The tourism in Kochi is admired for its scenic beauty, traditional architecture and cultural diversity. Apart from these, Kochi has destinations that are visited by a lot of tourists coming from all over India as well as abroad. Located on the west cost of India in the beautiful state of Kerala, Kochi is popularly referred to as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea". Being the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala, Kochi is connected to all other places of India and abroad with a good network of transportation system. One can reach Kochi by air, by train and also by bus.

Pilgrimage Tourism in Kochi
The tourism in Kochi includes pilgrimage tourism where the tourists can view the well known temples that were built in the past ages by different civilization with the variations of culture and traditions. There are Hindu temples, churches, mosques, and shrines. The temples in Kochi include Sri Hariharasudha Temple where Lord Ayyappa is worshipped and this temple is located at Palarivattom. Poornathrayeesa Temple is another temple that is located in at Tripunithura, lying at a distance of about 10 kms to the southeast of Ernakulam.

There are several places of religious importance that were by the people who ruled Kochi for decades. People of different cultures and tradition enriched the culture of the place with their architectural concepts. There are some other Hindu temples that include Siva Temple, Valanjambalam Devi Temple, Sri Poornathraessa Temple, Chakkamkulangara Siva Temple, Mahadeva Temple, Baghavathy Temple. Apart from these temples there are some other temples that celebrate the holy festivals with the participation of the people of every culture and religion like Azhakiyakavu Bhagavathy Temple, Thonnyakavu Bhagavathy Temple and Sri Venkatachalapathy Temple. Moreover there are churches and synagogues like St. Mary`s Church, Kadamattam Church, St. Francis Church, St George Ferona Church, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, St. George`s Cathedral in Karingachira and Jewish Synagogue of Kochi are famous and are widely visited by the tourists.

Nature Tours in Kochi
The natural beauty of Kochi is appealing and this has promoted the tourism in Kochi to a great extent as this place is the preserver of beautiful destinations that charm the human mind. There are marvelous beaches and islands in Kochi. Some famous beaches and islands in Kochi are Willingdon Island which was named after Lord Willingdon, the British viceroy to India. This island is the site of Kochi`s best hotels, customs and trading centers, the port trust and also the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command. A well known beach in Kochi is Cherai Beach which is bordered with Vypeen Island. The most pleasing fact about this island is that dolphins are occasionally seen here. A typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut groves nearby is an added attraction of Cherai beach. Moreover, Kochi is also visited by the tourists because of Kochi`s famous Chinese Fishing Nets which is lined along the sea-front. These fishing nets put on display a mechanical method of catching fish, introduced by Chinese traders from the court of Kublai Khan. These nets are also seen along the backwaters between Kochi and Kottayam, and between Alleppey (Alappuzha) and Quilon (Kollam). A long narrow palm-fringed island in Kochi is Bolghatty Island from where the tourists tend to go to Bolghatty Palace.

Leisure tourism in Kochi
The leisure tourism in Kochi comprise museums, palaces that carry the evidences of the past culture, tradition, society and economical maps of the period when the Dutch, Portuguese and other empires reigned over Kochi. There are museums, palaces and forts scattered in Kochi that include Dutch palace at Mattancherry which was actually built by the Portuguese and presented to the Kochi ruler Vira Kerala Varma in 1555. The real glory of the palace lies in its wall murals created with the tempera process of painting. Forty-five scenes from the Ramayana adorn the long walls of the bedchamber. They are known for their brilliant execution. Of the paintings elsewhere in the palace, one is a large unfinished portrait of Lord Vishnu. There are some other palaces that are equally appealing and exhibit great sense of creativity. Even Kochi is the centre of museums where the huge traditions of the city and other cultures are hugely exhibited and the museums stand as the evidences of the great past of the city. The numerous museums in Kochi include the Hill Palace Museum, located 12 km from Ernakulam, at Tripunithura, which has become a popular tourist spot in Kochi. The other museums in Kochi are also equally important in satisfy the tourists. There are a few other museums to name like theHill Palace Museum in Thripunithra, which was once the official residence of the Kochi royal family was built in 1865, Pareekshith Thampuran Museum etc. another places like the Bishops House which was built by the Portuguese in A.D.1506 as residence of the Portuguese governor, Bishop house is the oldest Catholic Dioceses in India located near the Parade ground, Fort Kochi, the Cochin Club which was formerly known as the English Club, stretches majestically between the Fort Cochin Commandant`s house and the ancient Governor`s residence, is a beautifully landscaped park and has an impressive library and a collection of sporting trophies; Bastion Bungalow, an architectural splendor, built in 1667 in the Indo - European style, Koder House, Thakur House, Fort Immanuel, Pierce Leslie Bungalow, The Dutch Cemetery and Vasco House are some of the places that attract the tourists and convey the historical grandeur of the past. Moreover there are some art galleries that exhibit exclusive examples of art, paintings and sculptures.

Shopping in Kochi
Kochi is a place where one can shop for clothes, cosmetics, knick-knacks, handicrafts, spices and nuts, jewelleries and stuff made from the raw materials like coir, brass, copper, bamboo, etc. Kochi is the place for buying several antique articles including jewellery, readymade garments and ethnic hand-woven crafts. The various shopping centers in Kochi display and sell a range of items like metal ware, camel-bone carvings, wood carvings, articles made of coconut shells, bamboo cane, embroidered screw pine mats, grass mats, and other types of handicrafts. One can get an amazing collection of readymade items on the Marine Drive road. There are many duty-free shops on this road that sell items like cell phones and other electronic items at reasonable prices. Some of the most popular brands that are found in Kochi are Allen Solly, Louise Philippe, Bennetton, Arrow, etc. Some of the very well acclaimed items of this place include Grass Mats, various article manufactured from extremely durable coconut shells, intricately designed Camel-Bone Carvings, bamboo canes, metal wares, mats that are made from screw pine and textiles that contain a distinct touch of ethnicity and are mostly woven with the aid of hands.

Visiting Information on Kochi

How to Reach Kochi
By Air: The nearest airport at Kochi is Nedumbassery International airport which is about 30 km away from the city. This airport is well connected to all airports in India and also with many cities in abroad, including Singapore, Colombo and the Middle East. The domestic terminal is located right next to it and there are daily flights connecting the city to the rest of the country.

By Rail: There are three major railheads within the city of Kochi that include Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town and Cochin Harbour Terminus. The former two stations are locally known as North and South stations. The Konkan Railway line connects Kochi to Mumbai.

By Road: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private bus operators link Kochi to almost all the major cities and towns in Kerela. There are also regular buses both private and state-run to and from Kochi to cities in the adjoining states like Mumbai, Chennai, Coimbatore and Bangalore.

As far accommodation is concerned the tourists can choose from a host of hotels that will suit their pocket as well as give them enough comfort. To facilitate the tourists the city of Kochi has an array of hotels, guest houses and casinos where the tourists can get their desirable comforts maintaining a suitable budget. The hotels like Taj Malabar on the Willingdon Island, Hotel Taj Residency at Marine Drive, Ernakulam, Hotel Casino at Willingdon Island, Hotel Renaissance and Trident Hotel are among the great hotels that offer the customers` facilities like attached bathrooms, toilets, access to hot and cold running water and supply of newspapers in the room itself, among other things. Among the budget hotels the names of Alapatt Regency, Bharat Hotel, Blue Nile Hotel, Forest Haven Resorts, Hotel Crystal Palace, Hotel Excellency, Hotel Mercy, Jacobs Holiday Home, Riverdale Resorts and Woodlands Hotel can be named that one can opt for to enjoy a good holiday in a tight budget. There are some guest houses in Kochi one may opt for. The guest houses offer travelers good lodging facilities at a cheap rate with reasonable and sumptuous food availability.

The instances of cultural heritage of the city with the enchanting beauty of backwaters are the major attractions of Kochi. This is one of the reasons for flocking of the travelers in the city in almost every season of the year.