There are several amazing one day trips from Kochi that you can take to immerse in Kerala’s culture, history, nature’s bounty, and endless adventures! Nearby cities like Alleppey, Vagamon, Athirapally, and Thrissur, as well as the Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, make for some super exciting getaways from Kochi that are a short distance away from this coastal metropolitan and can be covered in a day!
Often called the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi is popular for its rich history, amazing food, grand architecture, and beautiful coastline dotted with picturesque Chinese fishing nets tossed into the sea! Although the town itself is abuzz with tourist activities, there are many popular scenic spots on the outskirts of Kochi isolated from the hustle and bustle of city life that make great destinations for a day trip from Kochi.
Crafted by the hands of the Gods, Kerala is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Browse through these fun-packed one day trip places in Kerala and around for a smashing one day trip filled with beauty and bliss.
10 Best 10 One Day Trips From Kochi
Kerala is a popular stop-over destination for leisure and business travelers. Here is a list of popular Cochin sightseeing locations for a Cochin day tour that can be reached in an hour or two by car or by using the well-connected public transport here.
ALSO SEE – Top 12 Places to Visit in Kerala (Updated with Latest Photos)
1. Fort Kochi
Distance from Kochi: 6 km
Travel time: 18 mins
Fort Kochi, which is near the cruise harbor of Ernakulam Wharf or Mattancherry Wharf, is at the end of Kochi and has a unique amalgamation of British, Dutch, Arab, and Chinese cultures. A day in Kochi is never complete without a trip to Fort Kochi. The most popular tourist symbol of Kerala and Kochi, several Chinese fishing nets being tossed into the sea can also be seen around Fort Kochi.
The Chinese fishing nets are the most famous sight here and the reason why travelers consider Fort Kochi as one of the best places for one day trips from Kochi. This should be on top of your list of things to do in Kochi and around it.
Must-visit places in Fort Kochi include Princess Street, Dutch Palace, Paradesi Synagogue, St Francis Church, and multiple shops selling tourist curios and best souvenirs from Kerala that you can carry back to your hometown.
Enjoy a surreal sunset on your one day trip to Kerala at the historic Fort Kochi.
2. Alleppey
Distance from Kochi: 54.5 km
Travel time: 1 hour 28 mins
Alleppey, or Alappuzha, is a paradise for water lovers and is famous for houseboat cruises. It is the most popular destination for Kochi one day tour. Alleppey is known as the Venice of the East, and the Kochi to Alleppey distance is just 54.5 km.
A day tour or houseboat cruise in Alleppey lets one experience its tranquil palm-fringed canals and lagoons. The town is famous for boat races, backwater holidays, beaches, marine products, seafood, and the coir industry. Kettuvallam, or houseboat tourism, is the most popular tourist activity here.
There are several well-maintained beaches in Alappuzha safe for swimming and unwinding.
Take a houseboat to explore this beautiful paradise on your one day trip to Kerala.
3. Athirapally
Distance from Kochi: 66 km
Travel time: 2 hours
Athirapally, which is 66 km from Kochi, is a land of rivers, forests, and cascading waterfalls. It is a great place to spend the day drenched in water or to go for a trek into the forest. Explore the Athirapally Waterfall which is the Niagara of India and popular as one of the best one day trips from Kochi.
The waterfalls that are a part of the Chalakudy River are 80 feet high and located in the center of the forest. It’s also the largest waterfall in Kerala.
A great picnic spot, it is also a favorite among moviemakers. Only 5 km away from this waterfall is the Vazhachal Waterfalls, which is also a bewitching sight.
Swimming is permitted in the region, though with precautions in place. Police lifeguards from the local tribal community take care of the security here.
Enjoy a complete bundle of bewitching sights popular for forest trekking on your one day trip from Kerala. Jungle safari is organized daily through the forests of the Sholayar ranges offering tourists a unique opportunity to enjoy the rich flora and fauna of the Athirapally-Vazhachal ecosystem. Several endangered species reside in these forests.
The safari moves across the rainforests in the region and passes through the Thumboormuzhy Dam and Butterfly Garden. The Butterfly Garden is the natural habitat of various species of butterflies and is a great location to observe the colorful winged creatures right from their pupa stage.
4. Vagamon
Distance from Kochi: 102.7 km
Travel time: 3 hours
A sleepy hill station untouched by civilization, Vagamon is filled with meadows, idyllic villages, clear streams, tea plantations, and thick pine forests. Enjoy a bunch of tourist places in Vagamon which is considered as one of the most exceptional places for a one day trip from Kochi. Around 103 km from Kochi, Vagamon is also a hub of adventure sports with arrangements for trekking, paragliding, mountaineering, and rock climbing.
The ride up the hills through curling hairpin bends offers an awesome view of the picturesque green hills and deep valleys. Adding to this charm, the roads to Vagamon are lined with pine trees. Vagamon has made it to National Geographic Traveler’s 50 Most Attractive Places To Visit In India and is a great summer retreat.
From forests to sacred places, there is a lot to explore in Vagamon which tops every list of the most fabulous one day trips from Kochi. Flora lovers will find much joy in the variety of orchids that grow in the wild here. Apart from being an enchanting hill station with plantations, the region is an abode of calm and spiritual delight.
Christian devotees can be seen trekking up the Kurushumala, some with heavy crosses propped on their shoulders. A huge dairy farm is run by the monks here.
An annual international paragliding festival is organized here, attracting enthusiasts from around the globe.
5. Ezhattumugham Nature Village
Distance from Kochi: 58 km
Travel time: 2 hours
If you want to enjoy gurgling waterfalls, chirping birds, and fluttering butterflies amidst lush greenery, then Ezhattumugham is the place to be! It’s a great destination for a one day trip in Kerala! Ezhattumugham is a pristine nature village on the outskirts of Kochi, with the glistering Chalakudy River flowing through it. The village is in the midst of thick forests and tall trees swaying in Kerala’s gentle tropical breeze.
Ezhattumugham translates to ‘seven faces of a river’ and is called so because the river here splits into seven streams. There are big boulders in the river here and many tourists choose to lazily relax on them. They dip their feet in the cold, flowing river in the backdrop of resplendent landscapes and chattering parrots bouncing around the huge trees.
Ezhattumugham Nature Village, or Ezhattumugham Prakriti Gramam, can be clubbed with a trip to Athirapally.
The nature village, though lacking in the glamor against the Athirapally Waterfalls, is much less crowded and kept in its original form.
6. Kumarakom
Distance from Kochi: 48 km
Travel time: 1 hour 27 mins
Also known as the Queen of Vembanad, Kumarakom is the most enchanting backwater destination and also one of the best places for one day trips from Kochi. Kumarakom is essentially a village that is formed out of a cluster of islands on Vembanad Lake.
A hotspot for houseboat tourism, the highlight of Kumarakom is the bird sanctuary here which is spread across 14 acres. The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary plays host to many migratory birds from the Himalayas and even from as far as Siberia. It’s the perfect place to watch avian life. Birds such as Siberian storks, egrets, darters, herons, teal, waterfowl, cormorants, and the Brahminy kites can be spotted here.
The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary which is 55 km from Kochi an hour and a half travel by road), stays open from 6 AM to 6 PM. The crystal backwaters of Kumarakom offer an array of leisure water activities such as boating, canoeing, bamboo rafting, and fishing.
Kumarakom is the best spot to capture stunning photographs of Kerala’s famed backwaters and traditional village life.
7. Thommankuthu
Distance from Kochi: 71 km
Travel time: 2 hours 15 mins
The perfect spot for tree huggers, Thommankuthu is famous for its seven-step waterfall descending from a massive height. Hidden in Idduki’s lush forest, Thommankuthu waterfalls consist of a series of 12 cascading falls making it the best destination for one day trips from Kerala for all those who have an unconditional love for nature, peace, and tranquility. Thommankuthu is a popular picnic spot that attracts nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.
The destination has several caves and is apt for trekking and mountaineering activities. To get around the entire forest area, you will have to trek around 12 km in the woods, which is as close to nature as one can get.
A 2-hour drive from Kochi, Thommankuthu is nature’s treasure trove that will make you will feel like you are in heaven!
8. Kumbalangi
Distance from Kochi: 7 km
Travel time: 17 mins
Kumbalangi model tourism village, which is India’s first designated ecotourism village, is on the outskirts of Kochi. Ever since the Government of India declared this as a model fishing village, Kumbalangi topped the chart of one day trip places in Kerala.
Although this fishing hamlet is just 15 km from the city, it is tucked away from the maddening crowd of tourists and the noise of city life. Around 100 Chinese fishing nets dot the backwaters here and dense mangroves separate the land from the water providing a breeding ground for prawns, crabs, oysters, and several other fish.
Bait fishing and boating are popular activities among tourists here.
9. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary & Bhoothathankettu Dam
Distance from Kochi: 64 km
Travel time: 2 hours
Thattekad Sanctuary, also known as Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, is located 64 km from Kochi. Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary is a much-acclaimed bird sanctuary that tops the list of incomparable one day trips in Kerala. A regular haunt of Ornithologists, 500 bird species including many forest and water birds thrive here. Tourists can go bamboo rafting on the lake and explore the surrounding areas.
Around 10 km from this sanctuary is the Bhoothathankettu Dam amid virgin forests. Bhoothathankettu, in Malayalam, means ‘ghost’ fort’, and the myth is that the dam was built by Bhoothams (spirits/ghosts) overnight by using rocks. Trekking through the forest to get to the dam is not only exciting because of the forest’s resplendent greenery and pristine form but also because of its mysterious, spooky factor!
Apart from its scenic beauty, you can explore the many ancient temples and churches located in this area.
10. Thrissur
Distance from Kochi: 84 km
Travel time: 2 hours 15 mins
Although neither a picnic spot nor a nature paradise, Thrissur is a great place to treat yourself to the rich culture and heritage of Kerala. Thrissur is known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala and is popular the world over for the lively Thrissur Pooram festival. Thrissur Pooram is the most colorful and spectacular festival among all the festivals in Kerala.
Thrissur has several world-famous temples and churches worth visiting. Thrissur Zoo is home to many exotic animals and birds. If you want to indulge in history, you can visit the many museums here as well as the Kodungallur Kovilakam, a palace that belonged to the royal family of the medieval ages.
Thrissur Pooram is a vivid cultural and religious festival celebrated with a grand display of caparisoned elephants, sparkling parasols, and traditional percussion music
We have not included popular tourist destinations like Munnar, Thekkady, and Marari Beach, in this list of top 10 one day trips around Kochi as it will require considerable time and effort to visit these places and experience their uniqueness.
We have shortlisted only those one day trip places near Kochi where you can easily reach from Kochi in the day and then return to the city by the evening for your stay. Do note that for some of these places, you may have to start early in the morning from Kochi.
Traveling to Kochi is going to be all the more exciting now that you are aware of these thrilling one day trips from Kochi. They’re perfect for people who have a short stay in Kochi but wish to make the most of it! If you are looking to book any of them, all you need to do is get in touch with our team to craft a comfortable trip plan tailored to suit your needs.
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