Kannur is a city in the state of Kerela. Formerly known as Cannanore it is situated 274kms north of the port city Kochi. It experiences a very wet tropical monsoon climate. It is situated at a height of 1.02 meters along the Laccadive Sea. The city has got 8kms long sea shore. The longest drive-in beach of Asia is also located in Kannur. The annual precipitaion received by Kannur is 3,438mm. Kannur has an average literacy rate of 96.23%.
Kannur is also called as Land of Looms and Lores because of the loom industries and ritualistic festivals happening in temples. Kannur district is a major center of Theyyam, a ritual dance of northern Kerela. The proposed Kannur International Airport will be the fourth International Airport in the state of Kerela and is situated in Mattanur, 26km away from Kannur. In this blog we will be discussing about how we can reach Kannur from the different parts of India and also from different parts of the world too. We will explore the amazing beaches and the breathtaking views from the hills of Kannur. We will also be going into the ancient monuments built by the Portuguese and the Royal Muslim Family.
HOW TO REACH KANNUR
AIRWAYS
The nearest International airport from Kannur is Kannur International Airport which is situated at a distance of 26km from the city. It is very well connected to a spectrum of cities like Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Kochi, etc. It is also having connection with few international cities like Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Riyadh via Air India Express, IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and KingFisher Airlines.
RAILWAYS
Kannur has it own railway station named as Kannur Railway Station. It is well connected to the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune via Mangalore Express, Chennai Mail, West Coast Express, Nagarcoil Express, etc. It takes approxmiately 30hrs from Delhi to Kannur, 17hrs from Mumbai to Kannur, 40hrs from Kolkata to Kannur, 12hrs from Chennai to Kannur.
ROADWAYS
Kannur is 7kms from Azhikode, 18kms from Prassinikavadu, 21kms from Vaduvankulam, 90kms from Kozhikode, 112kms from Madikeri, 211kms from Mangalore , 272kms from Kochi and is linked via Kerela State Road Transport Corporation (KRSTC) and some private transport services. Luxury buses and Volvo buses are also available from Kannur town to Bangalore, Mysore and Chennai.
PLACES TO VISIT
Kannur is northernmost district of Kerala blessed with greenary and historical places. Located on the Malabar Coast of Kerela, Kannur is a beautiful city bundled with sightseeing options like beaches, monuments, ancient temples, picnic spots, etc. The British and the Mysore Sultanate are still imbided in the city and can be felt too. Kannur is every traveller’s dream location. We will be discussing about them briefly.
1 – MUZHAPPILANGAD DRIVE-IN BEACH
Muzhappliangad beach is located on the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerela. It is the longest Drive-in beach of Asia and is featured for top 6 best beaches for driving in the world. It is a 4km long stretch of sand which awaits for us to drive as long as we get soaked in the beautiful Malabar coast. The beach also has delicious authentic Malabar cuisine. We can also take part in adventure sports like paragliding, parasailing, and micro light fights along with water sports. It’s a perfect well maintained beach which provides the best relaxing and soaking experience.
2 – PALAKKAYAM THATTU
Palakkayam Thattu also called as Kottayam Thattu, mainly inhabited by the people of Kottayam, is a hill station situated about 3500ft above sea level. The serene view of the hills, the green valleys, and the mesmerizing view of the Western Ghats are the attractions. Adventure parks, viewing spots and tents provide an excellent engagement to the tourists. The visiting time of the place is from 6am to 10pm, However the prime time is 6 to 7:30am morning and 5 to 6:30pm in evening. We can trek up-hill to reach the top or we can hire a jeep which will cost around 200rs.
3 – St. ANGELO FORT
St. Angelo Fort popularly also known as Kannur Fort is one of the most histpric sites in Kannur. It was built by the first Portugese Viceroy in India, Don Francesco De Almedia(1505). The british remodeled and reequipped it as their primary military strong-hold in Malabar. It is just 3kms away from the Kannur railway station. We can visit the place between 8am to 6pm and it is totally free of cost. Walking around the walls of the fort we can picturise the battles happened at the fort.
4 – ARAKKAL MUSEUM
The Arakkal Museum is the museum which is dedicated to the only Royal Muslim family in Kerela, Arakkal Family. Established on 5 July 2005, the museum the museum is section of Arakkalkettu. The museum exhibits artefacts and heirlooms of the royal family which includes the family seal, the pathayam document box and so on. It helps us in understanding of the cultural diversity that helped shape its current form, thus making it a must visit place in the city.
THINGS TO DO
BOATING AT PAYYAMBALAM BEACH
We can unwind ourselves with a pleasant boating experience at the Payyambalam beach. The sandy delight is a prominent tourist attraction and is well known for its pristine shores. We can go there anytime between 10am to 5pm and take a boat with the life jacket and when we head into the clear waters of the Arabian Sea we will ourselves watch the scenery unfold in front of our eyes.
RAFTING
We can get on a daring adventure on the Tejaswaini River to enjoy the sea full of rapid waves gushing through the Western ghats. Rafting among the rapid waves is a complete unique experience as the view here is completely breathtaking. It is usually more enjoyable in the monsoon season as we will be rafting among the lower Tejaswini and Upper Tejaswini.
PARASAILING AT PAYYAMBALAM BEACH
Payyambalam Beach not only offers us a great scenic views but it is also a host of adventure activities for the tourists. So we can go ahead and feel as light as feather when we go to the Payyambalam Beach. It requires a parasailing wing, necessary gear and a motor vehicle. We will need to get a harness attached to a strong rope on one end and a parachute on the other, tied to a motor vehicle we will be tugged at a high speed and we will be soaring into the air.
I hope this was a complete tour guide for Kannur. Comment below about which places and which activities you liked while exploring Kannur.
