[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by NPV

@ajithbr -
For your Q 10)You can visit kateel durga parameshwari temple which is not very far from Mangalore, again a deviation from NH17. You can also visit Udupi Sri Krishna temple which is about 50 Km from Mangalore. You can do Kateel, then Udupi and Kaup beach on the way back to Mangalore OR do Udupi, Kaup and then Kateel on the way back to Mangalore. Be very careful at the beaches, they are rough so don't venture too far into the water or attempt swimming.

I am going circular as Bangalore->Mangalore->Kollur->Thirthahalli->Shimoga->Bangalore. How far is Kateel temple from the hotel? Been to Udupi for a marriage in the recent past and so skipping the same this time. We will not be entering in the water at all but the kids just want to go and sit in the sands to watch sunset. So, any beach to suit this will suffice.

No one replied about taking a minor detour to Maravanthe beach to see the confluence of Sowparnika river with Arabian Sea. Is that too long, either by distance or bad roads?

Finally, I have taken Thirthahalli->Shimoga a very long time back and that as an organized/conducted tour with guide. So, can anyone please help me organize/compile all the picnic/tourist spots on this route in the order from Thirthahalli along with distance? Also, please suggest some good hotels in Thirthahalli for lunch.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ampere

@Ajit,

I am not sure if the IISc-Yashwantpur work over. I think that road is still closed.
So if you are coming from Cauvery theater/Sankey road, you get through Rajkumar road.

Here is the link:

Chowdaiah Rd/Ramana Maharshi Rd to Service Rd - Google Maps

Also note only 17th cross goes over Railway line, which would allow you to reach Rajkumar road.

Thanks to this thread and folks here, I figured this out.

The road is closed between "Circle *Amma temple" and "IISc main gate" only. So, to goto IISc main gate & Yeshwantpur, we can either go via Mekhri Circle or on Sankey road, take right just before Sankey tank and drive by the tank-bund road (lake on your left while you drive) upto Sadashivnagar police station just at the signal where IISc campus begin while going from Mekhri Circle. Any other road is either narrow or a longer detour than this one, I believe since I always reach YPR station from Sony World in just about 45 minutes to pick up people who reaches by 7.15 AM train from Kannur/Calicut/Palakkad !

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

We will not be entering in the water at all but the kids just want to go and sit in the sands to watch sunset. So, any beach to suit this will suffice.

Watching sunset? In which month are you planning this? Last time I saw the sun was on Sunday, which was unusually bright for the season. We go weeks without seeing the sun during monsoon. So, don't plan anything around sunsets.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Watching sunset? In which month are you planning this? Last time I saw the sun was on Sunday, which was unusually bright for the season. We go weeks without seeing the sun during monsoon. So, don't plan anything around sunsets.

I perfectly understand that. Last week, when we visited Calicut, there were 2-3 days when we went to beach in the evenings but not watched sun, forget sunset. So, since we are going to Mangalore this weekend, wanted to give a try again. Even if sun or sun-set is not possible, I can atleast get a couple of snaps for the kids taken with sea as background.

[rohanjf]

I started at 4 AM and reached Mangalore at 12 noon, travelling 380 km. Stopped for breakfast at Surabhi in Sakleshpur (nice coffee there!) and to fix a puncture near Nelyadi.
The roads are going bad, but unlike previous years, not at hairpin bends (thanks to concrete reinforcements). However, most cars can do without bumping the underbody. Since I already was aware of the condition, it was easy to drive.
However, one has to be careful after Nelyadi, where the road is good at long stretches but potholes suddenly appear and disappear.

And while driving, I observed the opposite lane. That is lot worse. Seems like I will need an additional hour to go back.

[lohithrao]

Its raining heavily in coast, and is expected to do so for next couple of days. so people driving down take care!

[Samurai]

Just reached Bangalore. This time drove via Manipal-Hebri-Agumbe-Sringeri-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan-Rest is same.

Don't have much time right now, so here is a very short feedback.

Jim carey do not go in there - YouTube

[iPai]

Guys, had recently been to Karkala for a weeks time.

Left on 27th August at 4 40 AM from my home at Bellandur. Reached Karkala at 1 30 PM
Route taken: Hosur Road>Nice Road>Nelamangala>Hassan>Shiradi>Dharmasthala>Karka la
Distance: Around 380kms
Total Time Taken: Around 9 hours. Stoppage time: 1.5 Hours(Had my 1 year old kid on board)
Car: My i10.
FE: Around 16 kmpl. For the good roads speeds were between 110 and 140kmph.

Road was great for a major portion. Shiradi was worsening. However onward journey was fine. Even with heavy rains near dharmasthala i could reach at 1 30. The 100 odd kms of four lane road from Nelamangala is awesome!

Returned on 3rd September. Left Karkala at 10 AM and reached home in Bellandur at 7 30 PM. Stoppage time around 1.5 hours again. Very Heavy rains faced till Sakleshpura.

The Rains were heavy during that weeks stay in Karkala. And obviously it destroyed the section of ghats close to gundya. So that half of ghats was destroyed.

I do not recommend this route to anyone now. That section is a pain. Its worsened now.

Return journey was on my dad's i20. Car did not bottom out there though.
Reached Kamat Upachar at 3 15. Left at 4 owing to slow service . However reached Nelamangala at 5 40 owing to fantastic road.

Speeds at those great sections ranged between 100 and 150 kmph.
Due to this FE did take a toll. It returned around 15.44 kmpl.

Guys, is there any route now which is good enough to be taken? It is ok if the road is patchy. The shiradi stretch is frustrating.

[JMaruru]

I might have to do b'lore - m'lore in coming week. Howz charmady? Looking at the reviews on shiradi, seems it is an 'avoid' now.

[iPai]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

I might have to do b'lore - m'lore in coming week. Howz charmady? Looking at the reviews on shiradi, seems it is an 'avoid' now.

Well, i contemplated Charmadi, but dad rejected the idea. Given the heavy rains and the narrow ghat road, with the possibility of a landslide, i personally wouldn't suggest charmadi. However, if any one has tried this one, please come forward with your thoughts.

Even the madikeri route is supposed to be in bad shape now. Can anyone shed light on this one?

[lohithrao]

Yesterday i came to Bangalore via shiradi and its doable, skaleshpura onwards its good.

What is very good is from adichunchungiri till BEl junction/Penya the road is awesome! one can do effortless 120+ ...

I took about 7hours to reach outskits of bangalore, as usual try to reach/leave bangalore earky hours or late night...

Originally Posted by JMaruru

I might have to do b'lore - m'lore in coming week. Howz charmady? Looking at the reviews on shiradi, seems it is an 'avoid' now.

[Gany]

We had been to Vitla (diviation from NH48 just after Uppinangadi Bridge) & back yesterday.
Onward journy: Started from my home (hsr) at 5;40 AM & reached my native home at 12;00 (358 kms) - 10 min break at CCD & 45 min break at Kamat Upachar.
Road - HSR, Hosur road, NICE from electronic city till NH4, left at Nelamangala onto NH48. For ~130 km of road is 4 laned. Near Shakleshpur you start noticing some potholes but very few, you can negotiate. Shiradi ghat is in bad shape (but still driveable with bit of caution & slow speed), it was worser on the way back. If the rain continues this way, expect the road to get worser.

On the way back it took us exactly 7 hr 20 min to retrace our path, with added 3, <2 min stops for photograph on Shiradi ghat! My son counted about 100 water falls, many of them will vanish once the rain stops though! Overall very enjoyable drive even with Shiradi ghat condition!

Do observe safety while driving, have your vehicle properly checked (light, tyres, brakes etc), do not overtake when you see a solid white line as divider (usually on curves etc), switch on indicator when changing lanes., do not throw garbage when you stop your car, instead dispose them off at CCD, Kamat or your home;-) Have a nice drive!

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by iPai

Even the madikeri route is supposed to be in bad shape now. Can anyone shed light on this one?

I returned to Bangalore from Mangalore through Madikeri two weeks back in my i20.
Mani to Puttur: Pathetic. We'll get only half of the road to drive as they have dug up the other half. Avoid at night as one small mistake will make your tire get stuck in mud.
Puttur -> Sullia -> Sampaje: Full of potholes but better than Mani-Puttur stretch.
Sampaje -> Madikeri (Ghat): Excellent road. Two bad stretches in between.
Madikeri -> Ilavala: Excellent but be ready for some surprise speedbrakers.
Ilavala to Ranganthittu cross (Mysore bypass): Quality of road is not so good which is filled with small potholes but one can easily drive at around 40 kmph.
Ranganthittu cross to Bangalore: Heavy Traffic after 4 pm and lot of speed breakers and barricades.

There is one alternate route from Puttur to Sampaje which is in a good condition. You need to take left at a place called Sampya (after puttur KSRTC depot) which goes to a place called Thingalady. At Thigalady, take left which takes you to Bellare. Look out for a 2 feet pot hole at left after this left turn. Once you reach Bellare, take a right which goes to Sonangeri. Take a U-turn at Sonangeri, which leads to a place called Doddathota, take right at Doddathota which will take you to a place called Markanja. Take right at Markanja which joins Mangalore - Mysore SH some 4 kms before Sampaje.

You can take help from locals if you get confused with the route. This route is in a good condition but look out for 3-4 2 feet potholes. Avoid this route at night as you may get confused.

Also heard that Uppinangadi -Puttur road is better than Mani - Puttur. Need to cross check this.

[JVH]

Last Saturday, went on a roadtrip to Kukke from Bangalore. Took the NH48 Sakaleshpura and the western ghats route. About 20 kms after Sakaleshpura, I witnessed some of the worst roads I ever saw all the way upto Kukke. I now understand why there is a dedicated thread for you folks in and around Mangalore. Man its really a torture. I have been here as a passenger and in mostly SUVs, so couldn't really judge the magintude of torture. This time I took my humble Palio and and am not sure if I want to take this route again. Just wondering if the roads are built/repaired at all? Looking at them, it felt like ages someone has touched them.

[thefreak]

My 2 pence on the trip from Bangalore to Mangalore:

I tried two routes:

While going I took the route from Bangalore -> Hassan -> Belur -> Charmadi -> Mangalore

While coming back I took the route from Mangalore -> Sakleshpur -> Hassan -> Bangalore.

IMHO anyone taking the routes is much better taking the second route. The ghats are bad but even with a Civic I did not scrap the bottom once. Obviously that was due to slow speed and careful navigation but it is doable. The road apart from the ghats is good. In the alternate route the road from Belur to Mangalore (NH 234) is pathetic for all of 120 + kms and also it is very very desolate.


Having said that the ghats at Charmadi are definitely more pretty and the ghat road is better.