Kochi Things to Do

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The Kathakali dance is probably one of the most complex dances in the world when it involved all the facial (especially eyes and mouth), body expression to tell the story. Often time, they will spend more than 2-3 minutes just to express one line of scripts. The training for act, music, singing will often take 6-10 years to master.

Although you can see the Kathakali dance many places within the Kelara state, but nothing beat the one at Cochin. It looks like the only activity from 6pm-8:30pm where all the tourists (include me) will be walking to the same direction. That is to the Kathakali Centre.

The make up session and introduction of Kathakali expression & music session is very key for you to understand the play. You will be distribute with a simple scripts that hardly 2 page length, but will take more than an hour to play those scenes.

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Kashi Art Cafe is highly recommended in LP and almost sounded like THE Cafe in Fort Kochi and you can see quite a human traffic in there. This is an art gallery cum cafe place is doing so well, that customers need to queue or even share tables with others.

The whole of back section is completely build up with sugar palm wood from pillars to cross beams, tables, stove and high chairs. It give me the impression that the cafe is build to last for hundred years because of the sugar palm's termite & moth resistant quality.

The menu is some what too short and we just pick the no brainer Kashi Special.

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I was introduced this tea break place by a Jewish girl from Israel when I was trekking at Ooty. She asks me to make it a point to visit here for some relaxing tea breaks.

The cafe is decorated with all kind of tea pots that we can ever find from every part of the world and being here is like stepping into a tea appreciation museum. Me and my pal was have good cup of tea after we covered about 1/2 of the heritage walk and we actually revisit the place for breakfast before we left Kochi.

The cafe is not part of the heritage walk, but quite close. It was quietly located behind (one street away) the St Francis Church and you also can find Tea Pot cafe by follow some of those nicely designed ads by the cafe put along the streets. I spotted the sign 3 times as I walk in the area and I am quite sure you can find it.

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Since you already read about my fish nets tips and probably expect some seafood tips. It will be quite hard if I wanna bluff you saying Cochin is not a seafood place.

During the day time, you will see a lot of enterprising hawkers setting their drinking stalls right behind the Chinese fish nets under the tree shade. You can enjoy you drink and watch the fishermen let down & retrieve the nets. And if you're technical enough like me, you probably want to figure out how does the structure works. Of course with your long cool drink ready.

Come evening, you will see dozen of fish stores shouting and attract customers (especially tourists) to buy their fishes & prawns. I won't say that fishes here are expensive or inexpensive because prices are subjective to individuals. So long you think that you get the fishes/prawns (even calamari) at fair price, go ahead and buy them.

You will also notice some guys will follow you from store to store, speaking good english trying to help any store to close the deal. What is there for them you might ask? They are restaurant owners/workers that wanted you to bring your purchase to their store for cooking. They will charge between Rs50-90 per 500gms or per disk and all seasoning materials will be included in that charges.

Happy shopping and bon appetit!!

I hate history since young and my history suck. I am not such a historian material & I never will be. Since these years are important to Cochin development and you may be interested to know them and help as you browse through my page.




You don't have to rate this tip since I didn't come out with it myself.


1503 - First Portuguese Fort (Manuel Kota) was built
1506 - Santa Cruz Church was rebuilf in brick and mortar
1514 - Jews migrated from Cranganore to Sanda Cochin
1516 - St. Francis Church was reconstructed
1522 - Konkanis from Goa arrived
1538 - Larger Portuguese Fort was built
1555 - Mattancherry Palace was built
1568 - Pardesi (Jewish) Synagogue
1653 - Coonen Cross Oath
1663 - The Conquest of Cochin by the Dutch
1667 - Stromberg Bastian (SubCollector's House)
1667 - Gelderland Bastian (S.B.I's House)
1667 - Holland House (Light House)
1667 - Gronningen Bastian (Pierce Lesley Compound)
1667 - Zealand Bastian (Bishop's House)
1668 - Dutch Fort was built
1749 - Bolghatty Palace was built
1760 - The CLock tower was built
1790 - Shaktan Thampuran takes over as Cochin Raja
1795 - British conquest of Cochin
1808 - The rebellion of Paliath Achon and the destruction of the Dutch Governor's house
1840 - Cochin ruler shifted to Ernakulam
1889 - The Great Fire
1920 - Dredging of Cochin Port and Formation of Willingdon Island

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The Jewish Synagogue in Kochi is probably the oldest found in India. Kochi was a major settlement for prominent business Jewish community which laid the strong foundation of the business and economy landscape in Kochi.

The Jewish Synagogue is located near* the Dutch Palace and it is elaborately adorned by Chinese tiles and Belgian chandeliers. You can also see some giant scrolls of the Old Testament within the synagogue compound. You should pay special attention to the floor tiles (see picture), they are somewhat similar but none of them are the same. Each was hand painted with differences and almost looks like created that way intentionally.

Note*: They are practically next to each other, but the synagogue's walls blocking the 2 and make it quite impassible walking straight line.

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St. Francis church was the first European Church to be built in India within the old rest European Settlement of Fort Cochin. Presumably it owes origin to the Fransciscan Fraiars who accompanied the Portuguese expedition in 1500 A.D. Originally it is said to have been erected of wood but later rebuilt in stone and roofed with tiles by 1516A.D. and dedicated to St. Anthony. It remained in the order of St. Francis till 1663 A.D. when it came under the control of the Dutch who reconditioned and converted it into a Protestant Church.

Again during 1778 A.D. it was renovated as indicated by a tablet fixed over its facade but continued in the possession of the Dutch even after the British control over Cochin in 1795. Till it was voluntarily surrendered to the Anglican Communion in 1804 A.D. presumably it was renamed after the patron saint during the later half of the nineteenth century.

At Present it has been taken over by the Church of South India.

Text from Church official intro board to preserve accuracy of this fact.

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Kochi has been the commercial hub for south India since very long time ago with Chinese, Arabs, Europeans, and Jews sailed here to trade and exchange. It was then commonly referred as the Queen of the Arabian Sea for its strategic location and unique beauty. Kochi is also famous as the land of spices that attracted many seafarers mentioned above to transact at this beautiful port city many centuries ago.

Today, you can still see the influences from those traders found in the buildings architecture and the lifestyle of Kochi peoples.