Kannur City
With the Lakshadweep sea in the west, the Western Ghats in the east, and the
Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in the south, Kannur is bounded by a wealth
of natural beauty. The district itself, which shares much of this natural splendour,
has been a key contributor to the cultural, religious, political and industrial
heritage of the state. In addition, Kannur also enjoys the credit of having
been the cradle of many a colourful folk art and folk music. Some of the popular
beaches here are:
Places To See in Kannur
Payyambalam Beach (2 km from Kannur): This beach is a Local Picnic spot.
St. Angelo Fort (3 km from Kannur): This seafront Laterite Fort was constructed
in 1505 AD by the first Portuguese Viceroy, Don Francisco De Almeda with the
consent of the ruling Kolathiri Raja. After changing hands from the Portuguese
to the Dutch and then to the English, the fort became one of the important military
centres of the British in Malabar. The fort, which is now under the Archaeological
Survey of India, offers fascinating views of the Mappila bay fishing harbour.
Arakkal Kettu (3 km from Kannur): This was the residence of the former
Arakkal Ali Rajas, the only Muslim Royal Family of Kerala.
Kizhunna Ezhara Beach (11 km from Kannur): This beautiful stretch of
sand is one of the most secluded beaches in Kerala.
Meenkunnu Beach (12 km from Kannur) : Uncrowded, the beach is a tourists'
paradise, with golden sand and surf.
Valapattanam (7 km from Kannur) : The small town on the Valapattanam
river is well known for its wood based industries and timber trade. The port
of Azhikkal and Azhikkal Beach are located nearby. Western India Plywoods Limited,
the largest wood based industry in the country and also one of the largest of
its kind in South East Asia, is a major industrial concern here.
Parassinikadavu (16 km from Kannur town) Sri Muthappan Temple stands
on the banks of the Valapattanam river. This pilgrim centre is famous for the
Muthappan Theyyam performed every morning and evening.
The DTPC provides pleasure boating on the river near the temple. Accommodation
is available nearby.
The Snake Park is the only one of its kind in the State and perhaps the
whole of India. There are three snake pits, fifteen glass cases for snakes and
two large glass houses for King Cobras in the park. Snake demonstrations conducted
every hour draw large crowds of visitors.
(Open 0900 -
1730 hrs everyday)
Dharmadam Island (100 metres away from the mainland at Dharmadam) : The
small 5 acre island covered with coconut palms and dense bushes is a beautiful
sight from the beach. Permission is required to enter this privately owned island.
Muzhapilangad Beach (15 km from Kannur and 8 km from Thalasseri) : Black
rocks protect this long, clean beach from the currents of the deep, making its
shallow waters a swimmer's paradise. Perhaps this is Kerala's only drive-in
beach where you can drive down the entire length of 4 km.
Gundert Bungalow (20 km from Kannur, near Thalasseri town, on the National
Highway at Illikunnu) : Dr. Herman Gundert, the revered German missionary,
scholar and lexicographer lived in this bungalow for 20 years from 1839. It
was here that one of the first Malayalam dictionaries and the first Malayalam
Newspaper -
Paschimodayam - took shape.
Trichambaram Temple (20 km from Kannur, near Taliparamba town on the National
Highway) : A sacred place of the Vaishnava cult, the deity of the temple
is Sree Krishna. The sculptures on the walls of the sanctum sanctorum are in
a class by themselves. The annual temple festival, usually held in March, is
a colourful event.
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