Often places that are not on the list offer the greatest memories. One such place is The Kaup Beach in Udupi on the west coast of India. The beach not like many others is rocky and the sea is rough. You don’t get to see a lot of crowd in this beach, but it holds a treasure lost in time. The 27 m tall lighthouse on a rocky cliff is more than a century old. Built in 1901, the lighthouse is still operational guiding sailors and vessels. The perks of visiting this shoreline do not stop with catching a glimpse of the lighthouse etched in history, but also to get to the top of it. It is open for visitors between 4 – 6 pm before it commences the daily routine. And you would never regret snaking through the spiral fleet of stairs to the top.
At the end of the climb, one can get a close look at the jumbo lamp and the lens housed in the glass room. And once you exit to the periphery of the tower, the view is breathtaking. You can catch the boundless vistas of the Arabian Sea and if the clouds stay clear, a perfect sunset as well.
You can circumnavigate to get a panoramic view of the shore and inland. If you are engrossed by the endless view of the water then turn around to get a sight of the unbroken coconut and palm grooves with the backwaters dwindling between them. From the top everything looks microscopic and beautiful.
The next time you drive past Udupi remember to take a diversion to this little known local secret hangout. When clubbed with Manipal, Udupi and Mangalore, it can offer a perfect weekend getaway.
