[skdking]

I am back from the Rameswaram trip, today.

The schedule went as following:-

19 Mar (Mo) - Che to Trichy (330 Km)
Started at 1530 hrs and reached at 2000 hrs. Night at Trichy.

20 Mar (Tu) - Trichy to Rameshwaram (279 Km)
Started at 0700 hrs and reached at 1300 hrs. Night at Rameshwaram in Hotel Tamilnadu.

21 Mar (Wed) - Rameshwaram to Munnar (317 Km)
Via Theni. Bypassed Madurai. Started at 0700 hrs and reached at 1600 hrs. Night at Munnar in Hotel Tea County.

22 Mar (Th) - Munnar sightseeing
Night at Munnar in Hotel Tea County.

23 Mar (F) - Munnar sightseeing
Night at Munnar in Hotel Tea County.

24 Mar (Sa) - Munnar to Trichy (270 Km)
Via Udumalpet. Great drive. Started at 0800 hrs and reached at 1500 hrs. Visited Rockfort temple. Night at Trichy.

25 Mar (Su) - Trichy to Chennai (330 Km)
Started at 0800 hrs and reached at 1400 hrs.

General Observations: -

The condition of the roads ranged from good to excellent, with bad only for short stretches.

The road from Theni to Munnar is constricted in patches.

The road from Munnar to Udumalpet is longer, winding and comparatively broader.

[skdking]

I want to thank ampere, gopikb, Harshvarthan, narayan S80, Marlon, ramanam.skr and bala80 for their advice and inputs that went into this trip's success.

Also, if any member wants any inputs for his trip pl go ahead and pm me. I will be more than glad to share my experiences.

[viggienomad]

Originally Posted by skdking

I am back from the Rameswaram trip, today.

21 Mar (Wed) - Rameshwaram to Munnar (317 Km)
Via Theni. Bypassed Madurai. Started at 0700 hrs and reached at 1600 hrs. Night at Munnar in Hotel Tea County.

Glad to see the trip went well with not much bad roads.

Interested to know which route you choose to bye pass Madurai! I guess taking ring-road on outskirts of Madurai, reaching NH7 4-track before Tirumangalam, turning left to reach Theni Road on new Madurai Bye-pass on NH7.

Or was it the Aruppukkottai - Tirumangalam - Usilampatti route? Please share, thanks.

[Harshavarthan]

Originally Posted by skdking

20 Mar (Tu) - Trichy to Rameshwaram (279 Km)
Started at 0700 hrs and reached at 1300 hrs. Night at Rameshwaram in Hotel Tamilnadu.

25 Mar (Su) - Trichy to Chennai (330 Km)
Started at 0800 hrs and reached at 1400 hrs.

Looking at the timings, I believe you had a very very relaxed drive.

[skdking]

Originally Posted by viggienomad

Glad to see the trip went well with not much bad roads.

Interested to know which route you choose to bye pass Madurai! I guess taking ring-road on outskirts of Madurai, reaching NH7 4-track before Tirumangalam, turning left to reach Theni Road on new Madurai Bye-pass on NH7.

Or was it the Aruppukkottai - Tirumangalam - Usilampatti route? Please share, thanks.

Thanks.

I guess your first route is the one I followed. I am linking a google map of the route down below. The roads were good throughout. Well worth the extra distance. Strongly recommended.

Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, India to Munnar, Kerala, India - Google Maps

If you have some other route in mind can you share its link here please.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Harshavarthan

Looking at the timings, I believe you had a very very relaxed drive.

Hehe.

Thanks. It was really a 'very very relaxed drive'. Thanks a ton for your inputs before the trip.

[viggienomad]

Originally Posted by skdking

Thanks.

I guess your first route is the one I followed. I am linking a google map of the route down below. The roads were good throughout. Well worth the extra distance. Strongly recommended.

Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, India to Munnar, Kerala, India - Google Maps

If you have some other route in mind can you share its link here please.

Thanks. My choice would be the same route up to NH7. And then I prefer to turn right and go towards Madurai Bye-pass instead of reaching Tirumangalam Bye-Pass.
Small deviation from above URL - Google Maps

That way I can remain entirely in wider NH routes. Not a big deal for a relaxed drive though. When on vacation, I do like to drive very sedately, not just relaxing at the destination - it starts right from the doorstep!

[skdking]

Originally Posted by viggienomad

Thanks. My choice would be the same route up to NH7. And then I prefer to turn right and go towards Madurai Bye-pass instead of reaching Tirumangalam Bye-Pass.
Small deviation from above URL - Google Maps

That way I can remain entirely in wider NH routes. Not a big deal for a relaxed drive though. When on vacation, I do like to drive very sedately, not just relaxing at the destination - it starts right from the doorstep!

Completely agree with you regarding 'driving for fun' when on vacation.

I also see your point on remaining on NH as logical. Though the condition of the Tirumangalam-Checkanurani road was excellent, scenic and trafficless, some may have avoided it.

It was the road from Popparai to Munnar that I found to be poorly designed, narrow in patches and tiresome. On the other hand the road from Munnar to Udulampet was a dream. But I guess you cannot get everything. 'Kahin kisi ko mukammal Jahan nahin milta'.

[Archish]

Planning to Travel to Ramesharam from Chennai. I was wondering about the routes to take. I know the Chennai - Trichy - Pudukottai - Devakottai - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwararam route. I have travelled on this route many a times and know the pros and the cons.

The other option I was looking at was the ECR route.
Chennai - Pondy - Cuddalore - Chidambaram - Karikal - Nagapattinam - Thiruthuraipoondi - Avudayarpattinam - Devipattinam - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwararam route.

I know the roads are good till Nagapattinam. What about after that? I would be on a time budget and am looking to make a single way trip in 9 - 10 hours.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Archish

I know the roads are good till Nagapattinam. What about after that? I would be on a time budget and am looking to make a single way trip in 9 - 10 hours.

Overall fulll ECR is very good. Its just that you wont find any decent
hotel to break. Thats the only problem. But road is very good.

[Harshavarthan]

Originally Posted by Archish

I know the roads are good till Nagapattinam. What about after that? I would be on a time budget and am looking to make a single way trip in 9 - 10 hours.

If you call the roads till Nagapattinam as good, then the roads beyond it are super duper good. Will hardly take 4 hrs from there. So overall 9 -10 hrs drive with minimal breaks.

[Archish]

Originally Posted by Harshavarthan

If you call the roads till Nagapattinam as good, then the roads beyond it are super duper good.

So, has the road condition changed in the last 2 months. I came to Thirunallaru (Karaikal) via ECR in Jan 2012 and it has not rained heavily since, Pondi to Chidambaram was not great, but rest was good. Has anything changed now?

I m starting tommorow morning. Pls help me out guys.
I have 3 routes in hand.

1. Chennai (Adyar) - Tindivanam - Trichy - Pudukottai - Karikudi - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwaram. (550+ Kms)

2. Chennai (Adyar) - Tindivanam - Trichy - Madurai - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwaram. (620+ kms)

3. Chennai (Adyar) - Pondi - Chidambaram - Nagapattinam - Devipattinam - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwaram. (550+ kms)

[Harshavarthan]

Originally Posted by Archish

So, has the road condition changed in the last 2 months. I came to Thirunallaru (Karaikal) via ECR in Jan 2012 and it has not rained heavily since, Pondi to Chidambaram was not great, but rest was good. Has anything changed now?

I m starting tommorow morning. Pls help me out guys.
I have 3 routes in hand.

1. Chennai (Adyar) - Tindivanam - Trichy - Pudukottai - Karikudi - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwaram. (550+ Kms)

2. Chennai (Adyar) - Tindivanam - Trichy - Madurai - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwaram. (620+ kms)

3. Chennai (Adyar) - Pondi - Chidambaram - Nagapattinam - Devipattinam - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwaram. (550+ kms)

Pondy - Karaikal stretch is still not great. Might take 2.30 to 3 hrs.

The best route is:

Chennai - Trichy bypass - Melur - Sivagangai - Ilayangudi - Paramakudi - Ramanathapuram - Rameswaram. I have done this stretch in 6 hrs a few months back and that too in a hatchback but was in a hurry then. So you can do it comfortably in 8 hrs max. NOTE - DO NOT TAKE SIVAGANGAI - MANAMADURAI - PARAMAKUDI route. Sivagangai - Manamadurai stretch is very bad.

[Archish]

Originally Posted by Harshavarthan

The best route is:

Chennai - Trichy bypass - Melur - Sivagangai - Ilayangudi - Paramakudi - Ramanathapuram - Rameswaram. I have done this stretch in 6 hrs a few months back and that too in a hatchback but was in a hurry then.

Thanks man. I think I am going to take this route. Makes most sense.

[ramanan.skr]

Originally Posted by Harshavarthan

Pondy - Karaikal stretch is still not great. Might take 2.30 to 3 hrs.

The best route is:

Chennai - Trichy bypass - Melur - Sivagangai - Ilayangudi - Paramakudi - Ramanathapuram - Rameswaram. I have done this stretch in 6 hrs a few months back and that too in a hatchback but was in a hurry then. So you can do it comfortably in 8 hrs max. NOTE - DO NOT TAKE SIVAGANGAI - MANAMADURAI - PARAMAKUDI route. Sivagangai - Manamadurai stretch is very bad.

Can also try going through this route. This is also faster with all 2 lane good roads.
Chennai - Ulundurpet - Virudachalam - Jayamkondan - Anaikarai - Kumbakonam - Tiruvarur - Thrithuraipoondi - Join ECR - Ramnad - Rameswaram

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India to Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, India - Google Maps

[skdking]

Originally Posted by Archish

2. Chennai (Adyar) - Tindivanam - Trichy - Madurai - Ramanathapuram - Rameshwaram. (620+ kms)

Did the following route in end March.

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India to Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, India - Google Maps

The condition of the roads was excellent. It was four-lane till Melur. You can simply cruise.

Beyond Melur also the roads are good, though they are single carriageway type. No dividers.