[iamnarayang]

Nice video Mr. BenjiRoss. I will be driving to Munnar from Bangalore on October 24th for 3 days. Looking forward to it.

[BenjiRoss]

Here are a few more dashcam videos of my drive to Munnar:

The Chennai-Vellore-Bangalore Highway before the Salem turnoff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A1X7coKkBM

Karur-Dindigul:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPKkKT0tOnA

Near Theni:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX7IIdaI78c

The start of the climb to Munnar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGAEQefMnnM

The worst stretch was going through Batlagundu and some stretched near Periyakulam. On the return leg we missed the Theni bypass and that section through Theni was bad!

[searacer932]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

Here are a few more dashcam videos of my drive to Munnar:

Benji - Drive looks good

Few questions from me as I am planning my trip coming week

- What route did you take from Chennnai for to & fro journey?
- Where did you stay and what all spots you visited?
- Did you face any issues at all because of the tea plantation workers strike?
- Any other helpful tips that you could share will be welcomed.

[BenjiRoss]

Originally Posted by searacer932

Benji - Drive looks good

Few questions from me as I am planning my trip coming week

- What route did you take from Chennnai for to & fro journey?
- Where did you stay and what all spots you visited?
- Did you face any issues at all because of the tea plantation workers strike?
- Any other helpful tips that you could share will be welcomed.

I am from Vellore. So the route I took was Vellore-Dharmapuri-Salem-Karur-Dindigul-Theni-Bodi-Munnar.
Since we started late at 4:30 PM, we did an overnight stop at Karur on our way to Munnar.
After Munnar we drove to Kumarakom and Thekkady.
We took the route back from Thekkady via the same route, but did not stop as we left before lunch.
We were in Munnar before the tea plantation strikes.
We enjoyed Munnar but did very little sightseeing - enjoyed driving and the scenery and lounging!

[BenjiRoss]

Originally Posted by iamnarayang

Nice video Mr. BenjiRoss. I will be driving to Munnar from Bangalore on October 24th for 3 days. Looking forward to it.

How did your trip go? Let us know the route your travelled on and overall experience.

[iamnarayang]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

How did your trip go? Let us know the route your travelled on and overall experience.

Hi Mr.BenjiRoss. My trip was pretty good, as I always enjoy driving. I took the Dharmapuri, Salem, Dindigul, Theni route both ways. The challenges were, I missed the Theni bypass both ways and had to go through the busy traffic of small towns after vathalagundu. On my way back, the salem traffic was awfuk at around 7 in the evening. I left Bangalore at 5 in the morning on October 24th and checked in at Club Mahindra at 1:45 PM, after breakfast stop at Salem and couple of coffee stops after that. Left Munnar on October 26th at around 1:00 PM and wast at home in BTM Layout Bangalore at 11:00 PM. Overall the trip was very good and Munnar was very scenic. Drove to Mattupatty from Munnar. THat road was very scenic but very narrow at places. I found the TamilNadu road in the Theni Munnar sector was far wider and pothole free.

I have attached some pictures.

[syedshabbir]

Hi , My first post

I am planning Chennai to Kumarakom, then to Munnar and from there back to Chennai in Jan 2016.

My route option : Chennai - Ulundurpet - Salem - Coimbatore - Aluva - Vaikkom - Kumarakom.

Kumarakom to Munnar, I am planning vaikkom - Adimaly as suggested by Google maps.

From Munnar, we will be returning to Chennai via Theni route

Info on current road conditions and suggestions for better routes will be helpful

[carChef]

I did Pondicherry to Munnar by road 2 weeks back. It was Pondicherry --> Trichy -->Dindigul --> Theni --> Munnar. Pretty much your road on your way back. Good roads all the way. From Theni till Dindigul is a single lane road. Small patches of bad roads here and there but manageable. From Dindigul to Villupuram/ Chennai is very good, four lane highway.

Chennai - Ulundurpet - Salem - Coimbatore is awesome. A small patch under construction near Valayar, TN-Kerala border. Then good highway till a little after Palakkad. Then a 20km single lane stretch between Palakkad and Trichur. There are few some under construction stretches between Palakkad and Trichur. And then good highway till Aluva.

Originally Posted by syedshabbir

Hi , My first post

I am planning Chennai to Kumarakom, then to Munnar and from there back to Chennai in Jan 2016.

My route option : Chennai - Ulundurpet - Salem - Coimbatore - Aluva - Vaikkom - Kumarakom.

Kumarakom to Munnar, I am planning vaikkom - Adimaly as suggested by Google maps.

From Munnar, we will be returning to Chennai via Theni route

Info on current road conditions and suggestions for better routes will be helpful

[Reisender]

Dear All,

I'm bit confused on finalizing the summer retreat plan for this year and booked Munnar Resort for specific dates and looking for other places during return leg leisurely.
Plan

• 19 or 20th April leave - Chennai by Car.
• 20th to 23rd Resort booked in Munnar - Stay in Munnar and sight seeing.
• 23-26 available for planning in the return leg.

I have only thought about Black Thunder for kids entertainment.

Please suggest some good family getaways near by Munnar, considering.
The days available + season + don't want to squeeze too many places
Ooty /Kodai out of option due to the expected crowd.



Thanks much!

[narayans80]

Good Friday long weekend, Munnar itself will be crowded. I was there in 2011 and there were jams allover Top Station road. Since I left early like 7 am, avoid few of them onward.

Good Friday weekend will also affect Black Thunder.

If you are planning on places inbetween, choose to visit friends/family or off the grid places for the long weekend and reserve Black Thunder and Munnar for weekdays. This way you don't feel the full force of long weekend traffic. I can tell you that it'll start right from Perungulathur

[ranjish]

We are planning to drive to Munnar from Chennai on 12th Jan.
What is the recommended road to be taken and a good place to stay in Munnar (budget : <5K per night).

We will be starting from Porur.

regards
Ranjish

[Blue Thunder]

Looks like this thread doesn't have much traction/visibility :-)

Has anyone done Chennai - Munnar recently?

Would like to know road conditions on the Dindigul-Theni-Bodi stretch. Thanks!

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Has anyone done Chennai - Munnar recently?

Not recently. We did just before Covid lockdowns. The stretch from Poopara to Munnar was a total mess, barring a small stretch that was widened.

We were staying at Chinnakanal Siena Village, whose route was to take Suryanelli-Chinnakanal road as opposed to the prime route via Poopara. Google Maps still shows the same.

So if you are staying in Chinnakanal, this is the way to go. Be warned the small connecting section to Suryanelli road from Bodimetu-Poopara road is incredibly steep. Remaining road was in good condition.

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Not recently. We did just before Covid lockdowns. .

Thanks for the update!

Originally Posted by narayans80

...whose route was to take Suryanelli-Chinnakanal road as opposed to the prime route via Poopara. Google Maps still shows the same.

Bodimettu - Suryanelli road, you mean? ( without going through Poopara)

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Bodimettu - Suryanelli road, you mean? ( without going through Poopara)

Yes. We stayed in Siena Village that time, and took this road.