Kerala is a beautiful state in South India and Kochi is one of the famous tourist destinations in the state of Kerala. The port city of Kochi, also known as Cochin, is the commercial, industrial and financial capital of Kerala.
Famously called the “Queen of the Arabian Sea”, Kochi remained one of the key spice trading centers on the Western Coast of South India. You are likely to get filled with a mighty load of beautiful and enjoyable memories after going on a trip to Kochi.
The beaches, sanctuaries, churches, temples, palaces, and falls will captivate you. The places in and around Kochi have put the state of Kerala on the global tourism map.
Planning an Itinerary for a trip to Kochi
Itinerary planning is an important step for a trip. Planning a trip to Kochi involves:
1) Researching for the best season or time for the trip,
2) Determining the number of days of the trip,
3) Checking hotel accommodation,
4) Checking flight, hotel, and transport bookings.
The time from October to February is cool and these months are considered the best time for a trip to Kochi. If you want to book tickets at a low price, then booking before 90 days of the travel and low-cost and budget airlines with one or multiple stopover flights are the ideal options.
Here are the best places to visit in and around Kochi.
1) Santa Cruz Basilica
2) Chottanikara Bhagavathy Temple
3) Athirapally Falls
4) Cherai Beach
5) Mattancherry Palace
Santa Cruz Basilica
The Santa Cruz Basilica is one of the eight Basilicas in the state of Kerala. Many tourists visit this Basilica as this has been built with a grand architectural grandeur in the gothic style. The Portuguese built this and the Pope erected the diocese as a Cathedral.
This Basilica is located near Bastian St, Fort Nagar, Fort Kochi, and you can visit this place free of cost. It is open on Mondays to Saturdays from 7.00 am to 6.30 pm and on Sundays from 8.00 am to 6.30 pm.
Chottanikara Bhagavathy Temple
This temple is one of the most sacred Hindu temples that is nearly 1500 years old. The Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Amman and the Keezhu Kaavu Bhadrakali Amman goddess are worshipped here.
It is believed that people suffering from life-threatening diseases get cured here by worshipping this temple. It is open for visitors every day from 4.00 am to 8.45 pm and is approximately 15 kilometers from Ernakulam railway junction.
Athirapally Falls
This is one of the best and the biggest waterfalls in Kerala. Even though there are many waterfalls in the Western Ghats of India, this one gives a spectacular view. There is a huge overflow of water in the monsoon season and tourists throng here to see the water rushing down.
You can see the Eucalyptus, bamboo, and teak plantations in the surroundings of the waterfalls. This waterfall has good forest wildlife that includes various hornbills of the South Indian species. The nearest railway station is Chalakkudy Railway Station which is approximately 30 kilometers away from the waterfalls.
Cherai Beach
Cherai Beach is one of the best places to visit in Kochi. Slow waves and a clean environment make this beach ideal for tourists. This beach attracts many visitors on the weekends and holidays. You can try many water sports on this beach.
Mattancherry Palace
It is a Portuguese palace and is also known as Dutch Palace. UNESCO has included this site in its World Heritage tentative list. The King of Cochin gifted this palace to the Portuguese in 1545. This palace was built in a quadrangular structure called as Nālukettu style, which is the traditional architectural style of Kerala.
This palace has a courtyard in the middle, with arches and chambers built in the European style.
Also read: Food Places in Kochi to Explore the Distinct Food Culture
Food And Culture of Kochi
Kochi welcomes tourists with various tasty foods. Some of the popular foods are:
1) Kerala Puttu
2) Dosa
3) Idiyappam
4) Avial
5) Appam
These foods represent the tradition and culture of Kerala.
Visit the Indian Eagle website to book flights to Kochi from US at a low price. You can find the best deals from any city in the US to Kochi.
