Explore The Best Places to Visit Kochi & Tourist Places in Kochi

places to visit in Kochi

Kerala is known as, God’s Hand Crafted Country, for its breathtaking beauty, and the city of Kochi lies on the South West Coast overlooking the Arabian Sea places to visit in Kochi. For centuries, Kochi has been a gathering place for merchants and tourists from various nations and people who have been here from Arabs to the Portuguese and British have all left their legacy and cultural imprints behind places to visit in Kochi.

No trip to Kerala is complete without a visit to Kochi tourist places, for it is, the true essence of Kerala.
Today Kochi has emerged as one of the most destinations places to visit in Kerala and the cultural and historical significance of Kochi offers a variety of experiences in and around the Tourist Places to visit in Kochi. Also called ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’, the tourist places in Kochi are sure to take your breath away.

The Kochi tourist places images depicting numerous attractions in a single city leave you with many options to visit on a trip. The Kerala tourist places images are proof that touring in Kochi will leave you awestruck from the backwaters to beaches to hill stations.

Here are must-visit tourist places in Kochi that you should not miss on a visit to Kerala if you are planning to enjoy Kochi Tourism.

Best places to visit in Kochi

1. Fort Kochi: One of the Best Places to Visit in Kochi (Kochi landmarks)

The Chinese fishing nets which symbolize Kochi can be seen only in Fort Kochi which may be the only place in the world where the Chinese fishing nets are unique outside China for which the credit goes to the traders from the court of Chinese emperor Kubla Khan. Presently, 11 Chinese fishing nets dot the Fort Kochi shoreline while it was 20 about ten years ago.

St Francis Church is one of the oldest built by Europeans in India and another landmark in this area is Vasco House where Vasco Da Gama is believed to have lived. Visitors can also enjoy walking along Fort Kochi Beach which may be the only beach in the state which has the presence of Chinese fishing nets and which is also famous for the Cochin carnival that is conducted on New Year’s eve.

2. Mattancherry: One of the Best tourist places in Kochi

Mattancherry is another fascinating area in Kochi. An eclectic mix of spices, handicrafts, culture, and food, Mattancherry is one of the most vibrant Kochi tourist places. Mattancherry originated from the house name “Ancherry Mattam”, a Brahmin house that foreign traders pronounced as Matt-Ancherry. Mattancherry is a tourist spot in Kochi where Portuguese influence can be seen and in particular the Dutch Palace.
Jew Town is another tourist attraction of Mattancherry with the synagogue dating from 1568 which is India’s oldest functioning synagogue along with other tourist spots like Mattancherry Palace Museum which hosts different weapons such as swords, spears, etc, Mattacherry Pazhayannur Royal temple, and Palliarakkavvu temple, Ram Mandir, Gowd Saraswat Brahmin temples, etc.

3. Bolghatty & Vypeen Islands (places to visit in Kochi)

Bolghatty Island is a short boat ride away from mainland Kochi and has Bolghatty Palace which is one of the oldest existing Dutch palaces outside Holland. This Palace is now converted into a hotel and there is even a small golf course, a swimming pool, a 9-hole golf course, an ayurvedic center, and daily Kathakali performances and is a popular resort to stay in for Indian and overseas tourists. Known for its long sandy beaches, Vypeen Island is one of the best tourist places in Kochi for local ferry tours.

4. Lulu Shopping Mall, Edappally (Kochi landmarks)

Kochi also has India’s largest shopping mall in Edappally – Lulu Shopping Mall owned and operated by EMKE Group. For a shopping experience in Kochi, there are lots of markets but a visit to Lulu Mall is a treat with air conditioning and 300+ food outlets, stores, and restaurants.
There are both international brands as well as local specialties to see in this modern complex and there is also a premium five-star, 20-storey, the 300-room hotel managed by JW Marriott Hotels located adjacent to it, within the mall compound.

5. Malayattoor : One of Best Places to Visit in kochi

Don’t forget to explore the tourist places outside Kochi too. There are tourist sports around Ernakulam which are very interesting such as the Church at Malayattoor. the name `Malayattoor’ is an amalgamation of three small words. Mala (Mountain) Arr (River) Oore (Place). This is to say, Malayattoor is a meeting place of mountains, rivers, and land.
The most famous tourist attraction in Malayattoor is the Malayatoor Church situated atop the 609 m high Malayatoor Hill. The church on top of the hill is dedicated to St. Thomas, who is believed to have prayed at this shrine when he came to India.
This church is one of the most important Christian pilgrim centers in India. The extravagant architectural style of the pilgrimage center at Malayattoor makes it one of the best Kochi tourist places.

6. Cherai & Vypeen beach (places to visit in Kochi)

Vypeen Island is another island that is popular among visitors to Kochi & Kerala. Vypeen is also the location of Pallipuram Fort which is the oldest surviving fort in India built by European settlers and constructed in 1503.
Just off the Coast of Vypeen Island is Cherai beach which is among the best beaches in Kerala and which is a beach that is shallow, calm, and ideal for swimming & sunbathing and is also known as Princess of Arabian Sea.
The charm of the popular getaway is enhanced by the palm-fringed backwaters and the frequent appearance of dolphins in the water makes it one of the most beautiful places to visit in Kochi.

7. Kodanand Elephant Training Centre

Kodanad Elephant Training Center which is a rural riverside village located near the Periyar river is another must-visit place if you are traveling to Kerala with children as kids may enjoy bathing elephants in the river. Watching elephants at an arm’s length is a wonderful experience and all part of coming to a beautiful place like Kerala. Kodanad is among the Ecotourism destination projects of Govt of India and currently is an Elephant rescue center for captured Elephants from the forests in the adjoining mountains.

8. Andhakaranazhi Beach (places to visit in Kochi)

Andhakaranazhi is still a virgin & lovely beach which is located at a distance of 30 km from Kochi towards Alleppey located near Ezhupunna and is among the best beaches near Kochi. You can see many fishing boats on the beach from the neighboring fishing village & fishing is the main activity of the village folks here.
The sight of local fishermen launching out the everyday morning in their country boats attacking the turbulent waves of the Andhakaranazhi beach is a must-see especially if you are planning for a houseboat trip from Kochi to Alleppey as the beach will fall on the way to Nehru trophy finishing point or to Kumarakom from which Kerala houseboat packages start. It is one of the calmest and most serene places to visit in Kochi that is a must-visit.

9. Marine Drive (Kochi places to explore)

Marine Drive as its name suggests is not a driveway through which vehicles can be driven, but a scenic promenade in Ernakulam which has the rainbow bridge that has become a symbol of Ernakulam as among the best places to visit in Kochi.
The Marine Drive was built on the land reclaimed from backwaters and the initial plan was to build a beautiful road along the coastline but the coastline rules prohibited it because of which the road was converted to a walkway which also has a Chinese Fishing net bridge as well.
Private Boat operators offer hourly cruises starting from Marine Drive that goes through Cochin Harbour, Bolgatty, and other places around. The GCDA Shopping Complex near Marine drive is the first mall in Kochi and is a major shopping arcade in Ernakulam city.

10. Hill Palace Museum (places to visit in Kochi)

Hill Palace was the abode of erstwhile Maharaja of Kochi and was converted into a Museum in 1986. The museum complex exhibits crown and ornaments of erstwhile Cochin royal family, paintings, sculptures in stone and marble, weapons, inscriptions, coins, etc, and has an archaeological museum, a heritage museum, a deer park, a pre-historic park, and a children’s park.

The weapon gallery & horse cart gallery are amazing. Being the largest archaeological museum of Kerala and the official residence of Cochin Maharaja, it is one of the best Kochi tourist places.
The Hill Palace Museum is open to the public every day except Mondays and national /state holidays from 10 am to 12.30 noon and 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm and this is a must-visit for tourists who are interested in the culture and history of Kerala.