[lynx]

Any thoughts about this trip?

Monday (afternoon) - Cochin backwaters boat trip
(evening) - Hotel stay in Cochin

Tuesday (morning) - Veega Land
(evening) - Hotel stay in Cochin

Wednesday (morning) - Travel to Allepy
(afternoon) - See places around Allepy
(evening) - Travel to Kollam Beach
(night) - Stay in Kollam

Thursday (morning) - Travel to Tenkasi/Courtrallam
(evening) - Stay in Tenkasi or travel to Madurai and stay.

Is this a reasonable plan?

Also, are there any small places on the way or on a slight detour which would be worth visiting?

Any parts of the roads in the above trip we should avoid or any things that we should watch out for?

Thanks!

[hvkumar]

I don't think Kollam Beach is anything great to rave about (no offence intended for Kollam-ites!). However, there are 2 backwaters in and around Kollam - the first being on the northern outskirts of Kollam town, which is the south end of the Astamudi Kayal (backwater) and the Paravur Kayal south of Kollam near Paravur/Varkala.

Instead of staying In Kollam, I would suggest you travel further south to Paravur and Varkala - Paravur for the backwaters (there are resorts like Aqua Serene to stay at there) or best is to stay at Varkala which has a superb beach, circled by high cliffs.

Unsure why you want to go to Tenkasi/ Courtallam. The drive from Kollam is pleasant after Punalur via Tenmala, but Tenkasi is an untidy little town and Courtallam waterfalls is unlikely to have any great amount of water this time of the year (although it was gushing sometime in Nov-Dec). There are 5-6 waterfalls in Courtallam though. You can stay at Courtallam itself instead of Tenkasi.

More interesting is that en route to Tenkasi, you can stop by at Tenmala, which has both an eco reserve/ park and boating in the nearby dam reservoir. The road from tenmala to Schecottah (first TN town before Tenkasi) is a ghat road, but nothing serious.

From Courtallam, Madurai is quite far off, and you should take 3-4 hours of driving via Srivilliputtur, Rajapalayam and Tirumangalam.

I would still prefer to go to Paravur/Varkala instead of Tenkasi/Courtallam/Madurai.

[speedzak]

If you want to see a good beach and a better place to stay, then drive about 40kms from Kollam and reach Varkala. Go thru Paravur road and you'll be blessed with an uncrowded road with amazing views of Arabian sea.

If Courtallam is your destination, then you can either come back to Kollam and carry on towards Punalur or get to MC road, reach Kottarakkara and continue to Punalur. Or for a better alternative, come till Kottiyam (not KottAyam!) on the NH47, take right on the main junction and ask for directions to Kundara, reach Kundara and carry on towards Punalur (there was a bridge construction on this route, I assume it's over by now).

The road from Tenmala to Tenkasi/courtallam was in a bad condition till the end of ghat section. Dunno if it has been worked upon in the last 4 months or so. Enroute, I recommend a visit to Palaruvi waterfalls (a unique fall if the water levels are good), Tenmala eco reserve park and enjoy the natural beauty of the green hills and rivers.

[lynx]

Thanks a lot for the replies, the route looks even more promising now.

[trrk]

Hi Lynx,

Originally Posted by lynx

Thanks a lot for the replies, the route looks even more promising now.

Bus service is completely suspended in the Thenmala / Tenkasi route. They are trying to build the road again!

I am not sure about cars allowed in that road.

With no rains in Kerala recently, the likely hood of water in the Courtallam waterfalls.

Further, there is a boat cruise from Alleppey to Kollam run by the government, which leaves Alleppey at 10AM and reaches Kollam by 6PM.