[ampere]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Roads were good throughout except those inside the towns of Palladam and Pollachi. And I wish Pollachi was not as confusing to cross as it has always been The maze of one-ways in there is amazing!!

Were you able to get to that road, that we discussed; easily? Looks it was not and it was a game of snakes and ladders!

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Roads were good throughout except those inside the towns of Palladam and Pollachi. And I wish Pollachi was not as confusing to cross as it has always been The maze of one-ways in there is amazing!!

How is the road condition of the Palldam-Pollachi route. It is a scenic one with full of windmills.

[avi@98]

Planning to drive from Trivandrum and spend the weekend at Valparai. Can leave TRV by friday evening only and have to reach back least by sunday night. Would be great if fellow bhpians could throw light on these queries:
1. Where would be the ideal place to stay the night? I want to do the Athirappally Vaalparai stretch in daylight.
2. Has Athirappally got cheap hotels to stay?
3. Which would be the places to visit at Valparai in such a short period?
4. What is your opinion about taking the pollachi-dindigul-madurai-nagercoil-trv route for return? Will it take lesser time than through the even crowded at night NH47?

[NPV]

Valparai is a place to just relax in serene estate/forest surroundings. Enjoy fresh misty clean air away from city craziness and pollution. Not many touristy place to see per se.
So if you just drive through you may not enjoy it that much. That said, the route from chalakudy via Athirapilly and Sholayar to Valparai and then the downward descent via Aliyar to Pollachi is an extremely scenic drive.
Valparai does not have many hotels probably just one in the town. Lots of estate stay options though.
At Athirapilly there are some small home stay places and I think one ultra luxury resort as well.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by ampere

Were you able to get to that road, that we discussed; easily? Looks it was not and it was a game of snakes and ladders!

I took that road for onward journey - quite straightforward. The return, however, was complicated since the stretch preceding that road from Palladam side is a one-way. So I had to play pac-man for a while before I could hit the Palladam road again. Thanks to my GPS, I was able to figure that out without much of a hassle. But crossing Pollachi has been an issue for as long as I can remember

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

How is the road condition of the Palldam-Pollachi route. It is a scenic one with full of windmills.

Road conditions are excellent on this stretch.

[vrvarier]

Hi Guys, I'm planning a trip to valparai, and I have a stay option at NEPC Mount Stuart Tea cottage (about 3000 + tax without food). Saw some posts mentioning that the place is not great. Is that so? I see all other known places to be fully booked. Is this one THAT bad? Will the ambiance compensate? I can live with bad service/food etc as long as we have something to cheer about ambiance. I'm with family and kids. Any other place anyone can recommend, please?

Also, Perundurai annalakshmi is what we see in G Maps? On the bye-pass?

And please, top-3 places to visit in Valparai. I'm visiting ALiyar on the way in, and Sholayar on the way out. Apart from these?

Thanks.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by vrvarier

I'm planning a trip to valparai, and I have a stay option at NEPC Mount Stuart Tea cottage (about 3000 + tax without food). Saw some posts mentioning that the place is not great. Is that so? I see all other known places to be fully booked. Is this one THAT bad? Will the ambiance compensate? I can live with bad service/food etc as long as we have something to cheer about ambiance. I'm with family and kids. Any other place anyone can recommend, please?...

NEPC is very basic but the rooms in the Chairman's bungalow on the opposite side of the road are good.
I would say skip if you find accommodation in a better place.
Sinnadorai Bungalow is very good, others are stanmore, Monica bungalow owned by waterfall Estate. Do look up this thread for contact information.
Don't know how it's marked on gmaps but Annalakshmi hotel is right on the highway and easy to get to the Perundurai town to go towards kangayam from there.
Some places to visit in Valparai are nirar dam, nallamudi poonjolai, balaji temple, sholayar dam, then towards pollachi side you have Aliyar dam. On the Kerala side you have Athirapilly and vazhachal falls so you can visit these on the onward / return journey en route.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by vrvarier

Also, Perundurai annalakshmi is what we see in G Maps? On the bye-pass?.

Here is the Google maps link

The road next to hotel takes you to Perundurai with a junction with a petrol bunk on right opposite site. Proceed straight from there to Kangayam.

However, any specific reason your are not considering Avinash bypass Palladam route.

EDIT: Guess the link is not working, attaching screenshot of hotel location. The started location is that if hotel.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

However, any specific reason your are not considering Avinash bypass Palladam route.

In fact now the best option is drive all the way via Coimbattore L&T bypass and latch on to 209 to Pollachi.

[vrvarier]

Thnaks, NPV, Suhas and Amp. We are dropping this idea for now. May be another day.

Regards,

[hyper-VTEC]

Originally Posted by ampere

Fastest would be a modified Option 3.


Chennai - Trichy - Dindigul - Palani - Mukkonam - Aliyar road - Valparai

Booked in Valparai from 14-17th Jan. Is this route in good condition? And about eateries - are there enough in this route? Traveling with a 1.5 yr. old infant.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

Booked in Valparai from 14-17th Jan. Is this route in good condition? And about eateries - are there enough in this route? Traveling with a 1.5 yr. old infant.

Yes the route is in good condition. Expect Coimbattore bypass exit to Pollachi to be a mild twisty.

As regards to food:

Bangalore-Salem-Coimbatore has ample restaurants on the way. You dont have to worry about it at all!

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

Booked in Valparai from 14-17th Jan. Is this route in good condition? And about eateries - are there enough in this route? Traveling with a 1.5 yr. old infant.

The better route would be to drive till Ulundurpet on NH45 and then take NH79 till Salem before joining NH47. Drive on NH47 till you reach Avinashi by pass and then deviate towards Palladam. From here it is one straight road to Pollachi

[hyper-VTEC]

Originally Posted by ampere

As regards to food:

Bangalore-Salem-Coimbatore has ample restaurants on the way. You dont have to worry about it at all!

I will be traveling from Chennai

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

The better route would be to drive till Ulundurpet on NH45 and then take NH79 till Salem before joining NH47. Drive on NH47 till you reach Avinashi by pass and then deviate towards Palladam. From here it is one straight road to Pollachi

Thanks. My target is better roads and stop-over options. Keeping that in mind would your suggested route be better? TIA

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

I will be traveling from Chennai

Sorry!

In that case as Suresh mentioned,

Chennai-Ulundurpet-Salem-Avinashi-Coimbatore bypass - Pollachi - Valparai.
In other words: NH45 (GST) - NH79 - NH47 - NH209

Please note, getting past Pollachi onto to Valparai road is a tricky affair. Check Posts#248 onwards for this. Just note, you will come into Pollachi via 209.

Also note Avinashi-Mangalam-Palladam-Pollachi is a good option. But if you now get 4-lane till CBE bypass, then why not take it instead of this. Hence I suggested Nh47/NH209 option.