The district Palakkad is known as the granary of Kerala because it is the largest producer of rice ion Kerala. This is the district of mountains, rivers, hills, valleys, dams, irrigation projects and forests. There are 8 rivers originates from Palakkad including Bharathapuzha (Nila), the longest in Kerala. This district has 136257 hector of reserve forest including the very loud Silent Valley. Palakkad lies at the foot of the Western Ghatts. In local language the name Palakkad means the 'forest made of Pala trees' where is Pala is Alsteria Scholaris. The whole area is said to have been once covered by pala tress. Palakkad is one of the important religious centers in the state. The river Bharathapuzha, Nila for poets, played a huge role in developing the cultural and religious background of the state. Famous pilgrimage centers are in the shores of this river. Many well-known poets and writers in Malayalam have deep attachment for this river, including Thunjathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan (who is known as the father of Malayalam), M.T Vasudevan Nair, P. Kunjiraman Nair etc. The main tributaries of Nila are Gayathripuzha, Thoothappuzha, Kannadipuzha and Kalpathypuzha, which flows across the district. The district is well connected by road, rail and air. Palakkad lies on NH 47 that links Salem to Kanyakumari through Coimbathore. The KSRTC station is in the Shornur road and has buses connecting almost all the cities in Kerala and Intersta5te buses are also available. The nearest railway station is Palakkad, which is well connected to the rest of the country. The nearest airport is Coimbathore, which lies 60 kilometer from the town. The district Palakkad was once the favorite place for migration and thats why the people in Palakkad preserves a lot of various cultures and belief systems.

Palakkad Fort

It is one of the main attractions in this district. The fort lies at the heart of the town. It was built by Mysore Sulthan Hyder Ali in 1766. The British then captured the fort in 1784. The fort lies 8 kilometer from the railway station. The fort opens everyday and can enter here without any entrance fee from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm. The fort now preserved by the Archeological survey of India.

Malampuzha Garden and Dam

This famous picnic spot includes a dam and a beautiful garden and is situated on the lower hills of Western Ghatts. The spot lies 10 kilometer from Palakkad and there are buses frequently. The dam here is meant for the irrigation purpose and it crosses the Malampuzha River, a tributary of Bharathapuzha. Malampuzha dam is the biggest dam in the state. Boating and Fishing can be done here with permission. A fresh water aquarium, Sneak Park, Children Park. A passenger rope way, Road train trips and a Telescope tower are the main attractions here. The famous amusement park Fantasy Park lies near to the garden.

Thiruvalathoor Bhagavathy Temple

The temple is located 10 kilometer from Palakkad at the Chittoor-Kodumbu road. This ancient temple is well decorated with fine wood works and stone sculptures. It is one of the 108 Durga temples in the country. The temple remains unfinished. The annual festival falls at January, which lasts 10 days. Another attraction in the temple is the Mizhavu (a musical instrument), and it is observed as the largest in Kerala.

Jain Temple of Jainimedu

The temple is 1500 year old and the presiding deity here is Chandraprabha, the eighth Thirthankara of Jainism. The main attraction here is the huge statue of Kshethrapalan (The temple Guardian). Its one of the rare Jain temples you can see in Kerala. The temple is located 6 kilometer from Palakkad near Olavakkod. The temple opens at 5.00 pm everyday and thats the only visiting time.

Silent Valley National Park

It is a dense rain forest located along the western corners of Nilgiris having an area of around 90 square kilometers. It is nearly 60 kilometers far from Palakkad and 90 kilometers from Coimbatore. Silent Valley got this name because of the poetic silence at this forest and it is just because of the absence of cicadas, which is common in all forests. The forest is famous for the very rare Lion-Tailed Macaque. This important biosphere in Western Ghatts is a protected area for tigers. The Silent Valley also known as Sairandhri Vanam. According to Hindu mythology Sairandhri is the other name of Draupadi who is the wife of Panadavas in MAHABHARATHA epic. Trekking is possible at this forest with prior permission.