Bangalore To Kanyakumari: Guidance Needed Please.

[basis]

Dear Friends,

Do you still remember me? Extremely sorry for being offline for One long year.

My Punto 1.3 Active just completed 1 year, 7200 KM and 2nd service.

after a very busy 2013 (which forced me to skip even Durga Puja and visiting hometown Calcutta, now I am planning a long vacation in comming December this year alongwith my parents, baby and wife.

I am planning a self driven trip to Kanyakumari (from Bangalore) and back.

Here is my planned route:

Phase 1: Bangalore to Kanyakumari (stay 2 days)

Question: I will be the only driver and donot want to drive after 6 pm(or till sunset). So we need to stay a night somewhere in between. Where we can stay? (Economy mode:) ) I am looking to spend time within nature rather then crowd and temples.

Phase 2:

A> Kanyakumari to Alleppey (Alappuzha) (stay in a eco hotel for 1-2 days and enjoy the backwater trip)

B> Alleppey to Munner (stay in a eco hotel for 1-2 days)

C> Munner to Wayanad ((stay in a eco hotel for 2-3 days)

D> Back to Bangalore

questions:

Is there any issue with this plan? I have no experience in ghat driving. Will it be an issue? What other challenges may come across?

Will be highly appreciated if you can put light on this whole plan.

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Highway Ranger]

Bangalore to Kanyakumari can be easily done in one day's drive. You can start from Bangalore by around 5:30am, have breakfast at A2B Thoppur. You can have a early lunch near Madurai and reach Kanyakumari by evening much before dark. TTDC Kanyakumari has both budget rooms as well as great rooms at their Heritage hotel. Great location, restaurant attached.

The route from Bangalore to Kanyakumari is just great.

I think our Kerala friends would guide you with your phase 2 part of your trip.

 

[mukeshus]

Have a look at these threads Basis.

AR Ram sir is the best one to guide you through this.

Already discussed threads: http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...yakumari-suggestion-about-places-enroute.html

AR Ram's Tlog: http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...-7-days-road-trip-ghost-town-end-country.html

And my tlog: http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...-yercaud-madurai-rameshwaram-kanyakumari.html

 

[msjawahar]

there are some beautiful places in Kanyakumari dist like

1. Kovalam Beach (3 kms from kanyakumari)
2. Vattakottai Fort & Beach
3. Muttom Beach
4. Padmanabapuram Palace
5. Kodayar Lower Camp
6. Mathoor Hanging Bridge
7. Thirparappu Falls
8. Ulakaruvi Falls (its inside a forest. u need to walk around 5 kms)

and lots & lots

 

[AR Ram]

The roads from Bangalore to Kanayakumari is just excellent.

Kanyakumari to Trivandrum road is not that great and with heavy traffic too.

Trivandrum to Alleppey road is very good but with heavy traffic

Alleppey to Munnar road is good and the route is via Muvattupuza.

Munnar to Wayanad roads are good and bad. And the route is via Pollachi-Palakkad-Mannarcadu-Manjery-Kalpetta (Wayanad)

Kalpetta to Bangalore road is good and the route is via Sulthanbathery-Gunlupet-Mysore.

If you want more information please see the link

http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...-7-days-road-trip-ghost-town-end-country.html

http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/voyage-junction/10815-my-trip-valparai-wayanad.html

 

[basis]

Dear Firends,

sorry for the late reply. Was bit busy.

First of all Happy Happy Dipavalli to all of you and many thanks for your time and effort to help me.

Now I have few more questions.

1> As per google map routes from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu to Alleppey, Kerala:

A> Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy : 235 KM
B> Main Central Rd : 247 KM

Which one is the safe and best to drive?

2> Can you guide me to a good, safe family hotel in Allappey and Wayanad ?
Range 1500.00 /per day/par room max.

3> Alleppey, Kerala to Wayanad, Kerala as per google map there are 2 way.

Which one is more safe? I want to avoid any Ghat Road.

a> Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy 319 Km
b> Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy and Kozhikode - Nilambur - Gudalur Rd : 338 KM

4> Which is the best road to come back to Bangalore from Wayanad, Kerala.

a>Kozhikode-Mysore-Kollegal Hwy/NH 212 and NH 209 : 288 KM
b> SH 33 and Bangalore - Mysore Rd : 278 km
c> NH 209 : 292 KM

Last questing.

Is that good to plan the whole travel in Punto 1.3 Active with 4 audult + 1 Kid?

I will be the only driver.

Thanks in advance.

 

[msjawahar]

Dear Firends,


Which one is more safe? I want to avoid any Ghat Road.

a> Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy 319 Km
b> Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy and Kozhikode - Nilambur - Gudalur Rd : 338 KM

its better you come in Route A which is Salem - Dindugal - Madurai - Tirunelveli - Kanyakumari. it is 4 lane road and in a perfect condition.

If you travel from Kanyakumari to Alleppey, please try to start from Kanyakumari atleast at 5 AM, because the road is full of traffic. The route is Kanyakumari - Nagercoil - Kaliyakkavilai - Poovar - Kovalam - Trivandrum - Kollam - Alleppey.

Another alternate road from Trivandrum to Alleppey is via the MC Road.

 

[AR Ram]

Dear Firends,

sorry for the late reply. Was bit busy.

First of all Happy Happy Dipavalli to all of you and many thanks for your time and effort to help me.

Now I have few more questions.

1> As per google map routes from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu to Alleppey, Kerala:

A> Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy : 235 KM
B> Main Central Rd : 247 KM

Which one is the safe and best to drive?

2> Can you guide me to a good, safe family hotel in Allappey and Wayanad ?
Range 1500.00 /per day/par room max.

3> Alleppey, Kerala to Wayanad, Kerala as per google map there are 2 way.

Which one is more safe? I want to avoid any Ghat Road.

a> Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy 319 Km
b> Salem-Kanyakumari Hwy and Kozhikode - Nilambur - Gudalur Rd : 338 KM

4> Which is the best road to come back to Bangalore from Wayanad, Kerala.

a>Kozhikode-Mysore-Kollegal Hwy/NH 212 and NH 209 : 288 KM
b> SH 33 and Bangalore - Mysore Rd : 278 km
c> NH 209 : 292 KM

Last questing.

Is that good to plan the whole travel in Punto 1.3 Active with 4 audult + 1 Kid?

I will be the only driver.

Thanks in advance.

From Kanyakumari to Aleppey (Alapuzha), the best route is NH47; Kanyakumari>Nagerkoil>Trivandrum>Kollam>Aleppey. Good road with heavy traffic but nothing to worry.

And from Aleppey to Kalpetta (Wayanad district headquarters)

Continue on NH47 till Edapally, then take NH17 go via Paravur>Chettuva>Kadikkad and after Ponnani take Tirur road then Thirurangadi>Ramanattukara take Kozhikode bye pass (Calicut - Bangalore Highway) >Kunnamangalam>Thamarassery>Adivaram (Ghat road starts) >Kalpetta.

From Kalpetta (Wayanad)>Sulthanbathery>Gudulupet>Mysore>Bangalore.

All these roads are good. You can't avoid Ghat road because Wayanad itself is in western ghats. Your Punto is perfectly okay for this whole trip, only thing drive safe with a limited speed in Kerala roads.

Last time We stayed in Peters Hill view Residency at Kalpetta (Opp. to Fire station); good budget hotel booked through Cleartrip.

You can refer my Wayanad travelogue for more information.

 

[smooth rider]

on the bye pass of calicut you have to take the right turn at Malaparamba junction ( traffic signal ) to enter the calicut - wayanad road .

 

[basis]

Friends,

Thanks so far for all your help.

But due to some personal reason I have forced to change the plan (return way) and the final route will be :

Bangalore -> Kanyakumari (NH7)-> Kodaikanal -> (NH7) Bangalore.

Now I just want to know how is the latest road condition in Kodaikanal? As it is on Ghat road so is there any option to keep the car parked down safely somewhere and hire a cab to go to the Hill? I really want to avoid the Ghat driving.

 

[AR Ram]

Friends,

Thanks so far for all your help.

But due to some personal reason I have forced to change the plan (return way) and the final route will be :

Bangalore -> Kanyakumari (NH7)-> Kodaikanal -> (NH7) Bangalore.

Now I just want to know how is the latest road condition in Kodaikanal? As it is on Ghat road so is there any option to keep the car parked down safely somewhere and hire a cab to go to the Hill? I really want to avoid the Ghat driving.

I don't think there will be any problem, you can easily drive up to Kodaikanal. If you are driving first time on ghat roads then drive slowly. Anybody will get experience only like this. If you want you can hire a vehicle at Kodai for sightseeing.

Else, you have to stay in Dindigul or Madurai, park your vehicle in the hotel itself and hire a vehicle to Kodai. If you start in the morning you can leisurely come back by evening. But if you really want to enjoy the Kodai climate then you have to stay back there. Parking your car at some unknown place will not be safe.

There is a good hotel at Batlagundu also, I forgot the name. That's on the left side between Batlagundu and the Indianoil petrol station where you take a right turn to Kodai.

My last trip to Kodai was an year back, that time the roads were really bad, but somebody can update the present road condition.

 

[ppraburajkumar]

There is a good hotel at Batlagundu also, I forgot the name. That's on the left side between Batlagundu and the Indianoil petrol station where you take a right turn to Kodai.

I Think you are mentioning about Hotel Thalappakatti. nice non-veg hotel. after 7 kms from this hotel, take right to kodai. Roads wont be much scary dude. drive slowly. You can reach kodai without any probs. without concentrating on hilly beauty scenes while driving in kodai hills , you can reach the top without any probs. i prefer club mahendra for stay in kodai. last time i stayed over there in weekdays there wont be much probs dude , follow any tourist vehicle or other dist vehicle and you can visit all the places as all places are covered in a single circle. still you can hire cabs ( weekdays means you can bargain for reduced rate but not on weekends)

 

[AR Ram]

I Think you are mentioning about Hotel Thalappakatti. nice non-veg hotel. after 7 kms from this hotel, take right to kodai. Roads wont be much scary dude. drive slowly. You can reach kodai without any probs. without concentrating on hilly beauty scenes while driving in kodai hills , you can reach the top without any probs. i prefer club mahendra for stay in kodai. last time i stayed over there in weekdays there wont be much probs dude , follow any tourist vehicle or other dist vehicle and you can visit all the places as all places are covered in a single circle. still you can hire cabs ( weekdays means you can bargain for reduced rate but not on weekends)

Yes, i think so ppraburajkumar. I remember it's painted totally white, on the left side towards Kodai, with ample space for parking.

When did you visit last time? Are the roads good now?

 

[ppraburajkumar]

I visited a week back.Roads are ok from Dindugal to Kodaikanal , only on city limits the roads are somewhat pathholes , rest it is ok dude.

 

[AR Ram]

I visited a week back.Roads are ok from Dindugal to Kodaikanal , only on city limits the roads are somewhat pathholes , rest it is ok dude.

Thanks for the updates and definitely it will be useful to members who are likely to travel to Kodai.