This summer I had been to Kanyakumari with my family via Ernakulam and Trivendrum.I found ernakulam a nice homely and cosy place. A cosmo city with metro facility and comfort of a district place. It is a vibrant place with good accomodation facilties for a economical budget tour. I stayed in Marina Regency which is on Hospital road one of the most busy and accesible road in cochin with 800 Rs a day for 3 persons the room was excellent I must say.The places worth visiting in Ernakulam is a shiva temple and marina beach., The 3 hour boat ride for Rs.100/-per person to cochin, matencherry, bolgatty is a quite refreshing and enjoybale journey especially jewish synagogue and dutch palace at matencherry is worth visiting.For a maharashtrian like me food was aproblem as I found kerala food too spicy but to our surpise there is a Bimby restuarant near ernakulam junction station which gives a north indian taste.In a way it is a nice stopover if you are going to deep south.Allpey and kottayam are alos near to coachin if you are planning for back water and Munnar if hill station is your choice.
The place being small there is no hassle like you face in capital city like trivendrum.
In short it is acool place.