Travel with children · India

Hello everyone! What a pleasure to be back on this forum after all these years… Goodness, we’re clearly far from the days of backpacking solo and carefree! Today, I’m well and truly "tied down," with two adorable little anchors—ages 3 and 5½—keeping me on my toes 😊 But here we are, finally mustering the courage to dive back into adventure, backpacks and all… this time as a family! We know traveling with young kids won’t be a walk in the park, but we’re ready to adapt. And for that, I’ll need your brilliant advice! Here’s our plan: We’ve got our tickets for Kochi, from December 28 to January 5, 2026. From my research, I’ve seen that this period is super lively in Kochi, with lots of festivities. I’ve also read that despite the crowds, it’s generally pretty "kids-friendly." Can any of you confirm this? I figure it’d be a shame to miss all the fun, especially if there are parades (with or without elephants… even if I’m not a fan of the concept, I know my kids would be amazed…). As for the itinerary, I’m still a bit unsure. Since New Year’s Eve falls right in the middle of our trip, it complicates the idea of doing a loop around Kerala. Here’s what I’m considering so far:

December 28: Arrival in Kochi, then we’d head straight to Marari Beach (or a similar beach) to settle in and let the kids get their bearings.

December 30: Houseboat cruise in Alleppey

December 31: Back to Kochi, to enjoy the New Year’s festivities

We’d stay in Kochi until January 1 or 2, then head to Munroe Island for a few more relaxing days before heading home

January 5: Flight back to France

My big question: Is spending New Year’s Eve in Kochi with kids a good idea? Or should we arrive, then leave the city quickly to avoid the crowds? Thanks in advance for your feedback, experiences, and tips. I’m all ears for any suggestions to make this first (real) family trip as smooth as possible 😊

Hi everyone! I’m slowly planning a 2-month trip to South India with my partner and our two kids (ages 5 and 9) this coming November, and I’ve been reading posts on this forum to get an idea of the budget. It’s tough to pin down because there are so many ways to travel, and every traveler has their own budget, but I’d love a clearer picture. We’re thinking of staying in guest houses or small, simple but clean hotels. We plan to get around by train or bus and hope to travel on a budget.

Do I need to multiply the prices I see by 4, or are there child rates? Is it common to find rooms with 4 beds?

A shout-out to traveling parents who’ve been to India—what budget should we plan for?

Another question: I keep reading that many travelers book their accommodation in advance online. Is that really necessary? Considering we’ll have kids, it might not be much fun to wander from hotel to hotel looking for an available room...

Same question for trains—is it possible to buy tickets last-minute, or just a few days in advance?

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions!