Marine Drive is one of the main arterial roads in Ernakulam, dotted with high rise buildings, malls, theatres and food courts. A few metres away from the road, towards west, lies the Vembanad Lake. A paved stone pathway runs across from the north to the south on the embankement of the Lake, interspersed with stone benches ideal for eveningers to spend time taking in the evening breeze. Evenings are lively with people milling around the malls and eateries and many opting to go on harbor cruises which start from the boat Jetty nearby Harbour cruises, sunset cruises and sightseeing cruises to see the area around are available at the Jetty. Boats will ferry you across to Mattancherry, Fort Kochi, Wellingdon Island and also Bolghatty Island. Govt. run boats and private boats are available. Cruise rates differ on the size of the boat and type of cruise. The govt owned KTDC conducts fixed departure, full / half day sightseeing cruises that begin from Marine Drive. For details and bookings please contact the reception desk.

Guruvayur, a small town in Thrissur district, 60 kms away from the airport, is Kerala's most visited pilgrim town. The divine idol installed here represents Sree Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, who is the presiding deity in the sanctum sanctorum. Rituals and poojas performed at the temple begin from early morning and follow the tenets set by the great Hindu saint, Adi Sankaracharya, even to this day. The Sree Krishna Temple is considered as the 5th largest temple in India in terms of number of visitors and one among the most renowned Vishnu temples in India. Visitors to the temple also visit Punnathur Kota, an elephant `kraal' maintained by the temple authorities. These elephants are ritual offerings made by devotees to the temple and there are about 60 elephants as on date. To reach Guruvayur, you need to drive to Thrissur and then get off the main highway and travel a further one hour towards west.

Vagamon is a virgin hill station filled with mist clad mountains, gurgling streams, pine forests, green meadows and tea estates. Located about three hours away from Cochin Airport, this strikingly green hill station is one among the best picnic places in Kerala. Situated 1100 metres above sea level and discovered by the British, Vagamon boasts of a climate ranging between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius throughout the year and is often referred to as the `Scotland of Asia'. Vagamon is an ideal place to do treks, paragliding and rock climbing. Endless green meadows surrounding a lake and pine forests arranged in a picture perfect fashion, make Vagamon a favorite shooting destination among local filmmakers. A great picnic destination, Vagamon is thronged on weekends by avid picnickers. For those interested in staying at Vagamon, the best place is the exquisite, boutique, free form resort Saj Hideout. Contact the reception desk for more details.

Located about an hour's drive away from Cochin Airport, St. Thomas Church, Malayatoor, is a pilgrimage destination for Christians from all across South India. Designated as an international shrine by the Vatican, the St. Thomas Church at Malayatoor is believed to have been set up by St. Thomas, one of the apostles of Lord Jesus. The steep climb uphill is inundated by rocks and stones and pilgrims chant and pray on the way to finally reach atop where there are three different halls of worship. Communities that undertake the pilgrimage in groups carry crosses of varying sizes and in some cases make the journey to Malayatoor by foot, sometime traveling more than 50 kilometers. Most devotees arrive at the base of the hill by vehicle and they begin the uphill climb at a leisurely pace, chanting the Rosary. Easily accessible by road, special buses ply to Malayatoor during the holy month preceding Easter.

Located 15 kms away from Ernakulam Town, Fort Kochi is a microcosm of colonial influences with forts, churches, palaces, streets and buildings still standing testimony to a bygone era. Colonized for extensive periods by the Portuguese, the Dutch and finally the British, Fort Kochi is a must visit on any tourist calendar. Places to visit include St. Francis Church where Vasco Da Gama was once buried, Santa Cruz Basilica built by the Portuguese, the cantilevered Chinese Fishing Nets, The Dutch Palace at Mattancherry, Koder House and the Jewish Synagogue at Mattancherry. At Fort Kochi dusk brings in a timeless charm with Kathakali dance shows in full flow, the sea side brimming with fish stalls selling fish, tourists walking around the park and eateries filled with people. Regular buses ply between the International Airport and Fort Kochi and you could check for timings at the reception desk.

Thattekadu Bird Sanctuary also called the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located about an hour and a half away from the airport, between the tributaries of the River Periyar. Set in an area of 25 sq. kms, the sanctuary is a birder's paradise with a bird count covering 340 species of birds including all endemics. Home to the rare Mottled Wood Owl, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Malayan Night Heron, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Rusty-tailed Flycatcher, Grey-headed Bulbul and Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, the sanctuary is the second largest bird sanctuary in Asia. Apart from birding, kayaks are available at a nearby resort for those who like a good work out. Other activities include cycling and village walks around the area.

Cochin is a great shopping destination with an array of shops selling traditional attires to curios and handicrafts. The main shopping areas include the beautiful Marine Drive, M.G. Road and the bypass NH 47. Marine Drive has a few high rise shopping complexes selling designer clothes, watches and mobile phones. M.G Road houses the large textile and jewellery shops and the new malls with multiplexes are located on the bypass. Special items like the Kerala saree, gold bordered dhotis are available at Karalkada, off M.G. Road. Kerala based sweets and savouries are also available at M.G Road and for handicrafts, choose the government handicraft shop, Kairali at MG. Road itself. For those inclined to malls, visit the Oberon Mall and the Gold Souq on the NH 47 bypass, both with ample parking space. On a shopping tour, keep a whole day to indulge yourself with all the great options available.

Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage centre located up the Western Ghats in eastern Kerala, three hours away from Cochin International Airport. Arguably the largest annual pilgrimage in the world with an estimated 45 million devotees visiting the temple every year, the temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. The temple is open for worship only between November 15th to December 26th and on January 14th and April 14th and the first five days of every Malayalam month. The most important ritual, Makara Jyothi, the sighting of the celestial flame is the main event of the pilgrimage season. The darshan of Ayyappa on `Makara Jyothi' is considered highly auspicious and millions of devotees throng the temple and nearby places to catch a glimpse of the celestial flame, a fitting finale to a three month long pilgrimage season.

Kerala's most visited amusement park, Wonderla is located less than an hour away from Cochin airport. Situated on the banks of the quiet Kadambara River, this water theme park has 500 varieties of trees, shrubs and plants set within a landscaped are of 25 acres. Impeccably maintained by a team of 600 people, Wonderla is home to 50 thrilling rides, five restaurants, food kiosks and a separate car park making it the finest theme park in Kerala. Previously known as Veegaland, this wonderful amusement park has completed twelve safe years since its inception and hosted close to 1.5 million people. Easily accessible by road, Wonderla is usually a must visit for children on a visit to Kerala

Kerala's most visited amusement park, Wonderla is located less than an hour away from Cochin airport. Situated on the banks of the quiet Kadambara River, this water theme park has 500 varieties of trees, shrubs and plants set within a landscaped are of 25 acres. Impeccably maintained by a team of 600 people, Wonderla is home to 50 thrilling rides, five restaurants, food kiosks and a separate car park making it the finest theme park in Kerala. Previously known as Veegaland, this wonderful amusement park has completed twelve safe years since its inception and hosted close to 1.5 million people. Easily accessible by road, Wonderla is usually a must visit for children on a visit to Kerala

Situated just an hour's drive away, north – east of Cochin International Airport, Athirapally Waterfalls is Kerala's largest Waterfall and attracts close to 7 million visitors annually. Located on the Chalakudy River, the Athirapally Waterfalls stretches 100 meters in width and cascades down from a height of 82 feet in three different plumes, making this one among the most spectacular sights in Kerala. The best time to visit the Falls is after the monsoon, when the Chalakudy River, renewed and refreshed by the monsoon rains, roars down the falls in majestic glory. A great picnic spot, Athirapally is a half day tour program.

Situated just an hour's drive away, north – east of Cochin International Airport, Athirapally Waterfalls is Kerala's largest Waterfall and attracts close to 7 million visitors annually. Located on the Chalakudy River, the Athirapally Waterfalls stretches 100 meters in width and cascades down from a height of 82 feet in three different plumes, making this one among the most spectacular sights in Kerala. The best time to visit the Falls is after the monsoon, when the Chalakudy River, renewed and refreshed by the monsoon rains, roars down the falls in majestic glory. A great picnic spot, Athirapally is a half day tour program.