Udankhatola

Udankhatola

The passenger aerial ropeway known as Udankhatola, is at a height of about 60 feet above the garden in Malampuzha. The ropeway covers a distance of 625 metres from the Hermit's End, near the Government Guest House to the KTDC hotel. In between these two stations eight towers have been erected to guide the rope. Of them two are attached to each station and six of them are inside the garden. The ropeway is equipped with specially designed 64 two seater chairs which ensures a safe ride for passengers including children. The 20 minute sky ride on the ropeway offers an adventurous and panoramic view of the beautiful gardens nestled below the blue mountains. The timing of rope way is from 10.30 am to 8.00 pm and the rates for one to and fro journey is Rs. 30/- per person; Rs. 80/- for family and Rs. 150/- for a group of 6 students. The ride is absolutely free for children below 110 cm. Contact Address:  Malampuzha Udan Khatola Malampuzha Gardens, Palakkad. Phone: 0491-2815129 Fax: 0491-2815129

Ottappalam

Ottappalam

Ottappalam at a distance of 35kms from Palakkad is famous for its numerous places of worship and their colourful festivals. It was once the centre of political as well as tenant movements in South Malabar.

Malampuzha

Malampuzha

Situated on the lower hills of the Western ghats at a distance of about 10kms from Palakkad, is the famous picnic spot Malampuzha which comprises a dam, a beautifully landscaped garden with swimming pool, children's park etc. Malampuzha dam is a large irrigation dam built on the river Bharathapuzha. Known as the Vrindavan of Kerala, the Japanese style garden with lush green lawns, innumerable flower beds, pools, fountains and avenues gives a touch of exotic charm to the landscape. The main attraction of Malampuzha garden is an imposing concrete sculpture of 'Yakshi' done by the renowned artiste Kanai Kunhiraman. The water reservoir in the middle of the lush green garden is ideal for boating and fishing. Other attractions here are the hanging bridge across the river, passenger ropeway, rock garden, a road train for amusement ride on wheels, telescope tower that provides a terrestrial view upto 40 miles, fresh water aquarium and snake park.

Kollengode

Kollengode

Kollengode, located about 19 km from Palakkad town, is a village which enshrines the pristine beauty of rural Palakkad. The place derives its name from the inhabitant kollen (blacksmith) community. The main attractions here are the Kollengode Palace built in the traditional architectural style, an ancient Vishnu temple, the memorial of the poet P. Kunhiraman Nair and endless green paddy fields.

Nelliampathy

Nelliampathy



 

Nestling in the midst of the majestic Western Ghats, the fascinating hill station Nelliampathy is interspersed with picturesque mountains and valleys and tea, coffee, cardamom and orange plantations. Spreading over a total area of 82 sq. kms at a distance of about 52 kms from Palakkad town, this Ooty of Kerala is at a height of 467 m to1572 m above sea level. The forest range of Nelliampathy constitutes a series of ridges cut off from one another by valleys of dark evergreen forests. Nellikotta, also called Padagiri at 1585.08 meters above sea level is the highest peak in this range. The high ranges and luxurious forests here offer immense trekking potential and there are several attractive spots to take off on challenging treks.  Seethakundu at Nelliampathy offers a spectacular view of the whole valley. The major attraction here is the waterfall from a height of 100 meters. It is believed that during the vanavasa period Rama, Sita and Lakshmana had lived here and Sita Devi took a bath at the Seethakundu, which is named after her.

Dhoni

Dhoni


The scenic hill station, Dhoni ideal for trekking, is about 15kms from Palakkad. This reserve forest area with lush green surroundings is famous for its farmhouse, harbouring hundreds of cattle of Swiss variety. A small but captivating waterfall is located at a 3 hour trek from the base of the Dhoni hills.

Attapaddy

Attapaddy


Attapaddy, situated in an elevated picturesque mountainous plateau on the northeastern side of Palakkad, stretches over an area of 827 sq. kms. The place has the largest tribal settlement in Kerala and the main tribal groups here are the Irular, Mudugar and Kurumbar. With a beautiful synthesis of mountains, rivers and forest, Attapady offers a dazzling sight to the visitors. The highest peak in Palakkad, i.e the Malleshwaram peak is situated here which is worshipped as a gigantic 'Shivalinga' by the tribals. 

Kanjirapuzha Dam

Kanjirapuzha Dam


The magnificent lake, Kanjirapuzha surrounded by heavily wooded hills is located 24 kms from Palakkad. Just beyond the reservoir and surrounded by the hills, is the ever green forest, 'Vettilachola'. During rainy season, mist-wrap mountains creates a picturesque landscape which provides a visual treat. Boating facilities are also available here. 

Mangalam Dam

Mangalam Dam

Mangalam area, located 48kms south of Palakkad is mainly occupied by settlers from other parts of the State. The popular picnic spot Mangalam dam is constructed across river Cherukunnapuzha which is a tributary of the river Mangalam. Constructed in the year 1956, the entire thick vegetation area of the dam is quite fascinating with beautiful parks, lawns and statues.

Siruvani

Siruvani


Situated 48 km away from Palakkad town is an exciting tourist destination, Siruvani. To meet the drinking water requirement of Coimbatore, Kerala Government has built a reservoir at Siruvani. Set in the midst of dense wilderness, the Siruvani dam offers a fabulous view of the heavily forested hills containing all sorts of wild animals.

Sree Ramaswami Temple

Sree Ramaswami Temple

Sree Ramaswami Temple dedicated to Sri Rama is one of the most important temples in Malabar and the oldest among the four temples dedicated to Lord Rama in Kerala. It is situated 23km from Kannur, near Thalasseri fort. The temple is well-known for the exquisite carvings on the walls which are believed to have been done nearly 400 years ago. As the temple roof is made with copper sheets, it is locally known as 'chempadicha melkoora' (brass pagoda). In the18th century, some portion of the temple was destroyed by Tipu's troops but the temple itself was saved from damage by gods miracle. The seven day long annual festival of the temple, 'Vishnu Mahotsavam' is held in the month of Medam (April -May). The festival that commences on the Vishu day, is a colourful event with elephant pageantries, processions, fire works and Panchavadyam. Ramnavami is also celebrated here with great enthusiasm.

Thodikalam Siva Temple

Thodikalam Siva Temple


The 16th century Thodikalam Siva Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located 34km southeast of Kannur, on the Thalasseri-Mananthavady road. Famed for its mural paintings, this 2000 year old temple is believed to have been constructed by the Pazhassi Raja Family of Kottayam (Thalasseri taluk). 

Sri Muthappan Temple

Sri Muthappan Temple

Parassinikadavu temple or Sri Muthappan temple is situated around 18 km north of Kannur town. This famous pilgrim centre on the banks of the Valapattanam river, attracts people from all sections of the society; irrespective of religion, caste and promotes the soul of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam'. The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in his hunter form, known as 'Muthappan', is the only place in Kerala, where the ritualistic dance 'Theyyam' is performed all around the year. 'Muthappan Theyyam' is performed here twice daily at 6.30 in the morning when the temple opens, and 5.45 in the evening when the temple closes. Non Hindus also can watch the Theyyam performance.

The temple is a concrete structure with tiered roofs that is supported by pillars and decorated with elephants. The wooden shrine inside the temple are guarded by bronze temple dogs. The temple is supposed to have been built by the people of the town who felt the divine presence of Lord Shiva amongst them in the form of a small child. There is an interesting story behind the Muthappan Temple. A couple of a Namboothiri family who had no children, got a baby boy and they brought him up as their own child. As he grew, he always used to go to the forest for hunting and ate flesh with the backward communities, which was against the Namboothiri way of living. When he was asked to stop this, he took his parents to the forest and showed his divine form with bow, arrow and fiery eyes. One day on his way to Puralimala, he was attracted by the toddy of palm trees. But the toddy tapper refused to give him toddy and he got angry and aimed an arrow at him. When the tapper's wife saw him lying unconscious she cried and called 'Muthappa' and prayed to God to save her husband and suddenly he recovered from his unconscious state. So after this and other various miraculous incidents, a temple was built that came to be known as Sri Muthappan temple.

The temple has many unique practices and rituals. The daily offerings of this temple include toddy, fish and meat as 'nivedyams' to the deity, unheard of in any other temple. Dogs are also considered sacred and the prasadam (the blessed food) are first offered to them. The annual festival of the Parassinikkadavu temple which falls on 1st of December draws hordes of pilgrims. DTPC (District Tourism Promotion Council ) provides boating service in the river near the temple, amidst lush greenery and the river opening up to the sea ahead. Accommodation is available nearby.

Parassinikadavu Snake Park

Parassinikadavu Snake Park


Parassinikadavu situated about 16 Kms from Kannur, is famous for the Snake Park and the Sri Muthappan temple, the only place where the ritualistic dance 'Theyyam' is performed all around the year. Parassinikadavu Snake Park set up by the Visha Chikista Kendra at Pappinisseri on the way to Parassinikkadavu Temple, has been a centre of attraction to both foreign and domestic tourists. The park houses about 150 varieties of snakes including the Spectacled Cobra, King Cobra, Russell's viper, Krait and various pit vipers. There is also a large collection of non-poisonous snakes including Pythons. The snake park has three snake pits, fifteen glass cases for snakes and two large glass houses for King Cobras. Snake demonstrations are held every hour that draws large crowds. The Chikista Kendra offers effective treatment for snake bites with almost hundred per cent cure. This is the only place, perhaps where Ayurveda and Allopathy are effectively combined for curing snake bites. The park is open on all days from 9.00 am to 5.30pm. There are frequent bus services from Kannur to Parassinikadavu.

Aralam Wild life Sanctuary

Aralam Wild life Sanctuary


The tranquil Aralam Wildlife sanctuary spread over 55 square kilometres on the slopes of the Western Ghats is situated 60kms from Kannur and 35kms from Thalassery. The sanctuary is located in Muzhakkunnu panchayath that comes under the Wayanad Division. Established in 1984, it is home to numerous species of birds and animals. Leopards, jungle cats, various type of squirrels and deer, elephants, boar and bison are some of the animals seen here. Around 160 species of birds, even some species considered extinct, have been found here. The main forest type in this area is Tropical Ever-Green and the Tropical Semi Ever-Green. The flora here includes Calophyllum Elatum, Cullenia rosayroona, Magnifera indica, Toona cillata, Myristica Species, Euphorbia Longana, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, Hopea parviflora, Largestroemia lanceolata, Mallotus etc. The best time to visit the park is from October to June.

Ezhimala

Ezhimala

The Ezhimala hills, renowned for rare medicinal herbs with mythological significance, is around 55 km from Kannur. Bordered by the sea on three sides, it is located at an altitude of 286m above sea level. Ezhimala, believed to have been visited by Lord Buddha, was one of the major battle fields of the Chola-Chera war in the 11th century. The place is also known as Mrithasanjeevani garden as there is a legend that a piece of plant filled earth fell in this area, while Hanuman was carrying the hill with the medicine to Lanka for savingLord Rama. There is also a temple dedicated to Hanuman here with a 41feet tall statue of the Anjaneya. 

The major attraction of Ezhimala is the beautiful beach. The beach sand here is of a different texture and the sea is bluer than in other areas. One could enjoy watching dolphins at the Ettikulam bay. An ancient burial chamber, a carved stone pillar and an old mosque that contains the mortal remains of Shaikh Abdul Latif can be seen at the foot of the hills which are of archaeological importance. There is a Naval Academy here. 

Kottiyoor

Kottiyoor

Kottiyoor, also known as Dakshina Kasi or Varanasi of the South, is 60 km away from Kannur town. The place is famous for the two ancient Shiva temples Akkare Kottiyoor and Ikkare Kottiyoor located in the dense forest on the opposite shores of River Bavali.

Pythal Mala

Pythal Mala is the scenic cliff at Sreekandapuram, around 65km from Kannur Town. Perched at an altitude of 4,500 ft. above sea level near the Kerala - Karnataka border, it is an ideal place for trekking. It is a 6 km trek to the top of the hills. Spread over an area of 300 acres, it is rich in flora and fauna and is home to numerous birds, butterflies, rare plants and trees. There is a reception center at the bottom and a watchtower at the top of this hill rock. The place is visited by nature lovers mainly during the summer season.

Dharmadam Island

Dharmadam Island

Dharmadam Island is a main picnic spot situated 17 kms from Kannur, located in the Arabian sea at a distance of 100 meters from the shore. Sprawling over an area of 5 acres and surrounded by rivers and beaches, this beautiful island is covered with tall coconut palms and dense bushes. The place, earlier known as Dharmapattanam, is also known by the names 'Dharmadam thuruth' or 'pacha thuruth' (green island). Dharmadam is believed to have been a Buddhist stronghold and Buddha images have been excavated from this place. Permission is required to enter this privately owned island. It can be seen from the Muzhappilangad beach and during low tide, one can just walk to the island from the beach. There are frequent boats to the island from Kannur and Thalassery.

Gundert Bungalow

Gundert Bungalow


Situated 20 km from Kannur, near Thalasseri town, on the National Highway at Illikunnu hill is the Gundert Bungalow. The Bungalow is of historical significance as it was the residence of Dr. Herman Gundert, the revered German missionary, scholar and lexicographer. He lived here for 20 years from 1839 and has written 18 books in Malayalam including a grammar book. He had also established a church on Nettur Hill in 1889. Gundert Bungalow is a prominent structure with wide doors and verandahs and deep tiled eaves. It was here that one of the first Malayalam dictionaries and the first Malayalam Newspaper - 'Paschimodayam' - took shape. Gundert's bungalow, now houses part of the Nettur Technical Training Foundation, a unique institution started by the Swiss Foundation.