of India. The Tortoise, Fish and Crocodile are also worshipped in this temple!
Mookambikai Temple of Kollur is one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations of Karnataka. It is located 35 KMs from Kundapur. Goddess Mookambikai is in the form of a jyotirlinga incorporating both Shiva and Shakti. An interesting thing to note while at the Temple in Kollur is that the idol of Chandramaulishvara is said to have been installed by Shri Adi Shankara himself.
Udupi is located 50 KMs from Turtle Bay and is home to the famous Krishna Temple. It is also the home to Vaishnavite Saint Sri Madhavacharya. While at Udupi, two other must visits are the Temples of Ananteswara and Chandramoulishvara.
For a photoblog on Turtle Bay beach visit India Travel Pictures
For my travelogues on other beaches, visit Beach Holidays