[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Rex, unfortunately NH17 has become a horror through out, as Samurai calls it "National Horror" drive from mangalore and kundapura is like playing a game "miss the pot holes"! you will find in all sizes....

Lohith - from what I read on this forum, NH17 is pretty bad all through KA (and I guess MH as well). Curious to know if any repair works have been initiated yet.

[Samurai]

The stretch around Bhatkal is truly horrible. I recently traveled from Goa to Manipal in Tavera Taxi and I was horrified to see it. I leaned forward in my seat to save my back, my usual trick while offroading in really bad terrain.

[lohithrao]

Dube, They have started to fix it around Kundapura, road gets bad from Udupi bypass till Barkur, there after many stretches have been filled and is better...meanwhile the 4laning work has begun near barkur, this stretch will loose its charm and 1000s of tress:(

Just after Mulky there are couple of stretches which scare even the busses/trucks, yesterday saw Volvo having a tough time...

Sharath, even i lean when negotiating the BAD patches guess the bad roads taught me...hehe

Suggestion to all who intend to travel at night in NH17, please avoidtravelling between Mangalore-Kundapura between 6-8pm as the bus traffic will be too high, hi-beam from the oncoming traffic + the pot holes can make your drive miserable!

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by rex_varghese

After the function, we decided to visit Mangalore. We drove to Summer Sands resort (I'll write a separate post on the resort later) in Ullal.That was another bad experience.

Rex, hopefully Summer Sands was good and only the drive to Ullal was bad! I'm headed to Summer Sands on Thu and hence little anxious.

On our return, we took University road (from Ullal/NH17) and reached Panemangalore/Melkar skipping the NH17 and NH48 bad stretches.

Thanks for this new route, I was not aware. I looked up google maps and could see the following route: Ullal->Deralakatte->Sajipa->Melkar. Is this correct? Any further info on this would be very helpful.

Thanks,

[rex_varghese]

Originally Posted by prasad14

Rex, hopefully Summer Sands was good and only the drive to Ullal was bad! I'm headed to Summer Sands on Thu and hence little anxious.

Summer Sand was a nice experience. It's a large property right on the seashore and they have a nice beach-front. The sea was very rough during our stay. So, could get into water much. They have a nice pool and childrens play-area. Take an early morning stroll through the beach and you'll find fishermen on the job with their nets. It's a nice experience to watch them tackle the waves and come back with lotsa fish.

Accommodation is not great, but decent and food is pretty good. Service is great. Unfortunately, we could spend only a night there and our children did not really want to leave.

Originally Posted by prasad14

Thanks for this new route, I was not aware. I looked up google maps and could see the following route: Ullal->Deralakatte->Sajipa->Melkar. Is this correct? Any further info on this would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Yes, this is the route. While the Ullal-Deralakkatte stretch is much better than NH-17, Deralakatte-Melkar stretch is extremely good. Surprised to see such roads too in Mangalore :-)

Have a good trip!

[prasad14]

Thank you Rex.

I've been to Summer Sands couple of times, though the last one was 5yrs ago. I was told that they have improved the accommodation, but from your update it appears as if they did a good sales job (I was considering Paradise Isle at Udupi, but I always like the informal atmosphere at Summer Sands).

Thanks,

[sushrutha]

I have almost lost the FUN in driving on NH 48.
Hell lot of potholes + too many speed breakers(due to road widening).
After 4 laning, I really lost the fun, which I used to get while it was a 2 Lane highway.

[lohithrao]

Sush, so true! it looks too barren too. NH48 lost its charm when the axed all those tress now next is nh17s turn:(

btw i dont see any new saplings been planted where the construction work is done. not sure whats the reason for it?

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by rex_varghese

Summer Sand was a nice experience. It's a large property right on the seashore and they have a nice beach-front. The sea was very rough during our stay. So, could get into water much. They have a nice pool and childrens play-area. Take an early morning stroll through the beach and you'll find fishermen on the job with their nets. It's a nice experience to watch them tackle the waves and come back with lotsa fish.

Accommodation is not great, but decent and food is pretty good. Service is great. Unfortunately, we could spend only a night there and our children did not really want to leave.



Yes, this is the route. While the Ullal-Deralakkatte stretch is much better than NH-17, Deralakatte-Melkar stretch is extremely good. Surprised to see such roads too in Mangalore :-)

Have a good trip!

The route is Ullala-Thokkotu on the NH17.
From Thokottu ,you take a left to pass through Derlakatte till you reach Natekal.

At Natekal you should take the left road to Konaje and keep going till you cross Infosys and just before Mudipu you have a left for Melkar.
This is a narrow road ,but in awesome condition.I always take this route when I drive from Bangalore.

[rk_sans]

Guys,
I am confused here.
I am travelling to Udupi on Thursday night. Last week i checked over here and almost decided to take NH48 but now i read a post in Travel Queries section that NH48 is really bad and it is better to take Bangalore - Hassan - Belur - Charmadi - Ujire Route.
Suggest which is best out of the following three routes.
NOTE: I am travelling in night, leaving blr around 10pm

1. Blr- hassan - belur -charmadi - ujire
2. Blr- hassan - Sakleshpur - Shiradi
3. Blr- Arsikere - Banavara - Javagal - Halebidu - Belur - charmadi - Ujire

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

I have almost lost the FUN in driving on NH 48.
Hell lot of potholes + too many speed breakers(due to road widening).
After 4 laning, I really lost the fun, which I used to get while it was a 2 Lane highway.

+1, I came back yesterday morning and the route is getting more and more irritating day by day, especially, near Kunigal and Yediyur

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Sush, so true! it looks too barren too. NH48 lost its charm when the axed all those tress now next is nh17s turn:(

btw i dont see any new saplings been planted where the construction work is done. not sure whats the reason for it?

+1. Earlier, I could have guessed a location on NH 48 just by seeing a photograph. Now, even if I go there, I don't know where I am

Even I did not see any saplings planted there.

[rex_varghese]

Originally Posted by rk_sans

Suggest which is best out of the following three routes.
NOTE: I am travelling in night, leaving blr around 10pm

1. Blr- hassan - belur -charmadi - ujire
2. Blr- hassan - Sakleshpur - Shiradi
3. Blr- Arsikere - Banavara - Javagal - Halebidu - Belur - charmadi - Ujire

From my experience last week, I would not recommend Blr-Hassan or Blr-Hassan-Sakelshpur-Shiradi, especially in the night. My suggestion for a night trip would be Blr-Madikeri-Sullya-Puttur-Mani-Mangalore.

I have not done Charmadi ghat and cannot comment.

[rajshenoy]

Just came back from a 1000+ km trip

While travelling to udupi, i had to go via Mysore-Madikeri route because of a personal work

So this is the route i took

Bangalore-Mysore(diversion near Rangantittu)-Madikeri-Sulya-Puttur-BCRoad-Mangalore-Udupi

Road is great all the way till Madikeri, Gets bad till Sampage(but 15-20 kms) but since there is hardly any traffic, road is all yours. Road is not in a good position all the way till BC Road(every 200 mtrs, you are greeted with crators)

Once you cross BCRoad City, its a breeze.. 4 lane road is drivable now

I dont want to talk about Mangalore-pumpwell till kottara. After that its again a breeze(except for few sudden crators) I managed to tail gate a Local guy who seemed to have mastered the Mangalore-udupi road condition.

On my return journey, i had to visit Sringeri, so the only option i had was to take

Udupi-hebri-Agumbe-Sringeri-Chikmaglur-Belur-hasan-Bangalore(not via magadi) Nelamangala to YPR toll road(sans the toll) looks great and it hardly took me 10-15 mins to reach till outer ring road signal where i turned left to reach towards old madras road.

Roads are great for most of the part except few stretches(Balehonnur-aldur, hasan city, near kunigal etc)

Overall nothing to complain about the road condition.

Hassan to Bangalore is very much drivable and also no need to take the magadi route. So no need to experiment on new routes that your map shows.

Again, i took these routes because of personal work, i feel shortest route to both Mangalore-udupi is via Shiradi and road is drivable if you are careful about the bad roads(they are predictable.. no sudden shocks)

[rk_sans]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Udupi-hebri-Agumbe-Sringeri-Chikmaglur-Belur-hasan-Bangalore(not via magadi) Nelamangala to YPR toll road(sans the toll) looks great and it hardly took me 10-15 mins to reach till outer ring road signal where i turned left to reach towards old madras road.

@rajshenoy,
how is the road between Udupi - Hebri - Agumbe, i am planning to take Blr - shimoga - Agumbe - Hebri - Udupi route. this route is little more in distance, around 30 kms more compared to other routes but I know the road is very good till Thiratahalli.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by rk_sans

@rajshenoy,
how is the road between Udupi - Hebri - Agumbe, i am planning to take Blr - shimoga - Agumbe - Hebri - Udupi route. this route is little more in distance, around 30 kms more compared to other routes but I know the road is very good till Thiratahalli.

Agumbe-Hebri is in good shape but there are some sudden pot holes (especially where there are slops and huge trees cover the road) road has been widened between someshwara-hebri and its doable at 80+ easily

Hebri-udupi is in same shape even after a year or so, good stretches are good, some bad stretches near towns like perdur,hiriyadka etc

I havent come via Shimoga, but i simply got worried about hasan road condition. one can maintain 100+ speed except near the big towns
Good luck.