[ank.nsit]

Hey guys, with all the valuable suggestions, I am considering the following itinerary:

Day1: Chennai to Thekady
Day2: early morning periyar boat ride and leave for munnar
Day3: in munnar
Day4: in munnar
Day5: leave munnar n stay in alleppey house boat
Day6: stay on marari beach
Day7: leave marari for kanyakumari
Day8: in kanyakumari
Day9: leave kanyakumari for varkala
Day10: in varkala/new year celebrations
Day11: leave varkala for chennai

3 days in munnar as we all really like the hills and those will be the only days together at a stretch with no travel.
I did not find any superbly fascinating architecture/historical place in Kerala. If there is a must see place which I missed, please guide so that we can include that place as well.
Valparai n kodaikanal seem to b similar to munnar so dropped them to reduce traveling. Included Kanyakumari as wel. And would varkala b a good place to celebrate new year's eve?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ank.nsit

I did not find any superbly fascinating architecture/historical place in Kerala. If there is a must see place which I missed, please guide so that we can include that place as well.

Since you plan to visit Kanyakumari, try to visit the Padmanabhapuram Palace at Thuckalay about 30 Km from Kanyakumari beyond Nagercoil.
If you plan to visit Trivandrum, you can visit the Padmanabhaswamy temple.

[pushpender_s]

Hi

Please suggest out of the below 2 routes to munnar, which one would be better in terms of road condition and scenic beauty?

Route 1 : Dindigul-Vathalgundu-Theni-Bodi-Munnar
Route 2 : Dindigul-Palani-Udumalpet-Munnar

As i did dindigul - vathalgundu road just 10 days ago while going to kodaikanal, hence not interested in doing that again. However, no idea about road after kodaikanal turn.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by pushpender_s

Route 1 : Dindigul-Vathalgundu-Theni-Bodi-Munnar
Route 2 : Dindigul-Palani-Udumalpet-Munnar

Go via Route 2 and return via Route 1 (if you are combining Thekkady you'll end up returning via Cumbum-Theni-Dindigul anyway).

But if you are bored doing Madras-Dindigul, you can do Madras-Ulundurpet-Salem-Perundurai-Kangeyam-Dharapuram-Udumalpettai-Marayoor-Munnar.

[ssengo]

I am planning a trip to Munnar for 3 nights during first week of October14 with family. I will be taking the Udumalpet-Chinnar-Munnar route.

Just wanted to check on the following:
- Current road conditions in this route.
- Are the roads wide enough when compared to Theni-Munnar?
- Weather conditions in Munnar
- Safety measures (travelling with kid)
- Any pitstops around this stretch?

Appreciate your great help

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by ssengo

Just wanted to check on the following:
- Current road conditions in this route.
- Are the roads wide enough when compared to Theni-Munnar?
- Weather conditions in Munnar
- Safety measures (travelling with kid)
- Any pitstops around this stretch?

Roads are averagely good. You pass through Chinnar wildlife sanctuary - spotting wildlife depends on your luck

Have not traveled the Theni-Munnar stretch, but this road is not very wide, but manageable

Rains have stopped in Kerala now - but Munnar may still get rains

There are no major safety concerns, except that once you cross the forest check post there is nothing else on the road or roadside except an occasional peacock or wild-boar!!

After Udumalpet, there are two Kumbakonam degree filter coffee outlets on the highway, IIRC. After that it is blank all the way till you reach Kanthalloor where there are a few roadside tea shops

[MalluDude]

The Kotagudi Jcn- Bodimettu stretch is a nightmare, in the Bodi-Munnar route. Just did that last night. The hairpins are covered with landslide debris form the last monsoon.

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

Originally Posted by ssengo

I am planning a trip to Munnar for 3 nights during first week of October14 with family. I will be taking the Udumalpet-Chinnar-Munnar route.

Just wanted to check on the following:
- Current road conditions in this route.
- Are the roads wide enough when compared to Theni-Munnar?
- Weather conditions in Munnar
- Safety measures (travelling with kid)
- Any pitstops around this stretch?

Appreciate your great help

Udumulpet-Chinnar-Munnar route is average through out, After check post there is nothing you find until you reach Munnar town. So plan accordingly.

Munnar-Theni route is very good for 50% of section until you cross kerala border and avg to very bad for remaining section until you hit the ground. Make sure you travel at day time and since you are travelling with a kid be gentle on negotiating hair pin bends. Kid's prone to get nausea if we started to drive in go carting mode.

[senamds]

I drove to Munnar last week from Chennai. Did a lot of research on the best route/road conditions and talking to people. Finally, took the Bodi-Bodimettu-Munnar ghat road. The ghat road was probably one of the best ghat roads I have driven in recent times. Well laid with zero potholes and space for two vehicles.
But, it looks like rain triggered land slides is more than common in this section. And they get cleared quickly as well. I had to cross one on the way back as well. We were lucky that cars could pass through two huge boulders on the road. And heard about another one from the drivers on last Thursday. That probably explains why traffic was so low on both directions.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by senamds

Finally, took the Bodi-Bodimettu-Munnar ghat road. The ghat road was probably one of the best ghat roads I have driven in recent times. Well laid with zero potholes and space for two vehicles.

Good to know the road work is complete. On the Bodi stretch, yes it was already wide enough but on the Kerala side, I remember it was quite narrow in several places, have they widened it now ?

[senamds]

Originally Posted by NPV

Good to know the road work is complete. On the Bodi stretch, yes it was already wide enough but on the Kerala side, I remember it was quite narrow in several places, have they widened it now ?

The Kerala side is not as wide compared to the TN side. And in some places, it gets really narrow for two vehicles to pass even though the road is good.

[BenjiRoss]

I'm planning a trip to Munnar, Thekkady and Kumarakom from Vellore (Tamilnadu).

My route tentatively is:
Vellore - (someplace for overnight halt) - Munnar - Kumarakom - Thekkady - Trichy(overnight halt with a friend) - Vellore.

For the Vellore-Munnar leg, I'm looking for a decent overnight halt about 4 hours from Munnar and less than 6 hours from Vellore.
There are a lot of options it seems, but I need help deciding. Any good hotel resort which is not inside the main city and easily accessible from highway is what I am looking for. Budget is around 3000 Rs. max for the halt.
If it has something like a swimming pool or recreation for my 4 year old son that will be great.
I'd like to start off to Munnar after breakfast and reach by lunch if possible.
Options like Erode, Coimbatore, Namakkal, Tirupur are there. If there is a touristy place to lounge around that will be an added bonus.
Since I am stopping at Trichy on the return leg, I'd like to look at some other options for my initial leg.
Couldnt find too much info on this route - just some mentions in the Chennai-Munnar thread

[ampere]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

For the Vellore-Munnar leg, I'm looking for a decent overnight halt about 4 hours from Munnar and less than 6 hours from Vellore.

The route I would say: Vellore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Dindigul-Theni-Munnar

From that point of view, the best option for halt would either Dindigul or Theni.

I'd like to start off to Munnar after breakfast and reach by lunch if possible.
Options like Erode, Coimbatore, Namakkal, Tirupur are there. If there is a touristy place to lounge around that will be an added bonus.
Since I am stopping at Trichy on the return leg, I'd like to look at some other options for my initial leg.
Couldnt find too much info on this route - just some mentions in the Chennai-Munnar thread

None. I would suggest go via Theni. Distance wise not much of a difference, but you get more places and options to break. (Dindigul/Theni). If you can push till Theni, much better.
Maybe for return take the Udumalpet-Salem route.

As for as Munnar, there are quite many options in Chinnakanal starting right from Club Mahindra.

PS: I moved the posts related to this query back to Chennai-Munnar thread. This gets consolidated, as the routes remain same.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

There are a lot of options it seems, but I need help deciding. Any good hotel resort which is not inside the main city and easily accessible from highway is what I am looking for. Budget is around 3000 Rs. max for the halt.

Try Parson's Court in Dindigul, it is in the town but from what a friend told, it is not difficult to access from the highway. Right beside the highway near Dindigul there was a hotel Aristo, not sure if it's still around, had seen this on an earlier trip.
Have you already booked your stay at Munnar, where ?

[BenjiRoss]

Originally Posted by NPV

Have you already booked your stay at Munnar, where ?

I will most probably book Tall Trees Resort for 2 nights.