Kochi: Queen of the Arabian Sea

    Kerala State is located in the far southwest of India, with an estimated 38,000 square kilometers. With a population of 30 million, between Hindus and Jews who settled in it since the sixth century AD, in addition to Muslims who represent 24% of its population, i.e., about (8 million people), most of them speak Hindi "Malayalam," which is the most widely spoken official language in the region, followed by English.

    Kerala was considered an attraction and communication point for merchants and researchers, Looking for various spices and ivory since ancient times, so the Phoenicians, Chinese, Arabs, and Romans from around the world visited it, and in 1498 AD the famous Portuguese navigator known as Vasco de Gama was able to reach it, and a group of Dutchmen sailed to it in 1604 AD, It was officially occupied by the British in the year 1800 AD despite their presence in the state ten years before the occupation for several purposes, the most important of which is trade. On August 15, 1947 AD, the state was independent, as happened in the rest of the other Dutch states, and it is worth noting that the state lacks the wealth and resources that lead to Increase the income of individuals and improve their standard of living, however, it holds the title (the educated state) due to the continuous increase in the number of its universities, schools, and intellectuals in various fields of life.

Legend of Kerala:

    A legend from the state of Kerala transmitted in the tongues of the people of Kerala state, a famous legend symbolizing strength and courage and called (parosurama), they say that his name is derived from a word meaning "Axe" because he always used the "Axe" during his fights & wars which lasted 24 years in a row, and one day the fighter felt Guilt because of the wars and massacres he had committed in the western region of the state, and he began praying to ask for pardon and promised to donate a piece of land with an area equal to the estimated distance from the place of his foot to the place where his ax was to be thrown. The area of the city of Kerala is estimated to be 38.863 km².

    What distinguishes it most is the charming areas in it, Which is predominantly tropical. The Sultan Bathery area is considered one of the most attractive areas for tourists in Kerala. Kerala is famous for growing rice, tea, coconut, banana, vanilla, and rubber. There are various religions in it, namely; Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

History Of Spice Trade:

    Once you hear the name Kerala, the first thing that comes to your mind is "spice" for sure; This is because the wide history of this city is closely related to the trade of spices of different varieties and shapes, and this is precisely what made it the title of "the city of spices." This trade had great merit in the city's communication with the outside world, as it was the main gateway upon which the economy of India as a whole was based. Its history extends back to 3000 years ago, in the past the spice trade was limited to the inhabitants of Kerala only, then it moved to the Greek, Roman, Arab, Chinese, French and English merchants who came to it since the arrival of the Portuguese navigator Vasco de Gama to its shores in 1498, where he recorded his arrival at the beginning of the European presence and was credited with discovering the sea passage to the coast of India, which made Kerala distinguished by various fingerprints of historical and heritage monuments that were left by the caravans of merchants of different races and ethnicities in every inch of the city to this day.

    Kerala was previously called "Thiruvananthapuram," in reference to one of the poisonous snakes famous in the region, and in the language of its inhabitants, its name translates to "The City of Mr Anantha," a name given to a snake that has several heads, and it is one of their sanctities.

    You cannot visit any country without visiting its markets to buy some valuable or simple items that remind you of your visit to it, or acquire some special gifts for family and friends, or buy a long list of famous Indian products.

    In contrast to the modern shopping centres that are famous in the tourist countries, Kerala's markets and stores are distinguished as simple and traditional as the markets of the past before the emergence of the so-called mall. But if you want to go through the experience of buying in the Kerala markets, you must master the art of bargaining to get a winning purchase at the lowest prices.

1- Connemara Market “Palayam” Connemara Market

    It is the oldest market in the state and is located in the capital Thiruvananthapuram since the 19th century, and it is considered one of the distinct shopping destinations during tourism in Kerala, as it is famous for selling murals, jewellery, traditional handicrafts, Indian tea, coffee and the famous Indian nuts, fresh fish, roses and kitchen tools.

2- Chalai Bazar

   The second best and cheapest shopping destination in the capital, the market provides you with good types of famous Indian traditional dress with jewellery and ornaments that increase its elegance, in addition to cooking tools and food products.

3- Ernakulam Market

It is located in Cochin and is famous for selling jewellery decorated with precious stones.

4- Broadway Market

    It is one of the distinctive destinations that you should put on your plan when travelling to Kerala, as it provides the finest Indian tea, coffee and spices, and is also located in the city of Cochin. The market also provides you with the opportunity to see Indian women drying and grinding fresh spices in a unique experience.

5- Joy Town Market

    One of the shopping destinations that you should not miss when tourism in Kerala, where you can buy souvenirs that remind you over the years of the wonderful travel to Kerala, in addition to souvenirs for family and friends for a small sum of money.

6- Ambadi Market

    It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kerala for the purpose of shopping that is frequented by fans of the famous Indian textiles, as the market provides the finest silk materials, and the famous market is located in Trichur.

7- Mulakkal Market

   Located in Alleppey, it is one of the prime destinations for buying jewellery of all shapes and materials, in addition to buying coconut and the finest handcrafted carpets.

    The city of Kerala includes many tourist attractions, and it is called a tropical paradise, as it is made up of trees and sandy beaches, blue lakes, the views of plants, waterfalls, green hills, and historical sites and archaeological sites, in addition to ancient churches and picturesque.

Temples, It is one of the safest and most beautiful cities in India. Their beauty is concentrated in the traditional western buildings and vehicles on the surface of the blue sea.

Alleppey: It is characterized by its remote and beautiful canals, remote lakes, and beaches, it is famous on the world level, and its most prominent landmarks are Alappuzha, Sri Krishna Temple, Valya Bali, Krishna Buran Palace, and many others.

Munnar: There are large plantations of tea, a view that adds magnificence and beauty to the place, mountains, walking paths, and waterfalls of great magnificence.

Fort Kochi: It has Cherai Beach and a church located in Malaiator, in addition to Chinese fishing in Fort Kochi.

Kumarakom: It is the ideal place to rest, where it is possible to sail in the calm sea waters, and it is close to the village of Ayemenim, which moves with its delicious food, in places where you can see wildlife and can do a boat with it on the back of elephants.

Varkala: It is characterized by its long sandy beaches, picturesque and varied resorts, as well as clean and fresh air.

1- Arianor Tombs “Umbrella Stone or Kodikalo locally”

    One of the tourism sites in Kerala, specifically in Trichor, which deserves to visit and take memorial photos to form its wondrous building, it is a group of prehistoric burial sites above which there are 6 rock pieces that take the shape of a canopy, including four intact pieces and two broken ones. Arianeur Tombs were placed on the List of Protected Archaeological Sites by the Indian Archaeological Survey in the early 1950s.

Kerala airports:

Cochin International Airport

The internal transportation network in the state may be a bit slow, but this does not prevent the country from having 5 major airports that provide international and domestic flights to it, which are Cochin International Airport, the largest airport in the state, Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Kozhikode, the state’s newest airport, receives flights to and from the Middle East only, Calicut International Airport, from which you can reach Malapuram, Kannur International Airport serving Matanur.