[Rajiv-Bang]

Originally Posted by techn0l0gist

There's a hotel in Ponda called Casa Menino in the middle of the city, you can check that out - I hear it is decent - don't have any personal experience with it (their restaurant is nice btw) .

Yes the restaurant is good, its been operating for more than 2 decades or maybe more, the building has been reconstructed. We used to frequent it during our engineering days.

[bsanjayrao]

Did Bangalore - Tumkur - Shimoga - Honavar - Karwar - Goa on Jan 9th 2010. The roads were really good all the way to Goa from Bangalore. We did not have any problems except that the Kali Bridge was closed then and we had to drive 70km extra (even this route was good, though it goes through the country side). Also did not find any bad roads anywhere. The route is very scenic and I would recommend people to take this route if they are planning a trip.

Enroute we can check JOG Falls, Tavarekoppa Lion\Tiger safari. Both of these places are close to Shimoga.

Car was Swift Vdi. Distance from Bangalore to Goa was close to 620km. That is because of the 70km extra which we had to travel.

Places enroute where one could make a stop for refreshment and rest: Shimoga, Honavar, Karwar

Total distance covered during the trip approx 1900km. We headed to Mangalore (my native) from Goa and then travelled to Bangalore.

[citizen]

Bangalore-Tumkur-Shimoga-Sagar-Honavar-Karwar-Goa is good if you are going to South Goa.. upto maybe Quepem. The roads are good and very few bad stretches. Distance is around 600 km.

But if you are headed for Ponda or Panaji- NH4- Bangalore-Tumkur-Chitradurga-Davangere-Hubli-Kittur-Bidi-Ponda is better. The last 100-150 km is not too good. About 10 km is very bad but the distance will still be 600km.

But the Shimoga route is really good and one can take a break in Shimoga.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by bsanjayrao

We did not have any problems except that the Kali Bridge was closed then and we had to drive 70km extra (even this route was good, though it goes through the country side). Also did not find any bad roads anywhere. The route is very scenic and I would recommend people to take this route if they are planning a trip.

This 70KM bypass road will take you through the Kaiga nuclear power station and Kadra Hydel project. An amazing country side. Reminds of the time I spent there. Glad to note that the road conditions have improved. During my times, there used to be road in some places. Most places, only potholes !

[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by citizen

Bangalore-Tumkur-Shimoga-Sagar-Honavar-Karwar-Goa is good if you are going to South Goa.. upto maybe Quepem. The roads are good and very few bad stretches. Distance is around 600 km.

But if you are headed for Ponda or Panaji- NH4- Bangalore-Tumkur-Chitradurga-Davangere-Hubli-Kittur-Bidi-Ponda is better. The last 100-150 km is not too good. About 10 km is very bad but the distance will still be 600km.

But the Shimoga route is really good and one can take a break in Shimoga.

Is is PONDA or LONDA? Is it necessary to touch Hubli. Google map shows other option without touching Hubli. I am not sure if that route is good or not?

[goandude]

Originally Posted by bsanjayrao

Did Bangalore - Tumkur - Shimoga - Honavar - Karwar - Goa on Jan 9th 2010.

How long did this route take? driving time i mean.

[StarVegabond]

Returned today early morning from Goa, Details as below

Left from Yelahanka, Bagalore at 10:30 AM on Friday. Drove via Dobbaspet-Dodballapur-Tumkur bypass towards Gubbi. Stopped after Arsikere 1.30 PM for lunch. Eat home cooked, packed lunch amid an army of monkeys, left at 2.PM. Took another break at Kamat Honnavar between 17:50 to 18:20 for Tea. Took another hour break at Ankola between 7 PM to 8 PM. Reached Mardol via Karwar - Madgaon -Ponda at 10:30 PM.

Total Distance covered 655KMs in 12 hours minus 2 hours for breaks. 10hours drive time 65KMPH average speed.

Road conditions were good throughout except Tumkur-Gubbi bypass, Shimoga bypass, some streches between Bhadravati and Shimoga, some stretches between Talguppa and Honnavar, some streches between Ankola and Karwar. Most difficulty was the bikers from the towns and un-marked speed breakers on either side of the villages on the way.
Road conditions in Goa are excellent.

Left from Mardol at 3 PM yesterday, drove via Ponda-Londa-Khanpur-Bidi-Kittur-Hubli-Davangere-Tumkur-Nelamangala-Bangalore. Reached home at 1:40 AM, took two breaks one at Ranebennur Ghar dhaba for Dinner + fuel top up between 7:30 to 8:20 PM and for Khadak Tea (KT) some dabha between Davangere-Chitradurga betwen 10 PM to 10:20 PM. Total Drive time of 9.5 hours for 615KMs, average speed of ~65KMPH.

Road condition till Karkataka Border was excellent. Anmod Ghat has been re-surfaced. once i entered Karnakataka, roads automatically told us so.
Bad stretches are some 3-4 KM immediately after the excise gate of karnataka state and 1-2 between Ramnagar - Khanapur. Bidi to Kittur 12 KMs is so-so road full of pot holes. We reached GQ at Kittur by 5:30 PM (2.5 hours drive from Mardol-Ponda).

Stretches between Haveri and Chitradurga have improved, some fly overs have been opened for traffic, but it seems it will take atleast another year to complete the whole work.Crossing Ranebennur town itself took almost 40 minutes due to canvoy of trucks carrying cars from Maruti, Hyundai plus the town traffic.

Entering Bangalore was very chaotic and full of truckers every where from Nelamangala to Yeshwantpur.

Total Distance covered during the trip 655 (onward) + 615 (return) + 25 (within Mardol-Ponda) = 1295 KMs. I fueled (top up) in Yelahanka, Talguppa, Mollem, Ranebennur. Over all fuel cost was about RS 5400/-
Per KM ~ RS 4.1.

Toll on the way RS 12 for Dobbaspet-Tumkur, Return Toll was charged for GQ use before Dharwad, Dharwad-Humbi Bypass-Bankapur - Davangere-Chitradurga, Hiriyur, Sira, Tumkur Nelamanaga. Exaxt amount i do not remember (receipts are in the car) everytime it was between RS 30-40 except Tumkur Nalamangala is RS 24.

[ajitkommini]

Originally Posted by sarinkumar

Is is PONDA or LONDA? Is it necessary to touch Hubli. Google map shows other option without touching Hubli. I am not sure if that route is good or not?

Attached a pic. Hope this helps. The one to the west is Ponda, The one to the East is Londa.

[yogeshnaik]

There is another route.

From Hubli-Dharwad/Belgaum-Londa-Goa

Route no 2 & 3 are better. If you like more greenery, select route 2. But after Sagar, the ghat section to Honnavar route is narrow but drivable. Need to be careful.

Enjoy!

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by yogeshnaik

Route no 2 & 3 are better. If you like more greenery, select route 2. But after Sagar, the ghat section to Honnavar route is narrow but drivable. Need to be careful.

Route No:3?? 2?? Didnt get the point.
Could you please elaborate. I m planning a trip BLR-GOA-SHirdi-Bangalore this month end and plan in doing BLR-GOA at night. Could you please suggest the best route for the same,

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

BLR-GOA at night.

Once you get off NH4 see that it is not dark. Any of the roads above can get a bit confusing in the night if you are doing the route the first time round. And then there will be no BOSS GPS around too.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Any of the roads above can get a bit confusing in the night if you are doing the route the first time round.

So which route would you suggest I take?

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

So which route would you suggest I take?

Staying in North Goa - Kittur - Bidi Route.

Staying in South Goa - Karwar Route.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by techn0l0gist

There's a hotel in Ponda called Casa Menino in the middle of the city, you can check that out - I hear it is decent - don't have any personal experience with it (their restaurant is nice btw) .

Originally Posted by srimath

I went through kittur-bidi while going to Panaji during the first week of nov 09 and the road from Kittur to Goa Border is horrible. You get tired very easily driving on this route. Please try to avoid this route.

Originally Posted by Rajiv-Bang

Yes the restaurant is good, its been operating for more than 2 decades or maybe more, the building has been reconstructed. We used to frequent it during our engineering days.

Thanks Guys, I had not read these posts, but our hosts had booked same hotel for several among the family. We did not experience the resturant (may be next time) as all the food arrangements were at the marriage venue which we were attending.

[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by ajitkommini

Attached a pic. Hope this helps. The one to the west is Ponda, The one to the East is Londa.

Thanks. I am planning to go to Hubli first, stay there for two nights and then start to Goa. The google map shows that, I need to go to Dharward from Hubli and take NH 4A to Panaji. I hope this is the right route. Any suggestions for good hotel in Hubli and what are the places to go around for 1.5 days?
Regards,
Sarin