Things to do in Kochi

Explore the Beautiful Marine Drive, Enjoy the Magnificent View of the Chinese Fishing Nets, Have Fun With the Elephants at the Elephant Center, Take a Ferry Ride in Kochi, Be a Part of a Kathakali Performance, Take a Tour to the World of Ayurveda, Know What Paradesi Synagogue Holds, Try Out the Best Cafes in Kochi, Explore the Jew Town in Kochi, Take a Walking Tour at the Fort Kochi and many more activities to do in Kochi. Travelers across the globe look for various things to do in Kochi on a daily basis. The Gateway of Kerala, Kochi is an enchanting place, offering an abundance of activities to the visitors where they can enjoy a beautiful vacation. A beautiful destination with a blissful atmosphere – Kochi offers soothing bath with the elephants, taking ferry ride in and around the city, enjoying classical dance and uncountable things worth to look for. Staying in Kochi and not being a part of any of the mentioned activities is just not done. Any visits to Kerala would be absolutely incomplete without you visiting the beautiful coastal city. There is a number of things to do in Cochin – from enjoying the history of the city by doing museum tours to experiencing its tranquil natural beauty – the city has a lot to offer.  Here are some of the best things to do in Kochi: 1. Explore the Beautiful Marine Drive :  Marine Drive, Kochi’s one of the most beautiful beach destinations is often visited by the locals and travelers alike. Hanging out on the drive is one among the popular activities in Kochi. What’s special: Due to the glorious views of the backwaters and the Kochi harbor, taking a walk around the beach seems quite blissful. You can take a tour of the beach at any time of the day. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes around the beach, where you can even enjoy a perfect meal or an evening cup of coffee. One of the best things you can do here is to go for a boat ride. How to reach: The nearest railway station to Marine Drive is Ernakulam, which is about 3 km away. The nearest airport, however is the Cochin Airport that is 29 km away from the beach. Reach here by cabs or local bus easy and quick. 2. Enjoy the Magnificent View of the Chinese Fishing Nets Enjoying the gorgeous sight of the Chinese fishing nets, is undoubtedly one of the most popular things to do in Kochi. According to the lore, these beautiful fishing nets were given as a gift to the local fishermen back in the 14th century by Zheng He, a Chinese exploreThese fishnets have been in use ever since and when you are in Kochi, the local fishermen teach you how to use them in return of a small fee. What’s special: During this fun activity, you can even buy some of the early catches from them and cook them on the nearby shacks. Enjoy a good meal while experiencing a beautiful sunset.To witness such a magical experience, you need to go to the River Road in Fort Kochi How to reach: The nearest railway station to enjoy magnificient view of chinese fishing nets is Ernakulam, which is about 3 km away. The nearest airport, however is the Cochin Airport that is 29 km away from the beach. Reach here by cabs or local bus easy and quick. Best time to visit: The best time to visit the place is between October to February. Planning a trip to Kerala, Checkout: Kerala Tour Packages 3. Have Fun With the Elephants at the Elephant Center : In a peaceful and relatively small village in Kochi named Kodanad, there is this beautiful and magnificent elephant sanctuary, where you can enjoy a great time with the mammals. What’s special: An ideal place to visit, the sanctuary is one of the most glorious tourist attractions in the city, where you can even give baths to the animals under the supervision of the experts. How to reach: To be a part of such a majestic day, you can simply take a day tour to Kodanad and witness this unique experience. Watch baby elephants getting trained and adults playing with water. Truly one of the best things to do in Cochin. Timings: The sanctuary is open for visitors from 8 AM to 5 PM 4. Take a Ferry Ride in Kochi : Among the most fun activities in Kochi, taking a ferry ride is quite prevalent. Imagine taking a perfectly graceful exit from the earthy land and float between the blue sky and water – where you can escape from the city’s busy and stressful life. By taking a ferry ride, you can visit a number of small islands in Kochi including Vallarpadam, Willingdon, and Vypeen Islands. What’s special:The Willingdon is the largest island in Kochi surrounded by lush green. Vypeen, however, has a collection of clean beaches, where you can enjoy sunbathing and many other activities. At the sunset, take a boat cruise around the city and experience the blissful sights of a beautiful sky changing its colors during each hour of sundown. How to reach: The nearest railway station to Bolghatty Island is Ernakulam, which is about 8 km away. The nearest airport, however is the Cochin Airport that is 34 km away from the beach. Reach here by cabs or local bus easy and quick. Planning honeymoon trip, Checkout: Kerala Honeymoon Packages 5. Be a Part of a Kathakali Performance One of the nine classical dance forms in India, Kathakali originated in Kerala. Popular for its fascinating and colorful costumes and makeup, Kathakali performances are truly magical and can take you to a whole different world. The theme of the dance is based on Hindu epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana as well as various mythological stories. Where to Watch: If you are willing to be a part of such a performance then visit the Kathakali Center in Kochi where regular performances are organized on a daily basis If you want a close look at the performers, you can even go backstage and see them applying makeup and getting ready for the performance How to reach:From mainland to Fort Kochi, you can take a ferry and after reaching Fort Kochi. you can go either by bus or hire an auto rickshaw. 6.Take a Tour to the World of Ayurveda : When you are in Kerala, one of the must things to do in Cochin is to indulge yourself in a luxurious tour of Ayurveda. The state is well known for its ayurvedic medicines and its various benefits and you can get a range of options available in Kochi, when it comes to getting an Ayurvedic treatment. Best places that offer such services: Places like “Fort Ayurveda Spa” and “Ayurville” offer luxurious and soothing Ayurvedic massages and therapies. For a relaxed and soothing holiday, indulging in such activities in Kochi can prove to be really effective. 7. Know What Paradesi Synagogue Holds : The oldest Synagogue in history, The Paradesi Synagogue is a Jewish Synagogue that was built back in 1568. The word Paradesi in Hindi means Foreigner, and as the place was mostly visited by the Jews back in those days, it has been named as Paradesi Synagogue.  The Portuguese, however almost destroyed the place during 1662, but once the Dutch took over Kochi, it was rebuilt and brought back to life. The Synagogue is a magnificent place to visit, where you can see a gold pulpit along with an exquisite Belgium Chandelier. It also features a beautiful clock tower, which was added during 1772. How to reach: The famous tourist attraction is based in Synagogue Ln, Jew Town, Kappalandimukku, Mattancherry. Take a taxi ride or drive your vehicle towards the location. Suggested Read: Places to visit in Kerala 8. Try Out the Best Cafes in Kochi : For the coffee and food lovers out there – hunting down the cafes is probably one of the best things to do in Cochin. There are in numerous places to eat in Kochi – from those luxury and posh restaurants to beachside small cafes – you just name it. Enjoy street food, and taste the delicious taste of the Keralan cuisine, delving into the world of foods is a must in the beautiful city. However, while you can find a number of places offering traditional dishes from the state, there are restaurants that offer multi cuisines including the flavors of both South and North India. Best places to eat: Some such homely and cozy places to eat are – The Rice Boat, Teapot Café, Kashi Art Café and Ginger House Restaurant. Planning a Kochi trip, Checkout: Kochi Trip Packages 9. Explore the Jew Town in Kochi :  Famous among the shopaholics, foodies and antique lovers, the Jew Town in Kochi is a mesmerizing place that boasts antiques from across the globe. From Chinese to Indian, from Arabic to European masterpieces – the tiny antique haven has it all. The eminent shopper’s hotspot, the Jew Town was once the hub of the Jews before they moved back to Israel. A lot of their belongings are now being sold as antiques in the market. How to reach: The nearest airport, however is the Cochin Airport that is 41 km away from the beach. Reach here by cabs or local bus easy and quick Timings: Delving into the beautiful antique market is surely one of the best things to do in Kochi. There is no fee required to enter the market and you can visit the place from 5 in the morning till 9 in the evening. 10. Take a Walking Tour at the Fort Kochi : Just a few miles away from the bustling town of Ernakulam, there is this beautiful and ancient Fort Kochi where you can take a walking tour. The Fort is a melting pot of various cultures succumbed into one, brought by different English, Dutch, and Portuguese merchants. However, nowadays, no Forts can be seen in the place but, there are various lavish mansions that were built by the early explorers. What’s special: Exploring on foot, you can witness the alluring beauty of the surrounding and delve into its history. Just walk along the street and you will be able to cover almost everything around the city. Definitely one of the best things to do in Kochi. How to reach: Take the ferry to Fort Kochi from marine drive.