Places to visit in Bekal

The Bekal Fort, constructed in 1645 AD, is 16km away from Kasaragod and is the biggest and most well preserved fort in Kerala. The fort has tall observation towers, from where one gets a breathtaking view of the Arabian Sea. In the fort, a flight of stairs descend to a beautiful water tank and numerous peepholes offer a photographic view of the enclosed valley. The 300 year old fort was built by Ekkary Sivappu Nayak on a 35 acre land that entered the Arabian Sea. The fort is made of laterite and stands at a height of 130 feet. It is looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India. An ancient mosque, said to be built by Tipu Sultan, is located near the fort along with an old Anjaneya Temple. You will also find a lot of underground passages and a sea bastion in the fort. Bekal attracts nature lovers, historians and tourists from all over the world. From the top of the fort one can view the places like Kottikulam, Pallikare, Kanhangad, and Uduma.

This fort is situated 10 km from Bekal and less than a few minutes away from Kasaragod town. It was built in the 17th century by Shivappa Nayaka. This fort is now mostly in ruins but tourists must visit it to see glimpses of architectural excellence. The Chandragiri river flows next to the fort and one can enjoy boat rides to see the palm groves and nearby islands. The sunset can be enjoyed from this fort. An old temple called the Kizhur is situated here and the festival of Pattutsavamis celebrated every year.

They are the distinguished ashrams in the district of Kanhangad. The Anandashramam was found by Swami Ramdas, a distinguished Vaishnavapietist in 1939 and is located around 5 kms away from the Kanhangad Railway Station towards the east. The ashram is set amongst picturesque surroundings of coconut and mango groves. The followers retreat for meditation on a hill which lies to the east of the ashrama

The Nityanandasramamwas started by Swami Nityananda and it is located on a hill about half a km away from the office of the Hosdurg Taluk. Originally it was a forest area but around 45 caves were built by the Swami in a mountain slope. The temple was later built in 1963 according to the design and style of the Somnath Temple of Gujarat. The main attraction of the ashrama is the structure in the sitting position of Swami Nityananda which is made of Panchaloha.

Mangalore, in South India, is situated close to the backwaters formed by the confluence of the Gurpur and Netravati rivers. The tourists are captivated and amazed by the panoramic view of the temples and churches, slender winding streets, beautiful coconut trees, quaint gable-roofed houses, smell of spicy coconut curries and the wonderful view of the sea. The tourists can enjoy folk art and folk dances like the Pilivesha – a tiger folk dance performed during the Janmashtami and Dussehra festivals and the Yakshagana which is a dance drama held at night.

A tiny charming village,Bellikkal, is situated in Tamil Nadu in the Western Ghats. Located in the Nilgiri range, this place is surrounded by thick forests like the Bandipurforest and Madumalai forest. The fascinating beauty of this place is enhanced with the natural landforms of valleys, hills, mountain peaks and rivers. Bird lovers can find a haven of diverse fauna. They can view birds like crows, pheasants, bulbuls, doves, woodpeckers, drongos and shrikes. Tourists can also spot animals like elephants, bison, tigers, bear and deer.

A small town situated in Karnataka in the Chikmanglur district, it is next to the mountain range with the same name. It is a segment of the Western Ghats having thick shoal forests and natural grasslands. The side of this mountain resemblesa horse. This place is a good tourist attraction because of its rich wildlife, picturesque beauty and thick forests.

The panoramic stretch of the shallow beach surrounding the Bekal Fort is named as the Bekal Fort Beach. It has been developed by the Bekal government to increase tourism. The beach has been decorated by building two statues of Theyyam with laterite and also has a shed with walls that have murals made by artisans from Nilambur. A rock garden using big laterite boulders has been made in the parking area along with planting a lot of trees. A walkway has been constructed near the coastal line where the tourists can enjoy the picturesque view. The beach has been lit up so that the tourists can enjoy their evenings on the beach after dark. Benches and other seating arrangements have been made for the tourists. A lot of trekking trails have been provided which start from the beach. Trekking can be done between the months of November and March as humidity levels are very low during this time.

7 km away from the Bekal Fort, the Kappil Beach, is in the district of Kasargod. After enjoying the hectic tour of the fort the tourist can come to this beach and relax as it is an isolated and quiet beach. The Kodi cliff nearby gives an excellent view of the Arabian Sea and if one is adventurous enough, there are provisions for climbing the cliff to get a better view.

The Hosdurg beach is located near Kanjhangad around 23 km away towards the south. This beach flows adjacent to the town and is broad strip of water. The most eye catching feature of this beach is its Casuarina orchards, the astonishing bronze coloured sand and the charming cottages which have thatched roofs and which run along for a mile on the beach.

19 km away from Bekal in Valiyaparamba the most stunning stretch of backwaters can be seen. This backwater is formed by the confluence of four rivers which form an artery of waterways and pass through paddy fields and palm groves. One can experience this beauty by taking a ride in the conventional houseboat of Kerala also called the Kettuvallam. While enjoying the ride one feels serene while floating past an assemblage of greenery, thatched houses and rafts of ducks. A tourist can end this trip by visiting a turtle hatchery nearby.

Ranipuram formerly known as Madathumala is located 85 km away from the town of Kasaragod and is at a height of 750 m. It is 58 km away from Bekal and as beautiful as Ooty because of its wide variety of vegetation, monsoon forests, evergreen shoal trees and grasslands. The voluminous forests of Madhumala blend into the Karnataka forests and one can view wild elephants roaming in the mountains if you are lucky. If a traveller is adventurous then, one can enjoy a lot of trekking trails in this vicinity.

Situated near Konnakkad this is a rain forest area and is a section of the Western Ghats in the Kasargod area of Kerala. The rain forest extends into the Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary. This site is a trekker’s haven and popularly called the ‘Trekker’s Paradise’. This hill station is very similar to the popular hill station of Kodaikanal and it is the home to many animals like wild dogs, elephants, deer and pig.