[srh]

I am planning a trip from Bangalore to Ashtamudi (near Kollam/ Quilon) in Kerala in my Indica Xeta. I am planning to take the Mysore-Nanjangud-Bandipur NH212 route. I have been warned that Elephant menace is prominent in Bandipur area.

Question 1 - Can anyone please throw light if it is safe to start from Bangalore at around 1 pm and reach Gudalur late in the evening? (where I plan to take an overnight halt)
Question 2 - What is the best place to transit from NH212 to NH17 (I assume that I do not have to go all the way to Kozikode)
Question 3 - What is the general condition of this road currently

[sridhu]

Hi

Which is a better route to Ashtamudi from Bangalore?

Bangalore-Salem-Coimbatore-Thrissur-Kochi-Kollam/Ashtamudi or

Bangalore - Salem-Karur-Dindigul-Thekkady-Ghats-Ashtamudi?

The need is to reduce driving time & effort (older people in the car). I suspect the former but would like to confirm it from the group.

Also, can you please let me know good places to eat/ break on the way. Again clean, accessible toilet facilities important! Eg, we know that the Dharmapuri A2B is good for food & has decent toilets. Salem? Coimbatore and beyond?

Thanks a ton.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by sridhu

Hi

Which is a better route to Ashtamudi from Bangalore?

Bangalore-Salem-Coimbatore-Thrissur-Kochi-Kollam/Ashtamudi or

Bangalore - Salem-Karur-Dindigul-Thekkady-Ghats-Ashtamudi?

The need is to reduce driving time & effort (older people in the car). I suspect the former but would like to confirm it from the group.

Also, can you please let me know good places to eat/ break on the way. Again clean, accessible toilet facilities important! Eg, we know that the Dharmapuri A2B is good for food & has decent toilets. Salem? Coimbatore and beyond?

Thanks a ton.

I would recommend -

Bangalore - Salem - Karur - Dindigul - Madurai - Rajapalayam - Shenkottai - Thenmala - Kollam

I had driven in this route till Thenmala on the way to Trivandrum. You can find details in my post -

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2554991

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sridhu

Hi
Which is a better route to Ashtamudi from Bangalore?

As pramod said the best route is via Madurai/Sriviliputtur/Rajapalayam/Thenmala/Kollam.
Till Madurai you get good 4-lane and there its 2-lane. You also get good scenic views around Thenmala.
Budget for about 6-7 hours for Madurai and another 4-5 hours for the rest of the 200km on the 2-lane roads.

[hvkumar]

If you have old people travelling with you, it is a better idea to travel via Coimbatore because of the more facilities en route. Moreover, being ghat roads from Kumili/Thekkady to Kanjirapalli, old people will feel more comfortable on plain highways than ghat roads.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Moreover, being ghat roads from Kumili/Thekkady to Kanjirapalli, old people will feel more comfortable on plain highways than ghat roads.

HVK, Should they go by Kumily/Thekkady or Thenkasi/Thenmala?
I thought it should be the other one.

Agreed on the point on old people.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ampere

HVK, Should they go by Kumily/Thekkady or Thenkasi/Thenmala?
I thought it should be the other one.

Agreed on the point on old people.

I would choose the NH47 (via Coimbatore), followed by Tenkasi & Kumili routes.

[sridhu]

Hi

Thanks for the prompt advise folks. Really appreciate it.

A quick update: We went by the Coimbatore-Thrissur route & returned by the Thenkasi-Madurai route.

Having seen both, I strongly recommend the Thenkasi-Madurai route. It is about 50Km longer but at least 2 hours shorter. Probably extends life by at least 1 year!

Problem is this; all of Kerala is like a big city and even though it says NH, it is like driving on the Outer-ring road in Bangalore. Very very stressful & cannot shift into 5th, ever! So, the smartest move is to travel in Tamilnadu as much as possible & enter Kerala at the closest point to your destination.

Was advised against the Kumili route by everybody.

[veedub89]

I am planning on doing the Banaglore-Ashtamudi route in December. I would like to finish this in one day and so i need to know which is the shortest way.
I understand the shortest route in kms may not be the route which takes less time.

Google maps seems to suggest the Coimabtore route is shorter but the members here say Madurai is better.
Has anyone been on this route recently?
What are the conditions of the road?
Would they be suitable for a Swift to drive on?

Sridhu/others can you please help me out?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by veedub89

I am planning on doing the Banaglore-Ashtamudi route in December. I would like to finish this in one day and so i need to know which is the shortest way.
I understand the shortest route in kms may not be the route which takes less time.

Google maps seems to suggest the Coimabtore route is shorter but the members here say Madurai is better.
Has anyone been on this route recently?
What are the conditions of the road?
Would they be suitable for a Swift to drive on?

Sridhu/others can you please help me out?

Coimbatore route is going to take a long time to reach Ashtamudi as you would need to negotiate bad roads and heavy Kerala traffic.

Going via Madurai is a better option.If you want to come back via a different route,then you can come back via Munnar-Theni-NH7-Salem.

[veedub89]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Coimbatore route is going to take a long time to reach Ashtamudi as you would need to negotiate bad roads and heavy Kerala traffic.

Going via Madurai is a better option.If you want to come back via a different route,then you can come back via Munnar-Theni-NH7-Salem.

How long would it take to get from Bangalore to Ashtamudi via Madurai? Google says close to ten hours. Is it so?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by veedub89

How long would it take to get from Bangalore to Ashtamudi via Madurai? Google says close to ten hours. Is it so?

Unless you are on a F1 track, you cannot do it so fast!
Even the fastest one can do Bangalore-Madurai is 5 hours (non-stop, breakneck pace). Assuming you will take 7 hours (with at least 1 break), you should take at least 5 more hours to Kollam.

[veedub89]

Ok great. So I should be looking at 12-13 hours with two breaks and sane driving.
I think it would be a better idea then to break the journey in Madurai. Take time off to let the sights and sounds sink in.
No use in rushing through a road trip.
Thanks for your help.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by veedub89

Ok great. So I should be looking at 12-13 hours with two breaks and sane driving.
I think it would be a better idea then to break the journey in Madurai. Take time off to let the sights and sounds sink in.
No use in rushing through a road trip.
Thanks for your help.

You could start in the afternoon from BLR and reach Madurai by sun down.Go see the Madurai Meenakshi temple and stay the night at Madurai and leave for Ashtamudi next day after breakfast.

[BurningHeart]

@veedub89: I am from Kottarakkara and I have driven twice in the last 6 months to home and come back. The route to take is BLR -> SALEM -> MADURAI -> TIRUNELVELI -> SHENGHOTTAI/CHENKOTTAI -> PUNALUR -> KOTTARAKKARA -> SASTHAMKOTTA -> ASHTAMUDI.

In this route, from Whitefield when we leave at 5 am, we reach Tirunelveli at 12:30 pm. From there it is another 3 hours to Kottarakkara. You can add another hour to Ashtamudi.

PLEASE do not even think of following the google maps to get to Coimbatore, Palakkad, Trichur, Kochi route. I drove back once from a wedding in Kochi and the travel time is exactly double.

PM me if you need help.

BH.