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  About Kochi

Kochi is one of the most dynamic cities and the commercial capital of Kerala. The city is constantly bustling while its surrounding remains true to its agricultural roots. Kochi, as a city, plays an essential port to the South-west coast of India. The ports are connected to the Maldives, Lakshadweep Island and many important coastal cities.

Despite having a blend of various seasons, the heat and humidity in the air continue to remain constant. However, that only makes travellers fly to Kochi instead. Not to mention how the gorgeous setting of the city and its impeccable connectivity that allows a traveller to traverse through various terrains.

Best time to visit Kochi

Kochi sees multitudes of seasons and climate all-year-long. Throughout the year, even know specific seasons are set and have been followed, every year, sudden twists in the western forecasts leave the locals in peril. The tropical setting of Kochi and even Kerala it ideal for summers and even winters. In fact, the months from October to February are actually enchanting and the best. The temperatures dawdle between 17 degree Celsius and 33 degree Celsius. Not only is the winter season perfect for backpackers and solo travellers but also couples and newlyweds who wish to go to honeymoon in Mumbai itself.

The months from March to June marks the start of summer in Kochi. The temperatures in Kochi during summer continues to escalate up to 37 degree Celsius. Although it is considered to be a good season to visit the city, it is only because there is less crowd. On off-seasons, tourists avoid visiting places as they fear unpleasant experiences. However, flying to Kochi on off-season might be helpful as people wouldn't have to deal with the excess tourist crowd. Plus, flight tickets to Kochi see some massive price drop. Many airlines also have flight deals to bring down the cost of a ticket to Kochi.

Monsoons in Kochi are exceptional. Even though it is not a peak season for the city as a rain-washed city would not be favourable for tourist activities, many travellers opt for monsoons. The main reason behind choosing monsoon as the best time to catch a flight to Kochi is that the city's lush greenery turns emerald as the backwaters dance under the torrent rains. Booking a hotel in Kochi during this season is also affordable as it is an off-season for hoteliers. The whole sight of the place is enchanting and definitely an unmemorable experience. Kochi experienced monsoon between July to September.

Places to see in Kochi

The gorgeous Arabian sea might border Kochi on one side, and the towering Western Ghats on the other but the melange of the two varied geographies only makes the city alluring. When in Kochi, you should definitely check out some of its famous beaches namely, Veeranpuzha Beach, Cherai Beach, Munambam Beach, Fort Kochi Beach and more. The city also has many pristine churches that should be visited. These are St Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilican and the Paradesi Synagogue.

Besides these attractions, Kochi also has museums like Indo-Portuguese Museum, Ginger House Museum Hotel, Folklore Museum, and more than would enlighten you about their cultural heritage, their history and more. Not just the beaches but you should also check out what the lush green valleys close to Kochi have to offer. You can witness the Athirapally Falls and the Areekkal Falls. More than anything, you can visit the famous Lulu Shopping Mall too, which is right there in the city centre. You can further continue the pilgrimage by visiting temples such as Shiva Temple, Gowreeswara Temple Cherai, Ernakulam Mahadeva Temple, Thrikkakara Temple and more.

Things to do in Kochi

Elephant Training Centre

A little away from the city of Kochi is an adorable retreat for elephants. An Elephant Training centre has been established by the Ernakulam district where the animals are brought together to live in harmony. At the centre, these elephants are bathed and fed properly. The centre takes good care of the elephants and even allows visitors to come over and play with the giant animals. Visit this beautiful place and feel happy in the company of playful elephants who would keep you entertained with their goofiness.

Fort Ayurveda Spa

Kerala's Ayurvedic spas are world-renowned and for all the right reasons. The therapeutic massages and spa treatments actually help rejuvenate the body, mind and soul. Kochi has the Fort Ayurveda Spa, which lives up to the reputation of providing the customers with excellent services. Book an appointment here and let your troubles be washed away by the gentle touch of a masseuse. The experience will be beautiful and certainly have a lasting effect on you.

Kathakali Centre

The classical dance form of Kathakali is enchanting and compelling. The performances usually have a backstory and a theme based on which the whole show is presented. The art would keep you engaged as the eyes of the dancers would hypnotise you. Often these performances express a certain Hindu mythological story.

Snorkelling at Thiruvankullam

Compared to other parts of coastal India, Kochi has extremely beautiful and clean beaches. The shores are just as bright and spotless as is the Arabian sea that touches the coasts. The clean and clear waters of Kochi have enabled snorkelling in the area. You can head to Thiruvankullam and take up the water activity. You will be surprised to see some exquisite marine life that's prevalent just miles away from the city of Kochi.

Backwater tour

Kochi connects to Alleppey, which is the hub of backwaters in Kerala. Although it is a few kilometres far from the main city, Alleppey has a harbour from where you can either choose a houseboat or a shikhara ride to explore the gorgeous backwaters lined by rice paddies.

Food and restaurants

Kochi's lifestyle is heavily inspired or rather influenced by the Portuguese, Dutch and English. This is easily reflected in their way of living, lifestyle and more importantly, their cuisine as well. While they still have their special curry and parotha as the highlight of the state, the landscape of Kerala cuisine has seen quite a lot of transformations. As a coastal city, the cuisine mainly centres around exquisite seafood and Malabari food. As a developed city of India, Kochi manages to sustain the traditional cuisine as it also embraces other cuisines such as Asian, North Indian, Continental and more.

Sky Grill Lounge and Bar, Fort House, Asian Kitchen, The Rice Boat, Dhe Puttu, Fusion Bay are some of the finest restaurants that you will find in Kochi. You might not know this, but Kochi actually has a lot of quaint cafes to cater to the backpacking audience. In the city and close to the coastal area, you will find small joints and ventures that have a hipster vibe and attract the young crowd. It is a known fact that the seafood in Kerala is a delight to the taste buds. The city centre will acquaint you with not just exciting dishes but also taste and flavour that will be unforgettable.

How to reach Kochi (Transportation)

By Air

The Cochin International Airport, located 29 km away from the city centre sees excellent flight connectivity from Kochi to other major cities in India. In fact, the airport also has flights taking international routes from Kochi to Middle Eastern countries. Kochi airport is known to be one of the busiest and crowded airports thanks to the excellent connectivity it has with the other cities in the country as well as internationally. A plethora of flights fly from Kochi to cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur and more. The city is always on demand and hence, getting good flight deals for Kochi becomes quite challenging. However, with good planning and timing, you might be able to get cheap flight tickets to Kochi and even decent flight deals.

By Rail

Just like the flight connectivity of Kochi with the rest of the major cities in India, even the railway network is strong. There are two railway stations, namely Kochi Railway Station and Ernakulam Junction Station that connect the city with the rest of the country. There are express trains too that travel to Kochi from Mumbai, Delhi and other big cities. Train tickets to Kochi can be booked online as well as physically at the railway station. The city is well-connected within the state too and has bus and railway services to ensure that the city's stature as one of the economically strong and developed places sustains.

By Road

Kochi has impeccable roadway network as well owing to the city being a commercial hub. The city doesn't just contribute to the state's economy but also to the country's and hence, is blessed with strong roadways network. Several buses enter and leave the city from various parts of the country. The neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, even Goa, have bus facilities that provide services to the city. The Kerala State Run Transport Corporation (KSRTC) travels through several cities, including Kochi. There are options for AC and Non-AC buses that you can choose from for your travel needs.

  About Sri Lankan Airlines

Sri Lankan Airlines is the official flag carrier of Sri Lanka and is also part of the Oneworld airline alliance. The airline is currently the largest carrier in Sri Lanka with respect to the fleet size and the number of destinations covered. It was initially launched as Air Lanka in 1979, following the termination of Air Ceylon, the former Sri Lankan flag carrier. Operations of Air Ceylon were terminated as Air Lanka took over all the flight activities. Air Lanka was partially acquiesced by Emirates in 1998, which resulted in a total rebranding of the airlines. The acquisition also introduced the current livery that Srilankan Airlines possesses. In 2008 though, the Sri Lankan government acquired all the shares of Air Lanka from Emirates and brought forth a rebranded airline. While the partnership with Emirates was terminated, the airlines changed its name to SriLankan Airlines and changed the logo of the company as well.

Right after its rebranding, Sri Lankan Airlines acquired six Airbus A330-200s to add to its fleet of Airbus A340-300 and A320-200 aircraft. Soon, in 2000, the airline further added its fourth aircraft, A340-300, which arrived at Colombo with the airline's refurbished corporate livery. Sri Lankan Airlines also upgraded its A340 fleet by adding a two-class configuration to enhance the brand name and reflect its new corporate image. The airlines also worked to increase its destinations for domestic routes and international routes, primarily in India and the Middle East. As expansions continued on one side, the airlines commenced flights to Jeddah, the third Saudi destination, after Riyadh and Dammam. In 2017, the airlines also introduced its direct daily non-stop flight connection to Melbourne in Australia. This has been Sri Lankan Airlines' most ambitious expansions to date as its long haul route between Australia, and Sri Lanka was brought back after a hiatus of 16 years.

Currently, Sri Lankan Airlines is known to operate about 560 flights in a week. It has excellent connectivity as it operates in over 113 destinations across 51 countries. These numbers also include the codeshare operations that have been signed by the airlines. The airline's main hub is situated at the Bandaranaike International Airport, located in the capital city of Colombo. Sri Lankan Airlines joined the Oneworld airline alliance much recently, in 2014, to be precise. In the same year, Airbus A330 and Airbus A320, both found Oneworld's livery on their aircraft, commemorating the airline's establishment as one of the airlines in the alliance carrier. The airlines' livery is an all-white fuselage with SriLankan titles covered in blue while the tail sees the new corporate logo acquired by the airlines.

Fleet size of Sri Lankan Airlines

Sri Lankan Airlines' current fleet size is 26, which majorly has only Airbus aircraft. The maximum aircraft in their fleet includes the Airbus A330-300s. The airline introduced its first Airbus aircraft in 1992 as it began chartering the Airbus A320-200 to domestic routes to the Maldives, southern India and Pakistan. During the presidential rule of Premadasa, the airline further added Airbus A340-300 aircraft in its fleet with the first Airbus A340 being delivered in 1994. Sri Lankan Airlines became the first in Asia to charter Airbus A340 aircraft. In 2012, during President Rajapakse's rule, the airline planned for ambitious growth in expanding its fleet size to 35 aircraft with deals being signed with both aircraft companies, Airbus and Boeing. Former CEO of Srilankan Airline, Kapila Chandrasena also stated that the airline planned to add either Airbus A330-300 or Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787-8 in its fleet. With this, they aimed to replace the Airbus A340-300. In 2013, the airlines bagged government approval to charter four Airbus A350-900 and seven A330-300 aircraft while deliveries of A330-300 commenced from 2014. Following the large order, the airline also leased three Airbus A350-900s, deliveries of the same starting in 2017.

Sri Lankan Airlines eventually phased out its Airbus A340-300 in 2016 and replaced the aircraft with A330-300 and A350-900. In 2015, the airlines also signed a deal with Air Lease Corporation and AerCap intending to acquire two Airbus A321neo aircraft, lease them from each of the firms. In 2016 though, after incurring some financial losses and concerns, the airline announced that they would be cancelling their order of eight A350 aircraft. As of 2019, the airline still has four Airbus A350-900 aircraft in the monthly order book of the aircraft manufacturing company with no cancellations or conversions of the order to A330-900 from Srilankan Airlines.

Sri Lankan Airlines Baggage Allowance

The baggage allowance at Sri Lankan Airlines differs from the ticket-type chosen by the passenger. For the business class travellers, the airline offers a maximum weight of 40 kg for checked baggage. The dimension of the bags also needs to be within 158 cm, inclusive of pockets, handles and wheels. The economy class sees a significant drop of maximum weight being 30 kg with the same baggage dimension to be followed. Interestingly, a plethora of international airlines usually has a baggage allowance of 23 kg for checked baggage for the economy class. This gives Sri Lankan Airlines a benefit, especially among travellers who are carrying a lot of luggage. There might be restrictions on the baggage allowance depending on the airline partners. More details concerning this can be figured out at the airline's website or even at their customer care service.

In terms of hand luggage that can be carried on board, the airline allows weight no more than 7 kg. While the maximum weight remains the same for travellers of business and economy class, the difference comes with the number of bags that they are allowed to carry. While business class allows two pieces of hand luggage, economy class passengers are only allowed to carry one bag. Besides this, the passengers are allowed an additional small bag which could include a laptop, handbag, camera bag, etc. For travellers travelling with infants, an additional 5 kg weighing baggage is allowed on-board. As the infants require feeding and changing on a regular basis, the inclusion of a dedicated infant baggage allowance has been introduced by Sri Lankan Airlines. Along with this, the traveller can also carry strollers or baskets or pushchairs for the comfort of the infant as well as the parent.

Sri Lankan Airlines In-flight services

Sri Lankan Airlines only offers two class-cabins, business class and economy class. However, both the classes have been blessed with exemplary in-flight services and facilities that make for a comfortable transit. In business class, the airline offers a reclining seat that can be converted into full flat-beds and is present in all long-haul fleet. Along with the flat-bed, the airline has also installed AVOD (Audio Video on Demand) facilities to cater to the entertainment quotient for the passenger. The seats are as wide as 19.5 inches which can recline up to 180 degrees with a bed that sprawls over 79 inches. The suites also come with a 15-inch personal In-flight Entertainment (IFE) system. Much recently, they also revealed their news feature in business class, Thales Avant IFE, which brings forth modern entertainment features and better business class seats. The A330-300 fleet has all-aisle access with a configuration of 1-2-1 seating, reserved for business class. The A320 and A321 aircraft offer a 2-2 layout with extra reclining seats and a pitch that ranges from 39 to 49 inches.

For the economy class, the airline does provide some in-flight services such as in-seat entertainment, which is present on all their wide-body and narrow-body aircraft. On their A330-300 and A320/A321neo aircraft, the airline has provided all cabin classes with paid-for internet access as part of their in-flight services. This also includes mobile services and access to WiFi. The airline is also the first in South Asia to have on-board WiFi services available. Sri Lankan Airlines' receives its catering services from Srilankan Catering Limited. Its hub is present at Bandaranaike International Airport. The kitchen as the capacity to prepare over 25,000 meals in a day in their state-of-the-art kitchen facility. The catering service was incorporated in 1979 and initially commenced as a joint venture with Thai Airways International. However, as the venture agreement lapsed in 1998 with Air Lanka ltd buying all the shares of Thai Airways International, the entity became a Sri Lankan Airlines Limited's subsidiary.

Popular routes and top cities for Srilankan Airlines

As of 2020, Srilankan Airlines operates in 40 cities in about 20 countries. Some of the popular international routes that Srilankan Airlines caters to include India, China, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Australia, to name a few. Top cities include Sydney, Paris, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi, Tokyo, Muscat, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi, London and Seoul.

Why travel by Sri Lankan Airlines?

Sri Lankan Airlines is best connected to Indian cities as well as several the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries. Hence, booking a Sri Lankan Airlines flight to reach cities in these countries would be the ideal way to go. Not to mention how the airline's website is also very helpful and efficient as it helps conduct web check-in, know about the flight status and get an update on Sri Lankan Airlines' flight schedule. You can further enjoy some of Sri Lankan Airlines' exquisite in-flight services.

  About Cochin Airport

Cochin International Airport is located 25 km away from the city of Kochi, at Nedumbassery, in the state of Kerala. The Cochin Airport is the first airport in the country that has been developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project is funded by about 10,000 non-resident Indians (NRI) sprawled across 30 countries. The airport is known for its busy status as it is the most active in the state of Kerala. The airport is also the largest in the state. Cochin International Airport provides to ap[proximately 61 per cent of passenger movement. The Cochin Airport is also recognized nationally as the fourth busiest airport, with respect to international traffic and eighth most active overall.

About Cochin Airport Terminals

There are three main terminals at the Cochin International Airport. While two of them cater to the domestic terminal, the third one works as an international airport. Terminal 1 was previously used for international flight activities. However, with the new and improved Terminal 3, the international operations were shifted there. The terminal caters to the domestic airlines and operations and can accommodate 4,000 passengers per hour. There are 56 check-in counters, six private lounges and seven aerobridges with a conveyor belt that transfers baggage of about 12 flights at once. Terminal 2 offers an executive experience with CUTE enabled check-in counters, four self-check-in kiosks and six security gates with a space to handle about 400 passengers at once. The terminal was converted as an executive terminal much recently. The international Terminal 3 came into existence in recent times. Built with the Kerala architecture and influence from the Thrissur Pooram, the terminal boasts exquisite fibre elephants adorned with traditional costumes. There are five entry gates, 84 check-in and 80 immigration counters.

About airport authority

The Cochin International Airport is owned by the public limited company, formally known as Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which is a public-private consortium. The Government of Kerala also holds ownership in the venture with 33.36 per cent stakes. The government is the largest investor in CIAL while various Indian and foreign organizations also have stakes on it. Companies such as BPCL, AAI and Air India have a collective stake of 8.74 per cent. Meanwhile, foreign organizations such as Emke Group from Abu Dhabi, Galfar Group of Oman and Majeed Bukatara Trading of UAE hold 5.42 per cent stake. There are many more players in the venture too such as Federal Bank, Canara Bank and SBT. 38.03 per cent of stake is collectively owned by approximately 10,000 personal investors panned across 29 countries. These are non-resident Indians with stakes in CIAL.

Facilities at the Cochin Airport

Luggage facility: The airport has a slew of services available pertaining to the luggage. There are free luggage trolleys available at the entrance of the airport as well as at regular counters till the check-in. The terminal also allows porterage services where you can avail help from a professional to escort your luggage from one point to another. The porterage services do come for free for senior citizens, expectant mothers, physically disabled individuals, minors and more. It is imperative that you coordinate with the respective airlines to avail the services. Along with porterage and trolleys, the airport also offers baggage wrapping services. You can get your luggage wrapped in plastic to protect them from theft, mishandle and other concerns.

Child care room: The Cochin airport has designated child care centres in the domestic as well as international terminals. This comes in handy for mothers with infants. Women with kids can make use of the room to feed and change diapers. The room also has other provisions of baby products, including toys, to help soothe the child, if needed. The centre is well-sanitized and is maintained perfectly to ensure the hygiene of the space. Mothers must find it safe and healthy.

Information desk: The information desk is available at regular intervals. The space offers all details about the airport, including a map of the airport. The desk provides all the necessary information regarding flights, airlines, boarding gates and other such concerns even if you need to find specific places such as the lost and found and VIP rooms.

Conference halls: One of the major highlights of the Cochin Airport is the conference halls that it has. You can host meetings and other such conventions at the airport. It is excellent and quite convenient as it helps save time for all the parties involved. Business professionals can simply meet at the airport, wrap up the conference or convention and take their flights to return to their cities. It is a convenient setting and hence, is most favoured.

Postal facilities:

Cochin airport has postal facilities as well that work perfectly for the passengers. In case there are some important documents and letters that need to be posted, you can make it happen at the airport. Postal services are available at both the terminals.

Restaurants and cafes: Kochi airport's domestic wing has only a few food establishments in the food court. The international terminal of the airport does have a decent slew of restaurants and food establishments that you will find.

Pre-paid taxi services: From the airport, there are many pre-paid taxi services outside the airport. Outside the airport, the officials have segregated the parking spaces in such a way that specific pillars and lanes are dedicated to taxi cabs. Depending on your bookings, you will be directed to the specific pillar or lane for taxis.

ATMs and Forex: Foreign exchange counters and ATM kiosks are present at regular intervals in the airport.

You can make your currency exchanges and even get a good rate at the airport. You can also withdraw cash at the ATMs to ensure that you have enough money in hand.

Medical facilities: Much like every airport, even Cochin airport has medical services. It is a necessary protocol that needs to be followed by all the airports to have medical facilities. The possibility of a medical emergency is always prevalent at airports.

VIP lounge: The airport has exemplary VIP lounges and guestrooms for special people. Travellers who have first-class tickets or premium memberships at specific airlines will get access to the private lounges or VIP rooms. These lounges and rooms have upscaled luxury services with great hospitality.

Top airlines flying from the Cochin Airport

Cochin International Airport is recognized as one of the largest and busiest airports in the state of Kerala. With an air passenger movement of approximately 61 per cent, the airport easily becomes a busy one in the state. The Cochin International Airport also witnesses tremendous international traffic. As many flights directly fly to Middle Eastern countries from Cochin and witnesses a high demand too, the international traffic is just as busy as the domestic terminal. Cochin International Airport also serves as a base to the operations of the airlines Air India Express. Aside from Air India Express, the airport also sees many other important domestic airlines such as Air Asia India, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo, Indian Airlines, SpiceJet and Vistara. There are three passenger terminals with Terminal 3 (international terminal) being the largest terminals in the whole country.

Earlier Terminal 1 served as the international terminal. However, after a massive upgrade that took place and with the genesis of Terminal 3, the international flight activities shifted to the other one. The capacity is also quite good, with over 4,000 passengers per hour. Some of the international airlines that fly from Cochin Airport are Air Arabia, Air Asia, Air India, Air Jazeera, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Oman Airways, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Silkair, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Thai AirAsia and Tiger Airways. These airlines majorly cater to the passengers flying in and out of Middle Eastern countries. As the demand for the Middle Eastern countries is very high in the state of Kerala, quite a few airlines have direct flights to those international destinations. Cochin airport houses airlines that directly connect with cities such as Muscat, Kuwait, Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh and Jeddah.

How to reach Cochin Airport

There are various ways to reach Cochin International Airport. Buses, taxis and private vehicles can reach you to the Cochin airport without any hassle. There are dedicated buses that travel to the Cochin International Airport. Often many travel to Cochin Airport to reach places such as Alleppey, Munnar and other prominent tourist destinations in Kerala. While the main city does have the main bus stand, there are many bus routes that connect to the airport. These buses have destinations such as Ernakulam, Padma, Thrissur, Fort Kochi, Angamaly, Kaloor and Ernakulam-Vyttil-Thoppumpady, to name a few.

Another famous and favoured way to reach Cochin International Airport is by pre-paid taxis. There are taxi counters available close to the domestic and international terminals. There are booths available within the premise of the airport too from where you can make your taxi bookings. Even outside the airport, there are taxi counters from where you can get your taxis. Ride-sharing services are also available with apps such as Uber and Ola at work. Often many travellers even opt to reach other cities in the Ernakulam district by booking a taxi. To further enhance your trip, the airport also has rental services available. You can make a booking at the taxi counter as well.