Taj Mahal is spectacular. The large marble dome on top has two small domes on the flanks. There are two minarets on either side. The openings on the walls are also symmetric.
Soochippara Falls is in a beautiful location, in the middle of a dense green forest at Vellarimala in Wayanad. The drive from Kalpetta is scenic. We passed beautiful tea gardens with manicured bushes which stand on the slopes of small hills. The hills seemed to stretch endlessly. If you are travelling in the mornings, you may come across female workers plucking tea leaves from tea bushes. Travellers may know that Kerala is one among 50 Places of a Lifetime as rated by National Geographic.
Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary was a unique experience. The sanctuary is an hour’s drive from Kalpetta (36 km). It is on the National Highway NH766 which connects Kozhikode in Kerala with Kollegal in Karnataka via Mysore. The place is open from 7:00 to 10:00 in the mornings and 3:00 to 5:00 in the evenings. We started early morning from Kalpetta so that we could get in when the gates opened. The roads are good and there was little traffic at that time.
Kannur to Kasaragod by train is a scenic route. It runs close to the sea which can be seen at many points along the way. The tracks cross rivers and backwaters. There are dense mangrove forests near Kannur. It is the northern most district of Kerala state and nurtures abundant mangrove forests. This covers almost 80% of the total mangrove forests of the state. Coconut trees are everywhere, as can be expected in Kerala. The landscape is lush and green during monsoons.
Kannur lighthouse is painted in red and white colours which look great. It is located right by the sea, about 1400 metres from Sri Narayana Park in Kannur. Adjacent to it are the PWD Rest House and Sea View Park.