Old Harbour Hotel
Fort Cochin, Kerala
Very well located on Tower Road, opposite the rather non-descript Jawahar Park which is fairly popular with families due to its basic playground.
The unique, Chinese fishing nets area is virtually opposite the hotel and Cochin’s ferry terminals are a stone’s throw away, as are the beach and the Santa Cruz cathedral.
How to get there:
By air:
Cochin’s airport is actually located almost 50km from Fort Cochin. There are daily arrivals from the largest Indian cities as well as the biggest airports in the Middle East and some in South Asia such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
From the airport, buses run regularly into Cochin and up to Fort Cochin (stopping at the terminus by the beach) on a fairly good, direct route. The journey however, can take over 2 hours due to traffic so leave plenty of time.
For a faster transfer ask the hotel to collect you – which is chargeable – or take a pre-paid cab, bookable from the desks inside the terminal.
By rail:
Cochin’s main railway stations are in Ernakulam and are called Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town. Trains come in from all over India including Mumbai, Goa, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. Also, go here to catch trains for Alleppey and other parts of Kerala.
Catch a cab from here or ask the hotel to collect you.
By bus:
Cochin is a little far from anywhere to come in via bus but there are connections from Bangalore and a few other cities in Kerala. The main terminus in Fort Cochin is up at the top of the island by the beach and close to all the old town’s best hotels.
Distances & travel times:
airport: 48km / 90 mins+
railway station: in Ernakulam: 13km / 35 mins
When to go:
Being a coastal city, Cochin is almost always humid and hot, the temperature rarely dips below 20 degrees C.
The best time to go is between October and February when the temperatures are not too high and the humidity is bearable.
If you are looking for off-season times we recommend going in the monsoons (June to September) when the city gets lush and green. Though the rains do limit your experience of walking or bicycling around, the flipside is that you get great rates from hotels.
Getting around:
Most of historic Fort Cochin is negotiable on foot along the old stone pavements and pleasant streets.
Otherwise catch an auto rickshaw or taxi but don’t forget to bargain with auto guys.
The bus system in Kochi is good and with the Volvo AC bus connecting the airport to the tourist hub of Fort Kochi and the main town of Ernakulam, it’s a nice inexpensive mode of transport.
The ferry system in the city is great and connects Ernakulam and Vypin to Fort Cochin. Not only is it a fun experience but it’s a really inexpensive and quick way to get about. Cochin is probably one of the only cities in India with such an extensive use of ferries and boats.