“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind”– Seneca
I recently visited one of my relative’s upcoming home stay in Wayanad. Since it is not officially launched, I cannot reveal the name of the home stay as of now. It’s actually located in Lakkidi (inside the forest/tea plantation area, around 1 kms from the Bathery-Calicut Main road)
Lakkidi is located in the gateway of Wayanad district of Kerala state, south India. Lakkidi is one of the highest locations in Wayanad and is situated 700m above mean sea level, atop Thamarassery ghat pass. Vythiri is the nearest town, distancing 5km from Lakkidi. Chain tree, Pookot Lake, Sight seeing point on ghat road and number of tourist resorts are within five km of Lakkidi. It is about 58 km northeast of Kozhikode district.
The route to this home stay is amazing. You can reach this homestay from the main road only with the help of a 2/4 Wheel drive vehicle. But the resort management have provided the parking slots at a house near the main road, where you can park your vehicle.
Currently they have only 2-3 rooms. They are in the process of adding more facilities.
The Website and online reservation has not started yet. Probably they might launch it officially soon.
The view from this homestay is amazing. The climate is very cool, as it is situated inside the plantation.
I was told that we can get a chance to view elephants at a distant location.
“Wherever you go, you take yourself with you”– Neil Gaiman
My Route : Kazhakuttom –> MenamKulam –> Veli – Perumathura Road –>Muthalapozhi Port (Around 14KMS/30 Minutes journey in car)
I visited this beautiful destination in October 2017. This is relatively a new tourist destination in Trivandrum, getting a lot of attention these days.
This is one of the few bridges in Kerala, from which you can see the sea on one side and backwaters on the other side.
There is also a small Fishing Port, from where you can buy some good and fresh Fish.
There is enough parking space available and its free of cost. Parking is available on both sides of the Bridge.
The beach is relatively neat and clean.
This is a good place for a weekend evening drive, especially for the People in Trivandrum /Kazhakuttom. Please note that the Veli-Perumathura Road is pretty straight but doesn’t have much width.
There is also Boating service available in the near by Back waters. Rates are around 150 INR per person for a 30 min ride. There is also a 3 hour package costing 6K INR.
The sun set view from the beach is very nice.
Enroute, you can also visit Maryanad Fish harbor. Another place where you can get good varieties of Fish at better rates.
Foodies: If you would like to taste some Sea food, you can visit ‘Ameen Restaurant’ enroute. I personally was not happy with the cleanliness of the dining space in the restaurant. Anyway, you can try a parcel from this place.
A WhatsApp video mentioning about the sea food varieties of this restaurant had gone Viral. So if you would like to taste the food, you can visit this restaurant enroute to Muthalapozhi.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do” – Mark Twain
Mundrothuruthu is really a hidden gem in Kerala. We came to this place as a part of 2 days visit to Kollam (in April 2018).
Munroe Island or Mundrothuruthu is an island located at the confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River, in Kollam district, Kerala, South India.
The population in this island is very less. Kollam District Tourism Promotion council (DTPC) is giving lot of importance to this place these days. It is infact a great idea because there are lot of potential for this place to be blown into a popular tourism spot
I was told that many foreigners visit this island, may be because of its attributes like calmness, scenic beauty and so on. Munroe island is near Kollam, and it is actually composed by many islands, separated by small water channels and lakes. Now there are narrow roads within the island.
The island is beautiful and we really loved the relaxed atmosphere over there. I personally feel DTPC should promote only traditional Canoe boats here as the Motor boats would cause more pollution and thereby disturb the current eco system. Afterall, Canoe boat being a silent mode of transportation is the best fit for this island. We were charged around 500 INR for a one hour canoe trip.
There are lot of coconut tress around. The tress/plants reflection to the water is an excellent view.
Prawn farming is quite common in this island and the same is completely covered with nets.
Mundrothuruthu has a small railway station. Shuttle/passenger trains coming from Kollam and Alappuzha have a stop @ this station. (Around 15 Minutes journey in train from kollam Railway Station). Journey by car would take around 50 minutes.
If you want to spend more time in this place, you can also stay in some Homestays available within the islands. You can plan this as a day trip also.
There is a temple within the island.
History: This island also owed its name to the British rule. It was named after Colonel John Munroe, who reclaimed the island.
Many times, the canoe will pass underneath the small bridges.
Seems like Duck and Cow Farming is quite common in this island.
One Line Summary: Overall, its worth for a one day short trip, preferably in the early morning or last evening.
“To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice”– Elizabeth Gilbert
Happened to visit Thenmala along with my friends in April 2011.
Thenmala Eco-Tourism:
I believe, Thenmala is the first planned eco-tourism destination in India.
Thenmala is a perfect location for vacation seekers. Lush green forest Park, Adventure Park, Children’s Park, Butterfly Safari, Musical Dancing Fountain, Boating, Trekking, Hiking, Night Camping galore the attractions. Thenmala is around 72kms from Thiruvananthapuram and 62 Kms from Kollam.
You can see a lot of greenery in both sides of the road.
Also, you will see the Kollam – Shenkottai rail network. The railway Bridge is really an Architectural marvel, build by the British.
Other tourist attractions
Kallada dam –> It attracts several visitors thanks to the stunning scenery and the opportunity to view it all from the top of the dam.
Palaruvi Water Falls –> Another attraction is Palaruvi waterfalls . If you want to visit Palaruvi in the same day, better to leave Thenmala at mid day after visiting adventure zone because Palaruvi closes at 5 P.M. The distance between the two places is only 16 kms.
“You don’t have to be rich to travel well.”– Eugene Fodor
We visited this place in September 2018.
Akalapuzha is a saltwater river in Kozhikode District in Kerala, India.
This river is shallow and blessed with lots of fishes including shellfish. The surrounding area is very calm and very suitable for developing as a tourist spot.
The distance from Calicut KSRTC Bus Station to Akalapuzha is around 32 KMs, which will take around an hour or so. The biggest town nearby is Quilandy.
We could see a couple of pedal boats but couldn’t find any Tourists or Guides, when we visited this place.
Kerala Tourism Department or the nearby Panchayat should take some initiative to develop this region into a wonderful tourism spot.
When I had searched on Internet, I could read about some tourism related developments that had happened in this area couple of years ago. But due to some reason, I don’t see any such developments now. The only existing mark of that old developments are some pedal boats but they are a kind of damaged because of limited or NO use.
After Muchukuunu road, the path is narrow with sharp curves and slopes.
Nearby places worth visiting would be:
1. Kollam Chira: The renovation of Kollam Chira happened recently and its now well maintained.
Also, if you are somewhere nearby Chira, Please dont forget to have a cup of Tender Cocunut juice (Rs. 25/-.I guess) from the shop nearby the Chira. You can also take home the same as parcel which they will give in plastic bottles. Worth drinking this. I really enjoyed.
2. Kollam harbour
One Line Summary: If you are staying somewhere nearby, you can visit once probably in a evening. If you are from a far away place planning to visit only this spot, I would certainly recommend you to think twice, before planning the trip.
“Travel is never a matter of money, but of courage..”– Paulo Coelho
We visited Beypore in September 2018.
The nearest big town is Calicut/Kozhikode (Nearby Railway Station/ Airport).
The distance from Kozhikode KSRTC to Beypore port will be around 12.5 KMS (30+ min).
There is a Private bus Stand and a couple of ATM’s are also available.
Beypore or Beypur is an ancient port town and a locality town in kozhikode district in the state of Kerala in India. Beypore is noted for building wooden ships, known as dhows or Urus in the Malayalam language.
Beypore port is the second biggest port in Kerala after Cochin and currently handles about 100,000 tones of cargo and 7500 passengers per annum.
Beypore port is one of the oldest ports in Kerala from where trading was done to the Middle East.
If you are lucky enough, you might see some dolphins playing in the sea.
The Sun rise/sun set view is excellent
Ticket Charge:
There is a parking fee of Rs.30/-
Nearby Places:
1. Pulimuttu– It is the name of the 1-kilometre-long (0.62 mi) bridge made of stone stretching into sea. It is made by piling stones like a pathway to sea. There are 2 Pulimuttu’s here (one on Beypore side and other on Chaliyam Side)
Please note that we are not allowed to use 2/4 wheelers in the Beypore side Pulimuttu, whereas we can use them on the Chaliyam side. There are lot of seats (Granite) available in both the sides of Pulimuttu, for you to relax.
2. Beypore Beach
3. Beypore Light House:
Beypore light house is situated at the south bank of chaliyar. (there is a ferry / jangar service available to reach that side)
4. Beypore Fishing Harbour 5. Beypore Port 6. Beypore Uru Building center
Major Concerns:
1. The Pay and use toilet is not properly maintained. 2. The lights fitted in the Beypore side Pulimuttu wont work. Most of the poles are rusted and might fall down any time.
3. Beach is not properly maintained
Personal Recommendation: Try to reach this place by around 5 PM, so that you have enough time to walk till the end of the Pulimuttu and see the spectacular sun set view.
One Line Summary: Overall a very nice place but not at all maintained properly. Authorities should give some attention to this place and bring its old glory back, as soon as possible.
“Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost.”
– Erol Ozan
Even though we regularly pass through Wayanad on our drive from Calicut to Bangalore, we never got a chance to explore the tourist destinations here. This time, we decided to spend 2 days here as a part of our Wedding Anniversary celebration and visited the various tourist destinations in and around Wayanad. Did this trip along with my family, in November 2017.
On the way to Wayanad from Calicut, we planned for a stoppage at ‘Thusharagiri water falls’. Ideally, this is in Calicut itself and can never be considered as a ‘Wayanad tourist attraction’.
Thusharagi water falls:
Thushargiri is a nice sight to the visitor. Two streams originating from the Western Ghats meet here to form the Chalippuzha River. The river diverges into three waterfalls creating a snowy spray, which gives the name, ‘Thusharagiri’. Of the three, the highest waterfall is the Thenpara that falls from an altitude of 75 metres. The First fall is quite near to the parking area and the other ones are a little inside.
Destinations that we went in Wayanad:
1)Thamarassery Ghat Pass and Lakkidi View point:
Lakkidi is one of the top view points in Wayanad. These days parking is prohibited at the view point. Lakkidi is located at the crest of Thamarassery Ghat Pass, which features over 9 hairpin curves that start at Adivaram (downhill)
2)Pookodu Lake:
It’s a fresh water lake surrounded by trees. There are boating facilities available in the lake. An Aquarium is also available near the lake. This is one of the main attractions in Wayanad, so please expect rush at all times and sometimes you might end up wasting a lot of time, waiting for a boat safari.
3) Karalad Lake:
It is located in Thariode, which is around 16 km away from Kalpetta. This is the second largest freshwater lake in the state, which is quite popular among nature enthusiasts for its peaceful environments. The 7 acres land surrounding this lake is a popular picnic spot, where boating can also be done.
There are some adventure sports like ‘zip-line’ available here.
Aiswarya kudumbasree is a place which I would recommend you. You can enjoy a authentic Kerala Lunch(Malabar Style) from here
4) Banasurasagar dam:
This is India’s largest earth dam and second largest in Asia. The whole dam and the reservoir looks stunning with the hills overlooking it from far. There is also speed boat facility available here. Its really nice to see the Government initiatives of installing more and more solar panels in this region. There are jeep services available to reach the dam site from the main gate.
5) Phantom Rock:
It is a skull shaped rock, which has an wage similarity to the face of Phantom. In the local area it is popularly known as Cheengeri Mala. Those who are adventurous enough can climb to its upper part. The surroundings of this rock have potential scenic locations.
6) Karapuzha Dam:
This is smaller compared to Banasurasagar dam. There is an excellent garden, well maintained. The road to reach Karapuzha dam is a bit tricky, so be prepared for some bumpy ride.
7) Meenmutty Waterfalls (View from Neelimala View Point):
I would personally recommend you to take the jeep safari to Neelimala view point from where you can get an excellent view of Meenmutty water falls. This is one of the best view points in Wayanad.
The other places worth visiting are:
Edakkal caves: We couldn’t cover this places as we need to climb the mountain to reach there.
Muthanga Wild Life sanctuary and jungle safari
Jain temple in Sulthan Battery
Kuruwadeep : We can reach this place only using Raft. Unfortunately we couldn’t take the raft as the islands were closed due to legal fights.
Chembra peak
Soochipara water falls
Tholpetty wildlife
Thirunelly temple
Chain tree
Pakshipathalam Bird Sanctuary
Overall you need 3 full days to cover the top attractions in wayand. There are lot of hotels, resorts and home stays across Wayand (with suits different budgets)
Route Map from Kozhikode: Kozhikode is the nearest airport as well as the railway station.
Route Map from Bangalore:
Be aware that there are lot of Leeches here around. You wouldn’t notice them until they suck your blood. In case if you find one stuck to your leg, never try to pull it out. Else, put a little salt on top of it and it would die instantaneously. So please keep a small pack of salt with you.
Also it will be nice to keep a Binocular with you.
“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.”– Babs Hoffman.
Visited Sagara Beach, Elathur, Calicut (Kozhikode) along with my Family, in October 2014. One of my relative is staying near to this beach, so thought to include Elathur beach while visiting their house.
Elathur is a part of Calicut corporation in Kozhikode district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located about 11 kms north to Kozhikode city on the Kozhikode-Kannur National Highway 17 and is bounded by the Arabian Sea at the west and Korapuzha River (Elathur River) at the north.
The Elathur beach stretches from Puthiyanirathe to Korapuzha. Marine mussels are abundant in this part of the sea.
Eagle Crest Holiday Home (owned by a German couple, I guess)
Cleanliness is the main attraction of this beach and the sun set view is excellent.
Compared to Calicut or the Kappad beach, the rush here is relatively very very less.
In case if you are using a public transport, you can get down at the ‘Elathur Private bus stop’ (in Kannur road) and take an auto to reach the Sagara beach. The only challenge will be that you will have to walk back 1 Km or so (on your way back), to reach the Kannur road, as there is no autostand near to the beach.
Kappad, or Kappakadavu locally, is a beach near Kozhikode, in Kerala, India, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed on May 20, 1498. Gama’s expedition gave Europeans an opening to the sea route that led them to the wealth of the Malabar Coast.
There is also a small monument here with the inscription, ‘Vasco da Gama landed here, Kappakadavu, in the year 1498’. Other than historical importance, this beach is a long and beautiful stretch of sand adorned with serene hills facing seaside.
The nearest major railway station is Koyilandy, about 10 km away from Kappad. The nearest airport is Calicut International Airport (CCJ), which is about 25 km from the town of Kozhikode. Private transport buses are available from the main bus stand, or visitors can reach the beach by stopping at Thiruvangoor on National Highway 66 between Kozhikode and Vadakara.
Kannur—–NH-66———–Thiruvangoor——16km——–Kozhikode | 2 km | Kappad beach resort —-2 km– Kappad beach & Vosco Da Gama Stone
Kappad is a major tourist destination in this region. So you might expect more crowd, especially on Weekends. Domestic and international tourists visit the place in large numbers throughout the year. The beach which is mostly deserted during the day time, gets a large crowd during the evenings. The beach is also a major hang out for the city folk, who come here during the evenings to enjoy the waves, the breeze and the sun set. The rocks that protrude into the sea at the northern end of the beach also attract the tourists.
This is the one of the places where I could see some initiative from the side of Government to promote Tourism. There is a nice park, decent walkway and permanent seats have been provided for viewing the beauty of the sea.
There is also a small temple (Kurumba) near the beach.
The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation(KTDC) owns a resort at the southern end of the beach giving the travellers an opportunity to stay very close to the beach with all luxuries. There are many more hotels, Resorts (like Renai Kappad Beach Resort) and homestay nearby this region.
Fishermen engaged in their work, their boats and nets are a common view at this beach. Kappad coastal strip portrays typical features of most other Kerala beaches- white sand, coconut greenery, beach side fishing village and wooden fishing boats resting on white sand.
Other places nearby:
You can explore Canoe ride in the nearby Korappuzha Backwaters(river). I have personally not experienced this and hence cannot provide more details here. Kollam and Elathur Sagara beach are also nearby Kappad.
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