Mangalore

Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. Mangalore is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada (formerly South Canara) district in southwestern Karnataka. It developed as a port– and still is a major port on the Arabian Sea. On the backwaters of the Netravati and Gurupura rivers, Mangalore is a staging point for sea traffic along the Malabar Coast. Mangalore has a tropical climate and gets heavy rain during the South-West monsoons. Mangalore's port handles 75% of India's coffee exports and the bulk of the nation's cashew exports.

How to Get There:
By Air: Mangalore has an International Airport at Bajpe, about 20 km from the city centre. It is
connected with Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Kochi and Calicut in the domestic circuit and Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha, Kuwait and Bahrain internationally.
By Rail: Mangalore has two major railway stations, Mangalore Central, at Hampankatta, in the heart of the city. It is a terminus and is used only by trains terminating at Mangalore. The 2nd is
Mangalore Junction, in Kankanady, about 5 km from the city centre. Most long-distance trains and all trains not terminating at Mangalore stop here.
By Road: There are two bus-stands in Mangalore for long-distance bus services. Bejai handles services to Mumbai, Bangalore, Mysore, Goa, Hubli-Dharwad and many other areas within and outside Karnataka. The other one is behind the Town Hall. Long-distance bus services to major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Hubli-Dharwad and Goa run along the National Highways to the
North (towards Goa and Mumbai), South (towards Kerala) and the East (towards Bangalore).
Getting Around: There are numerous private bus companies which run bus services within the city of Mangalore and its suburbs. Even though the buses are operated by different private companies, the bus numbering scheme is simple. The destinations and routes are, however, all written in Kannada only, a silly rule made by the Karnataka Govt. The best way to use these buses is to ask around - people are very helpful. Car-Rent facilities are available in Mangalore as also Autorickshaws.
Where to Stay: Ayodhya, Ganesh Prasad, Hotel Blue Star, Hotel Vasanth Mahal, Hotel Roopa,
Youth Hostel, and Yash Arcade are budget class. Hotel Surya and Prestige are mid-range. Hotel Gateway, Hotel Poonja International, Hotel Woodside and Kumar's International are some of the high-end hotels.
What to See: Mangaladevi Temple, Carstreet Venkataramana Temple, Kudroli Gokarnanatha, Kadri Manjunatheswara, Urwa Marigudi, Sharavu Ganapathi Temple, Milagris, Kateel Durgaparameshwari and St. Aloysious are popular tourist sights. Mangalore has many clean and beautiful beaches, Someshwar Beach, Tannirbhavi Beach, Suratkal Beach, Kaup Beach and Malpe Beach.
Where to Eat: Taj Mahal,Hotel Ayodhya and Janata Deluxe serve authentic Udupi style food.
The Royal Darbar, Chicken Tikka Halal, Biryani Paradise and Shetty's Kori Roti provide
North-Indian Cuisine. Coconut Grove, Narayana Hotel, Anupama, Amantran, Maharaja, Kings Court, Madhuvan Village and Palkhi serve good seafood.