Palakkad

Palakkad also known as Palghat lies on the foothills of the Western Ghats. On the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Palakkad is 80 km towards northeast of Trichur and 50 km towards southwest of Coimbatore. Palakkad district is called "the Granary of Kerala". Palakkad attracts a lots of tourists every year because richness of the natural beauty of the dense forests, fertile valleys, huge mountains, long rivers, several streams and diverse flora and fauna.

There are several tourist attractions at Palakkad to keep tourists busy during their stay at the hill station. The Palakkad Fort, situated in the heart of Palakkad town, is built of granite and one of the best-preserved forts in Kerala. Hyder Ali of Mysore in built the fort in 1766 AD. The British took over the fort and modified and renovated it in 1790 AD. The fort is now the property of the Archaeological Survey of India.

At a distance of 10 km from the town of Palakkad is Thiruvalathoor. The ancient temple is visited for fine wood craftsmanship and stone sculptures. Dhoni is 15 km from the town. It is a reserve forest area with small yet splendid waterfall and a must visit for nature lovers. The trek to the forest reserve takes 3 hours from the hill base of Dhoni. Situated 15 km from the town is Kottayi. It is a small village famous for being the native place of the master of Carnatic music, Late Chembai Vasidyanatha Bhagavathar.

Malampuzha Garden is at a convenient distance of 10 km from Palakkad on the lower hills of the Western Ghats. It is the most frequented picnic spot complete in beauty with a dam, manicured gardens, fountains, pools and pathways. Frequent bus services ply between Palakkad and Malampuzha Garden. The Rose Garden has more than a hundred varieties of roses making a very vibrant scenario. There is an aerial ropeway across the garden. The dams and gardens are illuminated on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. The reservoir features the facilities like boating and fishing. You can complete tour picnic outing with the ride in the pedal boats, rowboats, water scooters and motorboats or by taking a plunge into the well-kept swimming pool. A fresh water aquarium, a snake park and a children's park are the added feature of the Malampuzha Garden.