Known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea , Cochin is the commercial capital of Kerala. Apart from being one of the most important harbours of India, Cochin is ideally the best place to start exploring Kerala. Cochin had trade links for centuries with the Chinese, Dutch, British and Portugese and this has given Cochin a remarkable place in history. The reflection can be seen till date in the palaces, museums, town’s forts and old churches.
Best For:
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Purchasing Handicrafts made from Coir, wood, ivory and sandalwood
Buying Spices and nuts.
Taking a trip at the harbour
Taking a course in Ayurvedic Massage
Exploring the backwaters and beaches
Watching a Kathkali Dance performance
Visiting the temples, churches and historical sites around the city
Cochin( also known as Kochi) is the second most significant port of the country after Mumbai seaport. Even in the earlier days Kochi was a major trading port dealing in various spices. Kochi however gained this significance after the Kodugallur port was destroyed owing to floods in 1340 AD. Reference have been made of Cochin by the ancient travelers and tradesmen who called it Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, and Cochi. The earliest documented references made of Kochi is onet written by a Chinese voyager Ma Huan in the 15th century. This is so far recognized as the earliest references made to Kochi. Trading of spices on the Cochin port began as early as the 14th Century. It was the first site occupied by the Portugese, marking it as the first European colonial settlement in India.
Being on the seaside, the weather is moderately hot and humid throughout the year Temperature in Cochin ranges from 20°C-35°C (68°F-95°F). During the summer, between March-June, the temperature hits a usual high of 35°C (95°F) while the mild winter high is 25°C (77°F). One can expect heavy rains from June to September brought by the south-west monsoon And light rainfall from October-December brought by the north-west monsoon.
The Indian Rupee is the official currency of Cochin. Currency can be converted at the currency exchange counters at the Banks and the Cochin International Airport. Credit and debit cards are accepted in almost all the large shops and ATMs would not be difficult to spot.
No permit is required to travel to Cochin, other than a visa for India.
Cochin International Airport is well connected, handling both domestic and international flights. There are flights to and from international destinations like Colombo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Sharjah, Jeddah, Muscat, Kuwait.
By Road: Cochin is well connected by road. It is 565 kms from Bangalore, 223 kms from Coimbatore, 470 kms from Mysore, and 312 kms form Ooty. There are daily buses by government and private operaors to cities like Mumbai, Bangalore(12 hrs), Mangalore (12 hrs), Coimbatore (4.5 hrs) and Chennai (14 hrs). Cochin is also well connected to the rest of the state through an extensive network of state run buses.
By Air: Cochin International Airport is 29 km from the city. There are flights to and from Colombo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Sharjah, Jeddah, Muscat, Kuwait, Thiruvananthapuram,Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
By Rail: One can reach Cochin from other cities like Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kozhikode (Calicut), Chennai, Bangalore, Bombay, New Delhi, Kolkata by train. One of the best ways to get to Cochin is to take the Konkan Railway train from Mumbai that passes through the Konkan coast. The train ride is popular for the breathtaking scenery and the natural beauty of the terrain that the train passes through.
Inland Navigation
By Ferry: There are also good ferry services between islands. A useful service is the 'Junkar' between Fort Kochi and Vypeen. There is regular boat service from Ernakulam to Mattancherry, Fort Kochi, Vypeen and Willington Island
By Boat: Cochin can be reached by sea in yachts or by occasional cruise ship from Goa or Bombay.
Forts:
* Hill Palace Museum - The King’s Palace now converted to a Museum along with a small zoo is 12 Km south-east of Ernakulam at Tripunithura have Painting, Epigraphy, collections from Travancore & Cochin Royal families. * Parikshith Thampuran Museum contains Oil paintings, old coins, sculptures and Mughal paintings, Interesting temple models and traditional style Kerala buildings. * Chinese fishing Nets – Apparently, Cochin is the only place outside China where these fishing nets are found. * St. Francis Church-One of the oldest church built by the Europeans. Vasco da Gama was buried in this church. The remains were later taken to Portugal. One can still see his burial spot in the church. * Jew Street and Synagogue – Built in 1568, the place is decorated with Chinese and Belgian chandeliers. * Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary * Cochin Harbour * Dutch Palace- constructed by Portugese in 1568 for the Maharaja of Kochi. * Kanjiramattam Mosque-Muslim pilgrim centre
Performances and Shows:
* See India Foundation, Kalathil Parambil House Valanjambalam Chittor Road, South End, Kochi - 682 016. Timing 6.45 p.m. to 8 p.m. * Art Kerala Kannarathodathu Lane, Valanjabalam. Timings: 7.00 to 8.30 p.m. * Cochin Cultural Centre, Manikath Road. Timings: 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Usually the tickets cost Rs.125/-
Where To Eat:
Plenty of great, fresh seafood is available all over Fort Kochi. Visit Fort Kochi beach where fresh fish can be bought near the Chinese fishing nets and get it cooked in the nearby food stalls for a small fee. Fish mongers sell a kilo of tiger prawns for around $6USD and a kilo of squid sometimes cost around $5USD. For a fillet of fish, one may have to do a little bargaining. Try and find out what the locals are paying and work towards that. The food stalls charge between Rs.40/- or Rs.50/- per person to cook the fish (grilled, curry, whatever...) of one’s choice and provide with a portion of chips and salad! It is done in a reasonably hygienic way so there is nothing much to worry about.
Fish fry, fish molly, fish curry and fish peera are the favorites, usually eaten with rice or steamed tapioca (cassava). Also worth trying is the traditional rice based breakfast snacks - puttu and kadala, appam and stew. Try the "thattukadas" where one can get hot, fresh-cooked, food. (Here they don't have refrigerators to preserve the left over food).
Where To Stay:
Being a major tourist spot one has various options to choose from. There is 5 Star hotels like Taj Malabar and also 4-star and 3-star hotels. If the pick is economy, then zero in on Yatri Nivas, tourist lodges and others.
The best time to plan a trip to Kerala would be the festive period of Kerala (end August to start to September) to see the city in it’s full splendour. Cochin is a great starting point while planning a trip to Kerala.
