India GOBest time to visit Udupi
The best time to visit Udupi is November to February: almost no rain, highs around 33°C, the sea open and the ferry to St Mary's Island running. The temple town works all year, but from June to September the monsoon closes the sea and the island. October and March to April are good shoulder months.
🟩 Best time · 🟢 Good time · 🟧 Better avoid
Coast: monsoon shuts the sea Jun–Aug; season Nov–Feb
Sea entry officially banned in monsoon after drownings
The year in four parts
Figures are averages for the nearest IMD station, Mangaluru-Panambur (46 km south, 1991–2020); the monthly chart is above.
November to February: the season
Highs of 33°C, nights of 21–23°C, humidity down to about 60%, and between 77 mm of rain in November and practically none in January and February. The sea is open, boats run to St Mary's Island, and the Yakshagana season of all-night village theatre has begun.
March to May: hot and humid
March is still dry; April and May reach 34°C with nights of 26°C and rising humidity. From April the sea turns rough, and May brings the first heavy rain, around 190 mm. Temples and town are fine; beaches less so.
June to September: monsoon
About a metre of rain in each of June and July, 23–28 rainy days a month and humidity near 87%. The sea is closed: entry has been officially banned in the monsoon after drownings, and the St Mary's Island ferry stops. Waterfalls are full, but forest trails are at their most dangerous.
October: the shoulder
Still around 230 mm of rain over about ten days, and the sea is rough, but the land is green and the waterfalls are still running. A good month for temples, Manipal and the hills, less so for swimming.
By what you came for
Beaches and St Mary's Island: November to March. Boats to the island run roughly 09:00 to 17:00 in season, weather permitting, and not at all from June to September. More on Udupi beaches.
Waterfalls: September to February, after the rains and before the rivers thin out in March. See waterfalls near Udupi.
Yakshagana: roughly November to May, after the harvest. Performances are announced locally rather than on a central calendar, so ask your host or check the local press.
Malpe fishing harbour: October to March is the settled-weather season; the monsoon fishing ban interrupts the catch.
The Krishna Matha: any month. Daily worship and the free temple meal do not stop for the rain; see the Krishna Matha.
Temple festivals worth timing a trip for
For the Paryaya, book a room about two months ahead and arrive the day before; for the other two, about three weeks is enough. Stay near Car Street, or in Manipal or Malpe, which have more rooms.
| Makara Sankramana and Saptotsava: 10–16 January 2027 (expected) | The deities circle the temple tank on a lit float in the evenings; on Sankramana night three chariots are pulled round Car Street. |
| Paryaya: 17–18 January 2028 (expected) | Every two years, before dawn, the next matha's swami walks in procession to the temple and takes over its running for two years. |
| Vitla Pindi and Huli Vesha: 24–25 August 2027 (expected) | The day after Udupi's Janmashtami: a clay Krishna on the golden chariot, pots of curd broken overhead, tiger dancers in the streets. |
If you can only come in the monsoon
Udupi is a temple town first, so a monsoon trip still works: the Krishna Matha, the Anantheshwara Temple, the tiffin rooms and Manipal are all as usual. Plan indoor days, keep out of the sea and skip forest treks after heavy rain. Month-by-month weather is on Udupi weather.
FAQ
Which is the best month to visit Udupi?
December, January and February are the driest and most comfortable, with highs around 33°C and almost no rain. November is also part of the season.
What is the weather like in Udupi all year?
Hot all year: highs of 29–34°C. Dry from December to March, then hot and humid in April and May, a heavy monsoon from June to September with up to a metre of rain a month, and a wet October.
Is August a good time to visit Udupi?
Only for the temples. August has about 690 mm of rain over some 25 days, the sea is closed and the St Mary's Island ferry does not run. Vitla Pindi sometimes falls in August.
Can you swim in the sea at Udupi in the monsoon?
No. From June to September the sea is closed, and entry has been officially banned in the monsoon after drownings.
When is the Paryaya festival in Udupi?
Every two years, in January: 17–18 January 2028 (expected). Book a room about two months ahead.
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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