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Frequently asked questions
Can I see Mattancherry Palace on a Friday?
No. The Mattancherry Palace museum, run by the Archaeological Survey of India, is closed on Fridays; on other days the Ministry of Culture's museums portal lists it as open from 10 am to 5 pm. The palace, also called the Dutch Palace, is known for its murals from Hindu mythology and its portraits of the rulers of Kochi. If the palace matters to you, avoid a Friday for your Kochi day or add a second night.
How far is Fort Kochi from the airport?
About 36 km by the Ernakulam district administration's figure: Cochin International Airport is at Nedumbassery, north of the city, while Fort Kochi is on its western edge. Allow at least an hour by road, more in heavy traffic, and keep that in mind for an early flight home. On the Backwaters and Ayurveda routes you are met at the airport on arrival, with the Fort Kochi walk that afternoon.
When is the next Kochi-Muziris Biennale?
The Biennale, a contemporary art exhibition held every two years in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, runs from about December to March across dozens of venues, with Aspinwall House at its centre. The Kochi Biennale Foundation announces each edition's dates. In a Biennale season, consider a second night in Kochi, and book Fort Kochi stays early.
Is a Kathakali show part of the Kochi evening?
On the Kerala Backwaters Tour — 7 days, yes: day 1 ends with an evening Kathakali performance, if timings allow. Kathakali is Kerala's classical dance drama, performed in elaborate green face paint and headdress, and Fort Kochi's cultural centres stage evening shows. On the Ayurveda and South India routes it is not in the itinerary, but a specialist can add it to your Kochi evening.
Can I fly into Kochi and home from somewhere else?
Yes, and our Kerala routes are built that way. The Backwaters and Ayurveda routes start at Cochin International Airport and finish at Thiruvananthapuram's airport after Varkala; Thiruvananthapuram is about 196 km south of Kochi, so nothing is driven twice. The South India tour does the reverse, starting in Chennai and flying home from Kochi. A tailor-made trip can also start and end in Kochi.
Should I stay in Fort Kochi or Ernakulam?
Fort Kochi, for most visitors on a one-night stay: its heritage hotels are within walking distance of the fishing nets, the church and the old lanes, which is the point of stopping here. Ernakulam, on the mainland, is closer to the railway stations and the airport, so it suits a very late arrival or an early flight. Ferries link the two in about 15 minutes.
Is Fort Kochi busy at New Year?
Yes. The Fort Kochi carnival celebrates New Year's Eve every year, and its festive events draw thousands of people to the old quarter. If you want to be there for it, say so when you enquire, so the specialist can secure a Fort Kochi stay; if you would rather avoid the crowds, it is easy to place your Kochi night on another date, at the start or end of the trip.
About Kochi Tour Packages
Our private Kochi trips are for travellers starting or ending a Kerala journey at Cochin International Airport who want a night in the old port: an afternoon walk through Fort Kochi to the Chinese fishing nets and, on the Backwaters tour, a Kathakali evening when timings allow. Kochi opens our Kerala Backwaters and Ayurveda routes and closes our South India tour. Each is tailor-made, with a written quote first.
Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 20 Oct 2026
Why go to Kochi
Fort Kochi, on the western edge of the city, was the first European township in Kerala, held in turn by the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British, and its compact old quarter still shows each of them. St Francis Church, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, is one of the oldest European churches in India and holds the tomb of Vasco da Gama. On the shore, the Chinese fishing nets, cheenavala in Malayalam, are still worked by local fishermen in the traditional way. Next door in Mattancherry are the Dutch Palace, with its murals from Hindu mythology, and the Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1568. Our Kochi travel guide covers the old town in more detail.
How many days to give Kochi
One night on every route here. The Kerala Backwaters Tour — 7 days starts in Kochi: you are met on arrival on day 1, walk through Fort Kochi to the fishing nets in the afternoon, see Kathakali in the evening if timings allow, and leave for Munnar on day 2. The Kerala Ayurveda Retreat — 10 days also starts with a Fort Kochi walk. The 10 Days South India Tour Package ends here: day 9 brings you from the Alleppey houseboat for an afternoon in Fort Kochi, and day 10 is the airport. A second night gives Mattancherry its own morning.
When to go
December to March is Kochi's dry season, with about 20 to 50 mm of rain a month on IMD averages. June and July bring over 600 mm each, and October, at about 330 mm, is wetter than September. It is warm all year, with average daytime highs of about 30 to 33°C, so walk the old town early or late in the day. The Fort Kochi carnival on New Year's Eve draws thousands, and in Biennale years the Kochi-Muziris Biennale fills Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, most recently from December 2025 to March 2026. More: best time to visit Kerala.
How to reach Kochi
Cochin International Airport is at Nedumbassery, about 27 km north of the city by the Ernakulam district administration's figure and about 36 km from Fort Kochi; allow at least an hour by road. It has flights from across India and from the Gulf and Singapore. Long-distance trains stop at Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town, on the mainland; Ernakulam Junction is about 12.5 km from Fort Kochi, and the ferry from Ernakulam takes about 15 minutes. By road, Alleppey is 62 km south and Munnar about 130 km inland.
What our Kochi tour packages include
On the Backwaters and Ayurveda routes you are met on arrival, and your private car and driver stay with you to the end of the trip, with daily breakfast. The Backwaters tour adds a local guide in Kochi and a hotel confirmed at enquiry; the Ayurveda Retreat's stays are also confirmed at enquiry. On the South India tour, Kochi is the last stop, with the transfer to Cochin International Airport on day 10. Not included: flights, travel insurance, and meals other than breakfast. To walk out to the nets at dusk, ask for a Fort Kochi heritage hotel.
How to choose your Kochi tour package
Arriving in Kerala and heading on to the hills, the backwaters and the beach: the Kerala Backwaters Tour, which gives Kochi its first evening, with a local guide. Here for Ayurveda: the Kerala Ayurveda Retreat, which keeps Kochi to a short first afternoon before Munnar and the treatment days. Ending a temples-and-backwaters journey with a flight home from Kochi: the 10 Days South India Tour Package. For two nights, Mattancherry or a Biennale season, every trip is tailor-made; the wider routes are on our Kerala tour packages page.
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