South India Travel: Kochi, Kerala with Kids
Last Christmas, we traveled from Mumbai to Kochi (Cochin) in Kerala. Kerala has a large Christian population and Fort Kochi in particular has many old churches. The city had a festive atmosphere and we were able to attend a large Christmas celebration in the old part of town.
Getting Around
The airport to the main part of Kochi is a bit of a drive. It took a little more than an hour in an Uber to get from the international airport to Willingdon Island where we were staying. Around Kochi, it’s pretty easy to get rickshaws, Uber, or taxis. You can also take ferries from place to place. Sometimes the line at the ferry station is pretty long. Note that there are separate queues for men and women passengers. On the return trip from Fort Kochi to Willingdon Island, the queues were very long so we opted to take an Uber.
What To Do
Old Kochi is pretty fun to just wander around, taking in the old churches, temples and synagogue. Kochi is a hot tourist destination, and the day we visit a huge cruise ship had docked at the city and flooded the place with European tourists. We opted to hire a rickshaw driver and take an informal tour, as the main attractions are a bit spread out. We could have skipped the beach (quite dirty and full of trash) and the laundry colony. The dhobi khana seemed set up like a tourist trap to allow foreigners to get a voyeuristic look at India’s poverty. .
We also were asked to stop by two over-priced souvenir shops, where I got quite frustrated at the man following me around the store. There was no concept that taking two young children into this shop full of breakable things was going to be more stressful than fruitful. I didn’t buy anything and I ended up yelling at one guy who had no concept of personal space. This is the downside of more touristy destinations; people think you have Dollars or Euros to spend on high-quality souvenirs brought to South India from as far the Himalayas. If you decide to go with a rickshaw driver for a tour, it’s better to agree on a fixed price for the duration of the tour and to not take an “extra” stops.
One really fun experience was the cultural dance show at the Kerala Kathakali Center. You need to book tickets ahead of time by visiting their office. You can buy for that same evening or in advance. My son, age 6 at the time, was able to enjoy the whole performance. My daughter, age 3, was exhausted from the day. She had a screaming tantrum (which thankfully was covered up by the loud drumming) and fell asleep in my arms. Try to book aisle seats so it’s easier for the kids to see.
Here are two videos of the Kathakali Performance. The first is slow and subtle movements. The second is twirling and whirling to the beat.
Our favorite part of Kochi was walking around the Old Town on Christmas evening, seeing all the decorative lights. We stopped in to a seaside hotel for some ice cream and hot chocolate and enjoyed the sea breeze.
Lodging
We stayed at Casino Hotel by Cgh Earth on Willingdon Island. It was a comfortable hotel with a nice pool and spacious rooms. Service was great, and the buffet breakfast was a hit with the kids. I spent so much time taking pictures of all the cool recycled Christmas decorations, that I completely forgot to get pics of the pool and the room!
For more info, see Agoda, which is where we booked. We stayed on Christmas Eve & Christmas nights, and it was very quiet. Many hotels have special banquets for which you must pay extra, and you may also need to listen to a loud show or karaoke until midnight. Thankfully, Casino Hotel didn’t have any of those activities happening for the holidays. From Willingdon Island, you need to take a ferry to Old Kochi.
Pool at Casino Hotel
The Verdict
I would definitely go back to Kochi (Cochin), especially at Christmastime. The weather was pleasant, the food options were plentiful, and the old town was walkable even with two young kids. We enjoyed taking the ferry and seeing all the old Portuguese-style churches. I would probably want to stay in Fort Kochi though, instead of Willingdon Island, in order to save on travel time and be able to walk out to shops and restaurants.
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