Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CENTRAL KERALA
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Kochi (Cochin)
0484 / POP 601,600
Serene Kochi has been drawing traders and explorers to its shores for over 600 years.
Nowhere else in India could you find such an intriguing mix: giant fishing nets from China,
a 400-year-old synagogue, ancient mosques, Portuguese houses and crumbling remains of
the British Raj. The result is an unlikely blend of medieval Portugal, Holland and an Eng-
lish village grafted onto the tropical Malabar Coast. It's a delightful place to spend some
time and nap in some of India's finest homestays and heritage accommodation.
Mainland Ernakulam is the hectic transport and cosmopolitan hub of Kochi, while the
historical towns of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry, though well-touristed, remain wonder-
fully serene - thick with the smell of the past. Other islands, including Willingdon and
Vypeen, are linked by a network of ferries and bridges.
While you're here, the perfect read is Salman Rushdie's
The Moor's Last Sigh,
which
bases much action around Mattancherry and the synagogue.
