Payyolli Beach
February 2, 2010 by admin
Filed under Payyolli Beach
The small village of Payyoli is one of the most outstanding tourism destinations in Kozhikode. Located at a distance of 30kms from the city, the village is well known for its beach called Payyoli Beach. India’s sprint Queen, P. T. Usha nicknamed as ‘Payyoli Express’ hails from this village. She made her practiceson this beach and brought fame not only to the beach or village but alsoto the country.Payyoli Beach is a long wide golden sandy secluded beach studded by groves of swaying coconut palms and shallow water is a supreme place for water sports. A massive rock ‘Velliyamkallu’ that narrates the heroic story of Kunjali Marakkar is situated 13 km away from the beach. At its southern edge stands the ‘Thikkodi lighthouse’ built after a shipwreck, the remains of which can be seen five kilometres offshore. There is a Nature Conservation Centre called ‘Theeram’, initiated by fishermen to save endangered Olive Ridley turtles. During November and December, you can see a whole lot of them coming to the shore to lay eggs.
One and half kilometres north of Payyoli, the sand bank at the bay of the Moorad River is an asylum for birds. On the southern banks of the Moorad River, at Kottakal,is the humble dwelling of Kunjali Marakkar, the valiant admiral of the King Zamorin, which has been preserved as a museum.