- Best time
- November to February
- Nearest airport
- Calicut International Airport, Karipur
- Nearest railway station
- Tirur / Kuttippuram
- Rivers
- Chaliyar, Kadalundi, Bharathapuzha
History
The area was long part of the lands of the Zamorins of Kozhikode. In the eighteenth century it came under Hyder Ali of Mysore, and after the Treaty of Srirangapatna in 1792 it passed to the British. The district has a long tradition of learning, with centres of both Vedic and Islamic study.
What to see
- Nilambur, near the Nilgiris, known for its old teak plantations, the Nedumkayam rainforest, Adyanpara Falls, Kodikuthimala and Karuvarakundu; forest areas need Forest Department permission
- Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, a group of islands at the mouth of the Kadalundi river near Beypore, with herons, whimbrels and migratory waders
- Kadampuzha Bhagavathy Temple, an old Durga shrine run by the Malabar Devaswom Board, about 19 km from Tirur
- Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, founded in 1902 by P. S. Varier and one of the best-known Ayurveda institutions in India
Food
Malappuram is a good place to try Malabar cooking: biryani, pathiri, seafood and snacks served with tea in the evenings. Local restaurants in the towns are generally inexpensive.
Best time to visit
November to February is the best season, with temperatures around 16–26°C. Summer, from March to May, is hot and humid, and the monsoon from June to September brings heavy rain that can limit outdoor trips, though the forests and waterfalls look their best then.
How to reach
Calicut International Airport at Karipur is the nearest airport. Tirur and Kuttippuram are the main railway stations on the coastal line. Highways link Malappuram with Kozhikode, about 50 km away, and Palakkad, and buses from Tirur run to Nilambur and Kottakkal.
Also nearby
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