Kerala, also known as “God’s Own Country” is one of the most popular places to visit in India. Each place in Kerala has its own beauty and charm. Ernakulam, which is also known as Kochi, is no different. Ernakulam is the city with the most businesses and the most growth in Kerala. This place has been very important in the past.
The kingdom of Kochi, which is also called the Queen of the Arabian Sea, makes up most of the district. The district includes Ernakulam on the mainland, the man-made island of Willington, Mattancherry, Fort Kochi, Vypeen Island, Bolgatty Palace, and other places.
Ernakulam is a must-visit place during your Kerala trip. This beautiful city with a rich history has a lot to offer. By walking through the streets, you can see the beauty of this city.
Ernakulam has a strange mix of natural beauty and architecture made by people. Amazingly beautiful places, colonial buildings, and historic landmarks make the area a real treat. Ernakulam is a place that has a mix of cultures because it has been ruled by many different people.
Places to Visit in Ernakulam
Ernakulam is full of interesting places besides Kochi. Some of the places you must see here are:
Mattancherry Palace
One of the best things to see in Ernakulam is this palace, which was built by the Portuguese and is important to history. Mattancherry Palace, which is also known as the Dutch Palace, is a beautiful place that brings in a lot of tourists. This palace is so beautiful that words can’t describe it.
The inside of the palace is decorated with beautiful mural paintings of scenes from the Hindu epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. This beautiful palace has royal clothes and palanquins on display.
Bolgatty Palace
Bolgatty Palace is one of the oldest palaces that the Dutch built in India. It is on the Bolgatty Islands. In the background, you can see the beautiful backwaters of Kochi. The scenery around the palace is amazing.
All around the palace is a beautiful garden. Today, KTDC runs a well-known hotel that used to be the palace. This palace is worth going to see.
Hill Palace Museum
The Hill Palace Museum is 12 km from Ernakulam and has a wonderful collection of sculptures, old weapons, rare coins, and manuscripts written in ancient scripts. This museum also has things from the royal family of Kochi.
A nice place to go is the deer park close to the museum. This is a great place for people who want to have fun and do exciting things. You can go horseback riding and have some exciting times.
Vasco House
Vasco house is one of the oldest Portuguese houses in India. It was built in the first half of the 1600s. The windows and verandas on the Vasco house are made in Europe and look very nice. It is thought that Vasco da Gama lived there. You can see the old St. Francis church from here. The Vasco house is now a place to stay. Enjoy your time at this wonderful house.
St Francis Church
The oldest European church in India is St. Francis Church, which is in Fort Kochi. This church was built by the Portuguese in 1510 AD. It was the first church from Europe to be built in India. This church is very important to history. Vasco Da Gama, who was a great traveller, was buried there. His tombstone is still there to show how great his life was. This is a church for Protestants.
Chinese Fishing Nets
The Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi are one of the most interesting and well-known places to visit. People think that traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan brought these nets to the area.
These nets are only found in China, not in Kochi. This fishing net, which is 10 metres long and lines the beach, looks like hammocks. Local fisherman used this as a way to catch fish by hand. Most of the time, these are used for a unique and unusual way to fish.
Fort Kochi Beach
Fort Kochi beach is the only place in all of Ernakulam where you can go for a walk in peace and see the beautiful sea in the background. Everyone will remember seeing the beach, especially at sunset, with Chinese fishing nets and sailing ships in the background.
Not only that, but you can also buy tasty foods from the area. The seafood at these stands is out of this world. Beautiful bungalows that look like they were made in Europe line the shores of this place. This is the best place to take it easy in Kochi.
Santa Cruz Basilica
The Roman Catholic Church is close to St. Francis Church in Fort Kochi. This church is one of India’s most beautiful. This church gets a lot of visitors every year because of its Gothic style and beautiful architecture. Some of the beautiful paintings can also be seen here. This is a beautiful place where people come to pray.
Jewish Synagogue and Jew Town
The oldest Synagogue in any Commonwealth country is the Jewish Synagogue in Jew Town. This place of worship is also known as the Paradesi Synagogue and the Mattancherry Synagogue. This Synagogue is beautifully decorated, and it has huge scrolls of the Old Testament. This place with a lot of history reminds us of how great it used to be.
Marine Drive
Kochi’s Marine Drive is a beautiful place to hang out. This path in Kochi was built so that it faces the peaceful backwaters. People hang out there a lot in the city. On Marine Drive, there are so many places to shop and eat. Backwaters are a beautiful sight from Marine Drive.
This is one of Kochi’s most important economic hubs. In the evening, a lot of people walk across this walkway to enjoy the beautiful view of the Vembanad lake and the cool breeze from the lake. Don’t miss out on this great place to hang out in Kochi.
Parikshith Thampuran Museum
On the Durbar Hall road in Ernakulam, there is a great museum of archaeology. It is one of the best museums in India and nearby countries. This museum has an interesting collection of paintings from the 1800s, ancient monuments, coins, stone and Plaster of Paris scriptures, murals, and items from Kochi’s royal family.
The old guest room, also called the darbar hall, is the most interesting part of this place. The State Archaeological Department is in charge of this museum now. It was named after Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran, the last king from the royal family.
Cherai Beach
This beach is in the village of Cherai in the district of Ernakulam. It is clean and has shallow water. The beach at Cherai is 15 km long. You can swim and lay out in the sun on this beautiful beach. Cherai beach has sandy shores that are surrounded by tall coconut trees and green rice paddies.
This beach is one of Kerala’s most beautiful because of its golden sand. Dolphins can sometimes be seen in here. This beach has a great place for kids to play. This is the only place where you can see both the sea and the backwaters, along with tall coconut trees and green paddy fields.
Pallipuram Fort
Pallipuram Fort is in the village of Pallipuram on Vypeen island. It is a European fort that was built by the Portuguese in 1503. This is a very important part of Kerala’s history. People usually call this oldest fort by one of two names: Ayikkotta or Alikotta. The materials used to build this hexagonal fort are laterite, chunam, and wood. The Kerala State Department of Archaeology takes care of this beautiful fort.
Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary
The Mangalavanam bird sanctuary is a popular place for tourists, bird experts, and people who like birds. This place of worship is right in the middle of Ernakulam. Mangalavanam is a mangrove area with a lake in the middle and mangrove trees around the edges. There are a lot of different kinds of native and foreign birds.
This mangrove plant is also well-known in Mangalavanam. Everyone will have a great time at this wonderful place. There is a place for tourists to stay in this area.
Museum of Kerala History
In so many ways, this museum is very different from others. Here, beautiful and informative light and sound shows tell about the history of the land. This wonderful audio-visual exhibit about Kerala’s history and culture is really good.
The Museum of Kerala History is a popular place for tourists, locals, students, and smart people. It shows everything from the past to the present. There is a gallery just for paintings and sculptures that show modern Indian art.
Veega land
Ernakulam is home to Veegaland, one of the largest amusement parks in South India. The rides and activities here are so fun and interesting that not only kids but also adults come here to have fun. Play with your kids and act like a kid again. Everyone who visits this park will have a great time they will never forget.
Willingdon island
Willingdon Island is a beautiful man-made island made from sand that was dug out of Kochi port when the port was made deeper. The name of this island comes from Lord Willingdon.
The island is between the main land of Ernakulam and the old town of Mattancherry. The backwaters separate the main land from the old town. A big part of the city is this island. There are a lot of government offices on Willingdon island.
Things to do in Ernakulam
Ernakulam is lucky to have a lot of peaceful backwaters. There are many small and large islands in the backwaters between Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, and Mattancherry. It is a beautiful place to see. Taking a boat through these backwaters will be a great adventure. This is the best way to see how beautiful nature is.
You can also watch Kathakali performance in Ernakulam. Kathakali, the traditional dance of Kerala, is impressive because of the way the dancers use their faces, hands, and bodies. If you want to put on Kathakali shows, you can contact the Cochin Cultural Centre, the India Foundation, or Art Kerala.
Places to Shop around Ernakulam
Ernakulam / Kochi is a big shopping centre in Kerala. There are many places where you can shop. You can buy handmade goods, spices, gold, and fabrics. Go to the wholesale markets in Mattancherry to get a taste of Kochi’s old spice trade.
In addition to spices, you can buy antiques, tea, coffee, and small souvenirs. Malabar Spice Shop and RK Spices in Mattancherry are known for their black pepper, dry ginger, red chilli, and galangal root.
Rose wood reclining chairs, tables, and ships are made by many different furniture shops. People go to MG Road in Ernakulam to buy gold. In this lane, there are so many jewels. Also, you can buy clothes like Kerala Saree and Mundu at textile shops.
Where to Stay in Ernakulam
Ernakulam/Kochi is the commercial and industrial capital of the state and the most popular tourist destination. Because of this, there are a lot of hotels, resorts, and homestays there, from old homes to luxury suites.
The hotels in Ernakulam are of a high standard and have everything you could want. Near the most interesting places in Ernakulam, there are a lot of hotels and resorts. These hotels offer friendly service.
Some of the best places to stay in Kochi are Malabar House, Trinity, Koder House, Brunton Boatyard, The old Courtyard, Ballard Bungalow, Fort Heritage, Fort House, The Gateway Hotel Marine Drive, Rossitta Wood Castle, Casino Hotel, The Renaissance Cochin, Le Meridien, Vivanta By Taj-Malabar, Grande Residencia, Dream Cochin, etc.
Where to Eat in Ernakulam
Ernakulam is a city in South India where many different cultures come together. Ernakulam follows the south Indian style of eating when it comes to food. Local people eat mostly rice. People here also eat a lot of seafood. Different ways are used to cook it. Since so many foreigners have ruled over this city, all of them have changed its food.
Kochi has a lot of five-star hotels and some cheap hotels and dhabas. Brunton Boatyards’ History Restaurant serves all of the area’s best dishes as they were meant to be eaten. There are a lot of “You Buy, I Cook” stands that sell fish.
At the restaurant in the Old Courtyard Hotel, you can get some of the best Portuguese dishes and specialties from Kerala. The restaurant in Malabar House is best known for its Euro-Mallu fusion seafood. Some of the best places to eat in Kochi/Ernakulam are Rahmathullah Hotel, Kashi Art Cafe, Pai Brothers, and The Teapot.
In Kerala, Ernakulam is a nice place to stay and spend some time. Enjoy yourself in this lovely place.
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