Kannur
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Kannur[dead link] (Malayalam: കണ്ണൂര്) is a seaside city on the northern side of Kerala, India.
Understand
Kannur (old name Cannanore) is known as Land of Looms and Lords because of the importance of the fabric industry and the concentration of Theyyam temple dance festivals. The main language spoken is Malayalam. English is also understood. Kannur is the most politically sensitive district of Kerala and most people here have a socialist leaning.
Get in
By plane
By train
Direct trains are available from Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Coimbatore.
- 2 Kannur railway station (കണ്ണൂർ തീവണ്ടി നിലയം).
By bus
Direct buses are available from Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad and Mangalore.
By road
Kannur is on national highway 17 directly connected to Mumbai and Kanyakumari; however, the roads are bad, crowded and traffic jams and very frequent.
Get around
Map of Kannur
- Autorickshaws charge ₹30 for the first km and then ₹15 per km.
- Buses charge ₹7 for 3 km. City buses can be boarded from 'Prabhath bus stop' at the end of the Bank Road. This will ensure you a seat. For longer distances you have to go to the Thavakkara Bus Station.
- Taxi - Taxis are available at reasonable rates.
- Car - Parking is a serious problem almost everywhere in the town, except the beach side. You have to park the car somewhere and go in an auto rikshaw to cope with the traffic bottlenecks.
- Walk - Walking is not pleasant, as there are numerous noisy motorcycles, even in the narrow footpaths.
See
- 1 Arakkal Palace & Museum, Near the beach (1 km). Samples of pre-colonial art and architecture, Moplah Bay is nearby.
- Azhikkal estuary and Azhikode beaches (12 km). 2-km long footpath into the sea, fishing village. Beautiful garden and beach at Chalil village. Spectacular beach at Meenkunnu.
- Drive in Beach, Muzhappilangad (15 km). 4-km-long beach with strong sand, the longest drive-in-beach in India. The village has about 24,000 people (2011). Another beach is available at Edakkad.
- 2 Southern Beaches. Spectacular and private beaches are available at Thayyil, Kizhunna and Thottada. Adi-Kadalayi beach is a very peaceful place. Popular with European visitors. Locals are absent. Direct buses are available from State Bank area.
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- 3 Payyambalam Beach (2 km). Very crowded place and popular with the locals. There is no esplanade, but there is a pretty little park. You can sit inside the park and watch the sunset. The park is less crowded because there is an entrance ticket. There is a very big statue of a sleeping woman made of grass inside the park. There is a perfectly formed cliff near the beach where you can walk and take photographs and this area is less crowded in spite of being more beautiful than the actual beach. The lighthouse museum has old types of lamps used by lighthouses around th world on display.
- 4 St. Angelo's Fort (3 km). Built in 1505 by the Portuguese. Very good garden and view to the sea. Short footpath into the sea near Malsyafed office.
- 5 Snake Park, Parassinikkadavu (18 km).
- 6 Valapattanam (7 km). Riverside village.
- 7 Science Park, Mele Chovva Road (2 km). The science park is a small facility containing displays of scientific and technological topics meant for school students.
Temples
- 8 Kalari Vathukkal Temple, Valapattanam (7 km).
- Madayi Mosque, Payangadi (22 km).
- 9 Muthappan Temple, Parasinikkadavu riverside (18 km). A temple which is unique in the whole of India, where there is no idol to worship, rather a ritualistic art-form (Muttappan Theyam) to worship. The temple is built in concept of Eternal Unity and Universal worship, and does have many legends. The Muttappan is believed to be a form of Lord Shiva, in a non-Brahmincal form, thus making it a general mass figure. Here regular performances of Theyyam are considered sacred and many unique customs are followed. Free food for visitors.
- 10 Peralassery Temple, Koothuparamba Road (14 km).
- Shiva Temple, Mele Chovva (3 km).
- 11 Sundareshwara Temple, Talap (3 km).
- 12 Trichambaram Temple, Taliparamba (20 km).
- Shri Maha Vishnu temple, Nadal, Thalassery Road (5 km).
Do
- 1 Birdwatching (8 km). At Munderi Bird Sanctuary, near Varam. Many exotic birds can be spotted at Madayippara near Pashayangadi, 24 km.
- City Esplanade @ Caltex. Start walking from Caltex junction. Proceed to the collectorate and turn right to old bus stand. You will pass the police parade ground, exhibition ground and the oval stadium complex building. After the Stadium complex, you can turn left twice and walk in front of the policemen's houses and again turn left to reach Caltex junction. The total distance to walk is 5 km.
- Climbing a Hill, Avera Kunnu (6 km). You can start from Thazhe Chovva bus stop and go beyond Chovva Railway Station up the hill. There are paved roads all around the hill, up the hill and down the hill. If you don't like such a steep climb, you can also access the hill from Marakkar Kandy village on the beach side. Please note that the locals here do not know that trekking is a hobby. They might stare at strangers but never attempts to interfere. But they are very helpful if you approach them speaking English.
- Dinner at Seaside, Baby Beach (very peaceful cantonment area).
- Hill Walk, S.N. College Hills (7 km). The hills and grounds around Sri Narayana College, Thottada are an ideal place for peaceful walking because there is very little traffic and open spaces are more in this region. You can access Kizhunna beach and Ezhara beach from here. The famous Muzhappilangad drive-in beach is another 3 km from here.
- Island Walk, Kolthuruthy Island, Near Kadambery (20 km). All coconut and areca nut. Beautiful bridge wide enough for a small car. Two more islands called AKG Island and Polthuruthy are nearby.
- Rajayoga Meditation @ Brahmakumaris, Opp. Nithyananda Bhawan School, Puthiyatheru (5 km), ☏ +91 9605993083. 7AM-8PM. Meditation centre. Free Sattvic food, meditation practice and lecture sessions. Beautifully furnished meditation hall upstairs. free.
- Ride in the local ferry, Azhikode beach. Frequent passenger ferries are available from Azhikkode to Parassinikkadavu, Mattool and Valapattanam.
- Trekking @ Pythalmala (43 km). Naduvil village. 1,450 m above sea level. Limited facilities are available on the mountain track. Look for leeches and wild elephants.
- Water Theme Park (16 km). Vismaya at Parassinikkadavu
- 2 Wildlife watch. Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary near Iritty. 55 km.
- Tejaswini River. White water rafting.
Buy
- Muttayappam. Well, some people consider eating the Muttayappam an experience in itself. Muttayappam is a kind of rice preparation in oil without adding any 'mutta' or egg into it. Only the shape resembles a huge fried egg. It goes well with chicken curry. It is not available in standard restaurants and you have to ask at roadside stalls. They have a tendency to disappear in minutes. This preparation originated in Taliparamba town, some 20 km from Kannur. This snack with a very plain taste can become quite addictive.
- Sheen Bakery, Opp. Railway Station. Very reputed confectionery. Very soft and sweet bread is their specialty. But the shop is a little bit crowded and their service is not so poor. Their little branch inside Mele Chovva petrol station is not very crowded.
- Stadium Complex. An oval shaped buildling near the old bus station. Excellent place to buy clothes and gifts. There are no restaurants here but you can find fine ice cream parlours.
- 1 Thavakkara Busstand Building. Many shops and bakeries in four levels. Several teashops, one vegetarian restaurant on the third level and one upmarket restaurant in a separate building. Paid parking facility. Very good place to walk around, sit and relax as this bus station is built in a spacious design. The reason for the quality of this bus station is that it is run by a private company. All other bus stations in Kerala are dirty and crowded because they are built and managed by the government agencies.
- Paris Bakery, Opposite Railway Station.
- M.R.A. Bakery, Railway Station Building.
- Kumars Confectionery, Opposite Old Bus station.
- Lunch Packets from Karthik, Karthik Restaurant, Thavakkara. Well packed lunch packets with prawn fry and chicken included. They pack everything on banana leaves with aluminium foils on the outside.
- Kabeerkka Biriyani Packets, Opposite Bharath Petroleum, Kakkad. Lagoon Tender Beef Biriyani. ₹120.
Eat
Kannur follows all the traditional Kerala-Malabar food like rice, biriyanis, dosa, puttu, appam, idly, and seafoods. Stuffed mussels (Arikkadukka) are available with most of the local vendors.
Budget
- Acquaris Vegetarian, Near old bus stand (in the basement), ☏ +91 4972700558. No parking facility.
- Bharath Vegetarian, Railway Station Rd (inside Abhilash Tourist Home). The best place for Masala Dosai, a fermented crepe made from rice batter, black lentils, potato and onions. ₹35
- Grass Hopper Vegetarian, Thavakkara busstand building. Paid parking facility.
- Golden Dish Restaurant, Opp. KSRTC, ☏ +91 4972703009. With a peaceful attic section. No parking facility.
- India House Vegetarian, Near Old Bus Stand, ☏ +91 4972700826. No parking facility.
- Indian Coffee House, Near State Bank of India, ☏ +91 497 2711626. No parking facility.
- Komalavilasam Vegetarian, Near Railway Station. No parking facility.
- Marina Bakery Poothappara, Alavil - Azhikode Road (6 km).
- Omar's Inn, North side of the Railway Station. Little cosy restaurant. No parking facility.
- Thiruvathira Vegetarian, Talap. Crowded eatery. No parking facility.
- Brownies Coffee shop, Talap. Favourite hangout of couples.
- Dakshin Vegetarian, South Bazar. Good dosai and idlis.
- Don Donna, Caltex junction.
- Ranjith Restaurant, Fifth floor, Thavakkara Bus Station. Lunch ₹50, fish fry ₹60, Kada eggs ₹60.
- Raravis Restaurant, Near Caltex junction.
- Odhens Restaurant, Ondens Road. Famous for lunch with fish fry
- Kailas Restaurant, Railway Road. Old style Kerala lunch cooked on firewood. Ginger pickles are also available.
- Pulari Restaurant, Subjail Road, ☏ +91 497 2707373. Biriyani Parcels on banana leaves. Big portions are given.
Mid-range
- Chiffonets, Kumar tower, Bellard Road, ☏ +91 497-2709411. Exclusive Chinese & Tandoori dishes.
- Cita Pani, Payyambalam Rd.
- Cool Land Restaurant, ☏ +91 4972760297. No parking facility.
- K.F.C. Restaurant, Thavakkara Bus Stand building.Block III.
- M.V.K. Restaurant, Near Kamala International, S.N.Park Road. Good biriyani. No parking facility.
- Orange Biriyanis, Thana (5 km).
- Othens Restaurant, Behind Kavitha Cinema, Onden Rd. 11AM to 4PM. Lunch only with exotic fish fry.
- Paris Restaurant. Famous for biriyani, samoosa and banana filling.
- Parkans Chinese Restaurant, opp. Sky Palace, Thavakkara.
- Raandhal Restaurant, Near AKG Hospital, ☏ +91 8891191919. 11AM to 11PM.
- Royal Treat (Near SN Park).
- Sagar Restaurant. No parking facility.
- Sahibs Grilled Chicken, Near S.N. Park (2 km), ☏ +91 4972711077.
- Silver Waves, Payyambalam (In front of Skyline), ☏ +91 9846087299. For seafood.
- Taj Restaurant, SM Rd, ☏ +91 4972709057, +91 9495029807. Hotel Taj. No parking facility.
- Wheat House Vintage Restaurant, Opp. KSRTC, ☏ +91 4972704666. Beautiful period building with many private rooms for the diners.
- Safire Restaurant, South Bazar.
- Salim Hassan Parkview, Caltex junction.
- Nalukettu Restaurant, Thana.
- Monaco Restaurant, Valiyannur.
- Cabane Bambou, Near Govt. Guest House, Mill Road, Burnacherry (2 km from the railway station), ☏ +91 497 276 0199. Until 10:30 PM. Seats on two floors.
Splurge
- Mascsot Beach Restaurant, Baby Beach. Good outdoor seats by the sea.
- Royal Omars International, Thavakkara. South of the Railway Station. You will get chappathis cut into portions that can go into forks.
- KTDC Loom Land, Near Ashirvad Hospital, ☏ +91 497 2700717. Chattichor Lunch.
Drink
- Appoos Icecream, opp. District Bank, Stadium Complex (2 km). Air conditioned.
- Brownies Bakery and Coolbar, Near AKG Hospital, Thalap junction, NH (2 km). Comfortable attic seats with street view.
- The Grand Savoy Bar, Payyambalam.
- Sadhoo Hotel, puthiyatheru.
- Sannidhaan Bar, Caltex.
- Sona, bank Rd. Near Nikshan Electronics.
- Velocity Pub, Puthiyatheru. Near Amana Wholesale Shoppe.
- Juice Corner, Caltex Junction. Famous for their cocktail juices.
- Bulbul Cafe, Opposite LIC, Talap. Popular for their Mint Vanilla and Parotta Rolls.
- Thavakkal Stores, Anayidukku Road. Avil Milk Shakeː ₹40, Ginger Serbathː ₹15.
Sleep
| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under ₹ 750 |
| Mid-range | ₹750-3,000 |
| Splurge | Over ₹ 3,000 |
Kannur traffic is quite hopeless. Taking a room in the beach area is the only solution to escape from traffic blocks.
Budget hotels: beach side
- Bus Stand Dormitory, Thavakkara, ☏ +91 9895008325. ₹50.
- K.K. Tourist Home, Second Floor, New Bus Stand, ☏ +91 7902557766. Lift facility available. ₹1350.
- P.V.S. Lodge, Beach Road, ☏ +91 4972706371.
- Railway Retirement Room (inside the railway station). You have to show your ticket. ₹150.
- Tamarind Hotel, Beach Road, ☏ +91 4952700717. Run by the Government.
- Yathri Nivas, Thavakkara, ☏ +91 4972700719. Government property.
Budget hotels: Downtown
- Omar's Inn Lodge, Near Potheri Nursing Home, ☏ +91 4972506313.
- Sweety Hotel, Muneeshwar Kovil, ☏ +91 497270 8283. ₹500.
- Vichithra Lodge, Opp. KSRTC, ☏ +91 4972706514. ₹500.
- Plaza Tourist Home, Near Railway Station. ₹500.
- Rainbow Tourist Home, Old Bus Stand. ₹300.
Mid-range
- Green Park Residency, Opp. Railway Muthappan. ₹2,500.
- Cliff Hotel, Payyambalam Beach, ☏ +91 4972712197, +91 9744067931.
- Hotel Palm Grove, Payyambalam Beach, ☏ +91 4972703182. Good ambience.
- Hotel Royal Omar, Thavakkara, ☏ +91 497 2769092. Lift facility. ₹1,250.
- Hotel Savoy and Bar, ☏ +91 4972760074. Bus parking.
- Hotel Sky Palace, ☏ +91 4972769060, info@skypalacekannur.com. ₹900.
- KTDC Tamarind (Near the Police Club), ☏ +91 4972700717, tamarindkannur@ktdc.com. ₹750.
- Malabar Residency, Near Railway Station, ☏ +91 4972765456, malabarresidency2004@yahoo.co.in. ₹1,800.
- Meridian Palace, Ballard Road, ☏ +91 4972701675.
Splurge
- Blue Mermaid Homestay, Thottada Beach (8 km), ☏ +91 9497300234.
- Central Avenue Hotel, On the south east side of the Raiway station, Thavakkara (1 km), ☏ +91 497 2766500, centralavenueknr@gmail.com.
- Kairali Heritage, Kattampally (8 km), ☏ +91 99233 90500. Riverside cottages. Complimentary breakfast. ₹3,500 onwards.
- 1 Kannur Beach House, Thottada Beach (10 Km), ☏ +91 9847184535. Check-in: 7AM, check-out: 9PM. ₹2,000+.
- Mascot Beach Resort, Baby Beach, ☏ +91 4972708445, +91 9846081401, sales@mascotresort.com. Pool available
- Seashell Beach Resort, Adikadalayi Beach (6 km), ☏ +91 9847003687. Check-in: 24-hr. ₹2,000+.
- 2 Sunville Beach House, Edakkad, ☏ +91 99952 90033. Two storey, fully tiled and well maintained house with a living area, dining area, one family room and 7 bedrooms either with fan or A/C. Attached bathrooms, shower and hot water.
- Kanbay Beach Resort, Thottada Beach, ☏ +91-9526200600, kanbaybeachresort@gmail.com. Check-in: noon, check-out: 11:00AM.
- Hotel Blue Nile, SN Park Road, Near Railway Station, ☏ +91 9061544440, +91 497-2760077, reservations@hotelbluenile.com. Diego Maradona stayed in this hotel while he visited Kannur in 2012. ₹4200.
Connect
- Railway Enquiry, ☏ +91 497 2703121.
- Bus Station enquiry, ☏ +91 497 2707777.
- Tourist Information, ☏ +91 497 2706336.
Internet
- Padinchare Kandy Internet Cafe. Opp. the little Masjidh, Near State Bank of India, Fort Road. 1 km from Railway Station. This is a popular hangout of foreign tourists. (Fast computers in a big air-conditioned hall. Chilled soft drinks are available)
Electricity
Kannur uses the British (UK) three-pin and two-pin circular socket that follows BS 546 at 230 V, 50 Hz. Plug adaptors are available at any hardware store. Use care if you need a transformer to convert 230 V to a lower voltage for equipment from countries where the normal power supply is 110 V.
Go next
- Iritty, hill town with cute rivers, 41 km
- Kannapuram, beaches, Madayippara Rock, 16 km.
- Kasaragod, temple town on the beach, 102 km
- Kozhikode, major beach city, 91 km
- Madikeri, cute little hill station, 113 km
- Mahé, old French enclave, 31 km
- Mananthavady, tea estates, resorts, 91 km
- Mysore, city of gardens and palaces, 181 km
- Parassinikkadavu, riverside temple, 19 km
- Taliparamba, undulating town with fine rivers, 22 km
- Thalassery, beach town, 22 km