Kochi is a port city where history and modernity drift together like the backwaters that define its landscape. Stroll through Fort Kochi to see centuries-old Chinese fishing nets creaking at sunset, wander past Dutch and Portuguese colonial homes painted in faded ochre and seafoam green, and visit St. Francis Church, where Vasco da Gama once worshipped. The spice-scented air weaves through bustling markets and art-filled galleries of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, while nearby Willingdon Island offers serene harbor views and colonial charm.