With the scent of its fabled spices wafting in the winds, Kochi once lured seafaring traders from the outer fringes of the known world. Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama was among the seafaring adventurers who frequented the settlement that flourished for centuries as a stop on the lucrative East-West spice route. The ensuing migration of Portuguese, Dutch and British traders left a unique imprint on this lush city on India’s southwest coast.

Hundreds of years later, bolstered by government reforms, Kochi is reemerging at the cultural crossroads. The commercial capital of the state of Kerala, Kochi is also the gateway to a burgeoning tourism industry offering verdant landscapes, pleasant climate, enticing backwaters and an eclectic cultural mélange. In fact, tourism to this still little-known region increased by 30 percent in the last year.

With a population of more than 1 million, Kochi — or Cochin, the colonial name still used by many locals — remains the principal port on the Malabar Coast. The city boasts a literacy rate of 98 percent, but its economy languished for decades due to strict government control following India’s independence in 1947. In recent years, fueled by significant investment, Kochi has become one of India’s fastest growing small cities. In addition to tourism, major businesses include seafood and spice exports, retail (textiles and gold), ship-building and information technology. The government, moving to take full advantage of its year-round, deep-water port, reached a management agreement with Dubai Ports International to oversee its port trade. When fully redeveloped, the port will boast India’s best-equipped container depot, a special economic zone and a world-class cruise terminal. Technological and industrial campuses, including a new biotech facility, are springing up on the outskirts of the city. Eloor, the largest industrial area in Kerala, has more than 250 manufacturing operations.

Set amidst picturesque islands and peninsulas, Kochi comprises three sections — Fort Cochin, the oldest; Ernakulam, a residential and commercial center located on the mainland; and Willingdon Island, which encompasses the major seaport and airport. Kochi’s harbor is crowded with ferries, fishing boats, oil tankers and rice barges. Historic landmarks include the Mattancherry Palace, the Jewish Synagogue and the Dutch-influenced St. Francis Church. Most amazing are Fort Cochin’s Chinese fishing nets, a throwback to the days of heavy Chinese immigration. It requires four men to lift the heavy nets and haul in a day’s catch. Visit at lunchtime to purchase fresh-from-the-sea fish cooked Keralite-style right on the shore.

Visitors to Kochi can count on comfortable stays as major hospitality groups Taj, Oberoi and Sheraton all have a presence here. Charming boutique hotels, designed to attract discerning tourists, are also abundant. Predictably, one of the most exciting additions to Kochi’s tourism infrastructure comes from the venerable Oberoi Group which recently launched a luxury cruiser to ply the scenic backwaters. The upscale, eight-cabin ship is the latest in a long line of water-based tourist attractions that include converted rice boats — traditionally used for transporting rice and coconuts — available for hire. Boating through vast stretches of rice paddies, visitors get a definite sense that life has remained the same for hundreds of years.

For all its quaint charm, Kochi is being pushed toward modernity. Its new airport is one of India’s busiest. Still, the city’s biggest challenge lies in improving infrastructure. As the economy has grown, traffic has outgrown the city’s narrow streets which are still cluttered with auto rickshaws (called autos), ox-driven carts, animals and pedestrians. A new rapid transit system currently in the planning stage will eventually ease congestion. In the meantime, residents are optimistic about their city’s emerging relevance, with expectations that their coastal jewel will continue to thrive while maintaining a rich legacy that reaches far back through history.

Entry Requirements

U.S. citizens require a passport and visa to enter and exit India for any purpose.Visitors, including those on official U.S. government business, must obtain visas at an Indian Embassy or Consulate abroad prior to entering the country, as there are no provisions for visas upon arrival. Those arriving without a visa are subject to immediate deportation. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India are unable to assist when U.S. citizens arrive without visas. Each visitor should carry photocopies of the bio-data page of the traveler’s U.S. passport and the page containing the Indian visa in order to facilitate obtaining an exit visa from the Indian government in the event of theft or loss of the passport.

More Information

Embassy of India
2536 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
tel 202 939 9806
http://www.indianembassy.org