Must-see attractions in Northern Kerala

  • Wayanad, Kerala, India

    Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

    Northern Kerala

    Wayanad's ethereal 345-sq-km sanctuary is accessible only by two-hour jeep safari (₹680), on which you might spot langurs, chital deer, sambar, peacocks,…

  • AHMFGA THIRUNELLI TEMPLE WAYANAD KERALA

    Thirunelly Temple

    Northern Kerala

    Thought to be one of the oldest temples on the subcontinent, Thirunelly Temple huddles beneath the Brahmagiri Hills 15km southwest of Tholpetty. Non…

  • prehistoric art, Edakkal Cave, Ambukutty Mala near Ambalavayal, Batheri, Wayanad, Kerala, India

    Edakkal Caves

    Northern Kerala

    These remote hilltop 'caves' – more accurately a small series of caverns – are celebrated for the ancient collection of petroglyphs in their top chamber,…

  • CRAEHJ Cannon, Fort St. Angelo, Kannur Fort or Kannur Kotta built by Francisco de Almeida, near Kannur or Cannanore, Kerala

    Fort St Angelo

    Kannur

    One of the earliest Portuguese settlements in India (constructed with permission from Kannur's rulers), the 1505 St Angelo Fort looms tall on a promontory…

  • CE6A5C Heritage Museum at Ambalavayal ; Wayanad ; Kerala ; India

    Wayanad Heritage Museum

    Northern Kerala

    In the village of Ambalavayal, 12km southwest from Sultanbatheri near the Edakkal Caves, this small but fascinating museum exhibits tools, weapons,…

  • Beautiful panoromic view of Bekal fort, Kerala.

    Bekal Fort

    Northern Kerala

    The huge laterite-brick Bekal Fort, built between 1645 and 1660, is the largest in Kerala and sits on Bekal’s rocky headland with fine views. It passed…

  • Thalasseri Fort

    Kannur

    The coastal town of Thalasseri (formerly Tellicherry), 20km southeast of Kannur, was a major cardamom and pepper export hub under the British East India…

  • Kerala Dinesh Beedi Co-Operative

    Kannur

    The Kannur region is known for the manufacture of beedis, those tiny Indian cigarettes deftly rolled inside green leaves. This is one of the largest and…

  • Miskhal Masjid

    Kozhikode (Calicut)

    Around 2km southwest of Mananchira Sq, this 650-year-old mosque is an attractive (mostly) wooden four-storey building supported by impressive wooden…

  • Uravu

    Northern Kerala

    An 11km drive east from Kalpetta, the Uravu nonprofit collective of 200 workers (most of them women) creates all sorts of artefacts from bamboo. You can…

  • Arakkal Museum

    Kannur

    Housed in part of the royal palace of the Arakkal family, a powerful Kannur dynasty with its roots dating to the 12th century, this harbourfront museum…

  • Loknath Weavers’ Co-operative

    Kannur

    Established in 1955, this is one of the oldest cooperatives in Kannur and occupies a large building where weavers busily work away to the click of looms…

  • Payyambalam Beach

    Kannur

    Kannur town's main sandy strand is the blonde, 4km-long Payyambalam Beach, 3km west of the train station, just past the military cantonment.

  • Thottada Beach

    Kannur

    Framed by low palm-sprinkled headlands and a shallow lagoon, this beautiful powdery gold-sand expanse, 8km southeast of Kannur centre, is home to the area…

  • Pookot Lake

    Northern Kerala

    Around 3km southwest of Vythiri (10km southwest of Kalpetta), Pookot Lake is a beautiful mirror framed by forest. With well-maintained gardens, a cafe, a…

  • Panamaram Jain Temple

    Northern Kerala

    Seemingly being allowed to collapse into oblivion, this ancient, partly ruined roadside Jain temple displays fine stone carvings backed by lush greenery…

  • Church of South India

    Kozhikode (Calicut)

    This bright-white church opposite Mananchira Sq was established by Swiss missionaries in 1842; its unique European-Keralan architecture features a three…

  • Bekal Beach

    Northern Kerala

    Overlooked by Bekal's majestic fort, the beachfront encompasses a grassy park and a long, beautiful stretch of gold-tinged sand that gets busy on weekends…

  • Kappil Beach

    Northern Kerala

    Isolated Kappil Beach, 6km north of Bekal, is a beautiful, lonely stretch of fine gold-hued sand with calm water, but beware of shifting sandbars…

  • Nileshwar Beach

    Northern Kerala

    Around 18km southeast of Bekal, Nileshwar's gorgeous beach is a tranquil, palm-bordered expanse of blonde sand that fades into the hazy distance; there…

  • Kerala Folklore Academy

    Kannur

    At this traditional-arts training academy overlooking Chirakkal Pond, 6km north of Kannur, you can see vibrantly coloured folklore costumes in the museum…

  • Jain Temple

    Northern Kerala

    The 13th-century Jain temple on the western edge of Sultanbatheri has splendid stone carvings and is an important monument to the region’s strong…

  • Tali Temple

    Kozhikode (Calicut)

    Dating back to the 14th century but restored in the 18th century, Calicut's major temple is dedicated to Shiva and open only to Hindus.

  • Calicut Beach

    Kozhikode (Calicut)

    The city beach, 1km west of the city centre, is enjoyable for a sunset promenade stroll but not really a place for swimming.

  • Mananchira Square

    Kozhikode (Calicut)

    The former courtyard of the Zamorins, this large central park still preserves its original spring-fed tank.

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