Trip to Wayanad -- May 2012


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Hi TAIs,

After first successful trip to Coorg with my Punto, planning for Wayanad next month. Please suggest me if anyone havinf some experience to that route and some points to consider.
Here are soem queries from my side,
1. Is it safe to take Punto to Wayanad ?
2. How is the ROAD condition ?
3. If there are Ghat roads, Is it very curvy or managable?
4. Any stay suggestions?

Thanks in Advance for your Help !!

Cheers

Oops I forgot to provide the link of Coorg trip,
http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/voyage-junction/6339-coorg-trip-feb-2012-a.html
 
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Hello Sooz Punto so you are gearing up for another trip, goon on ya.

I had been to Wayanad 2 years ago and to tell you my experiences(not the route) was bad(will mention that later).

Okay the first route plan:
Bangalore-Mysore-Nanjangudu(Ooty highway)-Gundlupet.
After reaching Gundlupet, you can have your lunch there(couple of hotels and Cafe is present there)

In Gundlupet at the check post, you will see two routes, the straight road goes to Ooty and the right turn takes you to Wayanad.

While going there you must pass through Bandipur Forest and then the road goes straight to Sulthan Bathery and then the next place is your Wayanad is .

P.S get into Bandipur before 6 p.m as there is no entry into the forest from 6.pm to 6.am.

Is it safe to take Punto to Wayanad ?
No big problem.

How is the ROAD condition ?
Our Keralite TAIins might help you.

If there are Ghat roads, Is it very curvy or managable?
The ghats are better but watchout for the buses plying in this route.

Any stay suggestions?
Kerala Tourism Govt. has a separate Guest houses in Wayanad itself, people might help to lead for that road and there is one Wood lands hotel also. You can find it in the Kozhikode highway in Wayanad itself.
 
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Thanks a lot Vishwas for your suggestions. Last time also you were the frst to respond.

What happened to you last time?? [surprise]

Guys Please help me to get into the God's Own Country - KERALA (WAYANAD)
 
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Thanks a lot Vishwas for your suggestions. Last time also you were the frst to respond.
I like those places which you wanted to see that's why my experiences flow in.

What happened to you last time?? [surprise]
Actually when we went to Wayanad the first day was good when we visited some caves and lakes

At the second day there was a great strike all over the state, not one hotel was open, not even one petrol bunk and to that dismay we had only little petrol to come to Gundlupet which is in K'taka, we were stopped by the mob everywhere and had to plead them to let us flee the state.
 
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SOOZ_PUNTO, good luck for your trip. The roads were good except near nanjangud when I had been there last year. Avoid night driving, I had a bad experience. Also, maintain the speed limit in the forest. Btw, if you are planning to go there to beat the heat, beware! its darn hot in kerala right now. I had been to lakkiddi which I believe is the end point of wayanad and stayed in hotel thushara and tea trees home stay(opposite to chain tree). I prefer home stay over hotel accommodation. Have a safe journey n keep revving :)
 
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Thanks Serrao. I will avoid the night driving anyways. I know that it's hot in Wayand, but just to relax and enjoy nature no problems I guess.

I am planning to visit the below places,
1. Pookode Lake
2. Edakkal Caves
3. Kuruva Islands
4. Chembra Hill
5. Soochipara Falls
6. Meenmutty Falls
7. Karakuzha Dam

Planning to stay in KALPETTA.
So is it ok to stay near it and can cover all places in 3 days?? These places at what time I should visit? If anyone have any suggestions please let me know.

Thanks in Advance
 
Thread Starter #7
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Hi Guys,

I think our Kerala guys can help me a lot to cover which places in 2 days.
Waiting for your responses..

Cheers !!
 
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Hey Guys,

Our kerla guys seem very busy, so i decided on myself to cover this places as follows,
Day 1-Pookode Lake
Day 2-Soochipara Falls, Chembra Hill
Day 3-Edakkal Caves

If anyone have some suggestions, please inform me.
 
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Thanks Serrao. I will avoid the night driving anyways. I know that it's hot in Wayand, but just to relax and enjoy nature no problems I guess.

I am planning to visit the below places,
1. Pookode Lake
2. Edakkal Caves
3. Kuruva Islands
4. Chembra Hill
5. Soochipara Falls
6. Meenmutty Falls
7. Karakuzha Dam

Planning to stay in KALPETTA.
So is it ok to stay near it and can cover all places in 3 days?? These places at what time I should visit? If anyone have any suggestions please let me know.

Thanks in Advance
SOOZ

You can easily cover the above in 3 days. I had been to Waynad last year and was able to do all of above in 2 days. Kuruva Island will take good time as its steep climb and then lots of waiting. Also, consider the HEAT and Humidity in Waynad now, it will be very exhausting and sweaty !! I suffered a lot in May last year... All other places can be done easily and most of it will be driving which is a pleasure in Waynad. Roads are pretty nice and welcoming.. just watch out for people coming from wrong directions as its common in Kerela.

Here is how I would rate the places as per my likings :) 1 to 10 - 10 being best

1. Pookode Lake - 6
2. Edakkal Caves - 7
3. Kuruva Islands - 10
4. Chembra Hill - 8
5. Soochipara Falls - 4
6. Meenmutty Falls - 5
7. Karakuzha Dam - 3

Otherwise I'm sure you'll enjoy the trip.

Sorry, forgot to add.. that if you really wanna have great fun and time.. do visit Vythri resort - its the ultimate place to be in Waynad.
 
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Sorry, forgot to add.. that if you really wanna have great fun and time.. do visit Vythri resort - its the ultimate place to be in Waynad.
there are two resorts starting with vythri - vythri village resort and vythri resort. you can try out the tree house concept at these places. its a different and cherishing experience. banakasura dam will have less water now due to summers but speed boat rides are still on.
 
Thread Starter #11
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Hey Guys,

Completed Wayanad Trip successfully. Detail report with Pics coming Soon...
Tomorrow Completing my 1st Service and After that Planning to Kodaikanal next month with my Parents and wifey.

Cheers !!
 
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Hey Guys,

Completed Wayanad Trip successfully. Detail report with Pics coming Soon...
Tomorrow Completing my 1st Service and After that Planning to Kodaikanal next month with my Parents and wifey.

Cheers !!
Great, where did you gather information?
Waiting for the pics too.
 
Thread Starter #13
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Hi TAIs,

I have completed my second Long drive to Wayanad successfully with my Punto.
Start Date: 28-04-2012
End Date: 30-04-2012
Total Days: 03 Days
Total Person On-boarded:4 (Me, My Wife, My Wife's Friend and Her Husband)
Total KM Covered: 845 KMs
Avg. FE: 17.8 with A/C, (23.0 without A/C)
Destination: Wayanad (Kerala)

All the preparations were made in advance like our first trip. Accommodations were booked in advance, Tyre pressure checked, Tank filled, bags packed, Maps on place and we are ready for our trip.

Places Covered Day-wise,

1. Day-1 : Tea Estate Near our Homestay and Exploring Kalpetta
2. Day-2 : Edakkal Caves, Kanthanpara Waterfall , View Point (TBD)
3. Day-3 : Banasura Dam, Pookote Lake and Back to Bangalore


Day-1
------

Strated our Journey from Murugesh Palya @ 6:30 AM. Bags loaded, GPS from my Android phone turned on and moved to BTM. As we have to take our friends (couples) from their Home at BTM. I was worried about the boot space to take all stuff of two families. But once they kept their bags, it observed pretty easily. Hmm, Punto has good boot space that's what I realized. Then we took NICE road and reached Mandya very early and took our BF. A small gap started towards Mysore. Just after Srirangapatna, chnaged seats and I came to Passenger and my friend took the driver charge from me. He has a beat petrol and by driving my Punto, he was silent for few minutes. I asked him, what do you think abt this. He said it's simply superb. The handling is like awesome. Me and wife looked each other and smiled on that. Then we entered Mysore city, crossed Bus stand and headed to OOTY road. Road was good upto Gundalpet and after upto Bandipur Forest it's OK. After Bandipur Checkpost, Road is simply superb and green trees around you. It's Simply unbelivable. You will definitely feel like somebody has put a painting in front of you. We took some snaps though it's prohibited there and looking at us, two more cars stooped after us and they too strated Photography. The other couple located two elephents in that forest and too excited. As we have seen this many times while going to OOTY, we were not so excited, though happy to see a Kid elephant. In no time we reached Sultan Bathery. Took lunch in some hotel, and asked about the Edakkal Caves, whether that can be covered now. But that guy said, it's not worth to visit as it's already 3 PM when we finished our lunch. Then we started straight to Kalpetta and in 30 mins, we reached to our Homestay which was booked earlier. The owner came to receive us , but when we followed him, suddenly from the road side a Stiff elevated curve came and only one car can go thorugh it. I somehow adjusted and done it successfully. That bring some confidence in me of Ghat road driving and I thought of what this trip is going to be. We went to our rooms and took a small nap. When we enquired about the places taht can be covered in 2 days, our homestay owner gave us a local Map and guided us.So we came to know that nothing came be covered on that day. He told just 100 mts away one tea estate is there and that's an open one. So we went there and I tell you the wheather was so good that the view was simply superb. we took some snaps and came back to visit the Kalpetta town. Well it's a small town and there was apower cut from 7 to 7:30PM. We thought of taking the dinner at homestay but the owner told that the cook is not well and have to take from outside. So disappointed with that but controlled ourself and went outside. I tell you in kalpetta, if you are planning to have decent food get it before 8 Pm after that all shops are getting closed. Somehow we managed on that night.

Day-2
-----

Took our BF at 8:30AM and started towards Edakkal caves. We have come towards thSultan Bathery road but before 7 KMS from Sultan Bathery need to take a left turn to reach the Cave. Near the cave, the road is not good at all, still Punto did it. Unfortunately, I parked it much before where I should Park. Then Walked for around 25 mins to reach the ticket counter where a long queue was there.As it was a long weekend and was Sunda, heavy crowd was there. After a long wait of 1 Hr, got 4 tickets and 2 stickers for 2 bottles. They are charging 20 RS for each bottle and return it once you return back and show the bottles. Good tactics to make Plastic free zone.I tell you it's not easy to cover the cave root. Need a lot of effort. After 1 Hr trekking, reached the cave and inside it was not so great as it was described. I tell you, this place is unnecessarily hyped so much but not that good what I feel. Still saw the scripts on the rocks inside and took some snaps and started our return journey. Our wifes were very tired after covering such distance. On the way, small stalls are there where you will get coconut water, Honey Amal(a common thing here) and cold drinks. We refreshed with those stuff and came back to entrance. Got a decent hotrel outside the cave entrance and took south meal and omlette. I was also tired to drive but we had to cover places today only.

Rest of the Trip on next part.
Not able to upload pics here, some error is throughing...Will upload soon
 

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