There is a saying in Malayalam that says ‘Kollam kandavan illam venda, Kochi kandavan achi venda’, which means that if anyone visits Kollam, he will not return to his home again, and if anyone visits Kochi, he will forget his wife. Not that I wanted to forget or obliterate anything related to my matrimony, but the visit to Fort Kochi was based purely out of my love for traveling mixed with some personal work.
‘Kochi’ or ‘Cochin’ is a port city located on the south-west coast of India facing the Lakshadweep Sea or Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district in the Indian southern state of Kerala and is often referred to as Ernakulam.
Day 1: Delhi to Kochi and Sightseeing
My 1-day trip to Fort Kochi started from Delhi started when I boarded a flight to Cochin International Airport. I chose to fly the new feeling in a Vistara flight that reached Cochin around 9.15 am. By 10.00 am I was in my Uber cab heading toward my hotel that I booked from Goibibo. It took around 1.5 hours to reach the hotel and costed around INR 800.
PS: You will find numerous hotels as you enter Fort Kochi, but I suggest you take something near the beach to get good views.
By 11.00 am, I hired a local auto for sightseeing. The autos have a very decent price of INR 300 and they cover almost all the important places. You can also bargain the price to include additional places that you wish to cover.
I covered the following places with my hired auto.
• Indo Portuguese Museum: This was my first destination among many. Established by the efforts of the late Dr. Joseph Kureethra, bishop of Kochi, this museum holds artifacts and antiques that displays the Portuguese impact on the establishment of Fort Kochi. The museum has five main sections: Altar, Treasure, Procession, Civil Life and Cathedral. The basement of the museum has remnants of the fort that once stood there. The compound also houses the home the Bishop of Kochi.
o Timings: Open on all days except Monday
(9.00 AM to 1.00 PM, 2.00 Pm to 6.00 PM)
o Entry Ticket: Required
• Indian Naval Maritime Museum: Having soaked myself in the rich Portuguese heritage of Fort Kochi, I headed toward the Indian Naval Maritime Museum. This place sings of the glorious past of the Indian Navy. Located near INS Dronacharya, the gunnery school, this museum is home to several missiles, guns, launchers, torpedoes, underwater mines, uniforms, and many more artifacts of the Indian Naval force. There are video clippings, notice boards that display the role of Indian Navy in several events of emergency. The artifacts are displayed within the air-conditioned rooms as well as on the open ground. A very well-maintained museum, it surely filled my heart with immense pride.
o Timings: Open on all days except Monday
(10.00 AM to 5.30 PM)
o Entry Ticket: Required
• Pardesi Synagogue: Constructed in the year 1567, it is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations. Also known as Cochin Synagogue or Matancherry Synagogue, it is one of seven synagogues of the ‘Malabar Yehudan’ or ‘Yehudan Mappila’ people or Cochin Jewish community. The interiors are decorated with hand-painted tiles, glass chandeliers, lamps, and antique architecture. Visitors are expected to wear decent (not too revealing) dress and enter barefoot.
o Timings: Open on all days except Friday, Saturday, and Jewish Holidays
(10.00 AM to 12.00 PM, 3.00 PM to 5.00 PM)
o Entry Ticket: Not Required
• Jew Town, Jew Street, and Jew Cemetery: You can have a stroll across the Jew Town and Jew Street when you visit the Pardesi Synagogue. There are numerous shops selling apparels, handicrafts, antiques, jewelries, and many more gifts along the street. You will also find some cafes to sit and relax if you are tired of the heat or walking. You can prefer to walk to the end of Jew Street to visit the Jewish Cemetery that contains tombstones inscribed in Malayalam and Hebrew.
Ps: Be ready to bargain hard if you wish to purchase something from this area else you will end up spending a lot more than the actual amount as things are pricey.
• Mattancherry Palace: From the Jew Street, I headed to the Mattacherry Palace or the Dutch Palace. Built and gifted in 1555 to Veera Kerala Verma, traditionally believed to be the first king of Cochin, by the Portuguese, this palace houses murals, portraits, stamps, artilleries, coins, and many more exhibits of the Rajas of Cochin. Soak yourself in the colonial influence within the walls of this palace.
o Timings: Open on all days except Friday
(10.00 AM to 5.00 PM)
o Entry Ticket: Required
• All Spices Market: The air around this market has a strong aroma and mixed flavor of fresh spices. All the major work here is undertaken by the All Women Cooperative. You can taste a sample of fresh spice tea and purchase any amount of required spices from this place. The enchanting aroma of the finest ginger, cloves, cardamom, turmeric and pepper draws you towards the spice warehouses lining the street.
o Timings: Open on all days
o Entry Ticket: Not Required
After having covered the above places, I relieved the auto near the beach and continued to visit the following places by foot as they are situated at a walkable distance from each other.
• St. Francis Church: Built in 1503, this oldest European church in India is a silent witness to the colonial struggles. Standing tall beside the Parade Ground and amidst pine trees, this church has seen a lot of changes in itself when the Portuguese, Dutch, and British left their imprints here. This church was also home to the mortal remains of the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama before it was taken to Lisbon. The exact spot where he was buried is marked till this date. An exquisite architectural marvel, this place is a must visit on your trip to Kochi.
o Timings: Open on all days (7.00 AM to 6.30 PM)
o Entry Ticket: Not Required
• Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica: Located a few meters away from the St. Francis Church, the Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica is one of the finest churches that holds a lot of historical significance. Dating back to more than 500 years, this church offers a fine display of Indo-European and Gothic Architecture and the grandeur in the use of colors. The basilica is one of the eight basilicas in India and also serves as the Cathedral church of the Diocese of Cochin.
o Timings: Open on all days except Sunday (7.00 AM to 6.30 PM)
Sunday (8.00 AM to 6.30 PM)
o Entry Ticket: Not Required
• Dutch Cemetery: Down the road from St. Francis Church that runs parallel to the beach, lies the Dutch Cemetery. Enclosed within walls, this cemetery has epitaphs and tombs that are made of granite and red laterite. This cemetery remains closed for the public but a peep inside is very overwhelming to realize the number of Dutch lives, including governors, commanders, officials, gents and ladies, lost on the soil on Fort Kochi.
• Chinese Fishing Nets: Having completed the entire city tour, I saved the best for the last. By the time, I was done visiting the places, the sun was about to go down and soft, cool breeze had started to flow, thus creating the perfect time to visit the beach. As the sun was going down, I could catch the much-awaited glimpse of the setting sun behind the Chinese fishing nets. Kochi is very famous for having these nets placed along the sea-shore that give a beautiful view of the ancient fishing practices.
• Fort Kochi Beach: It was the solo time I needed, on the beach, by the sea. As I walked by the sea along with the wind, and as darkness fell, I took a seat on the cemented-pavement by the sea and absorbed the tranquility.
PS: You can find the fresh fish stalls adjacent to the sea, so the smell is not tolerable by many. But if you can adjust to the smell, you can catch a glimpse of the little fish stalls lined up by the sea selling their fresh catch of the day. The owners of the stalls happen to be the fishermen themselves. You can ask them about the details of a fish although you do not wish to buy.
Day 2: Kochi to Ernakulam
• Ferry Ride: The next day I checked out from my temporary abode and hired an auto to the Kochi-Ernakulam Jetty. I could have taken an ac cab to travel to Ernakulam, but instead, I opted the more traditional way; I took the ferry ride. The ticket fare was INR 5 per person for one way. After waiting for a while, my ferry boat arrived where I merrily hopped in, grabbed a window seat, and enjoyed my ride as the motorboat sailed past the waves and turbulence across the Lakshadweep Sea.
Having reached Ernakulam, my trip to Fort Kochi was over, but only in days and not in dreams. The love for the iconic Chinese fishing nets, the raw smell of the sea, the silent cemeteries, the aromatic spices – everything made Kochi a beautiful dream where I promised to return once again.
• Time of trip: 26th April to 27th April
• Season: Summer
• Trip duration: 1N/2D
• Mode of travel: Public Transport (Flight, Cab, Boat)
• Expenditure: 1000-1200 (excluding hotel booking and flight fare). Includes train and bus tickets, shopping, food, local sightseeing cab, etc.
• Must carry: Umbrella, shades, sunscreen, scarf (to cover face), good shoes (lot of walking and hill climb), water bottle (must stay hydrated), camera, and a zest to travel.
• Dress code: Light cotton clothes, shrugs. Avoid shorts/sleeveless to avoid severe sunburn and tanning.
• Places I wish I could cover: Wellingdon Island
