Calicut City Guide
Welcome to the only hill resort in the land of Kerela, Calicut. The natural and the man made beauty come together to make Calicut a place worth more than a visit. Take a tour package to Calicut, you may enjoy the scenic beauty, the amazing architectural wonders and the archeology too.
Calicut or Kozhikode is situated in the south Indian state of Kerala on the southwest coast of the Arabian Sea. The district extends from latitude 11°15' N to 75°49' E. Basking in the idyllic setting of the serene Arabian Sea on the west and mesmeric peaks of the Wayanad hills on the east, this district has all the required ingredients to fascinate a tourist.
Due to its nearness to sea, the place has a hot and humid climate. Summer starts from March and continues until May. Maximum temperature recorded in the month of May is 36°C and minimum temperature recorded in the month of December is 14°C. Southwest monsoon arrives in the first week of June and average annual rainfall is 254 cm.
Getting There
By Air : Calicut airport 29 Km from Calicut (Kozhikode) city. Regular transport services, like KTDC's taxi and auto-rickshaws are available at airport to move to the citycentre
By Rail : Kozhikode Railway station. All Kerala-bound trains on Konkan line stops in Kozhikode. Services to Chennai, Coimbathore also. Vadakara, Koilandi are other stops in the district.
By Road : Three National Highways connect Kozhikode with destinations elsewhere in the country. N H 17 on Western coast connects the city with Mumbai, Mangalore and Goa. N H 213 (Kozhikode-Palakkad) gives a fast track to Tamilnadu. N H 212( Kozhikode- Kollegal, Mysore) winds its way through Wayanad district before entering the stipulated Mysore- Bangalore Express Highway in Mysore. KSRTC operates round- the-clock services to Southern Kerala, Wayanad district, Mysore and Bangalore. A few services to Kannur, Kasargode, Mangalore, Coimbathore and Ootty. Private buses are on all the village routes in the district, besides operating to Palakkad, Kannur, Thrissur, Malappuram districts. However, they ply during the daytime only. City buses run within Kozhikode city.
Tourist Attractions
Dolphin's Point
Dolphin's Point 15 minutes from the city centre is an ideal place to see dolphins playing in the sea early in the morning. The long tree-lined beach, about 2 km away, is popular with the local people because of the Lions Club Park, the lighthouse, and two piers - and of course, the opportunity to soak in the evening breeze.
Kirtads
(7 km frm Kozhikode): This unique museum houses the tools and devices used by the ancient tribal communities of Kerala. A good library with books on Anthropology and Sociology is an added attraction.
Beypore Beach
Situated at the mouth of the Chaliyar River in Kozhikode district, Beypore, one of the prominent ports and fishing harbours of ancient Kerala was an important trade and maritime centre. Ancient Beypore was famous among the merchants from Western Asia, for its ship building industry. The boat building yard here is famous for the construction of the Uru, the traditional Arabian trading vessel. The Beypore Beach has a bridge built nearly 2 km into the sea. It is actually made up of huge stones piled together for nearly 2 km making a pathway into the sea.
Kallai
This was once the second largest timber trading center in Asia. A steel bridge built by the British is still intact here
Pazhassi Raja Museum
The Pazhassi Raja Museum, houses a veritable treasure trove for historians and connoisseurs of art, located at a distance of 5 km from Kozhikode at East Hill. The museum is under the surveillance of the Archaeological Deparment of the State. The museum and the art gallery are named after the great Pazhassiraja Kerala Varma of the Padinjare Kovilakom of the Kottayam Royal Family.
The famous 'Pazhassi Revolt' (against the British East India Company during the second half of the 1700s) was led by Pazhassiraja. On display in the museum are ancient murals, antique bronzes and coins, megalithic relics such as diamond cysts, temple miniatures and umbrella stones.
Kalipolika
(2 km from Kozhikode): One can leisurely cruise on the dappled waters at Kalipolika in both pedal and row boats.
S M Street
Sweet Meat Street is the busiest street in Kozhikode and derives its name from the times when the street was lined with sweetmeat stalls.
