Asia’s longest Drive-in beach, Kerala

Nestled beyond the lush green Western ghats along the Arabian coast lies this hidden gem, Muzhappilangad drive-in beach. Stretched across 5.5 kms in length, it is the Asia’s longest drive-in beach : A driver’s delight!

PROLOGUE

DRIVE is the reason, Destination is just an excuse !

After completing 43,000 kms it was time for new set of tires for the Cheetah : XUV 500

After multiple brainstorming sessions, I zeroed down to “Continental cross contact all weather” tyres with close contenders being Michelin latitude tour HP and Pirelli Scorpion.

It was time to check the potential of the new shoes and I decided to head to Muzhappilangad drive-in beach, which was on my mind for a long time.

DRIVE

Onward Journey : Bangalore – Hassan – Sakleshpur – Bekal – Muzzhapilangad = 470 kms

Return Journey : Muzzhapilangad – Virajpet – Mysore – Mandya – Bangalore = 330 kms

Quick facts

• This beach is the longest Drive-In Beach in Asia and is featured among the top 6 best beaches for driving in the world in BBC article for Autos
• The beach festival is celebrated in the month of April and it is one of the important tourist attraction in the district of Kannur in Kerala
• Hotshots practicing Tokyo drifts in their Polo’s, to local youth riding motorcycles where the waves lap the sand is a common sight
• There is a beautiful private island named Dharmadam Island, just 100-200 metres south of the beach. During low tide, you can walk to this island and that would be an experience of a lifetime

How to Reach ?

Despite being a less popular tourist destination in Kerala, Muzhappilangad Beach is well accessible from other parts of the state.

By Air: Calicut International Airport (102 km.) is the nearest airport that has regular flights plying from the city to other parts of India and worldwide. Board a flight till Calicut and from there you can hire a private taxi or get a state bus to reach here.

By Rail: Kannur is the nearest rail head, located about 16 km. from the beach. It has regular trains to and from other cities in Kerala and India.

By Road: The beach is situated parallel to NH 66 (formerly known as NH 17), between Kannur and Thalassery. This makes it even more accessible via roadways, connecting it to other parts of the state and India.

Location : Latitude: 11.792584, Longitude: 75.454416

It was an early morning start, left home at 3 AM and proceeded towards Hassan

Things to do

• Savour authentic Malabar cuisine – It doesn’t matter whether you are a foodie or not but you shouldn’t miss tasting the lip-smacking Malabar cuisine. Rich in spices and aroma, enjoy exotic Malabar seafood and other delicacies in one of the numerous eateries that line the 4-kilometre stretch of beach. Some of the must-try foods are Malabar Chicken Biriyani, Malabar Lamb Curry, Malabar Duck Roast and Appam.

• Adventure sports – You can experience parasailing, paragliding and microlight flights here or indulge into other kinds of water sports, catamaran ride or power boating. All the adventure sports are performed under strict guidance of experts.

• Swimming – The entire beach is lined by black rocks that protect it from the currents of the deep. Shallow waters and clean beach makes it a swimmer’s paradise.

• Enjoy a long drive – The best way to unravel the hidden secrets of Muzhappilangad Beach is a long drive along the coast. Unwind and relax as gentle breeze kisses your forehead and you immerse completely in the stunning views of the setting sun, glimmering water and white sands

Adventure is an under-statement!

Where to Stay? Though you may not find many hotels in Muzhappilangad Beach itself, Kannur is one of the ideal places to enjoy comfortable accommodation and proximity to the beach. The coastline stretches till Kannur, making it a preferred place for hotels & resorts.

Until next time..