The itinerary for our trip to Kannur and Wayanad in Kerala came pre crafted and here’s a part of what it looked like –
- 2 nights stay in Wayanad in a bamboo cottage. Breakfast meals + a few activities included.
- 2 nights stay in Kannur in a traditional house.
- All meals included in Kannur.
Keeping our interest and time in mind, we cut down Wayanad from the itinerary and added Tirupati instead.
Plans were chalked out accordingly and flight tickets to Kozhikode (the nearest airport to Kannur) booked. The trip did come with its fair share of hassles though, even getting completely cancelled at one point of time because of unforeseen circumstances. But thanks to the kindness of Shivya of India Untravelled and the host of our Kannur home stay Indu, the validity of our prized trip was extended so that we could avail it at a later date.
Finally, on 27th March 2013, I boarded my Jet flight from Mumbai to Kozhikode (Calicut) and took my window seat. Seat belt secured and mobile phone switched off, I waited for the final call of take off. As I sat still staring out to a long barren runway stretch beyond, my hurried mind decided to set off, in its own flight of fancy. A cascade of images flashed by – sand and the seas, idyllic lanes fringed with coconut trees, ancestral temples, lip smacking authentic South Indian cuisine, warm people and a lot of peace – all in a matter of a few minutes.
Amazingly enough, a couple of hours later when I finally did get there, I found all these images to be right. I had almost all of it... and in such abundance... that now, I can’t wait to go there again. Someday, I will... for sure, but for now, I have got loads to share and so I am all ready to set out again in this virtual yatra of ours!
Are you ready to explore?
How to reach Kannur
From Bangalore: A weekend getaway situated around 300 kms away; Kannur is a 5 hr. drive by road for the Bangloreans.
From Mumbai:
Flight: You can take a flight to the nearest airport i.e. Kozhikode (Calicut). To get to Kannur from there, you can either take a cab (Rs. 2500) or the local train but I would recommend taking the local train. A rickshaw from the Kozhikode airport (Rs. 240) will drop you at the Faroq railway station from where you can find different trains leaving for Kannur at periodic intervals. Not only will this save you a lot of money but the local flavor in the journey will be something to savor for a long time to come.
Train: You can find a few trains running between Mumbai and Kozhikode if your preferred mode of travel is train.
Where to stay in Kannur: Blue Mermaid Homestay
Situated in Thottada village, approximately 8 KM and 30 minutes away from the main city of Kannur, Blue mermaid home stay is the place to go IF you are looking for a quiet run away from all the urban chaos and spending some quality time with none other but nature and nature alone.
Blue Mermaid Home Stay, Kannur
(Traditional stay towards the left and bamboo cottage towards the right)
The rooms are comfortable, clean and face the beachfront. Hammocks swinging from tall slender coconut trees in the lazily manicured garden add to the complete laidback-ness of the place. The home stay also has a bamboo cottage if you want to make your stay somewhat offbeat and unusual. I chose to stick with the traditional Kannuri house however, that came with my package.
Traditional room
Apart from all the above things that a traveler generally looks out for, what I really loved about the place was the hospitality and the warmth of our cheerful and chatty host – Indu - her dedication in hospitality and merry attitude ensured that it made our home stay experience indeed a homely one!
Traveler Tips:
Food: served is both vegetarian and non vegetarian. If you have any dietary preferences, make sure to suggest them to Indu well before meal times.
Location: Since the home stay is located a bit away from the main city, transportation and getting around can be a flip point but to counter that, there is an in house rickshaw available on call which can be used to get you out to the main city at a cost of Rs. 500. Further, you can save yourself money by clubbing it with a short tour of the nearby places.
Book yourself a half day cab: A cab can be booked from the home stay if you wish to explore the city and the nearby places. The cost is around Rs. 3500 for an entire day and Rs. 1500 for half a day. To avoid tiring yourself out, the half day option is recommended.
Talk to the locals: Do not forget to talk to your host
while you chalk out your sightseeing plans. Besides being the gracious
host that Indu is, I found in her one of the best guides ever willing to
help.
Last but not the least: Do some googling well in advance to avoid any last minute hassles. For a pleasant stay, there are numerous Kerala hotels,
cottages, resorts, guest houses and restaurants available ranging from budget
to luxurious and suited to all kinds of pockets and preferences.
Blue Mermaid Homestay:
Contact No: +91-9497300234
Email: bluemermaidknr@gmail.com
Website: www.bluemermaid.in
