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points for trains running up and down the coast of Kerala, so it’s not difficult finding a berth from either Kochi or Trivandrum if you’re heading north, or from Mangalore (and other, more northern, hubs) if you’re heading into Kerala. Be warned that these trips are incredibly lengthy and arduous. Daytime journeys are wonderful if you’re keen on watching the fabulous passing scenery, but you’ll need stamina and patience. Dial 133 or 0495/270-1234 for inquiries at the Kozhikode Railway Station, or 0495/270-3822 for reservations. If you’re treating yourself to time at Neeleshwar Hermitage (see “Where to Stay,” below), in the northernmost reaches of the state, then you’ll hop off at nearby Kanhangad (a name that doesn’t roll so easily off the tongue, so be sure to write it down when buying your ticket)—let them know which train you’re arriving on and someone will fetch you from the station.

GETTING AROUND Auto-rickshaws are fine for short trips in Kozhikode and Kannur, but for longer journeys you will have to hire a car and driver, or hop on a train (see above).

KOZHIKODE & THE WYANAD RAINFOREST

Archaeological evidence suggests that civilizations inhabited the fertile forests of the Wyanad around 3 millennia ago. Today pockets of tribal populations still practice time-old rituals and eke out a simple existence in harmony with nature, but the wonderfully temperate climate and almost permanently sodden soil has also meant that the region supports a sprawling network of coffee, cardamom, betel nut, pepper, and rubber plantations, stretching over the undulating hills in every direction. And between the cultivated hills, there’s a dense rainforest, studded with splendid rocky outcrops and easily accessible Neolithic caves.

Malabar trade, which is still largely focused on spices and textiles, once centered on the teeming coastal town of Kozhikode, the unofficial capital of the North. Until recently known as Calicut—incidentally where the term calico (or white, unbleached cotton) originated—this is where Vasco da Gama was first welcomed in 1498; at the nearby village of Kappad, a commemorative plaque memorializes the spot where the Portuguese explorer is said to have landed. Still famed for its old spice market, Kozhikode can be an interesting, if offbeat, place to explore between Ayurvedic treatments (available at the Harivihar Heritage Home, reviewed below) and shopping for textiles or gold and silver. To most, however, the city is more of a go-between point for journeys farther south or north, or inland to Kerala’s highest rainfall region, the Wyanad Hills . One of India’s last true wildernesses, the hills are home to some truly soothing get-away-from-it-all accommodations, including Tranquil, where you can bed down in a luxurious treehouse surrounded by a 160-hectare (400-acre) working coffee plantation (see below).

Not Quite Kung-Fu Fighting

While in Kozhikode you can watch students perform Kerala’s spectacularly acrobatic, high-flying martial art form, Kalaripayattu (see the sidebar “Kathakali & Kalaripayattu: Kerala’s Ancient Art Forms,” earlier in this chapter) at C.V.N. Kalari Nadakkavu (E. Nadakkavu, Nadakkavu P.O., Kozhikode 673 011; 0495/276-9114 or -8214; www.cvnkalarikerala.com; cvnkalari@sify.com). The school holds open classes 6 to 8:30am and 4 to 6:30pm—with prior notice, foreigners with some martial arts training are allowed to join these. Ayurvedic treatments are given during the day.

Where to Stay

Please don’t think of the Wyanad Hills as a day trip. If you head out that way, be sure to book a place to stay; chances are you won’t want to leave.

In Kozhikode

Kozhikode may not be packed with options, but it does have one of the finest little guesthouses in the state—the handsome Harivihar is reviewed below. As far as hotels go, your best bet is The Gateway Hotel Beach Road Calicut ( 0495/661-3000;www.tajhotels.com; doubles from Rs 4,500), the only five-star hotel in town, aimed at the luxury business-oriented traveler. In terms of facilities (with two restaurants and a decent pool), it’s the best place