WAYANAD WITH KANNUR & BEKAL (FROM KOZHIKODE)

At a distance of 6 km from Ambalavalayal, 14 km from Sulthan Bathery, and 28 km from Kalpetta, Edakkal Caves are two natural caves located on top of Ambukutty Mala near Ambalavalayal in Wayanad. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Kerala, and among the must-include places in Wayanad tour.

Situated at an altitude of 4000 feet, Edakkal Caves were discovered by Fred Fawcett, the then Superintendent of Police of the Malabar district in 1890, during his hunting trip to Wayanad. The name 'Edakkal' literally means 'a stone in between'. Here one can see a cave formed by a heavy boulder straddling a fissure in the rock. This heritage site is considered one of the prime Wayanad places to visit, especially for history buffs.

Many legends are there behind the formation of Edakkal caves. According to one, .....

At a distance of 24 km from Kalpetta & 1 km from Sulthan Bathery Bus Station, Jain Temple is an ancient temple located in the heart of Sulthan Bathery town in Wayanad district. This is one of the most important amongst a series of ruins spread across Kerala that testify to a period of a strong Jain presence in this region and also one of the best heritage places to visit in Wayanad.

The Jain Temple at Sultan Bathery is believed to have been built in 13th century AD. The temple has an interesting history. It first served as a shrine, and then became an important center of commercial activity. Later in 18th century, it became a dumping ground of ammunitions by Tipu Sultan.

The town of Sulthan Bathery was earlier known as Ganapathi Vattam and had 12 traditional Jain streets in and around the town. After Tipu's vandalism, the temple was deserted for about 150 years. Later the Archaeological Survey of India .....

At a distance of 14 km from Sulthan Bathery and 39 km from Kalpetta, Muthunga Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, is a sanctuary and Elephant Reserve in the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the top places of wildlife in Kerala, and among the best places to visit in Wayanad.

Established in 1973, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary was brought under the Project Elephant in the year 1991-92. The sanctuary is bordered with Nagarhole National Park, Bandipur WLS in Karnataka and Mudumalai WLS in Tamilnadu. Occupying an area of 345 sq. km, Wayanad WLS is the second-largest WLS in Kerala and is now an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The sanctuary was set up to conserve the biological heritage of the region with due consideration to the general lifestyle of tribes .....

At a distance of 21 km from Mananthavady, 22 km from Kalpetta, 46 km from Sulthan Bathery, Banasura Sagar Dam is an earthen dam situated in the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the most popular Wayanad tourist places.

Banasura Sagar Dam was built across the Karamanathodu River, a tributary of River Kabini. Ideally placed in the foothills of Banasura hills, it is the largest earthen dam in India and the second largest in Asia. The dam got its name from Banasura, the son of King Mahabali, the famous ruler of Kerala. It is said that Banasura undertook severe penance on the top of the hills. Banasura hill is the third largest peak in the Western Ghats.

The dam was built in 1979 under the Indian Banasura Sagar Project that was started to support the Kakkayam Hydro Electric Power Project. This project also aimed at contributing to the drinking water and irrigation requirements of the locals during .....

At a distance of 5 km from Banasura Sagar Dam, 25 km from Kalpetta & 48 km from Sulthan Bathery, Meenmutty Waterfalls is a magnificent falls located near Banasura Sagar Dam. The upper level of the waterfall can be reached by 1.5 km trek from the entry point. It is one of the best waterfalls near Bangalore and among the best Wayanad tourist places to visit.

Cascading down through multiple tiers from a height of over 800 feet, it is a spectacular fall situated inside thick forest flowing through rocky platform. The falls has major tiers with varying height. The first tier can be reached by walking for about half km from the parking area / main entrance of the falls. The lower tier is smaller one with water collecting into a pool. The pool is safe for swimming with low depth.

The second tier can be reached by trekking up through steps built over .....

At a distance of 3 km from Vythiri, and 13 km from Kalpetta, Pookote Lake, also known as Pookode Lake is a natural freshwater lake situated close to the Kalpetta - Kozhikode main road in the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the must-visit Wayanad sightseeing places.

At an altitude of about 2500 feet, this fascinating natural freshwater lake is surrounded by evergreen forests and rolling hills. The lake has the shape of India's map. The lake is spread across an area of 13 acres with a maximum depth of 6.5 m. The Panamaram stream, one of the main tributaries of the Kabani River, originates from Pookote Lake.

The lake has an abundance of blue lotus and freshwater fishes. Pethia pookodensis is a species of cyprinid fish known to occur only in Pookode Lake. The forests surrounding the lake hold many wild animals, birds, and flies. The view of this vast expanse of water in the picturesque backdrop .....

At a distance of 16 km from Kalpetta & 4 km from Pookote Lake, Lakkidi is small hill station situated at the highest point in the Wayanad district. Located at an altitude of about 700 m, Lakkidi gets about 600 cm rainfall annually, making it one of the highest rainfall regions in Kerala and also one of the prime Wayanad tourist places to visit.

Often referred as 'the gateway of Wayanad', Lakkidi is located at the crest of the serpentine Thamarassery ghat pass, which features over 9 hairpin curves that start at Adivaram (downhill). The 12 km long ghat road from Adivaram to Lakkidi passing through thick forest leaves a wonderful experience. The lush green hills, gorges and streams on both sides of the passage up the hill are breathtaking sights to the visitors.

This beautiful hill town has a number of scenic locations and enchanting viewpoints. Lakkidi Viewpoint .....

At a distance of 3 km from Kannur Railway Station, Arakkal Museum is a museum situated in Ayyikkara locality of Kannur city in Kerala. It is one of the popular museums in Kerala and among the prime Kannur tourist places.

The Arakkal Museum in Kannur is dedicated to the Arakkal family, the only Muslim royal family in Kerala, India. The museum is previously a part of the palace of the Arakkal royal family. The durbar hall section of the palace, which was once the official venue of gatherings for the kings and their nobles, has been converted into a museum by the Government of Kerala in 2005 and is managed by the Arakkal Family Trust.

This museum is a true testimony to the impeccable Muslim architecture and design. The palace complex called Kettu is an interconnected long block around a large open ground used for offering prayers or namaz. Built predominantly of laterite and wood exhibiting traits of local .....

At a distance of 2 km from Kannur Railway Station, St. Angelos Fort is an ancient fort situated in the Kannur Cantonment area. Maintained by ASI, it is one of the historical forts in Kerala, and among the must include places in Kannur holiday packages.

Also known as Kannur Fort, Fort St. Angelos was built by the first Portuguese Viceroy of India, Dom Francisco De Almeida in 1505 AD. The fort provided naval supplies for the Portuguese conquest of Goa and the Portuguese conquest of Malacca. The Dutch captured the fort from the Portuguese in 1663 AD. They modernized the fort and built the bastions Hollandia, Zeelandia, and Frieslandia that are the major features of the present structure. The Dutch sold the fort to king Ali Raja of Arakkal in 1772 AD. In 1790, the British seized it and used it as their chief military station in Malabar until 1947.

St. Angelos Fort is mainly famous .....

At a distance of 11 km from Thalassery, and 16 km from Kannur, Muzhappilangad Beach is a drive-in beach situated at Muzhappilangad village in the Kannur district of Kerala. Along the Arabian Sea coast, it is one of the best drive-in beaches in India, and among the must-visit Kannur tourist places.

Extending up to 6 km long, the Muzhappilangad Beach is the longest drive-in beach in Asia and the only drive-in beach in the entire Kerala where tourists can drive up to a length of 4 km that offers an open road with no traffic and a stunning view. It is also featured among the top 6 best beaches for driving in the world in the BBC article for Autos. Muzhappilangad is the only Asian beach featured in the list.

Located between Thalassery and Kannur, the sand of the beach is hard enough which allows vehicles to be driven on it. Driving a car or a bike has to be the .....

At a distance of 2 km from Kannur Railway Station, Payyambalam Beach is a serene beach on the Arabian Sea coast in Kannur, Kerala. It is one of the popular Kerala beaches,and among the best places to visit in Kannur.

Payyambalam Beach is a 3-4 km long stretch of golden sand frilled by coconut greenery. The unspoiled Payyambalam Beach has an incredibly peaceful and inviting aura. The approach to the beach is through a small crossover bridge that is built over a narrow canal. To the right of the bridge are the memorials of Kannur's important political personalities that had passed away over the recent decades.

There is a well-maintained garden adjacent to the beach where people can spend their evening by watching the beauty of the roaring ocean. One of the prime attractions of this beach garden is the sculpture of Mother and Child by the famous sculptor, Kanayi .....

At a distance of 20 km from Payyanur, 23 km from Kannur, and 60 km from Bekal, Sri Rajarajeswara Temple is a Hindu temple situated at Taliparamba town in the Kannur district of Kerala. It is one of the historical temples in Kerala, and among the must-visit places during your Kannur tour.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is regarded as one of the 108 ancient Shiva temples in Kerala built by Parashurama. According to the inscription on the structure of the temple tank, the temple and the tank were renovated in 1524 AD by the king named Sathasoma Raja who belonged to Mooshika Vamsa (Kolathiri dynasty). The Shivalingam in the sanctum is considered to be one of the Jyotirlingas and is worshipped here as Rajarajeswara, the Emperor of Emperors, Perumthrikovilappan, Perumchellurappan, or Thampuran.

Taliparamba is regarded as one of the ancient Shakti Peethams as it is believed .....

At a distance of 3 km from Nileswaram, 38 km from Kasaragod and 58 km from Kannur, Kottappuram is a serene backwater destination situated in Kasaragod district of Kerala. It is one of the popular Kerala backwater destinations and among the must visit places in Kerala as part of Kannur Tour.

Being part of 'Valiyaparamba Backwaters', Kottappuram backwaters is a large body of scenic backwaters fed by four rivers. The River Tejaswini is one among them and a houseboat cruise through its waters with views of areca nut groves and coconut palms is a pure delight. It is different from other South Kerala backwater attractions regarding commercialization, sights, livelihood and houseboat culture.

Endowed with mangroves, backwaters, wildlife, coconut groves and a flourishing village life, Kottappuram draws large numbers of visitors. A trip to Kottappuram and a houseboat journey through the backwaters will redefine the flavours of the land. There are small boats modelled on the shikaras .....

At a distance of 27 km from Kasaragod, 72 km from Mangalore, 77 km from Kannur, Bekal Fort is an ancient fort situated at Bekal in Kerala. Along the shores of the Arabian Sea, it is one of the best-preserved places of heritage in Kerala, and among the must-include places in Kasaragod sightseeing packages.

Spreads over an area of 40 acres, Bekal Fort happens to be the biggest fort of Kerala, and among the famous heritage sites near Mangalore. This fort is more than 300 years old and is believed to have been built in the 1650s by Sivappa Naik of the Ikkeri dynasty. There is also another belief that it was originally built by Kolathiri Rajas and was captured by Sivappa Naik. The fort was occupied by Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1763 AD and later by the British. Being the source of attraction for historians and tourists, .....

At a distance of 2 km from Bekal Fort, 28 km from Kasaragod, 62 km from Mangalore & 78 km from Kannur, Bekal Fort Beach is a beautiful sea beach on the Malabar Coastline of Kerala. Situated near Bekal Fort, it is one of the best beaches in Kerala, and among the top places of sightseeing in Kasaragod.

Bekal Beach is one of the best-maintained beaches in Kasaragod, and among the stunning beaches near Mangalore. Swaying palm trees along the ridges of the beach, its evergreen outlook, the turquoise water of the Arabian Sea, and the tranquility that exists in and around Bekal Beach make it a much sought-after beach in Kerala. Along with the historic Bekal Fort, this sandy retreat leaves an everlasting impression in the minds of its visitors who visit the fort during their Kasaragod trip.

There .....