[jaganm]

We did the trip from Bangalore to kochi last weekend, we were 3 bikes and a car. It was one of the least enjoyable rides I have undertaken. The ride from Bangalore to to the Coimbatore bypass was excellent as always, cruising at a comfortable highway speed. Once we crossed the border, we hit upon the infamous speed limit, there was an interceptor vehicle waiting right near the Travelounge restaurant (incidentally, this was an excellent stop and highly recommended). That is when the rains started as well and for the next 150 km, it was a painful ride unable to shift beyond 4/5 gear and keeping speeds to 55/60 as per the speedometer. What is frustrating is the lack of clear information on the exact limit, there is conflicting data, some say 50 and some say 60 for two wheeelers.

The roads were generally excellent and the traffic was heavy but generally well behaved (no crazy KSRTC bus drivers encountered during our trip). It rained throughout our stay and as we set out on Oct 2 morning. It was raining until the border and as we crossed the border, both the weather and our mood improved and from the border to Bangalore, we maintained a really healthy speed.

As a group, we have decided to avoid any trips to Kerala in the future. All the attractions and the wonderful food is not worth the pain of having to endure driving superbikes at 50-60 for hundreds of kms.

[Innysta]

What is the best route to travel from Chennai-Ernakulam-Wayanad-Chennai?

[JohnnyBoss]

Originally Posted by Innysta

What is the best route to travel from Chennai-Ernakulam-Wayanad-Chennai?

I would prefer Villupuram - Ulundurpet - Salem - Palakkad - Ernakulam. The only bottleneck is single carriageway sections between Ulundurpet and Salem, but as traffic is manageable it is not an issue, imo.

Wayanad is a district. Ernakulam - Thrissur - Kozhikkode - Wayand is the straignt route. You can go via Thrissur - Nilambur - Nadugani depending on your destination in Wayanad. There were some bad sections between Pattambi and Perinthalmanna, don't know whether they are patched up now.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Innysta

What is the best route to travel from Chennai-Ernakulam-Wayanad-Chennai?

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

I would prefer Villupuram - Ulundurpet - Salem - Palakkad - Ernakulam. The only bottleneck is single carriageway sections between Ulundurpet and Salem

Only if you are coming from south Chennai, in my opinion. The city sprawl spreads for a much longer distance along the GST Road (till Chengalpattu, at least) than along NH 4.

The single carriageway sections are only town bypasses, most of them hardly longer than 2-3 km. Not a real worry.

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

Ernakulam - Thrissur - Kozhikkode - Wayand is the straignt route[...] There were some bad sections between Pattambi and Perinthalmanna, don't know whether they are patched up now.

I would suggest not taking NH 66 / coming to Kozhikode to get into Wayanad from points south. Ernakulam-Thrissur-Pattambi-Perinthalmanna is fine. From there best I think is via the newly developed Manjeri-Arekkode-Thamarassery state highway.

The Nadugani route is suboptimal when compared to the above, even for the only town in Wayanad for which it makes sense - Sultan Bathery.

From points in Wayanad back to Chennai - Mysore > BMEW > NICE > Bangalore-Chennai highway should prove to be the quickest.

[natrajdr]

Kudremukha to Nileshwar: Which is the better route? Google Maps shows 2 options.
1. via Karkala > Padubidri > NH66 via Mangalore or
2. Karkala > Mudbidri > Bantwal > Chengala
My guess is #1 above is 4 laned, but might have traffic around Mangalore and at the Checkpost and #2 might be lighter traffic but slower.
Any suggestions?

[TeaYesEye]

Hello Folks.

I am traveling to Guruvayur from Bangalore for the first time early next week. I am looking for the inputs for safe routes as I heard from other members that some construction work is in progress via Pattikad>Thrissur>Guruvayur.

GMap also suggests via Wadakkanchery > Kunnamkulam

I really appreciate any help you can provide.

[binand]

Originally Posted by TeaYesEye

I am traveling to Guruvayur from Bangalore for the first time early next week. I am looking for the inputs for safe routes...

I am going on Friday (13/10). Will update over the weekend. My current candidate is also Alathur-Wadakkancheri-Kunnamkulam and then onwards to Guruvayur via Mammiyur. Palakkad-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam is my plan B (will decide when I stop for breakfast).

[Thanos-VV]

Originally Posted by natrajdr

Kudremukha to Nileshwar: Which is the better route? Google Maps shows 2 options.
1. via Karkala > Padubidri > NH66 via Mangalore or
2. Karkala > Mudbidri > Bantwal > Chengala
My guess is #1 above is 4 laned, but might have traffic around Mangalore and at the Checkpost and #2 might be lighter traffic but slower.
Any suggestions?

For option 1, please note that from Mangalore till Kasargode, NH work is on going with lot of narrow service road deviations and bottlenecks ( 4 lane road suddenly becoming 2 lane which are full of potholes) and cause delays depending on the time of travel. I have faced delays in the evenings in this stretch but Sundays were relatively free. From Kasargode till Nileshwar, you can take Kasargode kannur road via bekal fort ( Not NH66).

Not sure about Option 2 though. Could be lesser traffic but can expect narrow SH and some twisties there.

Hope this is useful.

[Innysta]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

I would prefer Villupuram - Ulundurpet - Salem - Palakkad - Ernakulam. You can go via Thrissur - Nilambur - Nadugani depending on your destination in Wayanad.

Pallakad-Ernakulam via the dreaded traffic after Coimbatore till Thrissur is the issue. Any options to avoid this? Like the idea of Nilambur-Nadugani and also found Nilambur-Mukkam via Moolepadam waterfalls going through pristine wooded and winding roads.

[JohnnyBoss]

Originally Posted by Innysta

Pallakad-Ernakulam via the dreaded traffic after Coimbatore till Thrissur is the issue. Any options to avoid this?

Another option is via Trichy - Theni (Bypass) - Bodi - Pooppara - Rajakkad - Muvattupuzha - Ernakulam. Distance is almost similar but you will have to negotiate Bodimettu Ghat. Increased traffic can be expected after Adimali if it is a weekend. If your's is a leisure trip, this route can be considered.

[narayanang76]

Originally Posted by TeaYesEye

I am traveling to Guruvayur from Bangalore for the first time early next week.

Originally Posted by binand

My current candidate is also Alathur-Wadakkancheri-Kunnamkulam and then onwards to Guruvayur via Mammiyur. Palakkad-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam is my plan B (will decide when I stop for breakfast).

Sharing these options for Palakkad to Guruvayur route:

Option 1: Palakkad - Ottappalam - Kulapulli - Cheruthuruthi - Vadakkancheri Ottupara (turn before VDKCHRY town) - Kunnamkulam - Mammiyur - Guruvayur

Last few times we took this above route, the road conditions were more or less good throughout.

Option 2: Palakkad - Ottappalam - Kulapulli - Pattambi - Koottanadu - Kunnamkulam - Mammiyur - Guruvayur

Not sure about the latest condition of Kulapulli - Pattambi road, few months back I heard the road wasn't that great and taking more time to cover. So I will suggest this above Option 2 route as plan B.

Cheers,
narayanang76

[TeaYesEye]

Originally Posted by binand

I am going on Friday (13/10). Will update over the weekend. My current candidate is also Alathur-Wadakkancheri-Kunnamkulam and then onwards to Guruvayur via Mammiyur. Palakkad-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam is my plan B (will decide when I stop for breakfast).

Originally Posted by narayanang76

Sharing these options for Palakkad to Guruvayur route:

Option 1: Palakkad - Ottappalam - Kulapulli - Cheruthuruthi - Vadakkancheri Ottupara (turn before VDKCHRY town) - Kunnamkulam - Mammiyur - Guruvayur

Thank you binand & narayanang76

[binand]

Originally Posted by TeaYesEye

I am traveling to Guruvayur from Bangalore for the first time early next week. I am looking for the inputs for safe routes...

Originally Posted by binand

I am going on Friday (13/10). Will update over the weekend.

I drove to Guruvayur from Bangalore on 13th. This was an overnighter due to a bunch of other reasons.

Started from Gunjur at 1.15 AM, took the Sarjapur-Attibele road and then it was non-stop till Ottapalam where we had breakfast at 7.30 AM. Arrived in Guruvayur at 9.15 AM. I slept in our hotel while my wife (and her parents, who arrived there separately by train) did the things they came there for.

The route I took was NH 544 towards Thrissur > exit at Kuzhalmandam > left at Vavulliyal junction > cross Nila > join KL SH 23 (Palakkad-Pattambi highway) at Mankara. I have generally preferred this route over all others. After Ottapalam I went Kulapully > Cheruthuruthy > Wadakkanchery > Kunnamkulam > bypass/one-way roads > towards Mammiyur.

My hotel was in East Nada so I exited at Iringappuram; this is not advisable if your destination is any of the other nadas because the road is closed here for a railway overbridge work and the detours are painful. Actually better would be to avoid East Nada area altogether.

Kuzhalmandam-Mankara is narrow but no bad roads. Parts of Kulapully-Wadakkanchery looked as though someone dug it up (KWA?) and did a bad job fixing it. Some potholed sections around Kunnamkulam. All other sections were as per the usual Kerala standards for SH / MDR.

Overall, this was a better choice that what I used to take before - via Pattambi.

Breakfast place: Hotel Sreelakshmi. Clean place, clean restrooms, decent service, usual South Indian fare. Parking in basement after a narrow approach between two buildings (easy to miss). Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BKaqJ1DoGE6BhmFn8

[TeaYesEye]

Originally Posted by binand

The route I took was NH 544 towards Thrissur > exit at Kuzhalmandam > left at Vavulliyal junction > cross Nila > join KL SH 23 (Palakkad-Pattambi highway) at Mankara. I have generally preferred this route over all others. After Ottapalam I went Kulapully > Cheruthuruthy > Wadakkanchery > Kunnamkulam > bypass/one-way roads > towards Mammiyur.

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Thank you for the helpful information, binand; I will try this route. And I will be staying near North Nada.

[jamesmani]

Hi BHPians
My wife and I are planning a drive on our Volvo XC40 from Mumbai to Kochi first week of November with a break in South Goa for a day or two.
We would really appreciate any help to chalk out the best possible routes if any one has done this stretch in the recent past.
Thanks
Jamie