Mangalore Tourism and Travel Guide

Mangalore(/ˈmæŋɡəlɔr/) is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is known as Kuḍla in Tulu, Maikāla in Beary, Koḍiyāḷ in Canarese Konkani. It is located about 371 kilometres (230 mi) west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada (formerly South Canara) district in south western Karnataka. With its pristine beaches, broad roads and calm localities, Mangalore was ranked the 8th cleanest city of India. Mangaluru was ranked India's 13th best destination for business.It developed as a port on the Arabian Sea—remaining, to this day, a major port of India. Lying on the backwaters of the Netravati and Gurupura rivers, Mangalore is often used as a staging point for sea traffic along the Malabar Coast. The city has a tropical climate and lies in the path of the Arabian Sea branch of the South-West monsoons. Mangaluru's port handles 75 per cent of India's coffee and cashew exports.Mangaluru was ruled by several major powers, including the Kadambas, Alupas, Vijayanagar Empire, Keladi Nayaks, and the Portuguese. The city was a source of contention between the British and the Mysore rulers, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Eventually annexed by the British in 1799, Mangalore remained part of the Madras Presidency until India's independence in 1947. The city was unified with the state of Mysore (now called Karnataka) in 1956.Mangaluru is demographically diverse with several languages, including Tulu, Canarese Konkani, Kannada, Urdu, Malayalam and Beary commonly spoken, and is the largest city in Dakshina Kannada district. Mangaluru is one of the most cosmopolitan non-metro cities of India. It is also the largest city in the Coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka, besides being a leading commercial, industrial, educational, healthcare and petrochemical hub on the West Coast. Mangaluru city urban agglomeration extends from Ullal in the south to Surathkal in the north, covering a distance of over 35 km.The city's landscape is characterised by rolling hills, coconut palms, freshwater streams and hard red-clay tiled-roof buildings.