Velliyamkallu is a two-acre rocky island, about 36 kilometres from Kozhikode. The rocks here are strangely shaped and sometimes marked strangely offshore. The rocks here have witnessed many a battle, mainly those between the Zamorin’s fleet and the Portuguese. As evidence of this, many of the rocks here have markings of cannon ball hits.

A one-hour boat ride from Payyoli Beach will take you to the island. The island has both small and deep caverns and some treacherous rocks. Inside some of the caverns are deep wells. The natural engravings on some of the rocks are astonishing.

A plaque on the isle proclaims it as the property of the Government of India. This plaque is the only man-made thing in the whole of the island.

Velliyamkallu was the vantage point of the Marakkars in their attack on the Portuguese. In 1598, a Portuguese ship was attacked and its entire crew killed here by the Marakkars. When the Portuguese finally conquered the area, they threw the local troublemakers from the Veliyamkallu rocks into the sea. Hence, the island is also known as Balikkallu or Sacrificial Rock.