India

Kochi

Fort Kochi’s Chinese fishing nets, spice warehouses, and hybrid architecture frame a cosmopolitan port that has traded with the world for centuries.

Stroll Fort Kochi at sunrise when nets are lowered, tour Mattancherry Palace and the Paradesi Synagogue, then catch a ferry to Vypin or Bolgatty. Contemporary art at the Biennale venue and Kathakali centres round out evenings. The city is the usual embarkation point for backwater cruises. Humidity is ever-present; December–February balances comfort with festivals. Extend to Athirappilly Falls or hill stations if time allows.