Chellanam, Kochi: The Seawall Walk, the Harbour and How to Get There

Chellanam is a fishing village on Kochi's southern edge, about 20 km by road from Fort Kochi and 27 km from Ernakulam, according to Rome2rio. It is known for one thing above all: a tetrapod seawall of roughly 7.5 km, built for about Rs 344 to Rs 347 crore, running from Chellanam harbour north to Puthenthode near Kannamaly. The walkway on top of it has become one of Kochi's newest sunset spots.

• What is Chellanam Beach known for?
• Where is Chellanam located?
• What's the best way to get to Chellanam Beach?
• What happens next on the coast?

What is Chellanam Beach known for?

For years, it was known for the sea coming into people's homes. Cyclone Ockhi in 2017 destroyed nearly a kilometre of the old seawall, and families along the coast lived through monsoon after monsoon of flooding; many left. The answer was the tetrapod seawall project, inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in June 2022, with phase one completed in 2023, and designed on the basis of studies by the Chennai-based National Centre for Coastal Research.

The numbers behind it, from the reporting we checked:

Seawall fact	Figure
Phase one length	About 7.35 to 7.5 km, Chellanam harbour to Puthenthode
Phase one cost	About Rs 344 to Rs 347 crore
Tetrapods laid by August 2022	20,235
Phase two sanction	Rs 404 crore for a further 6.1 km
Families who moved back	Nearly 120, per Onmanorama in February 2026

Today the place is known for the walk along the top of that wall, which draws locals and visitors, especially at sunset. Set your expectations, though: this is not a sandy beach for lounging. On the protected stretch the waves now break against concrete, which is the whole point. Go for the walk and the sunset over the Arabian Sea, and do not clamber down onto the tetrapods for a photo; they are a sea defence, not a viewing platform.

The change shows up in land prices too. Onmanorama reported in February 2026 that land which was close to unsellable is now quoted at around Rs 5 lakh per cent, with investors scouting plots for homestays.

Where is Chellanam located?

South of Fort Kochi, on a narrow strip of land between the sea and the backwaters, with Kannamaly, part of the same panchayat, to its north. It is a Latin Catholic fishing community at heart: the churches, including St Antony's at Kannamaly, are the landmarks, and Chellanam harbour at the southern end is where the boats come in. The backwater side has the Pokkali paddy fields that also define nearby Kumbalangi.

What's the best way to get to Chellanam Beach?

• From Fort Kochi: about 20.5 km by road. Rome2rio puts a taxi at roughly Rs 550 to Rs 700.
• From Ernakulam: about 27 km by road, with a taxi at roughly Rs 700 to Rs 850 on Rome2rio.
• Driving yourself: the cheapest option, with Rome2rio's fuel estimate at a few hundred rupees.

Rome2rio lists only road options from Fort Kochi, and we agree: a car, cab or scooter is the practical way to do this. Rome2rio's 17-minute estimate from Fort Kochi looks optimistic to us at rush hour, so leave early enough to catch the light. If you want to make an afternoon of it, our Thoppumpady guide covers the neighbourhood on the way.

What happens next on the coast?

Phase one did not cover the whole coast. In January 2026 the state cabinet sanctioned Rs 404 crore for a second, 6.1 km phase, taking total spending on the seawall to nearly Rs 751 crore. Residents of Kannamaly and Puthenthode have asked for design changes, including restoring groynes dropped from the plan and building U-shaped sections at fishing landing centres so boats can still get in and out. Until that work is done, the stretch north of the finished wall remains exposed.

If you are building a coastal evening around this, pair it with our best sunset spots in Kochi or browse more Guides.