Kannur

Destination Theme
Museums & Historical Places, Beaches,

Best Suited For
Families, Tourists and Travellers.

Recommended Duration
Two to Four days

Quick Info

Kannur is one among the few noteworthy cities in the Kannur district of Kerala. Formerly known as Cannanore, this city is famous for its beaches. The city exhibits its phenomenal history with ancient forts, old shrines and cultural institutions. The nearest airport to Kannur is Calicut International Airport which is about 115 kilometres away from the city

Rankings & Ratings

A noted city in Kerala that deserves respect for its cultural and historical heritage.

Editor's Rankings

#12 in 33 Destinations in & around Kerala
#3 in 13 Beaches in & around Kerala
#6 in 10 Museums & Historical Places in & around Kerala

Editor's Review

The city of Kannur has tourist attractions that reveal the local culture, tradition and history. Although the city is not as developed as other cities in Kerala, it offers good accommodation facilities for all kinds of travellers. A major issue is the heat and humidity of the place but it is compensated for by the delightful beach.

PROS

With a lot of options, the local dishes are great.
The cultural and historical significance of Kannur is really high.
Budget hotels, luxury hotels and beach resorts are availble here.
The beaches are very clean.

CONS

The weather is quite hot and humid during most times of the year.
The city does not have many nature-related activities or places to visit.
The city is not as developed as other cities in Kerala.

Itinerary Tips

Summers are never a good time to visit Kannur.
Auto rickshaw is the cheapest way to move around the city and visit the tourist attractions. The auto drivers are more trustworthy when compared to other places.
Theyyam is a powerful traditional dance of Kerala. You can see Theyyam performance in most of the temples in Kannur. It is the city's main attraction.
You can visit St. Angelo's fort which is the most important historical monument in Kannur, bulit by a Portuguese Viceroy.
Azhikal Ferry gives an amazing view of the sunset which has a point where you are surrounded by sea on all sides.
You also visit the Payyambalam Beach, the main beach in Kannur.
There are other places you can visit a little away from Kannur like Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, an ancient historical site called Ezhimala and some significant temples and mosques.

Detailed Info

Kannur also known as Cannanore, is one of the lesser known cities in Kerala. The name 'Kannur' is derived from two Malayalam words, "Kannan" meaning Krishna and "Ur" meaning place; a place of Krishna. History says that the ancient port of Naura at Kannur was a port from where King Solomon’s ships collected timber to build the great temple of Jerusalem. Kannur had trade links with the Arabs, Greeks and Romans also. The city is home to a famous folk art form called Theyyam.

The naturally rich land of Kannur has played a major role in contributing to the cultural, religious, political and industrial heritage of Kerala. With several cultural institutions, ancient forts and old shrines, the city of Kannur displays remarkable history. Some of the tourist attractions in Kannur are St. Angelo Fort, Payyambalam Beach, Arrakal Museum, Azhikal Ferry and Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary.

Altitude

The city of Kannur is at sea level.

Weather

Kannur has a typical tropical climate with stifling humidity, summers being extremely hot and humid. The city experiences heavy rains during the monsoon and the temperature is slightly better in winter.

Best Time to Visit?

During the winter season that starts in December and lasts until February.

How to Get There?

By Air

Kannur will have an international airport of its own very soon. For now, the nearest airport to Kannur is Calicut International Airport which is about 115 kilometres away from the city. It is well-connected to major cities across the country and abroad. From the airport, you need to hire a taxi to reach Kannur.

By Train

The city of Kannur has a railway station called Kannur Main Station. The station is well-connected to other places in Kerala and major cities across the country. From the station, you could hire a taxi or take an auto to reach your exact destination.

By Road

Cannanore bus station in Kannur is well-connected to most of the cities in Kerala and some major cities in the country also.

Local Cuisines

Malabar food like Dosa, Puttu, Appam and Idly served with raw mango-prawn chutney and raw mango-lemon chutney, Varytha Meen along with Onion Salad, Spicy Coconut Chammanthy featuring a distinct flavor of curry leaves, coconut and spice and Palada Payasam with raw mango are some of Kannur's best offerings.