Kannur Tourism (2019) - Kerala > Cannanore Top Places, Travel Guide

"The Crown of Kerala"

Kannur Tourism

Cradled in the lap of nature, right in the middle of God's own country, Kannur is a place that you will find sprinkled with beauty. Fondly known as Cannanore, this beautiful town is bundled with a plethora of sightseeing options like beaches, monuments, ancient temples and mesmerizing picnic spots.

Steeped in vibrant culture and distinctive local art forms unique to their state, Kannur still has an aura of a colonial era. The deep footprints of the Dutch, the Portuguese, the British and the Mysore Sultanate are still imbibed in to the town and can be witness all around. The town blessed with exceptional art of weaving and huge cashew trees perhaps rooted by Portuguese, the beautiful weather and pleasant wind chasing the glow of setting sun is enough to attract tourists from all over the country.

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Places to Visit In Kannur

Payyambalam Beach

Muzhappilangad Beach

St Angelo Fort

Kannur Lighthouse

Parassinikkadavu Snake Park

Baby Beach

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Hotels in Kannur

Top Hotels in Kannur

Sunfun Beach House

INR 1,500 /night onwards
Seabreeze rest inn

INR 1,500 /night onwards
Mascot Beach Resort

INR 1,800 /night onwards

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A Beauty To Behold

Kannur is one of the major cities of Kerela, with a population of more than 1 million people in the district. Located in the state of Kerela, the place has a vibrant cultural and administrative history associated with it. Once referred to as "Cannanore" during the colonial period, the name is still used in the Indian Railways. The city of Kannur still has an authentic Indian touch to it, with various imprints of the British colonialization still prevalent in the area.

The name of the city has been derived from "Kannan", meaning Krishna, the Hindu deity, and "Uuru", the land of Lord Krishna. Once an important military cantonment and an important trading town during the British Raj, Kannur has managed to remain important in the map of Kerela by now being an important religious centre. Many beaches, museums and wildlife sanctuaries allure the tourist to visit this beautiful place and to witness the beauty of it.

Pristine Amalgamation of Culture and Strength

Being the largest city in North Malabar region and an important military cantonment in the southern India, the place is a beautiful amalgamation of culture, history, and ethnicity. People belonging to different caste and creed live in harmony in this beautiful town, and somehow, it has still managed to preserve the ancient practices prevalent in the region. One of the striking examples is the loom and the weaving Industry, which is still functional in Kannur on a large scale, and the ritualistic folk arts held in the temples of the town.

Apart from being culturally rich, Kannur is a valuable asset to the country, having Indian Naval Academy, which is the Asia's largest Naval Academy. Lord Krishna is one of the principal deities worshipped in the area, and some other Hindu temples are spread throughout the city for the people to visit, thus making Kannur a place one must explore.

History of Kannur

The city of Kannur, or Cannanore, as it was then called, takes great pride in its rich history. As an important trading centre since the 12th century, it had good connections with the Middle-East traders of the time. The city first came under the control of the Portuguese in the 16th century, who built the famous St. Angelo Fort. Kannur later passed into Dutch hands, and in the 17th century, this fort was sold by the Dutch to King Ali Raja of the Arakkal dynasty. Kannur then became the capital city of the only Muslim Sultanate in Kerala, and the strong Muslim influence in the city holds true to this day. The British captured Kannur in 1790, and the city housed the British military headquarters of India’s west coast till 1887. The British were later engaged in a guerrilla warfare with the famous ruler of the Kottayam province, Pazhassi Raja. The seeds of Communism, as well as Soviet Socialism soon spread across the city, and it continues to be a hotbed of political activity in Kerala, and one of the most politically charged cities in the state.

Military Significance

Kannur has a history of being a militarily significant and strategic city for India and is one of the 62 military cantonments of the country. The city housed the British military headquarters of India's west coast till 1887. The Kannur or Cannanore Cantonment was established by the British and served as an army camp for the Europeans forces like the Dutch, the Portuguese and the British. The Cantonment is now the headquarters of the Defence Security Corps. The Indian Naval Academy is also located close to Kannur city, which is Asia's largest and the world's third largest naval academy.

Restaurants and Local Food in Kannur

Kannur offers many restaurants and eating joints besides at the place of your stay. However, South Indian cuisine remains the pre-dominating cuisine in the town. Idli, Vada, coconut crepes along with raw mango-lemon chutney and Kerala pappadam are must try.
Do buy Banana chips to take back home and enjoy the Palada Payasam, which is the popular sweet dish served there. Savour some shakes and enjoy your meal at Bamboos and Regency.

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One Day Itinerary

Day 1: Start your trip with a visit to the picturesque town of Taliparamba, home to two beautiful temples - the Shree Rajarajeswara temple and the Trichambaram temple. After exploring the town, end your day with a 40-minute drive from the town to visit the Meenkunnu beach, and enjoy the beautiful sunset.

Day 2: Plan an early start to the day with a visit to Pythala Mala, a beautiful peak in the Western Ghats region. Post this, explore nearby towns like Palikunnu and Pappinesseri, and shopping at the local markets for traditional souvenirs. No visit to Kannur is complete without visiting its famous toddy shops, which provide both great local alcohol or ‘kallu’ and tasty Kerala food. Kannur is also famous for the beautiful traditional folk performance of ‘Theyyam’, which takes place at different times throughout the year in one of the city’s many temples.

Best time to Visit Kannur

Commuting within Kannur

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Kannur Reviews

9 months ago by Kumar Kislay

- Carry a pair of sport shoes for there will be a lot of walking and hiking around.- Make sure you take proper precautions before indulging in any sports activity.- Plan your trip in winter season as summers experience scorching heat and high humidity.

2 months ago by Muhammed Salih

One of the best beaches in the whole of Kerala with a drive-in option that lets you drive on the sand with a measly entry fee of just 10 rupees. The roads that get you there are narrow single roads after the highway so tread carefully.

Review for Muzhappilangad Beach, Kannur

2 months ago by Muhammed Salih

Known to be the tallest peak in the Kannur district, it stands at a height if 4500 ft. The drive is amazing till you reach the base of the hill. Before you depart, make sure you take enough water with you as the trek takes around an hour or two depending on your speed. But all that physical turmoil will be worth it when you reach the top and look out into the stretch. You can see the Western Ghats stretching across for miles and take a walk around it all if you go early enough but return by 6:30 pm as it gets dark. The ticket costs just around 20 rupees per person.

Review for Paithalmala, Kannur

2 months ago by Muhammed Salih

One of the most beautiful hill stations in Kerala, an extension of the Western Ghats is a must visit for high altitude enthusiasts. As always, the drive to Palakkayam Thattu is one of the most drives you?ll ever have as you go through lush greeneries. Your vehicle will only go so far as the drive after it needs a four-wheel drive vehicle to get through broken roads that take you up to the station. A round-trip might cost you anywhere between 150-300 rupees and depends on your haggling skills but it is an experience must undertake as you literally feel the distance between life and death in just millimeters.

Review for Palakkayam Thattu, Kannur

8 months ago by smithin mk

trucking is adventurous..Above half hour walking,. Food facilities not available. Instructions.. 1.should Bring drinking water along with you.if not you can bought it from base camp(throwing plastic punishable) 2.Better to come cool season or rainy time,summer season will loose ur energy. 3.keep pass smoking ,cigarette ,match box are prohibited.

Review for Paithalmala, Kannur

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Holidify's Opinion

What's Great?

Well connected to the nearby cities. Considering the level of development in Kannur, the transportation in the city and the living options for tourists also acts as an alluring factor for the people.

What's not so Great?

The weather in the region is not suitable for visiting all throughout the year. The summers are humid, and the monsoon are unpredicted, thus inviting high tides and accidents and making it unfit for exploration.

For Whom

For people having an eye for the culture and wanting to know more about the country, Kannur is a must visit. Families, couples, and young people, everyone can visit Kannur to satiate their hunger for witnessing something beautiful and pristine.

Kannur Map

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How to Reach Kannur

Being one of the most important cities in the state of Kerela, Kannur is well linked with all the other cities through all the major modes of transportation, i.e. roadways, railways and airways. Ca... (Read More)

From Bangalore

312 km

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From Ernakulam

267 km

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From Chennai

649 km

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From Hyderabad

886 km

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