If you're making travel plans, there's good reason to put Wayanad back in your bucket list. After being off the tourist's radar due to the massive landslides, the state govt. is putting effort into reviving the sought-after destination by reopening the earlier-shut spots. The most recent ones that have been made accessible to tourists are Mananthavady Pazhassi Park, the Edakkal Caves, and Pancharakolli Priyadarshini. These spots were earlier shut for tourists due to dangers posed by heavy rainfall. Other attractions in Wayanad that were reopened in August include Pookode Lake, Karalad Lake, Pazhassi Memorial at Pulpalli Mavilamthod, Bathery Town Square and Ambalavayal Heritage Museum.
These tourist attractions in Wayanad have been made accessible after seeking permission from the disaster management committee to ensure tourists' safety. Other top attractions in Wayanad that are yet to be opened are the Kuruva Islands and Cheengeri Mountains.
While these top tourist attractions in Wayanad are accessible again, the authorities have put restrictions in place to ensure tourists remain safe. These measures include capping the number of visitors allowed to these tourist sites. For instance, only up to 1,920 visitors would be allowed entry into the Edakkal Caves, which have been flagged safe for visitors to enjoy.
The locals and tourist operators are hoping that other popular tourist attractions in Wayanad will also be reopened soon, ahead of Onam. These tourist attractions include eco-tourism centres, such as Tholpetti Wildlife Sanctuary, Brahmagiri Trekking Centre, Soochipara Waterfalls, Meenmutti Waterfalls, Chembra Peak, Muneeshwaran Hills and the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary. The shutdown of these tourist attractions has severely affected footfall in the region, causing operators, taxi stand owners and guides dismay.