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| The MG Road of Kochi City. Photo by: Adam Mohamed |
First of all whether you spell Kochi or cochin it is almost the same. Kochi today means the Greater city region while Cochin was the colonial name of Kochi as said by Europeans which was fixed since the colonization. Cochin or Kochi as it is now called, is one of the most fast-paced and modern cities in India which I have traveled so far. Kochi which is economic capital of the state of Kerala has a good transport infrastructure consisting of buses, auto richshaws & taxis throughout the day. Though there is no intra-city rail transport system in Kochi, there are two major railway stations known as the South and North railway stations. This city has also got the fastest completed metro project in India known as "The Kochi Metro", connecting rail, road and water transport facilities by using solar power to meet a quarter of its electricity requirement. The tourist places in Cochin which is fascinating to visit comes with history & tradition woven together with modernization. On the shores of modern Cochin lies a picture-perfect seaside neighborhood called Fort Kochi which is a must visit tourist destination of this city. Mattancherry Palace, located in Palace Road is considered to be one of the important places to visit in this old city of Cochin. The iconic Chinese Fishing Nets, undoubtedly is also among Kochi's most recognizable sights. Each Indian city has its own way of living, and when its comes to cleanliness I must say this is the most cleanest city of India which I have been so far. Yes, Cochin ranks as the 4th most cleanest city in India in recent Swacch Bharat rankings. However, the M.G road is bit dirty because of the ongoing works of Kochi- Metro. When it comes to food, seafood is found in abundance here and is a local specialty since it's a coastal city. Food in Kochi has banana as an integral part in dishes though people from Kochi take pride in their rich cuisine which is influenced by different cultures from across the world. The city which is known as the gateway of Kerala, is a popular shopping destination with malls and boutiques where you can buy trendy clothes, designer branded accessories and goods. The hard and salty yellow banana chips wrapped in clear plastic can be purchased all over the city, plus if you are buying more than one thing you need to haggle even harder for a lower price & it's quality. Kochi city unlike other large South Indian cities such as Bangalore or Chennai which I have been earlier, are not that friendly to night owls. As malls and prominent hang out places are closed by 10 pm, you can enjoy calmness of sea & wind of the beaches in a city which follows early to bed early to rise concept.
Arabs, British, Dutch, Chinese, and Portuguese have all left their marks in this city in which the Kochiites are very welcoming to outsiders, something you cannot witness from most southern Indian cities. I must also say that the malls of the city will play an important role in keeping you entertained while there are a lot of places where you can spend time like the Marine Drive which will help your body & mind get some rest after you come out from a congested city like Male'.
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