Day trips · Kerala · India
5 best day trips from Kerala
Where to go when you want a day away from Kerala, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: P.K.Niyogi ( talk ), Public domain
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Kerala is Athirappilly Falls (About 2 hours by car from Kochi). The closest option is Cherai Beach, about 30 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Cherai Beach (30 km)
- Most popular
- Athirappilly Falls
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athirappilly Falls | 70 km | About 2 hours by car from Kochi | Car with driver | Families, First-timers |
| Alappuzha backwater day cruise | 55 km | About 1.5 hours by car or train from Kochi | Train or car, then day houseboat or shikara | First-timers, Families, Couples |
| Cherai Beach | 30 km | About 1 hour by car from Fort Kochi | Car or ferry to Vypin, then road | Beach, Families, Quiet stays |
| Thrissur | 80 km | About 1.5–2 hours by train or car | Train from Ernakulam | Culture |
| Ponmudi | 60 km | About 2 hours by car from Thiruvananthapuram | Car with driver | Quiet stays, Couples |
The day trips
70 km · About 2 hours by car from Kochi
1.Athirappilly Falls
Kerala's largest waterfall drops about 25 metres over a wide rock face on the Chalakudy River, surrounded by forest. A path leads down to viewpoints near the base; nearby Vazhachal Falls is a few kilometres further on. The falls are most powerful in and just after the monsoon.
- Getting there
- Car with driver
- Best for
- Families, First-timers
55 km · About 1.5 hours by car or train from Kochi
2.Alappuzha backwater day cruise
If you cannot spend a night on a houseboat, a day cruise or a smaller shikara boat ride through the canals near Alappuzha gives a good taste of backwater life, with lunch on board.
- Getting there
- Train or car, then day houseboat or shikara
- Best for
- First-timers, Families, Couples
30 km · About 1 hour by car from Fort Kochi
3.Cherai Beach
A long beach on Vypin Island north of Kochi, backed by backwaters on its other side, so you can see sea and lagoon within a few hundred metres. It is the closest decent beach to Kochi.
- Getting there
- Car or ferry to Vypin, then road
- Best for
- Beach, Families, Quiet stays
80 km · About 1.5–2 hours by train or car
4.Thrissur
Kerala's cultural capital centres on the Vadakkunnathan Temple and its huge circular ground, the Thekkinkadu Maidan, where the Thrissur Pooram festival takes place. The Kerala Kalamandalam performing arts school is about 30 km further north.
- Getting there
- Train from Ernakulam
- Best for
- Culture
60 km · About 2 hours by car from Thiruvananthapuram
5.Ponmudi
A small hill station in the Western Ghats reached by a road of 22 hairpin bends, with tea gardens, forest streams and cool viewpoints over the plains. It is an easy escape from the heat of the capital and Kovalam.
- Getting there
- Car with driver
- Best for
- Quiet stays, Couples
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Reserve air-conditioned chair or sleeper classes in advance on the official railway booking site or app.
- KSRTC state buses run everywhere, including the hill routes, and are very cheap, though crowded and slow.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Kerala?
Athirappilly Falls. Kerala's largest waterfall drops about 25 metres over a wide rock face on the Chalakudy River, surrounded by forest.
+How long does it take to get from Kerala to Athirappilly Falls?
About 2 hours by car from Kochi — Car with driver, about 70 km.
+How long does it take to get from Kerala to Alappuzha backwater day cruise?
About 1.5 hours by car or train from Kochi — Train or car, then day houseboat or shikara, about 55 km.