India: travel notes on Kochi. Kochi state of Kerala, south India: how to get there, where to stay, where to eat, what to see Kochi city india

Europe

So Kerala. Cochin (or Kochi, Kochi). The city of South India, which I liked immediately and forever.

With its unexpected, simply suspicious for India purity.

Lack of crowds, noise, din.

A smaller number pestered and bred.

More accurate appearance of the inhabitants.

An independent kind of women.

No smog or dust.

Clear, fresh sun!

Streets of old Kochi

Even the cleaners in uniform, armed with special equipment, were surprised.

Professional cleaners Cochin

Having rejoiced at the first positive impressions, we got down to business. It was necessary to orient, get where you need to find housing and food.

Cochin, the first habitat of Europeans in India, was once the largest port of western India, the center for the export of spices, tea and other goods. the capital of the colonialists. Here, in 1502, Vasco Da Gama founded a trading post. Here he died. His name is everywhere in Cochin - in the names of hotels. Shops, restaurants and even a large square. The Portuguese were replaced by the Dutch, and then by the British. Cochin gained independence in 1947.

The city is located on the shore of a harbor or lagoon called Vembanad Lake. Part of the city is located on the mainland, part is on islands and peninsulas connected by bridges. The most famous areas of the city are the mainland modern Ernakulam, where there are railway stations, shopping and business centers; and the old parts that are on the island - the old Fort Kochi and Mattanchery. The latter are the heart of Cochin. This is where all travelers want to go. We also aspired to it. You can get to which you can by ferry or across the bridges by taxi / bus / rickshaw. We chose the romantic option. Moreover, the pier is a 5-minute rickshaw ride from the station.

Streets of Cochin (part of Ernakulam)

Ferry ticket office to Fort Kochi

On the way, my husband booked on the Internet a mini-hotel we liked for one night, Dreamcatcher. Of course, we love to come on trips to a new point and hang out with backpacks, choosing accommodation on the spot. We enjoy the complete freedom of the moment, realizing that we may not like it at all now, and we will go somewhere else. No obligations. You, me, and baggage. But after a 2 day train tour, honestly, I just wanted to throw the dice in the room.

The ferry cost an incredible 4 rupees. Such prices I came across only for pani puri and hit Indian sales - disposable shampoo bags. The water was swampy, the moored ships were impressive, the architecture of the buildings located on the banks was unusual, and the wind was fresh. I examined with interest the whole islands of water hyacinths, on which some herons clustered. After 15 minutes, we, two Chinese tourists and a bunch of locals with purchases, children and even fishing rods landed on the territory of Fort Kochi.

Ferry to Fort Kochi

Lake Vembanad

On the way to

water hyacinths

Sailing through beautiful landscapes

We moor

This is the ferry schedule, in case someone didn't understand. We are still in India

Ferry timetable

Our Dreamcatcher showed up in the very center of the island, in a pleasant residential area. Here, almost every house is equipped as a family hotel. The surroundings are very calm, pleasant, green. For some reason, there are no cows, and no dogs either. To be honest, I immediately wanted to move here from Khajuraho.

Fort Kochi

Streets of old Kochi

Residential areas of Kochi

Dreamcatcher - B&B in Kochi

The room was very simple, backpacker-like, but so tidy. For some reason everything in it worked?? Hot water went right away. The door closed tightly. There were no Asian insects in the bathroom. I even got worried, expecting a dirty trick. From one wall, the Virgin Mary looked at me, and from the other, the goddess Lakshmi.

Not wanting to waste precious time, we quickly packed up and set off to explore local cuisine. It was pleasant to walk along the bright, neat green streets.

Streets of old Kochi

It was impossible to forget that we were in the country of coconuts :) They are at every step.

coconut paradise

coconut heaven)

There are few cars and bikes, even fewer rickshaws. No one is beeping, no one is in a hurry. Rare passers-by do not stare, but behave rather secularly. Restaurants, some Ayurvedic salons, tourist shops are everywhere. Expats are walking around, apparently long-term residents. We walked past beautiful tourist restaurants and chose the most local of the local establishments, packed to capacity with Keralas. No service, no design. But everything is delicious, fresh and traditional. This is where we can immerse ourselves in the environment and taste real Kerala food! By the way, this is what it is called - kerala meal. It is an Indian thali - a base in the form of flatbread or rice, and several stew sauces. Everything can be eaten in unlimited quantities. Even if you don’t ask for more, a generous worker manages to splash an extra ladle the size of a whole serving right over your shoulder into your plate. Huge rice is served in the kerala meal (I have never seen such a thing, neither in Russia nor in central India) or porota - delicious flatbreads. Sauces/stews are different from Central Indian. They are different, but also very tasty. I especially liked all sorts of coconut chutneys. The tea turned out to be less sweet and even tastier. I decided that since we are on the coast, we need to eat fish. I didn't like the fish, and not once in the whole trip. Maybe part of the blame lies with the husband. Every time he sighs so much when I eat non-vegetarian food, a piece gets hard in my throat.

Kerala meals. There is supposed to be hands. But we found plastic spoons)

Streets of old Kochi

Attractions give way to home lanes and neat playgrounds. A place for both tourism and life.

Bike heaven

Playground. By the way, the first one I saw with my own eyes in India

Streets of old Kochi

creative trash can

There are signs everywhere saying that Cochin is "God's own country". Self-confident, but fair slogan.

For some reason among the reviews Russian tourists I didn't get many enthusiastic praises of Cochin. The following remained in my head: “city for 1 day”, “transport hub on trips” and “Chinese fishing nets”. With every step, we grew confident that we like the city and even very much. It is beautiful, interesting, comfortable here. The mind and body are relaxing compared to other places in India. But we nevertheless went to the Chinese networks first of all.

The water smelled of seaweed and fish. Dogs, gulls, and poor people scurried about in the coastal swamp grass. Indian families were walking along the path. Vendors beckoned us to stalls with huge crab tentacles and goggling shrimp.

Waterfront of Fort Kochi

Embankment of Fort Kochi. Everywhere fish.

Chinese fishing nets stood in all their glory.

Chinese fishing nets

I wanted to get closer to understand how they work. But Anjul's mood was spoiled by the heat, the smell, and a large number dead fish, and we had to run away. The fish ran out quickly. The road led to the left along the coast. Here and there you can sit under huge trees or on benches, have a bite to eat ice cream and sliced fruits, buy all sorts of nonsense. My husband and I love to buy all sorts of unnecessary awkward things. By the middle of each trip, the luggage begins to swell from purchases, and absolutely nothing can be found in it. I like things, and my husband likes the process of trading. Without hesitation, we purchased several necessary goods. Like: a wooden squirrel for me, paper butterflies for my niece, a Christmas star, a rosary for Grandpa Anjul, a shell, 2 plastic birds and 3 bags of banana chips for the trip.

The coastal zone, of course, is littered, untidy and smells bad. But there is something in it.

Fort Kochi beach

Fort Kochi

Fort Kochi. magic trees

One comes across an anchor, then a cannon, then an old house.

Remains of antiquity

Antiquities of Fort Kochi

old town kochi

Antiquities of Fort Kochi

Streets of old Kochi

If it were not for the hot afternoon sun, baking our heads more and more, we would be happy to spend the whole day on the benches and roots of coastal trees. Many did just that.

Fort Kochi

On one of the branching paths, we moved into the saving shade.

Overgrown with moss, rare or even half-ruined houses are the highlight of Cochin.

Fort Kochi

In this city, you can just wander around without any purpose. Everywhere is beautiful and, for the inhabitants of Central India, quite unusual.

Fort Kochi

Streets of old Kochi

Fort Kochi. Grass on the roofs

Streets of old Kochi

After chatting with a local rickshaw tour agent, we learned about what to see in Cochin and sketched out a plan of the attractions of Fort Cochin for today.

The first was the Dutch Cemetery. It's not clear why it's so hyped. You can't even get inside. Staring through the bars, we moved on.

Fort Kochi Dutch Cemetery

Along the coast, separated by a concrete fence with barbed wire, stretches a wealthy quarter with villas.

old villas in kochi

We followed it to Maritime Museum — Southern Naval Command Maritime Museum. It turned out that one of its parts, just the one in which there are large, the most interesting exhibits for me, is closed. We looked at what is. Pretty funny.

Kochi Maritime Museum

Which figure is missing?

Kochi Maritime Museum

The next point of the program was the most famous and oldest church in Kochi - the Church of St. Francis (St. Francis Church). Its history began with Vasco Da Gama. Right here famous navigator was buried, and lay for 14 years while his remains were transported to his homeland. At first the church was Catholic, with the arrival of the Dutch it became Protestant, and then Anglican. Along with faith, the name also changed: the church of St. Bartholomew, then St. Anthony and, finally, today's version.

Church of Saint Francis

In Kerala, a fairly large percentage of the population are Christians. In Cochin, the legacy of the colonial era, Christians are about 40%, and there are more Catholic temples than Hindu ones.

Christian Church, Kochi

Catholic Church

We were very impressed by the Basilica of Santa Cruz - Cathedral(Santa Cruz Basilica). The Dutch who replaced the Portuguese destroyed a huge number of Catholic churches, but the basilica could not - it was too beautiful. But the British did not waver. But in 1887 the church was rebuilt. I don’t know what kind of basilica it used to be, but today it looks large, cozy and elegantly Indian.

Basilica of Santa Cruz

I really wanted to see the Indo-Portuguese museum, located in the former bishop's palace (Bishop's House). It presents temple sculpture, church utensils, materials on the history of Portuguese India. However, the museum turned out to be closed every time we went there - both on the first visit to Kochi and on the second. Only from the outside we could look and relax in the beautiful garden.

Garden in the former bishop's palace

In the courtyard of the bishop's palace

We decided to finish the first day in Cochin and get acquainted with the sights of Fort Kochi in the most suitable place for this - the Kathakali Theater. We have already attended these famous dances on our first visit to Kerala, in the mountain town of Kumili. Both performances we saw were a complete delight. But I will post a separate photo post about this.

Previous part. Part 1:

Next part. Part 3:

In the port of Kochi, Kerala (emphasis on E) took a ship excursion to Blackwater. 80 euros full day with lunch, 50 euros half day hungry. We drove for an hour and a half by bus (if you go, sit on the right side along the way, the sun will be on the left side, it is better to drive 56 km along a straight road in the shade).

The author will be pleased!

Sweet dream at Vembanad lake and eating crab

So, the landing port is the Indian city of Kochi (Kochi) with an accent on the last syllable. Previously, the city was called one letter longer - Cochin and was written in the original through the first letter "si" - Cochin. The coastal strip is indented with bays and islets. Cochin Cruise Terminal own name Samudrika Samudrika is located on Willingdon Island. The island is located on the second line of islands, that is, another island closes it from the Arabian Sea - a natural barrier and protection from the elements.

Did you like the review? Click The author will be pleased!

Worth seeing at least once

The city of Cochin in the state of Kerala is rightly called the "Pearl of the Arabian Sea". This city was the very first settlement founded by Europeans in India. Cochin alternately passed from the Portuguese to the Dutch, from the Dutch to the British, thanks to which it is today one of the largest and most developed maritime cities in India with a centuries-old rich and colorful history.

We didn’t think of anything better here and took a boat trip for 79 euros per person. The program first included a bit of Cochin, and then a cruise on Vembanad Lake on the famous exotic "house boats".

The bus drove through the city. Unfortunately, we did not stop at the walking center and brought us to the north of Cochin on Fort Kochi Ferry.‎
Huge Chinese fishing nets, stretching along the northern shore of Fort Cochin, are the hallmark of this place. In India, they trace their history from the fourteenth century, from the moment the Chinese entered the continent. A complex fishing mechanism is controlled with levers and weights by at least four people. Fishing starts early in the morning and lasts four to five hours. The nets are carefully submerged in the water. The net is under water from 5 to 20 minutes, after which it is smoothly lifted, scooping up the fish that swam close to the shore.

Caught fish is sold right there, two meters from the fishing point. Purchased fresh fish can be grilled right here.
Nowadays, Chinese fishing nets are nothing more than exotic, designed more to entertain bored tourists than for real fishing. It is a well-known tourist attraction and many tourists pay for the right to lower or raise nets. Real fishermen still go to the open sea like a hundred or two hundred years ago, except perhaps on modern boats with a powerful engine.

Nearby, right on the ground, they sell various Indian souvenirs.

Two hours later we arrived in Aleppi - the starting point of numerous tourist "house-bots". Alleppey is one of the main ports on the entire Malabar coast, otherwise called the "Venice of the East". The famous Kerala houseboats are house-boats stylized as a bamboo hut, with all the amenities that allow a small company to travel through quiet backwaters and canals of inland waters. House boats are equipped with cozy double cabins with all amenities, a kitchen veranda and even a shower and air conditioning. The team consists of 3 people - the helmsman, minder and cook. A traditional lunch made from local produce is served on board.

Along the way, there were many of the same ships. We were then offered lunch.

We were taken to the middle of the largest lake in Kerala - Vembanad. The algae in the lake is called water hyacinth. Sometimes they form entire floating islands on which birds nest.

I can’t say that India has sunk into my soul, but it’s worth seeing all this at least once.

Did you like the review? Click The author will be pleased!

Cochin itself is not interesting, you need to watch the canals and Lake Vembanad

Parking in Cochin was from 8 to 18 hours. There was passport control. Passports and specials were issued before disembarkation. immigration cards. Then the officers passport control India stamped these forms, and only then did they go ashore. We stood in line for about 45 minutes. At the exit on the pier, they were greeted with folk dances, scenes from mythology, a kind of folklore.

When leaving the port gates we were attacked by taxi drivers. You need to have nerves of steel to calmly respond to proposals pouring in from all sides.

Since there were 6 of us and a child, we took a minivan. In addition to the sightseeing tour of Cochin, we wanted to go to Backwaters, near the city of Allepey - a boat cruise along the canals. Drive 1.5 hours one way. For everything, including a 2-hour walk along the canals and the lake, they paid $ 40 per person. Child free.

One of our men wanted to try the local beer and asked the driver to stop near the liquor store. This is, of course, the first "show" we saw. The queue for alcohol, as in Soviet times in the USSR. The alcohol market is behind bars and there are barriers in front of it.

We arrived at the place of departure by boat along the canals and Lake Vembanad in the district town of Alleppey.

Our tour was great! Nature, landscapes, birds, people who went about their lives without being embarrassed and not particularly paying attention to the boats passing by - everything was very impressive. A completely different world than ours.

Photo review of Cochin itself. After a tour of the canals and Lake Vembanad, he was not at all impressed. There is absolutely nothing to see.

Many passengers went on a sightseeing tour of Cochin by taxi or tuk-tuk for as little as $20–$25 per car. The prices in India are amazing.

Did you like the review? Click The author will be pleased!

were, but did not see India

I was expecting a meeting with India with mixed feelings. Many people speak of India with horror and almost disgust, but there are also many who treat it with great reverence and even speak of it with enthusiasm. amazing country. So what is she really like?

Probably, all people are different and for all it opens in its own way. If they are ready, they will accept and reveal their secrets, if it is too early, they will push them away... Although no, it is not right - these people themselves push India away from themselves, because they do not see what the real values are. I think that India will be of interest to those who look not only around themselves, but also begin to pay attention to themselves.

And be that as it may, this is a country where people from all over the world come in search of miracles, beauty and inner harmony. Filled with gold, jewels, gems, India has attracted conquerors from time immemorial. Ancient culture, secret knowledge, Ayurveda, astrology... This is a country permeated with mysticism, a country of legends.

To understand, see and feel, one stop during the cruise is certainly not enough! And when they asked me: "Well, how do you like India?", I honestly said: "I have not seen India."

But if you ask me if I want to go there again, my answer will be unequivocal: "YES!" But all this is a lyrical digression, and now in fact.

Outside the gates of the port in Cochin, passengers are met by numerous guides-drivers. They offer from tuk-tuks for $ 5 for the whole day to quite decent jeeps. We liked the intelligent-looking uncle. His offer seemed quite acceptable to us - for the whole day from morning to 18:30 we paid $100, i.e. $25 per person. The price included a 3-hour boat trip on a 2-story boat along the harbor, called Lake Vembanad. Then we spent the evening sightseeing in an 8-seat jeep.
In terms of price - about a 40-seater boat cost the four of us $ 80, and a jeep cost $ 20 for everyone ($ 5 per person). There would have been enough places for a large company, but our shipmates fled in the port while we negotiated a price with a guide.

From the port, we walked briskly to the water bus stop in order to swim across to the other side, where we should have boarded our rented boat.
On the way, we met the legendary trucks, which are so lovingly painted by their drivers and even given names. Trucks in Cochin are like a work of art.

All the people we met, as a rule, smiled from the bottom of their hearts.

Well, that's where our mini-tour on Vembanad Lake began. This lagoon lake belongs to the famous "inland waters" of Kerala (Kerala backwaters), it is formed by streams flowing from the western slopes of the Western Ghats. Numerous white herons sit on the branches of trees and palms along the coast. All boats are painted in all colors of the rainbow. We sailed past a snow-white Christian church. By the way, in Cochin, Christians make up about 35% - one of the largest Christian communities in the country. All of us happily wave and smile.

We swim and enjoy the views around. Beautiful nature, palm trees, tropics... The most recognizable picture, literally a visiting card of Cochin, is the famous "Chinese nets" (china-wala), with which fishermen fish here. At high tide, these giant nets with a counterweight are lowered into the water, and at low tide, they are raised along with the fish. They are called Chinese because they believe that the device was introduced in Kerala by the Chinese who arrived in the 14th century.

The captain invited us to steer his ship, steered for the company.

Our boat trip was coming to an end, and now you can see the modern houses of the city. After this pleasant walk on the waves, we went to drink Indian tea. At the same time visited one shop with various works of art. There you could buy interesting beautiful shawls and scarves made of cashmere with precious stones, unusual sari colors, as well as Indian carpets embroidered with gold and also decorated with stones. We walked through the souvenir shops.

The first point of our sightseeing land tour was the Church of St. Francis,
famous for the fact that Vasco da Gama, who died in Kochi in 1524, during his third visit to India, was buried in it. But fourteen years later, his remains were transported to Lisbon. The tombstone of the navigator can still be seen here.

We saw the Orthodox, but the Syrian church of St. Peter "s & St. Paul" s Orthodox Syrian Church.

We also visited one interesting place- Mattanchery Palace, built in 1555 by the Portuguese for the Cochin Maharaja. Unfortunately, it is strictly forbidden to take pictures there, but there was something to shoot - the walls of several halls are painted with scenes from the Indian epic, there is a portrait gallery, pieces of furniture of the rulers of Kochi.

We stopped at a spice store, since Cochin is full of them for every taste.

That's basically all that we managed to see in Cochin. We went a few more jewelry stores to evaluate their stones and products from them, there were very interesting design works even of the last century. Then we were already heading straight towards the port.

We literally ran to the ship at a run, we arrived almost right next to the departure. Then we had a day at sea and then ... MALDIVES!

The author will be pleased!

Cochin (Kochi, Cochin) is a major port city and a well-known tourist center in the state of Kerala, on the coast of the Arabian Sea. Cochin stretches for almost 50 km along the coast, on the banks of a convenient closed harbor called Vembanad Lake. This lagoon belongs to the famous "inland waters" of Kerala (Kerala backwaters), formed by streams flowing down the western slopes of the Western Ghats.

The city consists of several parts:

Ernakulam is located on the mainland coast of Vembanad - the most extensive and fastest growing part of Cochin
2 km to the west lies Willingdon Island.
at the very exit from the harbor - the oldest districts of the city - Fort Cochin and Mattancherry adjoining it from the south
to the north of the peninsula that these areas occupy is a group of islands - Bolgatty (Bolgatty), Gundu (Gundu) and the largest Vypeen (Vypeen)

Most of the city's attractions are located in the areas of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, while the bus and railway stations are located in Ernakulam.

The unique plant of Vembanad Lake is the water hyacinth. It looks like a huge tangled ball of grass, which sometimes reaches such sizes that they form entire floating islands inhabited by white herons.

How to get to Cochin

Cochin International Airport is located 29 km from the city. It receives flights from Colombo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Muscat, Doha, Manama, Kuwait, Trivandrum, Mumbai, Madras, Delhi, Goa, Kolkata, Lakshadweep Islands and Bangalore.

From Trivandrum can also be reached by train (4-5 hours). The city has two railway stations, which are located in Ernakulam - North and South.

Shopping: shops

Clothing and jewelry can be bought on MG road and Marine Drive. Recently, large shopping malls have been built in the city: Bay Pride Mall on Marine drive, Oberon Mall in Edapally and My Kingdom on MG Road - with air conditioning, food courts and cute coffee shops.

It is worth bringing silk from Cochin - delicate, stunning, of all colors and shades.

Entertainment, excursions and sights of Cochin

Fort Kochi is a cozy area of narrow streets lined with old colonial bungalows. Here is the Church of St. Francis - the oldest Catholic church in India, built in 1503, where the ashes of Vasco da Gama rested at one time. You can also walk to the old Dutch cemetery, which has existed since 1724, and the Basilica of Santa Cruz.

Of interest is the Indo-Portuguese Museum, located in the former bishop's palace. The collection includes: temple sculpture and church utensils, materials on the history of Portuguese India. Opening hours: 9:00-18:00, break 13:00-14:00, Mon - day off.

There are many interesting things in Mattanchery art galleries: Draavidia Art and Performance Gallery, Kashi Art Cafe and Lila Studio. 1.5 km to the south is the Mattancheri Palace, built in 1555 by the Portuguese for the Cochin Maharaja. At the palace, there is a portrait gallery of the rulers of Kochi (working hours: 10:00-17:00, Fri-day off, photography is prohibited). Not far from the palace are the Jewish quarter and the ancient synagogue Pardesi Synagogue (working hours: 10:00-17:00, break 12:00-15:00, Sat - day off).

The cultural phenomenon of the state of Kerala, which has existed since the 16th century, is the Kerala Kathakali Center. Here they arrange a traditional theatrical performance on a plot from the Puranas, Ramayana or Mahabharata.

The most popular and funniest discos in Kochi: Tandav, Ava Lounge, Glow lounge bar (located at the Harbor View Hotel, the wildest parties on Wednesday and Thursday), Formula 1, Loungevity, Couchyn (located in The hotel Grand, great music) and Ramada.

Basic moments

Kochi is one of the most charming cities in India, where Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus live in much greater harmony than in the rest of the world, Kochi serves as a beautiful gateway to the Malabar coast and a ticket to the balanced life of Kerala.

The old part of the city, known as Fort Cochin, where Pedro Alvares Cabral founded the first Portuguese trading post in 1500, is located on a peninsula separated from the mainland by a group of small islands. In the early 1500s, during the campaign against the Calicut Zamorin (zamorin - the title of the rulers of Calicut) in these places, but Vasco da Gama also visited further north. He is buried in the church of St. Francis, the only Portuguese building preserved here. Subsequently, the Dutch converted it into a Protestant one. The remains of the great navigator in 1538 were returned to Portugal, but his local tomb - built into the floor and surrounded by a copper fence - can still be seen from the south side of the church.

On the water's edge at the very tip of the peninsula, you can watch how they fish with the help of beautiful Chinese nets. This design has long been used in Chinese seas from which it was borrowed. The net is stretched over four poles converging in a pyramid, and thrown into the water, and lifted with the help of a system of stone weights and pulleys.

The Mattancherry in the south of the fort is the Jewish Quarter, or " jewish city» ("Jewtown"). The narrow streets are crammed with shops and sewing workshops, stars of David, menorahs are everywhere. (candlesticks) and Jewish names, which today cause much more sympathy than the Jews themselves. During the struggle for independence, several thousand of them lived here, but when the state of Israel was formed, only a few dozen remained after mass emigration. In 1568, a synagogue was built with a red tent and Chinese-style tiled roof. The copper plates hanging here record the rights to land on the coast granted to the Jewish community as early as 379 CE. e.

On Bolghatti Island in the Kochi Lagoon, visitors can enjoy tea in the elegant Dutch governor's mansion, now a hotel.

At the beginning of the XII century. in Kochi, there was a stronghold of the kingdom of Cochin - a principality whose history goes back to the empire of Kula Sekhara. In the XIV century. a large center was formed here for the trade in spices and spices growing on the fertile soils of the region. In 1503, the Portuguese occupied this area, and Kochi became the first settlement of Europeans in India. And then until 1530 it was the capital of the Portuguese colony. Then the city was captured by the Dutch, the rulers of Mysore, and the British. The district became the first principality to voluntarily join the Indian Union after independence in 1947.

Kochi is famous for its many cultural treasures and historical buildings. Vasco House on Rose Street - house famous traveler. Today it is one of the oldest Portuguese mansions in the country. The Cathedral of the Holy Cross with extraordinary paintings on the ceiling was built by the Portuguese in 1505, in 1795 it was destroyed by the British invaders and only in 1905 was restored.

Mattancherry Palace was built by the Portuguese in 1555 as a gift to the Raja of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma, partly as compensation for the destruction of the temple and partly as a bribe. The Dutch captured the palace in 1663 when they recaptured Kochi from the Portuguese, and it was they who gave the city its present form. The austere appearance of the palace contrasts with the luxurious interior. The central hall of the first floor was the coronation hall of the rajas, here you can see their robes, turbans and palanquins.

Where to stay

Fort Cochin - perfect place to get away from the noise and chaos of the mainland: it is calm and romantic, with several great accommodation options. It could be India's home-accommodating capital, they have hundreds of nearly identical accommodations in large, clean, inexpensive rooms.

Ernakulam is much cheaper and more convenient in terms of further travel, but the environment and accommodation options are less inspiring. No matter where you decide to stay, book early between December and January.

Holidays and events

Ernakulathappan Utsavam Eight Day Festival (Ernakulathappan Utsavam), culminates in January/February with a procession of 15 decorated elephants, rapturous music and fireworks.

shopping

Broadway in Ernakulam is good for shopping for local goods, spices and clothes, and nearby, on Convention Road and Market Road, is a cluster of tailor shops. Joo Town Road in Mattancherry is teeming with shops run by Gujaratis selling genuine antiques mixed with replicas and fakes. Several shops near the synagogue sell the finest lace. Most of the shops in Fort Cochin are outwardly indistinguishable from each other. Kashmiri shops sell various North Indian products. Many stores in Fort Cochin and Mattanchery use a lucrative commission racket, auto rickshaw drivers receive significant kickbacks (included in the price you pay) for dropping tourists near the right doors.

Information

Internet

Net Park (Convent Road, Erna Kulam; hour Rs 15; 9.00-20.00).
Sify iWay (hour 40; 9.00-22.00) Fast computers in the spacious internet cafe upstairs.

Medical service

Lakeshore Hospital (2701032; NH Bypass, Marudu) 8 km southeast of the center of Ernakulam. Medical Trust (2358001; www.medicaltrusthospital.com; MG Road)

Money

UAE Exchange (9.30-18.00 Mon-Fri, until 16.00 on Sat);
Ernakulam (2383317; Perumpillil Bldg, MG Road);
Ernakulam (3067008; Chetupuzha Towers, RT Usha Rd Junction);
Fort Cochin (2216231; Amravathi Road) Currency exchange and traveler's checks.

Mail

College Post Office (College post office; 2369302; Convention Road, Ernakulam; 9.00-17.00 Mon-Sat)

Ernakulam post offices (2355467; Hospital Road; 9.00-20.00 Mon-Sat, 10.00-17.00 Sun)

Also branches on MG Road and Broadway.

Main post office (Post Office Road, Fort Cochin; 9:00-17:00 Mon-Fri, to 15:00 Sat)

Information for tourists

There is a tourist information desk at the airport. In many places you can pick up a free brochure with an excellent map and walking tour itinerary " historical places at Fort Cochin" (Historical Places in Fort Cochin).

Tourist Service Center KTDC (2353234;Shanmugham Road, Ernakulam; 8.00-19.00) Also organizes excursions.

Tourist Information Ernakulam (2371761; [email protected] net.in; 8.00-18.00); Fort Cochin (2216129) Private travel agency extremely well informed and helpful regarding Kochi and its surroundings. Runs several popular and recommended excursions, and the Ernaku Lama office has a board showing recommended cultural events in the city on that day, there is a used book exchange, and they publish a free monthly bulletin of cultural events in Kerala "Village Astrologer".

Ernakulam Tourist Police (2353234; Shanmugham Road, Ernakulam; 8:00-18:00); Fort Cochin (2215055; 24 hours).

Transport in Kochi

To/from the airport

Kochi International Airport (610125; http://cocnirairport.com) located in Nedumbassery (Nedumbassery), 30 km northeast of Ernakulam. A taxi to / from Ernakulam will cost about 500 rupees, and to Fort Cochin - somewhere around 650 rupees; a bumpy auto-rickshaw ride from Ernakulam will cost 350 rupees. Crazy traffic in Ernakulam means the trip takes about 1.5 hours during the day and usually less than an hour in the evening.

Ferry

Ferries are the fastest mode of transport between Fort Cochin and the mainland. Pier on east side willingdon islands (Willingdon Island) called the Embarkation (Embarkation); the western one, opposite Mattancherry, is called Terminus (Terminus); and the main stop in Fort Cochin is Customs (Customs), with a stopover at the Mattancherry Jetty Pier (Mattacherry Jetty) near the synagogue. One way cost 2.50 rupees (3.50 between Ernakulam and Mattancherry).

Delivery services to both piers of Fort Cochin (Customs and Matancherry) every 25-50 minutes (5.55 to 21.30) from the main pier of Ernakulam.

Ferries run every 20 minutes or so to Willingdon and Vypin (from 6.00 to 22.00).

Ferries depart from Customs Pier in Ernakulam from 6.20 am to 9.50 pm. They also run between Customs Pier and Willingdon Island 18 times a day from 6.40 am to 9.30 pm (Monday through Saturday).

Car and passenger ferries go to Vipin Island from Fort Cochin almost non-stop from 6.00 to 22.00.

local transport

No current bus route between Fort Cochin and Mattancherry Palace, but it's a fun half-hour walk through the bustling warehouse district along Bazaar Road. An auto rickshaw will cost about 20-30 rupees. Most auto rickshaw rides around Ernakulam should not cost more than Rs 25.

To get to Fort Cochin after the ferries stop running, take the bus to Ernakulam on MG Road (8 rupees, 45 minutes), south of Durbar Hall (Durbar Hall) Road. From Fort Cochin, buses leave for Ernakulam on the opposite side of the ferry pier to Vipin Island. Taxis charge for delivery to the islands as for a round trip, even if you are traveling only in one direction - from the Ernakulam Town railway station to Fort Cochin, the trip will cost approximately 200 rupees.

Scooters/enfields can be rented per day for Rs 250/350-600 from Vasco Tourist Information Center (2216267; vascoinformat) [email protected]; Bastion Street, Fort Cochin).

Road to Kochi and back

Avia

The following airlines have offices in Kochi:

Air India (2351295; MG Road)
Jet Airways (2358582; M G Road)
Kingfisher Airlines (1800 2093030; Spencer Travels, 3rd floor, Sreekandath Road)

Bus

KSRTC bus station (2372033; booking 6.00-22.00) in Ernakulam next to the railway in the middle between two railway stations. Many buses go through Ernakulam from other cities - you can try to get a seat in it, making your way through the crowd of people. It is possible to book up to 20 days (30 for Tamil Nadu) on buses departing from here. There is a separate booking window for Tamil Nadu.

Several private bus companies have deluxe air-conditioned and video buses to Bengaluru, Chennai, Mangalore and Coimbatore; prices are about 75% higher than government buses. There are stands selling tickets all over Ernakulam. Kalur bus station (kaloor)- main private bus station; located 1 km north of the city.

A train

There are two railway stations in Ernakulam, Ernakulam Town (Ernakulam Town) and Ernakulam Junction (Ernakulam Junction). Reservations for both stations can be made at the Ernakulam Junction booking desk (132; 8.00-20.00 Mon-Sat, 8.00-14.00 Sun).

There are trains to Trivandrum (2nd class/chair with AC 70/255 rupees, 4.5 hours), via Alleppey (39/165 rupees, 1.5 hours) or via Kollam (60/210 rupees, 3.5 hours), or via Kottayam (Rs 40/165, 1.5 hours). Trains also go to Thrissur (Rs 43/165, 1.5 hours), Calicut (67/237 rupees 4.5 hours) and Kannur (85/300 rupees, 6.5 hours).

Neighborhood of Kochi

Tripunithura

0484-2781113;
input 20; 10.00-12.30 and 14.00-16.30 Tue-Sun

This museum is located in Tripunithura, which is 16 km southeast of Ernakulam, on the way to Kottayam. This is the former residence of the royal family of Kochi, an impressive complex of 49 buildings. Now it houses collections of royal families, oil paintings of the 19th century, old coins, sculptures and paintings, and models of temples. From Ernakulam, take the bus to Tripunighura from MG Rd or from Shanmugham Rd behind the Tourist Center (5-10.45 minutes); an auto rickshaw will cost approximately 300 rupees round trip with an hour wait at the palace.

Cherai beach

On Vypin Island, 25 km from Fort Cochin, is Cherai Beach, which could be Kochi's biggest secret. A delightful strip of untouched white sand, with many kilometers of dams just a few hundred meters from the coast. It is best to come here for a day from Kochi.

(per person 2 rupees) (about 300 rupees) (14 rupees, one hour).

To get here from Fort Cochin, take a car ferry from Vypin Island (per person 2 rupees), you can also hire an auto rickshaw from the pier (about 300 rupees) or use one of the frequent buses (14 rupees, one hour).

Parur and Chennamangalam

Nowhere else in India will you find such obvious tightly tailored religious clothing as in Parur, 35 km north of Kochi. Here is one of the oldest synagogues (entry 9.00-17.00 Tue-Sun) in Kerala, in Chennamangalam, 8 km from Parur, which has been carefully restored. Inside you see a door and wooden ceiling in bright colors, while outside is one of the oldest tombstones in India - written in Hebrew and dating back to 1269. The Jesuits first came to Chennamangalam in 1577 and there is a Jesuit church and the ruins of a Jesuit college nearby. Nearby is a Hindu temple on a hill overlooking the Periyar River, a 16th-century mosque, Muslim and Jewish burials.

In the town of Parur you will find agraharam (place of brahmins)- a small street of closely spaced and brightly painted houses, originally inhabited by Tamil Brahmins.

Parur is a compact city, Chennamangalam is best visited with a guide.

Buses to Parur depart from the KSRTC bus station in Kochi (Rs 16, one hour, every 10 minutes). From Parur can be reached by bus or auto rickshaw (60 rupees) at Chennamangalam.

Best time to visit

March to October.

Do not miss

Mattancherry Palace - here you can see Kerala murals on the themes of religious subjects and exhibits from the collection of the Raja of Cochin.
The Church of St. Francis is the first European temple in India, built in 1516. Initially, Vasco da Gama was buried here, and then his body was transported to Portugal.
Paradesi Synagogue - built in 1568. This beautiful building is named after "foreigners" or "white Jews". The floor is adorned with hundreds of hand-painted tiles.
Sanctuary of Adi Shankaracharya - an 8-tiered brightly colored memorial, guarded by elephant statues and dedicated to one of India's foremost thinkers.

We arrived in Cochin at night, so it was pointless to start exploring the city right away. It was pointless and illogical, but it was necessary, the body stubbornly refused to fall asleep on an empty stomach and our detachment went in search of food. To our surprise, the city did not sleep, well, or not all of it did. At midnight, we even met workers who were selflessly cleaning the sewers. Although it may well be that due to the constant heat (even at night the temperature was about 28 degrees), they always work at night. Finding a power supply was not a problem for us and, having refreshed ourselves, we went to bed.

The next morning, with a sober mind and sound memory, we began to explore Cochin, the second most populated city in Kerala. Cochin is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, or rather its large harbor, which is called Lake Vembanad. The city stretches along the coast for about 50 kilometers and consists of the mainland, a peninsula, one large island and another group of small islands, in general, the map of the area is interesting.

Cochin seemed to us more green city than Delhi and there are fewer cars on the streets here:

Rickshaws here are painted yellow and black, and there are even municipal workers on the streets who are engaged in garbage collection. By Indian standards, Cochin can be called a clean city, compared to Delhi so sure.

Although Indian janitors work hard, but the garbage on the Indian streets is truly endless.

In Cochin, we got to know the authentic Indian sewer system. The main know-how lies in the fact that it passes under open sky and does not use these useless pipes:

Do not be misled by the fact that in the photo part of the sewerage is covered with concrete slabs, these are only fragments and only in some parts of the city, in all other places you can freely enjoy the murmur of water and everything that floats in it:

The sewer cover decently protrudes above the ground, therefore, embankments of sand are built for the entrance of cars:

Cleaning drains is as easy as it looks. In the evening, workers inspect the channels for clogging, then they remove objects and excrement with insufficient fluidity that caused the blockage, then it all dries in the sun and is taken out in an unknown direction:

By the way, it should be noted that all the good flows directly into Vembanad Lake, so there are no problems with aeration and purification stations, everything is practical and economical.

But let's pay attention to other Cochin attractions, the main of which, of course, is the Fort. Fort Cochin is the first European settlement in India. The fort arose in the romantic times of sailors and the search for a sea route to India, so Portuguese sailors became its founders and first inhabitants, at one time Vasco da Gama was even buried here. Later, the Dutch and the British put their hand in the development of this area.

The easiest and cheapest way to get to the Fort is to use the waterway, for this we go to the port to buy tram tickets. The fare is symbolic, just a few rupees. The captain and crew are in the public service, and the ship is state-owned. We did not meet private carriers.

Pay attention to the cash register, we have not yet seen such a manifestation of sexual segregation: boys to the left, and girls to the right. A large red sign warns that spitting is prohibited here:

The captain can be on the first or second floor:

The captain is always stern and carefully monitors the situation on the water, going around buoys, potholes, fishermen and other boats:

Another important person on board is the minder, who is responsible for the operation of the engine. Everything is like in the movies, the captain gives the command "Full speed ahead", and the minder pulls the switch. Commands are given with the help of a bell, which is attached to a rope, at the other end of which is the captain. The same principle can be observed in Indian.

The active participation of the minder is required mainly only when mooring and sailing away, the rest of the time it is the most calm and reading profession in the world:

View of the city from the water:

Cargo port:

We moor, go ashore and here it is - real colonial architecture:

Narrow but neat and tidy streets:

Ancient tiled roofs:

Another attraction of the city can be called large (up to 20m wide) fishing nets, which are called Chinese here. Locals claim that they were introduced by the Chinese who came to Kerala in the 14th century. Finding Chinese nets is not difficult - this is the first thing you will see when you get to the Fort.

The principle of fishing is extremely simple, at high tide the nets are lowered into the water, and at low tide they are lifted out of the water along with what swam there.

Near each grid there is a booth where fishermen are on duty:

Typically, a team of fishermen consists of 5 people. The most important thing can be determined by the presence of a mobile phone.

The network is lowered into the water:

And if it does not fall, then you need to help her:

More than half of the work is done, now you just have to wait, but for now you can recover, smoke, sunbathe:

In anticipation of the prey, the whole team sets off to raise the net:

This completes the process of catching fish, it remains only to select it from the grid. To do this, you will need a net and two Indians, you can’t do without the second:

Those who are not competent enough to fish from the shore, fish from boats:

The local post office mainly works on sending postcards, which are sold at every turn:

I give a tooth that solitaire is open on at least one computer:

Active search for the missing letter:

The richest resident of Cochin:

The day was coming to an end and we went to the beach to watch the sunset:

And this is how Chinese nets look like at sunset:

View of the night city:

Upon returning from the Fort, we found that one of our phones was missing, so we had to go in search of a new device and a SIM card. There were no problems with the first task, but getting a SIM card at night turned out to be a little problematic. Sims are somehow sold, but you can activate them only during working hours.

On the way to the base, we accidentally wandered into some kind of Indian concert, it turns out that they have something similar every weekend, and all on a public basis:

Admission is free, exotic music:

The next morning we bought our bus tickets and set out to conquer the green Ghats.

In the following issues, read about the famous Indian tea plantations and the life of the Kerala highlanders.