Stopover in Kerala or Tamil Nadu
Replies: 30 - Last Post: Jul 29, 2012 12:18 PM Last Post By: alfredm
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15
Neenuraj - Alfred has just 4 nites in India and whilst I am sure your advice is honest and sincere - it doesn't take into account his situation.He'll be able to occupy homself quite happily in Kochin for the length of his stay, maybe take a daytrip to Alleppy for the backwaters, perhaps an overnite but he aint got much time and there is always the worry about losing one's onward flight. Anything can and does go wrong in India.
I am sure he'd want to go direct to the airport from his Kochin base.
Edited by: Grahamapoole
16
Hi Grahamapole,copy pasting from post # 1 ..
"I would like to see the highlights of the area (historic/natural/cultural etc.) and don't mind about rushing from a place to the next (am going to relax in Malaysia anyway after that). An internal flight in India or renting a car+driver would be no problem. "
hence i suggested the places to explore during his stop over here
17
One more question: is Kochin a pleasant/interesting place where to spend a few days? Is there anything interesting in Trivandrum?I'll probably skip the beaches this time, mainly due to lack of time. But the backwaters and perhaps a hill station sound interesting (weather permitting).
It seems from the suggestions made so far that the interesting places are around Kochi/Allepey, while Trivandrum is the place to go for the beaches (but correct me if I am wrong).
21
Munnar is just a slightly scruffy hill station up in the ghats with tea plantations etc.If you want to visit on a daytrip, suggest you take a cab- about 250kms from kochin return - should cost no more than 2500 INR bu Kochin taxidrivers are no soft touch - better to take the ferry and negotiate from Ernakulam.
Remember from Kochin - you'd have to get across to the bus station in Ernakulam - so the trip would take up to 6 hours by bus.
22
One thing I said many times is people who lived in the western world often miscalculate traveling time in most developing countries. 120km (75 mi) can be reach in a little over an hour on interstate highway. But in developing countries 40km/hr is consider fast. 20-30km/hr is about average. So 5-6 hours between Kochi and Munnar isn't bad at all.You'll be glad getting away from the stifling heat in Kochi to the cool temperature in Munnar.
23
@ alfredm,this is an often asked question again and our fellow members have answered it, but just to add to it
a CAB will take not less than 4 hours to reach Munnar from Ernakulam city
and you have to understand that the bus that leaves from the KSRTC bus station with stops every 4-5 kms( or even less) takes 5-6 hours to reach Munnar
24
A few questions for NeenuRaj:if you are arriving 9 AM in Cochin , then head straight for the houseboat , you would have a perfectly relaxing day there on board , stay overnight
Where would I take the houseboat? In Alleppey? How much would a taxi from Kochi airport to Allepey cost and how much time would it take ?
And how do I book or find the houseboat? I'll land at 9am at the airport in Kochi, after essentially a sleepless night (max 1-2 hours of sleep I guess), so I would like to have something booked in advance. And I would need a shower - do houseboats have showers?
Or does it make more sense to head to a hotel in Kochi, spend the day in Kochi and do the houseboat the next day?
25
Hello Alfred,NeenuRaj's suggestion on getting to a houseboat first is appropriate.
You can check online and select a houseboats and book them prior to your arrivals and yes, they do have showers and you can also have the option of houseboats equipped with ACs. But ACs are switched on only later in the evening.
Also, cabs do not cost much, probably within Rs 1,500. The houseboat check-in is only at 12 PM. Alternate is to check in to a resort on the backwater. The houseboat can pick you at the resort and drop you back the next days. Check outs from houseboats are generally at 9 AM.
Houseboats serve food on board and you can request them to provide local specialties.
Regards
Ritesh Menon
27
hi Alfred, I think you are pushing your luck if you tavel direct to Aleppy from the airport nad chooaing an online \houseboat. there are just too many ifs.The first obvious if being if your flight arrives on time and aint delayed cos of weather or or or
Also what are you going to do if the boat is not up to your standard - the earlier arrivals having taken the best ones!
You'd be better advised to overnite first in Kochin. Taking your time, chatting to other travellers and making sure you are paying a reasonable price with a reasonable outfit and a reasonbly priced taxi.
You would also leave Kochin a couple of fhours earlier for a shorter ride having negotiated some of the potential road holdups on the previous day from the airport - so it should be a qucker ride and you could well find others to share costs and advice.
Most of the above advice is rendered by Indians who rarely hace a concept of contingency..
Take a little bit of exra time and do the thing properly and enjoyably
28
Ok. Then how about travelling from the airport to Allepey, stay in a hotel there for one night and do the houseboat thing the next day? Is there anything to see/do in Alleppey besides the houseboats?By the way, do these houseboats have A/C power?
29
Alfred,You can stay at a backwater resort in Alleppey, and board the houseboat the next day. As mentioned in my earlier post, houseboats can pick you up at these resorts.
Also, going directly to Alleppey and booking a houseboat may be a bit more expensive and an unnecessary exercise. I believe it would be best to get everything planned and arranged properly and not worry about finding the best deals and best rates when you are in your vacation. Especially, when you are want to cover as much places as possible in a short span of time.
With respect to contingency, I am not sure if i would spend a day in Kochin even if the plane is delayed by a few hours. I would get to the primary destination first and relax, especially when its only 2 hrs away. You can go around cochin on your way back to Malaysia.
And yes, you can visit the local markets, the coir factories, beaches or get a relaxing ayurvedic massage.
