[surechim]

Hi
I intend to take a from Madurai-Munnar with my family (includes a 2 year old)..During Last week of this month/year!
Which is the best route & how is the road condition?--This would be my first Ghat section drive..

Thanks a lot for any suggestions

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by surechim

Hi
I intend to take a from Madurai-Munnar with my family (includes a 2 year old)..During Last week of this month/year!
Which is the best route & how is the road condition?--This would be my first Ghat section drive..

Thanks a lot for any suggestions

Shortest from Madurai would be theni-bodi-bodimettu-munnar. Depending on your return destination, you may return via chinnar-pollachi or Cochin. In terms greenary in the ghat section, option 2 and 3 are good. However, 1 will be good once you enter Kerala border. All the best and safe journey too.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by surechim

Hi
I intend to take a from Madurai-Munnar with my family (includes a 2 year old)..During Last week of this month/year!
Which is the best route & how is the road condition?--This would be my first Ghat section drive..

Thanks a lot for any suggestions

Madurai-Theni-Bodi-Chinnakanal-Munnar.Factor in fog,so dont start early in the mornings or late in the evenings as visibility would be an issue.

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

Both are more or less the same.Go via one and return via the other.CBE-Alathur NH47 is not in great shape,I would suggest go via Pollachi-Alathur.

[coolclouds]

If taking Pollachi route, its better to take Pollachi - Vadakkancherry instead of Alathur since destination is beyond Trichur.

[ak916]

I just got back from a long weekend at Cochin. There is no point using the bandipur route to Cochin unless you are going there for a safari or like to see animals on the road. Even then, it is just barely worth it. If you are just trying to reach Cochin and don't care about the sights enroute then don't even bother with this route. The roads after bandipur till you get off the Nilambur twisties are broken. It is doable in hatchbacks but you lose a lot of time. I did this route for variety but I know better now.

While coming back, I did the textbook route - Cochin - Thrissur - Pallakad - Walayar - CBE - Avinashi - Salem -Hosur - BLR.

IMHO, Surprisingly this is the best route available today. I have done pollachi, Sathy, Shornur and all routes that were seen as alternatives. I felt this route was really the best for someone just trying to reach Cochin relatively quickly.

Cochin - Thrissur - 4 laned, toll road
Thrissur - Walayar - Roads are really smooth till about 20 km before Palakkad. After that there is a lot of patchwork evident but there are virtually no large potholes. You don't have to worry about breaking your suspensions as was the case all these years
Walayar - Walayar is usually jammed but you can account for 10-15 mins to get through this place. It is not too bad.
Walayar - Coimbatore - Horrible, potholed nonsense. Go slow and keep your eyes peeled for craters. It is still doable in small cars as long as you are careful.

Coimbatore by pass - The same 31 rupee robbery. The roads are good but we are spoilt with 4 lane roads for which we love paying tolls. Somehow, paying for a divider-less road isn't a happy moment. However, smooth roads as usual interrupted almost every few kms with toll gates to check your toll receipt.

Coimbatore - Avinashi - I would say 80% of this road is complete and you can actually stick to your side of the divider instead of doing the switch every few 100 meters. It is a peach to drive on and has never been better in the last decade or so that I have driven on this road.

After Avinashi, roads are great till Krishnagiri. Krishnagiri toll is crowded during weekends, so you may explore the palacode route.

Krishnagiri - Hosur - road widening in progress but that is also almost completed. You don't really lose time on this road.

Left Parur at 9.20 PM and reached ITPL at 5.15 PM. Virtually non-stop, just a few stops in between totaling not more than 15-20 mins.

[Cyrus_the_virus]

Originally Posted by Cyrus_the_virus

Hello Folks! I'm planning to do a trip Hyderabad to Kerala on my Duke 390 sometime in mid of this month. I was looking for the latest updates on road conditions on either of these routes:

I'm putting up Bangalore at the start becuase I don't think there is any dispute in the route for Hyderbad > Bangalore.

Bangalore > Salem> Madurai > Thenkasi > Punalur > Kottarakkara > Pandalam

Bangalore > Salem > Aluva > Allapuzha > Changanessery > Pandalam

Bangalore > Salem > Aluva > Kayankulam > Mavelikkara > Pandalam

Please suggest which would be the fastest/safest route and needless to say I need to avoid any bad roads

Still awaiting anyone's input on these. Please help!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ak916

IMHO, Surprisingly this is the best route available today. I have done pollachi, Sathy, Shornur and all routes that were seen as alternatives. I felt this route was really the best for someone just trying to reach Cochin relatively quickly.

I would still say Pollachi as an option to beat Palakakd/Walayar/CBE/Avinashi.

Vadakkencherry-Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi. Its 15km more than standard route. But the route has absolutely no traffic. And that is what makes it better. Not just the road conditions part alone. (Roads are good too)

My folks had driven to Palakkad. A hassle free and traffic free experience driving via Palladam/Pollachi.

[ak916]

Originally Posted by ampere

I would still say Pollachi as an option to beat Palakakd/Walayar/CBE/Avinashi.

Vadakkencherry-Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi. Its 15km more than standard route. But the route has absolutely no traffic. And that is what makes it better. Not just the road conditions part alone. (Roads are good too)

My folks had driven to Palakkad. A hassle free and traffic free experience driving via Palladam/Pollachi.

I have done pollachi route multiple times too - perhaps 8-10 times. I think your average speed is better on the regular Thrissur-CBE route. The fact that the road is almost completed between CBE-Avinashi really turns things in its favour.

[Waxeloquent]

Originally Posted by ampere

I would still say Pollachi as an option to beat Palakakd/Walayar/CBE/Avinashi. Vadakkencherry-Pollachi-Palladam-Avinashi. Its 15km more than standard route. But the route has absolutely no traffic. And that is what makes it better. Not just the road conditions part alone. (Roads are good too) My folks had driven to Palakkad. A hassle free and traffic free experience driving via Palladam/Pollachi.

Yes I'd second that. Did this route 4 weeks back and there was v little traffic in Pollachi-Palladam-Kangayam-Perundorai till you hit NH. Cheers

[kirantp]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Madurai-Theni-Bodi-Chinnakanal-Munnar.Factor in fog,so dont start early in the mornings or late in the evenings as visibility would be an issue.

Both are more or less the same.Go via one and return via the other.CBE-Alathur NH47 is not in great shape,I would suggest go via Pollachi-Alathur.

@ranjitp1: Thanks for your inputs. I have updated the return journey based on the suggestions received. Please have a look and let me know if this is good to go or any further changes are needed.

Kumarakom - Vadakkancherry - Pollachi - Annur - Sathyamangalam - Chamarajanagara - Bangalore

Also, it would be great if you can let me know good eat outs for lunch via this route.

Cheers,
Kiran

[dphilip.iitk]

thanks guys (ampere and team) for all the help. Reached Nagpur on the road trip. Going to take a whole day break.

Just a quick update: Many parts of the GQ is horrible. with parts of road is broken now. There is a 40 km stretch where the only vehicle possible is an army truck. Thank god, it was negotiated safely and it took the Jazz one hour 35 minutes to cover 40 kms. A 20 Km stretch after Jhansi is also horrible.

Hope that the roads to Bangalore from Nagpur are better. Apologies for the information in this thread. Once I reach Bangalore, I will be asking for some more help.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by kirantp

Kumarakom - Vadakkancherry - Pollachi - Annur - Sathyamangalam - Chamarajanagara - Bangalore

Also, it would be great if you can let me know good eat outs for lunch via this route.

Cheers,
Kiran

Continue on NH47/NH7 Salem route for plenty of good hotels. There are no good hotels on Satyamangalam route till the outskirts of Bangalore.

[kirantp]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Continue on NH47/NH7 Salem route for plenty of good hotels. There are no good hotels on Satyamangalam route till the outskirts of Bangalore.

Thanks dude. I have done salem route numerous times and wanted to try the Satyamangalam route so wondering if there are any good ones before Satyamangalam for lunchy

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by kirantp

Thanks dude. I have done salem route numerous times and wanted to try the Satyamangalam route so wondering if there are any good ones before Satyamangalam for lunchy

I don't remember anything good on this route for lunch other than some small/medium local shops. IIRC Binai once mentioned about a hotel in Satyamangalam which I don't remember correctly. Hotel Nijaguna in Chamarajnagar may be a relatively better option for family.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by dphilip.iitk

thanks guys (ampere and team) for all the help. Reached Nagpur on the road trip. Going to take a whole day break.

Just a quick update: Many parts of the GQ is horrible. with parts of road is broken now. There is a 40 km stretch where the only vehicle possible is an army truck. Thank god, it was negotiated safely and it took the Jazz one hour 35 minutes to cover 40 kms. A 20 Km stretch after Jhansi is also horrible.

Hope that the roads to Bangalore from Nagpur are better. Apologies for the information in this thread. Once I reach Bangalore, I will be asking for some more help.

Remember to take the Nehru ORR to avoid Hyderabad city and connect straight to NH7 Blr side while coming from Nagpur.Nagpur-Hyd woul

PS:There is a very bad section at the MH-AP border after Pandharkawda and before Adilabad.That section has been like that for time immemorial.Also sections around Hinganghat out of Nagpur are average.Nagpur-ORR entry can be done in about 6-7hours.90minutes to get across from Medchal to Shamshabad via the ORR.Shamshabad to Hebbal budget for another 7hours.No places to eat enroute between Medchal and Blr.

Originally Posted by kirantp

@ranjitp1: Thanks for your inputs. I have updated the return journey based on the suggestions received. Please have a look and let me know if this is good to go or any further changes are needed.

Kumarakom - Vadakkancherry - Pollachi - Annur - Sathyamangalam - Chamarajanagara - Bangalore

Also, it would be great if you can let me know good eat outs for lunch via this route.

Cheers,
Kiran

AFAIK,No place to eat between CBE and Nijaguna Residency,Chamarajanagar.Also post that also hardly any good places in comparison to the NH47-nh7 combo.