The name, Kasaragod, is said to be derived from the word Kusirakood meaning Nuxvomica forests (Kanjirakuttom).It is with the intention of bestowing maximum attention on the development backward areas that Kasaragod district was formed on May 24, 1984. With the formation of the new district, comprising the erstwhile Kasaragod and Hosdurg taluks, it has become possible to develop this coastal area fruitfully.

Lying on the north western coast of the State, Kasaragod was famous from time immemorial. Many Arab travellers, who came to Kerala between 9th and 14th centuries AD, visited Kasaragod as it was then an important trade centre. They called this area Harkwillia. Mr. Barbose, the Portuguese traveller, who visited Kumbla near Kasaragod in 1514, had recorded that rice was exported to Male Island when coir was imported. Dr. Francs Buccanan, who was the family doctor of Lord Wellesly, visited Kasaragod in 1800. In his travelogue, he has included information on the political and communal set –up in places like Athipramba, Kavvia, Nileswar, Bekkal, Chandragiri and Manjeswar

Kasaragod was part of the Kumbala kingdom in which there were 64 Tulu and Malayalam villages. When Vijayanagar empire attacked Kasaragod, it was ruled by the Kolathiri king who had Nileswar as his headquarters. It is said that the characters appearing in Theyyam, the ritualistic folk dance of northern Kerala, represent those who had helped king Kolathiri fight against the attack of the Vijayanagar empire. During the decline of that empire in the 14th century, the administration of this area was vested with the Ikkeri Naikans. They continued to be the rulers till the fall of the Vijayanagar empire in 16th century. Then Vengappa Naik declared independence to Ikkeri. In 1645 Sivappa Naik took the reins and transferred the capital to Bednoor. Thus they came to be known as Bednor Naiks. Chandragiri fort and Bekkal fort are considered to be parts of a chain of forts constructed by Sivappa Naik for the defence of the kingdom.

In 1763 Hyder Ali of Mysore conquered Bednoor and his intention was to capture entire Kerala. But when his attempt to conquer Thalassery for was foiled, Hyder Ali returned to Mysore and died there in 1782. His son, Tippu Sulthan, continued the attack and conquered Malabar. As per the Sreerangapattanam treaty of 1792, Tippu surrendered Malabar except Talunadu (Canara) to the British. The British got Canara only after the death of Tippu Sulthan in 1799

Kasaragod was part of Bekkal taluk in the south Canara district of Bombay presidency. Kasaragod taluk came into being when Bekkal taluk was included in the Madras presidency on April 16, 1882. Though Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar moved a resolution in 1913 on the floor of Madras Governor’s Council demanding the merger of Kasaragod taluk with the Malabar district, it had to be withdrawn because of the stiff convention held at Kozhikkod, passed a resolution stressing the above demand. In the same year, an organisation titled Malayalee Seva Sangham was constituted. Thanks to the efforts made by many eminent persons like K.P.Kesava Menon, Kasaragod became part of Kerala following the reorganisation of states and formation of Kerala in November 1, 1956.

The Hosdurg fort with its round bastions, looks imposing from a distance.  Several public offices are located within its premises.  There is a famous temple attached to the fort which is known as Karpooreshwara  temple.  The fort is a major attraction for tourists.  In Kanhangad, there are two churches; one Catholic and the other a Protestant.  There are also a number of mosques here

Bekal, situated on the seashore  of Pallikkara village, is an important place of tourist interest in the district.  It lies 12 kms. south of Kasaragod town.  According to Bekal Rama Nayak, a local Kannada writer, the word, Bekal is derived from the word Baliakulam, meaning Big Palace. The place is said to have been the seat of a big palace in the past. The term Baliakulam got corrupted as Bekulam and later as Bekal

It was usual in older days for every royal palace to be protected by a fort.  The Bekal fort might have, therefore, existed even from early days of the Chirakkal Rajas.  While giving  a description of the Kolathiri Kingdom  in his Kerala History, K.P. Padmanabha Menon writes;  "The eldest of the male members reigned as soveriegn Kolathiri.  The next in succession, the heir apparent, was the Thekkelamkur.  The residence assigned to him was the Vadakara fort. The third in succession was the Vadakkelamkur in charge of Vekkolath fort.  This V(B)ekkolath fort is identified by some scholars as the present Bekal"

The Bekal fort, which is of great historical and archaeological interest, is the largest and best preserved of its kind in the district and the land on which it is situated, runs into the sea with fine bay towards the south.  According to the South Canara Mannual, Bekal fort fell into the hands of Haider Ali in 1763.  It housed the Huzur of Canara during Tippu's time and the remains of a gallow reminiscent of the days of Mysorean occupation were seen here till a few years back.  After the overthrow of Tippu Sultan in 1799, Bekal was incorporated into the dominions of the English East India Company.  The erstwhile Kasaragod taluk of South Canara district was known as Bekal for more than half a century

Chandragiri lies three kms. south of Kasaragod town.  It has a large square situated high above the Chandragiri river on its southern bank.  The fort it said to have been built in the 17th century by Sivappa Nayak of Bednore, who established his authority over the area and built a chain of forts.  The Chandragiri river, on the bank of which it rises,  marked the traditional boundary between Kerala and the Tuluva Kingdom.  There is a beautiful bridge over the Chandragiri river at Tekkil, five miles from Chandragiri.  A  mosque is situated nearby and the view of the bridge with the mosque in the background is  one of the most attractive sights on a drive along the NH 17 from Kannur  to Kasaragod.  A long railway tunnel passes through Chandragiri.  A boat club has been recently started here

Situated on the Kasaragod-Puthur road, about eight kms. north east of Kasaragod town, this ancient mutt  is a reputed seat of learning.  It attracts devotees from all over Kerala, Karnataka and other states.

This belongs to the Thotakacharya (one of the four disciples of Sankaracharya)  tradition.  Vadakke mutt in Trissur was established by a disciple of Thotakacharya.  The Swamiji of this mutt  was the founder of   Padinjare mutt in Trichambaram and Edneer mutt was established by the swamiji of Trichambaram.   At present the mutt is renowned for the encouragement it gives to art and culture

Manjeshwaram lies in the northern most extremity of Kerala and is a place of historical and religious importance.  According to Manjula Kshetra Mahatmya, a legend which deals with the history of the place and describes the pilgrimage undertaken by Virupaksha, a Gowda Saraswatha Brahmin saint, this village was known as Manjula Khetra, Manjukhetra or Manjarisha.   The southern portion of the town stands on a plain and the northern portion, on a steep bank which overhangs the river.  These two portions were held by the Jain Bangara Raja and the Vittal Raja respectively, until Tippu Sultan hanged the former and forced the latter to take refuge with the English at Thalassery.  Manjeshwaram has been for long, the seat of a flourishing  community of a Gowda Saraswatha  or Konkini Brahmins.  There are two old Jaina Bastis  at Bangra Manjeshwaram on the southern bank of the Manjeshwaram river

Nileswaram, which is the abbreviated form of Nilakanta Iswar, was formerly the seat of the Nileswaram Rajas who belonged to the family of Kolathiris.  It was annexed by Somasekhara Nayaka of Bednore in 1737 after a struggle of twelve years in which the French and the English took part.  When the Bednore Nayaka invaded the territory, the Nileswar Raja obtained the aid of the English who had their factory at Thalassery.  In 1737, a treaty was signed by which the Bednorians agreed not to advance south of the Valapattanam river and the English obtained  commercial concessions including the monopoly of pepper and cardamom in those portions of the Kolathiri dominion, which were occupied by the Bednore people