Kochi

During a trip to the State of Kerala, few Indians skip Kochi en-route. This is because the town of Kochi is known for some of the finest beaches by the Arabian Sea.

The town is also known for its rich history and heritage and the tourists can spend a great time amidst the serenity of Kochi.

Historical Background:

Kochi is an ancient city and is known as the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’ since it was an important port. It has seen power shift many hands from the Portuguese to the Dutch and finally to the English.

The region is thus ripe with the remains and aura of the days gone by and has great historic importance.

How to reach Kochi:

The great roads in and around Kochi and the amazing bus services connecting several cities ensure that Kochi can be reached easily by bus. Trains can also be a handy option and for that, there is the Ernakulam Town Station and the Ernakulam Junction Station.

There is also an International Airport Located here.

Major Attractions in Kochi:

Fort Kochi is of great importance in terms of tourism in Kochi and almost every tourist visits this place to get a taste of the ancient architecture and history surrounding the fort.

The residence of Vasco da Gama, that is known as Vasco House also serves as a great tourist spot. Those who admire ancient architecture will fall in love with the Dutch Palace which was gifted to the Maharaja of Kochi and shows intricate details of Portuguese architecture.

The Hill Palace and Bolghatty Palace are also popular tourist attractions in the city.

Kochi is also home to the pious site of Santa Cruz Basilica which was constructed as early as 1505. Nature and wildlife enthusiasts would love a tour to the Mangalavanam Bird Sancturary.

Some other popular spots of interest in Kochi include the likes of Mattancherry Palace, Willingdon Island, Veeranpuzha Lake, Marine Drive, and the Sunset Cruise. Be sure to spend some quality time on the beautiful beaches of Kochi.

People and Culture:

Malayalam and English are the main languages that are in use here in Kochi.

People also speak Tamil and Hindi and the population here is mixed. The multi-cultural community is secular and they have preserved their specialties over the years.

Local Food and Popular Shopping Items:

Some local seafood delicacies such as the Malabar Prawn Curry, Kerala Fried Prawn, and the seafood platter in Menorah are must-try items while you are here.

Tourists are known to buy spices, handicrafts, tea, and other such items from Kochi and there are large market places along the Marine Drive and the Cochin Spice Market.

Best Time to Visit:

The ideal time to travel to Kochi would be from October to March when the temperatures are relatively cooler.

The hot summer months are best avoided and you can visit during the monsoon to see the additional greenery around Kochi.

Availability of Accommodation Type:

Besides the usual various forms of accommodation that are available in Kochi, you can try out the unique Backwater Homestay.

Some best hotels here are Grand Hyatt Kochi, Ramada Resort, Trident Hotel Cochin, etc.