Coast is clear

HIT THE ROAD

Mangalore isn't your typical tourist spot, but that's good because you won't have to deal with thousands of fellow-tourists.

It's got the location (beautifully sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats), it's got monuments ( lovely old churches and temples), it's got beaches (Someshwar and Tannirbhavi) and, most importantly, it's got the sort of cuisine that'll make you want to come here every week and eat till the buttons fly off your shirt.

Fiery chicken curry and kori rotis, sannas and sorpotel, prawns in coconut and tamarind, lady-fish fry... it's an absolute bonanza.

Mangalore is 350 km from Bangalore via Hassan and the drive is a good one. Tip: take the back road from Hassan via Belur and Dharmastala, it's just brilliant. The Taj Manjarun (Ph: 0824-2420240, Rs 1,200 onwards) and Hotel Moti Mahal (Ph: 0824-2441411, Rs 900 onwards) are good places to stay.

Don't know where to go? pablo@business-standard.com