What to do in Cochin?

[mistyraj]

Hello

 

We will be in Cochin for 2 days. What can we do there and are there any tourist attractions and shops for Indian outfits? We would like to hire a driver when we get there and have him take us to places- is this safe?

 

 

Thanks

[kuldalai]

The nice thing near Cochin are the inland waterways and houseboats . Be ready for Mossies though .

[jannandjohn]

I think you are on our cruise, there is a LOT of us going with Lijo, for both days in Cochin, but his tours are now full...very full.

Our ship is Quantum of the seas, departing Dubai 29 may...if you are on that , come over to our roll call.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2045256

I am concerned that you are not getting a proper visa for INDIA

I saw your other posts..

You need one for this cruise..time is running out.

 

We already have ours, as do a lot of others on our rollcall.

And some are having trouble getting theirs..

A TRANSIT VISA WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED..we are not transiting in their eyes..we are stopping there.

NOR will a VISA ON ARRIVAL..be given to you....they are Only for people arriving by plane at Indian Airports, not cruise passengers.

You need a six month visa.

And if you are born in one country, but using a passport issued in a different country, that alone takes 4 weeks longer than normal..as one of our group has discovered..hiswife is an Australian citizen, but born in China.( so its harder for her)

Ours took 2 weeks with no hiccups.

Others have had theirs returned to redo.

Edited March 6, 2015 by jannandjohn

[Dididi]

OP,

 

If you do a search on Cruise Critic or Tripadvisor, you will find out about a lot of reputable local companies that can offer you a driver for the day or an actual tour. This is in addition to what your ship offers. There will be some taxis inside and outside the docks (very high security in India and you need to get a permit to enter the docks so some taxis just wait outside the gates -- a long walk from your ship). So you can wait until you arrive or make plans in advance. In Cochin, we did an overnight boathouse stay (and tour of Cochi and cooking class) with Stanley Wilson Tours. He has a website. Fantastic. Elsewhere in India we toured with Mumbai Magic which also offers tour in Cochi. Both companies were great and you don't have to pay in advance. Just send them an email.

 

On a related note, you need a regular tourist visa to visit India by ship, and this includes Indian waters so without such visa, you probably be denied boarding. There is a thread called Indian Visa further down the page re a woman who was about to fly from Seattle to Singapore in less than a week and had not yet obtained her visa to India (one of the stop in her cruise). It was too late for her by then.

 

Wishing you a great trip, and if you have questions on how to fill out the long India visa application, ask all of us!

[mistyraj]

Hi jannandjohn

 

Yes we are on the quantum but wanted to do our own tour as we will be travelling with a baby and may need to schedule our time around her.

 

The Indian visa I'm not so concerned with as I am British Indian and have gotten an Indian visa a few times before. I was trying to avoid the full cost of a tourist visa but was told a transit visa won't be sufficient. Do you have contact details for your tour operator? I may ask for some private tours. Thanks

[cruising_canuck]

Hello

 

We will be in Cochin for 2 days. What can we do there and are there any tourist attractions and shops for Indian outfits? We would like to hire a driver when we get there and have him take us to places- is this safe?

 

 

Thanks

 

Hi. When we were in Mumbai and Cochin about 2 1/2 years ago, I arranged excursions for both ports through the same tour company (put the Indian city name in front of Magic to get the tour company name). The owner is a very nice Indian lady named Deepa. She is a no-nonsense and professional tour operator and always got back to me quickly with answers for any questions I had (she also customized the tour for us). Can't say enough about the tours we had in both cities - they were fantastic. The following is the itinerary of the tour I organized with her for Cochin and the Allepey backwaters in Kerala. Of course, please contact her for updated details:

 

email for Deepa deepa@cochinmagic.com

website for CochinMagic http://www.cochinmagic.com/

 

************************************************** ************************************************** *******

Tour Name : ALLEPEY HOUSEBOAT CRUISE + FORT KOCHI

Ship: Ocean Princess, 07th November 2012 – Ship arrival 8 a.m. and departure 5 p.m.

 

Tour Description: This tour allows you to not only explore Fort Kochi, but also the surrounding areas. In this tour, we start with a tour of Cochin, and then drive to Allepey where we hire a private kettuvallam (traditional houseboat) and go for a cruise. This tour allows you to see rural Kerala and the famous backwaters of Allepey.

 

Cochin (Kochi) was the centre of Indian spice trade for many centuries, and was known to the Greeks as well as Romans, Jews, Arabs, and Chinese since ancient times. The port of Cochin rose into prominence in the mid-1300’s, when the nearby large port of Cranganore was flooded. The Portuguese arrived in 1500 AD, followed by Saint Francis Xavier, who opened a Christian mission in 1530. The Dutch overthrew the Portuguese in 1663, and eventually ceded Cochin to the British in 1814. In 1947, when India gained independence from the British, Kochi joined the Indian Union. Cochin’s population reflects its diverse history, and is a mix of Hindus, Christians, Muslims and Jews. During the tour, we will visit Fort Kochi, the old quarter of Cochin, and explore the quaint streets of this city on foot. We will also see Cochin's trademark Chinese fishing nets.

 

Kerala's network of navigable backwaters stretches to cover a thousand kilometers. These serene waterways are fringed by palm grove and paddy fields and offer a striking spectacle of rustic life. Allepey is among the few places in the world where farming is done below sea-level, using a system of dykes. The backwaters act as a vital waterway for the transport of goods, people and their produce are often the only link between isolated villages and crowded towns.

 

Program

8:30 a.m. Pickup from docks, drive 20-30 mins to Fort Kochi

9:00 to 10:30 – sightseeing tour of Fort Kochi

10:30 to 12:00 – drive to Allepey, on the way, see the beautiful Kerala countryside, villages, farms etc

12:00 to 2:45 – traditional houseboat cruise with lunch cooked and served on board

2:45 to 4:15 p.m. – drive back to ship

 

Cost:

Rs 3500 per person for a group of 9-16 people

Rs 4500 per person for a group of 7-8 people

Rs 5500 per person for a group of 5-6 people

Rs 6500 per person for a group of 4 people

Rs 7000 per person for a group of 3 people

Rs 7500 per person for a couple

 

Inclusions:

Pickup from docks where the ship berths

Air-conditioned coach

Driver with cell phone, Fuel, parking charges, tolls

English-speaking trained guide

Illustrated handouts

Private houseboat cruise with lunch cooked and served on board

Bottled water

All taxes

 

Excludes tips/gratuities, insurance

 

Tour Notes: Please ensure you have sun protection and are adequately hydrated at all times. You need mosquito repellent as the countryside is lush and green.

 

Kind regards,

 

Deepa

************************************************** ************************************************** ****************

 

Greg

[mistyraj]

Hi Dididi

 

Thanks for your advice re the taxis, are there any good shopping areas in Cochin and also any Hindu temples that you may know of?

 

I will definitely be contacting the tour companies you suggested. Thanks

[jannandjohn]

Email for Lijo Jose

Mail@muzirisheritagetourism.com

 

he has told our group that he cannot take anymore for the 4 and 5th June for QUANTUM OF THE SEAS.

he has about 8 small buses and 2 large buses filled.

[jannandjohn]

Hi jannandjohn

 

Yes we are on the quantum but wanted to do our own tour as we will be travelling with a baby and may need to schedule our time around her.

 

The Indian visa I'm not so concerned with as I am British Indian and have gotten an Indian visa a few times before. I was trying to avoid the full cost of a tourist visa but was told a transit visa won't be sufficient. Do you have contact details for your tour operator? I may ask for some private tours. Thanks

 

our tour guy is LIJO jose, but he is booked out now.

 

The Indian visas have gotten much harder..lots of rule changes now.

dont leave it too long,;)

 

you will need a proper tourist visa for this cruise.

[Dididi]

OP,

 

We went to one of the govt shopping stores since I wanted to buy a traditional Kerala white sari, the ones with the woven gold trim. This was near the old town, where we also purchased some spices. This was the only shopping we did in Cochi so unfortunately I cannot be of much help.

 

On our visit to Mumbai, we went to the textile market near Crawford Market with our guide from Mumbai Magic. We wanted to go to a market but traveling with a five year old, it could not be Crawford or another super crowded kind of place. We loved our visit to the market and wish we had bought more. We also went to DIA, a nearby store where we purchased very fine ready made clothes ( with fast, expert alterations), with our guide. Telling Deepa what you want to do, whether in Mumbai, Goa or Cochi, was fantastic because she and her guides truly come through and you would not waste time.

 

In Cochi we did not visit Indian temples, just the synagoge and one of the churches. Our visit to the Ganesha Temple in Mumbau was magical.

 

Again, enjoy your trip!