Kochi (Cochin) India Travel Guide

Kochi History and Geography

Kochi has seen a lot of bloody conflict with the European countries, which were fighting to gain control of the trade route on the West Indian coast. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to enter Kochi. They immediately put their stamp on the city with a fort they constructed and named Fort Manuel, after their king. The fort was the first construction by European conquerors in India. The Portuguese were then overpowered by the Dutch who, in turn were ousted by the British. It was during this period of British rule that the spice trade, especially the export of pepper to the British Empire, increased incredibly. Pepper, it seems, has always played a major deciding factor in the fate of Kochi. For more than a decade the city was given special treatment from the British due to the harbor, and they did their best to improve trade conditions with the city. With Mumbai being the “Gateway to India” of the West, the British tried to make Kochi a gateway to India in the South. Kochi was declared a major port in the year 1936, putting it on par with the other major ports of India, including Mumbai. The city thus became a major financial center of the state of Kerala, and of India.

Kochi Attractions and Things To Do

All of the conquering powers left a little bit of their culture, cuisine, and architecture behind in Kochi. Indeed, there is no shortage of things to do in Kochi for a visitor. The Kochi Fort, a fine example of Indo-European architecture; the Dutch Palace, originally constructed by the Portuguese; the Palisport, the oldest European fort built in India; and many more palaces and forts are fine examples of European influence that still exist in Kochi to this day. The Kochi museum is a good place to get a taste of the diversity of the city. It has lots of statues, pictures and paintings of many of the city’s important personalities. Another point of interest is the Jewish Synagogue, built by settlers from Jerusalem after that city's fall.Kochi, the heartland city of Kerala, has great natural beauty too. The city has fine lagoons and beaches, where you can see the occasional dolphin swimming. Cherai beach, with its close-by paddy fields and coconut groves, is one of the more famous beaches in Kochi. Or, you can head down to the Cheeyappara waterfalls, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Southern India.

Kochi Cuisine

The European powers didn’t leave their influence on just the architecture of Kochi. It’s all over the cuisine as well! You will be able to find all types of cuisines with ease. A delicacy of Kochi is the seafood, with large shrimp and delicious fish. A must try is the famous Kerala Fish Curry, served traditionally on a banana leaf.

Kochi Nightlife and Entertainment

Kochi is not much into the pub culture, although there are a few decent hotels and bars, like Jules Bar in Le Meridien Hotel, which really gets going on Saturday nights. The Kochi tourist might want to try a more relaxing activity like a “Kerala” massage at one of the city’s famous Ayurveda clinics to rid his mind and body of its aches and pains.

Kochi Getting There and Around

Kochi is well connected by airways with major cities of India. Tourists coming from the U.S and U.K can use the passenger ports. All in all, Kochi is a very beautiful place, and a great starting point for excursions into Kerala. The Kerala Backwaters Tours is one of the common tour excursions for travelers in the South of India. Another tour that attracts a lot of tourist interest is the excursion to Alappuzha (or Allepey), a district in Kerala that is commonly referred to as the “Venice of the East”. The best time to visit Kochi is October thru March, when the temperature hover around 21°C.

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