Kannur, a handloom hub known as the city of looms and lores is also home to pristine beaches.

Kannur is a tourist destination which has much to offer in terms of cultural, religious, heritage, folk art and folk music of Kerala. A native dance form Theyyam will make your holiday in Kannur a cherishable one.

Kannur is beauty personified, surrounded by abundant natural beauty on all sides. To its east lies the Western Ghats, to its south Kozhikode and Wayanad, to its west the Lakshadweep sea and Kasargod in the North.

History of Kannur

Kannur has a significant historical legacy. Kannur had the historic name Cannanore and became a vital piece of ancient India since the migration of the Aryans.  Kolathiri rajas made Kannur a major hub of international trade. Explorer Marco Polo travelled here and named it ‘great emporia of spice trade’. Portuguese, Dutch and British have contributed immensely in shaping the modern day Kannur. The modern town of Kannur has grown from the quaint village called Kannathur. The place underwent a change in name to Cannanore during British rule.

Kannur was under the dominance of Kolathiris and was the port town of Kolathunadu, during the 12^th century AD. Being an important port on the Arabian Sea it was active in carrying out trade to Persia and Arabia. It was made as British military headquarters until 1887. The first Portuguese Viceroy of India built the St.Angelo’s Fort in 1505 and it is located 3 km from Kannur.  Ever since the ownership of this fort has changed many hands and now is a preserved monument under Archaeological Survey of India. A tour to South India should include a visit to Kannur, the place that offers so much.

Tourism in Kannur                                  

A tour to Kannur will also take you to handloom hub of the South. Add to this the beautiful virgin beaches which contribute towards making it a place of significant attraction for the tourist.

During your holiday in Kannur do pay a visit to St. Angelos Fort located in the Kannur Cantonment. The Moppila Bay is also quite close to the Fort on the same Arabian Sea coastline.

If you have time on your hands then you can pencil in a visit to the historic Thalassery Fort. This place was of commercial importance even in historic times and the British set up their base here in 1683. 22kms from Kannur is the Madayi mosque. This mosque was built in 1124 AD by Malik Iban Dinar and according to legend the mosque was made with marble brought from Mecca constructed in 1124.

The Arakkal Palace is also situated just 3kms from Kannur.  It served as the royal residence of the Arackal Ali Rajas who were the only Muslim royal family to have ruled Kerala.

For the wildlife enthusiast, the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary is just 40 kms from Kannur. Situated on the lush green slopes of the Western Ghats this tropical green forest offers an abode to elephants, bear, deer, wildcats and a wide variety of birds.

You can also choose to spend your evening at the beautiful vast Payyambalam beach located 2kms from Kannur.

A trip to “God’s own Country” Kerala is amiss without Kannur featuring in your travel itinery