Forts & Heritage
Thalassery Fort
The East India Company's 1708 fort in Thalassery, heart of the old Malabar spice trade.
- 31.3 km from Nesma Palace
- 34 min drive
- Best: October to March
- Ideal for history travellers and food lovers
- Distance from Nesma Palace
- 31.3 km
- Drive time
- 34 min
- Best time
- October to March
- Time to allow
- 1 hour
- Category
- Forts & Heritage
- Ideal for
- History travellers and food lovers
About Thalassery Fort
Thalassery Fort was built by the English East India Company in 1708 and became the centre of their pepper and cardamom trade on the Malabar coast. The square laterite fort has thick walls, carved doors and tunnels said to run to the sea.
Thalassery, the town around it, is credited with bringing cricket, circus and a particular style of cake to India, and it has its own well-loved biryani.
Things to see and do
The fort
Solid laterite walls, ornate doors and tunnel openings. It is compact and easy to walk in an hour.
Thalassery's heritage
The town is tied to the early history of cricket and circus in India and to Malabar's spice trade.
Food nearby
Thalassery is known for its biryani and bakery culture, worth planning lunch around.
Best time and tips
October to March, morning or late afternoon.
- Entry is free or a small fee, so allow about an hour.
- Pair it with Overbury's Folly and Gundert Bungalow in the same town.
- Try Thalassery biryani while you are there.
- Wear comfortable shoes for the walls.
Local tip
Thalassery is the food stop of the trip, biryani, dum pathiri and the town’s famous halwa are all within walking distance of the fort.
Getting there
The drive from Nesma Palace
Road route and geography © OpenStreetMap contributors
By road from the hotel
31.3 km · about 34 min
- Time to allow there
- 1 hour
- Starting point
- Nesma Palace, Mattannur
- Flying in
- Kannur International Airport is 7.8 km from the hotel, about 10 minutes by road
Plan your stay
Stay 34 min away at Nesma Palace
Thalassery Fort is about 34 minutes from Nesma Palace, an easy base for a day in the old town.
Nesma Palace is a 4-star hotel in Mattannur, 7.8 km from Kannur International Airport, and an easy base for exploring Kannur.
Make a day of it · Half day
Thalassery in a Day
Colonial Malabar packed into a few square kilometres, and the best biryani on the coast at the end of it.
Nesma Palace, Mattannur
28.8 km · 31 min drive
Gundert Bungalow2.8 km · 3 min drive
Thalassery Fort (you are here)
0.7 km · 1 min drive
Overbury's Folly5.1 km · 6 min drive
Dharmadam Island
Frequently asked questions
Who built Thalassery Fort?
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The English East India Company built it in 1708 as the base for their spice trade on the Malabar coast.
What is Thalassery known for?
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Besides the fort, Thalassery is linked to the early history of cricket and circus in India, its spice trade, and its biryani and cakes.
Where to stay near Thalassery Fort?
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Nesma Palace in Mattannur is about 34 minutes away and works well for a day exploring old Thalassery.