Need more info on Fort Cochin
 

My two friends and myself will be backpacking to Kerala. We need some information regarding what Fort Cochin has to offer like what to see, eat and not to miss. Sorry, I'm kinda new to this forum thingy.....

Fort Cochin is a quiet, elegant part of the Kerala coast where the attractions are mainly European-historic: an old Dutch cemetery from the 18th century, the church where Vasco da Gama was entombed, and a Portuguese palace. There is also a large Jewish area, comprising of a very interesting synagogue with a nominal entry fee and enough antique shops to supply the whole of the western world.

Being on a peninsula, to get there you have to travel through Ernakulam, which is a typical Indian city... and that's where most of the big hotels are. In Fort Cochin accommodation is mainly in small guest houses, many of which date back to the Portuguese days; they all seem to be in league with one another, so if the one you choose (from Lonely Planet or www.indiamike.com) happens to be full, you can be sure they will know another one just down the street which is just as well-priced.

There are some pleasant, if unspectacular, walks around the foreshores to occupy you, and the whole place is so small that you can see just about everything on foot from wherever in the old town you choose to stay. Autorickshaws are available everywhere and quite cheap. If you happen to be flying in, beware of the taxi scam at the airport -- being a privately-run airport, it has "special" rules preventing autorickshaws from entering the premises (however, they do... they just keep away from the arrival doors); that leaves the taxis, who will quote you absurd prices for the 45-kilometre trip to Fort Cochin. If necessary, walk to the gate, and you are bound to see an autorickshaw going past on the road outside... the price will be about a quarter of what the taxis say is the "official" rate.

Hi joe_liu
Buy a Footprint Guidebook for extensive info on this area. It is a scenice portuguese influenced area of Kerala with some nice old churches (synagogue & Catholic)some museums & ruins & chinese fishing nets strung along the foreshore. In March 2005 it was hot and humid with not much see breeze and we hightailed up to Goa for some coller weahter. There are lots of restaurants in Fort Cochin with fab seafood, some markets, ferry trips to close islands, beaches within 30 mins bus & ferry ride, lovely old Brunton Boatyard hotel & restaurant on the water with magic food (we had a lovely lunch there!) nice old fort houses to stay like the Fort House and riskshaw mafia who have fixed prices and won't budge. It is an expensive 700 rupee ride to the airport but a far nicer place to stay than Ernakulam. You'd get a lot of specific info from the latest Footprint!

Sorry Alan you got in just before me!! When are you returning to India? We hope for October! All the best!

I stayed at the Brunton Boatyard last year and saw most of the things that Alan mentions in a half-day trip. It is a nice place to just hang about in rather than somewhere with lots of tourist sites. You can also take a nice boat trip around the harbour at sunset and watch the dolphins swim close to the boat. Also watch the fisherman operating their nets close to the shore - you can buy fresh fish direct from them and have it cooked at a stall nearby (although some I would give a wide berth to). Backpacking - I heard of a nice cheaper hotel called the Old Courtyard in Fort Cochin; check it out on www.i-escape.com

Some info on your visit to Ernakulam and Kochi [formerly Cochin]. You can get prepaid taxis at the airport to wherever you want to go. I've never checked out the rates personally, but I hear they are reasonable, considering the distance from the airport to the city. The counter might be a little difficult to find, but the security guards at the airport can probably help you find it. The counter is a small window just outside the exit gate of the international terminal [which is only a 2 minute walk from the domestic terminal].
Staying in Ernakulam city is probably preferable to staying in Fort Kochi if finances are going to be a problem. Generally the hotels in Fort Kochi tend to be more expensive...Brunton Boatyard is an exclusive hotel run by the famous CGH Earth group, and is among the most expensive. If you can give me an approximate cost of stay per day, I could give you further recommendations on where to stay.
The cheapest way to travel from Ernakulam to Fort Kochi [and also the most scenic] is to take the government boat service from the boat jetty in Ernakulam. I think the one way fare is something like INR 4.00 [1e. about 10 cents]. Since Ekm is a very compact city, most destinations can be reached on foot....however, be prepared to sweat and sweat and sweat!
Things to see in and around Fort Kochi:
1.The Jewish Synagogue [the oldest in the British Commonwealth] with the floor made of unique Chinese tiles
2.The old Dutch palace of the Maharaja of Kochi with its murals in vegetable dyes [photography is prohibited to preserve the murals]at Mattancherry
3.The St. Francis Church and the tomb of vasco Da Gama [though the body is actually no longer there]
4. A visit to the dirty Fort Kochi beach if not for anything else to see the Chinese Fishin nets
5. A walk down the antiques shops at the street near the synagogue
6. A walk down the various streets near the St.Francis church to see some really elegant old colonial buildings.

The old Fort at Kochi [the first European fort on Indian soil] was unfortunately lost to the sea quite a long time ago.

While I don't know about the stay at Old Courtyard, I must say that the food there is delicious.

A good way to start is to visit the KTDC information booth at the Marine Drive KTDC shopping complex in Ernakulam. They are usually quite helpful, and you can get a small pencil sketch map of the Fort Kochi area which will help you in your walks. They also operate an inexpensive half day boat ride to many of these attractions.