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  • The best places to see cherry blossoms, plus where to find some of the country’s top festivals.
  • Cherry blossoms from Osaka to Tokyo are expected to bloom ahead of schedule in 2019. Here’s how to plan your visit.
  • Every autumn, hundreds of elaborately painted men dressed as tigers march through the streets of Thrissur, in Kerala. Two years ago, women finally joined for the first time.
  • How a nature-phobic city girl opened her eyes to the wild side of India that seethes beyond the tea plantations and languid rivers.
  • You’ll pick up more than just knife skills at this cooking retreat.
  • Before you set off to Angkor Wat, use this guide to plan your trip.
  • The traditional Kerala “slow food” dish is so delicious it warrants a bit of patience.
  • Love architecture? Then you’ll want to know about these hotels.
  • Overview
  • 1/387, Princess St, Fort Nagar, Fort Kochi, Kochi, Kerala 682001, India
    India boasts many traditional regional dance forms, but kathakali, with its elaborate, colorful costumes and masks is undoubtedly one of the most distinctive. With roots going back to ancient Hindu temple plays (some think as far back as the 2nd century), kathakali, now the state dance of Kerala, evolved into its current dance-drama format in the 17th century, under the direction of the Rajah of Kottarakkara, who took the performances out of the temples and palaces and directly to the villages. Founded in 1990, this noted center honors kathakali—as well as Indian classical music, and other traditional arts—with nightly performances, 365 days a year. The kathakali shows are usually about 90 minutes, and include a informative demonstration; come an hour early to watch the actors undergo the elaborate makeup and costuming process.
  • Poovar, Kerala 695525, India
    After two weeks of being held hostage by the urban chaos of Mumbai and Kochi, I was in serious need of sensory detoxification. I hired a car and driver and went 250 kilometers south of Kochi to a small coastal village called Poovar. There flows the Neyyar River and a few places where you can hire a boat to cruise the backwaters that feed the Neyyar. Once you’re on the backwaters, it’s just you, the boat captain, some kingfishers, some cormorants and a duck or two. On my two hour boat cruise, I could count the number of people we crossed paths with on my two hands. Pure tranquility and relaxation! A gentle breeze will take you along narrow channels of water lined with coconut palms; fronds gently waving in the air. The Neyyar empties out into an estuary where the coconut palms give way to mangroves and you’ll find yourself drifting under the cool shade of the trees. Eventually, you end up at the point where the estuary flows into the Arabian Sea. You can take a break from the boat ride with a walk on the beach to watch the pounding waves of the sea crashing onto shore. Poovar is located about 15 km south of Thiruvananthapuram (formerly known as Trivandrum), the state capital of Kerala. There are plenty of places to stay, either in Poovar or in Thiruvananthapuram. The boat cruise company that I hired my cruise from was Leela Backwater Craze (http://leelabackwaters.com/). They have various boating options that you can choose from.
  • Burger St, Fort Nagar, Fort Kochi, Kochi, Kerala 682001, India
    Rest your tired legs, read a book, engage in discussions with world travelers, sip your coffee or simply admire the art without anyone waiting for you to vacate the table. Kashi Art Café feels like an airy tropical garden that doubles as a hip and relaxed meeting place with an interesting gallery showcasing the works of talented artists. If you want to know what’s happening in Fort Cochin, chances are you’ll see all the information you need on posters in the café! As far as the food goes, breakfast is served through the day. If you’re hungry try a variety of sandwiches, salads, and soups for lunch, or snack on their freshly made cakes and pies with, of course, a cup of coffee or tea!
  • 1st Floor Dhe Puttu Service Road Near Manikandan Skoda Showroom, Edappally, Kochi, Kerala 682024, India
    Made of steamed ground rice layered with coconut, the tube-shaped puttu is eaten in parts of southern India and Sri Lanka, and is particularly popular in Kerala. This nice-casual, family-friendly restaurant, founded by a noted Malayalam movie actor, takes the traditional breakfast dish to the next level, offering an extensive menu of unique flavors and combinations. Try rolls topped with egg, mutton, or beef biriyani, oats, dates and cashews, and even chocolate and jam, along with house specials like Spanish (chicken with red and green olives) and Ringmaster (with three types of seafood); it’s best to get a few and share. A smattering of curries (including Kerala fish curry) are also available, but you’re really coming here for the puttu, washed down by the excellent cinnamon black tea. Note the wait for a table can be long during peak lunch and dinner hours, but take out is also available; there’s also a second location further north in Kerala, in Calicut.
  • 1/1046 C, Fort Kochi, Kochi, Kerala 682001, India
    To get a feel for Kerala’s rich and layered history, head to Fort Kochi. Once a small fishing village in pre-colonial times, this area—now the historic old town neighborhood of the city of Kochi—belonged to the Portuguese for much of the 16th and 17th centuries, then to the Dutch for a little over a century, then to the British until India’s independence in 1947. For all that time, the waterside spot served as an important port along the spice route, with Chinese and Arabian traders sailing through to pick up sandalwood, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, and other local goods. Today, Fort Kochi features myriad reminders of all who have lived and worked here: the Dutch cemetery, Koonan Kurish Old Syrian Church, and the 16th-century St. Francis Church, the Mattancherry Palace (aka the Dutch Palace), colonial Parade Grounds, still-in-use Chinese fishing nets, and the painted tiled-lined Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1567 and considered the oldest active synagogue in the commonwealth. The Indo-Portuguese Museum and Southern Naval Command Maritime Museum provide more context, while Fort Kochi Beach—with its colonial-era bungalows, Arabian Sea strand, and food stalls peddling the day’s fresh catch—draws both locals and tourists. Architecture buffs will love historic sites like Thakur House, Bastion Bungalow, and David Hall, many of which can be spotted from a stroll along breezy Church Road.
  • Ridsdale Rd, Near Parade Ground, Fort Kochi, Kochi, Kerala 682001, India
    Nearly 10 percent of India’s population are members of ancient indigenous tribes, whose art and cultures have managed to survive into the 21st century. The Tribes India showrooms are government-run shops located throughout the country that are dedicated to providing an outlet for tribal peoples to sell their handicrafts—jewelry, textiles, paintings and food products. The Fort Cochin branch is set right behind the Head Post Office on the Parade Ground. A plus of shopping here is that prices are fixed and fair.