Notwithstanding Maravanthe Beach in Udupi district being a hot tourist attraction for the scenic beauty of the highway nestled between the Arabian Sea and the Souparnika River, tourists had limited option of further exploring the picturesque region and had to be content with watching the alluring beach and the riverfront. Of late, things have changed for good with a local fisherman family-turned-entrepreneurs establishing a professional adventure water sports venture — Maravanthe Adventure Sports — to offer tourists a bit of adrenaline kick in the backwaters of the Souparnika. The facility is located on the riverbank next to Maharajaswamy Varahaswamy Temple to the left of the Mumbai-Mangaluru carriageway of National Highway 66.
The Arabian Sea beckons people on the right, abutting the Mangaluru-Mumbai carriageway. A family lands on the makeshift jetty after completing a speed boat ride in Souparnika River arranged by Maravanthe Adventure Sports on May 21, in Maravanthe, Byndoor Taluk, Udupi district. A zorbing cylinder is seen in the background.
| Photo Credit:ANIL KUMAR SASTRY B.K. Naresh Kharvi, a fisherman from neighbouring Koderi village, established the adventure sports entity after working for some time with surfing clubs in Mangaluru.
The intention was to fill the void of non-availability of adventure activities in the tourist hotspot, he said. The facility offers a host of adventure activities, including kayaking, Kuru Kudru (river island) rounds, speed boat ride, .
