About St Mary’s Island
St Mary’s island is collectively made of 4 small islands and lies at a distance of 6 kilometres from Malpe beach in the Udupi district of Karnataka. I visited this island during my bike ride to Kerala. The island dates back to the time when Madagascar was part of India. The basaltic rock formations found on this island are identical to the ones in Madagascar. It was also the first stop for Vasco da Gama before he landed at Kozhikode (Calicut) in the state of Kerala. It was he who named the island as O Padrao de Santa Maria for Mother Mary. Therefore, indicating the origination of the name St.Mary’s Islands.
Reaching St Mary’s Island from Malpe beach
The only way to reach St Mary’s Island is by taking a ferry from Malpe beach. On my visit, I took the first ferry out at 9 am, the cost is Rs 300 for an adult. I would highly recommend taking the morning ferry to avoid the rush of tourists. The ferry ride is comfortable and you can see the coconut tree-lined island from a distance.
The ferry took about 30 minutes to reach the island. I had to disembark 50 meters from the island’s beach followed by a walk to reach the island. The island welcomed me with a board displaying historic and geographic information about the island. It also had a pictorial representation of the various parts of the island.
As I walked ahead, I saw temporary shops but they were empty. On enquiring with the ferry guide, he said the local authorities had shut them down due to issues on how to manage the waste that was created by these shops. I walked ahead and reached the Coconut lagoon part of the island. There are shelters here for you to sit and it also provides protection against the sun. The basaltic rock formations are prominent in this part of the island. The rocks are called columnar joints due to the way they look.
There is a large “Peace” sign erected which I recognized from the multiple photos I had seen online.
Depending on sunlight the sea colour can vary from green to azure blue. Seeing the crystal clear water on an island so close was a mesmerizing experience for me. The island is home to Brahminy kites and Seagulls. Locals also come here to catch crabs as was visible with the large traps and leftover shells spreading over the island.
An hour felt like 5 minutes before it was time to leave. You are only allowed to spend an hour here which is more of a commercial time limit set by the agencies running the ferry services rather than the government authorities.
A bit disappointing but nevertheless I was happy to have visited St Mary’s Island and experienced the crystal clear water, see the basaltic rock which is a testament to times gone and times to come.
Recommended tips before you travel to St Mary’s Island
-
Try boarding the first ferry out to avoid the crowd and experience the island yourself
-
Carry ample amount of food and water as there are no vendors, in the off chance there are, the price would be on the higher side
-
Carry a sunscreen and a cap
-
Wear water-resistant or waterproof footwear
-
There is an additional charge of Rs 100 for carrying your own professional camera
-
Reach the north end of the island as quick as possible. It is where most of the tourists reach last but is the most beautiful
