Tourist Spots ( within Cochin)

Tourist Spots (near Cochin)

Bolghatty Palace

This Dutch palace is situated on the Bolghatty island. At present it is being used as hotel. The island has a fine golf course and the panoramic view makes it an attractive picnic spot. Frequent boat service is available from the mainland.

Chinese Fishing Nets

The chinese fishing nets found here are the only ones of its kind in India. It is believed that traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan introduced these nets here.
Click here to view a picture of the Chinese fishing nets found here .

Dutch Palace

The Dutch Palace was originally built by the Portugese. Later, in 17th century, the Dutch modified it and presented to the Raja of Kochi. Coronation of many Rajas of Kochi were held here. The place has a fine collection of mural paintings depicting the scenes from the Hindu epics Mahabharatha and Ramayana.

Fort Kochi beach

A stroll along the beach, particularly at sunset with the chinese fishing nets and sailing ships in the background, is a fine experience. Many European style bungalows can be seen along the shoreline.

Hill Palace

Built in the 19th century by Raja of Kochi, the Kochi province was ruled from here. The palace has been converted into a museum displaying a fine collection of articles used by the Rajas of Kochi apart from many archaeological findings.

Jewish Synagogue

The synagogue ,magnificently decorated by Chinese tiles and Belgian chandeliers ,was built in 1568. Giant scrolls of the Old Testament can be found here. It is located near the Dutch Palace.

Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary

Believe it or not this bird sanctuary is situated right in the heart of Kochi city. It is the home of many exotic and rare varieties of migratory birds.

Museum of Kerala History

The museum has on display life size statues of many famous personalities and several paintings depicting Kerala History.

Palliport (Pallipuram) Fort

It is the oldest European fort built in India.

Parikshith Thampuram Museum

The museum is situated near the famous Siva Temple, Ernakulam. It houses a treasure of archaeological findings and relics including old coins, sculptures, oil paintings and murals.

St. Francis Church

It is the oldest church built by European in India.On his 3rd visit to Kerala, Vasco da Gama, the Portugese trader who reached India from Europe by sea, fell ill and died in Kochi. He was buried in the St. Francis Church. Later his remains were taken back to Portugal. In spite of that the exact place where he was buried has been marked out inside the church

Miscellaneous

The backwaters separating Ernakulam from Fort Kochi and Mattanchery are dotted with many small and big islands. A ride through the backwaters is an unforgettable experience.
The Cochin Shipyard, Cochin Refineries, Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore, Hindustan Machine Tools, Indian Rare Earths,etc and other large and medium scale industries make Kochi a very important industrial area.
TheSee India Foundation arranges daily Kathakali performance. Kathakali is a fascinating traditional Kerala danceform.
Click to see a picture of Kathakali dancers in action . Note the dress and the make up .