Flight Guide to Kochi
What are the best things to do in Kochi?
Princess Street
The bustling Princess Street stretches for 500 metres in the historic Fort Kochi portion of the city centre. The architecture along the street reflects the colonial periods in India’s history with roots in Dutch, French, Portuguese and British design. Princess Street is lined with some of the best restaurants, cafes, and shops you’ll come across while holidaying on return flights to Kochi. You’ll also find many spas that you can visit if you’re interested in trying traditional Ayurvedic treatments while visiting Kerala with flights to Kochi.
Kerala Kathakali Centre
Kathakali is a popular form of Indian theatre that originated in Kerala. It combines traditional dance with music and elaborate and brightly coloured costumes. Learn about this unique aspect of Kerala’s culture by making plans to see a performance when you book tickets to Kochi. The Kerala Kathakali Centre is the most well-known place to see kathakali theatre with performances every evening. You can even visit the centre before the show to see makeup get applied to the actors, an intricate process that takes more than 10 years of training to perfect.
Kerala Folklore Theatre and Museum
Learn more about local history while holidaying on cheap flights to Kochi by visiting the Kerala Folklore Theatre and Museum. Each floor of the museum showcases a different architectural style that’s prominent in Kerala, and galleries display more than 4,000 artefacts that relate to local culture. Browse displays of bronze sculptures, jewellery, ancient terracotta, musical instruments, and traditional masks. There’s also a theatre on-site where visitors holidaying on flights to Kochi can watch traditional performances, including kathakali as well as mohiniyattam dance and kalaripayattu martial arts.
When is the best time to visit Kochi?
There are three unique seasons to plan around when you book airfare to Kochi. Dry season falls between October and February and is widely considered as the best time to travel on return flights to Kochi. Temperatures are about 31°C with little rain and comfortable humidity levels, so this is the perfect time to visit the beaches of Kerala. The ideal weather means the dry season is the most popular time to travel into Cochin International Airport (COK), so hotel rates often increase at this time of year. Find the best deal by booking early after you purchase tickets to Kochi.
The hot summer follows the dry season and lasts from March to June. This is the lead-up to South India’s wet season, so temperatures and humidity levels increase. Be prepared for hot temperatures around 33°C if you travel on cheap flights to Kochi during the summer.
The months between July and September are the wet season. This is the least popular time to travel on flights to Kochi, so it’s ideal if you’re after a great deal on accommodation. Rain showers are common, and temperatures average around 30°C. The extra rainfall causes the rainforests and national parks around Kerala to be especially green and lush, making for some incredible views and photos.
What is the best way to get around Kochi?
Central Kochi is easy to explore on foot, but there are also several public transport options to take advantage of in between return flights to Kochi. KSRTC and KURTC operate state-run buses around Kerala with about 160 routes in the city. There are two different tiers of buses in Kerala: the red and yellow buses are no-frills options without AC and lower ticket prices, while the orange buses have AC and are generally more comfortable. Five bus routes travel between Cochin International Airport (COK) and the city centre, so it’s possible to make your way to your hotel by bus after arriving on flights to Kochi.
There’s currently one metro line in Kochi, but two additional routes are planned. The existing metro line operates around the eastern suburbs but doesn’t pass through the city centre. This could be an option to keep in mind if you’re hoping to venture off the beaten track while visiting Kerala with airfare to Kochi.
Taxis and auto rickshaws are widely available across Kochi and are both great ways to travel short distances around the centre. Be aware that auto-rickshaws don’t use meters, so you’ll want to agree on a price with the driver in advance if you’ll be using this transport option while holidaying on cheap flights to Kochi.