Ezhimala

Ezhimala is a 286-metre coastal hill 12 kilometres north of Payyanur, rising abruptly from the sea as a distinctive headland visible from far offshore. In antiquity it served as the capital of the Kolathunadu Kingdom and a major port; today it houses the Indian Naval Academy, inaugurated in 2009, which trains officers for India's Navy and Coast Guard.

Public access to the naval academy grounds is restricted, but the approach road to the hill passes through attractive coastal countryside and the views from the accessible parts of the headland over the Arabian Sea are excellent. The ancient Pazhassi Raja's fortress ruins and some surviving historical markers are visible in the area. The beach at the base of the hill is clean and relatively undeveloped.

things to do sight
A story
The hill known to Arab sailors as Ras Haili and to the Portuguese as Monte d'Eli has been a navigational landmark on the Malabar coast for over two thousand years. The ancient Kolathunadu kingdom that ruled from here was powerful enough to resist Chola invasions in the 11th century. Today the hill is occupied by the Indian Naval Academy — Asia's largest — which took over a site of strategic importance that has been recognised since antiquity.

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