Kalpetta is a bustling town in the state of Kerala. Mostly noted for the large coffee and tea plantation the town is also the administrative headquarter of Wayanad district. Since the place is located almost at the centre of the district and all national as well as state highways pass through the town, therefore it is also just often referred as the “Gateway to Wayanad” (Wayanad is one of the most popular tourist destinations in south India). The place is also known for its distinctive geography. Rocks of large and small size are found all across the region which became the reference of the place’s name. Kalpetta signifies “deposits of stone”. Apart from that there exists a large number of government offices and headquarters making it a pensioners Eden.
The strategic location of the place makes it easily accessible. Popular as the gateway to the Wayanad, there is a large count of tourists visiting the place. The good thing is that there is enough number of Kalpetta hotels to effectively accommodate every tourist. Regular normal as well as deluxe buses connect the place to rest of the state and other popular cities in south India. There is one national highway and three state highways passing through the district. However, note that there is no railway station as well as airport within the radius of 70 k.m. from the town. Located about 72 k.m. distance is the Kozhikode railway station, whereas Calicut International Airport is at about 100 k.m. distance.
Kalpetta is one of the well-known producer of coffee and tea. The miles long and wide fields of tea and coffee fill the place making it scenic as well as aromatic. It is one major contributor of the place’s revenue. Apart from that tourism is yet another chief industry here. Most of the travelers visiting Wayanad stop in the town. In the meantime, the place also has a plethora of attractions and allures in its store. Mahatma Gandhi Museum is one of the most notable landmarks of the place. It is said that during his tour of the region Mahatma Gandhi took rest in the building. Today, it is a memorial dedicated to the father of the nation. It is also a library with a large compilation of books and novels from all over the world. It is a major itinerary of Kalpetta tourism. Puliyarmala Jain Temple is another prominent landmark of the place. It is one of the handful of Jain temples in the region, making it spiritually significant. The Jains in particular visit the temple in large count as it is a highly revered temple.
Tourists also flock the Regional Coffee Research Station in large count. Spread over an area of 116 hectares it houses about 30 hectares of coffee plantation land. It is very scenic and is a good place to learn more about how the coffee is grown and packaged. Apart from these the other noteworthy attractions in and around the place include: M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Pookode lake, Banasura Sagar Dam, Soochipara Falls, Chembra Peak, Edakkal Caves, Sulthan Bathery Jain temple, Meenmutty Falls, Chain Tree, Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, etc.
For lodgings, the town offers a wide range of options to pick from. Starting from the luxury hotels to budget hotels in Kalpetta to cheap hotels to home stay tourists can pick from any to make their stay a memorable experience.
Dimpy Roy
Dimpy Roy is a travel writer working with an Online Travel Guide. She guides travelers to various resources where they can find best budget hotels in Kalpetta and choose the best one.