[ampere]

Originally Posted by srikanthpotluri

I just checked in maps india, it shows a difference of max 33 KMS.

Its upto you and maybe others can advice, but if I had to take I will go through Trichy-Melur-Madurai-Vathalagundu-Kodai. All the way smooth roads except for Trichy bypass.

Thats is also true. You can do Trichy Madurai via NH45B and its very nice. In 2008, there were many diversions (due to 4 Laning), but I guess they all would be gone now. Though I have no idea of Madurai by pass.

The cleanest I can think of is to take the Theni highway and branch off at Usilampatti to go to Batlagundu. People also use the state highway directly from Madurai. I have no idea this direct route. Never been that way. But the Theni highway, it should be the easiest. Others can comment.

[rrahul_2778]

Thanks for the responses guys. Villa Retreat is full for the days I have planned, only the standard rooms are available. Any alternative suggestions or any inputs on the standard rooms?

[ranjitp1]

For want of good roads,you could consider the Chennai-Krishnagiri-Salem-Perundurai-Kangayem-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai.4 laned till Perundurai(approx 400kms).Perundurai to Kodai good roads of approx 100kms.Not much of a difference between the Madurai-Dindigul route and the NH7-NH47 combo,I suspect you would be able to do better speeds on the Krishnagiri route.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thats is also true. You can do Trichy Madurai via NH45B and its very nice. In 2008, there were many diversions (due to 4 Laning), but I guess they all would be gone now. Though I have no idea of Madurai by pass.

The cleanest I can think of is to take the Theni highway and branch off at Usilampatti to go to Batlagundu. People also use the state highway directly from Madurai. I have no idea this direct route. Never been that way. But the Theni highway, it should be the easiest. Others can comment.

The Usilampatti-Vathalagundu road is narrow village road without any bypasses for villages and best avoided. I have taken the parallel Andipatti-Periakulam road via Vaigai Dam and did not find it advisable to take such roads. Further, when you are coming from Melur side, getting to the west side (Theni road) is not easy since the bypass (old one) takes you directly to Tirumangalam, and the bypass (new one) comes from Dindigul to Tirumangalam. Therefore, you will end up either getting into Madurai city (wasting time, losing the way) or else take a long detour till Tirumangalam and returning back north to the Theni road.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

Thanks for the responses guys. Villa Retreat is full for the days I have planned, only the standard rooms are available. Any alternative suggestions or any inputs on the standard rooms?

The best is Carlton,but then it would be prohibitively expensive this time of the year.The other options apart from Villa Retreat is Kodai International,its more of a hotel than a resort,Hill View & Valley view are some of the other options.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

Thanks for the responses guys. Villa Retreat is full for the days I have planned, only the standard rooms are available. Any alternative suggestions or any inputs on the standard rooms?

Try Carlton. Costly but VERY nice. I think there is also a Sterlin in Kodai.

[rrahul_2778]

So, my options are -

I: Chennai - Trichy - Dindigul - Kodai

II: Chennai - Trichy - Melur -Madurai - Vathalagundu - Kodai

III: Chennai-Krishnagiri-Salem-Perundurai-Kangayem-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai

The other route which involved Theni I am not considering after reading HVK sir's post.

So, which of the 3 would provide good roads for driving and also not too difficult, but yes it would help to have some nice scenery around while am driving . I am doing my 1st ever drive up the hills and will be driving a Wagon R.

Not yet sorted out hotels. Carlton is beyond my budget; Villa Retreat and Kodai International are full. Will check out sterling, meanwhile pls keep the suggestions on.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

meanwhile pls keep the suggestions on.

We happened to stay at J's heritage & it was good. They also have several hotels & resorts in Kodai. IIRC, this place was next to Brian's park. If possible, I'll try to upload some pics in the evening, from the stay we'd last time.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

So, my options are -

I: Chennai - Trichy - Dindigul - Kodai

II: Chennai - Trichy - Melur -Madurai - Vathalagundu - Kodai

III: Chennai-Krishnagiri-Salem-Perundurai-Kangayem-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai

The other route which involved Theni I am not considering after reading HVK sir's post.

So, which of the 3 would provide good roads for driving and also not too difficult, but yes it would help to have some nice scenery around while am driving . I am doing my 1st ever drive up the hills and will be driving a Wagon R.

Not yet sorted out hotels. Carlton is beyond my budget; Villa Retreat and Kodai International are full. Will check out sterling, meanwhile pls keep the suggestions on.

By the way I also looked at Google maps to the see the difference in distance between option II and III. On the III option you don't have to go via Palani. You can go through Nammakal till Dindigul, where you have the luxury of NH4/NH46/NH7 4L all the way. With this modification there is hardly a difference of 30-40Km between the two (NH7 being longer).

Given this I would now say take the NH7 route, because it would be the quickest.

Others can comment about NH45/NH45B status as of today. I am not aware.
If its as good as NH7, then the choice is yours.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

So, my options are -

I: Chennai - Trichy - Dindigul - Kodai

+Superfast till Trichy
- Some bad sections in Trichy-Dindigul
+ Good roads rest of the way
+ Shortest time

II: Chennai - Trichy - Melur -Madurai - Vathalagundu - Kodai

+ Superfast till Trichy
- Crossing Madurai city
- longer distance, more time, despite the good Trichy-Melur road vis-a-vis the bad Trichy-Dindigul road
- Detour on Theni road

III: Chennai-Krishnagiri-Salem-Perundurai-Kangayem-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai

- longer route
+ superfast roads till Salem
- congestion between Salem and Perundurai
- Slower roads between Perunthurai and Palani by day

So, which of the 3 would provide good roads for driving and also not too difficult, but yes it would help to have some nice scenery around while am driving . I am doing my 1st ever drive up the hills and will be driving a Wagon R.

Not yet sorted out hotels. Carlton is beyond my budget; Villa Retreat and Kodai International are full. Will check out sterling, meanwhile pls keep the suggestions on.[/quote]

I will go for Route 1. Nothing much to chose from by way of landscapes, etc between the 3 routes, except for the last mile, landscape is same plains.

[rrahul_2778]

Thanks for putting it so analytically HVK Sir :-). So route I it is.

[Archish]

Just did the Trichy - Dindugal couple of days ago. 90% of the road is good.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

III: Chennai-Krishnagiri-Salem-Perundurai-Kangayem-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai

- longer route
+ superfast roads till Salem
- congestion between Salem and Perundurai
- Slower roads between Perunthurai and Palani by day

I will go for Route 1. Nothing much to chose from by way of landscapes, etc between the 3 routes, except for the last mile, landscape is same plains.

HVK, why cant he drive all the way till Dindigul through NH7 instead of Palani and then turn to Kodai. I checked in Google maps. The distances seem almost the same. Not considering landscapes, this route seems much better compared to NH45. Is'nt it?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ampere

HVK, why cant he drive all the way till Dindigul through NH7 instead of Palani and then turn to Kodai. I checked in Google maps. The distances seem almost the same. Not considering landscapes, this route seems much better compared to NH45. Is'nt it?

In Route I (chosen option), he is indeed driving via Dindigul on NH7. It is only in Route III (not considered now) that he was contemplating the Palani route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

In Route I (chosen option), he is indeed driving via Dindigul on NH7. It is only in Route III (not considered now) that he was contemplating the Palani route.

I think his route "I" says to go through Dindigul via Trichy. Thats why I thought depending on the status of NH45 versus NH7, he can choose.