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Kochi nightlife and entertainment

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Travel Guide » Asia » India » Kochi
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Kochi
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(Kerala)


Historic Port City

Kochi. The name itself conjures up images of Chinese fishing nets, spices, ayurveda and ships sailing out into the ocean. The ever vibrant, ever developing and the ever booming city! It appears to be growing daily. Distinctly different from other parts of Kerala, Kochi is everybody's delight. It is an ideal blend of the traditional and the modern. Skyscrapers and bustle of Ernakulam stand in sharp contrast to the colonial charm of Fort Kochi. The only common factor between both the areas are the red painted city buses, the yellow hooded autorickshaws and friendly people. From time immemorial, Kochi has played host to guests from far off lands. The Arabs, the Chinese, the Dutch, the Portuguese, the French, the British, all came here for trade. Though for different reasons, follow their footsteps for a peek into this slice of God's Own Country.
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Getting There
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To Do & See
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Entertainment & Night Life
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Entertainment & Night Life
Entertainment
Catch up on movies when in Kochi. There are nine movie halls in the 5-km radius of the city centre. The Sarita, Savitha Sangeetha (Phone: 2366183 ) complex is where to head for Malayalam movies. Sridhar (phone: 2352529) on the marine drive is the place for English and Hindi Movies. The twin theaters of Shenoys and Little Shenoys (phone: 2368891) usually play Malayalam movies. Kerala Fine Arts Society almost every evening, the fine arts hall hosts various cultural programmes like dance and music festivals. Check the local news paper for event listings. Sridhar is movie theatre opposite Bay Pride Mall which runs latest Hindi and English movies in Kochi. For all Hollywood and Bollywood fans, Sridhar is the place to go. Sridhar is also equipped with a cafe where you can help yourselves to burgers, coffee/ tea soft drinks and other refreshments. Clown Workshops at Velli Junction, Fort Kochi one can attend Theatrical Clowning workshops at Fort Kochi. Kaashi Art Cafe located at Fort Kochi, it's a meeting point for art buffs. On display are many paintings by local artists. Check the local newspapers for event listings. Chavara Cultural Centre doubles up as a school of fine arts. There are regular plays and art exhibitions. Check the local newspapers for event listings. Kerala is famous for its traditional art form the kathakali, which means the story dance. There are various centres around Fort Kochi and the Chitoor road which performs watered down version of this art form. The normal play is supposed to last the night through! We would rather say it is encapsulated version of the original kathakali. But offers a novice enough insight into the art form. The dressing up called the 'chutti kuthu' takes about 2 hours, and if you are early, you can watch this. Some of the popular centres are the See India Foundation on Chitoor Road, the Art Kerala, on the chitoor road, and the Kerala Kathakali centre near the promenade at Fort Kochi. Do spare two hours and get initiated into this art form.
Nightlife
Coffee Beanz, a joint on the Marine drive, offers Saturday night outs. Le Meridian and Taj have Saturday night blasts for the young. Cocoa Tree is a popular teen hangout which is open till 12 midnight. Don't miss out Loungevity - the pub at Avenue Regent, on MG. Both Cocoa Tree and Loungevity are owned by Avenue Regent. These are frequented mostly by youngsters, tourists and naval officers and families. On MG Road, just next to Sankar's book store, in a narrow lane is a little place called Pi Dosa, known for its 61 types of dosas. Fort Kochi is also a popular place for dinners. There are plenty of 'You buy we cook' shacks were you can buy up fresh fish and give it to one of these shacks who will cook it for you for an extra charge.
Kidding around
Veegaland: Come winding down the slides and splash into the waters. Get wet at the water games. Veegaland is a much sort after game zone for kids and elders alike. About 10 kms away from the city it sees a heavy rush during holidays and weekends. Subash Park: In the heart of the city, kids can play here while you watch the sun disappear into the sea. Hill Palace: It used to be the palace of the kings of Kochi, but now it is a museum. The sprawling estate houses a small zoo, and a play area for kids. Dream World: Some 35 km away is Dream World, a water theme park that's ideal for summer afternoons. For Adventure Freaks: The lakes and the sea beckon. You can hire speedboat and go racing to where the sea meets the lake. You can also hire paddle boats though the legwork can get a bit too tiring. This can be negotiated by talking with the private boat operators at the boat jetty near the GCDA Shopping Complex, on the Marine Drive. There are occasional water skiers in the lake. The Kerala government and other private tour operators do water cruises daily. And it comes in cheap at about Rs 75 per person. The best place to get the boat is at the boat jetty just behind the GCDA Shopping Complex, on the Marine Drive. Like to tee off? Head out to the 16-hole golf course at Bolgatty Island. There is an old pony to keep the kids engaged while you play it out. Fishing here is an experience which cannot be forgotten. And we are not speaking of casting the hook and waiting, and waiting and waiting. We are speaking of coaxing friendly fishermen to let you fish with the Chinese fishing nets silhouetting the shoreline. It works on a complex system of weights and counterweights, but the fishermen let you haul up the nets and even offer to cook the catch for a nominal price. Nature enthusiasts should definitely head out to Athirappally and Vazhachal waterfalls, about 35 km from Kochi city proper. You can hear the roar of water cascading down the hill from a distance even before you see it. Take the less traveled way through the state sponsored palm estate. You can see date palms ready to be plucked during seasons and a on a motorized ferry en route to Vazhachal. This is recommended if you are going in a hired vehicle. Once in Athirappally, food could be a small issue. There are a couple of eating joints out here. They do not look very hygienic, but the food is usually good. For ambience check out the KTDC drive in, but food is not cheap here. Others: Submit yourself to the famous masseurs and their herbal oils. They will wring, thump, whack, twist and squeeze all the right muscles till you believe you have attained nirvana. All the leading hotel chains (Taj Group, Le Meridian) offer one-off as well as complete Ayurvedic treatments. Kerala Ayurvedha Pharmacy Limited has a treatment centre off MG Road. Kottakal Ayurveda sala, MG Road, is in the city centre. Hire a boat and explore the backwaters. The boatman-cum-guide will happily give you short lectures on prawn cultivation, coir making and toddy tapping. Try out the homestays at Kumbalangi Tourist village. Here, you will be treated as a member of the family in a traditional kerala house hold for the entire period of your stay. Local visits to shrimp farms are also on the itinerary.
 
 
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