Kerala is a state on the west coast of South India. There are 14 unique districts within the state. This post is one part of a series of posts sharing the 14 districts in Kerala, India. This part details my short visit to Wayanad district, located at the north eastern side of Kerala state bordering towards the Western Ghats mountain range with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to the east. Wayanad is a hilly district has elevations anywhere between 700-2000m high, giving it a generally cooler climate than most other districts. The meandering uphill roads up to Wayanad and many wildlife roaming around with the pleasant weather makes Wayanad a pleasant place for tourists, as well as a conducive plantation area. Google Maps location (https://goo.gl/maps/mzZeHvDR5aZQFhLM6 )
If one is coming via public transport as I did, the most popular route will be getting a state-run KSRTC public buses, or the many private buses that connects Kozhikode to Wayanad. One can catch these buses from Kozhikode new bus station here (https://goo.gl/maps/hRjtjA9vkfQW9e3h9 ).
As Wayanad district is a very hilly district, one should be prepared for extremely winding roads and the slow and steep climb up, and be rewarded with incredible views of the faraway greenery. The most well known curve is the almost “W” shaped turn at Thamarassery Churam (https://goo.gl/maps/KbcfnJZJuEG7j8o87 ), being a sign that one is passing the gateway to Wayanad. In a public bus, there is little chance to stop at the many view points along the drive, so if one is in a group, it could be advisable to get a private rented car. View of the forest below and far away hill peaks of the Western Ghats are best memories for visiting this district.
There are 3 main business towns in Wayanad district. I chose to stop at the farthest end in Sultan Bathery (https://goo.gl/maps/usCcAQrELjPQfLsS6 ), which is the biggest town in the district. The very unique name came from when in olden times, the ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, captured the town and used it for his artillery battery base. When I finally did arrive, the cool weather was incredibly refreshing, and the town was very walkable with lots of businesses and incredible fresh produce. Even in the bright sunlight, it was very cooling and extremely comfortable, hence why many tourists will come here, especially during the heat of summertime.
One of the very important attractions not far from Sultan Bathery is the ancient Edakkal Caves (https://g.page/edakkal-caves?share ) and the surrounding small town of Ambalavayal (https://goo.gl/maps/H7zecF9voKB9m2Kc6 ). It wasn’t difficult to get there as frequent buses plough the route, and from the main road stop, one can just catch an auto rickshaw to the base entrance to climb up to Edakkal Caves. As I was travelling alone, I didn’t have the comfort of getting a whole private car which a group visit should really take, but travelling on public bus transportation is an amazing opportunity to experience real local life in the area, I high recommend that. At Edakkal Caves, it was a laborious climb up, and be rewarded by one of the most beautiful top side view across the land of Wayanad. Within the caves, one can also experience ancient writings. Best way to get back to Sultan Bathery is to head to Ambalavayal and get a bus back, and at the same time visit the Heritage museum there (https://goo.gl/maps/Pyxznej44cNHZg167 ).
One of the other things I did to enjoy the incredible environment and nature of Wayanad is to get a slow bus ride towards Pulpally (https://goo.gl/maps/73KQ5DUbhAiJ7J2ZA ). The bus route plies through huge teak forests, and if one was lucky, even catch glimpses of wild elephants crossing. I did! And it was such an amazing experience. At Pulpally, one can visit the most important temple there the Seethadevi Lava Kusa temple (https://goo.gl/maps/U6FCHBQ3ZmjTC42w6 ). I was just relaxing there until late evening, before catching a bus back to Bathery.
One of the other most important places to visit where possible is Kuruvadweep (Kuruva Island https://goo.gl/maps/PF872dNEqb5BLzoT6 ), which is an island in the middle of Kabini river, it’s one of the most important forest reserves around the district. This is also a place where many visitors and locals alike can spend a lot of time connecting with nature, the green ancient trees, and natural streams and the peaceful sound of nature. I would advise to get a private car, not to use public transportation to get here (I took the public transport), and it took a few bus exchanges through Manandavady (https://goo.gl/maps/3mXK9jTVfmBPABHj8 ) and a lot of waiting and dashing for the last bus to get back. At Kuruvadweep, one needs to transfer over via rafts from the main banks. It’s such an incredible place for just being. Just sit beside the streams and enjoy the natural sound of water flowing. Do plan for the entire day and come with transportation pre-arranged, unlike what I did.
After a long long day of travelling and walking, I finally headed back to Kalpetta (https://goo.gl/maps/PpicKRZ7iN4yoE6V6 ), another main business town in Wayanad district, to settle in and explore the town for the night. Fresh produce, local goods, lots of wonderful local eateries, and incredibly helpful and friendly locals makes Wayanad a most beautiful place to visit.
There are many others picturesque attractions, where I had also visited, and for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why I didn’t take more photos of. Here are some of the many other important places one should visit when around Wayanad district,
Banasuramala meenkutty waterfalls
and many many more
*All photos are self captured.
Check out my other posts about other districts in Kerala (work in progress, going to cover all 14 districts)