Originally Posted by Holyghost

How is the Palode - Nedumangadu road condition (as shown in your route map)?

I drove on that route in August 2014 to Poovar via Palaruvi>Thenmala>Kulathupuzha, where we had late lunch>Nedumangad>Trivandrum. The road condition was good then.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Grand Drive

You don't have decent options for a good restaurant between Tenkasi - Srivilliputtur.

Hotel Anandas at Rajapalayam is a good decent vegetarian restaurant to eat. I have had food there multiple times and never had any problems. They have good rooms and also limited car parking.

-Ravi

[Grand Drive]

Originally Posted by ravib

Hotel Anandas at Rajapalayam is a good decent vegetarian restaurant to eat. I have had food there multiple times and never had any problems. They have good rooms and also limited car parking.

-Ravi

Did you mean Hotel Ananda Vilas ? If that's the case, it is a non-veg chettinad restaurant. It's inside the town with limited parking facilities. It's not a type of restaurant that we normally see in highways and not suitable as a highway break point unless until required.

Rajapalayam to Srivilliputtur hardly takes less than 30 minutes and you have got lot of better options there.

[Grand Drive]

Originally Posted by NPV

what are the place en route that can covered with not too much detour ? Kutralam, etc ?

If you are the single driver, I suggest you not to take bath at any of the falls in Kutralam as it will create lot of hunger and drowsiness post bath. Kutralam is for your family and not for you .

If you plan to take this route, plan in such a way that to keep Madurai as a break point. In case if you lose time, I suggest Hotel Kathiravan, Srivilliputtur as a back up option. You can also visit the Gomathi Amman temple, Sankarankoil and the Andal temple at Srivilluputtur if you wish. Don't forgot to taste the Srivilliputtur milk kova ( palkova ).

Have a safe journey .

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Grand Drive

Did you mean Hotel Ananda Vilas ? If that's the case, it is a non-veg chettinad restaurant. It's inside the town with limited parking facilities. It's not a type of restaurant that we normally see in highways and not suitable as a highway break point unless until required.

Rajapalayam to Srivilliputtur hardly takes less than 30 minutes and you have got lot of better options there.

Hello GrandDrive, no i did not mean Hotel Ananda Vilas. This is Hotel Aanandas which is a very reputed and popular one in Rajapalayam town. They have Boarding and Lodging and serve only vegetarian food.

It is a decent break point for family on this route. Infact, i would say, after Hotel Hari's restaurant in Thirumangalam Toll, between Thirumangalam till Tenkasi, this is probably the only (or) one of the safe bet restaurant IMPO.

Here is the location. I just realized there is a spelling mistake in Google

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/...ca89ac99b8bf85

-Ravi

Originally Posted by ravib

Hotel Anandas at Rajapalayam is a good decent vegetarian restaurant to eat.

My XUV 500 parked in front of the restaurant. Access to the parking lot is through a side road.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

My XUV 500 parked in front of the restaurant. Access to the parking lot is through a side road.

Attachment 1404924

Spot on Ravi sir. Yes, the parking lot access is through side road. Food cost is reasonable and we get sumptuous full meals in this restaurant.
BTW, Is there a place where Purple cheetah haven't traveled in Tamil Nadu yet

-Ravi

[arun_josie]

Another trip to Nagercoil, yesterday. With one break it took us exactly 8 hours and 47 minutes, total 660 Kms. Speed maintained was around 110 and occasionally 120s.

Start time from near Meenakshi Temple: 14:40
Reached Nagercoil: 23:27
Total Duration: 8H:47M
Total Distance: 660 Kms

• I was expecting Onam traffic but surprisingly traffic was less.
• Wet roads till Krishnagiri.
• Salem traffic slowed us down. It took around 20 minutes to cross salem. Not worst though.
• Salem - Namakkal stretch has been relaid in most of the section and work is going on in some places. So, traffic was diverted on the same lane for 2-3 Kms.
• One diversion after Dindugal as well due to road work. Opp direction traffic was diverted in our lane. They have kept drums in between, which is little dangerous I felt, especially if you are trying to overtake in those sections.
• Lot of 2W traffic between Dindugal-Madurai, probably the after work crowd.
• Non-stop drive till Hari's Restaurant, 438Kms.
• Madurai till Nagercoil was a breeze with almost empty roads all the way.
• Kavalkinaru- Nagercoil, the 2L stretch is still butter smooth with nill pot-holes.

Overall, I loved the drive.

Below are some numbers captured during the drive. Normally it takes 9-10 hours with 2 breaks.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Another trip to Nagercoil, yesterday. With one break it took us exactly 8 hours and 47 minutes, total 660 Kms. Speed maintained was around 110 and occasionally 120s.

We returned back yesterday.

Started at 11:00 and reached bangalore by 8:00 PM with two stops.
Stopped for lunch at hotel Arunachala, Karur. Initial plan was to stop at Hari's restaurant, but kids were sleeping and also it was crowded. Second stop was at A2B, thoppur.

Also, we got stuck in the horrible Krihnagiri toll traffic, thanks to the long weekend crowd. The queue was for at least 2Kms. Luckily, we entered the service lane which helped to bypass more than 1Km of the traffic. Even Attibele toll traffic was horrible but lot better than Krishnagiri toll.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Also, we got stuck in the horrible Krihnagiri toll traffic, thanks to the long weekend crowd. The queue was for at least 2Kms. Luckily, we entered the service lane which helped to bypass more than 1Km of the traffic. Even Attibele toll traffic was horrible but lot better than Krishnagiri toll.

This is a common situation during long weekends
Did you get on to the service road after the toll plaza or before (does that avoid the toll in that case ?)

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by NPV

This is a common situation during long weekends
Did you get on to the service road after the toll plaza or before (does that avoid the toll in that case ?)

Nope. While coming from Chennai/Salem side, this service lane is well before the toll and joins back on the main road around 50M-100M before the toll. So, we can't skip the toll but helped me to bypass the long queue. Overall it took be around 20 mins to cross this toll, otherwise it would have taken at least one hour.

[MinivanDriver]

Any recent update on the Trivandrum - Nagercoil stretch? I will be planning to travel this stretch in third week of October.

[arun_josie]

Another trip to Nagercoil and our return journey was the quickest that we have done on this stretch till date.

We started Nagercoil at 6:30 AM and entered Bannerghatta road exactly at 2:30 PM. Stops were at Hari's for breakfast(45 minutes) and A2B, thoppur for refueling(10-15minutes).

May be the truck strike(October first week) helped us to maintain good speeds.

During our onward journey from bangalore, we stopped at hotel Shree Annapurna for breakfast. This is located around 45Kms from Krishnagiri and 135Kms from Bannerghatta Road-NICE Road junction.

- Good Parking space.
- This place was neat and clean.
- Kids play area.
- Food was decent.
- Options to buy snacks as well.

I would consider this as a good alternate to A2B, Thoppur which is another 15-20Kms from this place and comes on the other side of the road while going from bangalore.





Life's truth

[ampere]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

During our onward journey from bangalore, we stopped at hotel Shree Annapurna for breakfast. This is located around 45Kms from Krishnagiri and 135Kms from Bannerghatta Road-NICE Road junction.

Definitely looks good. Also meanwhile what happened to Raja Bhojanam at around the same place? Did it close down? Last I remember it was closed for renovation. But I have not heard any member speak about it.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by ampere

Definitely looks good. Also meanwhile what happened to Raja Bhojanam at around the same place? Did it close down? Last I remember it was closed for renovation. But I have not heard any member speak about it.

I have never stopped there and not sure if they have re-opened it. Will check this next time. This one comes on the right side though(going from bangalore) along with A2B.