Kochin in a day - backwater tour suggestions?

Seeing the backwaters in a converted rice barge is over-rated because you see miles and miles of tropical vegetation on the riverbank and little else. Skip it, and instead take an autorickshaw to the High Court Jetty in Ernakulam - NOT the jetty where ferries depart for Fort Cochin, a different one a little further north - and catch the ferry to Varapuzha. It leaves six times a day and takes two hours to get to V, an outlying village. Make sure that you don't get off until the very end of the route, the last stop. (It doesn't stop at Fort Cochin so if you're staying there you'll have to get a boat to Ernakulam, which doesn't take long.)
When I did this trip in 2004, the ferry left at 9.45am and arrived at V at 11.45, then departed on the return trip an hour later, enough time for a snack or quick lunch and a toilet stop. The return trip was quicker - only one and a half hours - because there were fewer people around. It cost about 5 rupees each way, which is excellent value for money. It is a much more authentic experience than the converted rice barge thing. You meet the locals and see a lot more of local life along the way.
When I did the trip the year before, I caught an afternoon boat and had to get off before the end of the route because my boat was not returning to Ernakulam that day. Don't let that happen to you! Also, the morning light is better for photography.
For photos, use the link in my profile and click on India 2004 > Cochin.
Alternatively, try to find a canoe trip rather than a rice barge trip. A canoe goes into narrower waterways than the rice barge so you see more of local life and it's much more interesting.

Hi cgame, thanks for the great suggestion. I like that idea and I enjoyed your photos. This is sounding good. I have copied your email to my cut and paste trip ideas folder.

Sreekanth, danke schone but unfortunately I only speak English and a smattering of Malay/Tamil - not enough to get me through your post :)

Hi, Froggy. Since your departure is still some way off, couldn't you change your plans and spend more time in Cochin? It is lovely and I think 3 days would be worthwhile; even 2 would be an improvement.
Sreekanath seems to be a returned tourist showing you his own itinerary. It sounds good but obviously requires a lot more time.

Hi cgame, no - no change is possible at all as I will be on a ship :) So, it's a case of make the most of it.

Hi Froggy,

I agree with the item posted @ #1 - go on one of the smaller canoes that ply the waterways.

There are a number of travel agencies who will take small groups (no more than 8), on a canoe where you really get to experience the backwaters.

The converted barges (I'm starting to doubt if there are any more converted - they're almost mass produced now a days), are over-rated and expensive.

Cheers
Zoltan

cgame (and anyone else with an opinion): what would you do with three days in cochin? am trying to figure out whether the five extra days i've finagled from my trip in the north (delhi, rajasthan, calcutta, etc.) can be turned into a quick trip in the south as well. any thoughts, itineraries to suggest to cover that time? also open to goa, but don't have a sense of whether i can stop in goa and hit cochin in that time...

#7,

I'd suggest that you fly to Kerala (to maximise your available time).

What to do in 3 days:
- visit the Fort Cochin island (easily a 1/2 day+)
- kathakali dancing at any of the many studios (I personally like the Devan school)
- a backwaters boating experience (in a canoe that takes you to some of the local cottage industries and nature spotting)
- Take a taxi to the elephant washing area (they are bathed at 6:30am) and you can help wash them. On the way back to Cochin, stop off at the waterfall

This is only a few of the things that's available in the area and, off the top of my head.

Kerala is worth the visit.

Cheers
Zoltan

#7, two days is enough for bare essentials in Cochin (Kochi). They are:
(1) explore Fort Cochin (the old area) on foot, which takes a full day, and
(2) do a boat trip, either a hired rice barge trip, a canoe trip or a local public transport as I suggested above.
The third day is optional. However, Kochi is a lovely place and you might well want to spend more than two days there. There's a lot to see in Fort Cochin, and another half day there wouldn't hurt.
Alternatively you could:
(1) take half a day to visit the Hill Palace in Tripunithra, about 12km from Ernakulam, although I didn't find it very interesting when I went there,
(2) go to Vypeen island (see guidebook for details), or
(3) perhaps better still, go to Parur and Chennamangalam (about 35km north of Kochi; listed under 'Around Kochi' in the guidebook). I haven't done that but it sounds good.
There are several kathakali theatres in Kochi where you can see this traditional form of dance. However, a sensitive intelligent young German bloke I met there a couple of years ago who had seen it said it was boring and he'd rather watch opera! If it's worse than opera, why bother?
Yet another possibility is going north to Guruvayur, which is about 33km from Thrissur, and visit the elephant camp at Punnathur Kota, an old palace surrounded by a leafy park in which temple elephants live and relax when off duty. LP unfortunately gives less detail about this side trip than in previous editions, but it is fun and worthwhile and you get there by hired car or bus from Kochi.

Hey all

I am currently reading lots of guidebooks for other countries on our trip cgame, and will get around to LP India when other longer stops are in my knowledge-belt. In the meantime I am noting the responses here and cutting and pasting, so thanks heaps. I am glad others are finding it useful. Can I ask a dum un-guidebooked question; is Ernakulam in Kochi, a suburban area of Kochi, surrounding town or what? Kathakali dancing is wonderful I reckon, but my adopted daughter does Baratanatyam so I get to see rather a lot of it. It's not at all boring if you like that sort of thing - much like Opera I guess (although I loath opera and love Baratanatyam). :)