Kochi, India

About Kochi, India

Kochi, on Kerala's Malabar Coast, is a major port city and the commercial hub of the state. It is known for its rich trading history with Arabs, Chinese, and Europeans, evident in landmarks like the Chinese fishing nets, Fort Kochi, and the Mattancherry Synagogue.

Time zone details

Kochi observes IST (Asia/Kolkata in the IANA database). The UTC offset and any daylight saving transitions are handled automatically by your browser's time zone library. If you're scheduling a meeting or call, use our time zone converter for an exact difference on a specific date.

Calling India from abroad

The international dialing code for India is +91. To call a phone number in Kochi, dial your country's international access code, then +91, then the local number (drop the leading zero if there is one).

Currency in India

The official currency is INR (₹). Exchange rates fluctuate daily — check a currency converter for the latest rate against your home currency before any transaction.

Languages spoken

Common languages include Malayalam, English.

Top places to visit in Kochi

• Fort Kochi — Historic peninsula with Chinese fishing nets, colonial buildings, and Jew Town antique shops.
• Mattancherry Palace — Portuguese-built palace with stunning Kerala-style murals depicting Hindu epics.
• Cherai Beach — Long sandy beach on Vypeen Island with backwater access nearby.

Top local foods of Kochi

• Meen moilee — Mild, coconut-milk-based fish curry — comfort food in Kochi households.
• Appam with stew — Lacy rice pancakes served with mild coconut-milk vegetable or chicken stew.
• Beef fry — Slow-cooked spiced beef chunks fried with coconut slivers and curry leaves.

Working with someone in Kochi

When scheduling a call or meeting with someone in Kochi, the time difference from your location is shown at the top of this page. For deeper coordination tips, see our guide on working across time zones and time zone etiquette for global meetings.