[NPV]

Originally Posted by arjithin

Planning for a Palani trip on 24th Oct from Bangalore. i am inclined to take the Perundurai - Kangeyam - Dharapuram - Palani route. Anyone has an idea about the most recent road conditions on this road? I will be driving this route around 4AM -6 AM time.

Bangalore to Peundurai on NH7+ NH47 from Salem onwards is excellent. Perundurai-Kangeyam-Dharapuram is also good, 2 laned though. From recent reports, Dharapuram-Palani is also decent and better than Dindigul-Palani where some culvert work is in progress. Overall should be a decent route choice

EDIT:Bit confused seeing your post in another thread where you say you will drive to Palani from Calicut, my routing above is for Bangalore-Palani though

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by NPV

EDIT:Bit confused seeing your post in another thread where you say you will drive to Palani from Calicut, my routing above is for Bangalore-Palani though

Thanks for the info. Trip will be either Bangalore - Palani - Kozhikode - bangalore or Bangalore - Kozhikode - Palani - Bangalore. Hence the question on both sides.

Also two cars will be on the Palani trip; one will start from Bangalore and other from Kozhikode

[jkrishnakj]

Hellos
I am leaving to Palani in another half hour or so.
I wanted to check if there is any recommendation for a good lunch place? I should be somewhere near Dharapuram for lunch. Would appreciate any good suggestions. Thanks.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by NPV

Bangalore to Peundurai on NH7+ NH47 from Salem onwards is excellent. Perundurai-Kangeyam-Dharapuram is also good, 2 laned though. From recent reports, Dharapuram-Palani is also decent and better than Dindigul-Palani where some culvert work is in progress. Overall should be a decent route choice

My favorite has been Bangalore->Salem-Vedasandur(NH-7)->Odanchatiram->Palani as it provides more of 6 lane highway.

And also found Bangalore->Kanakapura->Chamarajanagar->Dhimbam->Sathy->Avinashi/Gobi(either one)->Palani route good with leisure driving and no tolls !!!

I remember posting both travel time/distance breakups in Bangalore->Palani thread about 3-4 years back :-)

Of course, Palani-Kozhikode is no brainer as Palani->Pollachi->Palakkad->Mundur->Mannarkkad/Cherpulassery->Perinthalmanna->Kozhikode is always good.

[ravib]

Drove from Palani to Bangalore last sunday 29th Jan 2017.

Instead of taking Ottanchatram/Vedasandur route which is heavy in traffic, i took the alternate route which is very less in traffic. This completely avoids east/south bound traffic.

Palani-Dharapuram-Kannivadi-Aravakurichi-Karur-Salem-Bangalore.

https://goo.gl/maps/QoAaRMaNPwu

The road conditions are excellent all throughout and not even single pothole anywhere. There is absolutely no traffic between Palani-Dharapuram-Aravakurichi and after that joining NH7 towards Karur is as usual.
I was able to cover the 400 kms distance in 5 hours of effective driving time plus 45 minutes break for lunch at Thoppur A2B+Refuelling.

10.30 am - Palani Adivaram
11.05 am - Dharapuram
11.30 am - Aravakurichi
~12.45 pm - Salem
1.45 pm to 2.30 pm- Thoppur break
4 pm - Silk board.

The alternate route is to take Chinna Dharapuram towards Karur which is also good, however, i chose Aravakurichi option because we can join NH in shorter distance.

-Ravi

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ravib

Drove from Palani to Bangalore last sunday 29th Jan 2017.

Instead of taking Ottanchatram/Vedasandur route which is heavy in traffic, i took the alternate route which is very less in traffic. This completely avoids east/south bound traffic.

Palani-Dharapuram-Kannivadi-Aravakurichi-Karur-Salem-Bangalore.

-Ravi

Any specific reason you didn't consider doing Dharapuram-Kangeyam-Perundurai? This stretch is also excellent with very less traffic.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by luvurride

Any specific reason you didn't consider doing Dharapuram-Kangeyam-Perundurai? This stretch is also excellent with very less traffic.

No specific reason to call out. Yes, it is also an excellent stretch. I have already driven in that stretch and secondly, going via Aravakurichi is relatively faster to hit NH7 compared to reaching Perundurai and joining NH544.

-Ravi

[naga.sid]

Hi

I just drove this route. Fabulous roads. Most of Onward was on cruise control. Return was largely manual.

Bangalore->Salem-Vedasandur(NH-7)->Odanchatiram->Palani

The toll booths are a hassle at Krishnagiri.

I started both ways at 4 am and the drive was 5:45 in all. Add 30 minutes for breaks.

Try this small hotel a little before the Vedasandur turn. It's called Hotel Aarthi.

Best regards
Siddharth

[hserus]

Hi - what is currently the best hotel to stay in Palani? I have an evening booking there so we'll probably stay the night and leave the next morning.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by hserus

Hi - what is currently the best hotel to stay in Palani? I have an evening booking there so we'll probably stay the night and leave the next morning.

Tiruppur Lodge is by far one of the oldest and best around there. Their restaurant is also very popular. Probably 1 km before the Adivaram from where the hill climb via stairs begins.
Another option is hotel Shubham almost opposite the steps, ideal location from stay perspective, restaurant is average.
My experiences are more than 7 years ago, so there may be other options too.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by NPV

Tiruppur Lodge is by far one of the oldest and best around there. Their restaurant is also very popular. Probably 1 km before the Adivaram from where the hill climb via stairs begins.
Another option is hotel Shubham almost opposite the steps, ideal location from stay perspective, restaurant is average.
My experiences are more than 7 years ago, so there may be other options too.

Thanks they seem to have a website now, and AC rooms as well so that looks decent. Booking is still over the phone though.

http://www.newtirupurlodge.net/

STD - 04545

Landlines - 242303, 243353, 245303

Cellphone - 89030 03985, 95667 42303

[DWind]

We had stayed at the AC rooms at Dhandapani Nilayam paying nominal fees last year. This is run by Palani Temple administration (under TN Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments ministry of the Govt). They can be booked online
at http://www.palanimurugantemple.tnhrce.in/e_booking.html (they now have an app based booking). AC rooms are basic, but do the job. Only issue is they were in First floor and do not have an elevator.

[narayans80]

Are the broken railway crossings on Dindigul-Palani repaired now?

[pramodpk]

I am planning a Bangalore - Madurai - Karaikudi - Palani - Bangalore drive from Jan 26th to Jan 28th.

Which is the best route from Karaikudi to Palani. Plan is to start from Karaikudi at 2:00 PM on Jan 27th and drive to Palani and to return from Palani to Bangalore on Jan 28th.

How is the Palani - Perundurai road condition?

Thanks in advance.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Which is the best route from Karaikudi to Palani. Plan is to start from Karaikudi at 2:00 PM on Jan 27th and drive to Palani and to return from Palani to Bangalore on Jan 28th.

For Karaikudi to Palani take the Dindigul - Natham road which is, till you get to 30-40 km of Palani, in excellent condition. Winding single lane road with not much traffic, shaded by green trees (see the photo I attached to this post).

Lots of hairpins so watch out for them. All too easy to skid off one if your attention flags (happened to me once, after I nodded off at the wheel, bad mistake).

https://goo.gl/maps/AM9byVA64N12

Close to Karaikudi on that road there's Pillayarpatti and Kundrakudi, so stop by there.

The closer you get to Palani the more horrible the road gets. Several places where the middle of the road has been dug up so traffic on either side goes on one shoulder of the road or the other. Lots of potholes.

I am not aware of the Palani Perundurai road but the roads out of Palani in all directions are horrible for the first 30-40 km and the Perundurai journey will be about a 100 km. So about half your journey is going to be horrible on that leg

Originally Posted by narayans80

Are the broken railway crossings on Dindigul-Palani repaired now?

Nope. More dug up patches on the road too during my Jan trip to Palani than my Nov trip, go figure.