While the Kochi Muziris Biennale celebrates art and historic venues, take some time to explore the city. We take you through its history, waterways, spice-laden streets and quiet green pockets. As your plan your trip, make time to kayak through mangroves, take a slow boat through island clusters or follow a storyteller through narrow lanes.
Walking trails: The city on foot
Just 17 kilometres from Fort Kochi is the ‘royal’ town of Tripunithura, once the seat of the Cochin Royal Family. A heritage walk here winds through the quaint town, offering history in every nook and corner. Visit Hill Palace at Tripunithura, now a sprawling museum that houses royal jewellery, paintings, weapons and even a deer park.
In Mattancherry, where the air is heavy with the aroma of spices, take a walking tour. The food walk by the Kochi Heritage Project (KHP), which takes you on a gastronomic trip, Naalu Mani Kadikalum Kathakalum (4’O Clock snacks and stories), that lets you sample some of the food of the various communities that inhabit Mattancherry. The themed trails include the ‘unniyappam’ and beef trails. You can also shop for spices pepper, cardamom and others.
KHP does other customised walking tours as well. Like any old, historical town, Fort Kochi has its share of scary and spooky stories. Oneal Sabu’s Phantasma, Kerala’s only spook tour, is perfect, starting between 10pm-11pm. There are two — the Jew Town Spook Trail and the Colonial Crawlies (Fort Kochi), which will take you through those parts of town that have a history harking back centuries like for instance Jew Town.
The walking tours are usually for 2-2.5 hours.
For more information @thetravellinggecko @fcboy83 @thekochiheritageproject; rates vary depending on the tour, start at ₹2,000 per person
A fisherman is all ready to cast his net in the backwaters
| Photo Credit:
H VIBHU
Backwaters and boat rides
While on a quiet boat ride around the tiny islands that dot the backwaters at Kadamakudy, take in the Chinese fishing nets that dot the horizon and savour the slow life. Hop islands (Kadamakkudy is a cluster of 14 islands), get a glimpse of traditional paddy farming — pokkali, fishing practices and sample local food pearlspot cooked the traditional way, pokkali appam and black tea among others.
There is also history, and ornithology. While there are traditional options when it comes to boats, you can also choose environment friendly battery-operated boats. These boat rides, by Tropiq Getaways, set off either in the morning around sunrise and in the evenings to beat the midday heat. The boats will start from Kothad island, stop at Veliyakadamakudy and Pizhala, the two major islands of Kadamakkudy.
The Travelling Gecko also conducts two boat trips — the Backwater Tour which takes the route in the traditional country boat and the Mangrove Tour. The Mangrove Tour is especially interesting as it takes the route along the backwaters on the Tripunithura-Poothotta side through mangroves, with a mangrove conservation expert. There are some parts on the trail where the sun does not filter through the thick foliage.
Remeber you can venue hop using the Water Metro which plies on 15 routes, using 23 battery-powered electric boats. Terminals include Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Willingdon Island, High Court and Vypin are some of the key terminals on the Biennale circuit.
@tropiqgetaways @thetravellinggecko on Instagram. The rates vary depending on the size of the group; start at ₹2000 per person
Domestic tourists enjoy kayaking on the Cheriyakadamakkudy backwaters
| Photo Credit:
RK Nithin
Kayaking and canoeing
The backwaters in and around Kochi are perfect for kayaking and canoeing. If you have not tried it before this is a good time to dip your feet in the waters. While on the guided tour through the mangroves, under their cool shade, watch the life of local communities who live around the backwaters. You will be people fishing, waiting for the ferry and going about everyday life. There are several places in Kochi which offer these and other tours, please ensure that the instructors are certified.
@kochikayaking @thetravellinggecko @tropiqgetaways @veniziakeralahouseboat.com The rates start at ₹300 -₹600 for a single person person kayak and ₹450-₹1000 for a double kayak.
The Chendamangalam Synagogue is one of the oldest known synagogues built by the Malabar Jews at Chendamangalam in Ernakulam district
| Photo Credit:
H VIBHU
The Munziris Heritage trail
The town of Chendamangalam, 30-odd kilometres from Ernakulam and Fort Kochi, is part of the Muziris Heritage Project, a Kerala State Government project to spotlight the historical and cultural significance of the area following excavations at nearby Pattanam.
Chendamangalam was originally the seat of the Paliath Achan, the Prime Ministers of the Cochin Royal Family. Paliam Palace of the Paliath Achan’s is now a well-maintained museum, with its collection of fascinating items from the period.
Then there is the Jewish synagogue, known as the Chennamangalam Synagogue with its stunning altar; the building is a combination of typical Kerala style and European architecture. You can hire a cab to take you there, the Paliam Palace has guides and so does the Synagogue. A short walk from there you can see a tributary of the Periyar flow by. And you can also shop for the famed GI-tagged handloom from Chendamangalam.
Published – December 11, 2025 04:15 pm IST
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