Wayanad is a bright green mountainous region in north-east Kerala, which stretches for over 2,000 square kilometers along the Western Ghats. It has a great deal of scenic appeal. Abundant coconut palms, thick forests, coffee and tea plantations, paddy fields, and lofty peaks form the landscape. Due to the nature of its terrain, the area also has much to offer adventure enthusiasts. These Wayanad Kerala photos show some of the area's attractions, which make Wayanad one of the top travel destinations in Kerala.

Regarding geographical location, Wayanad district stands on the southern top of the Deccan plateau and its chief glory is the majestic Western Ghats with lofty ridges and rugged terrain interspersed with dense forest, tangled jungles and deep valleys. The place also enjoys a strategic location as the leading tourist centres of South India like Ooty, Mysore, Bangalore, Coorg and Kannur are situated around this region.

Covering an area of 2132 km ², with a density of population at 369 people/km² within a population of 780,619 people (2001 census), Wayanad consists of 3 taluks - Mananthavady, Sulthan Bathery and Vythiri. The district headquarters is located at Kalpetta municipality with a population of 29,602 as per 2001 census.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Chethalayam Waterfall, Sri Mahaganapathy Temple at Thiruvangoor, Pazhassi Raja Museum, Pookote Lake and Edakkal Caves are the prime tourist attractions of Wayanad. Beisdes, Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, Tholpetty, Karappuzha Dam, Jain Temple at Sultan Bathery, Tiger Valley, Meenmutty Falls, Soochippara Waterfalls, Chembra Hills, Bird Sanctuary in north Wayanad, Thirunelly Temple and Kuruva Islands are the other nearby tourist destinations in and around Wayanad.

FLORA AND FAUNA The flora of Wayanad are characteristic of the Western Ghats and the plantation crops grown in the cool climate. A major portion of the district is covered by coffee. Trees of the wild type like rose-wood, anjili (Artocarpus), mullumurikku (Erthrina), several species of caussia and many other non-descrip varieties are still preserved here and there, to give shade to the coffee plants. These trees give a dembalance of wilderness to the landscape of Wayanad. In a majority of coffee plantations, the age-old species are replaced by the silver-oak which is suited to the cold climate.

How to reach Wayanad

• By Air
  Kozhikode airport is located at a distance of about 25 km from the centre of the city. Kozhikode is well connected by air to Mumbai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Goa, Madurai and Chennai.
  
  
• By Rail
  The Kozhikode railway station is located south of the Manachira Square. The city is well connected by train to important places like Mangalore, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Coimbatore, Goa and Mumbai.
  
  
• By Road
  Kozhikode is well linked with various destinations in Kerala and beyond. National Highway 17 links Kozhikode with the rest of the cities in Kerala and neighboring states.