Kochi

Top honeymoon locations in India Kochi (Cochin): Kochi, the Queen of the Arabian Sea, is one of the important towns when it comes to visiting in southern part of India. It offers the nature lovers the beauty of coconut palms and endless blue sea waters mushrooming all around. It houses few of the most beautiful beaches, churches, forts and museums which are considered to be prime tourist destinations. One can relax in its backwaters away from the crowded world. Major Attractions of Kochi (Cochin): When it comes to Forts & Palaces, the options are Mattancherry Palace ( Dutch Palace) which displays beautiful Murals depicting scenes from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, Gundu Island, the magnificent 16th century Pallipuram Fort, Bolghatty Palace, a Scenic island near the city of Ernakulam, Bolghatty, was once the residence of the British resident of Kochi (Cochin). For the tourists who like churches, though the options are many but Churches Santa Cruz Basilica, monumental church having beautiful paintings on the ceiling, attracts many people. For the lovers of beaches whom you will find everywhere, Beaches Cherai Beach is a lovely beach bordering Vypeen Island and is ideal for swimming. If you are lucky enough, you can even see Dolphins here. A typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut groves in close proximity is an added attraction of this beach. The place has many museums viz. Museums Hill Palace Museum, Pareekshith Thampuran Museum etc. Then there is a Vypeen Island which is a magnificent lighthouse at Ochanthuruth, remains open from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm daily. Excursions of Kochi (Cochin) : Once you are through with the city, you can roam around to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding places. Alappuzha Beach (70 km) known as the Venice of the East, is famous for its boat races, houseboat holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry. An outstanding characteristic of this land is Kuttanad which is one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. Kalady is located on the banks of the river Periyar, is famous for its many temples. Aluva (20 km) is just north of Kochi, is situated on the banks of the river Periyar. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady (190 km), one of the largest wildlife reserves in India, is more popular as a tiger reserve. Boating lovers can enjoy a fancy boat ride on the marvelous waters of the Periyar Lake. Backwaters Kumarakom (88 km) situated on the banks of the Vembanad Lake is considered the gateway to the backwaters of Kuttanad. Cheeyappara Waterfalls are located between Neriamangalam and Adimali on the Kochi - Madurai highway. Thommankuthu Waterfalls (20 kms) is a small and beautiful, wild waterfall.. The wild beauty of the scenic waterfall will steal the heart of any body. How to Get There: By air, Kochi is connected with all major cities in India. Kochi has three main railway stations, viz. Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town and Harbour Terminus on Willingdon Island. Kochi is very well serviced by a network of national and state highways again connecting it to all major centres of the area via Taxis, city buses and autorickshaws. Ferry service is also available for travel between the island towns. Best Season, Climate and Clothing: As it is situated very close to the sea, it has a moderate climate, with heavy rains during June-August due to the southwest monsoon. Winter is in its full blossom from December and continues till February. In summer, the temperature rises to a maximum of 35°C and 25°C in the winters. Annual average rainfall is 310 cm. Specialties of this place: Kochi has been an important trading port since ancient times. Plenty of opportunities for the tourists who love to adore their home with Handicrafts items. They also make for good souvenirs.