Photo by Challlivan, CC BY-SA 3.0
In this article our guest writer, Rohit Agarwal, explores Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. See his bio below.
Kerala is a state in India that is blessed with inherent natural beauty, calm, peaceful beaches and very rich cultural heritage. Kerala’s financial capital Kochi is one of the most favourite holiday destinations of tourists. Kochi has variety of things to offer that fulfils wanderlust of travellers having altogether different interests. Right from marvellous beaches to huge museums and from jungle walks to folk dance theatres, Kochi is full of attractions to make your stay here memorable. To celebrate a holiday that would have a never-fading impression on your mind, here is a list of a couple of interesting things you can do in Kochi.
Go for Kayaking in backwaters of river Periyar
In Kochi, one can experience the pleasant Kerala backwaters while gliding the kayak. Many boat clubs and adventure sports companies provide excellent facilities of Kayaking in the river Periyar with complete safety and guidance.
Photo by Challlivan, CC BY-SA 3.0
The experience of kayaking in the morning while listening to chorus of birds at dawn and witnessing an alluring sunrise can be mesmerizing; while moonlight kayaking can soothe your soul and offer romantic moments to cherish forever. Considering such a perfect combination of thrill and bonding with nature, kayaking definitely should be on your list of must-do things in Kochi!
Visit a spa and get a rejuvenating Ayurvedic massage
It would be a bonus to have a perfect massage on a refreshing trip, wouldn’t it? Kochi has some extraordinarily luxurious spas that practice ancient art and science of Ayurveda to offer you a rejuvenating experience of massage. In this massage offered by the therapists trained under Ayurveda masters, you can experience each cell in your body getting relaxed and all your stress and tiredness vanishing! During a visit to a close-to-nature city, Kochi, experiencing a completely natural massage will certainly reignite your life force.
Witness the Chinese Fishing Nets in action
It is said that Chinese Fishing Nets were introduced in Fort Kochi by the Chinese explorer, Zheng He. These nets are fixed land installations, which are used for an unusual method of fishing.
Photo by Kreativeart, CC BY-SA 4.0
Witnessing the use of these ancient objects by local fishermen is a very unique experience to have. An ideal place to watch fishermen use these nets is the Vasco da Gama square. There you can actually see these nets lowering into the sea and fish being caught in nets! The Vasco da Gama square also has food stalls that serve fresh and tasty seafood. Spending an evening here enjoying an amazing view of the sunset can be a mesmerising experience.
Experience live performance of Kathakali dance
Kathakali is one of the 7 classical Indian dance forms and is a dance-drama traditional to Kerala. The grand make-up of the artists and the graceful way of narrating meaningful mythological stories enthral the spectators.
Photo by AnastesMp, CC0 1.0
Learning the art of Kathakali is not an easy task. It requires years of intense training and it is evident from the performances one can experience while in Kochi. Places such as Cochin Cultural Centre, Kerala Kathakali Centre, Greenix Village offer the opportunity to watch Kathakali performance.
Evening walk on Princess street
Princess Street is the oldest street in Fort Kochi surrounded by buildings with civil colonial architecture. The street has a number of coffee shops where aroma of coffee and fresh bread fills the air and you feel like being in a western world!
Photo by Oboe, CC BY 3.0
The street has many restaurants and yes, shops! An evening walk along the old street, catching glimpse of remnants of European architecture and shopping ‘masala’ from tiny shops is surely a refreshing experience for anyone visiting Kochi.
The list is really unending as Kochi is an amazing tourist spot, but one thing is true for sure – Once you have been to Kochi you can’t stop yourself from falling in love with it!
Rohit Agarwal is a traveller and a blogger at Trans India Travels. A true nature lover at heart, Rohit was fascinated by cultural and biological diversity in India and is in search of the most interesting tourist sites in India.