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Northern Kerala

The Malabar Coast from Kozhikode (Calicut) north to the Karnataka border features a string of coastal villages and dazzling honey-toned beaches far less touristed than those in southern Kerala. For many, this quieter pace is an attraction in its own right. The main draws in this part of coastal Kerala are the beautiful, undeveloped sands and the enthralling theyyam possession rituals.

Kappad beach has a place in history of India, near Calicut, India, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed on May 27, 1498.

©Madhu Kannan/Getty Images

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