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Old 16th October 2008, 01:41   #1
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Trivandrum - Kollur : Route Queries

Hi friends,
From the title it can be guessed that the info is available off hand. But I need some info as well as advice.

1. Which is the best route from Tvm to Kollur Mookambika temple? By best means good roads though the distance is a bit long. I need detailed road map from the major city from where we detour from NH, say from Mangalore if it is.

2. What is the ideal time to start from Tvm? And can we reach in a single stretch with short brakes or is it beter to stay overnight somewhere on the way considering the temple visit and its timings?

3. What are the good times for temple visit? I need a good plan here (time of arrival, hotel, temple visit time, return and packup, drive back)

4. For 3 adults and a kid or 4 adults and a kid, how good is the drive (both petrol expense against other transport and comfort though we are ready to take a little bit chalenge of the drive)

5. Considering I have to make this in Nov or Dec, which is the good time for it?

In essense I am looking for a complete plan for a road trip (if it is OK compared to train) to Mookambika temple, visiting the temple and coming back.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 16th October 2008, 09:32   #2
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Distance from Trivandrum to Kollur is 825 kms.
Route is NH47 upto ERnakulam via Kollam, Alapuzha, and NH17 from thereon via Paravur, Kodungallur, Chavakkad, Kunnamkulam, Edappal, Calicut, Wadakara, Mahe, Kannur, Kasargod, Mangalore, Udupi, Kundapura.

Please trace the route in the log book, link which is given below:

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS South India, Jan 2005

Please note that you can leave NH17 5 kms beyond Kundapura also to go to Kollur or go via Maravanthe upto Baindur (please see coordinates in my log book) to turn off to Kollur, distance from NH17 to the temple is approximately 25 kms.

It is a long journey by day, and you are likely to struggle through the congested roads of Kerala. It may be very difficult to reach the same day, and maybe Kannur is a good place to halt overnight. You will note from my log book that I left TVM at 8 pm, and did an overnight drive, reaching Mangalore in 10 hours (666 kms) and in Baindur by 8 am.

The temple is open till 12 noon and reopens after 3 pm.

There are some lodges in Kollur town, but you also have the option of staying in Kundapura town (Hotel Sharon on NH17 itself at the point where you take the bypass).

Ideally, I would drive through the day (assuming you are not keen on night driving), stop at Kannur for the night, resume the next day, reach the hotel at Kundapura, go to the temple after it reopens at 3 pm, and stay that night at Kundapura. Next day, I would leave Kundapura and drive back direct to Trivandrum.

Roads are currently a little bad between Mangalore and Kundapura, but can be expected to be better by Nov/Dec.
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Old 16th October 2008, 22:35   #3
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HV - many thanks, that was a great info. Hope a Swift VXi with 3 adults and a kid will be OK with an overnight stay at Kannur. I had made Tvm-Goa on bike and routes/towns/hotels upto Mangalore is familiar to me. Let me analyze and make a decision.
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Old 16th October 2008, 22:53   #4
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We did this route in 2003 in a Santro with 5 adults; my friend, his brother, his mother, another friend & i. It was a single stretch journey.

We started off from Attingal at 3.30 in the morning, took NH47 till Edapalli. Got on to NH17 from Edapalli and basically stuck to NH17 all the way to Kundapura. From Kundapura we took got off the highway, and took another road for Kollur. We reached Kollur by 1030 at night. We had made reservations in advance at a decent lodge.

It was a relaxed drive. We stayed at Kollur the next day and returned back to Tvm the day after.

I've been to Kollur in 2005 once again, but that was from Bangalore. It's one of my most favorite temples.

I suggest you stay in Kollur if you can find accommodation.

Last edited by Sankar : 16th October 2008 at 22:54.
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Old 5th November 2008, 23:20   #5
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bumping the thread to find the road conditions to kollur. travelling from Ernakulam.

hvk, the drive to kollur would be approx 600kms, right? take the NH17. am familiar till kannur. from there on i have not travelled via kasargod to mangalore. i guess muthanga would be the check post? where is the turn off to kollur?
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Old 5th November 2008, 23:27   #6
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Go till Mangalore on NH 17 and you may ask road to Udupi. Once you reach Udupi you will have to take a turn to Kollur there. If any shorter / better route exist, I m not very sure. We used to go from Udupi when I was a student of MIT manipal.
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Old 6th November 2008, 06:50   #7
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You will have to continue on NH17 until Kundapur from where you will have to take the turnoff to Kollur.
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Old 6th November 2008, 08:30   #8
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There are 2 roads to Kollur from NH17, in both cases after Kundapura. First route is to turn right off NH17 around 7 kms from the Kundapura bypass (south end), and take the direct road to Kollur. There are signboards denoting the right. The second is, continue going on NH17 via Maravanthe Beach (17 kms from Kundapura) and turning right at Baindur (33 kms from Kundapura), and then going 27 kms off NH17 to Kollur.

In both cases, you do not have to go into Kundapura town, stick to the bypass when you are coming from Udupi side.

For those coming from North side, the turn off at Baindur is 20 kms from Bhatkal.
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Old 6th November 2008, 08:45   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by govigov View Post

hvk, the drive to kollur would be approx 600kms, right? take the NH17. am familiar till kannur. f
830 kms from Trivandrum to Kollur, broken up as follows:

Trivandrum-Ernakulam 215 kms-Calicut 200-Kannur 95-Mangalore 160-Baindur 130-Kollur 30
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Old 6th November 2008, 11:23   #10
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so ,from Ernakulam take deviation from Edapilli to Paravoor-NH17? Is that route really good? and what distance saved if you dont go via EKM-Thrissur-Malappuram-Kozhikde way? I routinely travel to North Paravur from Ernakulam.the route is very narrow near to Paravur.

AFAIK Trivendrum to Angamaly via M.C Road(the green highway of kerala) is around 240kms.the problem is the no. of small and BIG towns it covers which will take time.also the ghat section from Ettumanoor to Muvattupuzha is really tough for many especially those who are not aware of ghat sections.
but from Angamaly to Mvpa the road is superb.from MVPA ,if you take alternate route via Arakuzha ,Pandapilli ,Palakuzha - Koothattukulam ,you can save 3 kms and also the ghat sections.the road is not yet widen.but good for private vehicles.trucks also routinely takes this route to save the hills.
SO-
Trivendrum to Angamaly via NH47 is easy but covers around 220+38kms =258kms to reach angamaly . near to 22kms will be saved if you go via MC road.the condition of which is bad in some parts like Changanaserry ,kottayam etc where heavy traffic and near chingavanam pothole festival is there. apart from that ,you can reach angamaly via M C road approx 4 hours.while TVM-EKM will take itself 4-4.5 hours not to say the heavy traffic.
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Old 6th November 2008, 11:28   #11
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You can always come to Paravur from Aluva instead of from Edapalli since the road in the Edapalli-Cheranalloor-Paravur stretch are very narrow and curvy. I prefer NH17 since it avoids the congestion in NH47 and the mess of Trissur town. While M C Road is a more beautiful road, the lack of bypasses and the almost continuous ghat-type roads till Chengannur slow you down. On the other hand, NH47 can be quite fast, despite that you have to go through Kollam and Alapuzha towns.
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Old 7th November 2008, 03:43   #12
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Any idea about the condition of the roads along the NH-17?
Thanks hvk,
Can you send me a copy of your south indian log book. as i am not able to open google spread sheets in office?

I have slotted the trip for the first weekend in december 6th-7th.
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Old 7th November 2008, 08:37   #13
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I have attached a log book which has the Trivandrum-Baindur route. Please PM me in case you have any difficulty opening the file.

NH17 from Kasargod to Baindur is not in a very good shape, hence budget for at least 1 more hour from your normal speed.
Attached Files
File Type: xls South-Jan2005.xls (75.5 KB, 1711 views)
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Old 8th November 2008, 01:42   #14
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Thanks for the help HVK, Really helpful.

Kasargod to baindur is approx, 170 kms.. the entire stretch is bad or just intermittent?

Also what is the best time to start from cochin, i would be travelling with my mom and sis, so trying to avoid night drives as far as possible. but starting at early morn 3 is not an issue. if i start by 3 approx 11 hrs of drive time and include traffic in there i should be able to reach kollur by 4-5 in the evening. is that good?
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Old 8th November 2008, 13:09   #15
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NH17 is generally in a bad shape, besides road widening work between Mangalore and Udupi.

If you leave Cochin at 3 am, you should cover the distance very fast - Calicut by 7 am, Kannur by 9, Mangalore by 12 and Kollur by 4.
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