Kerala trip in Oct - Need advice

Hi,

I need your advice on my first trip to Kerala this October along with my wife & a 20 months old daughter.
Reaching Ernakulam on 15Oct noon & leaving on 19Oct @4pm
At priority, I want to cover Alleppey, Munnar & Kumarakom backwaters. Please suggest an itinerary covering above places & any other place which can be accommodated & worth watching keeping in mind my tight schedule.
It would be better if someone can suggest budget hotels/houseboats.

Have you read this?

you can consider Cochin arrival- Munnar ( 2 nights) - Thekkady ( 1 night ) - Alleppey houseboat ( 1 night ) - Cochin departure

or

Cochin arrival- Munnar ( 2 nights) - Kumarakom lake side stay ( 1 night ) - Alleppey houseboat ( 1 night ) - Cochin departure

driving distance by CAB:-
Cochin to Munnar - 4 hours
Munnar to Thekkady - 3 & 1/2 hours
( Thekkady to Kumarakom - 3 & 1/2 Hours)
Thekkady to Alleppey - 4 hours
Alleppey to Cochin - 2 Hours

Thanks for your replies..
My one friend is suggesting me like this(Pls tell me if it's OK):
15-Ernakulam arrival & leave for Alleppey(stay in Houseboat)
16- leave for Kumily(via Kottayam) in boat jetty & he mentions about some waterfalls & reserves(should we include this)
17- Leave for Munnar
18- Munnar, for afternoon he mentioned some other waterfall(it sounds like Atimpally) that can be covered
19- Leave for Ernakulam.. Local sightseeing. Board train at 4pm

I need some info on budget hotels/houseboats at these places & taxi rents for commuting.

I suggested Cochin- Munnar- Thekkady- Alleppey - Cochin ,as you mentioned that you are arriving Cochin by noon and you would actually reach Alleppey by 2-ish which means , you loose the cruise time in houseboat . the check-in time is 12 noon and if arriving by train , you also have to think of delays that is unforeseen , hence i suggested you head to Munnar

rains have been very less this year and very less up in the mountains, the waterfalls are now just like streams . dont know if the rains are less , you will actually see any waterfalls on the way , you have couple of them enroute to Munnar

but i am not quite sure about the one that your friend have mentioned on the route from Kumarakom to Thekkady?

if you are talking about Athirappally , then it is 2 hours north of Cochin and not on the way , it is a detour

check this post here about Athirappally water falls
Athirappally Waterfalls

check the website of Kerala state tourism department where you have the list of hotels at destinations with an approximate budget mentioned
http://www.keralatourism.org/where-t...otel-index.php

Thanks NeenuRaj.. that was a nice point to cover Munnar first rather Alleppey.. How much a taxi charge from Ernakulam to Munnar?

it is approx 135 kms from Cochin airport to Munnar and 150 kms approx from the city centre

so for a drop to the hotel in Munnar , taxi charge you for round trip. a Tata Indica A/C would cost you approx INR 2400 from Airport to Munnar hotel and a couple of hundred more from city centre to Munnar hotel

i would rather suggest you to keep a CAB for your holiday from Cochin and back to Cochin , as you would require CAB for sightseeing in Munnar , then for your trip to Thekkady and then to Alleppey

the cost for a Tata Indica A/C would be approx INR 1450 per day for 150 kms