Kannur, previously Cannannore, is a land where nature’s bounty flourishes in the form of islands, rivers, mountains, greenery and pristine seas. Not to be left behind, civilization in Kannur has bestowed its own cultural identity to the land in the form of forts, palaces, trade and religious edifices.
Tucked along the western coast of India in the verdant state of Kerala, Kannur is bound by the Western Ghats in the east and the Lakshadweep Sea in the west. Long before its discovery as a tourist destination, Kannur was ancient port trading timber and spices with the Greeks, Romans and Arabs. It has found mention by Marco Polo in his memoirs as a great trade center and important contributor to the cultural, religious, political and industrial heritage of the Kerala.
Sightseeing in Kannur will leave you spoilt for choice. The historic St. Angelos Fort in the Kannur Cantonment was constructed in 1505 by Portuguese Viceroy Don Francisco De Almeida. Built on a promontory jutting over the Lakshwadeep Sea, the fort is a hit amongst tourists for its dramatic positioning and superb architecture. The Thalassery Fort is another important fort built in the neighboring town of Thalassery.
The hills at Ezhimala are known for the panoramic view they afford of the surrounding area as well as for being an important historic landmark. The former home of German settler Gulldert, who composed the first Malayalm-English dictionary, now welcomes visitors to catch a glimpse of the life of this famous personality. A 10th century mosque at Madayi, built using marble from the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, attracts many tourists as well.
Around seven kilometers from Kannur lies Valapattanam, a little hamlet on the banks of a river of the same name. Valapattanam is home to the largest wood-based industry in Southeast Asia, exporting exotic woods and timber such as teak, iruli, elavu, karimurukku and sandalwood. Head there to witness the bustle of a small-town harbor and particularly the traditional method of timber transportation—creating raw timber rafts by tying the logs together and floating them downstream.
Nature buffs can visit the wonderfully placid Muzhappilangad beach for a day of sun, sand and swimming in calm blue waters. The snake park at Parassinikkadavu is a great draw for young visitors, with live demonstrations twice a day.
Apart from this, Kannur has several ancient temples that draw visitors form far and near. Sri Muthappan Temple on the banks of the Valapattanam River, Raja Rajeswara Temple and Trichambaram Temple near Taliparamba town, the Sree Ramaswami Temple in Thiruvangad, and the Thodeekulam Siva Temple on the Thalasseri-Mananthavady road are just a few examples of temples with superb architecture and great ambience.
You can move around in Kannur using various modes of local transport available in the region. Government and private buses, mini-buses, auto-rickshaws, taxis and rented cars are all available in Kannur.
On a daily basis there are approximately 68 flights that operate at Calicut International Airport.Air India Express, SpiceJet and IndiGo are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Kannur through train.Kannuris one of the most popular train stations in Kannur.On an average about 100+ trains pass through Kannur on a daily basis.Shoranur to Kannur, Kozhikode to Kannur, Mangalore to Kannurare some of the most popular routes to Kannur with 151, 150, 143 trains weekly respectively.
By road Kannur is surrounded by Kollam, Pandalayini, Madikeri which are 35.56 km, 36.52 km, 45.28 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.
Kannur has a total of 38 hotels.There are 38 hotels in Kannur with the popular ones being Asokam Beach Resort, Mascot Beach Resort, The Malabar Beach Resort, Hotel Blue Nile, Royal Omars, Kairali Heritage etc.
'Located around three kilometers from Kannur railway station, Fort St. Angelos was built in 1505 by the first Portuguese Viceroy to India, Don Francisco De Almeida. Situated on an outcrop of rock, ...
Know More →