Shopping in Cochin

Cochin is one of the most fascinating and inspiring cities of Kerala; thus, it does not lag behind in offering some great and varied shopping options to its visitors. But, still if you are in a dilemma of what to purchase for yourself as souvenirs and for your loved ones as gifts, then this article is the right stop to guide you. To start with, Cochin is dotted with numerous enticingly bizarre small curio shops which sell a number of good traditional goodies, including little knick-knacks. The city is quite famous for its unique handicrafts, like figurines, multicolored bead jewelry and mat, and bangles, which you can easily find in alluring varieties. There are as assortment of items made from coir, wood, bamboo, shells, brass, ivory, and sandalwood. The shopping extravaganza in Cochin becomes more interesting with some stupendous purchase of spices and nuts. Apart from these traditional shops, Cochin also has magnificent shopping malls.

The main shopping points of Cochin are on MG Road, which intersects through the lifeline of Cochin, and the Marine Drive including Broadway. The MG Road is dotted with numerous shops selling an awesome range of products, like clothes, handicrafts, jewelry, spices, nuts, and much more. In Cochin, you can also end up purchasing some excellent contemporary works of artists from various art galleries located in the city. For an astounding handicrafts shopping experience, places like Kairali, the Kerala State Handicrafts Development Showroom, Surabhi, the State Handicraft Society Emporium, and Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, the showroom of Khadi Village Industries are a must visit. Some major and specific shopping centers are listed below.

Government Emporia
Cochin is full of government emporiums, from where you can indulge in some trustable and best purchases. These emporiums display the finest of the handicrafts tradition of Kerala and generally provide appreciable discounts on every item available. The major government emporiums in the city are Kerala State Handicraft Apex Society, Kerala State Handicrafts Development Corporation, Spices Board, and Ernakulam Market.

Shopping Centers
Shopping becomes a memorable experience when you walk and explore major shopping centers of Cochin, such as MG Road and Marine Drive.

MG Road
The little stores on MG Road sell a large range of textiles, handicrafts, decorative items, toys, ethnic furnishings, and much more. Big shops are also present on MG Road, offering some major Indian and international brands.

Marine Drive
At Marine Drive, one can purchase an awesome assortment of items, like perfumes, bags and suitcases, watches, and so on. The shops standing on Broadway close to Marine Drive serves a great site to buy clothes and aromatic Indian spices.

Penta Menaka Complex
The Penta Menaka complex houses a large number of duty free outlets. These shops sell electronic items and mobile phones on exciting prices. Shopping becomes more of a fun here; at the same time, you can come across the interesting price ranges of these items.

Area adjoining the Synagogue
This place surrounding the Synagogue in Mattancherry is a main center of spice trading. This market sells spices like cinnamon, pepper, green cardamom, brown cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, etc. which can be carried conveniently as they are properly packed. The shops present here also deal in herbs like holy basil, fenugreek, and coriander.