In the wake of strong wanderlust feeling creeping inside me, I planned a trip to Mahe; a ‘former’ small French town situated at the mouth of river ‘Mahe’ in North part of Kerala. Rich in history and stories of myths and mysteries, Mahe offers one of the most exclusive places to visit in India. Though it is a part of Kerala, it is considered to be a part of Pondicherry thereby enjoys the attributes of a union territory as well.

Me and my friends rented a car from Trivandrum and covered total distance of 435 km to reach Mahe.

The journey was smooth and exciting. The full Moon and the dark clouds playing hide and seek offered best of ever seen views. Crossed various back water, estuaries, all under the moonlight we reached Mahe at 6 in the morning.

Places we visited:

Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach (4 km in length):

It is the only Drive-in beach in India and one of the longest Drive-in beaches in Asia.it is located at the distance of seven km from Thalassery, Kerala. Best time to visit the beach is during sunset around 4 pm to 6 pm between Oct to March. It’s a shallow beach thus can go deep into sea for quite a few meters and waves are generally mild and are not frequent. The feel of driving/ riding in the beach stands exotic in itself.

Azhimukham – Estuary of Mayyazhi River and Arabian Sea:

Azhimukham is the estuary of Mayyazhi River and Arabian Sea. We witnessed one of the best sunsets here. Tagore Park is situated by the bank of river offering two km of walk by the estuary which allows you to admire the beauty of a river end paving its way into the sea. The place revives the memories of all the geographic terms I studied in school, back then I imagined an estuary but this time I was witnessing one.

Bekal Fort:

Bekal Fort is the largest fort in Kerala, situated at Kasaragod district, North Kerala. 300 years old fort shaped like a giant key hole is one of the largest forts in Kerala. It offers a splendid view of Arabian Sea. The panoramic view of sea shore from the fort is simply breathtaking. It is a recognized tourism place in Kerala with entry ticket of just Rs. 5/-. The Bekal fort was considered to be built by Sivappa Nayaka though there are numerous conflicting citing about the existence of Bekal fort. Each stone tells the story of its vastness and each groove witness the fights it has encountered in history.

General Information:

Location: Mahe, North Kerala

Mode of transport: Well connected through road and rail, nearest airport is in Calicut.

Best Time to Visit: Oct to March

Places to visit: Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach, Azhimukham estuary, Thalassery fort, Juma Masjid, French Colony, Bekal fort