Arthunkal Basilica Day Trip from Kochi: Getting There and the Feast

St Andrew's Basilica at Arthunkal sits roughly 40 km south of Kochi, about 7.5 km from Cherthala railway station, and faces the Arabian Sea across a beach a short walk from its door. The church goes back to the 16th century, was raised to basilica status in 2010, and is known across Kerala for its January feast of St Sebastian, the Arthunkal Perunnal, whose main procession falls on 20 January. Outside January it makes an easy half-day trip from Kochi; during the feast it draws huge crowds of pilgrims.

• How do you reach Arthunkal from Kochi?
• What is Arthunkal church famous for?
• When is the Arthunkal feast?
• Is Arthunkal worth the trip?

How do you reach Arthunkal from Kochi?

Arthunkal is in Cherthala taluk of Alappuzha district, just off the coast road. Your options:

Mode	How it works	Best for
Car or cab	South along the national highway towards Alappuzha, turning west near Cherthala	Families, feast days when buses are packed
Train plus auto	Train to Cherthala station, about 7.5 km from the church, then an auto	Solo travellers avoiding highway traffic
Bus plus auto	Highway bus to Cherthala, then an auto from Cherthala bus stand, about 7.1 km away	Travellers on a budget

Distances to the station and bus stand are the ones the Alappuzha District Tourism Promotion Council lists. Cochin International Airport is about 65 km away. For the wider choice of getting south, see our Kochi to Alappuzha comparison.

What is Arthunkal church famous for?

Three things. The first is its history. Portuguese missionaries built the first church here in the 16th century, and it was the first parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alleppey. Its best-remembered vicar was the Italian Jesuit Giacomo Fenicio, who died in 1632. Devotees, who believed he could heal body and mind, called him Arthunkal Veluthachan, the fair-skinned father. After his death the church was rebuilt facing west, towards the sea.

The second is St Sebastian. A statue of the saint, sculpted in Milan, was brought to the church in 1647, and the District Tourism Promotion Council describes Arthunkal as the largest shrine of St Sebastian in the world. People of different faiths, including Sabarimala pilgrims, come to pray to him for healing.

The third is its status. Pope Benedict XVI raised it to a basilica on 9 July 2010, the first in the Diocese of Alleppey to get that rank.

When is the Arthunkal feast?

The Arthunkal Perunnal, also called Makaram Perunnal, runs from 10 to 27 January, though Kerala Tourism notes the dates are approximate and worth confirming locally. The key dates are:

• 10 January: the festival period opens, according to the Incredible India listing
• 20 January: the main feast day and the procession of the saint's statue
• 27 January: Ettamperunnal, the eighth-day feast added by the church authorities to close the celebrations

Our advice: if you go on the 20th, the main day, go very early or go by train, and expect a crowd. If you want the feast without the peak, the closing day on the 27th is the one to aim for.

Is Arthunkal worth the trip?

For the feast, yes, if you want to see Kerala's Latin Catholic coast at full volume, and you accept the crowds that come with it. For a regular weekday visit, the church alone is a short stop, so in our view the trip makes the most sense if you pair it with the beach in front of it at sunset or with Marari beach, further down the same coast. History buffs can make a Portuguese-era day of it with the Santa Cruz Basilica in Fort Kochi on the way back. More ideas in Things To Do.