FEBRUARY 2025
OVERVIEW
If you haven’t done so already, please read my India Tips, Tricks, and Traps post first. This will help you better understand what you are going to read in this post.
We are progressing down the western coast of India. We have just left Kozhikode.
<<< our next stop is the Kerala Backwaters >>>
MONEY
EXCHANGE RATE
The currency in India is the Rupee (the ‘INR’ or ‘rs’). At the time of writing, the exchange rates for the major currencies were:
| US$1 | EU€1 | GB£1 | |
| Published Wholesale Rate | 86.97 | 89.95 | 108.08 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Wise Debit Card) | 86.10 | 89.05 | 106.99 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Typical Credit Card) | 85.01 | 87.92 | 105.64 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Good ATM) | 85.08 | 88.00 | 105.74 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Bad ATM) | 79.14 | 81.85 | 98.35 |
Over time, these exchange rates will change. Please check the current rates.
For simplicity, think of a 500rs note as being US$6 / EU€6 / GB£5.
ATMs
Be careful which ATM you use. I use SBI Bank ATMs WITHOUT CONVERSION.
WISE DEBIT CARD
I keep my costs down by using a Wise Debit Card.
WHEN TO GO
The Kerala Backwaters area has a tropical wet and dry / savanna climate with a pronounced dry season in the low-sun months, no cold season, and a wet season in the high-sun months.
The best time to come is December through March.
GETTING THERE
I caught a 3.5 hour sleeper class train ticket from Kozhikode to Ernakulam Junction.
The ticket price was 125rs which became 149rs after ‘online convenience’ fees and credit card fees.
INTERNET / WIFI
I had an Indian SIM Card from Airtel. I had a strong 4G signal everywhere.
KOCHI
TRANSPORT
UBER
UBER operate in Kochi.
At Ernakulam Junction Railway Station you will find an ‘official taxi counter’. They quoted 700rs for a taxi to go the 13kms to my hotel. I declined and got onto UBER. An UBER Tuk Tuk (Auto) was priced at 290rs and a taxi at 390rs. A tuk tuk driver standing next to me offered to do it for 300rs. I accepted.
TUK TUKs & TAXIs
Many Tuk Tuks are metered … ask them to turn it on. Our normal Tuk Tuk rule-of-thumb is not accurate in Kochi. If in doubt, get onto UBER and see what their charge would be and use that as a guideline.
For instance, using the ‘rule-of-thumb‘, the Tuk Tuk from the train station (above) should cost:
- 1x Flag Fall = 35rs; plus
- 13x 15rs for each part km thereafter = 195rs;
- a total of 230rs.
So, this rule-of-thumb is on the low side for Kochi.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
There is a good public bus network. For instance, you can walk from Ernakulam Junction Railway Station 500m to the KSRTC Bus Stand and catch a 1 hour bus to Fort Kochi for 30rs.
SCOOTER RENTAL
There are many scooter rental outlets in the Fort Kochi area. I found some on Google Maps and followed a few links to their booking websites. Invariably, they were quoting a minimum of 500rs to 600rs for something like a Honda 6G.
I fell back on Royal Brothers.
I booked a Honda 6G scooter from 10am to 8pm (10 hours) on a Wednesday for 220rs which came to 311rs after other fees and taxes. I booked the same again for Thursday.
(FORT) KOCHI BACKWATERS
I had a look around on my rental scooter.
It was a pleasant day and I found some beautiful scenery.
SOUTHERN BEACH(ES)
I also checked out the ‘beaches’ immediately south of Fort Kochi.
In summary, there aren’t any.
KOCHI BACKWATER 1 DAY CRUISE
The standard ‘group tour’ price is 1,800rs / US$21. For this price you get:
- Pick up from your hotel;
- 1+ hour / 35km AC minibus to the embarkation point;
- 3 hour boat cruise;
- Village tours;
- Lunch in a village homestay;
- 1 hour kayak tour;
- Mini bus back to your hotel.
It is a ‘slow’ day … come in a ‘prepared to chill out mood’. That said, it is worth the money.
JEW TOWN
Jew Town is a popular draw for tourists.
It is just a cute little lane with a synagogue at the end of it that you can go into for a 10rs entry fee.
FORT KOCHI WATERFRONT
Fort Kochi has one, small little beach.
The rest of the waterfront is a walkway with tourist stalls.
FORT KOCHI TOWN
I found the locals to be very friendly.
So, you don’t come to Fort Kochi for the beaches. You come to see the backwaters and the quaint ‘colonial influenced’ town centre.
MY ACCOMMODATION
I used AGODA to book 4 nights in a Double with Fan Room at the i – One’s Homestay.
I paid a ‘last minute’ discounted rate of 1,008rs per night. The room was basic but clean and functional.
On the plus side there was a nice rooftop area, a shared area with a TV / Kettle / Fridge, my room had a little balcony, and the wifi was good.
On the minus side the fan was either on full power and too noisy … or too slow and ineffective. It only had an Indian Shower.
FOOD & DRINK
FOOD
Fort Kochi is ‘touristic’ so prices are higher as a result. That said, if you get out on a scooter, you can easily get to ‘local’ prices.
It is easy to find something like a Dosa Masala breakfast for 80rs.
One of my favourites (and my local) was the Spice Root Restaurant. This place is very popular and you may need to wait for a table. Prices were mid range but the food was excellent.
A Chili Paneer Curry for 200rs with 2x 15rs chapatis scored 9/10.
A Prawn & Mango Curry for 300rs with a 1x 40rs Plain Naan scored 8/10; the Naan was a bit small and disappointing.
DRINK
There is one Kerala State Beverages outlet in Fort Kochi.
You can find it opposite the Salamath Homestay (where Royal Brothers are located).
WHERE TO STAY
If you rent a scooter you can stay anywhere. Either way, I would still recommend that you stay withing easy walking distance of Princess Street.
GETTING AWAY
I purchased a 2nd Class seat on the train from Ernakulam Junction to Alleppey.
The price was 175rs (192.70 after all fees) for the 1 hour journey.
ALLEPPEY / ALLAPUZHA
TRANSPORT
GETTING THERE
I woke up in the morning to find that my train was cancelled … so I invoked ‘Plan B’. I left my Fort Kochi hotel at 8:30am and walked the 400m to the Fort Kochi Bus Stand. I caught a 18rs local bus to the BOT New Bridge (red dot).
I waited there for about 20 minutes for a KSRTC bus to pass.
I jumped on and paid 75rs for the 2 hour trip to Alleppey Bus Stand.
From there, I took a tuk tuk to my hotel.
UBER
UBER does not operate in Alleppey.
TUK TUKs & TAXIs
Many Tuk Tuks are metered … ask them to turn it on. If not, normal Tuk Tuk rule-of-thumb prices apply. I paid 70rs to go 2.5kms from the bus stop to my hotel.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Appelley has a good public transport network. There are plenty of busses on the roads to take you near and far.
Weirdly, there is no bus from town centre to Alleppey Beach … but, they do go to the Railway Station (which is very close).
SCOOTER RENTAL
The standard price is 500rs per day. As normal, 100rs of petrol / gas should last most people all day (about 40-50kms).
There are several rental places to choose from. I rented mine through my hotel.
GETTING AWAY
I booked a 3rd class 505rs (563rs after fees) ticket on the 14:05pm train to Kollam.
AROUND TOWN
The town is built around a network of canals.
These canals open up into the backwaters.
THE BEACH(ES)
ALLEPPEY BEACH
This is the main beach. It is less than 2kms long.
It has one busy area at mid point but, otherwise, it is a very quiet beach.
At the far north of Alleppey Beach you find Catamaran Road Beach … this is where I stayed.
PUNNAPRA BEACH
This is the main beach immediately south of Alleppey.
Again, a very quiet beach.
1 DAY CANOE TRIP
Travel agents ask up to 2,000rs for this trip. Yogaland do it for 1,000rs. The day starts at 8:00am in the morning.
The trip was very similar to the one done in Fort Kerala. I guess that once you have done one, you don’t need to do another.
There was no tuk tuk to meet me when I returned on the ferry. I paid another 100rs for a tuk tuk back to my hotel.
MY ACCOMMODATION
I used BOOKING.COM to book 4 nights in the Yogaland & Ayurveda. It had excellent reviews and I couldn’t believe how cheap it was. I got a last minute discounted rate of 508rs per night for a Double Fan room with private bathroom.
At that price I wasn’t expecting much but, on arrival, they ‘up-graded’ me to their 2 bedroom homestay located just behind the main hotel. This unit has 2 bedrooms: 1 with Aircon and 1 without.
As expected, my Fan Room was very basic with my mattress on the floor … but, the homestay had the added benefit of a kitchen, fridge and high-speed wifi.
I cannot recommend staying in the Fan Room. I had 4 bad nights sleep. The wall fan wasn’t strong enough to keep the room cool and I felt that my skin was crawling all night (probably with ants).
FOOD & DRINK
FOOD
Alleppey is a popular tourist town but it has not been ‘ruined’ (yet). You will pay typical India prices (cheap). Out on my scooter I found a popular local cafe where I got a traditional (unlimited) Kerala Fish Thali for 90rs.
Of course, expect to pay a premium to eat on or near the beach.
I had a Chili Paneer curry (180rs) with 3x Porotas (3x 12rs) at the Ocean Shack which scored 7/10.
DRINK
There are a couple of bars in town: one is down on Alleppey Beachfront. Expect to pay about 220rs – 240rs for a large (650ml) Kingfisher Premium.
There are at least 2 Kerala State Beverages outlets in town. The MRP of that same large Kingfisher is 140rs.
WHERE TO STAY
I was tossing up whether to stay (1) in town close to a canal or (2) near the beach. I chose the latter.
I suggest the ‘green’ area around Vijay Park. This has cute little lanes and a nice selection of hotels and restaurants.
I suggest that you also have a look at beachfront homestays in the ‘green’ area a bit further north over the river. Some of these looked very inviting … but you may need your own transport.
The 2 other yellow shaded areas are also worth a look.
KOTTAYAM
I decided to skip Kottayam … it seemed to me to be too similar to Fort Kochi and Alleppey.
KOLLAM
TRANSPORT
UBER
UBER do not operate in Kollam.
TUK TUKs & TAXIs
It seems that all of the tuk tuk drivers have agreed that the ‘standard’ price is 30rs per km.
SCOOTER RENTAL
I found one Scooter Rental company in town. They have a website where you can book a scooter in advance. The conditions make it almost impossible for a foreigner to successfully rent a scooter.
GETTING AWAY
I will make my way from Kollam to Munroe Island using a combination of public bus, tuk tuk, and boat.
MY ACCOMMODATION
After 4 bad nights sleep in Alleppey I wanted to spoil myself.
I used AGODA to book a Standard Double with Aircon at Ashtamudi Villas. I paid in advance using my Credit Card. The price was 1,490rs per night.
They checked me into a Fan room … no Aircon. I showed them my booking which stated ‘aircon’. They said that their ‘standard rooms’ do not have aircon. They also said that they had not received payment. I contacted AGODA support. Payment was confirmed but they could not fix my Aircon Room … the only choice that they gave me was to cancel, get a full refund, and book a hotel elsewhere. It was 6pm at night, I had little choice but to stay … the hotel offered no compensation.
That said, the fan was sufficient and I had a comfortable stay.
Everything was good but there was one minus: No hot water for the shower.
FOOD & DRINK
Typical Indian prices apply. A Kerala Fish Thali in a local cafe for 100rs scored 7/10.
WHERE TO STAY
I planned to stay in Kollam town, rent a scooter, and get out and about. BUT, I struggled to find any ‘decent’ GRANDPAcking accommodation in Kollam town: they were either over-priced or had bad reviews. I cannot recommend anywhere to stay in Kollam Town.
When the possibility of renting a scooter fell through, I decided to get somewhere nice on the lakefront.
Staying on the lakefront is very pleasant and relaxing …
You will not find many restaurants nearby.
GRANDPAcking COSTS
Read About – GRANDPAcking Costs if you don’t know how to interpret my figures.
MY GRANDPAcking COSTS
My costs are broken down into Cost Of Existence (COE) and Cost Of Living (COL):
- COE: Is the basic costs of just being there;
- COL: Is the additional costs that make being there fun.
AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE / (BLUE) TOP SECTION
I lost an average of 2.15% on cash that I took out of ATMs which is higher than what I lost in Goa. I rarely used a credit card / Wise Debit Card.
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE) / (ORANGE) MIDDLE SECTION
ACCOMMODATION
I used all the ‘tricks‘ to get the best value for money. Yogaland in Alleppey was a mistake but that was balanced out by Ashtamudi Villas which was over-priced.
I averaged just under 1,000rs per night.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
I averaged about 320rs per day.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
I topped up my Airtel SIM Card with an 84 day 799rs package that offered up to 1.5Gb per day, upto 100 SMSs per day, and unlimited domestic calls. This cost have been pro rata’d.
VISA EXTENSION / NATIONAL PARK FEES
My 6 month eVisa cost of US$41 has been pro rata’d.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
My Backpacker Level Travel Insurance policy has been pro rata’d.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT
I averaged about 375rs to get from one hotel to another.
COST OF LIVING (COL) / (BROWN) BOTTOM SECTION
LIVING COSTS
I went on 2x One-Day River Cruises and rented a scooter for 3 days.
I averaged about 300rs per day on evening drinks.
IN / OUT COSTS
Are included in ‘Necessary Transport’, above.
OTHER COSTS
Other minor bits and pieces are mopped up in this section.
GRANDPAcking SUMMARY
My COE was 1,735rs / US$20 per day (32% of my daily budget).
My COL was 700rs / US$8 per day (13% of my daily budget).
My Grand Total cost was 2,435rs / US$29 per day (44% of my daily budget).
I had ‘Money to Burn’ … I still had 3,035rs / US$36 left over each day.
YOUR GRANDPAcking COSTS
Typical GRANDPAcking costs apply.
GRANDPAcking SUMMARY
You will have ‘Money to Burn‘.
CONCLUSION
Spending a month touring the towns in the Kerala Backwaters offers a very pleasant experience at a very affordable price.
With ‘Money to Burn‘ you can afford to spoil yourself and, perhaps, spend 1 night on a Houseboat … you can easily afford to rent scooters, go on day tours, explore using public ferries, rent canoes, etc.
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