Muzhappilangad drive-in beach and Bekal fort

What do you do, when you have leaves at your disposal? Go on a trip? Which place would be the best to go with cousins? Sometimes it could take ages to come to a consensus on the place to visit. Let alone, consensus, even to suggest a place, needs a lot of planning. But sometimes, a picture would be enough to go to a place, and that’s how Muzhappilangad trip happened. Here is our picture,

Cheetah splashing the Arabian Sea all around.

Here is the picture that inspired us and full credits to Team-BHP and the writer Hemanth to inspire us for the trip.

Thanks Hemanth, without you this trip wouldn’t have been possible

We started looking out for hotels in and around Muzhappilangad and we zeroed in on our location to stay, Kannur. With previous good experience of booking via Oyo, we booked hotel Rainbow Suites. In addition to Muzhappilangad beach, we decided to visit Bekal Fort as well.
Day 1: 1st July 2016 – Friday
We started from my cousins’ place at Bommanahalli a little past 5 AM. By starting early, we avoided the nightmarish traffic at Mandya and reached our breakfast location, Right-O mall at 715 AM. Right-O mall has food options of UpSouth, Subway, Polar bear etc., ample parking space and clean washrooms. We took an hour break and started again towards Kannur at 815 AM.
After crossing Hunsur, we entered the Brahmagiri forest area. The lush greenery just hits you on your face if you are coming from a concrete jungle. It was literally pouring and the surroundings became really dark.Incredible weather, beautiful roads and an amazing bunch of guys to be with, what else one needs? Now let the pictures do some talking.

Nice road with reflectors

Come on Bangalore !! When will I get this kind of a road?

Misty Mountains

We left Karnataka and entered Kerala. Scenery got even more beautiful. Greenery even on top of a shop roof

Raging river enroute

And another river !! I can sit there whole day doing nothing.

We reached our hotel half past 1 PM (eight and a half hour drive with multiple breaks for snaps). Hotel had a basement parking and check-in process was smooth.

Neat rooms with Boutique toiletries complementary from Oyo. Nice touch !!

The hotel had a big restaurant but the food is not up to the mark. The complementary buffet breakfast was surprisingly great.

Buffet setup for breakfast

We had our lunch and we immediately left for Muzhappilangad beach, a 15 KM drive. Direction boards were at plenty to reach the beach but surprisingly we found only couple of other cars. May be thats why its beauty is preserved. We wasted no time in getting out in water, the prime motive of our trip.

 Each one of us, took her inside and splashed sea all around.

We waited for sun to set, but it became really cloudy and we returned to our hotel by 7 PM and ordered room service. The starters especially masala peanut was great. After food we retired for the day.

Day 2: 2nd July 2016 – Saturday

The only scheduled stop for the day was Bekal fort and time permitting, we planned to visit Mahe in the evening to fill up lesser priced diesel. We had a heavy breakfast of Carrot uthappam, Idly, French toast, Omelet, fruits, fruit juices and coffee/tea. Beware !! Do not drink coffee. We started moving towards Bekal fort at 930 AM. Half way through, we spotted a car spa and did a complete wash as we had taken her inside salt water. A good ninety minute wash ensured it was almost noon by when we again started to Bekal fort and we had almost 70 odd kms to cover. By 100 PM we reached Kanhangad and decided to have lunch at Malnad family restaurant. Food was strictly average for vegetarians. We got moving and reached the fort at 230 PM. Because of the road maintenance work, had to encounter really bad patches. Fort had very good parking space. A nice, brisk and heavy shower welcomed us. Entry fee including two SLRs and five people was Rs 125. Couple of observations, one, strictly no tripod stand. Number two, take umbrellas, for sun and rain. Fort closes by 550 PM. As we entered, we realized how neat it was maintained. The fort also houses a temple inside.

Make sure you climb on the top and take a bird’s eye view of the fort. Worth the climb !!

View from the top

With the blowing sea breeze, monsoon winds, too good a place to be!!

Swach Bharat !! But indeed it was well maintained.

The place where Uyire song from Bombay was shot. Time to get down !!

Look at those threatening clouds. It indeed rained. But we stayed put and saw through the rains. It was an amazing experience.

Lots and lots of birds

Beautiful Garden, Kudos to the management for maintaining it.

We left the place at 5 PM and had to face a lot of traffic and eventually decided to drop Mahe from our plan and reached our hotel by 800 PM, again ordered room service and retired for the day.
Day 3: 3rd July 2016 – Sunday
We got up to the sound of thunderous rain. After sumptuous breakfast, checked out the room at 900 AM and started our return journey. We had our lunch at Cafe County, Hunsur. Food is again strictly average and reached Bommanahalli at 615 PM.
In short, the below picture says it all,

Stats

• Bommanahalli to Hotel Rainbow Suites – 337 kms (8 hours 10 minutes)
• Hotel to Drive-in beach (+return) – 33 kms (35 minutes travel one way)
• Hotel to Bekal Fort (+return) – 167 kms.  (2 hours 20 minutes one way)
• Hotel Rainbow Suites to Bommanahalli – 330 kms (9 hours 15 minutes) with a break at Channapatna