ERNAKULAM

Hill Palace is a prominent Heritage museum, which exhibits countless archaeological relics and belongings of the Maharaja of Kochi. This famous palace, which was built in 1865, comprises forty-nine buildings with enchanting gardens and a children’s park. It is opened to the public from 9 AM to 12 noon and from 2 PM to 4: 30 PM. Of all the majestic Ernakulam tourist places, Hill Palace is certainly one of the top attractions.

A stroll through the lanes of Fort Kochi will definitely attract you to the rustic and old-fashioned neighbourhood of Mattancherry. It is said that back in the days, this cheri (street), was lined with mutton butchers, and so it ended up being called “Muttoncherry” which over the years evolved into “Mattancherry”. Today the place exhibits centuries-old architectures and various social and cultural imprints left behind by foreigners. Declared as a heritage site by the government, Mattancherry has been an inspiration to historians, film-makers, travellers and artistes alike. Amongst all the Ernakulam tourist places, this museum is one of the most prominent attractions.

Vypeen is one of the popular places to visit in Ernakulam in one day and certainly one of the best islands in Kerala. A short and beautiful ferry ride from the city will take to this serene island which is dotted with beaches, backwaters and an array of restaurants and hotels. A desktop worthy scenery away from the bustling environment is what makes Vypeen island one of the best places to visit in Ernakulam for lovers.

One of the first bird sanctuaries in Kerala and undeniably a haven for nature enthusiasts. In the words of Salim Ali (world famous ornithologist), Thattekkad is the “richest bird sanctuary in India” since it is home to hundreds of different endangered species of migratory birds. This thick deciduous forest has plantations of mahogany, teak, rosewood and rubber running through it. Make sure to bring along a pair of binoculars to get a glimpse of the birdlife. The best time to visit would be between November and March. Best Time To Visit: Throughout the year

Located at Thevara Ferry road in Ernakulam (Cochin), Folklore Museum is one of the famous antique museums in Kerala which is created in Keralan style and showcases a broad variety of historical and cultural antiques from South India. It's a dream of Annie George who has been collecting rare antiques till her existence and the collections of rare antiques which are displayed now in the museum are just because of her hard work that she did with the help of 62 skilled laborers. The museum has more than 4000 artefacts and includes three architectural styles- Malabar on the ground floor, Kochi on the 1st, and Travancore on the 2nd. If you are here to explore the must see attractions of Ernakulam, then you must pace into the three-storied historical edifice. Visitors can retrospect and encounter

LuLu Mall, a division of the much famed LuLu Group International headquartered in Abu Dhabi, is one of the largest as well as the first of its kind in India. The Group with its flagship retail chain of LuLu Hypermarkets and Supermarkets has operations spread over 34 countries. Under the dynamic leadership of Padmashri Yusuffali M.A, Managing Director, the Group has successfully evolved through the supermarket and hypermarket transition to high profile shopping malls. LuLu Group has been ranked third in the prestigious “Forbes Top 100 companies” making an impact in the Arab world. Currently, in its 9th years of operations, LuLu Mall is the go-to destination in Kerala. In the past 9 years, LuLu Mall has been visited by 158 million people and has witnessed an entry of 15 million four wheelers and 6 million two wheelers. Spanning over 68,000 sq. m. with a total retail space of 57,600 sq. m., LuLu Mall Kochi has over 225 outlets and has brought over 100 top brands to Kerala for the very first time. The mall has one of the largest hypermarkets in India, a 2,500-seater multi-cuisine food court, 11 fine dining restaurants and 6 cafes. The mall features a gold class 9-screen multiplex, and a leisure zone including South India’s largest ice skating rink, a trampoline park, amusement rides, and a 12-lane bowling alley. The parking space of the mall is equipped with state-of-the-art automated parking guidance system and accommodates 3800 vehicles. A direct walkway connects the mall with the Edapally metro station. Located within the campus is Kochi Marriott Hotel, offering a remarkable blend of luxury and convenience to the innumerable international and domestic tourists who visit the mall. The mall has a strong online presence, a successfully run app-based loyalty programme and a lifestyle magazine – LuLu Happiness. Year on year, the mall has been able to provide an improved international shopping and entertainment experience along with an unparalleled service benchmark, winning the brand multiple global and national awards, including a Guinness World Record. With upcoming projects in Trivandrum, Lucknow, Bangalore, to name a few, LuLu Group is racing ahead to be the top player in the Indian shopping mall segment.

Wonderla Holidays Limited, is the No. 1 amusement park operator in India. Promoted by Arun K. Chittilappilly and Kochouseph Chittilappilly, Wonderla currently owns and operates three amusement parks – one each in Kochi, Bangalore and Hyderabad respectively and a resort in Bangalore. Wonderla Kochi, spread over 35 acres of land, is thrilling visitors with 56 rides since 2000. Wonderla Bangalore, spanning over 82 acres, offers a spectacular range of entertainment with 61 rides. Wonderla Hyderabad, the latest edition in the portfolio, is spread over 50 acres and offers 43 attractions. Wonderla Amusement Park has been ranked No. 1 in India and No. 6 in Asia by TripAdvisor for 4 consecutive years. Wonderla Resort, located beside the amusement park in Bangalore, comprises of 84 luxury rooms, with amenities including 4 full-fledged banquet halls, multi cuisine restaurant, rest-o-bar and recreational facilities like a heated swimming pool, kid’s activity centre & a full fledged gym.

Chottanikkara Bhagavathy temple is the most important temple is located in Chottanikkara town, 17kms away from Ernakulam.The Goddess Rajarajeswari (ADIPARASAKTHI) alias Durga Bhagavathy - the mother Goddess, is the presiding deity of the temple. It is said that this deity was brought from Mookambika Temple in Kollur, Karnataka and therefore there is a presence of Mookambika (Saraswathy) Devi till 7am in the morning ,It is believed that the temple deity is worshipped in three forms of the Devi, as Saraswati in the morning, Lakshmi at noon and as Durga at the evening The 'Devi' in the temple is known for the healing powers, particularly relating to mental illness and disorders. The temple situated in a hilly region, is surrounded on all sides by green farms. The entry is through the west and the spiritual atmosphere in the temple gives mental peace and harmony to devotees.The deity is called as Amme Narayana, Devi Narayana, Bhadre Narayana and Lakshimi Narayana as there is a Vishnu (Naryana) idol placed in the same pedestal as of Goddess Rajarajeswari . In the main temple, the golden hued idol of Bhagavathy 4 to 5 ft. high, is bedecked with flowers, garlands, jewels and bathed in myriad of lights splendidly. The idol has four arms. The upper right holds the disc, the upper left bears the conch, the lower right hand is held in a boon-conferring pose and the lower left indicates the abhaya (fearlessness) pose. The Bhagavathy is worshipped in three different forms as Saraswathy in the morning clothed in an impeccable white garment, Lakshmi at noon with crimson red cloth and Durga in the evening wearing a bright blue dress. Durga is a much milder form. The original idol of Bhagavathy, three or four feet high which faces east, is of laterite and is believed to be self-born (swayambhoo). This image called 'Rudraksha Sila' is irregular in shape, red in colour and is untouched by the human sculptor. This image can be seen only in the wee hours of morning at 4 am when the Nada opens for nirmalyam.

St. George’s Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church is located near the city of Cochin, and is known as Edappally Church since it is located in the area of Edappally. Built in AD 594, this is one of the oldest churches in India. A new church complex was built in 1080 to accommodate the growing Christian population in the region. The church has interesting architectural style and interior designing. It has underwent various renovations since the time of its establishment. There is a painting of Virgin Mary surrounded by sculptures of angels, which is a prime attraction. Other attractions include a painting of the heaven behind the altar and a statue of St. George on horse. The main deity of the church is said to possess the powers to get rid of snakes and to heal illnesses. Throngs of people gather at the church during the nine-day festival celebration which is done with great pomp and grandeur.

Puthuvype is a part of Vypin Island. It borders Vembanad Lake to the East, Arabian Sea to the West and South and Njarakkal to the North. The main thoroughfares in the area are Vypin-Munambam Road and LNG Terminal Road. It is one of the important place in Vypin Island. Puthuvype is well known for Puthuvype Light house beach.