[vinucv]

Originally Posted by NPV

At Dindigul, Parsons Court is a very good hotel but it's in the town.
On the highway there is Aristo but not sure if it's good/bad.

Thanks NPV. Any idea if we can bypass the Dindigul town completely ? If thats the case, i would prefer some hotel on the highway even if its moderate quality as its just for few hours in the night

[NPV]

Originally Posted by vinucv

Thanks NPV. Any idea if we can bypass the Dindigul town completely ? If thats the case, i would prefer some hotel on the highway even if its moderate quality as its just for few hours in the night

I don't think Parsons Court is very difficult to locate and not too far from highway also - see this recent post
Also I don't think there are too many options right on the highway - not really sure if Aristo and Fantasy have lodging or just restaurants - see this for more information.


PS:Hotel Aristo is just after Karur whereas Hotel Fantasy is closer to Dindigul both on the highway

[Wind]

There is a new MacDonald outlet with drive through facility open in Palghat. If you are coming from the Kovai side this is on the left side of the road right before the left turn to Trichur and just after Hotel Srichakra.

-- Wind

[denver85]

Originally Posted by Wind

There is a new MacDonald outlet with drive through facility open in Palghat. If you are coming from the Kovai side this is on the left side of the road right before the left turn to Trichur and just after Hotel Srichakra.
-- Wind

Thanks for the update
I have seen the work going on there in my previous drives. But now-a-days I take Palladam-Pollachi route to avoid the mess in Avinashi/CBE Bypass and Walayar.

[DieselLover]

Originally Posted by jacs

Shortest is via Kattappana.

Kochi - Kolencherry - Muvattupuzha - Pothanikkadu - Vannappuram - Kanjikuzhy - Chelachuvadu - Kattappana - Kumily. But not sure of the road condition between Vannappuram and Kumily after the monsoons.

Kochi - Ettumanoor - Pala - Erattupetta - Kanjirappally - Mundakkayam - Kumily is the most preferred route. There are bad stretch around Pampanar and Vandiperiyar in KK Road. Kumily town is also bad now. But drivable. I did a round trip on my Fusion from Kottayam on KK road till Wallardie yesterday.

Thanks Jacs. I am planning to take the Ettumanoor - Pala route. Any idea on the approx. time required to reach Vandiperiyar from Ekm. I planning to start by 7 AM on 19th. We are actually driving down to Gavi.

[vinucv]

Originally Posted by DieselLover

Thanks Jacs. I am planning to take the Ettumanoor - Pala route. Any idea on the approx. time required to reach Vandiperiyar from Ekm. I planning to start by 7 AM on 19th. We are actually driving down to Gavi.

You may also try Ettumanoor- Manarcadu-Kanjirappally-Mundakkayam-Kumili

I will mostly be driving down this route this weekend as part of my Chennai -Ettumanoor trip and can update you the road condition by next week.

[jacs]

Originally Posted by DieselLover

Thanks Jacs. I am planning to take the Ettumanoor - Pala route. Any idea on the approx. time required to reach Vandiperiyar from Ekm. I planning to start by 7 AM on 19th. We are actually driving down to Gavi.

You can even take Pala - Ponkunnam - Kanjirappally or Pala - Erattupetta - Kanjirappally. First one is slightly shorter. Roads are not heard to be worse yet.

EKM - Ettumanoor : ~1.5 hours in non-peak hours
Ettumanoor - Pala : <30minutes
Pala - Kanjirappally : ~45minutes
Kanjirappally - Vandiperiyar : <2 hours

Hope you are refering to Vandiperiyar - Vallakadavu - Moozhiyar route to reach Gavi. So you need to drive about 1KM from Vandiperiyar town (after existing the single lane bridge), take right near Connemera Tea Factory (Signboard for Vallakadavu/Moozhiyar is there). But check till what point, your vehicle can be taken as Forest Department restricts traffic in this route.

Originally Posted by vinucv

You may also try Ettumanoor- Manarcadu-Kanjirappally-Mundakkayam-Kumili

I will mostly be driving down this route this weekend as part of my Chennai -Ettumanoor trip and can update you the road condition by next week.

This route is trouble free route except the Idukki stretches I highlighted earlier. Pala route is shorter.

[kala]

Originally Posted by vinucv

You may also try Ettumanoor- Manarcadu-Kanjirappally-Mundakkayam-Kumili

I will mostly be driving down this route this weekend as part of my Chennai -Ettumanoor trip and can update you the road condition by next week.

If travelling to places east of Ponkunnam, I think the route via Pala would be the better one since the roads are wider and quite straight forward. (Not sure whether Pala-Erattupetta-Kanjirappally or Pala-Ponkunnam would be preferred one since I haven't been on those roads lately - both roads used to be quite good till a while back)

I normally take the route you were suggesting (Ettumanoor - Manarcaud) most of the time since my destination is close to Manarcaud. One downside for people who aren't familiar with this route would be that there are 2 or 3 junctions on the way where you may need to stop and ask for directions (for instance at Eroor) to make sure you're on the right track or else you will end up getting back onto MC road and into the Kottayam traffic mess.

When travelling from Manarcaud side towards Ettumanoor, things are a little better since there are boards indicating Ettumanoor at most of these junctions.

[jacs]

Originally Posted by jacs

This route is trouble free route except the Idukki stretches I highlighted earlier. Pala route is shorter.

Originally Posted by kala

I normally take the route you were suggesting (Ettumanoor - Manarcaud) most of the time since my destination is close to Manarcaud. One downside for people who aren't familiar with this route would be that there are 2 or 3 junctions on the way where you may need to stop and ask for directions (for instance at Eroor) to make sure you're on the right track or else you will end up getting back onto MC road and into the Kottayam traffic mess.

When travelling from Manarcaud side towards Ettumanoor, things are a little better since there are boards indicating Ettumanoor at most of these junctions.

Vinu - I mistook your query as Ettumanoor - Kottayam - Manarcad which is straight forward but with few extra miles. Ettumanoor - Manarcad bypass is not recommended for first timers when in a long drive, quite some turns are there which one would more likely miss and land back in MC road.

[sreerknair]

Hi Guys,

I am planning for a 4 day trip to Wayanad from 12th to 15th of Oct. I will be driving from Cochin. Considering Kerala road conditions, which is the best route to take to reach Wayanad? Google maps shows 3 options. One is through Thrisur -> Shornaur -> Areekode route and another one through - Guruvayur -> Ponnani -> Kunnamangalam. I don't consider the 3rd option. Also how long will it take to reach Wayanad from Cochin (considering a max speed of 75KM/Hr on a 4 lane road and a 10 min break in every 2 Hrs drive)? Thanks

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by sreerknair

Hi Guys,

I am planning for a 4 day trip to Wayanad from 12th to 15th of Oct. I will be driving from Cochin. Considering Kerala road conditions, which is the best route to take to reach Wayanad? Google maps shows 3 options. One is through Thrisur -> Shornaur -> Areekode route and another one through - Guruvayur -> Ponnani -> Kunnamangalam. I don't consider the 3rd option. Also how long will it take to reach Wayanad from Cochin (considering a max speed of 75KM/Hr on a 4 lane road and a 10 min break in every 2 Hrs drive)? Thanks

Any particular reason you do not want to consider the third option, assuming that was Kochi-Thrissur-Kunnamkulam-Edappal-Kottakkal-Ramanattukara-byepass-Malaparambu junction-Thamarassery-Kalpetta? I feel this is the best route any day. Roads are also not bad.

[kala]

Originally Posted by sreerknair

Hi Guys,

I am planning for a 4 day trip to Wayanad from 12th to 15th of Oct. I will be driving from Cochin. Considering Kerala road conditions, which is the best route to take to reach Wayanad? Google maps shows 3 options. One is through Thrisur -> Shornaur -> Areekode route and another one through - Guruvayur -> Ponnani -> Kunnamangalam. I don't consider the 3rd option. Also how long will it take to reach Wayanad from Cochin (considering a max speed of 75KM/Hr on a 4 lane road and a 10 min break in every 2 Hrs drive)? Thanks

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Any particular reason you do not want to consider the third option, assuming that was Kochi-Thrissur-Kunnamkulam-Edappal-Kottakkal-Ramanattukara-byepass-Malaparambu junction-Thamarassery-Kalpetta? I feel this is the best route any day. Roads are also not bad.

For some weird reason, Google Maps doesn't seem to be showing that option at all. (I just checked GM out of curiosity). The third route it shows is just a variant of the first, moving off the first route at Perunthalmanna and going via Pandikkad-Nilambur instead !

I'd second Sandsun's suggested route too. The road surface is much better on that route than any of the others. (Areecode-Thamarassery was not in great shape the last time I travelled). Same with the NH17 route.

The only slight modification I'd suggest is to try and bypass Kunnamkulam town by turning right at Kecheri and taking the Kecheri-Pannithadam-Akkikkavu road. You can try it if you're going to be passing Trichur/Kunnamkulam between 8AM and 10PM (The regular road via Kunnamkulam is a pain to pass through during daytime with heavy traffic and private buses literally buldozing you off the road)

[DieselLover]

Originally Posted by jacs

You can even take Pala - Ponkunnam - Kanjirappally or Pala - Erattupetta - Kanjirappally. First one is slightly shorter. Roads are not heard to be worse yet.

EKM - Ettumanoor : ~1.5 hours in non-peak hours
Ettumanoor - Pala : <30minutes
Pala - Kanjirappally : ~45minutes
Kanjirappally - Vandiperiyar : <2 hours

Hope you are refering to Vandiperiyar - Vallakadavu - Moozhiyar route to reach Gavi. So you need to drive about 1KM from Vandiperiyar town (after existing the single lane bridge), take right near Connemera Tea Factory (Signboard for Vallakadavu/Moozhiyar is there). But check till what point, your vehicle can be taken as Forest Department restricts traffic in this route.




This route is trouble free route except the Idukki stretches I highlighted earlier. Pala route is shorter.

Many thanks Jacs. based on your inputs, I think the total drive time till Vandiperiyar would be around 5.5 hrs including some pit stops. I have a reservation at Gavi and need to communicate the vehicle number to KFDC the day before I travel. They will ensure entry at forest check posts.
From Vandiperiyar I will take the Vallakadavu/Moozhiyar route to Gavi.
What is the distance between Gavi and Vandiperiyar? Google give 28kms but the KFDC guy told me it's 40kms.

[Kaimal]

Hi,

Driving to Cochin this weekend. Has anybody taken the Walayar road recently(this week) ? is it drivable ? The other option that i am planning to take is the one that is suggested by several of us - Palladam - Pollachi - Vadakancheery - NH ...... Cochin

[DieselLover]

Originally Posted by sreerknair

Hi Guys,

I am planning for a 4 day trip to Wayanad from 12th to 15th of Oct. I will be driving from Cochin. Considering Kerala road conditions, which is the best route to take to reach Wayanad? Google maps shows 3 options. One is through Thrisur -> Shornaur -> Areekode route and another one through - Guruvayur -> Ponnani -> Kunnamangalam. I don't consider the 3rd option. Also how long will it take to reach Wayanad from Cochin (considering a max speed of 75KM/Hr on a 4 lane road and a 10 min break in every 2 Hrs drive)? Thanks

Stick to the route suggested by sandsun: Kochi-Thrissur-Kunnamkulam-Edappal-Kottakkal-Ramanattukara-byepass-Malaparambu junction-Thamarassery-Kalpetta

I did this route 2 weeks back and road is good all the way. We started from Kakkanad at 10 AM on a Saturday and reached Kalpetta by 5 PM with a 1 hr break in between.