India GODelhi or Kochi: the northern capital or Kerala's harbour
Delhi or Kochi is a choice between two ends of India. Delhi is the northern capital, with eight historical capitals on one plain and three UNESCO sites. Kochi is Kerala's old seafaring crossroads, where Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and Jewish traders met, and the way into the backwaters. Delhi has cold winter nights and fierce summers; Kochi is warm and humid all year with a long monsoon. December to February suits both.
Delhi
Eight capitals stacked on one plain, and you can walk between them: a 12th-century victory tower, the Mughal tomb that taught the Taj its shape, colonial New Delhi's avenues, and the spice lanes of Chandni Chowk. Most trips to North India start here. Give it two days and it stops being just an airport.
📅 Best time: Oct & Feb–Mar
Kochi
Kerala's seafaring crossroads, where Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and Jewish traders met: old Fort Kochi with its Chinese fishing nets, the synagogue and Jew Town, spice markets, antiques and evening Kathakali performances. The gateway to Kerala's famous backwaters, too.
📅 Best time: Dec–Feb
When to go
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Delhi | 🟢 20° | 🟩 24° | 🟩 30° | 🟢 36° | 🟧 40° | 🟧 39° | 🟢 36° | 🟢 34° | 🟢 34° | 🟩 33° | 🟢 28° | 🟢 23° |
| Kochi | 🟩 34° | 🟩 35° | 🟢 35° | 🟢 34° | 🟧 33° | 🟧 31° | 🟧 30° | 🟧 30° | 🟢 31° | 🟢 32° | 🟢 33° | 🟩 33° |
🟩 Best time · 🟢 Good time · 🟧 Better avoid. Figures are IMD daytime highs.
What the guide covers
| Delhi | Kochi | |
| Palaces & museums | 25 | 20 |
| Temples & shrines | 12 | 9 |
| Nature | 10 | 6 |
| Markets & shopping | 16 | 9 |
| Areas & streets | 5 | 4 |
| Other | 109 | 45 |
| Hotels | 14 | 16 |
Full guides, the map and festivals in India GO.
Open in India GOLand empires or a harbour: who each city suits
Delhi suits a trip about inland empires: a 12th-century victory tower, the Red Fort, and the spice lanes of Chandni Chowk, where e-rickshaws cover the last stretch from the metro exit. The guide counts eight historical capitals and three UNESCO sites here. See the Delhi page.
Kochi suits a slower trip by the water: Fort Kochi with its Chinese fishing nets, the Paradesi Synagogue (1568) and Jew Town, spice markets and antiques, Kathakali in the evenings, and the backwaters beyond. On the Malabar route Kochi gets three nights.
Seasons: opposite climates
Delhi swings between extremes: January nights fall to about 8°C, and May days average 40°C with heatwaves above 45°C, so May and June are the months to avoid. Its best months are October, February and March. November to January is cool and dry, but smog can push the AQI past 450 and fog delays trains and flights.
Kochi sits at sea level and stays warm all year, with daytime highs of 30–35°C and humidity of 66–86%. Its season is December to February; May to August are marked to avoid, with close to 600 mm of rain in June alone, and in heavy rain the ferries and Water Metro stop. October and November bring the wet tail of the north-east monsoon.
Both in one trip: December to February. In May Delhi's daytime average is about 40°C and Kochi's about 33°C, but both are on their avoid lists.
Getting between Delhi and Kochi
The guide lists no train or bus for this pair, so plan on a flight: Delhi's DEL handles domestic flights everywhere, and Cochin International (COK) has direct flights from the Gulf and all of southern India. At DEL, 16 km from the centre, the Delhi Traffic Police prepaid taxi counter at T3 stands between gates 5 and 6: ~₹500–900, paid at the end of the ride. Fares here and below are approximate, checked in August 2026.
Kochi's airport is at Nedumbassery, about 30 km from Ernakulam and 37–40 km from Fort Kochi. The CIAL prepaid taxi to Fort Kochi is ~₹900–1,100 (1–1.5 hours); the budget option is a bus to Aluva and then the metro, about ₹100 in all.
Getting around and what it costs
Fares are approximate, checked in August 2026.
Delhi
The metro costs ~₹11–64 a ride; a smart card is ~₹150, of which ₹50 is a refundable deposit, and takes 10% off. DTC and cluster buses (~₹5–25) are cheap but take some learning. Autos through an app start at ~₹30 plus ~₹11 a km.
Kochi
Half the city moves on water: the Water Metro (~₹20–40, High Court to Fort Kochi in about 20 minutes for ₹40) and the old state ferries for ₹6. The Blue Line metro (~₹10–60) works the mainland. Autos from ~₹30.
Languages
Delhi: Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu. Kochi: Malayalam, English and Hindi.
❓ FAQ
Why is Delhi hotter than Kochi in summer?
Delhi lies inland on the plains, where May averages about 40°C in the day and heatwaves pass 45°C. Kochi is on the coast at sea level, where May averages about 33°C, though with high humidity.
When can I visit both?
December to February, Kochi's season and Delhi's cool, dry months.
How do I get from Delhi to Kochi?
By air from DEL to COK. The guide does not list a train for this pair.
Which city is bigger?
Delhi by far: about 33.8 million in the metro area, against 2.1 million for Kochi.