About Kochi: Kochi formerly known as Cochin is a major city and seaport of India, located in Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala. It has a population of 564,589, with an extended metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, making it the largest urban agglomeration in the state and the second largest city in Kerala after the state capital. Kochi is the most cosmopolitan city in Kerala and widely referred as the commercial capital of the state.

In 1102 AD, Kochi became the seat of the Kingdom of Cochin, which traced its lineage to the Kulasekhara Empire. Heralded as the Queen of Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century. Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies in India. It remained the capital of Portuguese India until 1530, when they opted for Goa as their capital. The city was later occupied by the Dutch and the British, with the Kingdom of Cochin becoming a princely state.

Kochi entered a period of economic growth after 2000, leading to a spurt in the city's development. The city hosts the Indian Navy's Southern Command and the Indian Coast Guard. Kochi's major development is attributed to the presence of several major industries like Cochin Shipyard, the Port of Kochi, and Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT), academic centres like Cochin University and Cochin Special Economic Zone, which had a recorded turnover of Indian rupee17124 crores of exports in FY 2009-10, ranking fourth largest in India, contributing to the overall economic growth of the city and the suburban area.

Cochin Backwaters

Cochin, also known as Kochi, is an enchanting backwater destination in Kerala. Popularly known as the 'Queen of the Arabian Sea' Kochi's backwaters and beaches attract thousands of tourists all round the year. It is also regarded as the industrial and commercial capital of Kerala. A string of picturesque and lovely islands, lagoons, small rivulets and swaying coconut palm trees make Kochi a perfect backwaters destination.

Cochin is actually a group of beautiful islands located on the crystal green Lake Vembanad, opening out into the vast Arabian Sea. Cochin provides a perfect destination to start your Kerala backwaters tour as many backwater cruises begin or end at Cochin.

On your Cochin backwaters tour with Indian Holidays, you can enjoy an exciting houseboat cruising on the beautiful islands, lagoons and small rivulets full of swaying coconut palm trees. Half the fun of traveling to Cochin is enjoying a backwater cruise through the serene and picturesque waterways. Visit Cochin and enjoy a boat cruising on the beautiful Willington Island surrounded by beautiful backwaters of Kerala. A thrilling water cruise on Bolghatty Island can truly be an unforgettable experience on Cochin backwaters tours. On your Cochin backwaters tour ,you can also visit the famous tourist attractions of Cochin like the Jewish Synagogue, Cochin Fort, Mattancherry Palace and St Francis Church.

Besides, the scenic and breathtaking beauty of this places what really attracts the tourists visiting Kochi is the colorful culture and hospitality of the local people. Kochi also has a very rich history. There are many beautiful and amazing monuments worth visiting here. Prominent among them are:

Willington Island: This is a man-made island surrounded by beautiful backwaters.

Bolghatty Island: A narrow long island, it's famous for the Bolghatty Palace, built by the Dutch in 1744.

Fort Kochi: Started as a fishing village, it became the first fort built by the Europeans in India

Chinese Fishing Nets: Indian traders brought these huge cantilevered fishing nets here from the court of Kublai Khan.

Mattancherry Palace: It was built by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi.

Jewish Synagogue: The oldest synagogue in the commonwealth, it was built in the year 1568.

It's said that many backwaters cruises begin or end in Cochin. The serene Cochin backwaters springs into life during the Cochin Carnival that is celebrated annually to mark the Malayali New Year