Palakkad is Kerala's inland gateway, sitting in the Palghat Gap where the Western Ghats open toward Tamil Nadu. It is less lush and less tourist-shaped than the coast or the hill stations, but that makes it useful: a real market town with rail connections, temple streets, paddy fields and hot, dry afternoons that feel more Tamil than Keralan.
The centre is anchored by Palakkad Fort, a well-preserved 18th-century stronghold often associated with Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. North of town, Malampuzha Dam and its gardens make the standard local outing, while Kalpathy preserves an old agraharam quarter of tiled houses, temple lanes and an important chariot festival.
Palakkad is also the practical base for Silent Valley National Park, though the park itself needs advance planning and an early start. Don't expect a polished destination. Come for a day or two if you are crossing between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, if you care about the cultural borderland, or if you need a sensible launch point for the forests north of town.