The 25 areas we cover in and around Kochi

Colonial-era streets, Chinese fishing nets and the densest heritage homestay cluster in Kochi — walkable, quiet after 10pm.

Working spice bazaar next door to Fort Kochi — cheaper rooms, louder mornings, and the best street food in old Kochi.

One 300-metre lane of antique dealers ending at the Paradesi Synagogue — charming, touristy, and tiny.

Man-made port island with a handful of large hotels, big lawns, harbour views and almost nothing to walk to.

The mainland city proper — trains, metro, hospitals, MG Road shopping and the widest hotel price range in Kochi.

Kochi's pedestrian waterfront: sunset promenade, backwater views, mall, ferry jetties and the best mid-range city hotels.

Quiet middle-class Kochi between the centre and Vyttila — good-value serviced flats, metro on the doorstep, no tourists.

Planned grid of avenues south of Ernakulam: quiet nights, serious eating, two metro stops from MG Road. Kochi at its most liveable.

Bus stand, football stadium and cheap beds on Banerji Road: the loud, useful middle of Ernakulam, two metro stops from MG Road.

Where two national highways meet: Lulu Mall, a 1,400-year-old church, big hospitals and hotel rooms cheaper than the centre.

Blunt, well-connected crossroads on the bypass with a rebuilt flyover, metro overhead and the cheapest mid-range rooms in the city.

Kerala's busiest transport interchange: buses, metro and water metro in one place, with mid-priced rooms and no reason to linger.

Kochi's IT belt: Infopark, SmartCity and the district offices, with corporate hotels, weekday-only energy and a water metro to Vyttila.

The old Cochin royal seat, now a municipal town at the end of Metro Line 1: Hill Palace, temple festivals and genuinely low prices.

The long fishing island across the channel from Fort Kochi — ten-minute ferry, cheap beds, working harbours and almost no tourists.

Kochi's swimmable beach, 25 km north on Vypin island — sea on one side, backwater on the other, resorts in between.

A working island village of crab farms and Chinese nets, 15 km south of Ernakulam — quiet, green and genuinely rural.

The transport hinge of Kochi — metro terminus, main railway stop, ten minutes from the airport, and a river with sand banks.

Cochin airport's village — hotels for red-eye flights, the Munnar road east, and Kalady and Malayattoor on the doorstep.

The inland market town where three rivers meet, 40 km east of Kochi — the cheapest beds anywhere near the city, on the road to Munnar.

Alleppey, 53 km south of Kochi — houseboats, canals, a pier at sunset and the biggest choice of rooms outside the city.

Tea country at 1,600 m, four hours from Kochi: cold nights, tahr at Eravikulam, and a town that is pure traffic.

Salim Ali's favourite forest, 60 km from Kochi: 270-plus bird species, guided dawn walks and homestays with nothing else to do.

Kerala's biggest waterfall, 70 km north of Kochi: a 24 m curtain on the Chalakudy river, hornbill forest and hard 5pm gates.

A quiet Periyar-side village 40 km from Kochi, known for its elephant centre, the Malayattoor pilgrim hill and river crossings.