Kochi (colonial name  Cochin) is a  vibrant city  situated on  the south-west coast of the Indian peninsula in the breathtakingly scenic state of Kerala. This lovely seaside city is flanked by the Western Ghats  on the  east and the Arabian Sea  on the  west. People call this place KOCHI, COCHIN as well as ERNAKULAM

Places of Interest in and around Kochi

Willingdon Island

This man-made island was created in 1933 by sand dredged while deepening the backwaters for the Kochi Port, under the direction of Sir Robert Bristow. A while back the Airport, Sea port and the railway terminus (Kochi Harbor Terminus) were situated on this island. Today, it is the home of the Kochi Port and the headquarters of  the  Southern  Naval  Command.  The airport continues to be the naval air station, while the main airport has been moved to Nedumbassery, 30kms north-east of Kochi.

Fort Kochi

An ideal place for an evening stroll and to watch a spectacular sunset  with  the Chinese  fishing  nets  and  sailing  ships  in  the background. Many European style bungalows can be seen along the shoreline. The coastal stretch has loads of small stalls, which make mouth-watering traditional  cuisines  on-demand  using freshly caught fish.

Dutch Palace (Mattanchery Palace)

Dutch  Palace  was  originally  built  by  the  Portuguese  and presented to  the Kochi  Raja    in  1555.  The palace has  a  fine collection  of mural paintings depicting scenes  from the Hindu epics Mahabharatha and Ramayana. Open from 10am to 5pm and closed on Fridays.

Bolghatty Palace & Island

Bolghatty Palace is situated amidst 15 acres of lush green lawns in Bolghatty Island. Built by the Dutch in 1744, the palace was converted into a hotel under the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation in 1976. The Kochi Golf Club’s course is  on  the palace ground.

Cherai Beach

This lovely beach is ideal for swimming and is located 30 km from the CityHill Palace.

Hill Palace, Tripunithura

Built in the 19th century by  the Raja of Kochi, the  palace has been converted into a museum displaying  a  fine collection of articles showing the wealth and splendor of the Rajas of Kochi and houses a large collection of archaeological findings. Located 11 kms from the city it is open from 9am to 5pm and is closed on Mondays.

Athirapally Water Falls

The charm of the Athirappally waterfalls cannot be described in words.  Starting  calmly  from  the  high  ranges,  and  crashing through gorges  and overhung trees, it is one of the best places in India  to  re-capture  a  real  sense  of  the  classical  idea  of  the ‘Picturesque’ – not just calm and quiet, but wild and natural as well.

Kalady

48  kms  north-east  of  Kochi,  on  the  banks  of  river  Periyar  (Poorna),  Kalady  is  the  birthplace  of Sri Adi Sankara. The Adi Sankara  shrine  and  the  8-storey  painted Adi  Sankara  Keerthi Sthambam are a must-see for any visitor here.

St. Francis CSI Church

St. Francis CSI Church, in Kochi , earlier called Cochin, originally built in 1503, is the oldest European church in India and has great historical significance as a mute witness to the European colonial struggle in the subcontinent. The Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, died in Kochi in 1524 when he was on his third visit to India. His body was originally buried in this church, but after fourteen years his remains were removed to Lisbon.

Have time? Plan a visit. Get in touch with our tour operator.

1. Half a day trip - A quick overview of Kochi

2. Full day trip – Take more time and see Kochi up close.