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Central business district of the city of Kochi
Photo: Deepak (http://deepakp7.googlepages.com), Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Ernakulam (എറണാകുളം Eraṇākulam) is the modern heart of Kochi. It has three distinct parts: the "Central Business District" (CBD) which has Mahatma Gandhi Road (MG Road) as the main arterial road along with Marine Drive and Chittoor Road; "Downtown" with upscale residential areas and the business district at SA Road and Vytilla Junction and the "Suburb" which has many business and commercial areas.
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The venue for many fairs during festivals and regular evening concerts and other programmes.
A theatre with regular evening performances, a state-of-the-art museum and cultural gallery.
Contains oil paintings, old coins, sculptures, Mughal paintings plus models of temples and traditional Kerala buildings. It was the official Durbar Hall of Kochi Maharajas, now converted into a large fine arts gallery. It is named after last Maharaja of Kochi, who was an oil painter. A small studio nearby promotes young artists.
A major Christian pilgrimage centre believed to be the place where St Thomas performed his first miracle in AD 52. Today, it is famous for its annual Holy week-Easter pilgrimage.
At this shrine that belongs to Archdiocese of Verapoly people of different faith and culture flock together day and night seeking blessings.
A popular church, also amongst non-Christians. Famous for its poison cure treatments.
The cathedral is dedicated to "Our Lady of Ports". The cathedral was built in the early twentieth century under the direction of Mar Louis Pazheparambil. It is also a prominent Marian pilgrim centre in India.
Major Muslim pilgrimage centre and venue of the Kudikkuthu Festival. Famous for the annual Urs festival. Imams of this mosque are famous for being leading scholars who were advisors to Kochi Rajas. This mosque is an example of antique beauty of mazhars and dargahs. This was recognised by Kochi Maharajas as official along with temples. The annual Chandanakudam in January attracts many pilgrims. During the festival, pilgrims carry pots smeared with sandalwood paste in a procession to the mosque, with caparisoned elephants and percussion musics – both found in temples – form essential parts of the Chandanakudam festival.
Has three temples within its complex.
It is the lone Sikh Gurudwara of Kerala, established by the Punjabi community of Kochi in 1955. Special rites and Guru ka Langar rituals are held every Saturday and Sunday.
A thick 80-acre mangrove forest in the heart of Kochi and declared a flora sanctuary. More than 30 unique flora are found here and it is also a major bird sanctuary, where migratory birds feed and rest when they escape the cold northern winters.
A two-km-long promenade and no car is allowed to ply there. The backwaters are on one side and a busy shopping district is on the other side of the walk. The walkway starts from High Court, goes through two scenic bridges and ends at Rajendra Maidan. The total distance is less than a kilometre. Stroll along this calm stretch without motorised traffic and enjoy an ice cream or fruit juice. A few malls stand along the way. Chill off the heat while you walk with a Sharjah shake or ice-cream, or one of the local delicacies. There is a children's park in the middle and two hanging bridges.
A spacious place established in 1977, ideal for picnics and group discussions.
One of the largest parks in Kochi.
This is one of the oldest centres, with regular cultural performances. Many require prior booking, as they are organised by prestigious societies and groups. There are some performances that have free entry, and the monthly cultural programs of Bank Employees Union is one such.
Kalathil Parambil Crossroad, nr Valanjambalam Temple, Chitoor Rd. An evening Kathakali theater, where daily performances take place from 6PM-8PM. This is the oldest and first evening Kathakali theater in India. The show is preceded by a detailed discourse of Kathakali history and philosophy, elaborate make-up performances and a demonstration of Kathakali techniques.
Good open multipurpose stadium where locals play regularly, free of cost. Badminton and tennis courts next to this ground can be used on payment of fees at sports office of St. Albert's College which owns them.
It has badminton, tennis, squash, volleyball and basketball courts. Rooms for chess, caroms, table-tennis and board games are also available. For an entrance fee payable at the indoor sports office, you can play here or join regular users. There is a state-of-art fitness complex and billiards-snooker pool inside this stadium. An Olympic-sized swimming pool is available outside. Large football and cricket pitches are available free-of-charge. Locals play regularly here and you can join them.
second largest theme park in South India. Spread over 50 acres of land with more than 50 Rides and various shows, it has well maintained gardens and five restaurants as well as small cafes
A good family theme park with 29 water and dry rides, a very large park and a Chinese village
Get the real feel of the Vembanad Lake through boating. There are many cruises offered by many private players as well as the Kerala State Inland Shipping Corp. Sunset cruises are popular. Many guesthouses offer the trip and in the centre you can arrange it by yourself as well. Speedboats also ply on the backwaters. Some premium hotels in Willingdon Island and Fort Kochi offer motorised watersports for its guests. Daily backwater tours can be organised directly through the state tourism office at Ernakulam Park Jetty. They cost ₹650 per person and must be booked at least the day before. The tour includes a stop at local small industries and food sites.
Popular especially during evenings for its seafood, particularly karimeen pollichathu (smoked pearlspot fish) and Alleppey fish curry.
Variety of snacks from the Malabar region, juices and milkshakes. Ojeen is probably the only place in Kochi for the delectable, meat-rich Malabar snacks.
A chain of vegetarian restaurants run by Tamilians, famous for typical south Indian foods.
Very good Kerala-style cuisine.
Famous for Kerala-style fish fries and set meals.
Famous for its unlimited North Indian thalis and various sweets. A full plate thali with five dishes, Roti and rice costs ₹50.
Good Kerala-style food, low prices and a great location.
Has a good range of north Indian foods and a good juice bar.
Good traditional Kerala food with non-veg and veg options.
A good, small North Indian restaurant.
Good typical Kerala buffet at about ₹300 per head.
A North Indian/Afghan food outlet with a wide range of tikkas and kebabs.
Vegetarian Punjabi restaurant with good ambience.
Authentic north Indian dhaba food.
Good North Indian food at low prices.
A classic hotel which dates back at least 100 years. Its restaurant, Kempa, is popular among high-end vegetarian travellers. Serves North Indian, South Indian and Kannadiga-Udupi dishes.
Very tasty, as well as fiery food, particularly the chicken options. Few vegetarian options.
It was the first star hotel in Kochi and it remains a popular option for Indian vegetarian food.
Tasty Travancore food, with both Southern Travancore veg options and Central Travancore Syrian Christian non veg specialities.
This restaurant is famous for its classic look and theme, and offers a large range of Indian vegetarian dishes. The dosas are most famous, along with its elaborate thalis.
Traditional North Indian cuisine, particularly Mughal specialty foods.
Clay Oven
Tasty North Indian, particularly Punjabi, food. The Kadai chicken and ginger chicken is truly world class, and no other place in Kochi can offer their unique taste. The peas masala is also really superb. Their trademarks are romali roti and stuffed bread options. A full Kadai chicken serves at least 4-5 people. Caution, it is very spicy.
Good food with Arabic-Lebanese delicacies around the clock.
Offers a lot of grilled options at low prices.
One of the oldest Chinese restaurants.
Italian and continental cuisines, including lasagna, pies, pastas and steaks.
Well maintained, nice interiors. Food styles from North Indian, South Indian, Chinese and Arabic and a wide range of Biriyanis.
Steak, more than 14 sizzlers, such as an American styled sizzler with Texas mashed potatoes with mushroom sauce. 20 European dishes, along with a few continental salads.
Part of Dreams Hotel
A very good seafood restaurant with four theme courts, Kochi, Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese. It has a fresh seafood selection court, with the fish cooked in front of the guests. A multi-cuisine restaurant also operates at the site.
A cricket theme restaurant, operating inside Bat&Ball Inn, this restaurant is famous for its wide selection of Continental, Greek, Mediterranean cuisines.
A pure Chinese restaurant without any Indianisation. Serves alcohol.
A historical themed restaurant operating within the four star Travancore Palace Hotel. Famous for its classic paintings and heritage photo galleries as well as its food. The evening buffet is one of the largest in town, offering the best of English, Kerala and North Indian cuisine.
Offers nine international cuisines from an American Wild West theme to Vietnamese sea-food, Italian pastas and Arabic grills. This restaurant has a family hall, a smoking lounge, a street food area and French cafe along with bakery. Free wifi for guests.
Itty's place is an eco-friendly restaurant made completely with bamboo, coir and wood having 3 sit-down options. Favourite Italy offers traditional Italian pizzas, pastas and subs.
Authentic Chinese cuisine prepared by professional chefs, using quality ingredients.
Themed around historical spice route with focus on traditional Persian foods.
It has a cafe and restaurant. The cafe serves a wide range of coffees and mocktails, whereas the restaurant has sizzlers, steaks, grilled wraps, burgers and desserts. Also offers some good biriyanis and Indianised European options. Free wifi for guests.
A popular upscale multi-cuisine restaurant, themed around weddings, it is ideal for candle-light romantic dinners and high power lunches.
A unique heritage hangout set in a 200-year-old Mangayil house. Serves authentic Kerala coffee and popular varieties of dosas. Regular cultural performances, cooking class, ethnic handicrafts class are some of the popular activities there. The cafe also houses a large library for reading as well as venue of regular book exhibitions.
The place to cool down with coffee after a walk at Marine Drive. Not cheap though.
A moderate priced coffee shop, famous for its traditional Kerala snacks and savouries along with dosas and idilies.
The only direct Lavazza coffee outlet in South India.
A popular national chain, which is a standard coffee hangout with western style eateries and a wide range of coffee.
A unique Arabic themed cafe, famous for Sheeshas/Hookah smoking and an excellent range of Arabic coffee and tea, along with snacks.
Serves great iced coffee, fresh lunches, and a variety of sandwiches and tasty cakes.
A unique cafe which serves a variety of teas, particularly 6 unique Indian flavours. It also has good traditional English snacks.
A posh, well-maintained bar having a designer lounge.
Atlantis Junction-MG Rd. Dance floor and large lounge bar. It has night parties from Thursday to Sunday with various themes and age groups.
A good small bar dominated by men.
Palarivattom Jn., A posh upscale dance floor and large discotheque, it has various events from Tuesday to Sunday, each in various themes. (Closed on dry days)
A good, well maintained bar with branches in Palarivattom near Metlife, and in SA Rd at Janatha Junction.
A lovely, upscale bar lounge popular with businessmen and upscale visitors. Famous for its signature dishes and cocktails.
A stylish bar with a wide range of liquors and beer.
indoor sports, parking facility with a reasonable restaurant.
Mr. MG.Menon, manager: 9349267906
good restaurant attached.
Very near to South Railway station, this is a moderate business hotel. Very good interiors, a restaurant and nice staff.
Clean hotel, very near MG Rd at the heart of city. 24 hr reception.
At the Ernakulam side, it's a very laid back place, where the check in is sometimes done by phone at the reception with the number to call. The fact that is on the Ernakulam side make it cheaper. It's not far from the train station (Ernakulam Jn.), the metro Maharaja College it's even closer, and the ferry jeti (to reach Fort Kochi) it's also at 5 minutes walk. They have double rooms and apparently one single room (which is always taken)
Basic rooms, but cheap and kind hosts. Leaving your bag there during the day is possible and was safe.
Near Kaloor bus stand at Kaloor Road and nearby Palarivattom Shopping district. It has the Rahamaniya tender Chicken Restaurant at ground floor.
A good well maintained hotel with nice interiors and good hospitality in heart of the city.
Ideal hotel for budget tourist. A well maintained, clean and nice hotel.
One of the oldest hotels in town. There is also another hotel just behind which belongs to this chain. It has good restaurants, pools, gyms, spa, supermarket, bookshop and business facilities in centre of the city.
A good hotel in an upscale residential area with a multi-cuisine restaurant and swimming pools.
The oldest business hotel of the town, BTH is a popular option, especially among Indian families. It has good lawns, a large swimming pool and vegetarian restaurants.
Spacious rooms with river views.
An old Dutch bungalow, remodelled with modern interiors. Famous for lovely dinner parties.
One of the first star rated hotels in Kochi and offers rooms at moderate rates. Has good restaurants and a pub.
A business hotel.
A premium property which is a sister concern of Times Hotel-New York, with all 5 star facilities.
Near the harbour with good sea views. Popular amongst business visitors and upscale tourists. It has very large pools, cafe, gardens and own ferry services. This is a 4-star property of the Taj Group.
A 4-star property in the business corner of Kochi. Has a good convention centre and a host of facilities.
Ideal business class hotel, with lot of premium features, in the main area of city.
132 king bedrooms, 47 twin rooms; 18 deluxe rooms; 12 executive suites, 1 presidential suite and 2 specially able rooms. Tea/coffee makers, iron and iron board, separate work area; LCD, TVs, mini bar and safe. Restaurant, cafe, sports pub, pool bar, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, multilingual staff and business centre.
formerly Renaissance
Four clean rooms with comfortable beds. The owner,and his family are very friendly and helpful. Free Wi-Fi, help with arranging trips inside and outside of town. Breakfast available.
Features a lake view.
One of the Kochi's oldest shopping corners where you can buy anything from safety pins to motor scooters (light motorcycles). A spice market operates inside, offering the best of Kerala's spices, saffron and various oils. There is also a cloth market, a jewellery market, a fancy items market, a vegetable/fruit market and an electronic/watch market.
A government emporium well known for quality handicrafts at reasonable price.
A newly opened shop in Kochi, a place for women's wear.
One of the largest silk saree showrooms and a good place to get many kinds of Indian and western clothing, including popular western brands, at very reasonable rates. Silk Sarees are its trademark and most of them are well priced.
A good place to buy a wide range of ethnic Kerala dress like Mundu, Kasavu Mundu Neyriyattu and ethnic men's Jubas
One of the posher silk and dress fashion centres and a trend setter in creating unique designs and special materials for its Sarees. Its owner - Beena Kannan - is a leading fashion designer and new designs come every six months. Most of its sarees are out-of-traditional kind, making its unique. It is comparatively more costly than other brands. The men's area is not so elaborate and has only few collections.
Village Shop is a Home Furnishing store in Kochi. They sell hand-loomed soft furnishings.
The oldest and most popular destination for bridal collections and popular throughout Kerala. It also houses a very large men's collection with many traditional and modern outfits. It is suitable for a wide range of budgets.
Good place to get brand new and second hand books at discounted rates.
Stationery and bookstore, providing various fiction and non-fiction books and music CDs, branded pens like Cross, Sheaffer and Parker and other stationery.
A very large multi-lingual bookstore, famous for wide range of English fiction books.
Has many good book stores within it. Includes DC Books.
The first bookstore of the city, its very popular for all kinds of reading materials.
a desirable place to buy all sorts of books.
One of the oldest with an extensive gold collection, ranging from traditional to modern.
Rajaji Road, Near Kavitha Junction. Offers modern designs and lightweight collections. It also has an extensive diamond gallery and trendy collection of watches.
A Good 916 gold and diamond jewellery.
Opposite Maharaja's College Ground, MG Rd. A grand exclusive diamond gallery, featuring more than 2,000 diamond collections and platinum jewel designs.
Jewel Junction, opposite Grand Hotel, MG Road. An extensive gold, platinum and diamond collection. It has one of the largest watch gallery selling latest international premium brands like Rado, Tissot and others.
was one of the earliest large scale multi-format shopping malls here. A typical mall with wide range of branded stores, large hypermarket, anchor store of Reliance Trends (multi-brand apparels), book/stationery store, spa, beauty saloon, large food court and four-screen cinemas.
was the latest mall opened in Kochi and has a food court and an 11 screen multiplex called Cinepolis.
A small-sized family mall, one of the earliest in Kochi, in heart of city with a few brand stores, a small food court, a fitness centre, a gift shop and a music store. Also connects directly to Marine Drive.
Convent Junction. A good collection of all international and national cosmetics brands.
TKM Park, Convent Junction. One of the largest cosmetic store with collections of jewellery and bags.
A popular multi-brand women's store.
Apple's premium reseller
The first Apple premium reseller in Kerala
Gaming consoles, tablets, smartphones and other appliances.
A store for electronic appliances.
A showroom for all sorts of electronic gadgets.
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