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Mattancherry Palace, Kerala

Itinerary · Kerala · India

One day in Kerala

A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Kerala, not crossing it.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Ranjith Siji, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick answer

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 10. Day 1: Backwater houseboat cruise and Chinese fishing nets. Base yourself in Fort Kochi.

Key facts

Days
1
Sights covered
5
Day trips
None
Best base
Fort Kochi
Book ahead
Backwater houseboat cruise

Day by day

  1. Day 1: Backwater houseboat cruise and Chinese fishing nets

    Backwater houseboat cruise, Chinese fishing nets, Mattancherry Palace and Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town, then Kathakali performance in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Backwater houseboat cruise

      Ask for a route that leaves the main lake for narrower canals, and check the boat's licence and safety equipment before you pay. Allow 1 night.

    2. Late morning

      Chinese fishing nets

      Come at sunset when the nets are silhouetted, and ask the fishermen before you join them on the platform. Allow 45 minutes.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Appam and stew

      Homestays in Fort Kochi and local restaurants across central Kerala.

    4. Afternoon

      Mattancherry Palace

      Take your time in the bedchamber with the Ramayana murals; photography is not permitted inside. Allow 1 hour.

    5. Late afternoon

      Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town

      Visit in the morning, then browse the antique and spice shops along Jew Town Road towards Mattancherry Palace. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

    6. Evening

      Kathakali performance

      Arrive an hour early to watch the performers apply their make-up, which is as fascinating as the show.

Before you go

  • Backwater houseboat cruise: Book a reputable operator a few weeks ahead for December, January, Christmas and Onam; avoid deals offered by touts at the jetty.

If it rains

  • Swap in Napier Museum (Thiruvananthapuram): Combine it with the Sree Chitra Art Gallery next door for paintings by Raja Ravi Varma.
  • Swap in Kerala Folklore Museum (Ernakulam): It is in Thevara, south of central Ernakulam; combine it with a ferry ride to Fort Kochi.
  • Swap in Ayurveda treatment (Kovalam): Choose centres with qualified Ayurvedic doctors who consult before treatment, especially for multi-day programmes.

Where to stay for this itinerary

$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, food lovers and families

Fort Kochi

Colonial-era streets of homestays, cafés and galleries on Kochi's sea front

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 6–7 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.5 hours in December to 12.8 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Train. Indian Railways trains connect Kerala's coastal towns frequently; Ernakulam to Varkala takes about 3–4 hours and to Alappuzha about 1–1.5 hours.

More or fewer days

Questions travellers ask

+Is one day enough in Kerala?

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 10. How many days Kerala needs.

+What should I book before visiting Kerala?

Backwater houseboat cruise.