Team-BHP - Getaways from Chennai?

Quote:

Originally Posted by neoranjit (Post 472187)

@Proxima ok.. I hear you.. :)

Another 3 day trip ( assuming you spend good time everywhere )

Chennai - Pondy - Cuddalore - Chidambaram - Nagore - Nagapatinam - Velankani - Point Calimere.

The roads are not that bad then.Not sure abt current status. The forest officer at Point Calimere was telling us that we can see the lights from Sri Lanka from the lighthouse at Point Calimere.
Apparently, Point Calimere was the place where Lord Ram wanted to attack Sri Lanka first but then Hanuman suggested Rameshwaram.

The roads are normally good. You can also cover Poompuhar on the way (off Chidambaram)

Kumar

1 dayer:
Madras-Tada-Pulicat lake-Tada-Madras
under 100 kms

3 dayer
Temple Trip
Madras-Pondy-Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Mayiladuthurai-Kumbakonam-Madras
Lots of temples in this region, including the famed Navagraha (9 temples) pilgrimmage, all temples being in and around Kumbakonam.

3 dayer
Madras-Horsley Hills
via Chitoor, Madanapalle
Under 200 kms

Kumar

Quote:

Originally Posted by neoranjit (Post 472187)

Chennai - Pondy - Cuddalore - Chidambaram - Nagore - Nagapatinam - Velankani - Point Calimere.

I have done this route uptil velankanni 312kms from choolaimedu, chennai. Decent roads till Chidambaram. A little bad and narrow till Nagore. Avoid night drives. Want to try Point Calimere next time. Any idea how much farer from Velankanni?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mail4ajo (Post 472556)

Want to try Point Calimere next time. Any idea how much farer from Velankanni?

51 kms to Kodikarai/Point Calimere from Velankanni (via Vedaranyam 38 kms). Vedaranyam has a lovely beach. Point Calimere is a bird sanctuary, road is closed after 530 pm. Not much of a beach. Did not see any place to stay, maybe you have something at Vedaranyam, but best is to stay at Velankanni itself where there are plenty of hotels.

Soon, there will be a lovely coastal highway - old road being overhauled - beyond Tirutirapundi (30 kms south from Velankanni)via Mimisal, Tondi to Ramanathapuram.

Kumar

Quote:

Originally Posted by akroy (Post 471961)

THat is the route via Masinagudi...and dont worry Alto easily climbs it.... I dont there is a weaker car than 800/Alto...

Abhi

The Alto is an excellent car..with a good power to wait ratio, a great and willing rev happy engine and gearbox.. Cars that are weaker than Alto / 800 are:

1. Ambasaddor Diesel [Trekker engine]
2. Tata Indica [earlier versions pre 2001]
3. Premier Padmini [Both petrol and diesel ones]
4. Any pre 80s vehicle..

Tata Sierra / Tata Estates / etc etc..

Some more One Dayers

* For those interested in forts... Gingee fort is a good one dayer. Around 100+ kms from Chennai.

* Maipadu Beach in Nellore. Amazing road leading all along to Nellore. This beach is very clean and is around 20 kms from Nellore.

* Kenneth Anderson Reserve Forest ( Near Dharmapuri / Krishnagiri ) - on the way to Hogenakal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by neoranjit (Post 473364)

Will be great if you can post the route for each of these and the distances as well. Thanks.

Gingee fort -- take the roads towards Tindivanam. Before Tindivanam, there is a right taht goes to Thiruvanamalai. Should be around 30kms from there.

Maipadu Beach - Take the Andhra highway ( GQ ) . Nellore is around 150kms from here. Ask for directiosn in Nellore. You would need to get inside the city. Its around 20 kms from there.

Kenneth Anderson RF - From Krishnagiri, follow the road that goes towards Hogenakal. You will pass thru this. Not really sure abt the distance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by saurabh711 (Post 473256)

@headers: cmon man... you can't compare alto to those cars...they are like so old!!

You got to see the current cars, and match with them.

Yeah Saurabh..i see where you come from..But the fun is in the old cars..Most of the new tech cars have so much electronics that all one can do is read a fault code..and relay to authorised service stations / mechanics..the charm of DIY is gone..

:)

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Madras-Tada-Pulicat lake-Tada-Madras under 100 kms

Tada is actually a great overnight getaway from Chennai - sort of like the fun that the Kerala bhp-ians had recently in the jungle, but on a much lower scale. Only problem is that there is no place to stay and all. But still do-able. We did it with some friends, a few years ago.

We reached there like midnight - plan was to reach by 10PM, but got stopped at the Andhra border by cops, who found the few beer bottles that we had in the Conty and made us stay there for few hours, and left only after they took our beer and some cash. Ofcourse I was not bothered as they did not find the 2 whiskey quart bottles that I had in my trouser pockets. :I Rule:

We had the Conty all loaded with firewood, food stuff etc. Setup a fire, cooked fried-rice, chicken etc, slept in the car and on the ground. Woke up to a buffalo nuzzling us. Trekked along the trickly stream till its source and were out by 8AM or so.

The watchman was surprised to see us getting out because we had entered so late in the night that he was asleep.

I would love to have a tbhp meet there, if there are enough brave volunteers. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno (Post 473785)

I know that Tada is in AP because we crossed the border. Don't know about Pulicat lake.

You can reach Pulicat Lake from Sulurpeta (a little ahead of Tada in AP). You can also go to PUlicat Village which is on the TN side of Pulicat lake by turning off NH5 at Gummidipundi. But I think boating and other tourist facilities are better in the AP side.