Kochi

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Situated on the southwest coast of India, Kochi or Cochin is a commercial port city with a trading history that dates back to at least 600 years. Called the Queen of the Arabian Sea, the city is Kerala's financial, commercial, and industrial capital. A gaggle of islands interconnected by ferries, this cosmopolitan town has upmarket stores, art galleries and some of the finest heritage accommodations. In a true vintage-meets-future fashion, restaurants and shopping hubs crowd Ernakulum, Jew Town and Fort Kochi along with palaces, beaches, temples, and heritage sites. Kochi is also an important place to see Kathakali and Kalarippayattu performances and the annual Biennale Festival. Well connected by all means possible, this coastal city is both a popular tourist hotspot and an active naval base, being officially the home to the Southern Command of the Indian Navy and an air squadron of the Indian Navy.