[CliffHanger]

Originally Posted by Nutty Nair

Friends, I would like to know whether any of you have details of any hotels/homestays in Kodai. Basically we are a gang of 6 friends, we are looking for basic accomodation. One of my friends had assured me to find the accomodation, but so far he has not been able to find any, so I am turning to you guys for help.

Check out Hotel Woody's. The last time when I stayed there I found it to be complete VFM. The staff were courteous, food was decent, rooms were clean and spacios and affordably priced.

OT: We have this habit of driving in the hills in night when the whole town goes to sleep. I would suggest you to try it out. Kodaikanal has a ring road connecting the tourist spots. Driving on it at night with pure air and no traffic is just divine. Don't miss it out.

[vinodv001]

Nutty, I hope you have already finalized the route. Still let me add my experience.
You can't drive fast in the Thenmala route, too many curves, road.

last month we traveled from TVM to Bangalore via Nagarcoil and returned via Thenmala. And decide not to try thenmala route again.

[NGM]

Guys am planning for a trip to Kodai from Trivandrum tomorow.Planning to start at 5AM.So any suggestions for the route.I heard that high traffic till nagercoil and then very smooth through NH7.
Any idea about the road condition if am driving through Thenmala.If it is good road(even if curves) i would like to try that.Is Courtallam worth a visit on the way to Kodai?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NGM

Any idea about the road condition if am driving through Thenmala.If it is good road(even if curves) i would like to try that.Is Courtallam worth a visit on the way to Kodai?

If you want to reach Kodai fast and have a smooth peaceful drive Nagarkoil/NH7 is the way to go. Thenmala is nice from scenery point of view. But you may get stuck due to traffic and road conditions. With rains it definitely, the conditions would have detoriated (though I cant exactly mention the status). But more than conditions, traffic is much higher. From that point of NH7 is highly recommended.

[NGM]

Ampere,I will take the NH7 route to kodai and on return most probably i will try the Thenmala route to enjoy nature.
Initial plan was to start from tvm early morning around 4 AM so that i can reach Courtallam before it gets crowded.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NGM

Ampere,I will take the NH7 route to kodai and on return most probably i will try the Thenmala route to enjoy nature.
Initial plan was to start from tvm early morning around 4 AM so that i can reach Courtallam before it gets crowded.

@NGM,
Its a good idea to return via Thenmala as then you wont be in a stress to hit the ghats.
An early start would enable you to reach Courtallam in about 5-6 hurs. 80km of ghats and another 150-170 km of SH and NH.

On looking at Google maps, I notice a road from Batalaguntu to Kallupatti on NH208.
What is the status of this road? Is this a standard route for folks heading to TVM (apart from GQ) from Kodai?

[NGM]

Just back after a 3 day kodai trip from Trivandrum. Took the thenmala,shenkottai,Rajapalayam,Srivilliputhur,Usu lampetti,Batalguntu,Kodai route.Enjoyed driving through thenmala and rural TN.It took approx 7 hours to reach kodai(344 Kms).Roads are in pretty good condition in TN .On return took the NH7 through Nagercoil with almost same time but 420 kms.Will give a detailed update later.

[glidealong]

Originally Posted by NGM

Just back after a 3 day kodai trip from Trivandrum. Took the thenmala,shenkottai,Rajapalayam,Srivilliputhur,Usu lampetti,Batalguntu,Kodai route.Enjoyed driving through thenmala and rural TN.It took approx 7 hours to reach kodai(344 Kms).Roads are in pretty good condition in TN .On return took the NH7 through Nagercoil with almost same time but 420 kms.Will give a detailed update later.

We(currently 2, might expand upto 4) are planning to do TVM-KODAI on 10th morning as early as 3-4 and be back in TVM by 12th night to catch some sleep before the long day at office the next.
I am a lil confused on which routes to take. I have did the Nagercoil- Madurai stretch and it was an easy journey and I had support to take turns in case i felt sleepy. This time i might be the sole driver if we are just 2. Anyways, I thought i will take the Nagercoil-Madurai route enroute Kodai to capture some good landscapes beyond Nagercoil at sunrise and take the Thenmala route on the way back. The only concern is the road conditions via Thenmala, as we might be starting at around 12 in the afternooon from Kodai and I would like to know what to expect.

Any inputs would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by glidealong

Anyways, I thought i will take the Nagercoil-Madurai route enroute Kodai to capture some good landscapes beyond Nagercoil at sunrise and take the Thenmala route on the way back. The only concern is the road conditions via Thenmala, as we might be starting at around 12 in the afternooon from Kodai and I would like to know what to expect.

Its still better to go via Madurai on the way back as well. Thenmala may have
opened up due to rains. So need to check even if you want to enjoy the road, you may not be able to; owing to rains.
Hence need to check weather conditions before you take that route.

[glidealong]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its still better to go via Madurai on the way back as well.

Thanks ampere.
Can you please confirm if the route attached is the best guaranteed one?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by glidealong

Can you please confirm if the route attached is the best guaranteed one?

The Google map is slightly misleading, the all highway fast route is Trivandrum-Nagercoil-Tirunelveli-Kovilpatti-Sattur-Virudhunagar-Tirumangalam bypass-Madurai bypass-Samayanallur-Kodai Road-Vathalagundu-Kodaikanal.

Thenmala route would be: Kodaikanal-Vathalangundu-Kodai Road-Samayanallur-Madurai bypass-Tirumangalam bypass-(exit towards Tenkasi 2 km after Tirumangalam)-Srivilliputtur-Rajapalayam-Tenkasi-Sengottai-Thenmala-Trivandrum.

Other than Tirunelveli-Tenkasi other roads towards that direction may not be in the best of conditions.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by glidealong

Thanks ampere.
Can you please confirm if the route attached is the best guaranteed one?

Narayan, has already answered you doubt. You need to drive on NH7 till Kodai road and then turn to Batlagundu.

Originally Posted by narayans80

Thenmala route would be: Kodaikanal-Vathalangundu-Kodai Road-Samayanallur-Madurai bypass-Tirumangalam bypass-(exit towards Tenkasi 2 km after Tirumangalam)-Srivilliputtur-Rajapalayam-Tenkasi-Sengottai-Thenmala-Trivandrum.

Other than Tirunelveli-Tenkasi other roads towards that direction may not be in the best of conditions.

This is one doubt which I also had. Why not the route through Usilampatti which connects 208 just before Sriviliputtur?
Saves one from going through Madurai.
In fact I was looking for a NH45 to NH208 link cutting through NH49, when @nutty asked this question.

Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu to Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu - Google Maps

[NGM]

I travelled 3 weeks back through thenmala route to Kodai.I would say the road after thenmala all the way you reach kodai is in reasonable condition.Road is not in that good condition till you reach thenmala patchy in different stretches.If you prefer an easy drive then i would say go for NH7 itself.As i started from Kazhakootam the thenmala route was shorter by around 60 kms.

@ampere,You are rite.No need to go all the way till madurai.I took the deviation as shown in your map towards usilampatti via Peraiyur from NH208 before reaching T Kallupatti.That was a guess work after checking the GPS which was buggy at times,but finally it saved few kms.I would say if you are used to driving through roads in kerala then the Peraiyur,Usilampatti,Vathalgundu stretch is in pretty good condition now.There is less or no traffic in this road and you have the entire road for you .So i enjoyed the drive through TN village roads.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ampere

This is one doubt which I also had. Why not the route through Usilampatti which connects 208 just before Sriviliputtur?
Saves one from going through Madurai.
In fact I was looking for a NH45 to NH208 link cutting through NH49, when @nutty asked this question.

My colleague said that the Peraiyur road connecting Usilampatti-Srivi is decent. Never tried personally though. Many vehicles take the Usilampatti-Tirumangalam road, not sure if it intersects with the Tirumangalam bypass or not.

My experiences decade or so back, on roads connecting NH208 and NH7 haven't been pleasant. Mostly potholed roads and ridden with lorries. Though have heard the road conditions have improved since then.

From NH45 side its tricky, I've been on Andipatti-Vaigai Dam road which is really good, it looked decent towards Periyakulam but havent been that side.

I remember HVK mentioning he'd driven one such stretch and found it to be very narrow.

Anyways the NH7 Madurai bypass isnt trafficky, have travelled 2-3 times and have always maintained 100. The NH7-NH45B bypass is the one thats crappy.

[glidealong]

Originally Posted by narayans80

The Google map is slightly misleading, the all highway fast route is Trivandrum-Nagercoil-Tirunelveli-Kovilpatti-Sattur-Virudhunagar-Tirumangalam bypass-Madurai bypass-Samayanallur-Kodai Road-Vathalagundu-Kodaikanal.

Thenmala route would be: Kodaikanal-Vathalangundu-Kodai Road-Samayanallur-Madurai bypass-Tirumangalam bypass-(exit towards Tenkasi 2 km after Tirumangalam)-Srivilliputtur-Rajapalayam-Tenkasi-Sengottai-Thenmala-Trivandrum.

Other than Tirunelveli-Tenkasi other roads towards that direction may not be in the best of conditions.

Originally Posted by NGM

I travelled 3 weeks back through thenmala route to Kodai.I would say the road after thenmala all the way you reach kodai is in reasonable condition.Road is not in that good condition till you reach thenmala patchy in different stretches.If you prefer an easy drive then i would say go for NH7 itself.As i started from Kazhakootam the thenmala route was shorter by around 60 kms.

@ampere,You are rite.No need to go all the way till madurai.I took the deviation as shown in your map towards usilampatti via Peraiyur from NH208 before reaching T Kallupatti.That was a guess work after checking the GPS which was buggy at times,but finally it saved few kms.I would say if you are used to driving through roads in kerala then the Peraiyur,Usilampatti,Vathalgundu stretch is in pretty good condition now.There is less or no traffic in this road and you have the entire road for you .So i enjoyed the drive through TN village roads.

Thanks for the info, guys, I am really confused now, google maps tell me the Thenkasi route is 70kms shorter than the Tirnunelveli route. As per NGM this route seems to be ok beyond Thenmala and seems there is not much difference in terms of time too. Twists and turns could be interesting when you are fresh, so I am thinking if I should take this towards Kodai and come back the NH7 route. Return journeys are always tiresome and straight roads might help to ease that out.

The other major concern is availability of restaurants with facility to attend to call of nature as we would be straight out of bed into the car and plan for a break by breakfast time at around 8.

If we start by 4AM

NH7- , I think we will be at Tirunelveli around 7.30 and can have a break at any of the good hotels for an hour, to get the system clean.

NH208 - Any idea where we would be around 8AM, and any chance we would get to a good hotel for the above mentioned break?