South India with Children Dec - Jan 09

stine

Hello i have been reading this forum for quite a time and think is it time to join in Me and my husband is planning a trip to india dec - jan 09. The flight is booked and we arrive in mumbai 6 of Dec. I would love to get some advice on the itinerary since i,m lost some places.

Planning to leave mumbai 8 of dec with the overnight kovalam express to Thiruvananthapuram arriving mumbai 9 of dec. Would like maybe 4-5 days in Kovalam to start with.

After that this is what we want to do if someone have suggestion to travel route would like to go by train mostly but taxi/bus if needed.

Bandipur National Park would like 2 days here

backwater trip overnight

Ooty toy train

Cochin only short stay 2 days maybe

We have booked beach hut in Goa from 23 of Dec - 2 of Jan and finish of by mumbai until our flight leaves for norway.


If someone have a travel itinerary suggestion for us for the days from Kovalam - Goa i would be very thankful.

Love from Norway
Stine

dhans

Welcom Stine,

You've come to the right place .

Read the links below and feel free to ask any other questions you may have.

Hans

__________________

Tips for trips to India with (young) children: India with kids
Stories about our travels in India: Journal

stine

Thank you Dhans

I have now read your travel history up and down and i have come to that i want to try this, or does is sounds unrealistic?
Our trip starts in mumbai 6 of Dec.

6 Dec-8Dec - Mumbai 2 Nights in hotel
8 Dec-9Dec - Luxury train going from Delhi to Trivandrum boarding in Mumbai
9 Dec-13Dec-Kovalam or Varkala Beach 4 Nights in hotel
13 Dec-14Dec - Drive to Allepey overnight houseboat
14 Dec-16Dec- Transport to Cochin 2 night in hotel
16 Dec-18Dec - Transport to Periyar 2 nights in hotel
18 Dec - Transport to Ooty 1 night in hotel
19 Dec - Toy Train to mettupalayam -1 night in hotel
20 Dec - 22 Dec Transport Munnar 2 nights in hotel
22 Dec - 23 Dec Transport to Agonda Beach Goa via train Bangalore
23 Dec - 2 Jan Agonda Beach all ready booked 10 nights in hotel
2 Jan -4 Jan Transport to Mumbai Flight home 2 nights in hotel


What do you think about this plan i am not quite sure of the location of these places but have tried to read some on internet so if it is best to do it in another order please tell me

One more question do you know how the connection between Periyar - Ooty is? Is it a long way and do we need a driver or will there be buses?

vandy

Hello stine,

As you will be spending considerable chill out time in Goa at
the end of your Journey I would seriously Reconsider going all the way down to Kovalam & Varkalha, Goa is very similar and you could save a lot of time & money as you are visiting in Peak Season.

Also I don't think Ooty is worth the effort for just one night,it can be an awkaward place to get to if you have not travelled to that region before.

Taking into consideration your kids, I would seriously consider
Dhans reccomendation of the Cochin travel agent who has a very
good reputation of assisting travellers with children.
Dropping Kovalam & Varkalha will give you more time for Cochin,
Munnar, Periyar and the Allepey backwater region which also has
some splendid Backwater Resorts.

I strongly reccomend you have a car & driver to take you around
the following Itinery,Cochin - Munnar - Periyar - Allepey and
or Kumarakom Backwater area,Return to Cochin area, there's also a beach area there called Cherai Beach on Vypeen Island,a short ferry ride across the Harbour from Fort Cochin.

The driver will stay with you the whole way,except maybe if you spend a few days in Backwater region, he will go off and then return in a few days to transfer you back to Cochin(Kochi)

You can then take an O'Night sleeper train to Goa.

If you go to Forums Section and click on Kerala in the States of India(sub forum) you will see many threads relating to Travel
Suggestions in Kerala.There is also a section in Forums for India Travel Itinery Advice which is where your thread will appear at present.

On the way to Munnar from Cochin, stop off at Kodanand and watch
and also join in the fun of washing Elephants down by the river,
your kids and probably yourselves will enjoy this wonderfull
Experience, also in Munnar you can have a Elephant Ride if you want.If your kids are young(under 12-13) I suggest you sit with them on elephant ride just in case.

If Ooty and the Toy Train is a must, by dropping Kovalam and Varkalha will allow you to do Ooty.Driver could go Cochin - Ooty-
Munnar and so on, you may need to spend a couple of nights in
Ooty though.Also I highly reccomend Country Boat cruise in Backwater area as well as the Houseboat trip.As you originate
from a cold climate such as Norway, An Air Conditioned Houseboat
is reccomended as it will also help with keeping Mosquitos at bay, you will still need a good Insect repellent as well.

Your suggested Itinery has a lot of zig zagging and doubling back in some instances.

All the best

vandy

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dhans

I agree with Vandy and would delete varkala or kovalam from the itenerary.

Straight from Bombay to Cochin, do the backwater thingy, choose Munnar or Ooty (i would do Munnar) move on to Mysore, via Belur Halebid and Hampi to Goa for the beach holiday.

I would ask both Faith and Jenny for a quote, but do stay at Le Royale (OK Mods???).

Hans

With a car you could do this quite easily.

Indian2105

Hi Have traveled to these all places you have mentioned. Insted of Bandipur, Kabini (Nagarhole National Park / Rajiv Gandhi National Park) will be better option. (this is my personal view). Kabini is very close to Bandipur.

rebeccam

Stine, I can "feel" your excitement and questioning about the best trip to South India, as I too have been planning one--for months! (-:

Per the recommendatins of Hans and Quell (another IMer) I contacted Faith at Indian Panorama to plan my trip, and finally have a realistic and reasonably priced intienrary for me and my daughter (who at 21, is older than your kids!)
I am certain that Faith, having a 6 year old son, will be wise and intuitve about what would be good for your kids. She was like a breath of fresh air after the frustrations and outrageous prices encountered with the previous Southern India "travel specialist" I was speaking and writing wtih.

I don't think you mentioned the ages of your children?

If you take the Toy Train to Mettupalayam, there's Black Thunder Resort (Faith told me about it)--a water park and hotel. Though your kids might have done something similar at a fun park at home, it seems like it'd be a special with local families.

Good luck, and have a great time planning--although it is a relief when you finally have a set itinerary!

rebeccam

We will be in some of those places between December 11 and 26--perhaps we will meet! Let me know when you have a final itinerary--oir we'll just look for a Norwegian family!

Indian2105

This routing is not good at all. there are lots of back-tracking. My suggestion is like this -

09-12 Kovalam
13 & 14 Alleppy / Backwaters
15 & 16 Thekkady
17 & 18 Munnar
19 Mysore
20 & 21 Night Bandipur / Kabini
22 overnight train / Luxury buses to Goa.
23 onwards Goa.

Kovalam(Trivandrum) is extreme south and while trveling to Goa you will be traveling towards north, with this itinerary. So there in no back tracking.

stine

I just love this forum so many great replies.

I have now sent a mail to Faith hoping for answer soon very excited. I really want to go to Ooty because i am a train fetish (not totally but i work in the norwegian airport express train and have therefore some interest so see this train.

I don,t think you will have problems seeing us if we meet rebbecam. I have to girls 4 and 8 years old blonde and with iceblue eyes.

I also agree with Kovalam that this will be similar to Goa. Excited about our goa stay have booked with Shekhar beach hut at agonda.

If we book a driver via faith will he be expecting to eat with us every meal or how does this work? I asked for Gandhi hope he is available.

Has someone here taken the Rajdhani express from Delhi to Trivandrum via Mumbai? They have pretty stiff prices compared to other trains but you get your own compartment and it,s included meals.

stine

Hm, Anyone who knows how long time it usually takes for Faith to answer her mail??

vandy

Hi there,

The driver is responsible for his own meals & accomodation which is built into the price.

However IF you are happy with his services it may
not be a Bad idea to invite him from time to time
to join you for a Meal especially for the Lunchtime meal if Eating from Roadside restaraunts.
The driver should be able to assist you with food
Queries & suitable eating establishments.

vandy

rebeccam

Hi Stine,

Faith answered initial email almost immediately (within 1 - 2days ) and continued to respond very quickly with all questions, until the itinerary was finalized. She's great that way. The few times she was not able to answer immediately, she wrote to say she was on a vacation and rarely near a computer.

What email address are you trying?
This is what I use:

faith@indianpanorama.in

I too had (and still do) questions abouy role of the driver, so different from anything here in the USA unless one is wealthy!

Check this site:

http://www.indianpanorama.in/faq.html
On the left column under "modes of transportation" a bit about the driver is explained.

Good luck, and write here again when you hear from Faith! Try emailing once more to the above email--perhaps there were some connectivity problems the first time.

OK, my daughter and I will look for your two girls with blonde hair and blue eyes, and someone who could be their mother!
We are taking the "Toy train" from Coonoor to Ooty. Four hours seemed a bit long, especilly as i heard that the train lacks a toilet! (??? anyone know for sure?)

'til next time, best wishes.

stine

info@tourism-southindia.com this is the email i used
Have sent another to the one you gave me rebbecam

agatap

We went with the toytrain from MET to Ooty - the ride goest from around 7 am to 12 am. No toilet on the train, but plenty of stops around for chai and adding water to the engine.
The ride is one of the most fantastic you will experience - ever!
You climb steadily uphills, the mountains around grow just bigger and bigger, you move trough lush plantations ... and the kids thought it was so cool with this steam engine.
When you are in the Ooty area, I can highly recommend a stay in Jungle Retreat, its 30 km downhill, in the Mudumalai Wildlife sanctuary. Its just at the border of 3 states (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala - each state has a wildlife sanctuary along the border). The kids enjoyed staying in a treehut, hight above the ground. Its clean, has a super swimmingpool, a very good family place

Happy travel
Agata