The village of Bakel is located south of Kasargod in Kerala State. My friend and I decided to drive down there not just to look at the fort but to spend some time on the beach and the village.
It’s a small village and has a fort that was built more than 350 years ago. Recently it has been identified as a site of Archaeological interest. It is approximately 2 hours drive from Mangalore and definitely worth a visit not only to see the fort but also for the beaches nearby.
At the moment there are no hotels in Bakel but there are plans in the future for such undertaking to attract tourists.
Along the way you get glimpses of backwater, which Kerala is famous for. Best time to visit is during the evening, and you may be able to catch a glorious sunset. Due to time constraints, I went there in the afternoon and it was unbearably hot and humid.
Bakel fort is thought to be built in the 1650’s by Shivappa Naik of Thelkkeri dynasty. Later the fort passed on to Hyder Ali of Mysore and even later to the British.
The viewing point within the fort is majestic and the scenery from the fort of the Arabian sea and the Bakel fishing village is spectacular. As I said before, definitely worth a visit.
After visiting the fort, you could drive to the Bakel beach or you could walk down from the fort. At both fort and beach, there is entrance fee.
Here are some photos…..
Author: Dr K.B. Mallya- Canada