Cochin

State :

Kerala

Climate :

In Cochin the most dry months are between October and March. Humidity is relatively low and the weather is pleasant. The temperature in January-February and September-October fluctuates between 25 degree celcius and 28 degree celcius. May and June are extremely hot, humid and wet. The temperature goes up to 32° C, but the high humidity levels make the season seem warmer.

Significance :

An Old Port City. Also visited for its backwaters, lagoons and fine beaches. Also known for its Shipyard and Chinese fishing nets.

Cochin - The Queen of Arabian Sea :

Cochin, located in the southern Indian state of Kerala is one of the finest natural harbours of the world and a major port of India. Also known as Kochi, the city is situated on the Arabian Sea coast. Cochin is one of the better developed cities in India and regarded as Kerala's commercial capital. Cochin also boasts of a rich cultural heritafe in the form of forts, palaces, museums and old churches. Other attractions include backwaters, lagoons and fine beaches.

Famous For :

Wide Range of Outside Influence and its Ancient Spice Trading Port Cochin or Kochi is famous for its huge variety of influences ranging from early European settlement (the Dutch established a trading post here long before the British started to set up similar trading enclaves) to the Chinese spice traders. Cochin also prides in having long stretches of tea and spice plantations and the maze of inland waterways and lakes are just mind blowing.

Connectivity :

• By Air - There are daily flights to Kochi from Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kozhikode and Trivandrum. International flights also connect Kochi to destinations of South East Asia and the Gulf. Morecver, Lakshadweep islands are connected by air only with Cochin in India.
• By Rail - There are Express train services to Cochin from most parts of the country.
• By Road - Cochin is well connected to the rest of Kerala and other states of southern India by road network. Most of Kerala's tourist destinations can be easily approached from Cochin by road transport.

Highlights of the city :

• St. Francis Church - St. Fransis is a protestant church originally built by the Portuguese in 1510 A.D. It is regarded as India's oldest European church. It is worth mentionable that Vasco Da Gama was initially buried here. But his mortal remains were taken back to Portugal by his son later. The architecture of the church is very impressive..
• Mattancherry Dutch Palace - This beautiful palace was built by the Portuguese and gifted to the Raja of Cochin in 1555 AD. The palace is regarded as a fine blend of Indo-European architecture. It is more popularly called the Dutch palace as the Dutch had renovated the palace in 1663. The gorgeous rooms of the palace have mural paintings depicting scenes from Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Temples on either side of the palace dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva add a spiritual colour to the palace.
• Jewish Synagogue - The Jewish Synagogue and an ancient Jew town built in 1568 A.D. are places of great historical importance in Cochin. The most distinctive feature of the Synagogue are white willow-patterned tiles. Every tile is different from the other in some respects. The Chinese fishing nets: The huge fishing nets along the backwaters are the legacy of traders who belonged to the court of Kublai Khan. The nets are built of teakwood and bamboo poles. Most tourists rush to the backwaters only to have a glimpse of these magnificent nets.