Top Things to Do in the Wayanad | Must-See Attractions & Experiences

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Places To Visit In Wayanad

Sulthan Bathery

Formerly known as Ganapativatom; Sulthan Bathery, located in the Wayanad district of Kerala, is a quaint and peaceful town. The place came to be known by its new name after the great ruler, Tipu Sultan of Mysore, invaded the region and used the Jain Temple located here as a battery. The pleasant weather in this beautiful town, coupled with excellent opportunities for shopping and spectacular historical sites makes the town of Sulthan Bathery a popular tourist destination that is visited by tourists all year round. Located at an altitude of 1000 meters above the sea level, the town of Sulthan Bathery boasts of a fantastic topography: majestic hills interspersed with valleys, cliffs and plains. Not only is Sulthan Bathery now the largest town in the entire Wayanad district, but the place is also reputed for its tourism and commercial activities. The main attractions for the tourists are the pre-historic caves, jungle trails, sparkling streams and rivers and lush greenery of the undulating hills, along with many options to explore the city and its surroundings. Stopovers such as the Edakkal Caves, Chethalayam Falls, the Jain Temple, Muthunga Wildlife Sanctuary, Ambalavayal Heritage Museum and St. Mary's and Yakoob Church make this town a suitable choice for every kind of traveller, having something for everyone to see. Read More

The Thirunelli Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to the Lord Maha Vishnu. It is located in the Wayanad district of Kerala and is surrounded by pleasing hills and lush green forests. It stands at the height of 900 meters, overlooking the mountainous landscape and thick forests, nestled on one side of the Brahmagiri hills, at the Karnataka border. The Thirunelly Temple is also known as the Sahyamala Kshetram and Kashi of the South. Nelli translates to gooseberry. It is believed that the idol was Lord Vishnu was first found resting on a gooseberry tree before the temple was built. Scriptures have been found that indicate that Thirunelly was an important centre of pilgrimage during the rule of the Chera king, Bhaskara Ravi Varma. Read More

The Thrissilery Shiva Temple in Wayanad is a famous pilgrimage destination of Kerala. Dedicated to Lord Shiva the temple is visited along with the Lord Vishnu Temple at Thirunelli 19km away. It is believed that the ancestral rituals at Thirunelli remain incomplete until one pays a visit to the Thrissilery Temple. The temple is also home to the shrine of Jala Durga installed, according to legend by Parasurama himself. It is located on the water tank that originates from the Papanasini River. The tank has never dried up till date. The Thrissillery Temple is one of the oldest temples of the state. The temple is said to be built by the Rajahs of the ancient medieval ages. The temple’s main deity is Lord Shiva and hence the festival of Maha Shivaratri celebrated in February-March is the best time to visit the temple. Also, Mondays are considered an important day of the week, with unmarried youths visiting the temple for blessings. The Malayalam festival of Meenam falls in March-April and Puthari is celebrated in October-November. Seasonally, the monsoons are best avoided due to heavy rainfall and summers can get quite hot with temperatures reaching 45 degrees. Winters are the best time to visit the temple. Read More

Valliyoorkavu Bhagavathi Temple is a temple with Goddess Durga as its presiding deity in three forms namely: Vana Durga, Bhadrakali, and Jala Durga. Situated about 24 kms from Kalpetta nearby Mananthavady, the temple was built in the 14th century. The main attraction of the temple is a 15-day festival held in February, March and April and this is the best time to visit. There is no entry fee to the temple and it's open from 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM everyday. The Valliyoorkavu Festival which is a festival dedicated to Goddess Durga is a 14-day festival which is held in March. The beginning of the festival is marked by bringing the sword of Valliyooramma from Palliyaara Bhagavathy Temple by the chief priest. The influence of tribal people in the festival is overwhelming since Tribal chiefs do the flag hosting on the 7th day. On all the 14-days, there are tribal dance performances and art acts which includes traditional ritual art form known as Kalamezhuthu performed at every night of the festival. The main attraction of the festival is on the last day when there are dance performances by tribal people using percussion instruments. Read More

Varambetta Mosque is one of the oldest architecture in the district of Wayanad. About 300 years old, the mosque is situated at a distance of 15 km from Kalpetta. The whole complex is neat, and well maintained, for the people who visit here. It is one of the most important Muslim religious centres in Wayanad, with Maithali Palli and Juma Masjid being close to it. This place is open for all the visitors irrelevant of their caste, religion or ethnicity. It was built in remembrance of a Sufi saint. There is an annual festival which is held in the mosque in March where people all over the Wayanad come and participate irrespective of their faith. Read More

Poopoli National Agrifest and Wayanad Flower Show at Ambalavayal in Kerala is held every year in January and marks the beginning of the new year. It is the biggest flower show in Kerala and is a venue for showing and exploring the latest trends and techniques in horticulture and floriculture. The Wayanad Flower Show is a beautiful exhibition of stunning flowers, with as many as 100 stalls a year. Vertical gardens and a variety of flowers are the highlights of this festival, and apart from that, the flower show is an avenue for adventurous sports and delicacies. Poopoli 2024 - Venue RARS Flowershow Park, Vaduvanchal-Kolagappara Road, Ambalavayal, Kerala. Poopoli 2024 - Date 1st-15th Janurary Entry Tickets for Wayanad Flower Show Tickets are available at the venue.Entry is free for children below the age of 6.For more details, call at 04936260421 About Wayanad Flower Show Flowers at PoopoliSource The festival is organized by Kerala Agriculture University and International Society for Horticultural Sciences with the cooperation of other societies and government organizations. It was initiated in 2014 with the aim of providing a platform for interaction between international experts, scientists, and entrepreneurs in the field of horticulture. The annual event makes the farmers aware of the immense potential of horticulture and encourages them to explore this field.There is an innumerable number of stalls sprawled over 10 acres which display some exquisite flowers and also sell garden plants, ornamental plants, and agricultural implements. Poopoli 2019 - Highlights of the Flower Show Source This year, the 5th edition of the international flower show will be held at Ambalavayal in Wayanad. The highlight of Poopoli 2019 will be various types of a vertical garden which is the most popular type of garden in modern society. Along with vertical gardens, a garden with vast collections of dahlias, moon garden, rose, gerberas, gladiolus, displaying some beautiful hues await the visitors. The visitors will also get to see Cactaruim, a collection of rare cactus plants and water lilies adorning the ponds. Other Attractions at Wayanad Flower Show Poopoli is an excellent avenue for leisure and has a wide range of facilities for the same. The attractions include Sky Screamer, Well of Death, Zip Line, Water Absorbing Ball and a whole lot of joyful and adventurous sports along with some delicious food stalls. How To Reach Ambalavayal The adjoining railway station of Wayanad is Kozhikode, and the nearest airport is Calicut International Airport. There are taxi services available to take tourists from the airport or railway station to Wayanad.An extensive network of roads also connects Wayanad with cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, and Trivandrum. KSRTC buses are a convenient mode of transport.Thus, resplendent weather with the beauty of flowers add to the charm of the festival and is a pleasure for the eyes. It is a must-go-to place for all nature enthusiasts. Read More

Wayanad Heritage Museum, also known as the Ambalavayal Heritage Museum, is an archaeological museum that has an impressive collection of artefacts belonging to the tribes of the region. It has an intriguing collection of artefacts belonging to the 2nd century that are tagged as rare. Some of these artefacts have been dated back to the Neolithic era and include regular daily items, decorative items, terracotta figurines, memorial stones, etc. This archaeological museum is divided into four sections namely: Devasmruthi, Gothrasmruthi, Veerasmruthi and Jeevenasmruthi. Each block houses various items that display the simplicity and intelligence and the rustic way of the living of the bygone era. From stones of primitive wars and tiger hunts to admiring stone idols of 12th to 16th century and belongings of Wayanad tribe, the museum brings alive the past of our country in a very special way. Read More

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is the second largest wildlife sanctuary in Kerala and comprises of rare as well as endangered species of both flora and fauna. It is surrounded by the protected areas of Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu as well as Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka. Founded in the year 1973, the wildlife sanctuary is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve which was the first biosphere out of the 14 present in India. The sanctuary is spread over an area of 345 square km and comprises of two parts namely Upper Wayanad and Lower Wayanad. Eucalyptus, as well as bamboo trees, are grown in the region. Read More