Kochi
A spice port on the Malabar coast, where Portuguese, Dutch and British rule left their churches and warehouses, and the Chinese fishing nets still work the shore.
- Arrival
- Cochin International · COK
- To the city
- About 25 km to the centre
- Private jets
- Business jet terminal at COK
- Best time
- December to March
The city
Pepper, harbours and three empires.
Traders from China and Arabia came here for pepper, cinnamon, cloves and sandalwood long before the Portuguese arrived. Portugal held Fort Kochi for much of two centuries, the Dutch for a little over one, the British until 1947, and each left buildings behind: St Francis Church, the Dutch Palace at Mattancherry, a cemetery, a parade ground. Across a few lanes, the antiques dealers of Jew Town gather around the Paradesi Synagogue.
Kochi is a city of islands and channels, with Willingdon Island and Bolgatty set in the harbour between the old fort and the mainland. Come between December and March, when barely any rain falls and afternoons reach 31 or 32 °C. By June the south-west monsoon has set in; July totals close to 850 mm.
- The Chinese fishing nets Wide nets on timber frames along the Fort Kochi shore, still worked by the fishermen of the harbour mouth.
- Mattancherry The palace known as the Dutch Palace, and the antiques dealers of Jew Town around the Paradesi Synagogue, with its painted floor tiles.
- St Francis Church A sixteenth-century church in Fort Kochi, a few streets from the Dutch cemetery and the old parade ground.
Arriving
A terminal kept for business jets.
Cochin International stands at Nedumbassery, about 25 km north-east of the centre, with a single runway of 3,445 m. In 2015 it became the first airport in the world to run entirely on solar power.
- Malé 1 h 15
- Mumbai 1 h 45
- Dubai 3 h 55
- Tokyo 9 h 20 long-range jet
- Geneva 10 h 15 long-range jet
When to go
December to March.
Hot and humid in every month, with afternoons between 28 and 33 °C and a sea near 28 °C. December to March is dry, with under 45 mm a month. From May the monsoon takes over, and October and November still bring heavy showers.
- 31° J 6 28°
- 32° F 24 28°
- 32° M 37 29°
- 33° A 107 30°
- 31° M 284 30°
- 29° J 752 28°
- 28° J 848 26°
- 28° A 514 26°
- 29° S 316 27°
- 30° O 310 28°
- 31° N 155 28°
- 31° D 42 28°
Where to stay
On the islands and in the old fort.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty Twenty-six acres of gardens on Bolgatty Island looking over the backwaters, with villas that have their own plunge pools.
- Brunton Boatyard Twenty-two rooms on the site of a British shipyard, every one of them facing the harbour.
- Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin Opened in 1935 at the tip of Willingdon Island, with tower suites that watch the sun set over the shipping lanes.
- The Malabar House Seventeen rooms filled with antiques in a Dutch colonial villa on Parade Road, with a pool in the garden.
Where to dine
The best tables in Kochi.
No MICHELIN Guide covers India. These are hotel restaurants: one recommended by Frommer’s, the fine-dining room of Brunton Boatyard, and a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice winner.
- The Rice Boat Frommer’s Kerala seafood $$$$ Taj Malabar, Willingdon Island
- History Signature restaurant, Brunton Boatyard Fort Kochi heritage Brunton Boatyard, Fort Kochi
- Colony Clubhouse & Grill Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2026 Grill and seafood $$$$ Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty, Bolgatty Island
Elsewhere in India
More reasons to come.
- Delhi Mughal tombs, the old city, and the avenues of Lutyens.
- Agra The Taj Mahal at dawn.
- Jaipur The pink city, the Amber fort, and its palace hotels.
- Udaipur Palaces reflected in Lake Pichola.
- Mumbai The Gateway of India, the Taj hotel, and the Art Deco seafront.
- Goa The baroque churches of Old Goa, and a coast of beach shacks and villas.
Flying to Kochi?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.