Top Tourist Places To Visit in Kozhikode Calicut

Kozhikode is popularly called Calicut, the anglicised version of the name. A type of cotton fabric, named Calico, was exported from here and has derived its name from Calicut. Situated on the Malabar Coastline, it is a prominent trading port in Kerala, dealing mainly in spices. It was hence called "City of Spices". The city is well-known since it welcomed Vasco da Gama who landed on a port 18km away from Calicut in 1498. In 2012, it was heralded as the ‘City of Sculptures’ because of the large number of architectural sculptures found here.

The name Kozhikode is derived from two words, Koyil- meaning palace and Kota- meaning fort. The collective connotation is "fortified palace." Presently it is the second largest urban conglomerate of Kerala. It is blooming with natural beauty as well as high-rise buildings, malls, etc. This city has innumerable places to see, with a variety ranging from museums and planetariums to beaches and bird sanctuaries.

Climate & Geography

Kozhikode is located in North-western Kerala with an elevation of 1m along the coastline of Laccadive Sea and around 15m on its eastern ends. 60km east to it are the Sahyadri Mountains from where several rivers run into this city. A part of city is also pervaded by wetland (mangrove) forests.

Kozhikode has a tropical monsoon climate. The summers are hot and humid and winters are moderately cold. The precipitation from South-west and North-east monsoon is heavy with an average annual rainfall of 3,266 mm.

Transportation

Kozhikode is well-connected to other major cities via three highways, NH17, NH 212 and NH213. Five state highways also pass through the city. The city has its own International Airport and a major railway station that links it directly to major cities like Chennai and Mumbai.

The city’s local transport is well developed. Tourists can avail buses, rickshaws, taxis and rented cars for travelling through Kozhikode.