It has been a port since 1341, when a flood carved out its harbor and opened it to Arab, Chinese and European merchants. Sites reflecting those influences include Fort Kochi, a settlement with tiled colonial bungalows and diverse houses of worship.
Kochi is the most laid-back of Kerala’s cities, with one of the finest natural harbours on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The city once served as a port of call for the Chinese, Arabs, Jews, British, French and the Portuguese. From combining the cultures of each nationality, Kochi formed its cosmopolitan character.