Thottada Beach, Coastal beach in Kannur district, Kerala, India
Thottada Beach is a sandy coastline along the Arabian Sea in northern Kerala, stretching roughly 800 meters with golden sand meeting the water's edge. A river enters at one end, creating a tidal zone where fresh and salt water meet.
A dam was built across the river roughly 30 years ago, which prevented the natural mixing of fresh and salt water in the area. This alteration has shaped the local environment ever since.
Fishing remains the backbone of daily life here, with boats setting out each morning directly from the shore as they have for generations. The community's connection to the sea shapes everything visible in the village behind the beach.
The beach can be reached via a secondary road roughly 2.5 kilometers off National Highway 66, which connects Kannur and Thalassery in the region. Walking on the sand is straightforward, and the area needs no special preparation for a typical visit.
At one end of the beach, the river creates wetland zones that host migrating birds at different times of the year. These shallow areas form where fresh water meets the sea and offer a quieter side of the shoreline.
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