Top Things To See And Do In Palakkad, India

Palakkad, a district in the southern state of Kerala, is rich with natural treasures, providing many beautiful sights and things to do. Also known as the Rice Bowl of Kerala, Palakkad has many lush green rice fields, as well as rolling, misty mountains, plush, green forests, wildlife sanctuaries, large reservoirs and dams, and historical monuments. Even the roots of its name is derived from nature, as some think the name Palakkad comes from the “pala tree” (alsteria scholaris) and “kadu” (forest) that were once abundant here. This post covers the top things to do in Palakkad, how to get there, and the best time to visit.

The Top Things To Do In Palakkad

Malampuzha Gardens And Dam

Malampuzha is the largest reservoir in Kerala, supplying drinking water to Palakkad, as well as electricity from its hydroelectric plant. It was built in 1955 across the Malampuzha River, a tributary of Bharathapuzha, the main river. The water from the reservoir and dam also provides the water for the beautifully designed flower gardens, manicured lawns, pools, and fountains here. It’s the perfect place to spend a ‘cool’ day with family and friends.

It’s known for its aerial ropeway (South India’s first and only), which is similar to a gondola, except it moves horizontally. Over 2,000’ long (626 m), it connects the two sides of the park area from overhead.

From the ropeway, you’ll see the sculpted gardens and many fountains below, which are at their most beautiful when the water level is high, get an eye-level look at Malampuzha Dam, which is best when it’s at its peak velocity, see the giant Yakshi Statue, the goddess associated with the fertility of the earth, love, and beauty, boaters fishing and paddling in the Malampuzha River, and the lush mountains in the distance called the Western Ghats.

You can purchase a one way or a round trip ticket for the ropeway. My ride, near sunset, was beautiful as the sun set an amber cast on the greenery here.

In addition to riding aerial ropeway, you can cross the river via a suspension bridge, walk the gardens, which also include a Japanese garden, visit the fish-shaped freshwater aquarium, explore the children’s park, rent boats on the river, and walk to an impressive viewpoint of the dam.

There’s also a Fantasy Park for children nearby and a Snake Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (which I didn’t visit as I don’t like seeing any animals caged).

How To Get To Malampuzha Gardens and Dam

Malampuzha Gardens is located about a 3-4 mile (6-7 km) drive northeast of Palakkad city center. If arriving by train, Palakkad Junction Railway Station, which is about 4 miles (7 km) away, is closer than the Palakkad Town Station. You can take a taxi, rickshaw (tuk tuk), or bus to the gardens from the station. There is also a frequent bus from the Palakkad Town Stand and Municipal Stand.

See how to reach Malampuzha for more details.

The Best Time To Visit Malampuzha

The best time to visit Malampuzha is during rainy season. This is when the water will be flowing freely from the dam, all the fountains will be functioning, and the gardens will be luxuriant and colorful.

Rainy season, or monsoon season, generally runs June to August, although varies a little from year to year. I visited in early April, which was hot and dry. The water levels were very low, so the park was a little less-than-lush and most of the fountains were dry. A visit when the water levels are high would be a much better choice.

Malampuzha Reservoir

On the other side of Malampuzha Dam is the reservoir, which was very, very low, but still a very beautiful sight.

Kava

Just east of Malampuzha Dam is a beautiful area of grassland and water surrounded by the stunning, green rolling mountains of the Western Ghats. The area is called Kava. Locals call it the “the womb of the raincloud” as the first rain clouds start here. This is the best place in Palakkad to watch the sunset and it’s ideal to time your visit here for after the Malampuzha Gardens and Dam.

There is no public transportation here, you must drive your own car. I was lucky enough to be with some locals and friends from after a wedding I went to in Palakkad. To get here, you must drive off-road, which is a bit bumpy, but we managed, slowly, with a regular car.

Make sure you go with someone that knows the way or ask to follow someone! The people in this area are very friendly so if you’re not sure, I think you could find someone to help. We followed Malampuzha Road, then turned left onto Anakkal Road, before ending up on narrow dirt roads.

If you look on Google Maps, you’ll see various ‘viewpoints’ highlighted in the Kava area, labeled as Kava Viewpoint. I’m not entirely sure if we were at one of these viewpoints, but we found a stunning spot to admire the seemingly endless shades of green of the mountains, the drifting clouds, and the slowly darkening sky.

The area, and your experience here, can change dramatically based on water levels and the season. As there was no water when were here, the cows and buffalo were grazing in the vast fields where water would normally be. In rainy season, the trees will be in the middle of the water.

This place is very serene and magical, so I highly recommend it if you can. It’s difficulty finding and getting to is worth the effort.

Malampuzha Rock Garden

Just down the road from Malampuzha Gardens is the Rock Garden. The artwork here, designed by Nek Chand, is all created from recycled materials, like broken tiles, glass, fuse boxes, plastic, stones, and more.

The peacock at the front entrance was my favorite, made of vibrantly colored bangles, shells, and cut stone.

This garden is a maze of mosaics and unexpected sculptures, many with stories from history, legend, and lore, making it an interesting place to wander with friends and family. It’s best to visit before Malampuzha Gardens so you can see the gardens afterwords, in late afternoon light, then visit Kava (above) to watch the sunset.

How To Get To The Rock Garden

The Rock Garden is a 3-minute drive, or 15-minute walk, southwest of the Malampuzha Garden entrance.

Fort Palakkad

Although not much is document on the early days of this area, many believe a fort has been here since ancient times. In the mid-eighteenth century, Sultan Hyder Ali, ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, captured and rebuilt this fort.

After this, ownership shifted between the Sultans and the British during multiple wars before finally becoming a protected monument in the 20th century. Today Fort Palakkad remains one of the most well-preserved forts in Kerala.

Although I didn’t get a chance to visit this fort, there’s a lot here, including the Vatika & Shilavatika Gardens, an archeological museum, a Temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman (Anjaneya), an open-air auditorium, called Rappadi, a park for children, called Nehru Park, a sub jail, and more. Entry to the fort is free.

The fort area is large, with 9 bastions surrounded by a moat and a track that runs outside of the moat. To cross the moat and enter the fort, you cross a small footbridge.

How To Get To Fort Palakkad

If driving, Fort Palakkad is located in the heart of Palakkad, not far from the Palakkad Town Bus Station. If arriving by train, the Palakkad Town Railway Station is about 1.2 miles (2 km) away from the fort. You can take a taxi or rickshaw (tuk tuk) from the station.

Day Trip To Silent Valley National Park

If you have more time, take a day trip to Silent Valley National Park, located north of Palakkad city in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. This is the last remaining rainforest of Kerala, a perfect place for nature lovers. It gets its unusual name from the lack of noisy cicadas, which prefer areas with less humidity and rain.

This national park is home to the largest population of the endangered lion-tailed macaques. In fact, this area became a park to protect them after a hydroelectric plant was proposed here, which would have resulted in flooding, further endangering this rare primate. The park also, however, protects other highly endangered species like tiger, gaur (Indian buffalo), leopard, wild boar, panther, Indian civet, and sambhar, and is rich in a variety of other animals, like elephant, wild pig, and panther, as well as many birds, and flora.

Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to visit this park. They say that even though it’s rare to see wildlife on a visit here, the panoramic view from the watchtower at the end of the jeep safari offers a stunning view of the lush forest canopy here.

Best Time To Visit Silent National Forest

Monsoon season starts here in June and lasts until September or even December. Especially at the higher elevations. During this time, most of the animals stay protected and dry, so animal sightings are vary rare.

In addition to this, the park is reportedly closed to visitors from March to May, but hours of operation, closure details, and information on safaris and self-drives is difficult to find and sometimes conflicting. If you plan to visit, I recommend contacting them directly via their website silentvalley.gov.in to get the latest details.

Day Trip To Nelliyampathy And Seethargund Viewpoint

Nelliyampathy, surrounded by tea and coffee plantations in the mist-filled mountains of the Western Ghats, is an another beautiful area to visit as a day trip from Palakkad. Althiugni did not visit, they say the drive up to the hills offers amazing views of the rich, green fields.

Seethargund, pictured below, is a popular viewpoint in Nelliyampathy, offering stunning panoramic views for miles. According to beliefs, this viewpoint is where Lord Rama, Laxmana, and Seetha rested during their exile.

How To Get To Seethargund

The drive to Seethargund from Palakkad city center is about 35 miles (57 km), which is about a 2 hours drive, depending on traffic. Reportedly, you’ll encounter some hairpin turns and the final road up to Seethargund is narrow and not in very good condition, so driving is not easy. After parking near the top, there is a walk to the stunning viewpoint. Be careful as the ground is uneven and the edges are dangerously steep.

Note that along the drive, many people stop at viewpoints along the way, like Pothundy Dam and Nalliyampathy falls.

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary

The Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, located about halfway between Palakkad and Munnar in Kerala, is another day trip option. In addition to a reserve for tigers, there are also asian elephant, guar (Indian bison), spotted deer, nilgiri tahr (Indian wild goat), peacock, and crocodile, as well as a huge variety of birds and flora. The reserve covers 248 miles² (643 km²). It’s also home to the world’s oldest and tallest Teak tree which is 450 years old.

This is another place I didn’t get to visit, but you can take a 3 hour jungle safari with a guide to look for wildlife here. The fee is 300 INR, which is about $3.66 (as of April 2023), although there is a minimum of 12 required (you can buy the remaining seats). There is also a full day program which includes the safari, bamboo rafting, trekking and lunch. The fee for this is 970 INR with a minimum of 10 people required.

If you want to stay overnight, there is also accommodation in the park. Once of which is a tree house!

How To Get To Parambikulam

Parambikulam is located about 47 miles (76 km), southeast of Palakkad city center, about a 2 hour drive.

Best Time To Visit Parambikulam

The best time to visit is September to January, after the monsoon rains end and the temperatures are cooler. The monsoon season, June to August, is not a good time as the animals will be mostly sheltering in the rain. Sometimes the reserve is closed in the summer, from February until the rains start due to fire hazards from the dry heat.

Take A Day Trip To Adiyogi Shiva Statue

Adiyogi Shiva Statue and the Isha Yoga Center is located in Tamil Nadu, about a 2 hour drive from Palakkad. This fascinating location is another great day trip idea, designed for personal reflection and inner-change. This massive statue, sitting solemnly in front of the Velliangiri mountains of Tamil Nadu, is the God Shiva depicted as Adiyogi – the first yogi, from whose divinity yoga took birth.

The facilities here are not for any one faith or culture, it’s a complex designed to inspire all people towards well-being through yoga and personal reflection. In addition to the statue, there’s a powerful mediation space, energizing pools, many consecrated spaces, a yoga center, and much more.

How To Get To Adiyogi Shiva Statue

The drive from Palakkad to Adiyogi Shiva State is about 1 and 3/4 to 2 hours, depending on traffic. The complex is in Tamil Nadu, the state east of Kerala.

Best Time To Visit Adiyogi

You can visit any time of year, but temperature wise, it’s much cooler in the winter. This is especially important as there is not much shade here. There’s an evening 3D laser light show that tells the story of Shiva as Adiyogi. If you can, I highly recommend this. It starts at 7 PM. Ideally, arrive a few hours earlier to see the different areas in the complex, soak in the energizing pool, and meditate to get the complete experience.

How To Get To Palakkad

Fly

The closest airport to Palakkad is Coimbatore International Airport (CJB) in the state of Tamil Nadu (east of Kerala). The drive to Palakkad from CJB is about 1.5 hours.

Cochin International Airport (COK) in Kerlala, is a longer drive, about 2 hours, but has flights arriving from more international locations.

From Coimbatore or Cochin airport you can drive or take a taxi. As a solo female traveler, I chose a taxi from Cochin airport. My cost for the 2 hour drive to Palakkad was about $54. I had the taxi arranged in advance as I arrived after 2 AM.

Train

There are two train stations in Palakkad, Palakkad Junction Railway Station and Palakkad Town Station. Both can be reached via trains from many surrounding areas in India. The former station is closer to Malampuzha Gardens and the latter is closer to the Fort Palakkad.

Bus

There are many government buses and private luxury buses running to Palakkad from various cities like Kochi and Coimbatore.

The Best Time To Visit Palakkad

The best time to visit Palakkad temperature wise is during the winter, from December to February. Monsoon season is June to August and summer, which is very hot, is May to June.

See the specific sections above for the best time to see certain sites in Palakkad, as some are best seen in the rainy season, like Malampuzha Gardens and Dam.

Want To Read More About Kerala, And India?

There are many great tourist destinations in Kerala, which has been labeled, God’s Own Country.

The Kerala backwaters southwest of Palakkad are a great place to visit. These backwaters are a vast network of lakes, lagoons, and canals lined with palm trees stretching from Kochi, all the way down to Kollam.

Munnar is another top destination in Kerala, with stunning, brilliant green tea plantations on rolling hills leading up to the incredible views at its hill stations and mountain peaks. There are views so beautiful, this area is called the Kashmir of South India.

Adiyogi, a giant statue of the God Shiva represented as Adiyogi, which means the first yogi, is in neighboring Tamil Nadu. If you are on a quest for inner well-being, transformation and empowerment, this is an excellent place to visit as a day trip. Adiyogi is about 132 miles (212 km) northeast of Kochi.

And if you wan to see one of the more popular spots in India, visit Jaipur. This was definitely one of my favorite cities. Its sumptuous palaces, fascinating forts, and incredible royal history is riveting. It’s a city that you will always remember.

And, of course, Taj Mahal, in Agra, a several hour drive east of Jaipur, is something you just can’t miss. See my Top Tips for Visiting the Taj Mahal and the Top 10 Things to Do In Agra.

Safe Travels!

Julie