Bekal
A seaside resort at the northernmost tip of Kerala, with Bekal Fort jutting into the sea, coconut-palm beaches, and the Valiyaparamba backwaters. Day trips include a temple on a lake and the Ranipuram hills.
Bekal lies on the coast of Kasaragod District, at the northern tip of Kerala, India, about 65 km south of Mangalore. Its centerpiece is Bekal Fort, which juts into the Arabian Sea, flanked by Pallikere Beach Park and Kappil Beach, and several high-end resorts line the coast. Excursions from here fall into three routes. The north route goes to Kasaragod to see Chandragiri Fort, Malik Deenar Mosque, Madhur Temple, and the Ananthapura Lake Temple, the only lake temple in Kerala. The south route passes Kanhangad and Hosdurg Fort on the way to Nileshwaram, where you can cruise the Valiyaparamba backwaters on a houseboat and, in winter and spring, watch the Theyyam ritual dance. The east route climbs into the Western Ghats to the Ranipuram grasslands for hiking.
October to March is cool and dry and the best time to visit. April and May are hot. June to September brings heavy southwest monsoon rain, and swimming in the sea is banned.
Getting there: The nearest airports are Mangalore (about 60 km) and Kannur (about 90 km). You can also take a train to Kanhangad or Kasaragod, but Bekal's small station is served only by some slow trains. Plan 2–3 days.
Notes: Temple dress codes are strict, and most inner sanctums are open only to Hindus.
Top sights
- Bekal Fort – Kerala's largest fort, its keyhole-shaped stone walls jutting into the Arabian Sea. The ramparts, lookout tower and sea views make it a sym…
- Valiyaparamba Backwaters – The largest backwater area in northern Kerala, where four rivers converge. Houseboats and small boats wind among islands and coconut groves…
- Ananthapura Lake Temple – Kerala's only temple in a lake, dedicated to Vishnu and said to be the origin of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
- Bekal Beach Park – A beach park at Pallikere, south of Bekal Fort, with walkways, lawns, a viewing platform, a playground, and a food court. The best place to…
- Kappil Beach – A quiet beach about 6 km north of Bekal Fort, with a backwater behind it and a small hill for watching the sunset. Good for walks.
- Chandragiri Fort – A 17th-century square hilltop fort overlooking the mouth of the Chandragiri River, and a good spot for watching the sunset in Kasaragod.
- Ranipuram – A grassy hill at about 750 meters, known as the “Ooty of Kerala.” A hike to the summit offers views of the Western Ghats and the coast.
- Malik Dinar Mosque – Said to have been founded by followers of Malik Dinar, an early Islamic preacher, it is one of the oldest mosques in Kerala.
- Madhur Temple – A Shiva and Ganesha temple on the banks of the Madhuvahini River. Its three-tiered “elephant-back” roof and wood carvings represent the gre…
- Hosdurg Fort – A fort in Kanhangad built by the Ikkeri dynasty, with circular bastions and remaining walls, and nearby the Nithyanandashram meditation cen…
- Mannampurathu Kavu – A goddess shrine in a sacred grove at Nileshwaram, where Theyyam, a ritual dance in which dancers embody deities in painted costume, is per…
Where to eat
- Backwater Café – The main restaurant of the Taj Bekal Resort, famous for its 14-course banana leaf Kerala Sadhya feast.
- Quality Restaurant & Bakes – A budget-friendly roadside restaurant and bakery on the Bekal highway, popular for its mutton biryani and Kukkoo ice cr…