Palakkad – A country side holiday retreat
Palakkad, located at the foot of the Western Ghats makes a thoroughbred tourist destination. Well known for its vast expanses of paddy fields and palms, the thick tropical jungles, history, culture and traditional Ayurvedic treatment centres, Palakkad has indeed a unique character and personality that not many destinations can match.
Often known as the granary of Kerala, Palakkad has vast tracts of paddy fields. People are friendly and the city still clings on to its bucolic charm of the yesteryears.
The tourist attractions of Palakkad are diverse as chalk and cheese. From wild life sanctuaries like silent valley park, Attapady hills and Parambikulam to some of the most beautiful dams like malampuzha, mangalam, pothundi and siruvani, it will indeed be a life time experience for you.
Palakkad Fort, which dates back to 1766 and constructed by Hyder Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan, remains the landmark of this city. One of the best preserved forts in India, this medieval era granite fort situated right at the heart of the city could well be your first stopover.
Some of the places to visit in Palakkad include Malampuzha Dam and Gardens: Well known as the “Vrindavan of Kerala”, Malampuzha is nothing short of a scenic paradise. You can enjoy a boat ride in the reservoir or spend some time in the sprawling garden, which has an amusement park and telescopic tower among others.
While you are in Palakkad , you are only around 50 km away from the hill resort of Nelliyampathy, well known for its luscious oranges and wild life trails among many other reasons. A drive along the hair pen bends will be a visual delight as it offers some of the best snap shot moments for you in the form of lush green orchards, paddy fields, rolling valleys and tumbling waterfalls. The pleasant climate and the breath taking natural finery do attract many tourists from far and wide; however, Nelliyampathystill remains one of the lesser known hills stations that make it comparatively quiet and tranquil. Nelliyampathy is a popular trekking spot and its hill ranges that are at a height of 467 meters to 1572 meters are well cut for para gliding and other adventure sports as well.
Invariably Palakkad tour packages include a trip to Silent Valley National Park, which is spread over an area of 90 sq. km . It is the only remaining evergreen forest in the Western Ghats and is home to many endangered animals like the lion tailed macaques.
Some of the other places to visit in Palakkad include the tribal hamlet of Attappady, nestled deep inside the forests. You can have some well cherished moments of a rue tribal experience in Attapadi where the inhabitants live the way their ancestors did a hundred years ago!
In case you are planning a quick getaway, Palakkad would be a perfect choice as it is easily accessible and has enough and more activities and attractions to keep you hooked all through your trip.

Nelliyampathy:

Silent Valley National Park:



Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary: This sanctuary nestled in the tropical wilderness and spread over a 285 sq. km area, is a haven for many species of wild animals, reptiles and birds. Several wild rivulets gushing down the mountainous terrains and sandalwood and rosewood growing in profusion sets a picture perfect stage to revel in the many wonders of nature. The sanctuary is located in the Western Ghats in between the Nelliyampathy mountain range and the Nilgiris mountain range. The dense forests are sparsely populated with just a couple of tribal hamlets scattered across the wilderness. The prime attraction here is the 360 year old teak tree “Kannimari”- the oldest and largest teak tree in the world. The park is home to Indian bison, crocodiles, tigers, leopards, sloth bears, snakes, deer and birds. The park is said to be an Ornithologists delight with a wide variety of birds in the region. The Western Ghats is one of the World’s 34 Acclaimed Bio Diversity Hotspots, which makes it a must visit destination to make your Kerala experience a truly complete one. The sanctuary is at a distance of 125 km from Palakkad town.

Dhoni Reserve Forests: This reserve forest is located at a distance of 15 km from Palakkad. There is a bedazzling petite waterfall on top of the Dhoni hills, which could be reached by a three hour long trek from the bottom of the hills. Dhoni is a lush green tropical paradise elaborately draped in a splendid green garb, guaranteed to hold you captivated in its rich natural beauty. Trekking is the best way to explore the splendor of this hilly terrain. Dhoni is famous for its farmhouse with exotic rare breeds of cattle.
Pothundy: It is a small dam set in a picturesque surrounding, making it a perfect place to enjoy the beauty of nature and to unwind yourself. This dam is located at a distance of 42 km from Palakkad at the foot of Nelliyampathy hills. The Dam constructed in 1800 AD is braced with a unique jaggery and quicklime mortar. It is an ideal place to make a stopover on your way to Nelliyampathy.

Thenaruvi: It is a natural spring located near the famous Sri Rama temple in Palakkad. It is believed that the water from this natural spring is as sacred as the water from the River Ganges. Pilgrims flock to this natural spring to taste the holy water.


Jain temple:

The timeless village of Kollengode is located at a distance of 19 km from Palakkad. The village is famous for its natural splendor, the ancient Vishnu temple and the magnificent Kollengode Palace constructed in the traditional Kerala architecture style. This palace has now been converted into a luxury hotel complete with an Ayurvedic spa. The place is also home to the famous Indian writer Shashi Tharoor.
Festivals
Kalpathy Ratholsavam: The annual chariot festival called ‘Ratholsavam’ is the seven day festival of Kalpathy Viswanathaswamy temple. On the last three days of the seven day festival thousands of devotees pull beautifully decorated chariots through the streets of Kalpathy. The temple built in 1425 AD by the ruler of Palakkad is the oldest Siva temple in the Malabar province. The festival traces its origins to the Tamil Brahmins of Kalpathy. This annual fiesta is usually celebrated in the month of November.
Manappullikavu Vela: The Vela is held every year in the last week of February at the Manappullikavu Bhagavathy temple. This temple which is considered to be over 1200 years old is quite different from other temples dedicated to goddesses in its rites and rituals. Several cultural programs are organized in connection with the celebrations and the fireworks display is simply breathtaking.
Nemmara Vallengi Vela: Nemmara is a small village in the Chittur Taluk of Palakkad. This quaint village is famous for the festival of Nemmara Vallengi Vela celebrated after the harvest season in the month of April. The ten day festival starts with a procession of around 30 caparisoned elephants accompanied by traditional percussion music. This festival bears uncanny resemblance to the Thrissur Pooram. Several cultural programs are organized in association with the celebrations. The magnificent festival ends with a splendid fireworks display.
Chinakkathur Pooram: The charming little town of Palappuram sits at a distance of 4 km from Ottapalam between Palghat and Shoranur. This town is famous for its Chinakkathur Pooram held during the March-April period every year. This Pooram is the main festival of Chinakkattoorkkavu temple dedicated to goddess Durga. The main attraction is the procession with caparisoned elephants accompanied with traditional percussion music and the man-made huge, brightly colored horses.

Nemmara Vallengi Vela: Nemmara is a small village in the Chittur Taluk of Palakkad. This quaint village is famous for the festival of Nemmara Vallengi Vela celebrated after the harvest season in the month of April. The ten day festival starts with a procession of around 30 caparisoned elephants accompanied by traditional percussion music. This festival bears uncanny resemblance to the Thrissur Pooram. Several cultural programs are organized in association with the celebrations. The magnificent festival ends with a splendid fireworks display.
Chinakkathur Pooram: The charming little town of Palappuram sits at a distance of 4 km from Ottapalam between Palghat and Shoranur. This town is famous for its Chinakkathur Pooram held during the March-April period every year. This Pooram is the main festival of Chinakkattoorkkavu temple dedicated to goddess Durga. The main attraction is the procession with caparisoned elephants accompanied with traditional percussion music and the man-made huge, brightly colored horses.