[kadri007]

That's a good news for all of us.

Agumbe - Hebri road condition came as a surprise. Earlier it was one of the good roads since trucks do not ply in the Agumbe ghat. Only mini buses and four wheelers used to take this route.

This shows the shabby work of road authorities.

[Gany]

I am traveling tomorrow to Vitla/Puttur Via Madikeri route. Driving a Silver Altis. Will update on road condition once back from this trip.

[androdev]

Planning to go to Baindur (from Bangalore) with family sometime in January.

I found following routes:
1. Blore - Shimoga (NH206) - anandapuram - Hosanagara - Nagare - Nittur - Kollur - Baindur (As suggested by google maps from: bangalore to: 13.850481,74.629898 - Google Maps)

2. Blore - Chikmagalur-Aldur-Balehonnur-Sringeri-Agumbe-Shankarnarayana-Baindur (found on this forum but could not find this route on google)

3. Blore - Shimoga - Honavar - Baindur (loooong but looks good on the map, NH all the way)

What is a "safe" route (need not be the shortest route) - that has decent roads and no crazy traffic? We are not in a rush and a pleasant ride with good breakfast+lunch breaks would be preferred.

Assuming we start at 4:30AM from Bangalore (Bangalore golf club area), with a breakfast and lunch break in between, when can we expect to reach Baindur? With a decent car (Laura) and average driver (me) :-)

Please suggest breakfast + lunch spots (similar to Kamat/coffeedays on mysore road)

Cheers!

PS: I would be exploring these coastal areas much more if the drive turns out to be a stress-free one. Bit bored of jungle safari vacations!

[lohithrao]

Update on NH 17 - Mangaluru - Udupi.

No its very drivable, i can say its in prety good shape leaving a very short strecth after "bapanadu temple" where they have patched up and surface is not very smooth...

else this road is good for any vehicle!

as always just beware of those private buses

[kadri007]

Here are some more options

Blore - Mysore bypass - Madikeri - Sullya - BC road- Mlore - Udupi - Kundapur - Byndoor (Road work in progress in BC road- Mlore stretch)

Blore - Hassan - Mudigere - Charmadi - Belthangady - Mudabidri- Karkala - Udupi - Kundapur - Byndoor

Blore - Shimoga - Thirthahalli - Hosangady - Kundapura - Byndoor

Blore - Hassan - Chickmaglur - Kalasa - Kudremukha - Karkala - Udupi - Kundapur - Byndoor.

On the routes mentioned in your post.

1. Blore - Shimoga - Hosanagara - Kollur - Baindur :

Not a regular route, traffic would be less, road conditions have doubts on Hosnagar - Kollur stretch.

2. Blore - Chikmagalur-Sringeri-Agumbe-Shankarnarayana-Baindur

We got an update on Agumbe road conditions in the recent post. So not advisable seeing the condition

3. Blore - Shimoga - Honavar - Baindur - Too Long

Many of our members would be reaching back today or tomorrow so can expect some updates soon. Do keep checking for the latest road condition updates.

Also on distances you can check my site

Distances (Yeshwanth Live)

Originally Posted by androdev

Planning to go to Baindur (from Bangalore)

What is a "safe" route

[lohithrao]

"Hosnagar - Kollur stretch." this stretch is bad with some deepand bad potholes, wont recommend it for "Laura"

[MCR]

Hello Guys,
Completed the weekend trip to Udupi in my Fiat Grande Punto. I took the Shiradi Ghat. The roads upto Gundya police station is good. From here on the ghat section gets bad. The road is completely non existent and its just mud and stones. However the entire stretch of bad roads is just about 25 kms and the roads are good again from Subrahmanya diversion. i would still recommend this road considering that the bad roads are just for around 25 kms. The Madikeri stretch is bad for around 60 kms and also the road is narrow and windy. Also my car did not bottom out even once and I covered the bad section of ghat of 25 kms in one and half hours.

[kadri007]

Originally Posted by MCR

Hello Guys,
I took the Shiradi Ghat. The roads upto Gundya police station is good. From here on the ghat section gets bad. . The Madikeri stretch is bad for around 60 kms and also the road is narrow and windy.

Thats good to hear. It looks like the patch work from Sakleshpur to Gundya is going on in full swing.

Compared to Shiradi, Madikeri roads are narrow. And if a truck is coming then you need to slow down especially in curves.

[deepakchiniwal]

Just came back from the trip. Completed Horanadu, Sringeri, Udupi, Dharmasthala and Subramanya.

1. Bangalore - Chikmagalur - Good
2. Chikmagalur - Aldur - Balehonnur - Horanaadu - Bad in Patches
3. Horanaadu - Sringeri - Bad for about 25-30 Kms (Do not go with the signboards, from Horanaadu to Sringeri cover it via Balehonnur only. Roads through SK Border to Sringeri is not good)
4. Sringeri - Aagumbe - Udupi - Bad. Roads till Aagumbe from Sringeri are good but not any further.
5. Udupi - Dharmasthala - Good, but bad at few stretches
6. Dharmasthala - Subramanya - Average.
7. Subramanya - Madikeri - Good in patches, but are worse as you near Madikeri. Dangerous Drive on this road, considering the shoulders of roads are as high as mountains and the Lorry/Buses/Jeeps/Private vehicles do not bother to slow down nor give you way. I had by heart in my mouth when I saw a vehicle in front of me.
8. Madikeri - Kushalnagar - Bad, good at some streches
9. kushalNagar - Bangalore - Best.

[sushrutha]

The route between Agumbe - Someshwara-Haladi-Basrur-Kundapura is in pathetic condition. I travelled in this route yesterday evening. Only saving grace is basrur-Kundapura, they have filled the potholes, but road is damn bumpy.
some hairpin bends on Agumbe ghats has gone for a toss. Definetely not for a low ground clearence car.
Fantastic road all the way from Bangalore - Tumkur-Kadur-Shimoga-Theertahlly-Agumbe. But a bad stretch of 1-2kms near mandagadde(before mandagadde), co of Road repair work, they have dug up the road.
Also note all the small bridges are undergoing repair between Shimoga-Mandagadde.

[kadri007]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

The route between Agumbe - Someshwara-Haladi-Basrur-Kundapura is in pathetic condition..

In this case i think Blore - Hassan - Charmadi - Mangalore - Kundapura would be a better option than Agumbe.

Did anyone try the Hulikal ghat route to Kundapura.

Any news on Kudremukha route.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by kadri007

In this case i think Blore - Hassan - Charmadi - Mangalore - Kundapura would be a better option than Agumbe.

Did anyone try the Hulikal ghat route to Kundapura.

Any news on Kudremukha route.

Yashwant, can you tell the direction to Hulikal ghat? I know it is somewhere near Agumbe, but don't know the exact location.

Recently, I read in a newspaper article that Hulikal has been receiving the highest rainfall in Karnataka for the past few years and that it has dethroned Agumbe for the highest rainfall receiving region in the state.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/4823807.cms

[kadri007]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Yashwant, can you tell the direction to Hulikal ghat?

The Hulikal ghat is parallel to Agumbe ghat. Not very familiar with the roads since people generally take the Agumbe route which is shorter. My cousins have travelled in the Hulikal route so its a secondary information what i have.

From Thirthahalli there are two routes one via Nagara Cross - Hulikal. Another route is there in Thirthahalli - Agumbe road you need to take a right which will lead you to Hulikal.

From what i heard its a small ghat like Sampage, which you get in Madikeri - Sullya stretch.

Generally the bigger buses going from Mangalore to Shimoga take this route and also the trucks. Agumbe only customized Mini buses ply.

You can check with the locals on the road conditions and distances in Thirthahalli and then proceed on this route. Else you can opt for Agumbe.

Once coming down the Hulikal ghat then i can guide you.

Coming down the ghat is a small village called Hosangadi, the famous underground Varahi power project is in this place.

Hosangadi - Siddapura - Shankarnaryana -Haladi - Basrur - Kundapura is the main route.

The famous Kamalashile temple is near Siddapura. There is also a road to Kollur from Siddapura.

Shankarnarayana has also a temple which is pretty ancient.

Siddapura is a small town where you have few hotels. rest all are villages.

Road condition on Hulikal needs to be checked.

[androdev]

Hmmm.. i have never ventured towards west coast from Bangalore. I am not able to make up my mind which route is better from Bangalore to Baindur.

Options
#1: blr-shimoga-honavar-baindur (500KM according to google maps)

#2: blr-shimoga-thirthahalli-agumbe-someshwar-haladi-basrur-kundapur-baindur (470KM)

#3: blr-chikmagalur-sringer-agumbe- (rest same as #2) (450KM)

I am not very confident of trying #2 and #3 because seems like the roads after Chikmagalur/Thirthahalli are narrower/twisty/damaged. Also they don't show up on the map and might require asking locals at every turn. I might also be stranded in case there is any breakdown.

I am leaning towards #1, but it finds no mention in 100s posts in this thread. I am OK with 50-70KM extra distance if:
-roads are wider
-not too twisty
-easier to deal in case there is a breakdown
-roads are not too damaged

Considering that I am not going to Mangalore/Udipi, but to Baindur, does option#1 make sense? (maybe I should just go to goa instead of baindur :-))

Cheers.

[kadri007]

Originally Posted by androdev

which route is better from Bangalore to Baindur.

Options
#1: blr-shimoga-honavar-baindur (500KM according to google maps)

#2: blr-shimoga-thirthahalli-agumbe-someshwar-haladi-basrur-kundapur-baindur (470KM)

#3: blr-chikmagalur-sringer-agumbe- (rest same as #2) (450KM)

roads after Chikmagalur/Thirthahalli are narrower/twisty/damaged. I might also be stranded in case there is any breakdown.
Cheers.

First thing welcome to the west coast. Its a beautiful place to explore.

Many of the routes discussed in the threads are based on actual travel experiences of members, You may not see these routes in maps.

You can check out the distances in page 100.

Regarding the routes:

Option 1: Does not make sense, its lengthy and round about.

Option 2/3: Currently road conditions from Agumbe doesn't seem to be good as per latest updates.

Even if you try these routes don't worry on getting stranded. A lot of vehicles pass and there are people around to help you.

Based on the recent road conditions, one option is to try out:

Blore - Hassan - Mudigere -Charmadi- Belthangady - Mudabidri- Karkala - Udupi - Kundapur - Byndoor.