[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by smekad

I am planning to go from Coimbatore to pattambi.

Can someone suggest the best possible route:

Coimbatore--> Pattambi
-------------------------------

Option 1: Coimbatore--> Pollachi--> alathur --> Pazhayannur --> Pattambi

Total Distance: 160Km.. From the review in this site this looks like the best possible route as per condition

Option 2: Coimbatore--> KG Chavadi --> Kozhinjampara --> Ealpully --> Palakkad --> Shoranur --> Pattambi
Total Distance: 125Km.. THis bypasses the worst CBE<>Walayar stretch but not sure of the chavadi to palakkad route.

Can someone help me with one of the above choices.. I will be planning to take early morning start in a sedan with low GC.

-Sunil

Your option 1 is a better bet with a slight modification imo if you want to try a new route.

http://goo.gl/maps/1H03j

Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Pazhayannur-Mayannur-Ottapalam-Shoranur-Pattambi.Since the bridge between Ottapalam and Mayannur is now open,it would be a good idea to take that.

NH47 you are going to lose time once you exit L&T Bypass plus the horrible roads till Chandranagar.Not worth it imo torturing your vehicle when you have a good and better option available.Elapully you would still have to traverse Palakkad and a fair bit of NH47 till Chandranagar,so it doesnt really serve the purpose imho.

[joecherian]

took the chennai - trichy - DIndigual - Kumily route for my trip to Kottayam. Didigual Theni roads are smooth. After Theni, there are few areas where you have some pot holes but nothing to stop you and hence for those who plan to use this route, current update is, roads are good Nothing to worry.

Even the roads after Kumily has been done fully (due to the Sabarimala season)


If the roads are good, then there will be something which will slow you down and that happened yesterday on my return. While I was nearing Peruvanthanam (on the KK road), there was an accident involving 2 vehicles of Sabarimalai pilgrims and the ghat road was blocked for close to an hour.
Finally , reached home (Manimala) at around 10 PM

Since it is the sabarimalai season, it is not advised to take the Mundakayam- Erumeli route as navigating the Erumeli town can be an issue. I did this mistake as well yesterday.

[Rajeevraj]

Has anyone taken the Gundlepet- Gudalur-Nadugani-Nilambur route to Kerala recently? The Nadugani ghats were patchy when I traveled in September, and I read here sometime back that it had become worse

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Has anyone taken the Gundlepet- Gudalur-Nadugani-Nilambur route to Kerala recently? The Nadugani ghats were patchy when I traveled in September, and I read here sometime back that it had become worse

I didn't drive, but went by bus through that route early this month. I was in a Volvo, and the bus swayed quite badly in the Bandipur-Mudumalai forest section. Beyond that it wasn't that bad. In the forest (TN side), there was no road at all.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Has anyone taken the Gundlepet- Gudalur-Nadugani-Nilambur route to Kerala recently? The Nadugani ghats were patchy when I traveled in September, and I read here sometime back that it had become worse

I am driving to Tirur this wednesday. After hearing many reports about the bad condition of the mudumalai-nadugani route, I have planned to go via S.Batheri-Thamarashery-Manjeri (brief stopover)-Malappuram. Do not want to take any risk.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

I am driving to Tirur this wednesday. After hearing many reports about the bad condition of the mudumalai-nadugani route, I have planned to go via S.Batheri-Thamarashery-Manjeri (brief stopover)-Malappuram. Do not want to take any risk.

Thanks sandsun. I am planning to drive to Tirur on Friday. Are you taking the Thamarassery-Manjeri route only because you need to touch Manjeri? Will this be a better option than going via Calicut?

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Thanks sandsun. I am planning to drive to Tirur on Friday. Are you taking the Thamarassery-Manjeri route only because you need to touch Manjeri? Will this be a better option than going via Calicut?

I have to drop in at a couple of relatives' home first at Mutheri near Mukkam and then at Manjeri. Hence deviating to Manjeri from Thamaraserry. If your destination is Tirur, best route should be via Kunnamangalam-Malaparamba-bypass-edarikode. My wife's home is at Vattathani, between Tirur and Tanur. I usually take the Malaparamba-bypass-chelari-Chettipadi-Parappanangadi-Tanur route.

[kirantp]

Originally Posted by kirantp

Friends,

I am planning to visit Kumarakom this Christmas along with family

Need your help in suggesting the best route (scenic route would be a plus) based on your experience and present road conditions:

1. Bangalore - Salem - Dindigul - Theni - Cumbum - Kumily - Kottayam - Kumarakom (got this route from Laluks TL)

2. Bangalore - Chamarajanagara - Sathyamangalam - Kanjikode - Palakkad - Alathur - (Salem-Kanyakumary Hwy) - Kumarakom


My ride: All New Honda City

Thanks in Advance,
Kiran

Friends,

Wanted to know about the below route which Google gives by default and that comes to 590 KMS compared to the ones mentioned above which is over 620KMS.

Bangalore - Salem - Avinashi - Alathur - Vadakkencherry - Chalakudy- Aluva- Cherthala - Kumarakom (590 KMS, 9 Hrs 36 Mins)

Please let me know if this is doable all the way to Kumarakom as per current road conditions along this route incase anyone has done this recently.

Thanks,
Kiran

[vasoo]

Driving the usual route to Thrissur on Xmas day, through Salem, L&T bye-pass, Kuthiran. Hope the condition is good all the way. Plan to drive back from Kottayam through Kumily route on Jan 6th.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by vasoo

Driving the usual route to Thrissur on Xmas day, through Salem, L&T bye-pass, Kuthiran. Hope the condition is good all the way. Plan to drive back from Kottayam through Kumily route on Jan 6th.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3325476

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3325476

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3325478

[coolclouds]

Having lunch at A2B Thoppur. Took Kochi - Manuthy - Vadakkanchery - Pollachi - Tiruppur - Perundurai - Salem.

More than usual traffic till Pollachi.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by vasoo

Driving the usual route to Thrissur on Xmas day, through Salem, L&T bye-pass, Kuthiran. Hope the condition is good all the way. Plan to drive back from Kottayam through Kumily route on Jan 6th.

you're better off taking the detour from Perundurai. i did the Bangalore > Salem > L&T bypass > Walayar > Palakkad bypass > Vadakkencheri > Thrissur route yesterday; wanted to have lunch at Annapoorna Gowrishankar on the L&T bypass.

after the Perundurai turn off (284kms from Bangalore), there are a few detours one has to take till you reach the L&T Coimbatore bypass.







also, this is VERY IMPORTANT, after the Perundurai turn off while proceeding on 'em flyover kinda thingies be VERY CAREFUL because they've got double speed breakers right in the middle and you might not see it until you're near it!! who puts a freaking speed breaker on a NH!



moving on - once you enter God's own country two things you've to be careful about - chessboard like single lane road full of patchwork (the chessboard disappears after Vadakkencheri); you wouldn't have seen such patchwork in your life. sure, you can do decent speeds on the patchwork, but it would give your suspension a good workout

you'll also encounter idiots on the road who'll try to kill you just to get ahead of the lot! see example below (tried to play chicken with me and lost):






and oh, once on the L&T bypass the thing that'll get on your nerves is traffic (not too much, but enough to piss your off).

[Rajeevraj]

Did a Bangalore-Mysore-gundlepet-bathery-pulpally-bathery-gundlepet-chamrajnagar-kollegala-kanakpura-Bangalore round trip yesterday. Apart from some rough patches on the gundlepet Ch nagar stretch, great roads through out. Reasonably heavy traffic after Kanakpura. Loved the bathery- pulpally stretch.

Noticed quite a few petrol pumps opened or getting ready to open and also a few more road side hotels with board weilding securities. ( as compared to my last time on the kanakpura route which was several months back). The number of humps on Mysore road continues to be a pain. Although they all seemed to be marked with boards at least.

[coolclouds]

Any recent updates on traffic at Walayar especially during evening? Any predictions for tomorrow?

A friend travelled by bus last friday from Ernakulam to Coimbatore (11pm service) and as per him, they returned and went through some other route.

Had breakfast at Moochikunnan Heights Vadakkancherry (after Aaryas and Diana) today. IMO this place is better than others and the rates are almost similar. I had bad experiance at Diana last time and Aaryas is a mess.

This place is not crowded and dining ambiance is good.





Lunch at A2B, as usual tasty.

[vinjosep]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Having lunch at A2B Thoppur. Took Kochi - Manuthy - Vadakkanchery - Pollachi - Tiruppur - Perundurai - Salem.

More than usual traffic till Pollachi.

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

you're better off taking the detour from Perundurai. i did the Bangalore > Salem > L&T bypass > Walayar > Palakkad bypass > Vadakkencheri > Thrissur route yesterday; wanted to have lunch at Annapoorna Gowrishankar on the L&T bypass.

after the Perundurai turn off (284kms from Bangalore), there are a few detours one has to take till you reach the L&T Coimbatore bypass.


also, this is VERY IMPORTANT, after the Perundurai turn off while proceeding on 'em flyover kinda thingies be VERY CAREFUL because they've got double speed breakers right in the middle and you might not see it until you're near it!! who puts a freaking speed breaker on a NH!

We are planning to do a Bangalore - Irinjalakuda tomorrow.

So which route is the best? Preference would be good roads with options for lunch

@IronH4WK: Apart from the route query, was wondering how you took the pics. Go Pro or something similar?