Place in Kerala
Photo: Omnipotent, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Parassinikkadavu is a small riverside tourist town in Kannur District, Kerala, India. This is the only temple where the mild alcoholic drink called 'Toddy' is offered to the God at the temple.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
You can get an auto (₹20) for a ride down the winding road to the temple. Alternatively there is a direct footpath with wide steps. The temple has a simple layout and cute look. Unlike other Kerala temples, non-Hindus are also welcomed inside the temple because this temple is governed by an atheist organization who want to continue the traditions and get the income. The surrounding villages are dominated by Hindus of atheist variety. Very often, the womenfolk of these villages are deeply religious. This temple has no idol to worship, rather a ritualistic art-form (Muttappan Theyam) to worship.
You can go across the Vellikkeel Bridge by hiring an auto-rickshaw from Bakkalam to Pattuvam (₹200). Very beautiful mangrove swamps and an estuary.
Scenic mosque in the middle of a paddy field.
Traditional blacksmith workshop is the main attraction. There is a lighthouse in this island.
Tourist spot
Photogenic Place
Picnic spot
Very silent place
The lighthouse is the main attraction here
Old cycle repair shop attracts many visitors
Spectacular views from the tree house
All coconut and arecanut. Beautiful bridge wide enough for a small car.
Take the road left immediately before the Parassini bridge. Climb the little to the centre of the town. (4 km)
Bakkalam is an ideal village for a leisurely stroll. There are coconut plantations and paddy fields wherever you look. Walk on the Morazha road until you reach Vellikkeel bridge which is an extremely scenic place.
Parking facility for 100 cars, several rides, shops selling swimming clothes etc. This business venture is owned and managed by the local Communist Party.
Theyyam is performed in the temples of Parassinikkaavu and surrounding cities during certain times of the year.
Run by the government
Free food is given to all visitors. They offer tea with fried mung beans for breakfast. Lunch is traditional Kerala style vegetarian thali on a plantain leaf.
There are two village tea shops in Parassinikkadavu bus terminus. Even though the seating arrangements are basic, the food is very clean, tasty and cheap. In Kerala, smaller restaurants of the villages offer good value for money. You can see people in big cars visiting these humble restaurants because the city restaurants offer a stereotype fare.
Two big restaurants: one is vegetarian and the other has meat options.
Chicken biriyani served on banana leaves along with date-beetroot pickle.
Run by the government.
Government property.
Parassinikkadavu is half an hour by bus from Kannur. The nearest railway station is Kannapuram 13 km.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Kannur · International · CNN
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Parassinikkadavu and India.
Explore the rainy seasons in Asia month by month. Compare Southwest and Northeast monsoons, typhoon belts, dry island escapes, and travel dates.
8 min read
Spot and avoid common tourist scams in India, including fake train ticket offices, closed hotel lies, rigged auto-rickshaws, and temple donation tricks.
8 min read
Full 2026 list of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries for Indian passport holders. Check entry requirements, stay limits, and transit visa rules.
6 min read
Discover the best places to visit in India, from Delhi monuments and the Taj Mahal in Agra to Jaipur forts, sacred Varanasi ghats, and Kerala backwaters.
6 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.