Manipal is situated in the rocky hinterland of the fabled Malabar (Konkan) coast of Southwest India. Ideally situated amidst scenic beauty and rural surroundings, Manipal has all the modern facilities of transport, communication and banking. The surroundings are picturesque, comprising rural farmlands.

The high spot of academics on the education map, Manipal is well known for the number of places of interest, besides its academic institutions. Places to see are : Smrithi Bhavan, Anatomy Museum, End Point, Dr TMA Pai Planetarium, Hasta Shilpa, Brindavan Garden and Sri Venu Gopalakrishna Temple etc.

The climate is humid and warm between November and May and wet and cool during the monsoon months of June to October. It has a tropical climate characteristic of coastal plains in the West of India.