Beypore: Away from City

The  coastal town of Beypore is located in the haunts of Kerala, around 10 kilometers south of Kozhikode and is part of the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation. It lies at the mouth of the Chaliyar River and is known for its tradition of shipbuilding. This tradition began nearly 1500 years ago when it was a prominent port and trading center during the reign of the Arab explorers, then Chinese and the British. The Beypore Port is one of the oldest and most functional ports of Kerala from where India traded with the Middle East.

Beypore is one of the hidden glories of Kerala where people find refuge from their polluted busy lives. It is famous for building wooden boats known as Dhows or Urus, in Malayalam, which means ‘Arabian trading vessel’. It is amazing to watch the local people indulge themselves in the ‘intricate woodwork to perfection’. A visit to this town is a must to see the skilful hands and alert minds at work, creating magnificent boats and ships. Shipbuilding is the major industry and source of commerce for Beypore and the people do a wonderful job of it, as they have been doing for so many centuries.

Fishing is a popular hobby and the livelihood of most people in Beypore. The fishing  harbour is barely a kilometer away from the shipbuilding yard and is open to everyone. The Pulimuttu is a 1 kilometer long bridge; it is a popular tourist attraction where most people come to spend some quiet quality time. Apart from the Beypore Port, the Beypore lighthouse is located on the bank of Chaliyar, overlooking the river. Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, the famous Malayalam novelist and short story writer, drew from  his experiences around the town which he fondly remembered as Beypore Sultan.

Some other tourist destinations include the Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, 7 kilometers from Beypore. Flocks of birds migrate here in the beginning of summer. The Kadalundi Nagar has the sanctuary spread over a number of islands, surrounded by hills. This picturesque view is heartwarming and gives a sense of calmness and serenity to the viewer.

Beypore has hot, humid and sunny summers with the temperature soaring to almost 35 degrees. Winters are much more pleasant and cool. It has a long monsoon season from April to October with heavy showers that refresh the coastal air and one can smell the fresh mud mixed with the smell of the sea. The town is well connected through the Calicut Airport at a distance of 23 kilometers. Jabalpur flights, Pune flights, Mumbai flights and from other places in India find their destination in Calicut which is just a half an hour ride away from the town of Beypore.