Kerala · India
Where to stay in Kochi
Kochi is a city in Kerala, India, home to about 677,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- COK24 km · Cochin International Airport
- Currency
- INRIndian rupee
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Language
- English, Hindi
About
About Kochi
Kochi, formerly known as Cochin ( KOH-chin), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala and is the financial, industial and commercial capital of the state.
A city born in storm, nurtured in rivalry and established as battling ground for European empires. This phrase is a good description of Kochi, which was formed as an ancient port city after the Great Floods of the Periyar River in 1341. With the partitioning of the Chera Kerala Empire in the 14th century, this region came under the control of a new dynasty, rivalled by other local feudal lords. With the advent of colonisation, Kochi became the first major battle ground of almost all colonial European powers.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Kochi
Do
The Cochin Carnival (Dec 20-Jan 2) is the biggest carnival festival in the city. Started in 1582 as part of Portuguese New Year's celebrations. A wonderful array of colourful rallies, fancy dress parades, regular competitions, bike races, beach games, sports, theme festivals, concerts and dances, fireworks and most important, the night beach parties, make it one of the largest celebrations in India. The New Year's Eve party is the highlight of this festival, when a large parade carrying a huge statute of Papanai (a Santa Claus-like image) is taken to the beach, where it is set on fire on the stroke of midnight. This is followed by a grand party.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Kochi to stay in
After rapid growth during the two last decades, Kochi is now one of the most densely populated urban areas in India. The city is an amalgamation of multiple towns and islands, each with its unique identity.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Kochi
338 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Bolgatty Palace | 2.6 km | |
| Old Harbour House | 4.5 km | |
| Sealord Hotel-Cochin | 1966 | 1.5 km |
| Crowne Plaza Kochi | 5.3 km | |
| Kochi Marriott Hotel | 7.4 km | |
| Four Points by Sheraton Kochi Infopark | 9.8 km | |
| Le Meridien Kochi | 5.2 km | |
| Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin | 2.7 km | |
| Abaam Cochin | 4.2 km | |
| Abad Atrium | 1.3 km | |
| Allan's Inn | 4.3 km | |
| Aquatic Island by Poppys Cochin | 12.0 km | |
| Bastian Homestay | 4.3 km | |
| Brunton Boatyard - CGH Earth | 4.1 km | |
| Capital O 10611 Hotel Malabar Illam OYO Rooms | 4.0 km | |
| Capital O 22459 Edasserys Kalamassery Tourist Home OYO Rooms | 11.4 km | |
| Capital O 22485 Tcs Suites OYO Rooms | 7.5 km | |
| Capital O 23079 Ajantha Regency OYO Rooms | 0.7 km | |
| Capital O 29855 Island Inn OYO Rooms | 11.7 km | |
| Capital O 37763 Bright Heritage OYO Rooms | 4.2 km | |
| Capital O 37764 Ghala Tourist Home OYO Rooms | 9.4 km | |
| Capital O 45815 Central Inn OYO Rooms | 3.9 km | |
| Capital O 61059 Green Life OYO Rooms | 0.2 km | |
| Capital O 71307 Feathers OYO Rooms | 0.5 km | |
| Capital O 74281 The Heaven Gardens - A Boutique Hotel OYO Rooms | 6.5 km | |
| Capital O 74715 Phoenix Holidays OYO Rooms | 6.4 km | |
| Capital O 76520 Maharajha Mg Road OYO Rooms | 1.0 km | |
| Capital O 80829 Ghalaa Apartments And Rooms OYO Rooms | 8.1 km | |
| Capital O 81887 Siqeek Appartments OYO Rooms | 9.4 km | |
| Capital O 84206 Hotel Velvet OYO Rooms | 11.9 km | |
| Capital O 84543 Grand Residency OYO Rooms | 3.2 km | |
| Capital O 85436 Galaxy Rooms OYO Rooms | 2.0 km | |
| Capital O 85602 Ecstasy Appartment OYO Rooms | 10.1 km | |
| Capital O 9954 Urban House Emarald Suites OYO Rooms | 3.5 km | |
| CAPITAL O74694 Kizhakkambalam Tourist Home OYO Rooms | 15.9 km | |
| Casino Hotel | 1.6 km | |
| Club Mahindra Arookutty | 13.2 km | |
| Collection O 13190 Caprice Residency North OYO Rooms | 2.3 km | |
| Collection O 50131 Konnect Inn Vytilla OYO Rooms | 4.2 km | |
| Collection O 50256 Maradu OYO Rooms | 5.5 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Kochi
Kochi has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; July is the wettest, with about 771 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Kochi: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Cochin International Airport (COK), about 24 km from the city centre in a straight line; Calicut International Airport (CCJ, 135 km) and Coimbatore International Airport (CJB, 145 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
As the financial capital of Kerala, Kochi is well-connected by air, road, rail and ferry from others parts of India, and to some other international destinations.
Getting around
At peak hours, traffic moves at a snail's pace in Kochi, and air pollution is bad, despite being way better than smoggy Delhi. Limit your plans to three or four places in a day unless you have good knowledge of the geography or a trustworthy transport option. The main city arterial road is Mahatma Gandhi Road. Traveling inside the city at peak times (8-10AM, 1:30-2:30PM, 5:30-7PM) takes a lot of time, with frequent road blocks and traffic congestion. North and South over-bridges are two bottlenecks. Knowledge of side roads and crossroads is very useful to avoid traffic blocks.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
COK · Cochin International Airport
CCJ · Calicut International Airport
CJB · Coimbatore International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Kochi
Eat
For the past 600 years, Kochi has catered to many visitors from around the world including Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, French, English, Dutch, Russians and Japanese. This has made the city a melting pot of various cultures, and this diversity is evident in the cuisine. Being a coastal city, plenty of fresh seafood is the local speciality. With the backwaters, freshwater fish is also popular here. Prawns, squids and shrimps are easily available and cooked in many styles. The most famous of Kochi's speciality dishes is Meen Molagitta Curry (smoked freshwater fish with chilly and coconut milk). The English popularised smoked fish with steamed bread and mashed potatoes.
Drink
Keralites are well known for their drinking habit. Finding bars or pubs is not difficult in Kochi. For those who do not drink alcohol there are lots of excellent local options. Fresh toddy (kallu) is an alcoholic brew from the coconut tree. Be careful as adulteration is very common. Your best bet is to get it from a local who has given over his coconut trees for extraction. Mullapanthal Kallushap near Thripunithura is a certified Kallu brew shop. Karikku /ilaneer (tender coconut), could be found at many hawker stalls, especially in Marine Drive. Sambhaaram (buttermilk), is especially popular on hot summer days when it is even distributed freely by some clubs.
Stay safe
Kochi is one of the safest cities in India with excellent police coverage. Common sense is of course required when being alone at night. Also beware of moral policing groups as many incidents are reported.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Kochi: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Kochi?
Kochi has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; July is the wettest, with about 771 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Kochi?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Cochin International Airport (COK), about 24 km from the city centre in a straight line; Calicut International Airport (CCJ, 135 km) and Coimbatore International Airport (CJB, 145 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Kochi?
Indian rupee (INR).
Nearby
Destinations near Kochi
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.