[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Pilot77in

Anyone aware of the ongoing land encroachment agitation at Munnar and if those touring have any reason to defer the trip untill after it dies down?

Nothing to be worried about as of now. The most you can come across is smaller deviations due to road block, but again nothing violent in case that was your worry.

[champ27]

Hi,

I am planning to a Bangalore - Munnar trip with my family. I am putting up at aranyaka resort in Pallivasal. From the earlier pages on this thread, I gather the below 2 routes.

Route 1 - Bangalore - Dindigul - Theni- Munnar

Route 2 - Bangalore - Salem - Avinashi - Udumalpet - Munnar

Route is 45 Kms shorter as per google maps but time shown is roughly the same.

Can the experts please advise which route should I take.

Thanks.

[Prodigy07]

Originally Posted by champ27

Hi,

I am planning to a Bangalore - Munnar trip with my family. I am putting up at aranyaka resort in Pallivasal. From the earlier pages on this thread, I gather the below 2 routes.

Route 1 - Bangalore - Dindigul - Theni- Munnar

Route 2 - Bangalore - Salem - Avinashi - Udumalpet - Munnar

Route is 45 Kms shorter as per google maps but time shown is roughly the same.

Can the experts please advise which route should I take.

Thanks.

Hi Champ,

I went to Munnar from Chennai via Dindigul/Theni route last week and I stayed at Aranyaka resort too!

If you are taking Theni/Bodi route, I would suggest you start a little early from Bangalore (say 5am) as there would be traffic jams around Poopara/Lockhart area.

The route from Munnar town to the resort is pretty straight forward. Just watch out for Pallivasal Tea Factory to your left.

Just to caution - The route from Pallivasal tea factory to the resort is quite narrow and there are few blind turns too. So, please keep honking when you drive through.

[champ27]

Originally Posted by Prodigy07

Hi Champ,

I went to Munnar from Chennai via Dindigul/Theni route last week and I stayed at Aranyaka resort too!

If you are taking Theni/Bodi route, I would suggest you start a little early from Bangalore (say 5am) as there would be traffic jams around Poopara/Lockhart area.

The route from Munnar town to the resort is pretty straight forward. Just watch out for Pallivasal Tea Factory to your left.

Just to caution - The route from Pallivasal tea factory to the resort is quite narrow and there are few blind turns too. So, please keep honking when you drive through.

Thanks for the reply mate!

Sure will heed to your advice. Planning to start between 4-5 am (though it's always a challenge )

How was your experience at Aranyaka. Any watch out areas/ suggestions.

Thanks

[Prodigy07]

Originally Posted by champ27

Thanks for the reply mate!

Sure will heed to your advice. Planning to start between 4-5 am (though it's always a challenge )

How was your experience at Aranyaka. Any watch out areas/ suggestions.

Thanks

The cottages offer excellent views of tea plantations, Attukkad waterfall etc;

We went for a long walk between the tea plantations just to have a closer view of the waterfalls.

For sightseeing, we hired a cab (Verito) from the resort. I didn't want to drive my Baleno and end up waiting at serpentine traffic jams!

[champ27]

Originally Posted by Prodigy07

The cottages offer excellent views of tea plantations, Attukkad waterfall etc;

We went for a long walk between the tea plantations just to have a closer view of the waterfalls.

For sightseeing, we hired a cab (Verito) from the resort. I didn't want to drive my Baleno and end up waiting at serpentine traffic jams!

Glad to learn that. We are planning to go one a trek. Agree on hiring a local cab. I did that during my last visit. It keeps you stress free.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by champ27

Hi,

I am planning to a Bangalore - Munnar trip with my family. I am putting up at aranyaka resort in Pallivasal. From the earlier pages on this thread, I gather the below 2 routes.

Route 1 - Bangalore - Dindigul - Theni- Munnar

Route 2 - Bangalore - Salem - Avinashi - Udumalpet - Munnar

Route is 45 Kms shorter as per google maps but time shown is roughly the same.

Can the experts please advise which route should I take.

Thanks.

Both the roads are scenic, plan to use different options for coming and going. As suggested, plan to start early, these roads can be misty during the evenings and you will also cross the forest stretches during the day.

[landcruiser123]

Hello BHPians,
I'm planning to drive to Munnar (from Bangalore) on Tuesday. (I'm checking in to club Mahindra on Tuesday.)
Is this the route to take-- Bangalore-Salem-Dindigul-Batlagundu-Theni-Bodi-Munnar?

The earliest I can leave is about 630AM. Is a continuous drive doable in 10-11 hours or it wise to start on Monday and split the journey ?

BTW, I'm driving an Innova.

TIA

[ampere]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Hello BHPians,
I'm planning to drive to Munnar (from Bangalore) on Tuesday. (I'm checking in to club Mahindra on Tuesday.)
Is this the route to take-- Bangalore-Salem-Dindigul-Batlagundu-Theni-Bodi-Munnar?

- Since its Chinnakanal (Club Mahindra location), Theni option makes sense.
- There is a Theni bypass also possible.
- Innova should easily make it
- Try earlier than 6:30 as much as possible. Its good to be there by late noon/early evening.

The earliest I can leave is about 630AM. Is a continuous drive doable in 10-11 hours or it wise to start on Monday and split the journey ?

Definitely can be done.

- 2.5/3 hours for Salem (200)
- 2.5 hours for Dindigul (180)
- 1.5-2 hour for Theni (80)
- 2 hours max for chinnakanal (70km) + Narrow roads

[abhishekd]

Gentlemen, Thanks for all your help. I will be traveling to Munnar tomorrow morning around 3:30am from Bannerghatta Road near Meenakshi Temple.

My resort Misty Mountain Munnar is approximately 8kms from the town centre. Google maps is suggesting Udumalpet route which is 483kms. It's not offering the Theni route which turns out to be 550kms. Two questions

Q1 - Is it still advisable to take the Theni route given the location of my resort. Did a quick map check and my resort is 20kms / 55mins from Club Mahindra.

Q-2 Any recent updates on the Udumalpet route.

As always, Appreciate your time and help. Images with location of my resort and the distance between my resort and Club Mahindra.


Link to Misty Mountain Resort, Munnar
Randam Mile / Second Mile Junction, Pallivasal, Munnar, Kerala 685565
04865 263 784

https://goo.gl/maps/cbfYJSGFVWr

[NPV]

Originally Posted by abhishekd

Q1 - Is it still advisable to take the Theni route given the location of my resort. Did a quick map check and my resort is 20kms / 55mins from Club Mahindra.

Q-2 Any recent updates on the Udumalpet route.

The Theni route will get you to Club Mahindra/Chinnakanal area first and from there the Munnar town is easily an hours drive away, and then another 8Km from the town centre to your resort.

I think you'd be better off taking Udumalaipet route so that you get to the Munnar town directly. Route:
Bangalore-Salem on NH7/44-Turn off towards Coimbatore route NH47/544 and proceed via Perundurai bypass till Avinashi bypass-turn off towards Mangalam (you will see signage for Palladam)

The Mangalam road take you to Palladam and you reach a 4 road junction (NH209) with a signal. Proceed straight at the signal and then in about a Kilometre or so you will see a left turn to Udumalaipet, take this (right goes to Pollachi, don't take that).

At Udumalaipet, near the bus stand you will see a road to left going towards Palani and a road to right marked for Munnar, take this. Proceed straight and you will reach the Chinnar forest checkpost (left goes towards Amaravathi dam, don't take this). Proceed straight and a couple of forest checkposts later (Tamil Nadu, Kerala) you will be on your way to Marayoor and then Munnar. The stretch inside the forest is a bit narrow, possibly rough at few places but nothing unmanageable. Otherwise roads are good all the way.

[abhishekd]

Originally Posted by NPV

The Theni route will get you to Club Mahindra/Chinnakanal area first and from there the Munnar town is easily an hours drive away, and then another 8Km from the town centre to your resort.

Thanks again NPV, I guess Salem will be a little early for breakfast with a 3am start (I am slow driver and I like open roads). Trust there are other decent loo and breakfast options after Salem. Avinashi maybe?

[satan's_valet]

Originally Posted by abhishekd

Thanks again NPV, I guess Salem will be a little early for breakfast with a 3am start (I am slow driver and I like open roads). Trust there are other decent loo and breakfast options after Salem. Avinashi maybe?

Hi Abishekd, I came back from Munnar a couple of days back and the road through Udumalaipet is pretty good.. As NPV mentioned, it is a little narrow inside the forest regions, but easily manageable. The Theni route had narrower roads compared to this one.

As for breakfast, you will find a A2B near Bhavani on your right. If that doesn't work out, you can try Hotel Shri Sai Krishna just before the Avinashi road.. It will come on your left and is about 120kms from Salem.. We had lunch there and food was pretty decent.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by abhishekd

Thanks again NPV, I guess Salem will be a little early for breakfast with a 3am start (I am slow driver and I like open roads). Trust there are other decent loo and breakfast options after Salem. Avinashi maybe?

Oh yes, the NH 47 route has several options.

With a 3am start, you should be around Perundurai by 7am which is a good time to break when the hotels just open for business when food is fresh and hot and crowds are less and rest rooms are cleaner

You can consider one of these depending on the time you get there:
1. A2B soon as you enter the NH 47 at Salem. On left, along with a Bharat Petroleum bunk, also has a Polar Bear ice cream outlet. Possibly a tad early, the place usually opens around 6:15-6:30am

2. Another 15-20 Km later, Sree Saravana Bhavan on left inside the NHAI amenity complex. This place is 500m before the Vaigundam/Sankari toll

3. Another 15-20 Km later, Saravana Bhavan Classic on right side near Reddipalayam (Sankari West)

4. Another 25-30 Km later on the Perundurai bypass, there is a NHAI amenity complex on right side (and a break in median to get there directly). This one has an A2B inside the campus. My guess is this will be ideal as you will be around this place at 7am or so

5. Another 20 Km later, there is Anandha Bhavan on right side (Chengapalli)

After this, closer to your Palladam turn off, there are newer hotels, that I don't remember the names of and neither have I tried any of them.

[KK_HakunaMatata]

Originally Posted by abhishekd

Thanks again NPV, I guess Salem will be a little early for breakfast with a 3am start (I am slow driver and I like open roads). Trust there are other decent loo and breakfast options after Salem. Avinashi maybe?

We did Thekkady last month with family and reached Salem at 6 AM exactly and Radisson was open at that time. They are open 24 hrs and have good breakfast spread. Check it out.

KK