of Higher Education (MAHE). Tourist spots like Agumbe, Kudremukh, Kapu and Malpe are also located nearby. Climate From September to February, the weather in Manipal is tropical with daily temperatures averaging . From June to mid October, Manipal witnesses one of the most extreme monsoons in the world, with the annual precipitation ranging from . The months of December to May are hot and humid, with the daily temperatures typically peaking at . Being away from large urban centers and the highly tropical climate of the town attracts a large number of birds, with 155 different species of birds being recorded in February 2015, including rarities such as the Tickell's Thrush, Blue-eared Kingfisher and Slaty-breasted Rail. Transport Road Manipal is connected to Mangalore (takes about 75 minutes via road) and towns such as Udupi, Karkala and Kundapur by several private bus services and KSRTC City Buses which run every thirty minutes. The town also has overnight bus services to Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa and Mumbai. There are also buses which connect to the famous nearby tourist attractions like Malpe beach, Delta Beach, Dharmasthala. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation runs air-conditioned bus service between Mangalore International Airport and Manipal. Rail The nearest railway station is Udupi station (UD) on the Konkan Railway line, located four kilometres west of Manipal. It has trains connecting Mumbai, Goa, Kerala, New Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Punjab. It is about a kilometer away from the National Highway 169A. Mangalore Central (MAQ) is the nearest major railway station and is located in Mangalore, south of the town. Air The nearest international airport is Mangalore International Airport, which is located around south from Manipal, connecting it to Indian cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi, and internationally to the middle eastern countries like Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Pre-paid taxis are available to transport passengers to and from Manipal and Udupi. Buses also connect Manipal directly to the Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore, to cater to the large number of international students studying at the university. KSRTC recently started "Flybus", a premium daily bus service from Manipal to Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore. Education Manipal gained prominence when Dr. T.M.A. Pai founded the Kasturba Medical College in 1953, the Manipal Institute of Technology in 1957, a popular institute for engineering and 21 other colleges later, all