Cherai Beach is beautiful beach situated on the northern end of the Vypeen Island. The island is among the many little islands placed just off the coast of the mainland, about 25 km away from the city. Vypeen island can easily be accessed via both land and boat.

This beautiful pristine beach stretched over an expanse of 15 km is fringed by lush green coconut trees along with paddy fields. The amalgam of clear sand, deep blue water and luscious vegetation creates a wonderful place. In fact, the beach immensely famous among those coming for picnics as well as those who worship the sun. The beach can be reached all through the year. However, the monsoon months between June and September must be avoided. The yearly tourist fair which is held in December is also one of the major attractions.

Location

• 25 km from Kochi
• 20 km from Nedumbassery International Airport
• 30 km from Cochin International Airport
• 6 km from North Paravur

How to Reach

By Air

Nearest airport is Nedumbassery International airport. Taxi charges Rs 300 to take one from Nedumbassery. The airport is very well connected with all airports of the country and also with lots of cities abroad, such as Singapore and some gulf countries.

By Rail

Kochi is known to have 3 prominent railheads, which are Harbour Terminus (on Willingdon Island), Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town.

By Road

Plenty of bus services ply in the city. KSRTC buses connect the area with most of the important cities of the state. Deluxe Volvo buses are also available.

Water: Ferries are also a good mode of transport in the area.

Weather

The climate of the place is humid and hot most of the time. The most appropriate time to plan your trip is between October and March.

Winters (between October and February) are the perfect time for travelling to the city as weather is dry and cool. Temperatures range between 17°C and 33°C. This time is a good one for honeymooning and participating in water sports near the beaches.

Summers (between March and June) are dry, humid and warm with maximum temperatures flying up to 37°C. The weather’s really hot making outdoor activities hard.

Monsoons (between July and September) come along with heavy downpours again interrupting outdoor sports. But the picturesque beauty is worth seeing in the monsoon season.

Beach Attractions

Here you will see hordes of tourists and locals enjoying their picnics over the immaculate shores, which stand surrounded by coconut trees and lush paddy fields. This beach is the best beach of the state and is called 'Princess of the Queen of the Arabian Sea'. The 400 meter walkway has been recently added to the main beach region. The lamps along the boundaries of the path make the beach all the more enjoyable even when it is night-time. Apart from this, the place is very famous for its delicious and fresh seafood.

Nearby Attractions

Bolgatty Palace: The historic Dutch palace is situated on Bolgatty Island, a small boat ride from the mainland. Boats can be boarded at regular intervals throughout the day. This place is believed to have been a majestic palace formerly, but today it has been transformed into a really good hotel. The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) now runs the place and there is a little golf course tucked away in the vicinity. 

Greenix Village: Situated at a distance of about 8 km from Ernakulum town lies the Greenix Village, which is the centre of cultural art aiming at encouraging different art forms of the state at one place only. Kathakali, the popular dance drama in the area, is performed there every evening.

Activities

Tranquil Lake is really close to the beach. It is a unique area where backwaters and sea are divided by a single strip of land. This makes some passionate, true panorama that can only be found after watching dawn break over the palm trees.

Azheekkal Sree Varaha Venkateswara Temple is an impressive temple that was constructed in 1869 A.D. It is the lone "Sampoornakshetra" in Southern India. It is the only Indian temple where deities of both Sree Varaha and Sree Venkateswara are positioned alongside and are worshiped as one entity. 

Shopping

At Cherai beach, shopping can be a pleasurable experience. This includes accessories like hand-made caps, scarves and umbrellas. Visitors can buy antique Keralan souvenirs such as the Kathakali mask, handicrafts made of coconut shells, fiber and cotton weaves. Among the shopping centers is Kerala State Handicraft Apex Society along with Kairali, situated on MG Road.

Food Corners

Although Cherai beach doesn’t have many eateries, there are some restaurants such as the Baywatch Hotel that offer a variety of delicious seafood that includes the crab and lobster preparation along with king prawn fry and much more. Food-courts at Sealine also serve tempting multi-cuisine dishes such as prawn dishes, mussels etc.