Things To Do In Kochi

Things to do in Kochi

Kochi, on Kerala's coast, has been a spice-trading port for centuries, shaped by Arab, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, British and Jewish traders.

Fort Kochi, the old town, has the giant Chinese fishing nets on the shore, lowered and raised by teams of fishermen; watch at sunset. St Francis Church, the oldest European church in India, once held Vasco da Gama's grave. The streets are full of colonial houses, cafés and street art.

In Mattancherry, the Dutch Palace has fine murals of the Ramayana, and Jew Town, with its antique and spice shops, leads to the Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1568 and decorated with blue Chinese tiles.

In the evening, watch Kathakali, Kerala's dance drama, with elaborate make-up applied before the show, at a cultural centre.

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India's largest contemporary art festival, is held every two years in Fort Kochi's warehouses.

The Alleppey backwaters, with houseboats on palm-lined canals, are about an hour and a half away, and Munnar's tea plantations, in the hills, about four hours.