Location : Kerala
Tourist Attractions : Bolgatty Palace, Jewish Synagogue
Local Tongue : Malayalam, English
STD Code : (91) - 484
Best time to Visit : November to March
About
Cochin
Cochin or Kochi is the commercial capital and one of the most modernised
cities of Kerala. The place offers umpteen tourist magnets with one of its
parts displaying a completely laid back lifestyle with its frozen in time
colonial structures, serene beaches and tranquil backwaters while the other
part absorbed in modernity with its contemporary structures and ultramodern
shopping complexes. Cochin is basically an aggregation of islands and narrow
peninsulas with Ernakulam being its main land and the hub of all commercial
activity.
Climate & Best time to Visit
Cochin being a seaside city experiences hot and humid climate throughout
the year. While the humidity can reach unbearable levels during the summer
and monsoon
season, December to February are the cooler months. The best time to visit
the place is from November to March.
Tourist
Attractions in Cochin
Bolgatty Palace
Situated on the Bolgatty island, just a short boat ride away from Kochi,
the ancient Bolgatty Palace was built in 1744 by a Dutch trader. Now turned
into a heritage hotel, the palace is situated amidst lush greenery and a
variety of trees and flowering plants and is one of the oldest Dutch palaces
outside Holland. The Bolgatty palace was leased to the British at the
beginning of the twentieth century and remained their property until 1947
when the British raj in India came to an end.
Mattancherry Palace
Originally constructed by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to the ruler
of Cochin king Veera Kerala Verma, the opulent palace was renovated by the
Dutch in 1663 and thus acquired the name Dutch palace. Amongst the
remarkable features of the palace are the intricate carvings and beautiful
murals on its walls which depict scenes from the Hindu epics.
Jewish Synagogue
One of the oldest synagogues in the world, the Jewish synagogue was
constructed way back in the year 1568. The huge structure consists of
beautiful hand painted tiles brought in from China.
St. Francis Church
The St. Francis Church is another ancient structure constructed in 1503 by
the Portuguese. The wooden construction was renovated during the 16th
century and converted into a more firm stone structure. The place once
housed the grave of the great explorer Bascom Da Gama until his remains were
dug out and taken back to Portugal.
Chinese Fishing Nets
The exotic fishing nets lined across the sea front use an indigenous system
of catching fish. Introduced by traders from the court of Kublai Khan, these
nets are believed to be seen only here outside China.
Things to Do
Backwater Cruise
Once
in Kerala, do not miss out on a fun filled backwater cruise. Sobriquet as
the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Cochin is one of the most enchanting backwater
destinations in Kerala. As you move along in a houseboat, you will discover
exotic locations as never seen before, silvery beaches, swaying palm trees
and people engaged in daily activities such as fishing and coir making.
Shopping
Shopping at Cochin will introduce you to a lot of interesting stuff that
you may not find out in some of the other areas of the country such as camel
bone carvings, metal articles, pine mats etc. The major shopping area is
around the M. G. Road where most of the tourists gather in the evening. The
GCDA shopping complex is another area where you can shop for gold/silver
jewellery and antique.
Stay At
Cochin is generally the starting point for most of the tourists coming to
Kerala. The city in itself boasts of a number of tourist attractions that
need a day or two to cover. Some of the best hotels in Cochin are Hotel
Bolgatty Palace (Heritage hotel, situated in Mulavucadu 30 km from airport,
2 km from railway station and 2 km from bus stand), Hotel Fort Heritage
(Heritage hotel, situated on Napier street 45 km from airport, 10 km from
railway station and 11 km from bus stand), Hotel Malabar House (Heritage
hotel, situated on Parade road 42 km from airport, 7 km from railway station
and 0.5 km from bus stand), Hotel Taj Malabar (5 star, situated on
Willingdon island 45 km from airport, 10 km from railway station and 15 km
from bus stand) and Hotel Le Meridien (5 star deluxe, situated in Kundannur
30 km from airport, 10 km from railway station and bus stand).
Getting There
By Air : Cochin International Airport is located just 25
km north-east of the city centre at Nedumbassery. International destinations
connected with Cochin include Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait, Singapore, Muscat,
Sharjah and Bahrain. Indian Airlines and other private airline operators
provide regular services to Cochin from major Indian cities including Delhi,
Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai etc. Indian Airlines operates a daily flight from
Delhi (Dep. 8:00) to Cochin (Arr. 12:50).
By Rail : Cochin has three railway stations at Ernakulam
Junction, Ernakulam Town and Willingdon Island. Trains from the northern
cities of the country including Delhi stop at the junction, which is also
where the computerised reservation office is located.
By Road : State and national highways connect Cochin with
other cities in Kerala and rest of the country. State transport buses
operate regular services between Cochin and neighbouring cities, which is
also a great way to observe the natural beauty of the area.
Distance
from Major Cities
- Bangalore : 533 Km
- Chennai : 684 Km
- Coimbatore : 193 Km
- Mysore : 397 Km
- Kanyakumari : 307 Km
- Pondicherry : 591 Km
- Trivandrum : 220 Km
