Places to Visit in Kannur District by Tourists

Kannur District – Places of Interests for Tourists

Kannur – How the name came into Being: There are two versions of as to how the name Kannur came into being. As per one version, this place is known in ancient days as Kanathur and this word gradually changed to Kannur. There is a small place by the name Kanathur a ward of the Town to corroborate this version. The other version is that the name is derived from Kannan Oor (place of Kannan). On the South Eastern side of the Town there is a place by name Kadalayi. In this place there is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna. Later during British time it became Cananore, Kannannur and now Kannur.

Places of Tourist Interest

Beaches:

Payyambalam beach – This beach is one of the most beautiful beaches of Kerala. It is just 2 kms away from the Kannur Town. The beach is having the rocks jutting out into the sea at one end. It is a neat and long beach. The beach is being further developed by the KSTDC with theme parks mainly of Malabar folk arts.

Muzhuppilangad Beach - This is about 4.5 kms in length. This is one of the rare beaches of India where vehicle can be driven without getting stuck. Hence this is known as a drive in beach. Since the sea near the beach is not rough and deep, this is a paradise for swimmers. This beach is 15 kms from Kannur towards Thalasseri and 8 kms from Thalasseri to Kannur. There are good roads from both the centers. Facilities to enjoy the natural beauty of Dharmadam Isle are available here. Places for safe bathing are being identified for the safety of the tourists.

Meenkunnu Beach – This is a beach at Azhikode within few Kms of Kannur Town.

Mopila Bay – It is near to St Angelo's Fort, has a fishing harbor. During season boat ride available.

Dharmadam Isle – This is a small isle full of coconut trees. This can be reached by boats from the spot called Moithu Bridge on the National Highway. During the ebb season it can be reached by foot. However, it will be slippery and is full of rocks. It is only about 100 meters from the Muzhuppilangad Beach. From the Isle people can see the rocks around the isle, the beauty of the beach and the Thalasseri Town in distance. It is now in owned by private people.

Forts:

St. Angelo Fort – This fort also known as the Kannur Fort is in triangle shape. 2 of its sides face the sea. It is built by Portuguese and the Dutch captured from them. The Dutch sold this to the Raja and the British took over it. Now it is under the Archeological Survey of India. From this fort one can see the sea, the lush green coconut groves, fishing harbor Mopila Bay and the Arakkal kettu.

Thalasseri Fort – Tourists interested in history can find this as a valuable fort. This is in the Thiruvallippad hill of Thalasseri town, about 20 kms from Kannur. This is built by the British East India Company with red bricks. The British fought the Kolathiris, Tipu and the Pazhassiraja from this fort. The fort is used as jail, currency mint.

Pazhi Kotta – It is at the southern side of the hill, one can find the remains of a fort called Pazhi Kotta on the Maadaayipaara hillock of Ezhimala kings. The remains of the 4 watch towers at the four corners for the fort can also be seen.

The Gundert Bungalow – This is not a fort, but the residence of Rev. Dr. Hermann Gundert, a German missionary. His contribution to Malayalam is the compilation of a Malayalam grammar book, Malayala Bhasha Vyakaranam, Malayalam-English dictionary and translation of Bible into Malayalam.

Picnic places on Hillocks

Pythalmala is on the Kerala-Karnataka border is 65 km north of Kannur. It is considered as a small hill station. It is about 1,371.6 meters above sea level. It is a good place for those interested in trekking.

Ezhimala - Ezhimala, a cluster of hills was the capital of the ancient Mooshika kings. It is 38 kms from Kannur towards north. There is a belief that Buddha had visited this place. It has sea on 3 sides and one can spot dolphins in the sea around this area. This is a place famous for medicinal herbs/plants.

Maadaayipaara - It is a hillock was the administrative center of the Ezhimala Kings. For some time it was the place where the Kolathunadu rules used to be coroneted. It has got several historical remnants from the past. This place has 2-3 famous temples, lakes, a pond in the shape of a hand held mirror, a Jewish settlement, hundreds of verities of flowering plants, numerous varieties of grass and many verities of insects eating plants. There are several types butterflies including the largest one of the world can be seen here along with about 150 types of birds and so many medicinal plants. It is also having a fort mentioned earlier.

Other Visitable Spots:

Parassinikkadavu Snake Park – It is a famous snake park with several varieties of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes including different types of Cobras. It is about 17 kms from Kannur, 2 kms off the Kannur – Thaliparamba section of the N H -17. The park has a poison treatment center where allopathic and Ayurvedic methods are used effectively. Parassinikkadavu is also famous for the Muthappan temple.
District Agricultural Farm – It is in Taliparamba, 20 kms from Kannur Town, one of the oldest farms started in 1880 after the severe famine in the area.
Hanging Bridge (Thookku Palam) – Peralassery
Arakkal Kettu – Residence of the only Muslim royal family of Kerala.

Places of worship:

Temples:-

Mosques:-

Churches:-