Location : In Kerala, India
Tourist Attractions : Backwaters of Kochi, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry Palace, Chinese Fishing Net, St. Francis Church, Jewish Synagogue, Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary, Museum of Kerala History,.
Best Activity : Backwater cruise and yes, don't forget to taste the sea food.
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Alleppey, Cheruthuruthy, Kodanad, Kodungalloor(Cranganore), Munnar, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
When to Visit : December - February
A cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas, Cochin or Kochi is perhaps the second best poet on the Western Ghats. Known as 'Queen of the Arabian Sea', it reflects the best of all that Kerala has to offer. A rich past and a vibrant present, Kochi gained the status of the business hub of the region long back. Comprising of mainland of Ernakulam, the islands of Willington, Bolgatty and Gundu in the harbor, Fort Cochin and Mattancherry on the southern peninsula, and Vypeen Island north of Fort Cochin, all the parts of Kochi are well-linked by ferries.
Being a seaport, many foreigners came to the place and one can clearly see the influence of Chinese, Jews, Arabs and Europeans in its culture and lifestyles of the natives. It boasts of the oldest church in India, the famous old-traditioned Chinese fishing nets, 500-year-old Portuguese houses, old tiled houses built in the Chinese pagoda style, synagogues, a Jewish community whose roots go back to the Diaspora and mosques. The harbor is still hale and hearty and the main exports of the region are pepper, seafood, rubber and coir. However, it attracts tourists because of its serene backwaters, beautiful lagoons fringed by swaying coconut palms and picturesque islands. The older parts of Fort Cochin and Mattanchery look more like a fusion of medieval Portugal, Holland and an English country village into one and are situated on the tropical Malabar Coast. Today, Cochin is one of India's largest ports and a major naval base.
How to Get There :
Cochin can be reached by all the means of transportation.
By Air : Cochin city is directly connected Delhi, Mumbai, Madras, Goa, Bangalore, and Thiruvananthapuram. All major domestic airlines have their services to Cochin.
By Rail : Cochin is connected by rail to most of the important cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai.
By Road : A well defined road network connects the city with various towns and cities in the country.
