[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

preferably outside the town.

There are many homestay options available near Sholayar dam. Friends stayed in Wood House resort before the pandemic and gave a positive feedback.

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

Question for the Valparai experts, we are a biker group of 10 planning to travel to Valparai in the 1st week of November, looking for an accommodation with an intermediate budget, preferably outside the town.

Any inputs would be of great help.

We stayed at the AGB Shivnivas Estate when our gang of friends went to Valparai 4 years back.

They seem to have done some renovation now.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/in/agb...ate.en-gb.html

Please note:
The place is inside a dense forest/estate area and getting there from town will take an hour or so and mist sets in by 6PM so visibility is at minimum. We found out the hard way and struggled to reach the estate area in our innova.

And it's just a place to stay. Nothing much by way of amenities.

[CArspeed]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

Question for the Valparai experts, we are a biker group of 10 planning to travel to Valparai in the 1st week of November, looking for an accommodation with an intermediate budget, preferably outside the town.

Any inputs would be of great help.

Stanmore Bungalow is good and exclusive too. It is in the outskirts of Valparai and on top of the tea estate. We have stayed there two years back. The wooden cottage was spacious as well as convenient. The food was also tasty and hygienic with very less options though.

[ravib]

Did Bangalore-Valparai-Bangalore vacation trip last weekend.

Started at 6 am from C.V.Raman Nagar and and reached Pollachi at 1 pm including 1.5 hours break inbetween with constant driving of 95 to 105 kmph speed. So average kmph covered is pretty good.

Its really irritating to pay 3 tolls in L&T bypass for that 2L road which is heavy in traffic till we take left to Pollachi. : Got more irritated because of 2 back to back tolls just leaving the sulur exit toll plaza.

I really miss the yesteryears beautiful Coimbatore-Pollachi stretch. Now its fully laid new road and can cover the distance in shorter time, but since there are not many U turns/exits, lot of people are traveling in wrong side in high speed.

Stayed in Monica Garden Bungalow. It is just fantastic, very kind staff, tasty food and not too far away from the town. Very happy with that.

-Ravi

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ravib

Its really irritating to pay 3 tolls in L&T bypass for that 2L road which is heavy in traffic till we take left to Pollachi. : Got more irritated because of 2 back to back tolls just leaving the sulur exit toll plaza.

You should have simply exited the 4-lane at Avinashi and gone to Palladam via Mangalam and then used on the old 2-Lane to Pollachi. That would have avoided all the tolls. Though dont know how these roads are today. Usually they were never bad.

[FURY_44]

Originally Posted by ravib

Stayed in Monica Garden Bungalow. It is just fantastic, very kind staff, tasty food and not too far away from the town. Very happy with that.
-Ravi

Thank you for all your responses on the stay Mr.Boss, deathwalkr, CArspeed. After researching a lot and speaking to multiple bungalows, Waterfall Estate initially gave us an estimate and then weirdly backed out saying the rooms are booked, when I mentioned I am willing to pay the advance, maybe they weren't keen to host a 10 member biker group.

Struck a deal with Monica Garden for the outdoor tents and paid the advance. Thank you for the update @ravib, looking forward to visiting them.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by ampere

You should have simply exited the 4-lane at Avinashi and gone to Palladam via Mangalam and then used on the old 2-Lane to Pollachi. That would have avoided all the tolls. Though dont know how these roads are today. Usually they were never bad.

I did that route 2 years back in Sep 2019. It is scenic and i liked it, but very slow. Google showed about 2 hours more time and i could assume the roads would have got damaged due to heavy rains. Since i had taken that route in last 2 trips, this time took the good 4L route all throughout considering safety due to heavy rains.

Originally Posted by FURY_44

Struck a deal with Monica Garden for the outdoor tents and paid the advance. Thank you for the update @ravib, looking forward to visiting them.

I stayed in the first tent outside. There was no one else in the property, so it was all ours
While going from Aliyar to Monica Garden, you don't have to go to Valparai town. You can take right fork and drive towards the property. Just follow google maps.

-Ravi

[FURY_44]

Originally Posted by ravib

I stayed in the first tent outside. There was no one else in the property, so it was all ours
While going from Aliyar to Monica Garden, you don't have to go to Valparai town. You can take right fork and drive towards the property. Just follow google maps.

-Ravi

We had an excellent stay at Monica Garden, It rained all the 3 days and Valparai was deserted, this was a much better experience compared to Ooty or Kodai, I will simply drive down to Valparai anytime now.

We were 11 members and no one else at the property, we had the time of our lives.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

We had an excellent stay at Monica Garden, It rained all the 3 days and Valparai was deserted, this was a much better experience compared to Ooty or Kodai, I will simply drive down to Valparai anytime now.

We were 11 members and no one else at the property, we had the time of our lives.

Glad, you too enjoyed the property all for your group
Valparai is not an apple-to-apple comparison with Ooty/Kodai. Its great and gives different experience compared to regular hill stations. Whereas Ooty is at higher altitude and scenic locations are very different. Kodai also gives different experience for those coming from concrete jungle/no greenery locations (not for bangaloreans).

All are good to enjoy, as long as there is no crowd, and depends on the place you stay, food you get, and service of the resort. Even if any of them is not good, its going to have a bitter taste/feel.

-Ravi

[girishglg]

Dear BHPians,

A long time wish of visiting Valparai is being planned in the coming month's (May) long weekend hence would like your most updated inputs on the following-

1. Route options from Bangalore to Valparai
2. Recommended stay options in Valparai
3. Other attractions which can be clubbed to this plan

Have 4 days in total and planned for 2 days in Valparai and surroundings hence can do a few more places as well.

[binand]

Originally Posted by girishglg

1. Route options from Bangalore to Valparai
2. Recommended stay options in Valparai
3. Other attractions which can be clubbed to this plan

Broadly, there are two routes. Bangalore-Salem is common to both.

Route 1: From Salem proceed towards Madurai. Exit to Udumalpet at Aravakurichi (between Karur and Dindigul). You can proceed to Pollachi from Udumalpet or better still, take a minor road that connects to Pollachi-Valparai road about 10-15 km south of Pollachi.

Route 2: From Salem proceed towards Coimbatore. Exit to Pollachi from Coimbatore bypass. Then take Pollachi-Valparai road.

The time I went I had taken Route 1 (primarily because I take Salem-Coimbatore several times a year on my way to Kerala). It was a very quite drive after exiting NH 44. But I think people prefer Route 2 because it has dual carriageway roads for much longer.

Also, there are many options that mix up bits and pieces of the above with other TN state highways.

The time we went we stayed at Stanmore Bungalow. While it is a great place to stay I didn't like the behaviour of the staff there (rude and uncouth).

You could try driving into Athirapilly (in Kerala) from Valparai. This road features in this thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post3101761 (Loneliest Road Stretch in (South) India)

[ravib]

Originally Posted by binand

Also, there are many options that mix up bits and pieces of the above with other TN state highways.

The time we went we stayed at Stanmore Bungalow. While it is a great place to stay I didn't like the behaviour of the staff there (rude and uncouth).

You could try driving into Athirapilly (in Kerala) from Valparai. This road features in this thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post3101761 (Loneliest Road Stretch in (South) India)

Route 2 is easy and straightforward without any confusion with 4L and less time consuming. Route-1 is good for those who want to explore and okay to drive in 2L roads.

For a May trip, Athirapally is not a good place to go as there won't be much water and not great to enjoy. Post monsoon is better IMO, but those who just want to drive and experience that awesome lonely road, can do provided ready to bear the scorching hot sun.
Instead, i would suggest to see around many places around Pollachi itself, but again summer heat is the problem. Infact, i would imagine, even Valparai may be just okay for those who are going from Bangalore.

For stay options, you can refer to my posts below.

-Ravi

[safe_rider]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

We had an excellent stay at Monica Garden, It rained all the 3 days and Valparai was deserted, this was a much better experience compared to Ooty or Kodai, I will simply drive down to Valparai anytime now.

We were 11 members and no one else at the property, we had the time of our lives.

Can you please let me know if we get any decent network in Airtel or Jio to do WFH? I’m planning to start to Valparai tomorrow. TIA.

[varunanb]

Originally Posted by safe_rider

Can you please let me know if we get any decent network in Airtel or Jio to do WFH? I’m planning to start to Valparai tomorrow. TIA.

Jio has better coverage than Airtel. But for peace of mind, Get a BSNL if travelling to remote areas.

[FURY_44]

Originally Posted by safe_rider

Can you please let me know if we get any decent network in Airtel or Jio to do WFH? I’m planning to start to Valparai tomorrow. TIA.

Jio has bad reception at the stay, Airtel should work fine. The property also has a WiFi connection which can help you.