Planning trip to palani

swathyd · 14th May 2008, 20:09

Hello friends,

I am planning a trip to palani with my family. I am confused over which route we should take as there are two options. One is through palghat (through pollachi) and another through madurai ( touching nagercoil and virudunagar ). The madurai route is shorter. But anxious about the condition of the road as i heard that highway work is going on. So please give me your opinion on the route. And also about restaurants on the way and in palani. Try to give some info on good hotels in palani with ample parking space.

hvkumar · 14th May 2008, 23:55

Madurai route is better when coming from Trivandrum. The construction work on NH7 between Nagercoil and Madurai is not disruptive and you can make good speeds. Take NH7 all the way to Madurai where you do not have to go into the city. Continue on NH7 till Dindigul where you turn left into the road to Kodaikanal/Periakulam/Theni (I don't think Palani is marked on the sign boards. At Sembatti which is approximately 15-20 kms after turning off NH7, turn right and go via Othanchatram to Palani.

If you want to go on the Pollachi route (maybe a good idea for the return journey), go via Udmalaipet, Pollachi. At Pollachi town, turn left (straight goes to Coimbatore) and go to Palakkad via Gopalapuram and Kanjikode. Once you are in Palakkad (town is bypassed), you are on NH47 all the way to Trivandrum via Trissur, Kochi, Alapuzha and Kollam.

swathyd · 20th May 2008, 21:03

Thanks for the information. But i also need some tips on bad stretches of roads and bootlenecks like we have in kerala . It will be very nice if some hotels on the way and in palani ( with parking space) is pointed out.

hvkumar · 21st May 2008, 00:01

Apart from the TVM-Nagercoil sretch, there are no other congested corridors, barring perhaps Tirumangalam-Madurai-Dindigul. No bad roads. You can reach Palani without stop the same day without any need to halt en route. Lots of hotels in Palani, but don't know any.

Dhar's · 21st May 2008, 10:55

TVM-Nagercoil route is bad. Congested and potholed. From there till Madurai, 4 lane is under construction. Be cautious while driving on this route since both tracks are not opened for vehicles at many places, the traffic is on two way direction (even though it might seem that its a four way track). Warning sign boards are very rare. Recently, there had been a lot of accidents including those from Kerala.

The alternate road from Gopalapuram chungam to Alathur during 2007 Sep was really bad. Hope they repaired it.

I did not stay at Palani. Hence, can't comment on hotels.

Have a safe journey!

carlover98 · 21st May 2008, 14:12

I am planning to go to Kodaikanal next week. Is it better to go to Madurai via Nagarcoil - Tirunelveli route or via Thenmala - Shencottai - Rajapalayam etc.

Also is it shorter to take a left turn from Tirumangalam (without going to Madurai) to go to Kodaikanal?

Dhar's · 21st May 2008, 14:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlover98

I am planning to go to Kodaikanal next week. Is it better to go to Madurai via Nagarcoil - Tirunelveli route or via Thenmala - Shencottai - Rajapalayam etc.

Also is it shorter to take a left turn from Tirumangalam (without going to Madurai) to go to Kodaikanal?

Thenmala Shencottai road is non existant.

carlover98 · 22nd May 2008, 09:37

Dhar,
Thanks for the info. I will stick to the Nagarcoil - Tirunelveli route.

14th May 2008, 20:09	#1
swathyd BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: thiruvananthapuram Posts: 774 Thanked: 25 Times	Planning trip to palani Hello friends, I am planning a trip to palani with my family. I am confused over which route we should take as there are two options. One is through palghat (through pollachi) and another through madurai ( touching nagercoil and virudunagar ). The madurai route is shorter. But anxious about the condition of the road as i heard that highway work is going on. So please give me your opinion on the route. And also about restaurants on the way and in palani. Try to give some info on good hotels in palani with ample parking space.
	() Thanks

14th May 2008, 23:55	#2
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Madurai route is better when coming from Trivandrum. The construction work on NH7 between Nagercoil and Madurai is not disruptive and you can make good speeds. Take NH7 all the way to Madurai where you do not have to go into the city. Continue on NH7 till Dindigul where you turn left into the road to Kodaikanal/Periakulam/Theni (I don't think Palani is marked on the sign boards. At Sembatti which is approximately 15-20 kms after turning off NH7, turn right and go via Othanchatram to Palani. If you want to go on the Pollachi route (maybe a good idea for the return journey), go via Udmalaipet, Pollachi. At Pollachi town, turn left (straight goes to Coimbatore) and go to Palakkad via Gopalapuram and Kanjikode. Once you are in Palakkad (town is bypassed), you are on NH47 all the way to Trivandrum via Trissur, Kochi, Alapuzha and Kollam.
	() Thanks

20th May 2008, 21:03	#3
swathyd BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: thiruvananthapuram Posts: 774 Thanked: 25 Times	Thanks for the information. But i also need some tips on bad stretches of roads and bootlenecks like we have in kerala . It will be very nice if some hotels on the way and in palani ( with parking space) is pointed out. Last edited by swathyd : 20th May 2008 at 21:06.
	() Thanks

21st May 2008, 00:01	#4
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Apart from the TVM-Nagercoil sretch, there are no other congested corridors, barring perhaps Tirumangalam-Madurai-Dindigul. No bad roads. You can reach Palani without stop the same day without any need to halt en route. Lots of hotels in Palani, but don't know any.
	() Thanks

21st May 2008, 10:55	#5
Dhar's BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: QLN/TRV/DXB Posts: 420 Thanked: 627 Times View My Garage	TVM-Nagercoil route is bad. Congested and potholed. From there till Madurai, 4 lane is under construction. Be cautious while driving on this route since both tracks are not opened for vehicles at many places, the traffic is on two way direction (even though it might seem that its a four way track). Warning sign boards are very rare. Recently, there had been a lot of accidents including those from Kerala. The alternate road from Gopalapuram chungam to Alathur during 2007 Sep was really bad. Hope they repaired it. I did not stay at Palani. Hence, can't comment on hotels. Have a safe journey!
	() Thanks

21st May 2008, 14:12	#6
carlover98 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 78 Thanked: 2 Times	I am planning to go to Kodaikanal next week. Is it better to go to Madurai via Nagarcoil - Tirunelveli route or via Thenmala - Shencottai - Rajapalayam etc. Also is it shorter to take a left turn from Tirumangalam (without going to Madurai) to go to Kodaikanal?
	() Thanks

22nd May 2008, 09:37	#8
carlover98 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 78 Thanked: 2 Times	Dhar, Thanks for the info. I will stick to the Nagarcoil - Tirunelveli route.
	() Thanks