The Most Epic Road Trips From Mangalore
If you live in Mangalore, you must have been looking for awesome road trips from Mangalore for the weekends or simply whenever you get a chance. Well, the good news is that there are not only amazing options for a road trip to Mangalore from Bangalore, you can also go on a road trip from Mangalore to Gokarna as well.
There are tons of hill stations near Mangalore while you can easily drive down to Bangalore, the Mangalore nearest city which you must explore. There are scenic routes available for other destinations as well, i.e. Mangalore to Agumbe or even some picturesque falls near Mangalore. Yet, nothing compares to what we’re about to lay out for you, namely one of the most epic road trips from Mangalore covering almost everything you’ve ever wanted to see or do.
Road trip itinerary from Mangalore
- Mangalore to Bekal
- Bekal to Kannur
- Kannur to Kozhikode
- Kozhikode to Kochi
- Kochi to Alappuzha
- Alappuzha to Kollam
- Kollam to Thiruvananthapuram
- Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari
- Kanyakumari to Kochi and then Thalassery
- Thalassery to Mangalore
Before starting on this road trip, make sure you book resorts near Mangalore and in surrounding areas and States so that you don’t have to worry about it later on.
Mangalore to Bekal
- Distance Covered- 65 km
- Time Taken- 1.5 hours
Leave as early as you can via the National Highway 17 and take the coastal road which will take you to Bekal through Kasaragod and Manjeshwar. Bekal offers amazing palm groves, beaches and seaside forts. The lovely Bekal Fort has rich history attached to it and has an observation tower as well. The Anjaneya Temple is another attraction along with the Kappil Beach which is 10 minutes away. Other nearby attractions include the Valiyaparamba Backwaters.
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Bekal to Kannur
- Distance Covered- 80 km
- Time Taken- 2 hours
Follow the National Highway 17 for approximately 50 kilometres till Cheruthazham and then venture towards Kannur via the Pilathara-Pappinesseri Road, joining NH-17 again for entering Kannur. Check out the multifarious attractions in Kannur including the Fort St Angelo, the lovely seaside promenades, Moplah Bay and Theyyam, the ancient folk art of the North Malabar region. The Shri Muthappan Temple is another attraction along with the Valapattanam River which meets the Arabian Sea near Valapattanam. Popular beaches include the Payyambalam Beach and Baby Beach.
Kannur to Kozhikode
- Distance Covered- 90 km
- Time Taken- 2 hours
Check out and head to Kozhikode via Thalassery through the National Highway 17. Kozhikode is another seaport that has a lot of history and was even visited by Ibn Batuta between 1342-47. Vasco Da Gama landed here in 1498, ushering in Portuguese colonization in the country. Kozhikode offers lovely backwaters and attractions like Dolphin Point, beach, Pazhassirajah Museum, Kuttichara Mosque, Commonwealth Trust Office and VK Krishna Menon Art Gallery.
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Kozhikode to Kochi
- Distance Covered- 181 km
- Time Taken- 4.5 hours
Continue to Kochi via NH-17 and you can visit Thrissur with a short detour as well. Kochi has several attractions including Fort Kochi, Vembanad Lake and its backwaters, Heritage Quarter and Mattancherry. The cafes and stores in Ernakulam are excellent places to relax. There are ferry rides available to the islands as well.
Kochi to Alappuzha
- Distance Covered – 58 km
- Time Taken – 1 hour and 20 minutes
Take NH-47 to Alappuzha from Kochi or the coastal State Highway 66 for a more gorgeous drive. Alappuzha or Alleppey has gorgeous backwaters and canals and key attractions include the Vijaya Beach and the 1,000 ft pier built by Captain Hugh Crawford in the year 1862.
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Alappuzha to Kollam
- Distance Covered – 86 km
- Time Taken – 2 hours
Spend a couple of days in Alleppey prior to venturing on the NH-47 en route to Kollam. Key attractions here include the square clock tower and the Chinnakada Market along with the Velankanni Church and views of the Ashtamudi Lake from the Adventure Park at Ashramam.
Kollam to Thiruvananthapuram
- Distance Covered – 64 km
- Time Taken – 1 hour and 15 minutes
Take NH-47 to Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum which has lovely sunsets and tree-lined roads. The famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a key highlight along with several majestic palaces and museums.
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Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari
- Distance Covered – 90 km
- Time Taken – 2 hours and 15 minutes
After spending two nights in Trivandrum, head out to Kanyakumari via NH-47 and this is the highlight of the trip when you get to see the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. Kanyakumari is a charming town and is known for its temple at Sachindram and Vattakottai fort built by the Dutch and its natural beaches. Reflecting before the massive statues of Swami Vivekananda who famously meditated here and Thiruvallur, the famous Tamil poet, is bound to be a magical experience.
Kanyakumari to Kochi and then Thalassery
- Distance Covered – 295 km/257 km
- Time Takenn – 6 hours for both parts of the journey
After spending two eventful days in Kanyakumari, go back via NH-47 to Kochi. Spend a night here before venturing back to Thalassery on the next day. Thalassery is known for the Tellicherry Fort and of course, the ruins of the once-famous Holy Rosary Church and old Anglican Church. Overbury’s Folly is a famous restaurant that was once a colonial-era bungalow, looking out onto the sea. Gundert Park is a key attraction along with the Muzhappilangad Beach and Dharmadam Island which can be accessed across the Anjarakandy River during low tide.
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Thalassery to Mangalore
- Distance Covered – 164 km
- Time Taken – 4 hours
After stopping at Thalassery the previous day, you can start returning to Mangalore, stopping for lunch at one of the restaurants in Bekal.
This is certainly one of the most epic road trips from Mangalore where you cover a whopping 1,430 km in a span of 11 days. You also venture through the States of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu while passing through Mahe which is under the Union Territory of Pondicherry in spite of being situated on the Kerala coastline. The journey should certainly be eventful and this will certainly be a lifetime trip for your gang of friends or close family members.