Kochi itself, with its rich history has a lot to see and do. The huge cantilevered Chinese fishing nets are a landmark of the Malabar coast. The nets first came into being in the year 1350 and are set up on teak wood and bamboo poles can be seen along the entire stretch of the coast and are mainly used during high tide. The Vasco Da Gama square affords the best view of these nets and is dotted with little restaurants that serve the sea-food that has been caught fresh out of the nets.
The Santa Cruz Basilica is a historic Roman Catholic Church which was built by the Portuguese. It was elevated to a Cathedral by Pope Paul the fourth in 1558. The church was demolished by the British in 1795. In 1887 a new building was constructed on the same site and was proclaimed a Basilica by Pope John Paul the second in 1984. The church has a rich collection of beautiful paintings.
Vasco House is a 16th century building and one of the earliest residences in Fort Cochin. The European glass pane windows, the balcony and verandahs are noteworthy.
The Bishop's house near the parade ground was built in 1506. It was the residence of the Portuguese Governor and is noted for its beautiful façade with large Gothic arches. It was taken over by the Dome Jos Gomes Ferreira, the 27th bishop of the Diocese of Cochin whose jurisdiction extended over India, Burma, Malaya and Ceylon.
The Dutch cemetery was consecrated in 1724 and has hundreds of tombstones of Europeans who are buried here.
St Francis church was built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars and is believed to be the first church built by the Europeans in India. The church was originally built in wood but in the 16th century it was rebuilt in stone. Vasco Da Gama, the discoverer of the sea route to India died in Cochin in 1524 and was buried here. After 14 years his mortal remains were taken to Portugal. The tombstone still remains in the church.
The Jewish Synagogue was built in 1568 and is the oldest one in India. The Synagogue was partially destroyed during the Portuguese raid in 1662 but was later rebuilt by the Dutch. The clock Tower was later added to the structure in the mid-eighteenth century . The floors were laid with exquisite hand-painted tiles from China. No two tile is exactly alike. The Synagogue houses the Great Scrolls of the Old Testament, the copper plates showing the grants of privilege made by the Cochin rulers, Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs and chandeliers from Belgium. The township (Jew town) around the Synagogue is known for the spice trade and several antique shops.
The Dutch Palace was built by the Portuguese and presented to the Raja (King) of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma, in 1555. The palace was later taken over by the Dutch and renovations made to it. The palace has fine murals, depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Royal costumes, palanquins and a portrait gallery of the royal family down the ages are also on display.
An ecologically sensitive area, the
Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is located in the central part of the city. It has a wide range of mangrove species and is nesting ground for a
vast variety of migratory birds. Certain species of dolphins are also present in the backwaters.
There are several islands around Cochin, some of the more interesting ones being
Vypeen and Bolghatty. At the tip of Vypeen island is the picturesque Cherai beach.
Leaving Kochi there is a lot to see around the state of Kerala, here are a few places to visit:
Allapuzha, also called the Venice of the East, is located 63 kilometers from Cochin. This is the land of amazing backwaters and the famous snake boat races are conducted here. The Nehru Trophy boat race is among the most popular one. The Chundan Vallam is a 130 foot long snake boat and requires 100 rowers, 4 helmsmen and 25 cheerleaders to take part in the race. The Allapuzha-Kollam stretch has the best backwaters and one can take a houseboat from here for a few hours or an overnight stay.
Aluva is an important pilgrim center on the left bank of the Periyar river, 25 kilometers from Cochin. The annual Shivrathri fair in February is celebrated here with great religious fervour.
Guruvayoor is a major Hindu pilgrim center and is 111 kilometers from Cochin. The famous Sree Krishna Swamy temple is located here. Many Hindu marriage ceremonies are conducted here as also the first feeding ceremony of the child.
Kaladi is another important Hindu pilgrim center on the banks of the river Periyar. It is 45 kilometers from Cochin. The great Advaitha philosopher and Bhakti saint of the 8th century Adi Sankaracharya was born here.
Kodanadu lies 45 kilometers from Cochin on the southern banks of the river Periyar. It is famous for an elephant training camp. If you get there early in the morning you can join in the bathing and feeding of elephants especially the babies that have been rescued from the forests.
Munnar is a beautiful hill station about 138 kilometers from Cochin. It is a holiday resort and is full of lush green tea estates and cardamom plantations.
Trivandrum is the capital of Kerala and houses the state government buildings. The majority of the population here are Hindus hence you would find some lovely temples here. Close to Trivandrum is the famous Kovalam beach which unfortunately has now been commercialized beyond recognition. Varkala also close by still retains some nice beaches
Calicut is a city in the far north of Kerala and has a rich historical legacy. Its seashore is probably the least developed in the state and hence it has some of the most pristine beaches.
The Kerala Tourism board conducts sight seeing tours, including boat and coach tours. India is one the most friendly and easy country to travel in, so make sure you take advantage of it!
Don't be put off by the cost of travel either. Trains are amazingly good value especially if you travel overnight as your bed is included. As an example, the fare for an air conditioned coach with a bed and bedding form Kochi to the Nilgiri mountains - around a 9 hour journey - is around 10 pounds.
Internal air travel is also very good value with return flight from Kochi to
Delhi at around 80 pounds and to Goa or Bombay for around 60 pounds.