Bekal
Bekal Attraction and Tourism : Bekal, which, for years, was just a passing mention on the margins of the tourism map of Kerala, is now an international tourist destination. Located in the northern most district of Kasargod in Kerala, famous for its historical relics, temples, hills, rivers and scintillating beaches, Bekal is famous for the 350 year old Bekal fort, the largest and the best preserved fort in Kerala. Believed to have been built in the 17th century by Sivappa Naik of the Ikkeri dynasty, it later fell into the hands of Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan and then became the domain of the British rule. Sprawling over nearly 16 hectares, surrounded by pristine, palm-fringed beaches, this key-hole shaped fort with its semi-circular structure juts out into the sea and stands imposing over a vast stretch of the Arabian sea, at once imperious and romantic. The setting at sunset is breathtaking. Every nook and cranny of this magnificent edifice echoes the heroic and royal tales of yore.
The shallow beach that it overlooks is now becoming the hotspot of beach tourists looking for a quiet and relaxed beach holiday. The mix of sea, sand and history lends it a magical mystique, unlike any other beach destination in the country. Bekal is among the five centres in the country selected by the Government of India to be developed into ‘Special Tourism Area’ and has been developed by the government of Kerala with the conversion of around 130 acres of the countryside into a resort with meandering lakes and beaches, billed among the best in Asia. The 10 metre high tower in the middle of the tower offers a sweeping view of the entire fort, the green valleys and the blue mountains around. The secluded and shallow beach of Pallikkare, just one kilometer from the Bekal fort is a tourist favourite also for the great view of the fort it offers. Kappil beach, another quiet and beautiful beach and the Kodi Cliff nearby, which affords a bird’s eye-view of the sea, the Aqua Park, with unique water sport facilities, Chithari, a small island with an emerald lagoon and a long sandy beach, accessible by boat or local wooden canoes, the Pandiyan Kallu, a large rock rising out of the sea, which legend traces back to the age of the Pandyas are all fabulous tourist spots in Bekal, still waiting to be discovered by mainstream tourism.
