[himavanth_m]

Originally Posted by kartikk

I wish I asked this before, planning for a trip to Munnar tomorrow, actually Surianelli, which route to take

Option 1: NH7 all the way then Dindigul - Theni - Chinnakanal.

Option 2: NH7 then NH49 towards Avinashi - Udumalaipettai - Marayur - Munnar (simply because its more sceinc and the travel would be more exciting). I prefer this one. Will start early to ensure reaching Chinnar before 6pm.

wish to know anyone recently travelled, how was the road condition?

Thanks in advance.

If you are not concerned about time, i would suggest route 2. It is really breathtaking and scenic.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...r-vagamon.html

Personally I have done both, but I prefer your Option 2 although it takes a little bit more time.
Anyway in both cases you will be travelling on NH7 upto Salem. If you get bored of the highway here, then use the Udumalapettai road. And if you think you want more of NH7, then use your options 1

[ampere]

Take Theni road while going and Udumalpet while coming back.
I don't know where exactly is Surianelli? Google maps says its Munnar town. (On the Mattupetty dam road)


Either way I would suggest take Theni while going. Because you can relax and stop while coming back.
While going you may get delayed due to many stops looking at the views.

[kala]

Originally Posted by ampere

I don't know where exactly is Surianelli? Google maps says its Munnar town. (On the Mattupetty dam road)

No Surianelli is not on the Mattuppetty road, it's about 5 or 6 kms down the road from Chinnakkanal Junction on the road that passes past Mahindra / Sterling / Fort Munnar/Siena Village etc. So going via Theni certainly makes more sense. Not sure about road conditions though - I recall that it was quite a narrow road when I went that way a few years ago.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by kala

No Surianelli is not on the Mattuppetty road, it's about 5 or 6 kms down the road from Chinnakkanal Junction on the road that passes past Mahindra / Sterling / Fort Munnar/Siena Village etc. So going via Theni certainly makes more sense. Not sure about road conditions though - I recall that it was quite a narrow road when I went that way a few years ago.

Suryanelli is on the road connection Chinnakanal to Bodi Medu.
It is perpetually in a bad condition and fit for only 4Wders.

[9tMax]

Just came back from my Hyd- Munnar - Hyd trip this evening.
While going, I took the Salem - Dindigul - Theni - Bodi - Poopara - Munnar route. The ghat section in Kerala was quite bad. Too many craters all along and the road becomes quite narrow at many places. 3 times we had to stop and roll back quite a bit to make way for the oncoming buses or trucks. And there were siimply too many of them.
So while coming back - decided to take the other route, i.e. Munnar - Marayoor - Chinnar - Udumalaipet - Dharapuram - Karur ( via SH-21) - Salem - Bangy route. And it was far far better from the other route. In the ghat section, the over all road condition was much better than the theni route. And after coming down, the SH-21 from Dharapuram to Karur was like a black satin. Hats off to TN highways deptt.
I would suggest the chinnar - marayoor route any day, any time, in spite of the one and half hour jam that we got stuck into, at eravikulam.

[kartikk]

To keep this thread updated, just came back from Bangalore-Munnar (I went to suryanelli actually about 18km from Munnar on chinnakanal road this is also the place where Steerling Resorts/Club Mahindra are present)

Onwards was via NH7 till just after Karoor then took the Theni road. i.e the Cochin Madurai highway (think it was NH49) roads were good started by 7 reached Suryanelli by 4:30. Journey was uneventfull with boring highways and average speed of about 78kmph including some traffic at Selam junction. From Theni onwards it actually became intersting after crossing Bodinayaknoor. The road from Suryanelli to Munnar though NH is narrow patchy and at some places literly deadly with steep sharp curves.
The NH49 reaches Munnar where the state highway from Munnar to Muttupetty dam / Top Station is super smooth very curvy and vomitty folks can reachout for motion sickness tablets for sure.

Return I came via Munnar-Marayoor-Udumulpet-Perunduria to hit Erode bypass onto Salem. This road is superb in terms of scenary with huge mountains, nice water falls but patchy, average speeds would not exceed 50kmph and will take longer only because you end up stopping for photo-op almost at every turn, especially if its just about evening with some clouds blocking the harsh sun and creating a very bright yet full light. Once u cross the ghat section roads improve and after u cross Udumulpet the roads are very smooth you can cover up the time lost. Thank you everyone for the help.

Hope this helps others to preplan.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by kartikk

To keep this thread updated, just came back from Bangalore-Munnar (I went to suryanelli actually about 18km from Munnar on chinnakanal road this is also the place where Steerling Resorts/Club Mahindra are present)

Onwards was via NH7 till just after Karoor then took the Theni road. i.e the Cochin Madurai highway (think it was NH49) roads were good started by 7 reached Suryanelli by 4:30. Journey was uneventfull with boring highways and average speed of about 78kmph including some traffic at Selam junction. From Theni onwards it actually became intersting after crossing Bodinayaknoor. The road from Suryanelli to Munnar though NH is narrow patchy and at some places literly deadly with steep sharp curves.
The NH49 reaches Munnar where the state highway from Munnar to Muttupetty dam / Top Station is super smooth very curvy and vomitty folks can reachout for motion sickness tablets for sure.

Return I came via Munnar-Marayoor-Udumulpet-Perunduria to hit Erode bypass onto Salem. This road is superb in terms of scenary with huge mountains, nice water falls but patchy, average speeds would not exceed 50kmph and will take longer only because you end up stopping for photo-op almost at every turn, especially if its just about evening with some clouds blocking the harsh sun and creating a very bright yet full light. Once u cross the ghat section roads improve and after u cross Udumulpet the roads are very smooth you can cover up the time lost. Thank you everyone for the help.

Hope this helps others to preplan.

thanks a lot for this post. Exactly the information I was looking for. This is the same route I planned to take, after going through other posts on this thread. While going, Theni route via NH49 to Munnar (my resort is near munnar town inside palliavasal estate) and while coming back via Marayoor - Udumalpettai. This adds some variety definitely, plus the scenery provides for some good photo opportunities. Any idea about petrol bunks on route? I was thinking of tanking up here, next tankup at Theni and that should last me for the sightseeing trips around munnar until Uduamalpettai.

how is the weather right now in Munnar?

[kartikk]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

thanks a lot for this post. Exactly the information I was looking for. This is the same route I planned to take, after going through other posts on this thread. While going, Theni route via NH49 to Munnar (my resort is near munnar town inside palliavasal estate) and while coming back via Marayoor - Udumalpettai. This adds some variety definitely, plus the scenery provides for some good photo opportunities. Any idea about petrol bunks on route? I was thinking of tanking up here, next tankup at Theni and that should last me for the sightseeing trips around munnar until Uduamalpettai.

how is the weather right now in Munnar?

Your welcome I refuelled at Salem just to be sure of the quality of fuel and then did a half tank before starting from Munnar, (didnt want to carry weight downhill & curvy roads) and once I hit Erode by-pass tanked up on the highway. The weather is plesent, mostly cloudy & you must visit Top Station or Kulukumalai tea estate the weather higher up on the hills was chilly as expected with strong gusty winds. We reached the top at around 6:30 and I actually loved the light during that time of the day it creates bright orange effect all over. Overall misty, cloudy during mornings/late evenings and a lot of direct sun during the day.

Enjoy your trip

[ampere]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

how is the weather right now in Munnar?

Could not stop myself from writing! First I thought it was you who had
completed the trip and providing a report. I also thought you had changed you avatar!

Did not realize it is another member with similar ID!
A case of "Karthik calling Karthik"?

Jokes apart, many folks have reported about the Theni side of Munnar road (NH49) breaking up. Hence need to be careful there.
The Chinnakanal-Munnar NH49 is also very steep and narrow at many places.

Also note a very nice lake on this Theni acess side.

Ref:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...47-munnar.html

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by ampere

Could not stop myself from writing! First I thought it was you who had
completed the trip and providing a report. I also thought you had changed you avatar!

Did not realize it is another member with similar ID!
A case of "Karthik calling Karthik"?

Jokes apart, many folks have reported about the Theni side of Munnar road (NH49) breaking up. Hence need to be careful there.
The Chinnakanal-Munnar NH49 is also very steep and narrow at many places.

Also note a very nice lake on this Theni acess side.

Ref:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...47-munnar.html

Haha I was also shocked to see a very similar ID without a 'h' in it Really confusing

the pictures in that thread look heavenly. that lake place especially, awesome raw material for some HDR snaps here hope it is all on the way and doesnt require detours from NH49

Is it too steep/patchy, as in the likes of the infamous kalhatti ghats near ooty? or is it manageable? if it is avoidable, i can use the marayoor stretch both ways. What would you suggest?

P.S - will be taking the jet this time so 4x4 type road routes are a no-no *lol*

[himavanth_m]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Is it too steep/patchy, as in the likes of the infamous kalhatti ghats near ooty? or is it manageable? if it is avoidable, i can use the marayoor stretch both ways. What would you suggest?

P.S - will be taking the jet this time so 4x4 type road routes are a no-no *lol*

Take the Udumulapettai - Marayoor road both ways. The Theni route was quite good in 2010 October when I went from Chennai to Munnar. But going through the forum now, I heard terrible things about the Theni route now.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Haha I was also shocked to see a very similar ID without a 'h' in it Really confusing

the pictures in that thread look heavenly. that lake place especially, awesome raw material for some HDR snaps here hope it is all on the way and doesnt require detours from NH49

Is it too steep/patchy, as in the likes of the infamous kalhatti ghats near ooty? or is it manageable? if it is avoidable, i can use the marayoor stretch both ways. What would you suggest?

P.S - will be taking the jet this time so 4x4 type road routes are a no-no *lol*

Udumalpet road is best suited. Just a piece of information as I saw some folks mentioned Avinashi and Google Maps shows a route through Tirupur to reach Udumalpet, you have to break off at Perundurai from the NH and proceed towards Udumalpet via Chennimalai-Kangeyam-Dharapuram.

Usually I stay in Club Mahindra which is a good 45min drive from Munnar and hence is equally shorter when approached from Bodi. But I prefer the Udumalpet route as it offers better ghat profile and chances of game viewing in Chinnar sanctuary enroute.

[KarthikK]

Thanks all for your replies.

I have another trivial query. Any place to stop by for lunch near Udumalpettai or Palladam? I suppose I will be reaching that place around lunch time if I leave Bangalore by 5ish in the morning on 25th oct. My parents will be along with me so preferably it should be some decent place like A2B or Kamat.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

I have another trivial query. Any place to stop by for lunch near Udumalpettai or Palladam?

Just an info, ensure that you lunch in Udumalpettai. Next good eating places are in Marayoor. Udumalpettai is quite a big place, you will find many places.

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by msdivy

Just an info, ensure that you lunch in Udumalpettai. Next good eating places are in Marayoor. Udumalpettai is quite a big place, you will find many places.

Similar questio with food ans fuel from Theni side. Which us the best place to tank up and have food.
At dindigul i found better food places at Palani turn than Theni turn I there a connection between them or need to return through nh 7?