About Cherai
Best known for its beach, Cherai is a charming tourist destination. Located on the northernmost end of the island of Vypin, Cherai is a 15km long beach town that is visited by tourists from across the globe. The region is one of several small islands located off the coast of mainland Kochi and is approximately 25km from city centre. The beach is ideal for swimming during the season (from October to May) with low tides and gentle waves. Cherai beach is popularly known for dolphin sightings, stunning views of its lagoon and the spectacular sunsets. The beach walkway at Cherai is teeming with locals and tourists, and offers a great means to run, jog or simply sit by and take in the gorgeous sights all around.
Notable points of interest around Cherai Beach include the Gowreeshwara Temple belonging to the Gowda Saraswath community who are originally from Karnataka, the Portuguese Fort known as `Aya Kotta’, once the outpost for the famed Muziris Port and the oldest Portuguese Fort in India, built in 1503 and the Azeehkal Sree Varaha Temple known for its temple Chariot.
The vegetation is primarily coconut trees and paddy fields, flowing along the beach in a picturesque manner. The sandy shores of Cherai are home to hundreds of fishermen whose livelihood depends on hard hours in the sea. One can see many fishing boats docked on the shores during the day. And, if lucky enough, you could catch them coming ashore and heaving their boats onto the sand…a true spectacle of dedication and effort.
