Cochin City Guide

It is also known as the Kochi. Cochin is the commercial capital of Kerala. It is located on the coast of the Arabian Sea with Kottayam and Alappuzha districts on the south, Idukki on the east and Thrissur on the north. Kochi has natural harbor with lagoons and canals. Air, Rail and Road connect Kochi. Famous places to visit in Kochi - Mattancherry Palace, Fort Kochi, Ernakulam, Santa Cruz Basilica Church, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Cochin Boat Rides and Willington Island.

Site Seeing MATTANCHERRY PALACE: MATTANCHERRY PALACE is also known as Dutch Palace, built the Portuguese and presented to the Raja of Kochi in 1555 AD. The most important feature of Mattanchery Palace is the murals in the bedchambers and other rooms, which depict scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranic legends connected with Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Kumara and Durga.

Jewish Synagogue: Jewish Synagogue is built in 1568 AD. The Great Scrolls of the Old Testment, the copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the Cochin rulers were recorded and the exquisite Chinese hand-painted tiles are of interest. The synagogue has hand-painted, willow pattern floor tiles brought from China.

St. Francis Church - Portuguese Franciscan friars built St. Francis Church in 1503. This is India's oldest European-built church. The original structure was wood, but was rebuilt in stone in mid-16th century. Vasco da Gamma was initially buried and 14 years later, his mortal remains were taken to Portugal.

Chinese Fishing Nets: Lined along the sea front and exhibit a mechanical method of catching fish by local fishermen. Said to have been brought from China by traders of Kubalai Khan's Court, they are used at high tide. These nets are also seen along the backwaters between Cochin and Kottayam, and between Alleppey and Quilon.

Parishath Thampuran Museum - Parishath Thampuran Museum constructed in traditional Kerala style, the museum contains collections of 19th century oil paintings, old coins, sculptures and Mughul paintings and exhibits from the Cochin Royal family.

How to reach Cochin By Air: Kochi has its own airport, named the Cochin International Airport, situated 20 km away at Nedumbassery. The international and domestic flights available here connect you to different parts of the globe.

By Rail: The main railway station is Kochi railway junction, while the other station is at Kochi Harbor Terminus. By rail, Kochi is linked with important cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai.

By Road: An excellent network of roads connects Kochi to all major towns and cities in South India as well as across the country.

Climate The daytime temperature would average around 32 degrees Celsius, whereas, the night's would be around 20 degrees Celsius. As Cochin is situated 10 degrees to the north of Equator, it experiences hot and humid climate throughout the year. The period between June and September invariably experiences heavy monsoon showers because of the southwest monsoon. The northwest monsoon causes drizzle during October to December. Thus, the best time to visit Kochi automatically between October and April.