Tried the Trivandrum-Katakkada-Vellarada-Boothapandi-Aralvaimozhi route? I love the scenic route of the thenkasi route as well but the S bend scares me. Have been stuck there many times over the years.

Trivandrum-Nagercoil-Tirunelveli route is still faster if you have an early morning start, say at 0500 hours from Trivandrum. Marthandam can be bypassed using local roads to join the main highway slightly ahead of the town. It takes about 2 hours to reach the Kanyakumari highway with an early morning start. Afterwards it is a fast drive. The Thenkasi route has lots of curvy-twisty sections and is also two laned resulting in a slower drive.

Alternate route for Nagercoil - Trivandrum stretch to avoid Marthandam flyover work and Parvathipuram flyover work.


Last week, I took a different route from Trivandrum to Nagercoil, this avoids the NH totally and helps us to escape the congestion on the Trivandrum - Nagercoil highway (Marthandam Flyover work and the Parvathipuram flyover work). This route was via Poovar, Uchakkada, Thirumannam, Kannanagam Junction Bus Stop, Pudhukkadai, Karungal, Thingal Nagar, Asaripallam, Nagercoil Collector office. This route was close to 81Kms and took 2H:15M.

It was a stress-free drive with sparse traffic except for some minor traffic while crossing small towns. The roads are in good condition now(It used to be bad before) and narrow at some places. Overall, I would prefer this route any time over the congested NH.

Good to know that the roads are better now. I remember taking this stretch and for a few kms there was no road!

After that i have been taking the Katakkada-Vellarada-Boothapandi-Aralvaimozhi stretch to get into TN. Distance of 90 odd kms. Time of 2Hrs. Helps avoid Nagercoil traffic as well.

Scenic stretch with nice twistys and of course void of traffic.

Now its all freshly laid roads.

This is a good alternate as well.

Yes, in the route mentioned by me, there is a 2Kms stretch which crosses through Nagercoil town.

I am planning to do a Trivandrum drive on the weekend of Puja with family. Since this is the first time on that route and with family, planning to have an overnight stay on the way. What would be the best place -- Madurai or Dindigul ? Any suggestions for good hotels ? Would be starting around noon post lunch, and would like to check in to a hotel around 8-9.

There is a temple city lodge closer to Madurai on the highway, you can try this. Option 3 in the below link,
http://hoteltemplecity.com/rooms/

If anyone has stayed here, please share the feedback.

Dear Fellow BHPians,

Have to travel from kanyakumari to Kovalam on Sunday 24th Sept with family, need URGENT advice on same section, as it seems alternative routes are in consideration & practice currently due to 2 flyover work impediments on NH route. Google map is not even showing the default NH66 route via Nagercoil - Thuckalay - Marthandam as 2nd/3rd option nowadays, it suggests this currently.

I am travelling first time on that route and will be driving alone with family with 2 kids. So would prefer to follow the standard NH if it is manageable with bit more time & effort, and would not want to venture unknown state highways of the interiors of TN/KL, dreading the road conditions or the isolation level.

However, if there is a tried alternate route with well defined route points, whose road conditions are fine throughout, than I would be confident and willing to take it. What alternatives google map is suggesting could be good travel time & congestion wise but might not be a good recommend road conditions wise. So, just checking if somebody can suggest a tried alternate route?

Appreciate the help if somebody have this info.

Thanks a lot.

I think the Google recommended route is good. You will face some narrow and twisty roads especially around Poovar and in Kerala. There will be high traffic density, so be prepared for that. The road is not as good as the national highway. Stick to the Google route, as there are many forks and junctions where you can go off the recommended route.

If you start early (say 5am) the national highway will be ok. The bottle necks are the towns enroute, especially Thukulay, Marthandam, Balaramapuram etc. Sunday will see less traffic because most of the shops are closed, and travel before the towns wake up will speed up your journey.

Wish you a pleasant journey.

Don't worry, the 'google route' is good. There will be twists and turns on the way, but there will be other vehicles as everyone has to take one of the alternate routes. You don't have to worry about 'isolation level' - the stretch is residential/commercial areas and not miles of barren land. Absolutely no need to worry.

If you are taking this route then make sure that your GPS works properly because this goes via some narrow roads/streets and will give you a feeling that you are on the wrong route.

If you are driving on this stretch early in the morning then you can manage with the standard route.

Did Blr-Trivandrum and back on the weekend.

28-Sep 540 AM start from Koramangala.
Reached outside Nagercoil by 5 PM with a lot of stops. Drive was very comfortable.
Breakfast from Salem.
Lunch at Temple City Madurai.

Had planned to visit a friend in Nagercoil, but cancelled it looking at the time taken. Did a big mistake and set Poovar in Google maps to take the Poovar, Kovalam route and get into Trivandrum from Injakkal. Maps suggested some very narrow routes and GPS would be lost continuously. Reached by 830 PM. Last leg was a huge turnoff.

Started from Trivandrum by 745 AM on 2-Oct. With a lot of potty breaks for kid and breakfast break reached Aralvaimozhi only by 1130. I thought the worst was over, but was I wrong... Reached bangalore by 1 AM.
Horrible traffic at Salem around the flyover and the last 3 tolls had horrible 2km long queues.
Had lunch at Hari's restaurant -- too crowded; people were fighting for tables.
Stopped at A2B Thoppur for dinner -- again too crowded. Wife and kid visited the bathroom and then we pushed along to Sai sangeet. Crowded again, but we got food from TN 57 biriyani in the same complex.

This was around 930 PM.

Lesson learnt to start early, and to avoid last day of long weekend.

Folks

I will be travelling to Thiruvananthapuram in the last week of December 2017 and intend to stay near Kovalam beach. Kindly suggest good hotels to stay keeping in mind budget as well

I will be driving from Bangalore and my planned route is to drive till Nagercoil and then take diversion to Kovalam. Is this the preferred route ?

Its a holiday season, so Nagercoil - Trivandrum stretch will be traffic heavy, and then those diversions at Marthandam. Be prepared for a 3-4 hours drive during day time. If you are lucky, then it takes around 2.5 hours. Try to avoid December 24th.

You can check the below route as well,
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post4253614

Another option would be Madurai - Tenkasi - Thenmala - Trivandrum - Kovalam. But I am not sure about the Sabarimala season crowd.

Folks

Can anyone suggest a good hotel/home stay either in Thiruvananthapuram or Kovalam beach area. My budget is max Rs 2800/day. I will be accompanied by my wife and 2 kids.