[ravib]

Friends,

I need to attend a family function in Tenkasi mid June'2012. I'll be traveling with my wife and 8 month old daughter from Bangalore.

I also plan to cover Courtallam (who will miss it when it is just 5 kms from Tenkasi), Tirunelveli & Tiruchendur, depending on kid.
I have 5 days available for the entire trip.


These are the options i am thinking of to reach Tenkasi from Bangalore.

1) Take flight from Bangalore to Trivandrum and then hire a cab to Tenkasi.
2) Door to Door drive in my i20 (Petrol) - BLR- Tenkasi-Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur-BLR
3) No direct trains available to Tenkasi, so may need to hop from Madurai or Tuticorin, but ticket availability is a problem. (Not a preferred option, due to number of traveling hours, hops with kid and luggages & weather)

These are my questions, where i need you guys to help.

1) If I take option#1 to go by air, how long it will take to reach from Trivandrum to Tenkasi by road? Are the road conditions good? Are there any ghat roads?
2) Cost wise option #1 is quite expensive (more than double compared to petrol cost), and Time wise i guess I save may be about 3 to 4 hours (in total) compared to driving from Bangalore to Tenkasi directly. (This is considering travel time to BLR airport, airport checkin procedures, flight time, travel time from Trivandrum to Tenkasi etc - my guess is all this will be take atleast 7 hours in total) Would it still make sense to go by air?
3) If I take option#2 to drive down directly from BLR, atleast 10 hours of driving is needed which may be difficult for kid. But considering SW monsoon rains in June, is this still a better option?
4) How is the road condition from Madurai to Tenkasi via Srivilliputtur, Rajapalayam? Is it a 2L or 4L road?
5) How about taking NH7 Bangalore-Tirunelveli, take a break and drive to Tenkasi on function day? Keeping Tirunelveli as mid point may help in covering Tiruchendur as well.

Any other options to travel and any other places that i can cover which are not too far (may be less than 50 kms or covered in 3 to 4 hrs time)?

Appreciate your inputs to decide my plans.

Thanks
-Ravi

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ravib

3) If I take option#2 to drive down directly from BLR, atleast 10 hours of driving is needed which may be difficult for kid. But considering SW monsoon rains in June, is this still a better option?
4) How is the road condition from Madurai to Tenkasi via Srivilliputtur, Rajapalayam? Is it a 2L or 4L road?
5) How about taking NH7 Bangalore-Tirunelveli, take a break and drive to Tenkasi on function day? Keeping Tirunelveli as mid point may help in covering Tiruchendur as well.

Ravi,

- Even if you take the Tuitcorin train, you still need cab services to cover the remaining part.
- Instead you might as well drive!
- If you take distance by distance, you cover about 425 till Madurai and another 120/130 till Tenkasi.
- Madurai-Tenkasi is not a 4l. But a decent 2L with normal traffic (no too heavy and not absolute zero).
- Driving door to door with kid is much easier as you can carry what all you need and can stop where all you want.
- I think kid will have no issues on the 4L. Do get a good car seat. Its only the last part where the car would in constant acceleration/braking.
- What I can suggest is plan to drive till Salem in the first part and take first break at Salem GRT intead of A2B.
- You would have covered more distance and it is a much better place to attend to the kid. And you can cover this early morning while the kid is asleep.
- The place opens at 7.
- Tirunelveli is a good idea but I dont about the 50km odd road status to Tenkashi. Neither I know of any good hotels.

[pskrishnan]

Pl see my response against specif queries raised by you


Krishnan P S

QUOTE=ravib;2782406]Friends,

I need to attend a family function in Tenkasi mid June'2012. I'll be traveling with my wife and 8 month old daughter from Bangalore.

I also plan to cover Courtallam (who will miss it when it is just 5 kms from Tenkasi), Tirunelveli & Tiruchendur, depending on kid.
I have 5 days available for the entire trip.


These are the options i am thinking of to reach Tenkasi from Bangalore.

1) Take flight from Bangalore to Trivandrum and then hire a cab to Tenkasi.
2) Door to Door drive in my i20 (Petrol) - BLR- Tenkasi-Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur-BLR
3) No direct trains available to Tenkasi, so may need to hop from Madurai or Tuticorin, but ticket availability is a problem. (Not a preferred option, due to number of traveling hours, hops with kid and luggages & weather)

These are my questions, where i need you guys to help.

1) If I take option#1 to go by air, how long it will take to reach from Trivandrum to Tenkasi by road? Are the road conditions good? Are there any ghat roads? - Trivandrum - tenkasi is around 100 Kms and will take around 3 to 3.5 hours, yes these are ghat roads
2) Cost wise option #1 is quite expensive (more than double compared to petrol cost), and Time wise i guess I save may be about 3 to 4 hours (in total) compared to driving from Bangalore to Tenkasi directly. (This is considering travel time to BLR airport, airport checkin procedures, flight time, travel time from Trivandrum to Tenkasi etc - my guess is all this will be take atleast 7 hours in total) Would it still make sense to go by air? - no, BLR - tenkasi can be covered in 8-10 hrs, thru BLR \ Hosur \ Salem \ karur \ dindigul \ Madurai bypass \ srivilliputhur \ rajapalayam \ tenkasi
3) If I take option#2 to drive down directly from BLR, atleast 10 hours of driving is needed which may be difficult for kid. But considering SW monsoon rains in June, is this still a better option? - yes a good option, roads are good,
4) How is the road condition from Madurai to Tenkasi via Srivilliputtur, Rajapalayam? Is it a 2L or 4L road? - Madurai - tenkasi is a 2 lane, both sides included, it is 150 Kim's, and will take you 3 hours
5) How about taking NH7 Bangalore-Tirunelveli, take a break and drive to Tenkasi on function day? Keeping Tirunelveli as mid point may help in covering Tiruchendur as well. - distance will be almost same excepting that u can keep tirunelveli as a base

Any other options to travel and any other places that i can cover which are not too far (may be less than 50 kms or covered in 3 to 4 hrs time)? - u can cover a few waterfalls enroute from tenkasi to tirunelveli, esp, papanasam - agastiyar falls; manimutharu falls; kalakadu mundanthurai tiger reserve; manjolai hill station.

Appreciate your inputs to decide my plans. - pl chk my image gallery on the above locations at

Tenkasi Landscape - a set on Flickr

Manjolai - a set on Flickr

There are good hotels in kuttralam - saaral resorts, kuttralam heritage




Thanks
-Ravi[/quote]

[narayans80]

If you have the interest to drive and your missus is ok with, drive is the best way. Tirumangalam-Tenkasi will be heavily trafficked with bikes and misc traffic, I would'nt advise to do in peak evening timings. I just did Tenkasi-Srivilliputtur 2 days back. Try to do that stretch in day or off peak hours at night.

5 days is lot of time and you can do a relaxed drive for the places you are trying to cover

[ravib]

Thanks Narayanan, Krishnan & Ampere.

How is the road condition from Tenkasi-Srivilliputtur-Madurai?

I will be starting from bangalore around 6 am or so, so guess i will be passing through Madurai-Tenkasi stretch between 2 pm to 6 pm, provided there is not much stops due to kid. Hope this time will not have much bike/misc traffic.

BTW, i am planning to cover Srivilliputtur temple as well.

-Ravi

[gopikb]

ravib, The road condition between Madurai and Tenkasi is good. It is just 2-lane, but smooth to drive. There could be some rough patches as you near tenkasi. But that is manageable.

When I drove this route last year, I started at 5AM in the morning. It is good to beat traffic inside Bangalore and also reach Salem by 7.00 - 7.30ish if you dont stop anywhere. Again it depends on how well your wife and kid cooperate. I like that time because wife and kids doze off once I start driving at 5AM and I can cover upto Salem without any disturbance. Hotel GRT Grand Estancia was suggested by Ampere before for Salem stop over. It is a very good place if you want to have a sumptuous buffet breakfast and toilet stopover

You will reach Srivilliputtur at 12.00 Noon atleast. But I think the temple closes during lunch. you will have to check on that

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ravib

How is the road condition from Tenkasi-Srivilliputtur-Madurai?

Road condition is not a problem, its smooth all through. If you could do the stretch when its hot and sunny the better = lesser number of jaywalkers and bikers on road.
~~~~
Srivilliputtur closes at noon as gopi says.
~~~~
I didn't notice your pt 5, its a better idea to have Tirunelveli as the mid point and shuttle to Tiruchendur and Tenkasi. You'll have more 4-lanes and less 2-lanes to deal with. Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli is very good too.

I visited Navatirupathi+Tiruchendur earlier this year, having Tiruchendur as base and even did Nellayappar temple+Iruttukadai on Day 1 afternoon. This was done in a 2.5 day trip with a 60+ mom and 2 year old.

With 5 days in hand you should be very well comfortable.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

I didn't notice your pt 5, its a better idea to have Tirunelveli as the mid point and shuttle to Tiruchendur and Tenkasi. You'll have more 4-lanes and less 2-lanes to deal with. Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli is very good too.

How is the Tirchendur-Tenkashi road? Is it good?
I have not been in that section.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ampere

How is the Tirchendur-Tenkashi road? Is it good?
I have not been in that section.

There is no direct road, you have to go via Tirunelveli. I haven't heard complaints about Tirunelveli-Tenkasi road, haven't personally gone in years and have no memories of it either.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

There is no direct road, you have to go via Tirunelveli. I haven't heard complaints about Tirunelveli-Tenkasi road, haven't personally gone in years and have no memories of it either.

Sorry for the typo. I meant Tirunelveli-Tenkashi.

[gopikb]

The Tirunelveli - Tenkasi road is also pretty ok. A bit of bad patches near Alangulam. Nothing much to worry about. Otherwise it is pretty peaceful drive. It can be done easily in one hour.

[ravib]

Any good restaurants in NH7 around/after madurai/Tirumangalam for lunch?
I don't intend to go inside madurai city only for lunch.

Thanks
-Ravi

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ravib

Any good restaurants in NH7 around/after madurai/Tirumangalam for lunch?

There is a Hotel Fantasy, before Madurai (not sure of location). There are none post Madurai until capsi which is 20 km before Tirunelveli.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ravib

I also plan to cover Courtallam (who will miss it when it is just 5 kms from Tenkasi), Tirunelveli & Tiruchendur, depending on kid.

There will be water there only if it rains well in Kerala side. And if there is lots of water in the falls, there will be huge crowds there as well!!

2) Door to Door drive in my i20 (Petrol) - BLR- Tenkasi-Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur-BLR

The best option - Always!

1) If I take option#1 to go by air, how long it will take to reach from Trivandrum to Tenkasi by road? Are the road conditions good? Are there any ghat roads?

100 kms, narrow winding roads, not too much of ghat except between Tenmala & Schencottah. Not a viable option because you will have to hire a KL-registered taxi in TVM which may also have to pay permit charges to enter TN.

3) If I take option#2 to drive down directly from BLR, atleast 10 hours of driving is needed which may be difficult for kid. But considering SW monsoon rains in June, is this still a better option?

Rains not a serious problem on this route. All the rains you will see you will leave behind in Bangalore.

4) How is the road condition from Madurai to Tenkasi via Srivilliputtur, Rajapalayam? Is it a 2L or 4L road?

4-laned till Tirumangalam - where you turn off NH7 - and 2-laned after that.

5) How about taking NH7 Bangalore-Tirunelveli, take a break and drive to Tenkasi on function day? Keeping Tirunelveli as mid point may help in covering Tiruchendur as well.

Not a bad idea, but recommended only for those who simply want to drive on NH7 that much more. Tiruchendur is not a bad idea. You can reach Tirunelveli on Day 1, visit Tiruchendur the next day and then return to T'Veli. If it has been raining hard in KL side, maybe you can plan a trip to Ambasamudram for Banatheertham.

Any other options to travel and any other places that i can cover which are not too far (may be less than 50 kms or covered in 3 to 4 hrs time)?

Lots of temples in the area. From Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari is 1.5 hours away.

Originally Posted by ravib

How is the road condition from Tenkasi-Srivilliputtur-Madurai?

Take care where you turn off into the Tenkasi road. As you go on NH7 beyond Madurai, you will see the first entry into Tirumangalam town. Continue on NH7 till you come to the next entry point into Tirumangalam - do not take the flyover here, go into the service road and get into the Tenkasi-Kollam highway

Road is curvy, has lots of traffic. None of the village or towns , especially Srivilliputhur or Rajapalayam - have bypasses, highway goes through town.

Originally Posted by ravib

Any good restaurants in NH7 around/after madurai/Tirumangalam for lunch?
I don't intend to go inside madurai city only for lunch.

None. Unfortunately. But there is a restaurant after crossing Karur town and a BPCL Ghar restaurant between Dindigul & Madurai.

Originally Posted by narayans80

There is a Hotel Fantasy, before Madurai (not sure of location). There are none post Madurai until capsi which is 20 km before Tirunelveli.

Hotel Fantasy is 30 kms after crossing Dindigul bypass (when you are coming from B'lore), next to the TAFE plant. Nearby is also the BPCL Ghar dhaba which I mentioned earlier.

[ravib]

Thanks a ton hvk sir. Indeed you have answered almost every single query.
Really appreciate that !

Totally agree on crowd part in kutraalam. I was there at 2005 June in kutraalam, and i remember standing in queue controlled by police to get inside the falls bath area

Never heard of Banatheertham falls. I was thinking Manimuthaar & Papanasam agastiyar falls are the must see falls around Tenkasi. Thanks much for mentioning it here so that i came to know about it. Quick google search gave this result

Banatheertham Falls – Karaiyar Dam | Where Was It Shot

Since i may most likely stop for breakfast & fuel at A2B Thoppur, i think the next stop over for lunch could be one of the places you suggested - BPCL Ghar/Hotel fantasy else, need to stop only at Rajapalayam Anandas.

My current plan is to drive directly to Tenkasi. Finish the function next day, drive to Rajapalyam and stay overnight. Next day visit srivilliputtur and then drive down to Tirunelveli to continue on Thiruchendur side.

Heard that Sankaran kovil is a good temple to see on the way back from Srivilliputtur to Tirunelveli. But again, don't know if it is better to take the gmaps route or drive till sattur via sivakasi to join NH7 to proceed towards tirunelveli.

Request to suggest few good hotels for stay in Rajapalayam and Tirunelveli.
I stayed at Janakikram hotel in tirunelveli,but not sure how good it is now.

-Ravi