Wayanad
The undiminished nature at its pristine
best is how Wayanad is described among the tourism fraternity. Some tribals,
still untouched by the civilization, are found in the Wayanad district. The
place is also known for its picturesque hills, lush plantations and rich
forests among other things. The place was opened for the cultivation of
these cash crops by the British in the colonial period. There are Nilgiris
on the east of Wayanad hill station whereas Mysore lies on the other side. Almost all the
important tourism attractions of south India such as Mysore, Ooty, Coorg,
Calicut and Kannur are located around this region.
Fast Facts
- District : Wayanad
- State : Kerala
- Other names : Vaayal - Nadu
- Location : Kalpetta is the district headquarters of the
Wayanad district. The major distances from Kalpetta to Vythiri is 4
km, to Calicut 64 km, Thrissur 189 km and Kannur is 154 km away.
- Journey Time : It takes from Kalpetta about 20 minutes
to reach Vythiri, slightly more than 1 hr to reach Calicut, 4 and ½
hrs to reach Thrissur and 4 hrs to reach Kannur, respectively.
- Route from Kochi : While going from Kochi to Kalpetta,
the district headquarters of Wayanad, you'll have to travel via
Thrissur, Calicut, Thamarassery and Vythiri.
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Feature Attraction
Wayanad Wildlife Sanct.
It is a part of the Wayanad plateau and is a natural habitat of the major
wild animals such as tigers, leopards and elephants. Located just 16 km away
from the Sultan Bathery, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is a part of the
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The flora of the Sanctuary comprises of deciduous
forests whereas the fauna of the sanctuary includes animals like monkeys,
panthers, civet cat, wild dog, deer and bison among others.
Accommodation
- Vythiri Resorts – Government Approved
- Hiliya Resort – Resort
- Green Gates – 3 Star
When to go
The best time to visit Wayanad is between the months of June and October.
How to get there
Calicut is the nearest airport which is 89 km away from Kalpetta, the
district headquarters of Wayanad. The Kozhikode – Mysore highway (N H
212) passes through Kalpetta and Sultan Bathery. The nearby bus stand in
Sultan Bathery operates regular buses 24 hrs a day for Calicut and the
surrounding areas.
Other Attractions
» Vythiri
Only 60 km away from Calicut, the Vythiri region is a favourite hangout of
the tourists. The region is also known for the coffee, tea, spices and
vanilla plantations that are abundant all over the place. Vythiri is a small
town and all the tourist attractions are within a radius of 40 km.
» Pookote Lake
Only 1 km away from Vythiri, the Pookote lake is a popular tourist
attraction where boat cruises and Kayaking are the favourite pastimes of the
visitors.
» Chembra Peak
It is the highest peak of the region and it will take you about 5 hrs trek
to reach the top. You will also encounter a crystal clear lake en route
which will take away all your exhaustion.
» Edakkal Caves
The carvings of Edakkal caves belong to the neolithic and mesolithic age.
There are two levels in the caves and the drawings are present in the second
level.
» Thirunelly Temple
The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Vishnu and the Papanasini stream
that flows close by is said to be very sacred.
