My Visual Travel Experience: Kochi

I visited Kochi several times on work in the late 1990s and early 2000s during my corporate career. I also spent a few days there in 2010 during a marketing outbound with my company in one of the city's large resorts. In 2012, my wife, my mother in law and I spent a week in Kerala, and half that time was spent in and around Kochi. All in all, I have spent about two weeks in the city and I've had a chance of seeing its main sites, visiting its most popular resorts and luxury hotels, and eating the delicious Kerala delicacies at some of the city's well known restaurants.

Kochi, which was known as Cochin till 1996, is the commercial capital of the southern India state of Kerala, though the official state capital and the seat of government is in Thiruvananthapuram (earlier  called Trivandrum). Kochi has a population of 600,000 (2011 census), but the metropolitan area is home to over 2 million residents. It is a part of the district of Ernakulum, in the central part of the state.

From the 14th century onwards, Kochi was an important spice trading centre. It was occupied by the Portugese in 1503. It was the first of the European colonies in India. In 1530, Goa was chosen as the centre of Portugese rule in India instead of Kochi. In 1663, the Dutch took over Kochi. Later, in 1795, the British took over. The Kingdom of Kochi became a princely state. Portugese, Dutch and British influence can all be seen in the city.

Kochi is a gateway to Kerala, thanks to its international and domestic flight network. It is a popular tourist town in itself. It has the highest GDP in the state. It also has one of the largest ports and naval bases in India. Kochi has a well balanced split of religions, with Hindus being 47% of the population, Christians 35% and Muslims 17%. It is the state's most cosmopolitan city.

Ernakulum is the mainland portion of the city. MG Road is Ernakulum's main commercial street, with shops, restaurants, hotels and other commercial establishments. Ernakulum boasts of the popular waterside promenade, Marine Drive. On most of my visits to Kochi, I have stayed at Abad Plaza Hotel, on MG Road.

St Francis Church was originally built in 1503 and is one of the oldest European churches in India. In 1516, a new church was completed at the site. Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route from Europe to India, and he landed in Kerala in 1498. He died in Kochi in 1524 and was buried in St Francis Church. His remains were moved to Lisbon 14 years later.  The Dutch captured Kochi in 1663. They were Protestants and demolished other churches but not this one. In 1795, the British captured Kochi, and the church was handed over to the British.

Facade, St Francis Church

Nave, St Francis Church

Site of Vasco da Gama's Grave, St Francis Church

War Memorial, St Francis Church

The Jewish Synagogue is also called the Paradesi Synagogue. It was consecrated in 1568. It is situated in Old Kochi in an area called Jew Town. The floor of the synagogue has unique hand painted Chinese porcelain tiles. The synagogue has Belgian chandeliers, an 18th century clock tower and an exquisite oriental rug.

Jewish Synagogue

Mattancherry Palace, also called the Dutch Palace, has mythological murals (including scenes from the Ramayana and from the life of Krishna) as well as portraits of the kings of Kochi. The palace was a gift from the Portugese to the king of Kochi in 1555. In 1663, the Dutch made extensions to the palace.

Mattancherry Palace

Santa Cruz Basilica Cathedral was built by the Portugese and elevated to a cathedral in 1558. The British demolished it. In 1905, a new church was built. It was made a basilica in 1984. The church has a painting of the Last Supper inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece that lies in Milan.

Santa Cruz Basilica Cathedral

Nave, Santa Cruz Basilica Cathedral

Statue of the Crucifixion, Santa Cruz Basilica Cathedral

Statue of the Sacred Heart of Christ, Santa Cruz Basilica Cathedral

Painting of The Last Supper, Santa Cruz Basilica Cathedral

Vasco da Gama Square is a narrow promenade along the beach. It has many stalls selling seafood. It is also a good place to see the Chinese Fishing Nets.

Canon at Vasco da Gama Square

Being a coastal town, Kochi is famous for its sea food. The Chinese Fishing Nets are a popular way of catching fish. They got their name because they were reportedly introduced by the Chinese explorer Zheng He.

Chinese Fishing Nets

Fishing Boats

Seafood on sale

Freshly caught seafood

Marine Drive is a popular seaside promenade in Ernakulum. It is open to pedestrians only. It has shops and fast food outlets along it. There are also several seaside jetties.  

Marine Drive

Being a popular tourist destination, Kochi has a wide range of hotels catering to different budgets. The city has several well known luxury hotels. Taj Malabar Hotel has its old world charm. It has a popular spa, a landscaped pool, luxury yacht cruises, and the renowned seafood restaurant The Rice Boat). Taj Gateway Hotel is in Ernakulum, close to Marine Drive. It has several popular restaurants. Bubble Cafe has a transparent roof and has all-day dining. Blueflame is known for its grilled seafood. Utsav has traditional India food. Le Meridien overlooks the backwaters. Its restaurants serve seafood, Indian dishes and continental dishes.

Taj Malabar Hotel

Taj Gateway Hotel

Le Meridien

Thrissur, formerly called Trichur, was once the capital of the State of Kochi. The town has a population of 315,000 and it lies 85 km north of Kochi. Thrissur is also called the cultural capital of India. It is famous for the Vadakkumnathan Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It also has one of India’s biggest churches, Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes.  The basilica was built in 1929. The white coloured church has two towers that stand at a height of 45 meters and a central tower having a height of 79 meters. The Gothic style church is one of the tallest not just in India but also in Asia.

Facade, Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes

High Altar, Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes

Statue of the Crucifixion, Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes

Statue of St Sebastian, Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes

Statue of the Virgin and Child, Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes

There are other extremely popular tourist spots in the vicinity of Kochi. Alappuzha, formerly Alleppey, lies 55 km south of Kochi and is famous for its backwaters. The town has a population of 175,000. It has several canals, backwaters and lagoons and is also called the "Venice of the East".

Boats, Houseboats and Coconut Trees
in and around the Backwaters, Alapuzzah

Boasts, Alappuzha

Coconut Trees, Alappuzah

Lake Palace, Alappuzah

Motorboat, Alappuzah

Kumarakom, 50 km south east of Kochi, is also famous for its backwaters. Kumarakom boasts of the very popular Taj Kumarakom Resort and Spa, a high end resort frequented by wealthy international and domestic travelers. Kumarakom lies along the Vembanad Lake, Kerala's largest lake. The Kumarakon Boat Race is held in the month of August and is a widely anticipated event.

Kochi and the beautiful areas around it have all played a tremendous role in giving the state of Kerala the well deserved name, "God's Own Country"! What struck me about Kochi and its surroundings was that in a single trip, one can get to experience Kerala's most cosmopolitan town, a place with a rich historical legacy stemming from its Portugese and Dutch past, beautiful places of worship, magnificent backwaters, some of India's finest luxury resorts, and cuisines that are an epicure's absolute delight!