Bekal

Location: 16 km South of Kasaragod town, Kasaragod District.
Attractions: Giant keyhole shaped fort, the golden expanse of a beautiful beach surrounding the fort, backwaters and hill destinations and water sport facilities nearby.

Kasaragod is a beautiful town poised at the Northern extreme of Kerala State.16 km south of the town on the National Highway, is the largest and best preserved fort in the whole of Kerala, bordered by a splendid beach. Shaped like a giant keyhole, the historic Bekal Fort offers a superb view of the Arabian Sea from its tall observation towers, which were occupied by huge cannons, couple of centuries ago.

Near the fort is an old mosque said to have been built by the valiant Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Built by the rulers of the ancient Kadampa dynasty, the fort changed hands over the years to the Kolathiri Rajas, the Vijayanagar Empire, Tipu Sultan and finally, the British East India Company. Today, the Bekal Fort and its surroundings are fast becoming an international tourist destination and a favourite shooting locale for film makers. Bekal is also one of the five centres selected by the Government of India to be developed into a 'Special Tourism Area'.

Getting there:

Nearest railway station: Kasaragod, about 16 km
Nearest airports: Mangalore, about 50 km; Karipur International Airport, Kozhikode about 200 km

Bekal Fort and Beach

Location: About a kilometre from Bekal Fort, about 16 km South of Kasaragod on the national highway, Kasaragod district, North Kerala

Kasaragod, the Northern most district of Kerala is renowned as the land of gods, forts, rivers, hills and beautiful beaches. The imposing fort at Bekal is one of the largest and best preserved forts in Kerala. The beautiful expanse of the shallow beach near the Bekal fort known as Bekal Fort Beach has been developed as an exotic beach location by the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC).

Beautification: Beautification of the site includes installation of two sculptures of Theyyam created using laterite on the beach and a shed the walls of which are adorned with murals created by artisans from Nilambur. Apart from these a rock garden at the parking area has been developed where laterite boulders of various sizes have been utilised. Under the social forestry scheme, trees have been planted in the beach area.

Parking facilities: The BRDC has developed about 7000 sq. m of land for parking different types of vehicles.

Walkway: A beautiful walkway has been laid for the visiting tourists to explore the beauty of the fine coastline and enjoy the panoramic view of the Bekal Fort.

Illuminated beach: The beach gets illuminated during the evening hours so that tourists can spend more time at the beach even after the sun sets.

Resting facilities: Multi shed and Eru madam would provide the tourists enough facilities to take rest and enjoy the sea breeze. By using locally available materials seating arrangements have been provided for the tourists at the beach.

Toilets: Toilets have been provided for the use of tourists and eco-friendly bamboo waste bins have been provided in the entire beach site for keeping the area clean.

Children's park: A park has been developed here for children below 14 years.

In order to maintain the developed site a nominal charge of one rupee from each visitor would be collected as entry fees. A similar nominal vehicle parking fees would also be collected. The BRDC also aims to develop in future another 11 acres of land at the beach for constructing water park, theme park etc.

The BRDC was set up by the Government of Kerala to develop Bekal as a planned eco-friendly destination. The BRDC has utilised 19 acres of land for the development of the Bekal Fort Beach at a cost of approximately Rs. 25 million including land acquisition charges.

Getting there:

Nearest railway station: Kasaragod, on the Kozhikode-Mangalore-Mumbai route.
Nearest airport: Mangalore, about 50 km from Kasaragod town; Karipur International Airport, Kozhikode, about 200 km from Kasaragod town.

Chandragiri

Situated on the banks of the Chandragiri river in Kasaragod district this destination is known for its large 17th century fort. The fort offers a breathtaking view of the river and the Arabian Sea. It is also a vantage point to watch the sunsets. The ancient Kizhur temple nearby celebrates a grand annual festival called Pattutsavam.The Chandragiri Boat Club run by the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation conducts boat trips to nearby islands and palm groves.

Getting there: Chandragiri is only a few minutes drive from Kasaragod town.

Nearest railway station: Kasaragod.
Nearest airport: Mangalore about 50 km from Kasaragod

Valiyaparamba

30 km from Bekal)This is perhaps the most scenic backwater stretch in Kerala. Fed by four rivers and dotted with numerous little islands, Valiyaparamba is fast turning into a much favoured backwater resort that offers enchanting boat cruises

Kappil Beach

6 km from Bekal Fort.Remote and secluded,this beach is fast becoming a major tourist attraction.The Kodi Cliff near by offers a panoramic view of the Arabian Sea and two km away is the Pallikunnam Temple.

Ranipuram Hill Station

85 km from Kasargod situated 750 m above sea level,Ranipuram is famous for its trekking trails and varied vegetation-evergreen shola woods,monsoon forests and grasslands.This area was formely known as Madathumala.The extensive forests of Madathumala merge with the forests of Karnataka.With its rich greenery,abundant blooms,misty moors and the wild Elephants occasionally sighted wandering around,Ranipuram makes for a great getaway.