Recently Viewed
Half Day Tuk Tuk Tour in Kochi
5.0
115 Ratings
Kochi (Cochin)
Immerse yourself in the hidden history of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry on a half-day tuk-tuk tour. Discover the unknown face of these historic places and experience the vibrant culture of Kochi.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Chinese Fishing Nets - These huge cantilevered fishing nets are the legacy of one of the first visitors to the Malabar Coast. Erected here between 1350 and 1450 AD by traders from the court of Kublai Khan, these nets are set up on teak wood and bamboo poles. The best place to watch the nets being lowered into the sea and catch being brought in is the Vasco da Gama Square, a narrow promenade that runs along the beach. The Square is an ideal place to idle, with stalls serving fresh delicious seafood, tender coconut etc.
- Jew Town - The Maharaja of Travancore and Cochin gave shelter to the Jewish community here after the Moorish Arabs attacked them in 1524 due to their trade monopoly. They were given an area right opposite the Maharajah’s palace, which subsequently became known as Jew Town. It was here, at the end of a narrow cobbled road that they built the Pardesi synagogue in 1568.
- Princess Street - One of the earliest streets to be constructed in Fort Kochi, Princess Street with its European style residences still retains its old world charm. The best view of this quaint street can be had from Loafers Corner, the traditional meeting place and hangout of the jovial fun loving people of the area.
- Mattancherry Palace - Built by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi, the palace was renovated in 1663 by the Dutch. On display here are beautiful murals depicting scenes from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, and some of the Puranic Hindu legends. The palace also houses Dutch maps of old Kochi, royal palanquins, coronation robes of former Maharajas of Kochi as well as period furniture.
- Pierce Leslie Bungalow - This charming mansion was the office of Pierce Leslie & Co., coffee merchants, founded in 1862. A representative of the Fort Kochi colonial bungalow, this building reflects Portuguese, Dutch and local influences. Characteristic features are wood panels that form the roof of the ground floor, arched doorways, carved doors and sprawling rooms. Waterfront verandahs are an added attraction.
- Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica - This historic church was built by the Portuguese and elevated to a Cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558. In 1795 it fell into the hands of the British when they took over Kochi, and was demolished. About a hundred years later Bishop Dom Gomez Ferreira commissioned a new building at the same site in 1887. The church was proclaimed a Basilica in 1984 by Pope John Paul II.
- Church of Saint Francis - Built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars, this is India’s oldest European church. This was initially built of timber and later reconstructed in stone masonry. It was restored in 1779 by the Protestant Dutch, converted to an Anglican church by the British in 1795 and is at present governed by the Church of South India. Vasco da Gama was buried here in 1524 before his remains were moved to Lisbon, Portugal. The tombstone still remains.
- Paradesi Synagogue - Constructed in 1568, this is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth. Destroyed in a shelling during the Portuguese raid in 1662, it was rebuilt two years later by the Dutch. Known for mid 18th century hand painted, willow patterned floor tiles from Canton in China, a clock tower, Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs, great scrolls of the Old Testament, ancient scripts on copper plates etc.
- Dutch Cemetery - The tomb stones here are the most authentic record of the hundreds of Europeans who left their homeland on a mission to expand their colonial empires and changed the course of history of this land. The cemetery was consecrated in 1724 and is today managed by the Church of South India.
What's Included
- Complimentary pick-up service included.
- All parking fees covered.
Additional Information
Choosing this tour package will reveal the undiscovered aspects of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry to you, filled with immense historical value. Our package will also grant you an insight into the authentic culture of Kochi.
Just like our Half Day Tour Packages, we offer Full Day Tour Packages as well. Our 8-hour package is priced at 2500 for two individuals.
Location
Chinese Fishing Nets
Fort Kochi Beach, Kochi-682001 Kerala India
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(115 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Arjwiz
Aug 13, 2024
Great family trip - Joseph was a great host who explained to us the main sights, and gave us enough time to explore at our will. He was very friendly with our 3 yr old, and kept her entertained when she started getting a bit tired. Definitely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Grandtour01795296099
Aug 7, 2024
A great tour - Great tour with Joseph who ran around Fort Cochin. An excellent Guide indispensable to navigate the thousand streets of the city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E3177ldbaptistem
Aug 2, 2024
Nice Overview of Fort Kochi ! - With Joseph and his rickshaw, we crossed Fort Kochi in just a few hours, from Chinese Fishing Nets to Jew Town, passing by all of Fort Kochi's landmarks.
Great ride for those who want to discover Kochi and its people.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
6meghanas
Jul 29, 2024
Excellent tour guide and driver - We were lucky to bump into Ashok on our first day in Kochi and his entertaining and informative tour through Fort Kochi and Mattancherry was the perfect introduction to our time in Kerala. We later hired him as a driver to various destinations and he was highly reliable and responsible. We can’t recommend him highly enough for any of your touring or driving needs.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Quentin
Jun 29, 2024
Stunning tuc tuc ride in Fort Kochi - A good tour of FortKochi with Joseph who gave us a lot of information about the city and took us to beautiful places away from the main tourist points.
Bonus point + for his restaurant advice that was worth the visit!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Safari20895591547
Jun 21, 2024
Wonderful trip in Auto - I had an excellent experience today. Mr Martin was extremely polite and very helpful as he guided me to various shops and places where I could buy Kerala spices, fabric etc.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Goplaces59482120196
Jun 14, 2024
Great experience, amazing hospitality, and an always to come back feeling. - Amazing Tuktuk tour with Noush aka Noushad our driver. Great hospitality and a fun ride throughout. Amazing places and sites covered throughout Fort Kochi.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nadja_w
May 17, 2024
Wonderful half day TukTuk... - Wonderful half day TukTuk tour with our driver Manilal, we highly recommend! It was a great experience and one can get a good impresssion of all the importanat sights of the city
Review provided by Viator
839ciarah
May 10, 2024
A perfect afternoon in Kochi - Joseph was an excellent guide, he brought me all around Kochi and showed me many places that I would not have otherwise visited. I was interested in Ayurdvedic massage and he had some excellent recommendations. His Tuk tuk is immaculate, he has perfect English (and a good sense of humour too!)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Climber06248877309
Aug 16, 2024
Great tuktuk tour around Kochi - We did a 3hour tour with Ashok and it was great! Very good price, very friendly, and he speaks great english. He took us to cool places we didn’t know about and explained many interesting things.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
