Kannur Travel Guide

Tucked far away from madding crowd, lies Kannur, the most enchanting district of Northern Kerala. The scene is breath taking. The Lakshadweep Sea washes the sands of sugary beaches laced with rows of green coconut palms. Long rivers break into silvery spray and merge into the blue green waters of the sea. Obviously Kerala is the most beautiful of all Indian states and Kannur undoubtedly shows Kerala at its best !

Kannur is a land with a resonant past. Myths and legends abound. The ships of Solomon, they say: anchored along our coasts to collect timber for building the 'Temple of the Lord'. Kannur finds mention as NAURA in the 'Periplus of Erithrean Sea' a Greek work of great antiquity.

Tourist Attraction
Ezhimala: The Ezhimala is 55 km north of Kannur city. The beautiful hills on the sea shore is a facinating sight. Plenty of rare medicinal herbs are found on Ezhimala hills.

Madayi Mosque: This famous mosque was built by Malik Iban Dinar in1124 AD. It is about 22 kms from Kannur town. It is beleved that the marbles used to built the Mosque are brought from Arabia.

St. Angelos Fort: The St. Angelos Fort is a major tourist attraction in Kannur was built in 1505 by Portugese. It is 2kms away from Railway station.The Mappila Bay Harbor and Arakkal Mosque are near the fort.

Arakkal Palace: Residence of Arackal Ali Rajas,the only Muslim royal family in Kerala. It is about 3 kms from Kannur.

Thalassery: Thalassery was a place with commercial important even during olden times. British East India Company setup their base in Thalassery in 1683. The Tellichery Fort was built in 1708.

The first Gymnastic training centre was setup in Thalassery.

Gundert Bungalow: Gundert Bungalow is at Illikkunnu, Thalassery. It was the residence of German scholar Dr. Herman Gundert, who compiled the first Malayalam dictionary. He also built a church on Nettur Hill in 1889.

Aralam wild life sanctuary: It is the one and only wild life sanctuary in Kannur, covers an area of 55 sq.km. It is about 40 kms from Kannur town. This beautiful place is situvated in the slopes of Western Ghats, coverd with tropical ever green forest. Elephants, bear, deer, monkey, wildcats and a large variety of birds are found here.

Paithalmala: Paithalmala is about 1372metres above sea level and is ideal for trekking. It is on the Kerala-Karnataka border and about 65 kms north-east of Kannur city.

Pazhassi Dam and Gardens: It is the only reservoir with gardens in Kannur district. The reservoir is mainly used for irrigational purposes. The gardens really worth a visit if you are interested is boating. The District Tourism Promotion Council boats are available to navigate through the river enjoying the silent beauty of Pazhassi dam.The garden is a good attraction with childrens park and sculptures.

Payyambalam beach: It is 2km away from Kannur town. It is blessed with a clean and vast sea shore.

The beach is renovated recently with a beautiful park adorning beatiful sculptures by famous sculputure Kanayi Kunhiraman.


How to Reach Kannur
Kannur is a major railway station on Shornur - Mangalore line. By road Kannur is 155 KMs south of Mangalore and 535 KMs north of Thiruvananthapuram. The nearest Airport is at Calicut which is 110 KMs south and Mangalore Airport is 170KMs north.

Kannur, the sea coast town in the northern Malabar area was for many centuries the capital of the Kolathiri Rajas, the rivals of the Zamorins of Kozhikode. Formerly a major port area, Kannur is now a city known for its handloom and beedi industries.

Some of Kerala's finest weavers come from this district. Kannur is also the headquarters of the country's largest and best-run beedi cooperative. Marco Polo is supposed to have referred to Kannur as a great emporium of spices.

In the 15th century, the Portuguese arrived in Kannur to establish one of their earliest settlements. A reminder of this is the St. Angelo's Fort built in 1505 AD by the first Portuguese Viceroy. Kannur's history is marked by foreign invasions and the activities of colonial powers.

The Portuguese factory built by Cabral in 1501 AD, was captured by the Dutch in 1633. In 1708, the British built a fort at Thalasseri (Tellicherry), just outside Kannur. The nearby town of Mahe was developed as a trading centre by the French in the 18th century. Around 1792, after the Mysore Wars, the British took over Kannur.

Prime Attractions of Kannur
Aaralam Wildlife Sanctuary : Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary is a tranquil little sanctuary on the slopes of the Western Ghats. The highest peak of Katti Betta, covered with tropical and semi- evergreen forests rises to a majestic height of 1145 m above sea level.

Dharmadam Island : A Buddhist stronghold, Dharmadam Island is located beside the Muzhappilangad beach, 100 metres offshore surrounded by rivers and sea. A conjunction of beach & island, it was earlier known as Dharmapattanam.

Jagannatha Festival : Jagannatha Festival is a colourful eight-day festival, which is held in the Malayalam month of Kumbham (February/ March) at the Jagannatha Temple at Madathiparambu, near Thalassery in Kannur.

Madayi Mosque : Originally built in 1124 AD by Malic Iben Dinar, a Muslim preacher, it is a beautiful ancient mosque. A block of white marble in the mosque is believed to have been brought from Mecca by its founder, who came to India to spread the word of the prophet.

Moppila Bay : Moppila bay, the famous fishing harbour is situated near the St.Angelo's Fort. The beach is a natural and now a modernised fishing harbour built with assistance under the Indo Norwegian pact.

Palotukavu Festival : Vishuvilakkutsavam, the eight-day annual festival at Palotukavu temple, falls in the Malayalam month of Medam (April/May).

Parassinikkadavu Festival : Parassini Madappura is perhaps the only shrine in Kerala to celebrate a festival round the year.

St. Angelo'S Fort : It was built in 1505 by the first Portuguese Viceroy, Don Francisco De Almeida, with the permission of the Kolathiris.

Ezhimala Beach : The Ezhimala Mountain and Beach lie at the northern boundary of Kannur. Rare medical herbs (Ramayana) with mythological significance grow on Ezhimala, the strange seven-peaked range.

Muzhappilangad Beach : One of the longest beaches in Kerala is located 15 kms south of Kannur. The long beach is the only drive-in beach in India. more..

Payyambalam Beach : The long, lovely beach is a local picnic spot. Flat lateric cliffs jut into the sea at one end. Picturesque and incredibly beautiful, the beach is only walking distance from Fort St. Angelo. The Naura Cafeteria and well laid out gardens greet the visitor to Payyambalam.

Pythal Mala : This hill is located on the Kerala-Karnataka border. Perched at an altitude of 1,372 metres above sea level, this place is ideal for trekking. A base reception centre and a watchtower atop the cliff function should not be missed.

Thalassery Fort : Thalaserry fort, located at a distance of 22 kms from Kannur constructed in 1708 AD was the military centre of the British.