Manila to Kochi Flights

  About Manila

The highly populous city of Manila is the capital of the Philippines. The urban city is recognised worldwide as a city prone to the maximum number of natural disasters, owing to it attracting a high number of cyclones regularly. Despite being vulnerable to natural disasters, Manila is actually known to be a fast-growing city in the Philippines. Located on the bayside, the city has been tremendously influenced by the Spanish as it was once a colony.

Best time to visit Manila

Manila is surrounded by waters on all sides, giving it hot and wet weather. Hence, it is best advised to visit the quaint city during their dry season. Manila's dry months start from January and last up to April. The rest of the year is pretty hot and humid. The flipside of the dry months is that it comes with the summer sun. This basically means you'll have to deal with hot and dry weather when you visit Manila. However, it is still a better bargain than the wet months. March and April see the peak summer with temperatures ranging from 23 degree Celsius to 35 degree Celsius. The weather is perfect for hitting the beach and cooling down. That is always an option that many tourists opt for. Besides, one can always indulge in renting out bicycles and riding in the streets of Manila, exploring new crevices of the lovely city. Due to the months being peak season, the city is often crowded with tourists resulting in high hotel prices. During these months, the hotel rates in Manila spike up to an exorbitant amount. It becomes quite unfavourable for budget tourists to make their bookings for hotels and flights to Manila as there is already a lot of demand for the city.

One can simply opt to make prior hotel and flight bookings to Manila. Although tourists tend to visit the city all-round the year, the safest ones are from January to April. From June to November, Manila is pretty much hot and humid with monsoon taking over. The weather gets rather unpleasant to indulge in tourist activities. This is one of the major concerns which makes tourists opt for the peak season. Monsoon is pretty bad as during this time, the streets get flooded, and the torrential rains destroy quite a lot of the habitat. Since Manila also attracts cyclones and other such calamities, it is best to avoid the wet season. It is essential to check the weather and all the reports before you make your flight and hotel bookings in Manila. Sure, the bad weather and lack of tourism does bring down the hotel prices in Manila. But it definitely wouldn't be worth it as you wouldn't be able to enjoy the city's spirits and tourist attractions. The best thing to do would be to make prior bookings of flight and hotels in Manila for the dry season.

Places to visit in Manila

As a country with some of the largest urban gardens and parks, you can start your tourist rendezvous in Manila by visiting some of them. Rizal Park is a popular garden in the city which was earlier called Bagumbayan, attracts a lot of tourists every year. The garden was built during the Spanish Colonial Period and has been a structure of historical significance. The park is beautiful and comes with lush green grasses and alluring sights. Next from here, you can visit some of the monuments in the city. You can check out Fort Santiago, a citadel created by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, a known Spanish navigator and governor. The defense fortress is recognised for its historical relevance of serving as a prison during World War II. San Agustin Church is another beautiful Roman Catholic structure which is acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Aside from the usual, you can always make room for visits at the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Manila Zoo and Casa Manila, to name a few highlights.

Things to do in Manila

There are many things that you can do in Manila, starting from the Manila Baywalk. The promenade overlooks the Manila Bay and offers a pristine view of the waterbody. You can actually take up carriage rides by the promenade. In the evenings, there are also some performances by locals and live band performances. Not to mention how the area has lovely cafes which serve multi-cuisines. Visiting the Manila Ocean Park should be on your list of things to do in Manila. It is an oceanarium and is owned by the China Oceanis Philippines Inc. The institute is located in proximity to Rizal Park. The place is beautiful as you get to walk through the oceanarium and view some exquisite and rare marine life. To learn more about the history and cultural heritage of the country, you should visit the National Museum of the Philippines. It falls under the government authority and is maintained by the officials. The architecture and exhibits preserved by the Philippines government in the museum will pique your interest. You can also indulge in some fine dining and relish the lavish cuisine.

Food and restaurants in Manila

The cosmopolitan city brings flavours from around the world in their cuisine. You will not miss any international cuisine as the Filipino food in itself has been derived from inspiration from aboriginal, North American, Chinese, Indonesian and Spanish cuisine. Most of the dishes in Manila would seem familiar, be it the flavours or the style of cooking. Manila's eclectic spread of food establishments is perfectly balanced with upscale restaurants and budget food joints. Wherever you go, you will be met with exquisite and memorable food. You can start with a buffet spread at Spiral Restaurant. It features some of the finest gourmet dishes with food inspired by 21 diverse countries. There's a Japanese station as well as a French station with fun cooking scenes. The place is high-priced so best to fill up your pockets before visiting the place. Another luxurious fine dining experience that you can check out is at Café Ilang-Ilang. This food establishment also has a buffet setting with cuisines such as Italian, Asian, Filipino, Japanese, Chinese and Western.

You can also opt for dining with a great view of the Sky Deck View Bar. The aerial view of Manila from the rooftop restaurant is beautiful. For a quaint but authentic Filipino food, head to The Aristocrat. Barbara's Heritage Restaurant is another such place which serves Filipino food as well as a spectacular vibe. Some more establishments that would put a smile on your face are Ilustrado Restaurant, Harbor View Restaurant, Movie Stars Cafe, Bistro Remedios and My Kitchen by Chef Chris. Your food expedition in Manila would be quite an experience as there are far too many places to pick from.

How to reach Manila

Flight connectivity to Manila from India is extremely good. There are many flights that fly to Manila from India. Most of the South Asian countries have impeccable flight connectivity with Indian cities. Even Manila sees regular flights flying from Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, to name a few. The most popular route to Manila chosen by travellers is from Singapore and Hong Kong. The flight connectivity to Manila from these international cities is immaculate. Airlines such as Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Dragon Air, Philippine Airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are some of the prominent names that have flights reserved for Manila. There are no direct flights that fly to Manila from India. There are mostly connecting flights and layovers that take place in international cities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. International routes connecting Manila from cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and even Bangkok are more favoured. The number of flights in service are more, plus the duration is also less time-consuming.

It takes about eight hours and fifteen minutes to reach Manila from India. However, the only way you will get to reach so early would be if you pick the fastest flights with exorbitant ticket costs. The popular flights to Manila have tickets at the price range of INR 20,000 to 27,000. The difference in duration of flights is also barely of an hour or two, making these options more affordable. There are cheap flight tickets to Manila, and if you book in advance, you might be able to get some benefits of discounts too. There are countless deals that take place online, and you can easily avail some flight deals to Manila by snooping around the web. In fact, there are combo deals of flights and accommodation too that is recommended. You can get a cheap flight and hotel bookings in Manila, as long as you make prior reservations and find good deals online. The peak season might see a tremendous change in the flight ticket cost to Manila as well as the hotel prices. During the wet seasons, the hotel prices in Manila drop to an all-time low, making budget travelling possible.

  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 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.