A Monsoon Weekend on the Beaches of Kozhikode

About Kozhikode

Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is a city in the Kerala state of India. It is the largest city on Kerala’s Malabar Coast and was the capital of the British-era Malabar district. During the Middle Ages, Kozhikode was known as the “City of Spices” due to its role as a major trading point for Indian spices. The port of Kozhikode served as a gateway to the medieval South Indian coast for the Chinese, Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, and British. It was both the capital city of the Zamorins and the historical capital of Kerala, dating back to 1498 AD when Vasco Da Gama landed in Kappad, near Kozhikode.

The best time to visit Kozhikode is in winter between October and February. The region becomes extremely hot during the summer, and it is also not favorable during the rainy season due to heavy showers. But, after deliberation, we decided to go in July only, hoping for no heavy rain. Fortunately, we were able to visit it peacefully without much rain. Because it is a coastal region, we will not feel cold even when it rains.

Top Places to visit in Kozhikode

Tali Temple

We initially started from Tali temple. The Tali Mahakshetra temple honors Lord Shiva and is one of the oldest temples in Kozhikode, built by Zamorins in the 14th century. Swamy Thirumalapad designed it. According to legend, Sri Parasurama installed it near the end of Dwaparayuga. The sanctum posture is that of Umamaheshwara. There was only a deepa for Shiva inside the sanctum, with no other lighting. The temple also has idols of Ganesha, Bhagavathi, Krishna, and Narasimha. The Narasimha sanctum is located on the left side of the temple’s entrance and Krishna’s idol is on the right side. The temple is built in Kerala style, with a gabled roof and ceiling. Outside the temple grounds, there is a pond (Kalyani). We couldn’t spend much time near the pond because it was slightly drizzly when we went.

The temple is open daily from 4.30 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 8 pm. To enter the temple, men must wear a dhoti and shawl, and women must wear traditional attire. We arrived at the temple around 10.30 am, just as it was about to close, so the final Aarthi was taking place. So we actually got to see Aarthi and after we went outside, the priest even offered us prasad. We didn’t see several people when we went. Photography is also not allowed inside the temple.

Sarovaram Biopark

We afterward went to the Sarovaram Biopark. It is an eco-friendly park open from 9 am to 8 pm. The entrance fee is ten rupees for adults and five for children. This is a large area covered in a variety of trees, and covering the entire area entails a significant amount of walking. It mostly gives the impression of being in the middle of a forest. This location contains several plants and trees, but no botanical names are provided. However, after visiting the park, we concluded that it is more suitable for couples than families. After a while of walking around the park, heavy rain began to fall, forcing us to seek shelter beneath the portico.

There is a small children’s park near the entrance as well as another at the far end of the park. Furthermore, we noticed an open amphitheater that was not in use, probably hosting shows only during summer. Because of the canopy provided by the trees, it will be a good place to hang out during the summer.

SM street

SM street is an abbreviation for Sweetmeat Street. It got its name because it was once lined with sweetmeat and halwa stalls (Mittai Theruvu). It now has a variety of shops selling clothing, jewellery, coir products, toys, home decor items, handicrafts, sweets, and other items. So you can do some shopping here if you want. This is the town’s main shopping center/street, located in the city center. It is one of the busiest shopping areas in town, with only pedestrians allowed.

Pazhassiraja Museum

The state Archaeological department manages the Pazhassiraja Museum. It is about 6-7 km from the city center. A museum staff member will give us an overview of the museum’s collections and the stories associated with them in either Malayalam, English, or Hindi. During the British occupation, the museum’s current location was known as East Hill Bungalow. It became a museum in 1976 and was renamed Pazhassiraja in 1980. The museum has 2-3 rooms, a cellar, a large open hall and a few more rooms for staff, and a luggage room for visitors.

Museum Collections

The museum houses a collection of items used in trade and warfare by the earlier rulers of Portugal, England, and India. It has a collection of ancient coins, inscriptions about the history of the area, crockeries made of clay used in ancient times, inscriptions of letters used by the people back then, idols of god, antique bronze items, burial systems, and so on. They have a collection of unique Kerala temple models as well as a collection of wooden carvings.

The museum has a rare collection of primitive iron knives from the early days. It also houses the various burial systems models used by the rulers. The staff explained how, back in the day, when burying the king, they would bury all the items used by the king. They also have a jewellery collection from that era. As there was no metallic age in Kerala, only the rock and iron age periods can be seen, which is reflected in their collection of items.

Krishna Menon Museum

A small museum honoring renowned statesman V.K.Krishna Menon is located in the back. This museum has a large section dedicated to his personal belongings and souvenirs. Another art gallery in the museum houses a collection of Raja Ravi Verma’s paintings. Both museums have separate entry fees of Rs. 10 per person and there will be additional charges for the camera. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 6.15 pm, except Mondays. On the same premises, there is a small garden and a butterfly park. Seating benches are also provided so that visitors can sit outside the museum in the garden. You can spend some time in the garden or butterfly park.

Kozhikode Beach

The following stop was at Kozhikode beach, also known as Calicut beach. This is located on the Malabar coast of India, on the western side of Kozhikode. The beach has paved stones as well as illumination. It would be one of the best places to watch the sunset, but because it was cloudy when we visited, we couldn’t see it. There is a lighthouse and two piers leading into the sea. You can have fun playing in the waves and watching them from the beach platform. Unfortunately, despite its beauty, it is not well-maintained, as there was trash all around. It has a large parking lot and no entry fee. There is also an adjacent amusement park and aquarium for children.

Mananchira Square

Mananchira Square is a city center park built around the Mananchira tank, which is square in shape, hence the name. The area around the tank includes a park with lawns, walking paths, and a play area. It is a walking park and a nice place to spend the evenings with family and friends. It is open from 3.30 pm to 8 pm and there is no entrance fee. However, it was not properly maintained during the rainy season because the play area was partially submerged in water. There is also a fountain and a small open-air amphitheater, both of which were idle. There may be programs in the winter and summer seasons. Overall, a pleasant setting to spend the evening.

Kappad Beach

Travel to Kappad Beach

The next day, we traveled to Kappad Beach. Kappad Beach is about 19 km from Kozhikode. You can either take a cab or a bus. Cab fare will be around Rs. 2500-3000. We decided to take the bus as the cab was more expensive for such a short distance. There are only two buses that run to Kappad, and buses may be unavailable on Sundays. There are, however, numerous state and private buses that travel to Pookad, which is approximately 1.5 km away from Kappad and all buses to Koyilandy will stop at Pookad. From Pookad, you can take an auto to Kappad Beach. There are a few private buses that run to Kappad Beach as well, but the schedules are not precise.

About Kappad Beach

Kappad Beach is a historical landmark where Vasco da Gama landed in India. Around 300 m from the beach, there is a small memorial. It is not even visible unless you look for it because it is hidden among the houses near the beach. Kappad beach has an entry fee of Rs.25 for adults and Rs.12 for seniors and is open daily from 9 am to 8 pm. This is a gated beach, and there is a map of all the areas and facilities available at the entrance only. Because the water on this beach gets deep, there are areas marked where we can play in the water and where we cannot. If necessary, lifeguards are stationed nearby to keep an eye on the visitors.

The Beach area has a sit-out umbrella, benches, thatched hut-like structures, and steps where we can sit and watch the waves. There are also restrooms, changing rooms, drinking water, a small shop, and first aid facilities in the area. The area is very well-kept, and there are many staff members working to keep it clean. The restrooms and changing area are also well-kept. Please do not leave trashes in the area.

Our Experience

During our visit, the place was not crowded. We had a lot of fun playing with the waves for a long time. There were only a few other families besides ours at the time. Perhaps because it was the rainy season, the place was almost deserted; otherwise, it might have been a little more crowded. We spent a lot of time in the surf and on the beach. It began to drizzle but thankfully did not pour heavily. If you come early in the morning or late in the evening, you can watch the sunrise or sunset. We preferred this beach over Kozhikode Beach because of its cleanliness and soothing atmosphere.

Viewpoint at Other End

Another viewpoint, at the opposite end of the beach, is only a few km away and our auto driver informed us of it when we arrived. This location is also very good and not as well-known as the other end. It has a platform, and we can sit on the steps to watch the waves. Because the beach is too deep, it is not recommended to play with water here, at least during the rainy season. We could see the waves crashing almost all the way up to the seated steps. There were very few people in the area when we arrived and we nearly had the entire place to ourselves. We decided to return after spending some time in the serene environment.

On the way back, we asked the same auto driver to take us back to the Pookad bus stop because we couldn’t find another one nearby. We even caught the bus back to Kozhikode right away. It is convenient to travel by bus, and as an added bonus, you will be able to enjoy local music along the way.

Beypore Beach

While returning from Kappad, we inquired with the bus conductor about the best way to get to Beypore Beach and whether there was any bus available to take us there. We went to the bus stop at Mananchira square, as directed by the conductor, to catch the bus to Beypore. It is 10 km away from Kozhikode city. There are numerous private buses available, and the journey will take approximately 30 minutes. Then Beypore beach is about a km away from the bus stop.

Beypore Beach is a one-of-a-kind beach in the area. It is a combination of both a beach and backwaters. This is an ancient port with historical significance because it was the port where trading between Asia and the Middle East began and was later known as a major maritime and trade center. Beypore port is one of Kerala’s oldest, serving as a gateway to the Middle East. It is well-known as a commercial shipbuilding center. It has a 2-kilometer-long bridge between the beach and the backwaters. This beach is quite crowded in comparison to other beaches, and it has black sand. Visitors can even enjoy boating recreation.

How To Reach Kozhikode

Route (From Bangalore)

• Kozhikode is approximately 378 km from Bangalore.

By Road

• Car/Bike: You can take the NH275 Thalassery/Mysore road or the Virajpet/Mysore road to Vengalam and then the NH66 Kannur road. Take Kannur Road to Bank Road in Tazhekkod, Kozhikode.
• Bus: There are many buses that run from Bangalore to Kozhikode. It will take approximately 7 hours to get there.

By Rail

A night train runs from Bangalore to Kozhikode. It will take about 13 hours to get there.

By Air

Direct flights are available from Bangalore to Calicut International Airport. It is about a three-hour flight.

Kozhikode Travel tips

• Wear cotton clothing and carry sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats. If visiting during the rainy season, don’t miss to carry rain ponchos and umbrellas.
• The majority of the locations are close by. To get around the city, you can take cabs, autos, or public transportation. The majority of the locations are also accessible by bus.
• There are numerous good lodging options in the city center, as well as near the bus and train stations. We stayed at Terrace by Ladder and had a pleasant stay.
• Given its coastal location, Kerala has a plethora of non-vegetarian restaurant options.
• You can get pure vegetarian food at Arya Bhavan, which is located in the city center and serves delicious food. Dakshin Veg is another good option. However, if you order lunch at noon, you should double-check the quantity because they serve a lot.
• The language will not be an issue because the people are friendly and will guide you properly.
• There are no good vegetarian restaurants in the vicinity of Kappad or Pookad. So, if you’re going to Kappad Beach, plan ahead for lunch or return to Kozhikode.
• Check out our blog post of Yercaud for another weekend getaway.