Calicut is part of Kerala the famous coast of Malabar, a city that surprises you with what it has to offer. With a myriad of sights and sounds, Calicut blends seamlessly with the traditional and the contemporary to give the avid traveller more than anticipated. Whether it’s the cuisine of Malabar, the spiritual touches, the beautiful beaches or the historic monuments, this is a city with all that and more. A visit to Calicut is incomplete without exploring the places listed below.

Top 19 Places to Visit in Calicut or Kozhikode

Here’s a list of top 19 places to visit in Kozhikode (Calicut). Don’t forget to include them in your itinerary to explore Calicut like never before.

Backwaters in Kozhikode or Calicut
Beypore Beach
Thali Temple
Pazhassi Raja Museum And Art Gallery
Kappad Beach
Thikkoti Light House
Kuttichira Mosque
Jama Palli Mosque
Beypore
Mananchira Pond
Mother of God Cathedral
Lion’s Park
Peruvannamuzhi Dam
Kakkayam Dam
Thusharagiri Falls
Srikanteshwara Temple
Pazhassiraja Archaeological Museum
Malabar Botanical Garden
Kakkadampoyil Waterfall

Backwaters in Kozhikode or Calicut

Located on the north side of the scenic state of Kerala, Kozhikode has always been a popular destination for its backwaters. These backwaters are a distinctive feature of the area and have been generously blessed with abundant natural beauty, dense greenery and exotic flora and fauna. The palm-fringed rivers, lakes and canals of Kozhikode are decorated with attractive beauty. The calm of these undisturbed waters is infectious and instils a sense of peace and serenity within you.

Boating in the backwaters makes it possible to move against the natural current! It’s one of the places you must visit in Kozhikode.

Beypore Beach

Beypore Beach is situated at the mouth of the Chaliyar River, 10 km from Kozhikode Railway Station. Now an important port and fishing port, this place was also an important commercial and maritime centre during the days of early Arab and Chinese travellers and Europeans.

Beypore Beach is a commercial centre for the construction of ships and has been in existence here for more than 1000 years. This shipyard is famous for making a distinctive ship known as ‘Uru.’ One of the main attractions of Beypore is its magnificent 2 km long stone bridge called Pulimoodu, made entirely of stones, which leads to the sea. It is also one of the main tourist attractions in Kozhikode.

Also Read: Best Places to Visit in Kovalam

Thali Temple

Thali Temple is a 14th-century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the heart of Kozhikode City, 1 km from Kozhikode Railway Station.

This temple was destructed by Tippu Sultan and Hyder Ali during their invasion of Kozhikode and was later renovated and rebuilt by Swami Thirumulapad, the then Zamorin of Calicut. The two-story sanctuary features artistic stone sculptures and wood carvings with scenes from the Puranas. Very high walls and an expansive temple pond are some of the special features of this temple. The temple complex also houses the shrine of Lord Krishna.

Pazhassi Raja Museum And Art Gallery

Calicut is the perfect place to be for all history lovers. The Pazhasi Raja Museum and Art Gallery are one of the best places to visit in Calicut. Named after the famous ruler, Pazhassi Raja, who fought the British with the help of tribes, the museum exhibits a variety of ancient sites, wall paintings and old coins.

Kappad Beach

Kappad Beach is situated about 16 km away from the city of Calicut and has a historic significance. It was on 27 May 1498 that the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama landed here with three ships and 170 men to establish a socio-political relationship between India and Europe. There is a small plaque erected here to commemorate this incident. Also known as Kappa Kadavu Beach, this stretch of the sea is located north of Kozhikode along the Kannur Road.

Also Read: Everything you’ll have to know about Kappad Beach

Thikkoti Light House

Known to have been built on the remains of a shipwreck, the Thikkoti lighthouse is one of the best Calicut attractions to explore. The lighthouse is located on the rocky shoreline and offers a panoramic view of the sea and several species of nomadic birds. For those who are looking forward to spending a quiet day by the sea, look no further than the Thikkoti Light House.

Kuttichira Mosque

Kuttichira Mosque is one of the unique places to visit in Calicut. Have you seen a mosque like a temple? Well, if that sounds like an oxymoron, you ‘re going to read that right. The lack of copulas and minarets makes the design of this mosque like a temple. In fact, this mosque was designed by skilled craftsmen in the traditional architectural style. The Mishka Masjid in Kuttichira is the oldest mosque in Kozhikode and was named after the rich Arab merchant Nakhuda Mishkal who built it in the 14th century. This is a four-storey building backed by wooden pillars, which stands for the architectural grandeur of Kerala.

Jama Palli Mosque

Calicut has a rich Islamic history, primarily because Arab merchants worked along the coast of Malabar, which dates back to the 7th century. The town has many old mosques, but one that caught my attention was the Jama Palli Mosque, which dates back to the 14th century. This is a one-storey building that can accommodate up to 1,000 worshippers at a time. This mosque has the largest floor area among the Kerala mosques and has intricate wood carvings on the ceilings. The wooden walls and ceilings on the inside are carved with sacred Arabic text verses and resemble a temple. The extensive use of wood is a distinctive feature of this mosque.

Beypore

Located in the heart of Calicut, Beypore is a popular fishing port that is known to be one of the busiest fishing ports in Kerala. Considered to be one of the best places to visit in Calicut, Beypore Beach is also an important commercial centre for the construction of ships. Although the city is also famous for its unique shipping vessel called “Uru,” do not miss a trip on the iconic two-kilometre-long Pulimoodu Bridge.

Mananchira Pond

Mananchira Tank is a massive, man-made rectangular freshwater tank located in the middle of the city. The pond is named after Manan or Mana Vikraman, the crowning name of the rulers of Zamorin. This is a relatively large area that once housed a castle, which has now been turned into a lawn and a park next to a reservoir, the water of which is a big source of drinking. The pond itself is surrounded by green lawns fenced with laterite sculpted walls and has a colonial design inspired lamp posts, and there is also a musical fountain here. The meticulously landscaped lawns in the park have traditional Kerala-style buildings all around, giving this place an old-world charm.

Also Read: Places to Visit in Trivandrum

Mother Of God Cathedral

Calicut is a city known for its pilgrimage sites, this place is at top of the list when it comes to the best religious sites to visit and considered to be one of the best places to visit in Calicut. This church also houses a famous and ancient portrait of Mother Mary, said to be more than 200 years old.

Lion’s Park

This is best for those travelling with children, it is an entertainment or theme park, especially for children to have a gala time! There are a lot of fun rides inside that keep the kids engaged all the time! One of the reasons people prefer to come to this place is the picturesque sunset.

Also Read: Best Places To Visit In Fort Kochi

Peruvannamuzhi Dam

The Peruvannamuzhi Dam is surrounded by hills and is considered to be one of the popular picnic spots for visitors as well as locals. To make the place more fun, arrangements have been made for rowing as well as speed boating.

Kakkayam Dam

Kakkayam valley lake — Credits: https://en.wikipedia.org/

At 58 km from Kozhikode Railway Station, the Kakkayam Dam is a picturesque dam and a great picnic spot. This region has a healthy wildlife population as well as excellent trekking and rock climbing destination. Kakkayam provides challenging trekking and rock climbing experience along the Kuttiyadi River. The waterfalls of Aruvikkuzhi, located in the Urakkuzhi ghat area, are an added attraction. This place offers a breathtaking view of the valleys with its numerous waterfalls.

Also Read: Places to Visit in Kannur, Kerala

Thusharagiri Falls

Thusharagiri waterfall is situated in the western ghats of the district of Kozhikode. The place is crowded with numerous visitors throughout the year as the fall falls down like three magnificent waterfalls. Thusharagiri waterfall is located in a small tribal village, where the name of the fall is shared. The place is also a centre for trekkers and rock climbers. From here, you can take an interesting trek to Lakkidi Ghat.

Srikanteshwara Temple

Take a break from your daily life and visit the Srikanteshwara Temple in Kozhikode. You must add this temple to your list of places to see in Kozhikode on your visit to Kerala. More than a hundred years old, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a must-see pilgrimage of the Hindus. Besides Lord Shiva, you can worship Lord Ganapathy, the Serpent Gods, and Lord Krishna.

Also Read: Places to Visit in Ernakulam, Kerala

Pazhassiraja Archaeological Museum

In the museum, you can see archaeological remains such as antique bronze, antique coins and parasol stones.

The Pazhassiraja Museum and Art Gallery is the delight of a connoisseur. It houses some of the finest paintings by the acclaimed painter Raja Ravi Varma and his uncle Raja Raja Varma. It also houses the burial urns and tombstones of warlords of the past. Students of history will find it as a treasure trove of the Princely State of Kerala, displaying costumes and weapons of ancient Kerala.

Malabar Botanical Garden

Tourists can look forward to enjoying the beauty of the aquatic plant conservatory where endangered species are arranged.

This place has a special attraction for the students of Botany because of the systematic garden based on the taxonomic classification and they visit this garden to see the wide collection of herbariums. Various educational, research-oriented seminars and workshops are retained here for students.

Kakkadampoyil Waterfall

Kakkadampoyil is a sleepy village in Koodaranhi Panchayat, Kozhikode. This village has emerged as an idyllic tourist spot due to its scenic beauty and the famous waterfall of the same name.

The waterfall on the River Kuruvan attracted tourists with an abundance of flora and fauna who enjoy a break from city life. The misty mountains and the hills surrounding it have given this place another name, “Mini Gavi,” by drawing parallels to the Gavi forests. Considered to be one of the best places to visit in Calicut. The waterfall and the caves of Pazhassi are the main tourist attractions.

Reasons outnumbered for you to kick-start your bookings to the vibrant city. Places to visit in Calicut is going to be a delightful experience for you filled with adventure, luxury and tasteful experiences. We at Pickyourtrail ensure our best travel experience is put into planning your vacation with lots of excitement.