This Christmas, I decided to travel to Kochi. I had already visited the coastal town in Kerala about 10 years back. So, I was ready to witness Kochi in its new avatar, and it didn't disappoint me. So, off I went to my 5th trip to God's Own Country and my first solo trip to the state. I boarded an AC sleeper bus from Majestic on 24th December and reached Kochi early next morning.
Day 1:
I had booked a bed in a mixed dorm at Zostel Fort Kochi in advance. However, my bus dropped me at Vytilla Jn (Ernakulam). After a sumptuous breakfast and some filter coffee at a local joint near the Vytilla metro stn. (which is a 5-min walk away from Vytilla bus stop), I boarded a metro to M. G. Road. The ride was smooth and I then took an auto to High Court water metro stn. I wasn't aware that Kochi houses the country's 1st water metro, which offers a scenic ride to and from Fort Kochi.
Though the ride was scenic, the AC water metro was crowded (which was a given due to the festive season). I reached Fort Kochi in about 45 min (the ticket cost me Rs. 50, and I was told that's the fixed rate for the ride to Fort Kochi on holidays). Zostel was a 5-min auto ride from the water metro stn.
After freshening up, I took a walk to the nearby Quality Bakery in search of the Danish bread Breudher. Unfortunately, the delicacy, which is quite sought-after in this season, was sold out.
I then decided to head to Kashi Art Cafe, which was a 15-min walk away from Zostel, at Burgher Street. The cafe was buzzing with people of all ages and reminded me of DYU Art Cafe in Bengaluru. I had cold coffee and stuffed turkey, which was super yummy!
After lunch, I did a solo recce of the flea markets around Princess Street. It was Christmas Day, and the streets were teeming with the holiday crowd! After some souvenir-shopping (magnets, handicrafts, etc.), I visited the two iconic churches: the Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica (one of the 34 basilicas in the country) and the St. Francis Church, where Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama (who discovered the sea route from Europe to India) remained buried for a few years before his remains were shipped to Portugal.
After a couple of hours of exploring the lanes of Kochi, I was extremely tired and decided to get some refreshments at a nearby cafe. Met a fellow solo traveller from Delhi and we chatted up on the best backwater packages in Kerala.
It was almost 5:30 and I decided it was time to hit the Kochi beach to watch the sunset against the backdrop of the Chinese fishing nets. I moved through the crowd and was a tad bit disappointed to see a rather dirty beach. Nonetheless, the view of the sunset was awe-inspiring.
My next stop was the Veli Grounds. I had heard of the world's largest natural Christmas tree but finally got the opportunity to witness it. The Google location was a bit off, and I ended up walking through narrow lanes (thankfully, they were all lit up due to Christmas) for around 20 minutes, only to realize that the actual location was around 20-30 more minutes away. After a long walk, I finally reached the venue at around 5 minutes to 7 PM . There was a delay of around half an hour before the tree was eventually lit. It was truly a sight to behold, and I almost felt as if I was transported to a fairy land!
The real ordeal began when I decided to get back. The exits were blocked by the swelling crowd, and the traffic was scary too. The crowd management was horrible, but I somehow managed my way out through the parking lot. I then realized I wouldn't get an auto back to Zostel in the bumper-to-bumper traffic. So, I decided to walk back. My feet were aching by the time I reached Zostel, as I walked for almost 25-30 min. non-stop. Nonetheless, I bought some plum cake from Quality Bakery and had an early dinner before calling it a night! My fellow Zostelites wanted to party at Seagull, but I was too tired to join them.
Day 2:
The second day began with me packing for my trip back to Bengaluru. However, I decided to visit Jew Town on the way. After an early morning walk, followed by a quick breakfast at Tamara Cafe and a chat and photo shoot with 2 young local cyclists, I gathered my luggage from Zostel and boarded an auto to Jew Town.
Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, was my first stop. The palace was apparently a gift to the Rajas of Kochi from the Portuguese rulers. The walls are adorned with eye-catching murals and portraits of the erstwhile royal family of Kochi.
My auto driver was also my guide for the day, and he took me around Jew Town. The next stop was the Jewish synagogue, also known as the Paradesi Synagogue. After a brief halt, I was escorted to Crafters, an antique store that houses the world's largest "varpu" or cooking vessel. I was then taken to a perfume store with the world's largest agarbatti and perfume bottle (the perfume bottle is operated by a remote) and you can actually take a perfume bath. There is another store that houses a huge canoe that's over 100 years old. After buying some dried kiwis from a nearby spice shop, I decided it was time to head back to Ernakulam.
I took the water metro from Fort Kochi to High Court and decided to visit the famous Lulu Mall in Edapally. A short cab ride took me to Edapally, and Lulu Mall was a big relief in the sweltering Kochi heat.
I had a filling lunch at Grillax, where I explored some delectable Arabian dishes and had some Kerala desserts at Paragon. The Lulu Mall has a direct entry to the Kochi metro, and I had a smooth ride back to Vytilla. I was amazed at the ease with which I could access local transport in Kochi, which still remains a dream in Bengaluru. I had an early dinner and was back in Bengaluru early next morning.
All in all, this was one of the most hassle-free solo trips I've had, and I truly feel Kochi is absolutely safe for solo female travellers.
Day 1 (places to visit)
1) Quality Bakery
2) Kashi Art Cafe
3) Princess Street and Burgher Street
4) Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica
5) St. Francis Church
6) Chinese Fishing Nets
7) Kochi Beach
8) Veli Grounds
Day 2 (places to visit)
1) Mattancherry Palace
2) Paradesi Synagogue
3) Crafters
4) Lulu Mall
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