Vattakottai Fort, meaning Circular Fort, is near Kanyakumari in Tamilnadu state, India, on the Bay of Bengal seashore.

Built by Punachal/Elakkara Valiyaveetil Marthandan Chempakaraman Pillai for the erstwhile Travancore Maharaja in the 18th Century on the Bay of Bengal seafront. This fort is protected. It has been renovated and attracts a lot of tourists. This fort was renovated under the supervision of Captain Eustachius De Lannoy as part of defense-fortifications. The same Captain, Eustachius De Lannoy, was previously the captain of the Dutch army that was defeated by Marthanda Varma, the Travancore king who reigned at that time. Captain Eustachius De Lannoy was later appointed as the commander of the Travancore Army. This fort is one of the historical places near Kanyakumari.

The fort is constructed using granite blocks. Fish motifs, symbolizing the Great Pandya kings, can be seen on many walls. The fort extends into the sea. It does not have ramparts.

Vattakottai Fort.

Climbing to the top of the fort and viewing the Bay of Bengal Sea for quite a long distance is the beauty of this spot. Western ghats can also be seen from the top of the fort.

This fort was built to watch enemies coming through the sea at a distance. The hills which form part of Western Ghats can also be seen from here.

Vattakottai Fort, Kanyakumari.

Vattakottai is one of the must-see tourist places in Kanyakumari.

How Do I Go to Vattakottai Fort?

Vattakottai Fort is seven kilometers from the southernmost tip of India, Kanyakumari, off Kanyakumari – Tiruchendur Road. Kanyakumari railway station is the nearest railway station to Vattakottai Fort. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is the nearest international airport at around 90 kilometers distance.

I have visited the Fort at Vattakottai multiple times, and my last visit was in December 1997 en route to Thiruchendur Murugan Temple (via Koodamkulam) from Kanyakumari. The site leveling work of the Koodamkulam nuclear power plant was going on at that time.