Bangalore to Tuticorin !

Ramku_1971 · 29th December 2008, 13:09

Year End and the work was not worrying. Packed the car full of clothes and eatables. started at 6:30 from Bangalore. Reached the A2B/ BPCL after Hosur in an hour and 15 mts. Food Quality is not as good as it is in Blr.(Same A2B).
Filled up all the tanks (Stomach and Fuel) and started off towards Krishnagiri. As usual, the drive was good. Surprising part was from Krishnagiri to Dharmapuri and to Salem, lot of work has gone in in the last 8 months. Drive was good. From Salem to Namakkal, it was horrible. Had a Tea Break. Namakkal to Karur was kind of okay drive. Karur to Dindigul was 88 kms.. Looks like it has not got the attention of anyone. Very few villages/towns in between. Just plain roads. Had food at Dindigul in a crowded Hotel. Dindigul to Madurai drive was okay. There is a stretch in which the Railway Line and the Road go parallel for about 2 kms or so. That is good. Had to break for a darshan at Madurai. From Madurai, the road took immediate deviation towards Tuticorin. Again Roads are coming up and be careful. In one stretch, there was no Diversion board and i could see that only when i was 50 mts before it. No point in applying brakes, as the vehicle started skidding in the mud. with loud sound, the vehicle came stopping in the sand. Reached Tuticorin around 8:30 same day.

csentil · 30th December 2008, 01:03

Hey, I would suggest you take a look at a few of the travelogues posted around especially akroy's so that you can get a feel on how to write a nice travelogue with pics.

More paragraphs and some snaps would be appreciated. And welcome to TBHP

kbalii · 30th December 2008, 12:48

Ramku

Experiences well summarised, You can add a few pics to start with. Thats a lot of road you have covered there,...

snaronikar · 30th December 2008, 13:16

Pics are a must in the travelogue and sincerely hope you have taken some of them. Also, pls add route taken, what car you have travelled, how many kms, how many people travelled, FE etc. Hope to seeing these here soon. ;-)

gopikb · 28th July 2011, 15:53

I am going to drive to Tuticorin for the Aug 15 weekend. I guess the highway is going to be swamped with cars on Aug 13 morning away from Bangalore and Aug 15 evening towards Bangalore. All the toll plazas are going to take a long time as well. Planning an early 4.30AM start to beat traffic.

How many of you are there planning for drive upto Madurai and beyond for that long weekend?

gopikb · 28th July 2011, 21:17

I need help in locating good food joints post A2B before Salem when driving to Tuticorin. In the past drives, I have never been able to locate good hotels for food / toilet between Salem and Madurai and also between Madurai and Tuticorin. If any new good hotels has come up in this stretch, can anybody help to update the location?

Thanks for your help

hvkumar · 28th July 2011, 22:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopikb

I need help in locating good food joints post A2B before Salem when driving to Tuticorin. In the past drives, I have never been able to locate good hotels for food / toilet between Salem and Madurai and also between Madurai and Tuticorin. If any new good hotels has come up in this stretch, can anybody help to update the location?

Thanks for your help

You have Aristo immediately after crossing the last flyover on Karur bypass towards Dindigul.
You also have Hotel Fantasy between Dindigul & Madurai.

gopikb · 29th July 2011, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

You have Aristo immediately after crossing the last flyover on Karur bypass towards Dindigul.
You also have Hotel Fantasy between Dindigul & Madurai.

hvkumar, Thank you very much. Can you also help to confirm which side of the road does these two hotels come while driving from Bangalore. This will help to watch out correctly while driving in the highway

hvkumar · 29th July 2011, 10:01

Both the hotels are on the left side when you are driving from Bangalore towards Madurai.

Exact coordinates as follows:

ARISTO:
You have 3 flyovers in Karur bypass, this is 1 km after the 3rd and last one towards Dindigul.
It has a BPCL petrol pump attached. BPCL + Aristo Drive In Restaurant/9244550000

FANTASY:
29 kms after the last flyover in Dindigul bypass.
It is also 1 km after crossing the TAFE tractor plant to your left.

gopikb · 29th July 2011, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Both the hotels are on the left side when you are driving from Bangalore towards Madurai.

Exact coordinates as follows:

ARISTO:
You have 3 flyovers in Karur bypass, this is 1 km after the 3rd and last one towards Dindigul.
It has a BPCL petrol pump attached. BPCL + Aristo Drive In Restaurant/9244550000

FANTASY:
29 kms after the last flyover in Dindigul bypass.
It is also 1 km after crossing the TAFE tractor plant to your left.

hvkumar, excellent info. Thank you once again. I plan for a early 4.AM start on the long weekend of Aug 15 and hence Salem will be crossed by early morning. My kids will sleep atleast until 7.30AM and hence was looking was stop options between Salem and dindugal. Hotel Aristo seems perfect for the timing.

By the way, I remember seeing Hotel fantasy in previous drives. But I dont remember seeing Hotel Aristo at all in the previous drives. Is this a hotel that came up recently

hvkumar · 29th July 2011, 10:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopikb

hvkumar, excellent info. Thank you once again. I plan for a early 4.AM start on the long weekend of Aug 15 and hence Salem will be crossed by early morning. My kids will sleep atleast until 7.30AM and hence was looking was stop options between Salem and dindugal. Hotel Aristo seems perfect for the timing.

By the way, I remember seeing Hotel fantasy in previous drives. But I dont remember seeing Hotel Aristo at all in the previous drives. Is this a hotel that came up recently

Yes, Aristo is relatively new. I first went there in Nov 2010. Food is good, toilets are clean and there is lots of car parking.

gopikb · 29th July 2011, 10:29

hvkumar, Thank you very much sir. You truly are India's road guru. I hope "Map my India" or "Google maps" will hire you as consultant to improve their maps / GPS navigation systems to include such minor details into their maps / GPS etc. This will not only improve their business but will serve as a good guide for millions of travelers.

neo45007 · 29th July 2011, 12:55

Gopi,

If you start at 4 AM from Bangalore; you will hit Salem by 7 AM.
Just before your see a diversion to get into Salem city - you will find 'Hotel GRT Grand' on your left.

It has buffet breakfast for Rs.250+ tax (Rs.310/- per head approx).

If you are looking at three or four star place - this is the best option.
I enjoyed the buffet spread, ambience and just everything here.

You may want check this out !

gopikb · 29th July 2011, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by neo45007

Gopi,

If you start at 4 AM from Bangalore; you will hit Salem by 7 AM.
Just before your see a diversion to get into Salem city - you will find 'Hotel GRT Grand' on your left.

It has buffet breakfast for Rs.250+ tax (Rs.310/- per head approx).

If you are looking at three or four star place - this is the best option.
I enjoyed the buffet spread, ambience and just everything here.

You may want check this out !

Neo, Thank you. Yes. I had seen this place in the past trips. I will use this option only if my kids and wife are really hungry and need a feast. Usually they are light eaters in the morning.

ampere · 29th July 2011, 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopikb

Neo, Thank you. Yes. I had seen this place in the past trips. I will use this option only if my kids and wife are really hungry and need a feast. Usually they are light eaters in the morning.

Its actually very good. Though pricey. I tried it more than once.
Also note they open exactly at 7AM for BF!

If you have a Garmin GPS, here is the waypoint for Aristo marked by HVK (see the attachment in the following post).

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2443619

Beautiful roads all the way till Tuticorin. Have a nice drive.

29th December 2008, 13:09	#1
Ramku_1971 Newbie Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1 Thanked: 0 Times	Bangalore to Tuticorin ! Year End and the work was not worrying. Packed the car full of clothes and eatables. started at 6:30 from Bangalore. Reached the A2B/ BPCL after Hosur in an hour and 15 mts. Food Quality is not as good as it is in Blr.(Same A2B). Filled up all the tanks (Stomach and Fuel) and started off towards Krishnagiri. As usual, the drive was good. Surprising part was from Krishnagiri to Dharmapuri and to Salem, lot of work has gone in in the last 8 months. Drive was good. From Salem to Namakkal, it was horrible. Had a Tea Break. Namakkal to Karur was kind of okay drive. Karur to Dindigul was 88 kms.. Looks like it has not got the attention of anyone. Very few villages/towns in between. Just plain roads. Had food at Dindigul in a crowded Hotel. Dindigul to Madurai drive was okay. There is a stretch in which the Railway Line and the Road go parallel for about 2 kms or so. That is good. Had to break for a darshan at Madurai. From Madurai, the road took immediate deviation towards Tuticorin. Again Roads are coming up and be careful. In one stretch, there was no Diversion board and i could see that only when i was 50 mts before it. No point in applying brakes, as the vehicle started skidding in the mud. with loud sound, the vehicle came stopping in the sand. Reached Tuticorin around 8:30 same day.
	() Thanks

30th December 2008, 01:03	#2
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	Hey, I would suggest you take a look at a few of the travelogues posted around especially akroy's so that you can get a feel on how to write a nice travelogue with pics. More paragraphs and some snaps would be appreciated. And welcome to TBHP
	() Thanks

30th December 2008, 12:48	#3
kbalii BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 100 Thanked: 25 Times	Ramku Experiences well summarised, You can add a few pics to start with. Thats a lot of road you have covered there,...
	() Thanks

30th December 2008, 13:16	#4
snaronikar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,845 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	Pics are a must in the travelogue and sincerely hope you have taken some of them. Also, pls add route taken, what car you have travelled, how many kms, how many people travelled, FE etc. Hope to seeing these here soon. ;-) Last edited by snaronikar : 30th December 2008 at 13:25.
	() Thanks

28th July 2011, 15:53	#5
gopikb BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 554 Thanked: 390 Times	Re: Bangalore to Tuticorin ! I am going to drive to Tuticorin for the Aug 15 weekend. I guess the highway is going to be swamped with cars on Aug 13 morning away from Bangalore and Aug 15 evening towards Bangalore. All the toll plazas are going to take a long time as well. Planning an early 4.30AM start to beat traffic. How many of you are there planning for drive upto Madurai and beyond for that long weekend?
	() Thanks

28th July 2011, 21:17	#6
gopikb BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 554 Thanked: 390 Times	Re: Bangalore to Tuticorin ! I need help in locating good food joints post A2B before Salem when driving to Tuticorin. In the past drives, I have never been able to locate good hotels for food / toilet between Salem and Madurai and also between Madurai and Tuticorin. If any new good hotels has come up in this stretch, can anybody help to update the location? Thanks for your help
	() Thanks

29th July 2011, 10:01	#9
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Re: Bangalore to Tuticorin ! Both the hotels are on the left side when you are driving from Bangalore towards Madurai. Exact coordinates as follows: ARISTO: You have 3 flyovers in Karur bypass, this is 1 km after the 3rd and last one towards Dindigul. It has a BPCL petrol pump attached. BPCL + Aristo Drive In Restaurant/9244550000 FANTASY: 29 kms after the last flyover in Dindigul bypass. It is also 1 km after crossing the TAFE tractor plant to your left.
	(1) Thanks

29th July 2011, 10:29	#12
gopikb BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 554 Thanked: 390 Times	Re: Bangalore to Tuticorin ! hvkumar, Thank you very much sir. You truly are India's road guru. I hope "Map my India" or "Google maps" will hire you as consultant to improve their maps / GPS navigation systems to include such minor details into their maps / GPS etc. This will not only improve their business but will serve as a good guide for millions of travelers.
	() Thanks

29th July 2011, 12:55	#13
neo45007 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 226 Thanked: 33 Times	Re: Bangalore to Tuticorin ! Gopi, If you start at 4 AM from Bangalore; you will hit Salem by 7 AM. Just before your see a diversion to get into Salem city - you will find 'Hotel GRT Grand' on your left. It has buffet breakfast for Rs.250+ tax (Rs.310/- per head approx). If you are looking at three or four star place - this is the best option. I enjoyed the buffet spread, ambience and just everything here. You may want check this out !
	(1) Thanks