Kochi was regarded as the spice capital of India. In the Jew Town area of Mattancherry, warehouses like the Ginger Palace still sell spices to visitors to the area. Pepper, ginger, turmeric and essential oils were traded for many centuries here.
Kochi is also the capital of Kerala. It serves as the gateway to the famous backwaters of Kerala, where multitudes of houseboats ply the waterways criss-crossing the patchwork of paddy fields found here.