To some, the thought of travelling across India would be an anxiety inducing experience, whilst for others a conquest to be proud of. In fact, transport links are readily available for all budgets, albeit sometimes tricky to find. Here is our guide to navigating India: Kerala edition.
Kochi
Originally known as Cochin, Kochi is a coastal beauty located along the Malabar coastline in Western Kerala. Kochi was our first destination in Kerala, and boy did it have a lot to give. From the colonial Fort Kochi brimming with history as well as serene beaches, to the bustling markets of Marine Drive. Kochi has something to please everyone.
During our short stay, we visited: Fort Kochi, Jew Town, Marine Drive, MG Road and polished the trip off with a NYE boat party. It was here we also learnt about the beauty of a Falooda. A rather unique ice cream sundae dessert featuring vermicelli noodles, cornflakes and whatever else the establishment wishes to add to the mix.
Overall getting around Kochi was simple.
Metro: The city is well connected with an excellent metro system. Tourists can pay cash for a ticket at the counter of any station. UPI payment is also available to those who have a UPI app downloaded. I recommend the Mony app for tourists – it works a charm.
Passenger ferry to Fort Kochi: Forget about forking out on expensive taxis or taxi boats to Fort Kochi from the mainland. A very affordable and frequent passenger ferry exists from Marine Drive to Fort Kochi for just 6 INR per person. An absolute bargain.
Alleppey / Alappuzha (from Kochi)
Our next destination was Alleppey (otherwise known as Alappuzha). Dubbed as the “Venice of Asia”, Alleppey is home to a beautiful network of backwaters that can be explored by varying types of boat.
In Alleppey we visited Marari Beach and booked a canoe day trip around the backwaters.
Travelling from Kochi to Alleppey by train: The journey is simple. Catch a train from Ernakulam Junction train station directly to Alappuzha train station. The ride costed us 40 INR each. You will need to buy tickets on the date of travel from Kochi station ticket booth.
Public bus to Marari Beach: Located 11km north of Alleppey town, Marari beach was recommended to us by a local. Marari is a beautiful, lesser commercialised beach and a local-man’s hidden gem. Think golden sands, swaying coconut trees and tranquil vibes. To get here from Alleppey there is a direct bus costing only 23 INR per person. The only challenge is finding the bus stop fo it! We caught it from here.
Munnar (from Alleppey)
Our final destination in Kerala was Munnar, one of many tea regions in India. Munnar was a literal and figurative breath of fresh air in India, with blue skies visible and AQ levels far lower than other places. A surprise to us was that Munnar was also home to many chocolate makers, making our sweet tooths happy once more. See our blog: Munnar: Home of chocolate and tea to learn more.
In Munnar we explored Letchmi tea estate and did a Mattupatty direction tuktuk tour.
Many tourists would opt to book private or shared transport to Munnar. Not us. With our limited budget we opted for the local bus to take us 6 hours inland.
Public bus from Alleppey to Munnar: Leaving from KSRTC bus stand in Alleppey, we located a KSRTC bus to go directly to Munnar. By 06:30 we were on the bus, arriving in Munnar by 13:00. Whilst not the most luxurious ride, a ticket was 215 INR per person and the driver plays some good tunes. Oh and you get two pit stops to buy snacks or go toilet. So it’s not all bad.
Public bus from Munnar to Kochi: The local Munnar KSRTC bus stand keeps this small tea town well connected. With regular buses to Ernakulam (Kochi) running throughout the day, we found transport back to the big smokey city easy. 160 INR per person was even better.
