The town of Kothamangalam is beautifully located in the picturesque land of Kerala and is indeed an ideal place that symbolises its natural and cultural heritage. Although not very well-known as a tourist destination in Kerala, Kothamangalam has much to offer the traveller regarding attractions that make the town a rewarding and relaxing destination. There are many things to see and do in and around Kothamangalam, ranging from religious sites such as temples and wildlife areas to other attractive features like historical buildings and markets.
Best Places To Visit In Kothamangalam
There are many things to see and do in and around Kothamangalam, ranging from religious sites such as temples and wildlife areas to other attractive features like historical buildings and markets. Let’s look at a few of the places to visit:-
1. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
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Kerala has the Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in Kothamangalam, which occupies 25 square kilometres. This was the first bird sanctuary established in India and set up in 1983 to conserve the diverse species of birds native to the area. It has more than 270 regional species of birds, such as the Indian Pitta, Sri Lanka frogmouth, Malabar trogon, Malabar grey hornbill, Ceylon frogmouth, and rose-billed roller. A tropical evergreen forest and moist deciduous forest, Thattekad is situated between the bifurcation of the Periyar River with feed from Mangalapuzha and Thattekad River. Some more common forms of wildlife in the sanctuary are reptiles, amphibians, fishes, butterflies and insects. Some famous bird-watching areas in Thattekad include the Edamalayar riverfront, Poonkavanam, the Sencholimala viewpoints, and the Periyar riverfront.
It is recommended that tourists visit the sanctuary between November and March if they want to get the best experience. However, to make the trip engaging, as with the various birds that can be seen in Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, one has to plan well in advance and make prior bookings. The sanctuary also supports and encourages the practice of responsible tourism in the form of environmental conservation.
Best Time to Visit: November to March (ideal for bird watching)
Location: Near Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, Kerala
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2. Kodanad Elephant Training Centre
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The Kodanad Elephant Training Centre is about 45 kms away from Kochi, in the Kothamangalam of Western Ghats, Kerala. It was founded in 1976 and occupies territories of approximately 41 acres; it is one of Asia’s biggest elephant rescue and anti-captivity facilities. The centre still shelters approximately 15 elephants who have been rescued from lives in captivity or who are abandoned. These centres offer accommodation, feed, medical needs, and mahout training for these magnificent animals. A mahout refers to a person employed to deal with elephants and, more so, take care of these animals. Learning takes place at Kodanad, where young men undergo a specific training program that takes 18 months to prepare them as mahouts. They learn all the aspects of elephant behaviour, voice skills, signals and signals of the caretakers.
Whippers and commands of the raw type of language are used to train elephants at Kodanad, even as the ankush or the elephant goad is employed. Visitors may watch the elephants taking their morning baths, feeding, and training exercises conducted by a naturalist guide. A small museum at Kodanad shows graphics and photos of elephants and an elephant graveyard inside the complex. It is an important institution that preserves elephants in captivity in Kerala by training such elephants at the Kodanad Elephant Training Centre.
Best Time to Visit: October to March (less rainfall)
Location: Kodanad, near Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, Kerala
3. Kottappuram Fort
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Kottappuram Fort is a fine example of a mediaeval period fort situated in the Kottappuram district of Kothamangalam in Kerala in India. Kottappuram Fort was constructed in 1585 AD by the then Maharaja of Kochi – Veera Kerala Varma, which had been primarily used as a military defence along with a trading centre situated near the Periyar river. The place is designed in the typical Kerala architectural style, which uses laterite stone and wood to construct the Fort. A special feature of the Kozhikode house is an underground tunnel that connects to the Kottapuram market. Kottappuram Fort has a historical backdrop that includes many battles between the dominance of the Kochi Kingdom and invading forces over the centuries. They were damaged, especially during the Mysore invasion in the 18th Century during the various wars. Despite having been built for defending a place, the structure of the fort was left in the wilderness for many years but was later on, revived in 2009 by the Kerala State Archaeology Department.
Today, this building is known as a protected monument and one of the attractions for history and architecture lovers. The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation presents a sound and light show every evening, where the audience gets a glimpse of its history and the contributions it has made to the social and cultural life of Kerala over its four hundred years of existence. In summary, the Kottappuram Fort is a typical historical architecture that especially represents the military fortress form of the mediaeval era of the southern part of India.
Best Time to Visit: November to February
Location: Kottappuram, near Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, Kerala
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4. Malankara Dam
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The Malankara Dam is situated in Kothamangalam, a region belonging to the Ernakulam district of Kerala. It is constructed across the Malankara River, one of the major tributaries of the Periyar. Malankara Dam was built in 1955 and is currently one of the oldest dams in Kerala. Its tallest building has 23 stories and measures 11.6 metres in height and its longest structure measures 304 metres in length. It forms a beautiful lake-like structure with about 11 square kilometres of land coverage. Over the years, people have visited this reservoir in large numbers, making it a tourist attraction site. There are boating amenities for the tourists to enjoy different water machines. Its primary use is for the irrigation of paddy fields and the purpose is fulfilled for places like Thadiyampad, Malankara, Neendoor, etc.
The construction of the dam also includes a hydroelectric power station. The installed capacity of the power station is 3.6 MW, and the power generation of the power station annually exceeds 17 million kilowatt-hours. In general, the Malankara Dam has proven important in irrigation purposes, electricity generation, fishery activities and tourism development particularly in Muvattupuzha taluk and the district of Ernakulam. It has a blue colour that is best attributed to the azure colour of the sea with green hilly landscapes to enhance the beauty of the place that is perfect for a day trip.
Best Time to Visit: November to February (cool weather for outdoor activities)
Location: Near Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, Kerala.
5. Urulanthanni
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Urulanthanni is a small picturesque hill station in the Kothamangalam taluk of the Ernakulam district in Kerala. The Urulanthanni village is located at an elevation of 1,300 metres above mean sea level in the Western Ghats hill range, and the climate in this region is cool and pleasant throughout the year. Comprising grasslands and shallow valleys, the hill station is a home to Tropical Montana Forest which is a natural habitat for many species of plants and animals not commonly seen. Some of the main places of interest include the Urulanthanni Shiva Temple, a temple on the hill where people trek from various parts of the district to offer their prayers. From the temple steep hills and valleys of Western Ghats are visibly seen from the temple with enormous scenic beauty.
Trekking is also popular with trails taking one through shola forests, and rocky tracks. For the adventurous there are available opportunities for rock climbing and rappelling on the steep cliffs. While the main infrastructure is still quite crude, Urulanthanni provides relaxing, refreshing scenery for tourists away from the busy life and towns with hills, temples, and adventurous activities. However, as observed above, with increasing connectivity, tourism in the region is slowly beginning to gather steam.
Best Time to Visit: September to March (cool weather)
Location: Urulanthanni, near Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, Kerala
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6. Bhoothathankettu Dam
Image Credit: Shijan Kaakkara for Wikimedia Commons
Bhoothathankettu Dam is a wonderful dam and tourist spot in Pindimana village near Kothamangalam in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. Located over the Periyar River, this dam was constructed in the 1960s and the water stored in the reservoir of the dam is used for the supply of drinking water to the regions in its vicinity. Stretching more than 50 metres in length and 6.5 metres in height, the constriction of the dam forms a calm water body of a lake enclosed by forested hills. The key feature of Bhoothathankettu is the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary of considerable size, which harbours different species of birds, including native and migratory ones such as cormorants, darters, herons and egrets. The children’s park, the watchtower, and the facility for boating convey the importance of the serene water body in the dam premises.
The trek from the dam site through the thick forests takes one to the colourful and magnificent site of Bhoothathankettu, a large waterfall at an altitude of more than 200 metres. Located amidst a scenic backdrop, a large number of flora, fauna and archaeological sites, Bhoothathankettu Dam is a perfect destination for tourists who seek a serene backwater vacation and a thrilling experience of nature.
Best Time to Visit: October to March (pleasant weather for outdoor activities)
Location: Pindimana village, near Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, Kerala.
7. Ayyappan Kavu Temple
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The Ayyappan Kavu Temple is a renowned shrine dedicated to Hindu deity, situated in the city of Kothamangalam in the southern state of Kerala, India. This temple is located in the middle of greenery and is devoted to Lord Ayyappa, born out of Lord Shiva and Goddess Mohini, incarnate of Lord Vishnu. The age of the temple is not exactly sure, but from the looks of it, it can be dated to be several centuries old. Many devotees visit the temple throughout the year, not to mention when the temple committee performs various rituals during the festival known as the Mandala Pooja, which occurs for 41 days. The temple has a conventional built-up area of Kerala architectural style with a rectangular structure for the sanctum and a copper roof. The walls have been beautifully painted with nice murals to tell Hindu mythology stories.
Other deities, such as Ganapathy, Nagar, and Nagayakshi, are also worshipped within the temple complex. In addition to daily poojas, some important festival days are Shivaratri, Vishu, and the boat race festival during Onam. The serene surroundings, coupled with forests, traditional house architecture, and the lively festival of Kovalam, make Ayyappan Kavu Temple one of the leading pilgrimage centres of Kothamangalam.
Best Time to Visit: December to January and April (during Vishu)
Location: Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, Kerala
Related Post: Kochi In December
8. Nadukani Pavilion
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Nadukani Pavilion is a well-known cricket ground in Kothamangalam, a town in the Ernakulam District of Kerala. Actually, it was constructed in 1987 and is located near the town centre, where it can accommodate approximately 5000 spectators. The pavilion is called ‘Nadukani Gopalakrishnan’. He was a cricketer- a player of the Santhosh Trophy and a coach, and Kothamangalam is his birthplace. Many local cricket competitions have taken place in the stadium, and district-level games have also been played. Some of the tournaments played here include; P B Abdul Razak memorial trophy, Vamanan memorial trophy and even university level cricket games. The ground has turf pitches, and other practice amenities are reasonably adequate. They have also occasionally been home to women’s cricket competitions.
The pavilion however remained unattended for a long time until in 2015 the Municipal council authorities approved its renovation. This involved remodelling the pavilion, making new dressing rooms, and installing more practice pitches. Floodlight facilities were also brought to make way for day-night games. The Nadukani pavilion still remains a prominent cricket ground, aiming to nurture local talents in Kothamangalam and the neighbouring regions.
Best Time to Visit: during cricket season (October to March).
Location: Kothamangalam, Ernakulam district, Kerala
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Therefore, travel to Kothamangalam must be a wonderful experience since the area has great scenery, historical attractions, and cultural sites. If you are a lover of nature, a historian, or a worshipper, there is something special and unique that you will find about Kothamangalam. This is the unknown treasure of the southern state of Kerala – come here to enjoy astonishing nature, to discover thrilling history and to feel the pulse of the state. So, plan your trip to Kerala and visit the town of Kothamangalam and explore the various wonders that make this place a fascinating part of the state.
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Cover Image Credit: Shijan Kaakkara for Wikimedia Commons
Frequently Asked Questions About Kothamangalam
What is the climate like in Kothamangalam?
Kothamangalam falls under the tropical monsoon geographical region with hot and relatively humid climatic conditions prevailing throughout the year. The rainfall is heavy from June to September due to the monsoon season.
Is it comfortable to travel to Kothamangalam?
Yes, the town of Kothamangalam is relatively comfortable for tourists to visit. But, like, general safety rules should always be kept, like don’t ever wander around at night alone and always secure your stuff.
Are there good places to eat in Kothamangalam?
Food lovers can find a range of restaurants that serve Keralite food and other Indian food in Kothamangalam. There are many restaurants, cafes, and local fine dining places.
Is there any accommodation for tourists in Kothamangalam?
Yes, there are many places where one can stay in Kothamangalam which include cheap hotels, guest houses and resorts.
Can tourists find public transportation in Kothamangalam?
Yes, there are auto-rickshaws and buses for the transportation available in Kothamangalam. There are taxi services and other mobile services like Uber or Ola cabs also available.
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