The part of India you probably haven’t heard of, but must visit
By Pauline Webber
Malabar Coast, Arabian Sea. There’s romance enough just in the names. I’m rattling along in a rickety local bus (no windows, driver perched on the springs of a seat that long ago lost its padding) towards Kochi in Kerala state, south-west India. The city, once known as Cochin, was a relatively sleepy place in the 1960s. Since then, the population has exploded from a manageable 250,000 to more than 3½ million. What you’ll see today is a colonial-era district, Fort Kochi, surrounded by a vast Indian city of shopping malls, high-rise apartment blocks and motorways – pumping with life and energy 24/7.
Traditional Kathakali dance at a New Year carnival in Fort Kochi, Kerala, India. Credit: Getty Images
Fort Kochi was a significant trading port long before the local raja (king) negotiated a deal with the Portuguese in 1500. He got the worst of the arrangement, slowly losing power to his erstwhile ally. The Portuguese built a fort, hence the name, and held on to the territory for the next 163 years before losing it in turn to the Dutch. The British wrested it away in 1795, holding on to the growing town until India gained its hard-won independence in 1947.
It’s no surprise that Kochi is a major tourist attraction. It’s small enough to navigate around easily and is packed with the magnificent architecture of three successive colonial influences alongside Indian, with the lot surrounded by sea. With an international airport well serviced by flights from Australia, Kochi is a great place to begin your Indian adventure, especially if you’re a first-time visitor to this country.
Kerala is considered a politically and socially progressive state relative to the rest of India. It’s also one of the wealthiest, and this is evident in Kochi. It’s a city of fine restaurants, hipster cafes, boutiques packed with original designs and a surprisingly large number of art galleries, many housed in exquisite, well-maintained colonial buildings. The city is home to the government-supported Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which has had quite an impact on the art world since its inception in 2012. The sixth edition gets under way in December this year.
Wander in the narrow, winding lanes edged by buildings in the Dutch and Portuguese styles housing shops, cafes and private homes. Drop in for coffee at Kashi Art Cafe. Stroll with the locals at sunset on Kochi Beach, dine at a waterfront restaurant watching the boats coming and going across the harbour.
There’s a wide range of accommodation here, from luxury hotels to modest guesthouses. Take a state-of-the-art electric ferry to the wharf near the iconic Chinese fishing nets and next door to the gorgeous Brunton Boatyard Hotel, which began life as a British colonial shipyard on the waterfront. Stay here, or pop in for a drink or a meal on the promenade.
Nearby, tucked down a quiet, flower-filled lane, you’ll find SeaCoast Inn. This newly built, mid-range guesthouse is owned by Kochi local Shaan. The former IT executive has drawn on his own international travel experience to organise this attractive residence in a way that works for foreign visitors while still being essentially Indian. It’s pristine, well-designed and full of lovely artisanal furnishings and fittings that reflect the Portuguese heritage of the area.
Fort Kochi is not nearly as busy as many Asian cities with similar attractions. There’s still a homely feel to it, easygoing and genuine. My first day in Kochi, I lunch at Qissa cafe and find myself gravitating back there often during my stay. On one visit, as I step out into the street to take a phone call, I notice I’ve left my bag at my table. I’m about to double back when the waiter, a young man with the delicate beauty typical of the people of this region, his abundant black hair hauled into a topknot, makes me a sign: “No worries, I’ve got my eye on it, go do what you need to do.” Kochi is still that sort of place.
- WHEN TO GO: The winter months between October and February are comfortable and mild.
- DON’T MISS: A Kathakali performance at the Cochin Cultural Centre’s theatre.
- FURTHER AFIELD: Rent a houseboat for the day or overnight and explore the Kerala backwaters.
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