Museums in Kannur
- 01
Arakkal Museum
A small museum in the old durbar hall of the Arakkal family, the only Muslim royal house of Kerala, with furniture, lamps, Qurans and curiosities from its seafaring past.
- Time needed
- 45 to 60 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Any time of year; mornings are cooler
- Tickets
- The Arakkal Royal Trust still owns the palace and runs the museum, which is not under the Archaeological Survey of India. A nominal entry fee is charged; confirm the current fee and hours locally.
- 02
Gundert Museum, Illikkunnu
The former Thalassery home of Hermann Gundert, the German missionary and Malayalam scholar, now a government museum with a library, a hall for his wife Julie and a digital archive.
- Time needed
- 45 to 60 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning; useful in any season
- Tickets
- The Government of Kerala opened the museum to the public on 7 May 2022. Opening hours and ticket prices are not widely published, so check locally before you go.
- 03
Odam Handloom Museum
A free, ten-gallery museum in a heritage building at Payyambalam that follows weaving from the origin of cloth to modern looms and tells the story of Kannur's handloom trade.
- Time needed
- 45 to 75 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Mid-morning or early afternoon; useful in any season, including rain
- Tickets
- Entry has been reported as free. The museum opened to the public on 17 May 2023, and the hours given at opening were 10 am to 4.45 pm; check the current days and timings before you go.
Landmarks in Kannur
- 04
Madayipara
A flat laterite plateau near Pazhayangadi, known for its wildflower carpet after the first monsoon rains, an old pond, a Shiva temple and a major Bhagavathy shrine.
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Early morning; wildflowers from the first monsoon rains to about November
- Tickets
- No ticket is reported for the plateau. Because the hill is a sensitive ecosystem, check local rules on access, plant collection and any seasonal entry limits before you go.
- 05
Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach
A long, firm-sand beach between Kannur and Thalassery where vehicles are allowed on the shore. BBC Autos named it one of the six best beaches for driving in 2016.
- Time needed
- 1.5 to 2 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon, November to February
- Tickets
- No ticket has been reported for the beach itself, but vehicle rules and any local charges can change. Ask the driver or locals before driving onto the sand.
- 06
Payyambalam Beach
Kannur's town beach, a long sandy stretch with a landscaped garden, a well-known mother-and-child sculpture and a lighthouse close by. A good sunset walk rather than a swimming spot.
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Late afternoon to sunset, November to February
- Tickets
- The beach is open to walk without a ticket. Any entry or parking charges at the garden may change, so check locally.
Day trips in Kannur
- 07
Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary
Kerala's northernmost sanctuary, in the Western Ghats of eastern Kannur district, renamed the Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary in 2025 and known for more than 266 butterfly species.
- Time needed
- Full day including travel
- Walking
- Demanding
- Best time
- October to February for butterflies; November to May for easier weather
- Tickets
- A September 2026 press report gave entry fees of Rs 140 for adults and Rs 40 for children, with a forest department guide available and safari hours of 8 am to 3 pm. Treat these as indicative and confirm with the forest department.
- 08
Kottiyoor Wildlife Sanctuary
A small hill-forest sanctuary on Kannur district's eastern edge, next to the Kottiyoor temple town and the Wayanad border. It is raw forest, not a developed park, and the nearby temple festival shapes the visiting season.
- Time needed
- A full day including the drive
- Walking
- Demanding
- Best time
- Post-monsoon months for the forest; the temple festival falls in the rainy season, roughly June to July
- Tickets
- Entry rules, fees and any permit requirement are not published for visitors, and organised tourism is not set up at present. Confirm with the Kerala Forest Department range office before you plan an entry. During the temple festival the roads and the town are very crowded.
Forts in Kannur
- 09
St. Angelo Fort
A laterite fort on a headland above the Arabian Sea, begun by the Portuguese in 1505 and reshaped by the Dutch and British. It is Kannur's best single sight, and an easy one.
- Time needed
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Early morning or the last hour before sunset; November to February for comfortable heat
- Tickets
- The fort is a protected Archaeological Survey of India monument and is open to visitors. Check the ASI site or ask locally for the current ticket price, opening hours and any camera fee, since these change.
- 10
Thalassery Fort
A laterite fort in Thalassery, about 22 km from Kannur, built by the East India Company to protect its spice trade and now an ASI-protected monument beside the sea.
- Time needed
- 45 to 75 minutes
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon; November to February
- Tickets
- The fort is a centrally protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. Check the current ticket price and opening hours locally, since these are not widely published.
Experiences in Kannur
- 11
Paithalmala Trek
A half-day hill walk to the highest point in Kannur district, through shola forest to open grassland and a viewing tower that looks over the Kodagu forests and the Kannur plains.
- Time needed
- Half a day for the trek; a full day from Kannur town
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- January to March; the grass is very tall after the monsoon and the trail is wet and leech-prone in the rains
- Tickets
- A small entry fee is collected at the counter near the guest house at the start. Kerala Tourism lists visiting hours as 9 am to 5.30 pm. Confirm current fees and whether the trail is open locally, as access depends on weather.
Temples in Kannur
- 12
Parassinikkadavu Muthappan Temple
A riverside temple on the Valapattanam river where Muthappan, a Shiva-linked deity of North Malabar, is worshipped with theyyam and offerings of dried fish and toddy.
- Time needed
- 1.5 to 2 hours, longer for an evening theyyam
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Evening during the theyyam season, October to February
- Tickets
- Entry has been described as open to devotees of all religions. Check the temple's current visiting hours, dress rules and any rules on photography at the gate. Footwear is removed at the entrance.
Culture in Kannur
- 13
Theyyam in North Malabar
Theyyam is a ritual form of worship from North Malabar, performed in village shrines and homes between roughly October and late May, with striking costumes and long, intense performances.
- Time needed
- 2 to 4 hours, or a full evening
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Season from about October to late May; check the local calendar
- Tickets
- Theyyam is ritual worship and is usually free to attend, not a ticketed show. Ask local hosts or the tourism office before attending, follow instructions about where to stand and ask before taking photographs.
