Ullal is a small coastal town just south of Mangalore, best known for its long, largely uncrowded beach. The Summer Sands Beach Resort has made it a weekend destination for Mangaloreans, but it hasn't been overrun. The beach is wide, the fishing boats add character, and the pace is slow. The Dargah of Hazrat Syed Mohammed Shareeful Madani, a Sufi shrine, draws pilgrims from across the coast and is worth a visit.
Ullal Beach
Coastal town south of Mangalore, known for a long beach and the Madani Dargah shrine.
Guide
Getting There
Ullal is about 12 kilometres south of Mangalore city centre. The quickest way from central Mangalore is by auto-rickshaw, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Shared autos and local buses also run along the NH 66 corridor, stopping at Thokottu junction, from where Ullal is a short ride. Mangalore has good rail and air connections — Mangalore International Airport is the nearest airport, and Mangalore Central and Kankanady stations are the main railway stations.
Guide
Things to Do
Ullal is a small place, and the list of things to do reflects that. The beach is the main draw, the Sufi shrine is worth visiting whether you are religious or not, and the river estuary makes a pleasant walk. Beyond that, the pleasure is simply being somewhere that has not been packaged for tourists.
-
01
Dargah of Hazrat Syed Mohammed Shareeful MadaniThe dargah — a Sufi shrine — is the most important religious site in Ullal and draws pilgrims from across the Konkan coast and …Sight
-
02
Netravati River MouthThe point where the Netravati River meets the Arabian Sea, just north of Ullal, is one of the more scenic spots on this stretch …Sight
-
03
Ullal BeachUllal Beach is a long, wide stretch of Arabian Sea coastline that has stayed relatively quiet precisely because [Mangalore](/asia/india/karnataka/mangalore) is close enough to offer …Sight
Guide
When to Go
The best time to visit Ullal is October through February, when the sea is calm enough to swim, the air is warm but not oppressive, and the sky is clear. March through May gets uncomfortably hot and humid. The monsoon arrives in June and runs through September — the beach is dramatic in the rain but the sea is dangerous, and the humidity is intense. If you want to see the annual urs festival at the dargah, the dates shift each year with the Islamic calendar, so check ahead.