Guidance required on Tamil Nadu Tour

ampere · 7th October 2010, 12:09

Google Maps show ECR as NH45A beyond Pondicherry and it gets over at Nagapattinam.
Is that correct?

hvkumar · 7th October 2010, 12:12

ampere, forget GM. I tested its knowledge, it has broken links between Kizhakarai and Sayalgudi via Eravadi! Hence, despite my dragging onto the correct route of ECR, it could not draw the route map.

Anyway, NH45A is only part of the ECR, which runs from Madras to Kanyakumari on teh following route:
Madras-Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry-Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Karaikal-Nagapattinam-Thiruthuraipoondi-Muthupettai-Mimisal-Tondi-Ramanathapuram-Kizhakarai-Sikkal-Sayalkudi-Tuticorin-Tiruchendur-Koodankulam-Kanyakumari

pypkmsrikanth · 7th October 2010, 17:25

Kreddy: I am not sure if this is going to be late for your to change your plans. Let me give you an alternate plan which would mean you visiting a couple of more temples in the bargain.

Day 1 : Start around 5 AM from Bangalore - Reach Tiruvannamalai around 10 continue onwards to Tirukoilur after darshan at Tiruvannamalai visit Tirukoilur temple then continue onwards to Kumbakonam via Panrutti - Sethiathoppu. You should be able to reach Kumbakonam around 2 PM. Finish Lunch and then have one round of temple seeing in the evening in and around Kumbakonam. Stay overnight at Kumbakonam.

Day 2: Morning finish one more round of temples around Kumbakonam continue onwards to Tanjore, finish Tanjore Peria Koil on your way to Srirangam. Evening you can have a relaxed Darshan at Srirangam without any time pressure. May be make a visit to Rock Fort as well.

Day 3 You could reach Rameswaram via Pudukottai as per your original plan. You could also include Thirupullani which is on the way to Kilakkarai from Rameswaram. You could actually enjoy beach as well at Thirupullani.

kreddy · 7th October 2010, 23:03

Thanks everyone.

pypkmsrikanth: Thanks for your suggestion. I am planning to visit Tiruvannamalai & Pondicherry some other time. I will check on Thirupallani beach though.

ravib: I want to visit Palani on the way back. I will take deviation from Dindugal and rejoin NH7 at the same place while returning.

Harshavarthan: If I travel on ECR what would be normal driving time from Thanjavur to Rameswaram ( I will by pass Ramanathpuram as suggested)

Harshavarthan · 8th October 2010, 10:22

@kreddy

Thirupallani beach is actually called Sethukarai and is a diversion from Ramanathapuram Kilakarai road. Approximately 15-20 minutes drive from Ramanathapuram by-pass. Plan it on your next day when going to kanyakumari.

Tanjore to Rameswaram on ECR might take 4 to 5 hrs depending on how fast or how slow you drive. Even if you maintain a steady 80 km/h speed (which is slow for ECR), you can reach within 5 hrs. And don't enter Ramanathapuram unless you plan for a meal.

sbkumar · 29th December 2010, 16:16

Guys, Any update on Tiruchendur-Kanyakumari ECR condition? Any recent trip updates would be really useful. I am planning to do this route tomorrow and could not get enough information on the road conditions.

hvkumar · 29th December 2010, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbkumar

Guys, Any update on Tiruchendur-Kanyakumari ECR condition? Any recent trip updates would be really useful. I am planning to do this route tomorrow and could not get enough information on the road conditions.

Lots of potholes, has taken a beating in the recent rains. Slower speeds.
Update from 2 days ago.

sbkumar · 29th December 2010, 16:57

Thanks a lot Sir! That was really fast. Would you recommend any alternate routes? Would be starting from Nagercoil.

hvkumar · 29th December 2010, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbkumar

Would you recommend any alternate routes? Would be starting from Nagercoil.

Alternative route would be to go from KK onto NH7 and turning off at either Valliyoor or Tirunelveli, but that will be much longer.
If you are a patient driver - and driving by day - the ECR itself is not a bad idea despite its slightly bad condition.

sbkumar · 29th December 2010, 17:14

okay, then ECR it is. I would be starting early morning and hence would be a good time to do this I guess.Thanks a lot again. Will update with my experience tomorrow.

Harshavarthan · 29th December 2010, 20:09

Why not drive via ECR till thuthukudi and then to kanyakumari via tirunelveli? I believe ECR till thuthukudi might not have been affected by rain.

sbkumar · 29th December 2010, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harshavarthan

Why not drive via ECR till thuthukudi and then to kanyakumari via tirunelveli? I believe ECR till thuthukudi might not have been affected by rain.

Harsha, my drive is only from KK/NGL to Tiruchendur tomorrow.

hvkumar · 29th December 2010, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harshavarthan

Why not drive via ECR till thuthukudi and then to kanyakumari via tirunelveli? I believe ECR till thuthukudi might not have been affected by rain.

ECR from Ramanthapuram to Tuticorin is in immaculate condition, as fast as ever, no impact of rains.

sbkumar · 31st December 2010, 11:07

Update on my trip:

Since the start got delayed, decided to go through valliyoor so that we can have breakfast there.

Route - NGL-Valliyoor-Mannarpuram-Sathankulam-Megnanapuram-Paramankurichi-Tiruchendur.

Upto Valliyoor on NH-47.
Get into the Valliyoor town and from the first signal, need to take a right onto the Radhapuram road and around 5kms from this point, need to take a left onto the Tiruchendur road.
Valliyoor-Tiruchendur on this route is around 66kms.

The roads are pretty good two lanes though a little narrow. First 20kms and last 20kms are really good and middle 20kms are with a little bit of rough patches especially within the towns, but nothing to worry about. There are around 7-8 humps which are marked with sign boards which were visible in the day but difficult to find in the night. Travel time 1 hr 45 mins with relaxed driving around 70/80 for most of the time.

The only problem I saw was that though we can just follow the signboards and reach Tiruchendur once we take the Radhapuram road from Valliyoor, the signboards are in Tamil in most places so people who can't read Tamil will have a difficult time following them. Else it was a pretty straight forward drive.

ravib · 20th September 2012, 17:00

Folks,

Bumping up this old thread, as i couldn't find more related thread elsewhere.

How is the road conditions from Kumbakonam-Mannargudi-Pattukkottai-Aranthangi-Karaikudi.

Though i can take Kumbakonam-Tanjore-Pudukkottai-Karaikudi, would like to try this route so that i can see Mannargudi Rajagopalaswamy temple and Aavudayar Koil near aranthangi enroute from Kumbakonam to Karaikudi.

Anyone traveled in this sector recently and can provide a road condition update?

Thanks
-Ravi

7th October 2010, 12:09	#16
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,952 Thanked: 12,944 Times View My Garage	Google Maps show ECR as NH45A beyond Pondicherry and it gets over at Nagapattinam. Is that correct?
	() Thanks

7th October 2010, 12:12	#17
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	ampere, forget GM. I tested its knowledge, it has broken links between Kizhakarai and Sayalgudi via Eravadi! Hence, despite my dragging onto the correct route of ECR, it could not draw the route map. Anyway, NH45A is only part of the ECR, which runs from Madras to Kanyakumari on teh following route: Madras-Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry-Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Karaikal-Nagapattinam-Thiruthuraipoondi-Muthupettai-Mimisal-Tondi-Ramanathapuram-Kizhakarai-Sikkal-Sayalkudi-Tuticorin-Tiruchendur-Koodankulam-Kanyakumari
	() Thanks

7th October 2010, 17:25	#18
pypkmsrikanth Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,124 Thanked: 283 Times View My Garage	Kreddy: I am not sure if this is going to be late for your to change your plans. Let me give you an alternate plan which would mean you visiting a couple of more temples in the bargain. Day 1 : Start around 5 AM from Bangalore - Reach Tiruvannamalai around 10 continue onwards to Tirukoilur after darshan at Tiruvannamalai visit Tirukoilur temple then continue onwards to Kumbakonam via Panrutti - Sethiathoppu. You should be able to reach Kumbakonam around 2 PM. Finish Lunch and then have one round of temple seeing in the evening in and around Kumbakonam. Stay overnight at Kumbakonam. Day 2: Morning finish one more round of temples around Kumbakonam continue onwards to Tanjore, finish Tanjore Peria Koil on your way to Srirangam. Evening you can have a relaxed Darshan at Srirangam without any time pressure. May be make a visit to Rock Fort as well. Day 3 You could reach Rameswaram via Pudukottai as per your original plan. You could also include Thirupullani which is on the way to Kilakkarai from Rameswaram. You could actually enjoy beach as well at Thirupullani.
	() Thanks

7th October 2010, 23:03	#19
kreddy BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 86 Thanked: 36 Times	Thanks everyone. pypkmsrikanth: Thanks for your suggestion. I am planning to visit Tiruvannamalai & Pondicherry some other time. I will check on Thirupallani beach though. ravib: I want to visit Palani on the way back. I will take deviation from Dindugal and rejoin NH7 at the same place while returning. Harshavarthan: If I travel on ECR what would be normal driving time from Thanjavur to Rameswaram ( I will by pass Ramanathpuram as suggested)
	() Thanks

8th October 2010, 10:22	#20
Harshavarthan BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: TN 65 Posts: 338 Thanked: 154 Times	@kreddy Thirupallani beach is actually called Sethukarai and is a diversion from Ramanathapuram Kilakarai road. Approximately 15-20 minutes drive from Ramanathapuram by-pass. Plan it on your next day when going to kanyakumari. Tanjore to Rameswaram on ECR might take 4 to 5 hrs depending on how fast or how slow you drive. Even if you maintain a steady 80 km/h speed (which is slow for ECR), you can reach within 5 hrs. And don't enter Ramanathapuram unless you plan for a meal.
	() Thanks

29th December 2010, 16:16	#21
sbkumar BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 406 Thanked: 162 Times	Re: Guidance required on Tamil Nadu Tour Guys, Any update on Tiruchendur-Kanyakumari ECR condition? Any recent trip updates would be really useful. I am planning to do this route tomorrow and could not get enough information on the road conditions.
	() Thanks

29th December 2010, 16:57	#23
sbkumar BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 406 Thanked: 162 Times	Re: Guidance required on Tamil Nadu Tour Thanks a lot Sir! That was really fast. Would you recommend any alternate routes? Would be starting from Nagercoil.
	() Thanks

29th December 2010, 17:14	#25
sbkumar BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 406 Thanked: 162 Times	Re: Guidance required on Tamil Nadu Tour okay, then ECR it is. I would be starting early morning and hence would be a good time to do this I guess.Thanks a lot again. Will update with my experience tomorrow.
	() Thanks

29th December 2010, 20:09	#26
Harshavarthan BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: TN 65 Posts: 338 Thanked: 154 Times	Re: Guidance required on Tamil Nadu Tour Why not drive via ECR till thuthukudi and then to kanyakumari via tirunelveli? I believe ECR till thuthukudi might not have been affected by rain.
	() Thanks

31st December 2010, 11:07	#29
sbkumar BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 406 Thanked: 162 Times	Re: Guidance required on Tamil Nadu Tour Update on my trip: Since the start got delayed, decided to go through valliyoor so that we can have breakfast there. Route - NGL-Valliyoor-Mannarpuram-Sathankulam-Megnanapuram-Paramankurichi-Tiruchendur. Upto Valliyoor on NH-47. Get into the Valliyoor town and from the first signal, need to take a right onto the Radhapuram road and around 5kms from this point, need to take a left onto the Tiruchendur road. Valliyoor-Tiruchendur on this route is around 66kms. The roads are pretty good two lanes though a little narrow. First 20kms and last 20kms are really good and middle 20kms are with a little bit of rough patches especially within the towns, but nothing to worry about. There are around 7-8 humps which are marked with sign boards which were visible in the day but difficult to find in the night. Travel time 1 hr 45 mins with relaxed driving around 70/80 for most of the time. The only problem I saw was that though we can just follow the signboards and reach Tiruchendur once we take the Radhapuram road from Valliyoor, the signboards are in Tamil in most places so people who can't read Tamil will have a difficult time following them. Else it was a pretty straight forward drive. Last edited by sbkumar : 31st December 2010 at 11:09.
	() Thanks

20th September 2012, 17:00	#30
ravib Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,579 Thanked: 1,803 Times	Re: Guidance required on Tamil Nadu Tour Folks, Bumping up this old thread, as i couldn't find more related thread elsewhere. How is the road conditions from Kumbakonam-Mannargudi-Pattukkottai-Aranthangi-Karaikudi. Though i can take Kumbakonam-Tanjore-Pudukkottai-Karaikudi, would like to try this route so that i can see Mannargudi Rajagopalaswamy temple and Aavudayar Koil near aranthangi enroute from Kumbakonam to Karaikudi. Anyone traveled in this sector recently and can provide a road condition update? Thanks -Ravi
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