Muzhappilangad Drive in Beach- 9 Things to Know Before Visiting

The adventurous visitors engage in driving stunts in cars like drifting or wheeling on bikes here. You need to be careful though - if you get too close to the water, it may sink into the sand due to the waves. While driving is allowed in most of the stretches of the beach, swimming is possible only in limited areas, you should check and confirm the swimmable area with the authorities once you are there.

To reach the beach you will have to drive through an unpaved road through coconut groves. Out of the 5.5 km, you can drive the wider and firmer 4 km portion of the beach.

The beach is bordered by black rocks that protect it from the strong currents and waves of the Arabian Sea. These rocks are a habitat for the Blue Mussel and hundreds of birds flock here in various seasons.

Apart from the beach driving, the most mesmerising event is witnessing the sunset which turns everything in the area to a reddish-orange hue. Laying on the beach surrounded by the sounds of rushing water, and the slow breezes, and getting caressed by the lightly warm sun rays is an amazing feeling. During the daytime, it is usual to see fishermen in action here, together pushing the boats out to the sea for the day's catch. Many small shops on the beach offer snacks and ice creams.

Walk to Dharmadom Island

A few hundred meters from this beach, there is a small private island called Dharmadom Island which can be reached by walking through the shallow sea at low tide. The island is called ‘Pacha Thuruthu’ in Malayalam- meaning Green Island.

Muzhuppilangad Beach Festival

The Beach Festival happens in April every year combining entertainment and informative programs. The programs in the yesteryears include Helicopter trips, Pavilions of the Indian Space Research Organisation, health education by nearby Pariyaram Medical College, Amusement Parks, Auto Expo etc., The fest also promotes adventure sports like Paragliding.

The beach is open throughout the year however the monsoon season from June to September can be dull due to the strong waves reaching the shores and the grey skies. October to May is the ideal time to visit when the beach is wider and the skies are sunnier. The popular Muzhuppiland Beach Festival is conducted in April.

1. Watch out where you swim. Only some parts of the beach are safe to swim, ask locals.
2. Do not attempt to walk to Dharmadom Island on your own. It is possible only at certain hours of the day and if you do not time it correctly, you can be stuck either on the island or washed away in high currents.
3. Be wary of people performing stunts with their vehicles and do not try attempting one yourself. It is very dangerous to you and the people around you.

1. Muzhappilangad Drive in Beach is the longest drive-in beach in India and one of the best in the world.
2. The beach festival is celebrated in April and it is one of the important tourist attractions in the district of Kannur.
3. More than thirty species of migratory birds visit here in the winter.

It is worth staying at Muzhuppilangad Drive-in Beach for 2 to 3 hours taking baths, driving through the beach and enjoying the sunset.

There are plenty of buses from the nearby Kannur (14 km) and Thalassery (12 km) if you are planning to come by public transportation. These two towns house the nearby major railway stations as well. It will be very easy to locate the beach as it is one of the most popular and frequented tourist spots in the district.

There is no entry fee for pedestrians but if you want to bring a vehicle inside the beach, it is chargeable. For cars its INR40 and motorbikes it is INR20.

The beach is open daily 24 hours but as with any beach, be careful what you do after the sunlight goes out.