Canoly Canal is part of the West Coast Canal Network of Kerala that connects many rivers and streams with the aim of establishing a trading link between Kozhikode and Cochin. The canal system constructed during British rule under the instruction of the then collector of Malabar, H.V Conolly, began its work in 1848. The entire work was solely done by manual labour without any machinery. The major aim behind the construction of this canal system was the facilitating of goods trade to Kallayi port from Malabar via the Kuttiyadi and Korapuzha river systems.
Till the 1950s the canal was widely used only for commercial purposes. Kettuvallam or the old houseboats were extensively used for transporting goods in and out of the ports. The width of the canal is in between the range of 6 to 20 meters depending on the locations and depth of water tally with the changing seasons. Ordinary people also benefited greatly from the canals, as they used water for almost all purposes except drinking, like bathing, washing clothes, irrigation etc.
Fishing in the Canoly Canal system actively happened along the banks. Now the canal system is a prominent tourist attraction in the district, that offers boating facilities to enjoy the calm and serene waters flowing down the canal with the backdrop of stunning greenery, is sure to steal your heart away. Visit the Canoly Canal, one of the historically bound canal systems that once stood as the epitome of transportation facility of our commercial world.
