Kochi

Understand

A city born in storm, nurtured in rivalry and established as battling ground for European empires. This phrase is a good description of Kochi, which was formed as an ancient port city after the Great Floods of the Periyar River in 1341. With the partitioning of the Chera Kerala Empire in the 14th century, this region came under the control of a new dynasty, rivalled by other local feudal lords. With the advent of colonisation, Kochi became the first major battle ground of almost all colonial European powers.

History

Kochi merchants began trading in spices such as black pepper and cardamom with the Arabs, Dutch, Phoenicians, Portuguese and Chinese more than 600 years ago. This helped Kochi to prosper and to become the gateway to old India. It was from Kochi (then Cochin) that the colonisation of India started. Portugal was first to establish its base in Kochi, followed by the Dutch and British. The Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1814 compelled the Dutch to hand over Cochin to the British in exchange for Bangka Island in Indonesia. The British managed to establish their influence over Cochin, limiting their direct administration to a small enclave of Fort Cochin and British Ernakulam with their capital at Bolgatty Island. The rest of the Cochin Kingdom was administered by the Cochin Maharajas from their capital at Thripunithura. However, the real administration was done by Diwans (prime ministers), leaving the Maharajas to patronise culture, arts and focus heavily on the areas of public health and education. The foundations of modern Cochin started when Sir Robert Bristow, a senior Royal Navy Engineer, felt the need for a modern large port after the opening of the Suez Canal. This resulted in the creation of the largest man-made island of the country, Willingdon Island, to house the new Cochin Port. In the 1930s, the Cochin Maharaja joined the public outcry to form a common state of Malayalam-speaking people by merging with the Kingdom of Travancore and British Malabar. Maharaja Kerala Varma Raja was at the forefront of this agitation, and passed the Aykiakerala Resolution in the Cochin Parliament. In 1947, the Kingdom of Cochin and Travancore merged to form the Royal State of Travancore-Cochin. The Cochin Maharaja was amongst the first to advocate the state joining the newly formed Indian Union. Finally, in 1948, the state of Travancore-Cochin merged with India. Since the formation of Kerala in 1957, Kochi has been the commercial capital of Kerala as well as the seat of the Kerala High Court. Since 2000, Kochi has revitalised its economy, with a focus on touri

Getting there

As the financial capital of Kerala, Kochi is well-connected by air, road, rail and ferry from others parts of India, and to some other international destinations.

By plane

1 Cochin International Airport (COK IATA), Nedumbassery (29 km from the city centre), ☏ +91 484 305-3000, +91 484 261-0115, +91 484 261-1322, +91 484 261-0033 (flight status and airline desk transfer). The largest airport in Kerala and one of the major gateways to India. It is also the only airport in India run by solar energy. There are regular flights to the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia. There are regular direct services from Europe and the US during the tourist season. There is a duty-free area at the international terminal providing a good collection of international premium brand liquors, perfumes, chocolates and other items at competitive prices. (updated May 2019) The airport has a hotel with rooms for hourly or per-night stays for ₹750-2,000. The international terminal has reasonably priced international cuisine restaurants and a terrace garden lounge bar. There are cafes and snack kiosks in the waiting area. The Concourse has free Wi-Fi, a business centre, free public telephones for local calls and large televisions. Premium lounges are available for first and business class passengers. Visa on arrival is available for some nationalities. The Airport has a Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), for visa extensions, fee waivers and other visa-related issues. The airport has a good 18-hole golf course nearby. Golfers can register at the Airport Golf counter and pay green fees to use the facility. There is a small recreational centre, a pool and a lounge/bar at the golf club. There are five major airport hotels opposite the airport terminal that offer rooms on an hourly basis. There are also many budget hotels and restaurants near the terminal. The domestic terminal has a good shopping arcade selling mainly Kerala-specific items. Food is expensive but there are cheaper options after security. Transport options to the city centre include:

By bus: KSRTC operates four classes of bus service from the airport: regular, fast passenger, super fast express (operate every 10-20 minutes to most nearby towns). All bus services stop only at the bus point near the departure gate of the international terminal (city-side). Orange bus: KSRTC Orange Bus (locally called "Low Floor Buses") operates air-conditioned Volvo buses every 30-40 min to Kochi City via Aluva, Kalamassery, Vytilla, and terminating at Fort Cochin. Fares are ₹70 for the 1-hour-and-40-minute journey. To the a

Getting around

At peak hours, traffic moves at a snail's pace in Kochi, and air pollution is bad, despite being way better than smoggy Delhi. Limit your plans to three or four places in a day unless you have good knowledge of the geography or a trustworthy transport option.

Orientation The main city arterial road is Mahatma Gandhi Road. Traveling inside the city at peak times (8-10AM, 1:30-2:30PM, 5:30-7PM) takes a lot of time, with frequent road blocks and traffic congestion. North and South over-bridges are two bottlenecks. Knowledge of side roads and crossroads is very useful to avoid traffic blocks. Kochi has a typical Indian-style address system which is a bit confusing, as there is no sector or house numbering system. Most buildings have their own name which are commonly used along with the road name for the address, e.g. "Alappatt House, Diwans Road, Near Lakshmi Hospital, Kochi". Some up-market areas have their own house-numbering system. Panampilly Nagar and Giri Nagar are divided into various zones and each house has its own zone number followed by a house number. Many residential areas have formed their own associations and established their own addressing system. In most of the residential colonies or areas, a map sign is found at the entrance. Fort Kochi has a more western-style numbering system, yet still locals use the nearby landmarks for addressing, rather than house numbers. For communicating with taxi drivers, you must know the nearby landmarks.

By bus Kochi has an excellent public bus network with four types of buses operated by govt-run KSRTC and private operators. The most common option are privately operated Blue buses (also referred to as 'Line buses') which provide a cheap no-frills journey. Using these is not that difficult as many destination boards have English lettering and most bus conductors can provide assistance in basic English. Peak hours on weekdays can lead to overcrowded buses, particularly Route 1. Government-operated KSRTC offers no-frills city services Thiru-Kochi which also ply in same Red-Bus routes. Thiru-kochi buses can be distinguished from other buses with its blue-white livery. Most of Red and Thirukochi buses run primarily on the Big 4 Routes. These cover virtually all parts of the city. There are other feeder routes, which interconnect places between these Big 4 Routes. Vytilla-Vytilla circular services cover most of the city core. The minimum fare for all city buses is ₹8. The average waiting time is 1-10 min. Apart from regular city services, KSRTC under JnNURM's funding operates 2 class of bus services which ca

See

Individual listings can be found in Kochi's district articles

Do

Individual listings can be found in Kochi's district articles

Festivals The Cochin Carnival (Dec 20-Jan 2) is the biggest carnival festival in the city. Started in 1582 as part of Portuguese New Year's celebrations. A wonderful array of colourful rallies, fancy dress parades, regular competitions, bike races, beach games, sports, theme festivals, concerts and dances, fireworks and most important, the night beach parties, make it one of the largest celebrations in India. The New Year's Eve party is the highlight of this festival, when a large parade carrying a huge statute of Papanai (a Santa Claus-like image) is taken to the beach, where it is set on fire on the stroke of midnight. This is followed by a grand party. The carnival ends with the Grand Parade on the afternoon of January 1st. The Maradu Kottaram Devi Temple hosts India's second largest fireworks as part of their temple festival finale (mid March - mid April). Takes place in the festival grounds of Maradu with mega fireworks display lasting for 1½ hours for last two days. The Onam Festival (ten day festival mid-August to mid-September) is the state festival of Kerala originating in Kochi. It is based on the legend of welcoming the mythical King Mahabali whose capital was believed to be at the current site of Thrikakkara Temple. The ten day festivities start off with a parade on Atham day called Athachamayam. It is held in Thripunithura starting from the Atham Grounds and has many tableaux, dance parades, cultural art forms ending at Thrikakkara Temple. The Shiva Temple Festival (first week of January) takes place at the Shiva Temple and Durbar Hall Ground, famous for its ten elephant parade and host of cultural activities. The last day of the festival, Pakalpooram, is famous for its traditional Kerala percussion ensemble, a huge display of fireworks and a 21-gun salute by the Indian Navy and Kerala Police. The Thripunithura Vrischikolsavam (mid November - mid December) at Thripunithura Poornathrayeesa Temple is a grand temple festival in Kerala, one of the biggest after Thrissur Pooram. This was once the royal festival of the Kochi Kingdom. The cultural attractions draw huge crowds with regular performances of Kathakali.

Sports Kochi has some good sporting facilities. Football is the official game here and is regularly played by locals in open areas. Cricket is extremely popular and regularly played by youngsters. Fort Kochi and Cherai beaches are very popular among locals for playing beach volleyball. Try a tough game of beach football which is very popular here. Water-ski and biking is

Buy

Individual listings can be found in Kochi's district articles Day-shopping is more popular than night-shopping. All shopping outlets close by 8PM. During festive seasons, late night shopping (11PM-3:30AM) are organised to reduce day-time shopping congestion. The Onam Festival (mid-Aug to Sep) is one of the best shopping seasons, when you get heavy discounts ranging between 10-50% for almost all items as well as regular consumer fairs. Christmas is the next best season. The Kerala Government has started the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (15 Dec–30 Jan), to promote Kerala as a shopping destination. Kochi is the main focal centre of this festival and you get heavy discounts at participating stores and regular lucky draws.

Markets The narrow strip sandwiched between Marine Drive and MG Road houses the celebrated Broadway Market, one of the Kochi's oldest shopping corners where you can buy anything from safety pins to motor scooters. Also try Mattanchery Old Spice Market, one of the oldest spice markets in the country.

Antiques/art works

Jew town in Fort Kochi has numerous antique and craft stores. Most of the antique shops sell colonial era and heritage pieces, as well as Jewish items from the traditional Jewish homes of the area. You can also find many kinds of Indian sculptures, decor, interior artifacts and souvenirs. Bargains are available but be warned that many 'antiques' were probably made in the owners backyard. Shop with care and bargain hard. Never trust touts, who get hefty commissions from unscrupulous antique dealers. Try state-run emporiums that offer high quality certified antiques and artworks. However, they offer no bargain or discount. Check at Kerala's state emporium showrooms, Kairali & Surabhi and Karnataka's Kaveri, all on MG Road.

Shopping malls Large western-style shopping malls opened up in the last decade. Six are functional. Apart from malls, there are numerous shopping complexes in Kochi (large complex having many shops close to each other, selling mostly only one type of product).

Apparel and fabric Kochi has many famous designer boutiques, mostly in Convent Junction between MG Road and Marine Drive. Panampally Nagar also houses premium exclusive designer boutiques. MG Road, the arterial road, is lined with many premium brand stores, leading apparel shops and boutiques. Cloth bazaar in Broadway Market is one of the largest apparel market selling unbranded fabrics and apparels at lower rates.

Jewellery Kochi is famous for gold, silver, diamond and platinum jewellery. Most jewellers are concentrated at Jewel Juncti

Eat

Cuisine

For the past 600 years, Kochi has catered to many visitors from around the world including Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, French, English, Dutch, Russians and Japanese. This has made the city a melting pot of various cultures, and this diversity is evident in the cuisine. Being a coastal city, plenty of fresh seafood is the local speciality. With the backwaters, freshwater fish is also popular here. Prawns, squids and shrimps are easily available and cooked in many styles. The most famous of Kochi's speciality dishes is Meen Molagitta Curry (smoked freshwater fish with chilly and coconut milk). The English popularised smoked fish with steamed bread and mashed potatoes. One of Kochi's traditional vegetarian specialties is Kurukku Kalan (a thick yogurt curry with toasted banana and hot rice). Packed Kurukku Kalan as well as Palada (a sweet dessert with rice flakes and milk) are sold in many supermarkets and food stalls, especially during festive times. At Fort Kochi beach, you can buy fresh fish and have it cooked at the nearby food stalls. Fishmongers will sell you a kilo of tiger prawns for around ₹300 and a kilo of squid for around ₹250. Food stalls will charge you ₹40-50 per person to cook your fish (grilled, curry, whatever) and provide you with a serve of chips and salad. Conditions are reasonably hygienic. Fried fish, Fish molly (a coconut milk sauce based curry almost like stew), Alleppey fish curry (traditional curry with tomato sauce and fish tamarind) and Fish Peera (chunks of fish toasted with grated coconuts with fish tamarind sauce), Varatharacha Kozhi curry (semi-fried chicken toasted with coconut and chilly) are the favourites, usually taken with rice or steamed tapioca (cassava). Also worth trying are the traditional rice based breakfast snacks, puttu and kadala, appam and stew.

Eateries Individual listings can be found in Kochi's district articles Kochi has a variety of cheap restaurants all over the city. A full meal should cost less than ₹50. Thattukadas are streetside food hawkers, where you can get hot, fresh-cooked delicious food, costing a maximum of ₹50 for a good filling meal. Most offer set meal combinations served from portable cooking trolleys with a few benches or chairs nearby. The most famous delicacies are stuffed or plain thattu dosas (thick dosas almost like pizza bread), hot Kerala porottas (flat bread of milled wheat), Kerala roast beef with chapatti and kanji (rice porridge). The main concern is the lack of hygiene and constant reuse of oil for frying. Kochi has some home-grown fast food chains: KR Hot Chick

Drink & nightlife

Individual listings can be found in Kochi's district articles

Keralites are well known for their drinking habit. Finding bars or pubs is not difficult in Kochi. For those who do not drink alcohol there are lots of excellent local options. Fresh toddy (kallu) is an alcoholic brew from the coconut tree. Be careful as adulteration is very common. Your best bet is to get it from a local who has given over his coconut trees for extraction. Mullapanthal Kallushap near Thripunithura is a certified Kallu brew shop. Karikku /ilaneer (tender coconut), could be found at many hawker stalls, especially in Marine Drive. Sambhaaram (buttermilk), is especially popular on hot summer days when it is even distributed freely by some clubs. Shakes, such as Sharjah Shake are good cool down options, and there are numerous cool-bars and juice stalls across the city. Sarbath (sharbat) is a popular sweet drink which can be of various varieties. Soda lime, lime water, fresh lime, etc., are other common thirst quenchers available everywhere.

Bars Finding a bar or pub is not difficult. Most of the budget oriented bars are near the railway stations and in Kaloor and Edappally. Mid-market and high end bars are all over. There are many beer and wine bars catering for foreign tourists at Fort Kochi. As elsewhere in Kerala, all bars and pubs have to close every first and second day of the month as well as on all state holidays. These are known as dry days. All bars have to close by midnight. You can buy almost any brand of liquor from state-run Beverages Co stores, which have an extensive network of in Kochi, selling at competitive rates. Expect long queues, especially on the eve of dry days.

Nightlife DJ parties & pubs The nightlife is mostly very limited compared to big cities. There are lots of bars available but the city is very conservative compared to big metros.

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Kochi's district articles

Go next

Alappuzha (70 km) — (also called Alleppy) is famous for house boats, the heart of backwaters of Kerala with amazing maze of lagoons, backwaters, rivers, canals created by nature. ₹81 bus from the interstate bus stop. Athirappilly Falls — milky waterfall in Chalakuddy 18 km from Cochin International Airport. This 80-foot-high waterfall at the threshold of the Sholayar ranges on the Western Ghats is a popular picnic spot. Two amusement parks, DreamWorld and SilverStorm, are nearby. The falls are referred to as the Niagara of India - you can spot two large falls reminiscent of the Bridal veil and Horseshoe falls at Niagara, and a smaller falls nearby. The falls are most famous for being shooting locations for popular Indian movies such as Ravan, Punnagai Mannan and Guru. From the entrance, a 5-minute walk leads to the head of the falls. From there, a walking path criss-crosses downward to the foot of the falls. The water falls into a deep well, making the location unseemingly dangerous, so the water area is off-limits to tourists. ₹15. Bhoothathankettu (35 km) — scenic dam site with boating facilities is situated in a vast virgin forest. It is a popular picnic sport with Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary near by. Guruvayur (102 km) - A Hindu religious town that attracts 6-10 million pilgrims every year. Idukki (90 km) — a hilly region with lots of hill resorts, in Northern Travancore. Kumarakom (40 km) — popular internationally known bird sanctuary on edge of a backwater island. Kottayam (55 km) — The biggest spice trading hub famous for large churches, wild trekking and cultural monuments. Muvattupuzha (30 km) — a small town famous for pineapple cultivation, historical orthodox churches, spice trading and rubber plantations. Paniyeli Poru (55 km) — an unexplored beautiful scenic river bank Thattekkad (45 km) — bird sanctuary near Kothamangalam, famous for a good boating and a wild picnic. Thenmala (225 km) — famous for ecotourism, waterfalls, boating, adventure activities and a deer park. Thiruvananthapuram — the capital city of Kerala, 5 hours away by train with many attractions such as Kovalam beach, Neyyar dam, Ananthapadmanabhan temple and East fort. Thrissur (60 km) — cultural heart of Kerala famous for various cultural monuments, temples and grandest festival- Thrissur Pooram. Wagamon (50 km) — famous for pristine forests, small rapids, vast green meadows, it's also known as the Scotland of Asia.