Kochi Tuk-Tuk Tour: Chinese Fishing Nets & Fort Kochi

Ride a Tuk-Tuk past colonial churches, working fishing nets and spice markets while a local guide fills in the history

A guided Tuk-Tuk tour of Kochi covers Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Jew Town in three to four hours, stopping at landmarks like the Chinese Fishing Nets, Paradesi Synagogue, Mattancherry Palace and St. Francis Church. The tour includes hotel pickup for travelers staying in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, bottled water, and a guide who speaks English and knows the city's hidden corners beyond the main tourist circuit.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. St. Francis Church20m · entry included
2. Chinese Fishing Nets20m · entry included
3. Dutch Cemetery10m · entry included
4. Indo-Portuguese Museum20m · entry included
5. Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica20m · entry included
6. Mattancherry Palace20m · entry included
7. Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town20m · entry included

Explore Kochi's historic and cultural sites

• Visit St. Francis Church
• See Chinese Fishing Nets
• Walk along Fort Kochi beach
• Explore Dutch Cemetery
• Tour Indo-Portuguese Museum
• View Dhobi Khana public laundry
• Visit Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica
• See naval history museum
• Visit Cochin Tirumala Devaswom temple
• Watch pigeon feeding at Jain temple
• Tour Mattancherry Palace
• Visit Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town
• Shop for spices

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your hotel in Fort Kochi or Mattancherry, then heads into the oldest parts of the city. You'll see St. Francis Church, built in 1503 and one of the oldest European churches in India: the place where Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was originally buried before his remains were moved to Lisbon. The Tuk-Tuk then takes you to the Chinese Fishing Nets, the massive mechanical structures that have worked the Arabian Sea since Chinese explorers arrived in the 14th century. Each net is at least 10 meters high, held up by counterweights and operated by teams of fishermen using a system almost unchanged in centuries.

From there the route moves through Fort Kochi's colonial quarter, passing the Dutch Cemetery (consecrated in 1724 and still managed by the Church of South India), the Indo-Portuguese Museum, and the Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, one of Kerala's eight basilicas. You'll also stop at the Dhobi Khana, the public laundry where the Vannar community has hand-washed clothes using traditional methods since the Dutch period: around 45 washermen still work there daily.

The second half of the tour takes you into Mattancherry and Jew Town. The Mattancherry Palace, also called the Dutch Palace, holds Kerala murals and exhibits about the Rajas of Kochi and sits on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list. The Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1568, is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth and the center of Jew Town's narrow lanes lined with antique shops and spice traders. Your guide will point out the hidden corners (the bonus stops and local spots) that most visitors miss, and will help you frame photos throughout the day. Bottled water is provided, and the Tuk-Tuk itself becomes part of the experience: you're riding the vehicle locals use, not watching the city from behind glass.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from your hotel in Fort Kochi or Mattancherry.
• use of the Tuk-Tuk for the full tour.
• bottled water.
• an English-speaking local guide.
• help taking photos with the Tuk-Tuk and at each stop.
• access to hidden gems and bonus secret places beyond the main circuit.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (29 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Youth (13 to 28 years) · Child (4 to 12 years): free · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Legendary Kochi Tuk-Tuk Tour

Is this one for you?Book this tour for your first morning in Kochi or a free afternoon when you want to see the major landmarks without arranging transport yourself: the Tuk-Tuk and guide handle the route, timing and stories, so you just ride and look.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 28 years); Child (4 to 12 years): free; Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Chinese Fishing Nets and why are they in Kochi?

The Chinese Fishing Nets are massive stationary lift nets: mechanical structures at least 10 meters high with horizontal nets of 20 meters or more stretched over the sea. They were introduced by Chinese explorers who landed in Kochi in the 14th century and are operated by teams of up to six fishermen using counterweights and pulleys. The nets remain almost unique to India, found mainly in Kochi and Kollam, and have become a working landmark tourists watch in action.

Is pickup really free for all hotels in Fort Kochi?

Free pickup and drop-off are included for travelers staying in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry. If your hotel is outside those areas, contact the operator to confirm whether pickup is available and whether an additional fee applies.

What makes this tour different from other Kochi sightseeing options?

The guide is a local who knows the city inside out and takes you beyond the usual tourist spots to hidden gems and vibrant markets. The Tuk-Tuk itself is how locals move around the city, so you experience Kochi the way residents do rather than from a tour bus. The operator also customizes the itinerary to your interests and helps you take photos throughout the day.