[passionforcars]

Originally Posted by R-Six

Understood! I just wanted to bring that point though it was obvious. From Guruvayoor (GVR), you can plan to hit Cochin and then head towards TVM from there. And since you plan to visit Cherai beach, you can probably visit it on your way to Cochin. Cherai is around 60km from GVR, it wouldn't make sense to drive back all the way to GVR after visiting the beach. You can also plan to visit Kodungaloor temple on your way to TVM.

Visiting temples in and around GVR, you can certainly go to Mammiyoor temple, which is just within the same vicinity.

If you are interested in visiting beaches, try going to Periyambalam beach. Take the NH from Chavakkad and head towards Ponnani. The Snehatheeram beach near Chettuva is also a nice place to plan a visit.

I hope these bits and peaces help you out.

r-six

Thanks for the info.

Is Chavakkad beach a good place to visit, if so I'm thinking to drop the Cherai beach plan and will instead be going to Chavakkad.

[R-Six]

Originally Posted by passionforcars

..Is Chavakkad beach a good place to visit, if so I'm thinking to drop the Cherai beach plan and will instead be going to Chavakkad.

I hail from Chavakkad and I wouldn't suggest you to visit Chavakkad beach! It is nothing worth talking about.

But, you can visit Periyambalam beach (on Chavakkad - Ponnani highway). It wouldn't take more than 20 mins from Chavakkad to reach this place. The beach here is nicely kept and well maintained.

You can also try visiting the Snehatheram Beach. It is near Chettuva and is just 10 - 12 Km from Guruvayoor. This is on the Chavakkad - Ernakulam highway.

Best,
R-Six

[RoadTripper]

Hi

I'm from Madras and I'm planning on a visit to Coimbatore (CBE) and then Guruvayoor on the same day, in a week or two from now. Please advise on the fastest route to Coimbatore as I plan to meet someone for an hour or two and then head to Guruvayoor. I'm looking at leaving around 430 am from Old Mahabalipuram Rd. Hoping to get to get to CBE by 1 pm - is this a safe estimate?

I've driven down the GQ until Salem (Madras - Vellore - Krishnagiri - Thoppur route) a couple of times and thinking of heading the same way this time. Is the road 4L until CBE? What is the route from Salem until CBE? Any "Caution"/ "Achtung" sections? Or is there an alternative route?

I will be heading from Coimbatore to Guruvayoor the same (late) afternoon. Please advise on the route.

Finally, I'm planning on heading to Ooty from Guruvayoor the next afternoon and would like guidance on this route as well.

I'm okay with detours/ longer routes for better road quality as my car is relatively new.

A Million Thanks!!

Cheerz

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

I'm from Madras and I'm planning on a visit to Coimbatore (CBE) and then Guruvayoor on the same day, in a week or two from now. Please advise on the fastest route to Coimbatore as I plan to meet someone for an hour or two and then head to Guruvayoor. I'm looking at leaving around 430 am from Old Mahabalipuram Rd. Hoping to get to get to CBE by 1 pm - is this a safe estimate?

I've driven down the GQ until Salem (Madras - Vellore - Krishnagiri - Thoppur route) a couple of times and thinking of heading the same way this time. Is the road 4L until CBE? What is the route from Salem until CBE? Any "Caution"/ "Achtung" sections? Or is there an alternative route?

I will be heading from Coimbatore to Guruvayoor the same (late) afternoon. Please advise on the route.

Finally, I'm planning on heading to Ooty from Guruvayoor the next afternoon and would like guidance on this route as well.

Chennai-CBE:

Chennai-Ulundurpet-Salem-Avinashi-Coimbatore.The GQ is undergoing 6 laning till krishnagiri.Easily doable in around 9hours.

4laning is only till Avinashi.From thereon till Coimbatore would be slow progress (approx 2hours).Heavy traffic.Depending on where you have to go inside CBE,you can opt to take the Annur route into CBE(either via Mettupalayam or via Ganapathy)

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=C...ra=ls&t=m&z=11

Coimbatore-Guruvayur

Coimbatore-Walayar-Palakkad-Ottapalam-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur.Doable in approximately 4 hours dependant on traffic jams at Walayar checkpost.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=c...via=1&t=m&z=10

If you would like to avoid the walayar mess,then suggest you go via Pollachi

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=c...2,3,4&t=m&z=12

Guruvayur-Ooty

Retrace your path to Coimbatore and from Ukkadam bus stand get onto Mettupalayam road and onwards to Ooty.Both the Coonoor and Kotagiri roads to Ooty are in good condition.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=g...a=1,2&t=m&z=11

If you want to try a different route to Ooty from Guruvayur,then suggest you take the Guruvayur-Perumpilavu-Pattambi-Perinthalmana-Nilambur-Vazhikadavu-Gudalur-Ooty

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=g...ra=ls&t=m&z=10

Both the routes should take you around 6hrs

[RoadTripper]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Chennai-CBE:

Chennai-Ulundurpet-Salem-Avinashi-Coimbatore.The GQ is undergoing 6 laning till krishnagiri.Easily doable in around 9hours.

4laning is only till Avinashi.From thereon till Coimbatore would be slow progress (approx 2hours).Heavy traffic.Depending on where you have to go inside CBE,you can opt to take the Annur route into CBE(either via Mettupalayam or via Ganapathy)

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=C...ra=ls&t=m&z=11

Coimbatore-Guruvayur

Coimbatore-Walayar-Palakkad-Ottapalam-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur.Doable in approximately 4 hours dependant on traffic jams at Walayar checkpost.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=c...via=1&t=m&z=10

If you would like to avoid the walayar mess,then suggest you go via Pollachi

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=c...2,3,4&t=m&z=12

Guruvayur-Ooty

Retrace your path to Coimbatore and from Ukkadam bus stand get onto Mettupalayam road and onwards to Ooty.Both the Coonoor and Kotagiri roads to Ooty are in good condition.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=g...a=1,2&t=m&z=11

If you want to try a different route to Ooty from Guruvayur,then suggest you take the Guruvayur-Perumpilavu-Pattambi-Perinthalmana-Nilambur-Vazhikadavu-Gudalur-Ooty

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=g...ra=ls&t=m&z=10

Both the routes should take you around 6hrs

Thanks a ton ranjitp1, sincerely appreciate it.

However, a few queries (sorry)

1. You've basically suggested the Madras - Trichy route (old GST) until Ulundurpet and then to turn towards Salem from there, any inputs on the stretch to Salem with respect to 4L, traffic and road quality? I'm going to be driving quite a bit (for my own standards in a short span of 2-3 days) Am I right in understanding that this would be much faster than the MAS - Krishnagiri stretch, thereby getting me to CBE faster? I'd travelled to BLR from MAS and back in end Sep'12 and the 6 laning work did slow me down.

2. I'm supposed to be meeting this person at Kovai Pudur, any idea on best way in from Avinashi?

3. I'm told that it is not too far from Kovai Pudur to Palakkad. Is that correct? As the route you've suggested takes me through Palakkad.

4. I guess from Gudalur, Masinagudi route will be better? I did travel around Ooty last Dec'12 quite a bit, loved the Masinagudi ghat (so much that I went up and down twice during my trip ) as travel time was much lesser than the Gudalur route. How's the road quality? Is there any other route otherwise?

Sorry again for the queries, thanks again in advance.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

1. You've basically suggested the Madras - Trichy route (old GST) until Ulundurpet and then to turn towards Salem from there, any inputs on the stretch to Salem with respect to 4L, traffic and road quality? I'm going to be driving quite a bit (for my own standards in a short span of 2-3 days) Am I right in understanding that this would be much faster than the MAS - Krishnagiri stretch, thereby getting me to CBE faster?

yes this is the route people from Chennai are taking now a days.Chennai - Chengalpet - Ulundurpet - Kallakurichi - Attur - Salem.Lesser distance as well compared to Krishnagiri route.With a 0400 departure from Chennai,you should be in Salem by 0830-0900 and by 12pm at Coimbatore.

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

2. I'm supposed to be meeting this person at Kovai Pudur, any idea on best way in from Avinashi?

3. I'm told that it is not too far from Kovai Pudur to Palakkad. Is that correct? As the route you've suggested takes me through Palakkad.

Yes Kovaipudur is on the old Coimbatore-Palakkad road outside of Coimbatore.However to avoid Coimbatore city traffic and to avoid losing your way I would suggest you take the L&T Bypass road while coming from Avinashi and then drive back to Kovai Pudur.While coming from Avinashi you would reach a point where the straight road is the bypass and you would see a big L&T toll gate a few meters ahead of you.Go through the toll gate and keep on the road till the end of the bypass at a Signal junction.Take a right at the junction and go towards KP.Preserve the toll ticket till you exit the last gate.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...t=m&z=13&via=1

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

4. I guess from Gudalur, Masinagudi route will be better?

From Gudalur you could either go via Masinagudi(the route with the hairpin curves at Kalhetty)or else take the road via Pykara to Ooty.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

1. You've basically suggested the Madras - Trichy route (old GST) until Ulundurpet and then to turn towards Salem from there, any inputs on the stretch to Salem with respect to 4L, traffic and road quality? I'm going to be driving quite a bit (for my own standards in a short span of 2-3 days) Am I right in understanding that this would be much faster than the MAS - Krishnagiri stretch, thereby getting me to CBE faster? I'd travelled to BLR from MAS and back in end Sep'12 and the 6 laning work did slow me down.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

yes this is the route people from Chennai are taking now a days.Chennai - Chengalpet - Ulundurpet - Kallakurichi - Attur - Salem.Lesser distance as well compared to Krishnagiri route.With a 0400 departure from Chennai,you should be in Salem by 0830-0900 and by 12pm at Coimbatore.

It also depends on where you stay in Chennai. If you close to NH4, it makes sense to take that route too. Even though there are diversions it is still good.

Now if you stay closer to GST, it makes sense to take that option. Route wise both are almost of the same lengeth. It all depends on how easily you can
get on to one of them. Same is the case while you return. You dont want to spend hours wading through the traffic after having driven so long on the highway.

[93000BHP]

Did this route last month with my family and friends family.
We started from guruvayoor at 0700 in the morning. reached coimbatore at 1030 for breakfast until 1100.
Reached ulundurpet A2B by 1530 stopped for almost an hour and half or lunch and rest and reached chennai by 2000 hours.
roads are pretty good through out.