Places to Visit and Things to Do in Kochi Kerala!

Fort Kochi, also known as Cochin, is the perfect place to start your Kerala itinerary, as it’s only around 1 hour drive from Cochin Airport, the main airport in Kerala. If you’re looking for Kochi tourist places, you’ll find them mostly concentrated around the gorgeous historic Fort Kochi area and nearby Mattancherry. Fort Kochi is a beach town with an intriguing mix of Dutch, Portuguese and British colonial architecture. Read on to discover the top 10 best places to visit in Fort Kochi and things to do in Fort Kochi!

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Best Things To Do in Fort Kochi

1. Chinese Fishing Nets, Fort Kochi

The Chinese fishing nets are one of the most iconic places to visit in Fort Kochi, and may well be the most photographed. The original Chinese fishing nets were introduced to Kochi by Chinese explorers over 500 years ago. While the nets have been mostly rebuilt in the centuries since, the original design remains the same.

Even though they’re massive, their unique design means that Kochi’s Chinese fishing nets can be operated by 4 to 6 local fishermen. Each structure is made up of a cantilever with a fishing net at one end and weights at the other end. A fisherman will walk along the structure to cause the net to go into the sea, where it will stay for a few minutes with the aim of catching fish. Often the catch will be nil or a sparse few, with keen eyed birds swooping in to take their share of the fresh catch.

It’s pretty mesmerising to perch along the waters edge and watch the fishing nets rhythmically lift up and down to see whether they’ll be full of fish. Sometimes I’m not sure who I was rooting for more – the fishermen, the fish or the birds!

Location + Cost: The Kochi fishing nets are located on the north east tip of Fort Kochi, just east of Mahatma Gandhi Beach. The best vantage point for the Chinese fishing nets is Vasco da Gama Square at dawn or dusk. The nets are free to view and you can even buy a fresh catch if you’re feeling peckish!

2. St Francis Church, Fort Kochi

St Francis Church in Fort Kochi is one of the oldest European Churches in India, dating all the way back to the early 1500s when the Portuguese colonised Fort Kochi. The church has a pretty spectacular faded facade, and is topped with a small bell tower. Inside, the church is fairly modest with gorgeous soaring timber ceilings, some stained glass windows and interesting facades.

St Francis Church is the original resting place of the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. Da Gama died in Kochi in 1524, and was originally buried in the church before being moved to Lisbon in Portugal.

Location + Cost: St Francis Church Road near River Road, Fort Kochi. Visitors are welcome, with no entry fee. Don’t forget to dress respectfully.

3. Santa Cruz Basilica, Fort Kochi

Just when you thought you’d seen the most beautiful church in Kochi, along comes the rather spectacular Santa Cruz Basilica. There’s a surprising number of basilicas in Kerala, and Santa Cruz Basilica just may be the most impressive, both inside and out. The basilica is one of my do-not-miss Kochi places to visit.

Santa Cruz Basilica dates back to the 1500s, but has been reincarnated over the years. The church was destroyed by the British in the late 18th century, and was then rebuilt in the early 20th century. The church was consecrated as a cathedral in 1905 and proclaimed a basilica by the Pope in 1984.

The basilica’s exterior is beautifully whitewashed and features two towering spires with impressive detailing. Inside, you’ll find incredible gothic style pastel interiors. The columns are covered with murals and frescoes, and the ceiling features large paintings depicting the crucifixion of Jesus.

Location + Cost: Santa Cruz Basilica is located on Bastian Street, Fort Kochi. As with St Francis Church, entry is free and dress respectfully.

4. Kochi Tuk Tuk Tour or Walking Tour

If you’re short on time, then the best way to see all the top Fort Kochi attractions is to take a tuk tuk tour of Fort Kochi. In fact, I covered most of the best places to visit in Kochi in this list plus more in just 4 hours!

The best thing about taking a Fort Kochi tuk tuk tour is that you’ll get to experience local life that you’d otherwise miss. (And be in a tuk tuk with the breeze keeping you cool – that’s pretty awesome too!)

As well as the Chinese fishing nets and various temples, churches and palaces dotted around Kochi, our tuk tuk tour also visited a women’s co-op spice shop, a local laundry where clothes are washed and ironed without power and a small fish market. We saw local women making candles and sorting ginger, men bringing in the morning catch, and kids playing the universal sport of football. Keep an eye out for the colorful street art of Fort Kochi.

Even if you don’t do a tuk tuk tour, Fort Kochi is a great place to explore on foot. Take your time wandering around the historic colonial streets, including quaint Princess Street which is filled with shops, cafes and art galleries.

Location + Cost: The private tuk tuk tour we took covers Fort Kochi and Mattancherry and includes hotel pick-up in Kochi. Prices are very reasonable at around US$15-20 per person for approximately 4 hours.

5. Fort Kochi Beach and Waterfront

There’s a couple lovely small beaches around the north-west end of Fort Kochi (Fort Kochi Beach and Mahatma Gandhi Beach), and plenty of waterfront without beaches. There’s also several other beaches further afield in Kochi.

The beaches in Fort Kochi aren’t the most tropical, but are pretty interesting to walk along as there’s a lot going on including locals fishing and small markets. You may even be lucky enough to spot the resident dolphins frolicking in the surf, as were we!

In Fort Kochi, take a walk along Fort Kochi Beach, then continue along the beach walkway on to Mahatma Gandhi Beach. You’ll pass the Dutch Cemetery and Fort Ruins (6 below) in between the two beaches and will then reach the Chinese Fishing Nets near the end of Mahatma Gandhi Beach.

I recommend continuing on from the Chinese fishing nets and finding a spot on the waterfront for a relaxing lunch. If you’re down for a fancier lunch with a tranquil atmosphere, try one of the luxury hotels along the waterfront.

We loved the restaurant at Brunton Boatyard which has excellent Indian food and serves alcohol (don’t mind if I do!). We sat in the courtyard with a cold vino and watched boats puttering back and forth along the water, ferrying passengers and cars and going about their work. Fort House Hotel a little further along the waterfront also came well reviewed (reservations recommended).

Location + Cost: Fort Kochi Beach and Mahatma Gandhi Beach are at the north-west end of Fort Kochi. Brunton Boatyard and Fort House Hotel are less than 1km past the beach, with restaurants at the higher end of the price range for India but still good value for many travellers.

6. Dutch Cemetery and Fort Kochi Ruins

The Dutch Cemetery in Fort Kochi is the oldest Dutch cemetery in India. Fort Kochi passed through several colonial hands over the years, starting with the Portuguese in the early 1500s, before being captured by the Dutch in the mid-1600s and then the British in the late 1700s.

The Dutch cemetery was consecrated in 1724 and features over 100 tombs of all sizes with ancient Dutch inscriptions. The cemetery gates are usually closed, but you can ask to visit or peak at the tombs (as we did!) through the gates or from the beach side.

Just past the Dutch cemetery towards Mahatma Gandhi beach is the Ruins of the Gunnery of Fort Emmanuel. Not much remains of Fort Emmanuel today, and I almost missed the ruins walking past. (In fact, I was musing whether Fort Kochi had fort walls and my husband pointed out the small wall and cannon which we were literally about to walk past!).

Location + Cost: The Dutch Cemetery and fort ruins are located in between Fort Kochi Beach and Mahatma Gandhi Beach. Both can be seen as you walk along the walkway between the beaches. No cost.

Best Things to do in Mattancherry, Kochi

Mattancherry is an area around 2.5km east of Fort Kochi, so is easily explored while you’re visiting Fort Kochi. The places to visit in Mattancherry below are all within walking distance, or can easily be incorporated into a tuk tuk tour (see 4 above).

7. Jew Town and Paradesi Synagogue

Jew Town is a historic Jewish area in Mattancherry, Kochi. While Cochin once had a large and thriving Jewish community with around a few thousand Paradesi (foreign) Jews, there’s only a small handful of Paradesi Jews remaining in Kochi today. Jew Town is lined with shops selling antiques, trinkets, arts and intoxicating spices. Get ready to bargain!

At the end of Jew Town, you’ll find the Paradesi Synagogue, which was built in 1568 and is the oldest remaining synagogue in the British Commonwealth. A highlight of the synagogue is the beautiful Chinese porcelain tiles that adorn the floor. There’s around 1100 blue and white tiles which come in four designs, but are all uniquely hand painted with slight differences between each tile. The synagogue also has a small but interesting museum detailing the history of the Jews in Kochi.

The synagogue is small and can easily be seen in less than 30 minutes. Photos are not permitted inside, and visitors must dress respectfully and remove their shoes.

Location + Cost: Jew Town is located in between Mattancherry Palace and the Paradesi Synagogue. The Synagogue has a nominal entry fee of 10 rupees (around 15c).

8. Kochi Spice Markets, Mattancherry

There’s many spice shops located in Mattancherry near Jew Town, where you can sample and buy an incredible range of exotic spices. Wander through the stores and take in the waft of spices mixing together including ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, star anise, bay leaf and more. The shops also often sell nuts, coffee, tea, Ayurvedic facial treatments and crafts and curios.

We visited a women’s co-op spice shop on our tuk-tuk tour (4 above), where we sampled and purchased spices, tea and coffee, and also saw the ginger sorting process in action (photo above).

Location + Cost: There’s some spice shops in Mattancherry along Bazar Road leading into Jew Town. Samples are usually free, and small packets of spices are inexpensive to buy. There’s also spice markets further afield in the Broadway area of Ernakulam.

9. Mattancherry Palace – The Dutch Palace

Mattancherry Palace is an imposing palace built in the Kerala style with colonial influences. Despite being known as the ‘Dutch Palace’, the Palace was in fact built by the Portuguese in the mid-16th century. Mattancherry Palace was then renovated by the Dutch in the 17th century, and became known as the Dutch Palace.

The palace has a gorgeous painted door leading in, and is famous for its collection of murals which depict Hindu mythological legends.

Location + Cost: Mattancherry Palace located just off Jew Town Road, behind the Paradesi Synagogue. The Mattancherry Dutch Palace is open daily (except Friday) from 10am-5pm. Closed on Fridays. Nominal entry fee.

10. Jain Temple

Jain Temple in Mattancherry Cochin is a place of worship for people of the Jain faith. It’s a fairly low key temple with a different feel to other religious institutions in Kochi. The temple guide will show you around the temple and shrines and give you a short introduction to Jainism.

Visit at around midday if you want to witness (and feed!) the resident flock of pigeons. The pigeons wait for the sound of the gong and then circle the temple three times before landing in the courtyard for feeding, which can be quite the experience!

Dress respectfully with your shoulders and knees covered. The temple will kit you out in sarong style wraps if you aren’t appropriately covered up. Large bags and hats are not allowed, but you can leave them with the staff on entry. Photos are not permitted inside the temple.

Location + Cost: Jain Temple is on Gujarati Road, Mattancherry. Free to enter, donations appreciated.

Where to Stay in Fort Kochi

With so many awesome places to visit in Fort Kochi, you should definitely stay for a night or two! I recommend staying in the heart of Fort Kochi, as you’ll be a short walk or tuk tuk ride from all the best things to do in Fort Kochi.

We absolutely loved the gorgeous Forte Kochi Hotel (photo above), a beautifully restored colonial hotel in the heart of Fort Kochi. The hotel centres around a lovely courtyard with a swimming pool and restaurant, and has large and well-appointed rooms with massive beds. The staff are ultra lovely and helpful, and even organised our transfers to our Kerala houseboat in the hotel’s luxury car at a very reasonable rate.

Check Forte Kochi Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Forte Kochi Hotel is a little exxy (but worth it!), so if you’re on a budget then check out the other great options in my Kerala itinerary (coming soon!).

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