Taj Malabar, Cochin

Advantages: Breathtaking Scenery, Seafood
Disadvantages: Cant trust the Drinking Water there.

...this by the quiet ripple of water on Vembanad lake. Most sights open late, close for a lunch break and shut at 5. Shops open by 10 am and close by 7 or 7.30 pm. Most are closed on Sundays. Banks work from 10 am to 2 pm on weekdays and from 9 am to 1 pm or 10 am to noon on Saturdays. Restaurants start opening by 8 am, and stay open until 11 pm. best time to go there is between December - March. There's a lot of Good hotels around likeThe "Taj Malabar" and "The Trident" in Wellington Island, "The Avenue Regent " in MG Road, "The Metropolitan " Near Ernakulam Junction, "Sea Lord Hotel" and " Taj Residency "in Marine Drive , "The Old Courtyard " in Fort Cochin, "Bolgatty Palace Hotel " in Bolgatty islands. These hotels offers a very positive approach to the tourists, The "Taj Residency" mainly targetting the business visitors. The Best Restaurant in Town... Read review

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Advantages: Food, atmosphere, book shops
Disadvantages: Always busy!

...as they are very good. Shopping: Fab India sells fantastic ready-made kaftans, kameezes, shalwars, churidar pyjamas etc. Reasonably priced and a wide selection, so you can do a pick-n-mix with the tops and bottoms. Sizes range from small to XL. One thing to note is that the price tags only show the price exclusive of VAT - so be prepared to do your sums before you get to the check-out counter. Zaveri Bazaar is great for gold jewellery. Be prepared to haggle and take your time. Sites: In 1/2 day, our taxi driver - Mr Pandey - gave us a whistle-stop tour of the main sites: 1. Gateway to India 2. Taj Palace Hotel 3. Hanging Gardens 4. Drive by the entrance to the Towers of Silence 5. Mohammed Ali Jinnah's residence in the posh Malabar Hills area 6. Mani Bhavan - residence where Gandhi stayed 7. Haji Ali Darga - be prepared to have change to give... Read review

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Advantages: Longer you are there the more to see.
Disadvantages: Busy, Polluted, Frenetic.

.... Built in 1924 as a commemoration of the Royal visit of George V and Queen Mary in 1911(?), this enormous stone arch stands proudly next to the sea and close to the tourist area of Colaba and the majestic Taj Mahal Hotel. Every Sunday it throngs with tourists and locals alike and is even more spectacular at night when it`s floodlit. 2. Taj Mahal Hotel. The Taj is one of the East`s most splendid hotels. Complete with a red-dome and roof, imposing facade superior reputation, four separate resturants and huge lobby, it deserves a visit, especially when you can`t afford to stay there. Standing next to it is the annexe `cos it became too popular and they had to build some extra bits on at the side. These bits are about 22 stories high with a restaurant at the top. 3. Colaba Causeway. In common with lots of the roads originally named... Read review

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