[tomchacks]

Originally Posted by SyncNest

Hi All,

I am travelling to Alleppey from Hyderabad in a couple of days.
My itinerary
25th - Hyderabad to Bangalore
26th - Bangalore - Alleppey
27th - (sightseeing)
28th - Alleppey to Horsley Hills
1st - Horsley Hills to Hyderabad


Pointers for 27th - which one is good- houseboat or shikara?
Anything else we can squeeze in after finishing backwaters? Anything within 50 kms from the city should be fine.

2) Can I drive to Kodaikanal?
Is kodaikanal possible on 27th? In which case, my 28th would be Kodaikanal - Horsley Hills

I persume you are not planning to spend the night in a houseboat.

27th- generally, the houseboats can be hired for a day trip from 9 am to 5 pm, with lunch included and they will take you some distance so that you can enjoy the nice breeze of the backwaters. You will hardly have time for anything else that day.

Alleppey _Kodaikanal is around 300kms (8 hrs) and includes ghat roads. It will not be possible to do this on 27th.

If you really want to visit Kodai, only alternative seems to be to stay 26th night in a houseboat at Alleppey and leave after breakfast and stay the night at Kodai. Then there is no fun in doing such a hurried visit. You should have time in Kodai to enjoy the place.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by SyncNest

Pointers for 26th - We will start as early as we can. Hoping to reach Coimbatore by lunch time. I have done this road before (on my way back from Munnar). But I don't know how the road is beyond Erode. From Google maps it looks like a 4-laned highway all the way to Cochin. Please confirm

Is every thing booked for you? Because if not, I would suggest chuck-out Horseley hills. You are already going to Kerala. Add places to visit in there, instead of coming to back to Horseley hills. It is more of a weekend jaunt or a long weekend drive.

[jeeva]

Mysore-Wayanad stretch:

From the Bandipur forest on-wards till almost Nanjangud, the road is in utter shambles. They are converting the exiting roads to 4 lanes. Expect it to be the same for at-least another 4-6 months!!!

Any idea, when that bridge on the Kanakapura-CH Nagaram-Gundelpet route will be open?
How is the Mysore-Manathavady road? Do they allow traffic in the night?

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by SyncNest

Pointers for 27th - which one is good- houseboat or shikara?

A Shikhara, I guess is a very small boat. At least the one's which we used in Sri Nagar (and in a lake in Munnar) were like that. So it may be a bit crampy if there are more than two passengers. A house boat is generally much more bigger, and would also have some movement space.

Originally Posted by silversteed

Another grouse I have, which you missed - the L&T bypass. I don't get the logic of paying Rs.31 (which is more than Re1/km), and yet having to cross an umpteen number of toll gates, two signals

I think once four laning completes between Perumanallaur all the way till Walayar, this L&T bye pass would be the real choke point. Their toll collection mechanism is absolutely pathetic. It is like a train driver waving the green flag to every single railway gate, railway station even though the train does not stop there. I see no plans to build road over bridges at any of the junction. It is because of this stretch that I thought of using the Pollachi route.

[binand]

Originally Posted by jeeva

How is the Mysore-Manathavady road? Do they allow traffic in the night?

I have switched allegiance to Mysore-Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavady. Usually empty and pleasurable. Closed between 6 PM and 6 AM though.

Last trip, tried Mananthavady-Kutta-Hunsur-Mysore. Forest is closed between 6 PM and 6 AM in this route too. Road is approx. same quality as the above, except that trucks and buses are not allowed inside Nagarhole National Park.

The all-night route is Mysore-Gonikoppal-Kutta-Mananthavady. Yet to try it since it is quite a detour (about 40km extra) but I understand roads have been repaired and it is generally OK to drive.

[vinucv]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Did anyone with a non KL car get caught on any of the traffic cams in Kerala recently. If so, any place to check and pay the fine? I think I was photographed crossing a signal at Vadakara (I crossed just as the light turned red-Was too late to stop and did not want to sudden brake as there was a private bus right on my tail). I assume I'll not get a chalan via post due to the KA regn. Hence if there is way to check and pay, would like to do it.

Mine is a TN registration and believe would have crossed couple of traffic cams at more than the recommended speed during my recent trip. Haven't received any chalan yet and keeping my fingers crossed

[VindyWheels]

Hi, any pointers on the best route to take for a Calicut-Kochi (Kadavanthara) trip today noon?

Options

1) Calicut-Feroke-Chavakkad-Vallarpadam-Kadavanthara
2) Calicut - Feroke - Chavakkad - Edapally - Kadavnthara
3) Calicut - Edappal - Thrissur - Aluva - Kadavanthara

Prefer less traffic and reasonable road conditions.

Cheers

Vindy

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by binand

I have switched allegiance to Mysore-Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavady. Usually empty and pleasurable. Closed between 6 PM and 6 AM though.

Last trip, tried Mananthavady-Kutta-Hunsur-Mysore. Forest is closed between 6 PM and 6 AM in this route too. Road is approx. same quality as the above, except that trucks and buses are not allowed inside Nagarhole National Park.

The all-night route is Mysore-Gonikoppal-Kutta-Mananthavady. Yet to try it since it is quite a detour (about 40km extra) but I understand roads have been repaired and it is generally OK to drive.

I will be driving to Wayanad Blooms, Kenichira (PO), Wayanad. on Friday and plan to take the
Bangalor - Mysore - Hunsur - Kutta - Mananthavady route for the onward journey. My understanding is that I should take the Mysore ORR. Which place should I look for directions (Madikkeri/Nagarhole?). ANything to be careful in this route and are there any decent places for breakfast? I should be reaching ORR by 8:00 AM.

For the return journey, I plan to take the Wayanad - Kattikulam - Bavali -Handpost - Mysore route. Are there any decent places for lunch before Mysore? How do I cross Mysore - Is it ORR or some other road.


Thanks in advance.

P.S - I do not want to try the usual Gundlupet - Sulthan Bathery route.

[binand]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

I will be driving to Wayanad Blooms, Kenichira on Friday and plan to take the
Bangalor - Mysore - Hunsur - Kutta - Mananthavady route for the onward journey. My understanding is that I should take the Mysore ORR. Which place should I look for directions (Madikkeri/Nagarhole?). ANything to be careful in this route and are there any decent places for breakfast? I should be reaching ORR by 8:00 AM.

To take this route, you should turn right onto Mysore Ring Road at the Columbia Asia junction. Go through 3 railway underpasses (you'll know them when you see them) and then exit the MRR to your right towards Madikeri/Hunsur. Continue towards Hunsur, and at Hunsur look for the road to HD Kote. The road to Nagarhole and onwards to Kutta deviates to your right from the Hunsur-HD Kote road. All junctions around Mysore are very well sign-posted.

You should have meals while in Mysore; though there are restaurants between Mysore and Hunsur I don't think they are of very great quality.

The thing to remember is that once you exit Hunsur and turn off towards Nagarhole, it is rather deserted road with near-zero facilities - no fuel, food, snacks, tea - nothing. All the way till Kutta.

Beyond Kattikulam you should turn into the Mananthavady bypass (signposted as the road to Kalpetta and Calicut). This will take you directly to Panamaram from where you turn off towards Nadavayal and Kenichira/Beenachi. Take the left turn immediately after the bridge at the edge of Panamaram town.

Originally Posted by pramodpk

For the return journey, I plan to take the Wayanad - Kattikulam - Bavali -Handpost - Mysore route. Are there any decent places for lunch before Mysore? How do I cross Mysore - Is it ORR or some other road.

There is a hotel at the junction of Mananthavady bypass with the road to Kattikulam; I forget its name now. Otherwise you can go into Mananthavady town and look for Hotel Brahmagiri. Beyond these two there is nothing till you reach Mysore except small road-side eateries at Kattikulam/Handpost etc.

At Mysore easiest for you to do is to cross MRR and go all the way till the junction with JLB Road (it is a large junction with a roundabout), turn right and proceed till you reach NH 212 coming from Calicut/Nanjangud, turn left and if you are familiar with the route, go through Mysore city. Else turn right towards Mall of Mysore and Bannur Road, left to MRR and then right at Columbia Asia junction onto SH 17 and towards Bangalore. This is a bit longer but you are less likely to lose your way. :-)

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

For the return journey, I plan to take the Wayanad - Kattikulam - Bavali -Handpost - Mysore route. Are there any decent places for lunch before Mysore? How do I cross Mysore - Is it ORR or some other road.


Thanks in advance.

P.S - I do not want to try the usual Gundlupet - Sulthan Bathery route.

I may also travel to Calicut on Friday. But will be taking your proposed return route on the onward journey. Had an exchange with bhpians binand and kala in the Bangalore-Calicut thread on places to stop. Basically there is nothing between Mysore and Kattikulam and even the one at Kattikulam, not sure on how good/bad it is.

Which means that best option is to stop at Manathavadi-Hotel Bhramagiri. Details in this post by binand

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3653104

[kala]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

I will be driving to Wayanad Blooms, Kenichira (PO), Wayanad. on Friday and plan to take the
Bangalor - Mysore - Hunsur - Kutta - Mananthavady route for the onward journey. My understanding is that I should take the Mysore ORR. Which place should I look for directions (Madikkeri/Nagarhole?). ANything to be careful in this route and are there any decent places for breakfast? I should be reaching ORR by 8:00 AM.

Try Hotel Kalyani on Mysore ORR. Pretty decent place for breakfast. It is on the left hand side, about a km after you cross the last of the the 3 railway underpasses that Binand referred to.

Regarding directions I think the post by Binand is pretty clear. Remember that the turn off to HD Kote is easier to get to if you get into Hunsur town instead of going straight on SH88 (Hunsur bypass)

Originally Posted by pramodpk

For the return journey, I plan to take the Wayanad - Kattikulam - Bavali -Handpost - Mysore route. Are there any decent places for lunch before Mysore?

On my trip to Wayanad last week I had taken the Bavali route and did check up the name of the hotel in Kattikkulam that I had referred to in an earlier post to Rajeevraj. The name is Holiday Hill. I had lunch there during one my my trips a few months ago and the restaurant seemed pretty neat, and the food was OK (and they have adequate parking space too). Their website is http://www.holidayhillhotel.com .

This hotel comes on the left hand side of the road when coming from Manathavady towards Bavali. Advantage over Brahmagiri is that you don't need to go out of the way and enter Mananthavady town (which is somewhat messy with all its one ways)

As everyone else mentioned - once you pass Kattikkulam there is nothing till Mysore (unless you want to enter one of the resorts near Karapur and try and see if they have restaurants)

Originally Posted by pramodpk

How do I cross Mysore - Is it ORR or some other road.

I prefer to take the Mysore Ring road itself in the anti-clockwise direction, i.e turn right on to RR when coming from HD Kote. Then turn left on NH212, and right towards Mysore Race course / Lalit mahal palace / Bannur Road and then again Ring road to Columbia Asia junction.

You could also continue for another 2.5 to 3 kms on SH33 further after the Ring road junction and take a right turn on Link Main road to connect to NH212. That road is also very good, and probably a little bit shorter.

[philgrac]

An Update on NH47 from Ernakulam to Palakkad
Had a day trip to Palakkad from Ernakulam and back on 1st March.
In order to avoid slow traffic due Metro work, deviated from Edappally to Container Road to join back NH47 at Kalamassery. From Kalamassery to Aluva although Metro work is on, still we can do an average spd of 30-40 Kph on a Sunday morning. Aluva to Angamali, roads are okay but with moderate traffic. Angamali to almost Mannuthy, good 4 lane roads. From Mannuthy to Chandranagar Jn. 4 laning is in good progress, with almost 60% completed. Completed sections are good and are alternating with new and old sections. Deviations and 2 lanes are very abrupt with some of them without any signage. On the whole, it is a mixed bag. It took about 2.5 Hrs to arrive at Palakkad.
Return trip was through the same route but in the afternoon/evening when the traffic has substantially increased. Therefore, in order to avoid Metro work, evening traffic at Edappally and Cochin Bye pass, took container road from Kalamassery to Vallarpadam and then to Panampilly Nagar which took about 3 hours.
View poor lighting and signage at Road widening/ four laning sections it is advisable to avoid night driving.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by binand

To take this route, you should turn right onto Mysore Ring Road at the Columbia Asia junction. Go through 3 railway underpasses (you'll know them when you see them) and then exit the MRR to your right towards Madikeri/Hunsur. Continue towards Hunsur, and at Hunsur look for the road to HD Kote. The road to Nagarhole and onwards to Kutta deviates to your right from the Hunsur-HD Kote road. All junctions around Mysore are very well sign-posted.

You should have meals while in Mysore; though there are restaurants between Mysore and Hunsur I don't think they are of very great quality.

The thing to remember is that once you exit Hunsur and turn off towards Nagarhole, it is rather deserted road with near-zero facilities - no fuel, food, snacks, tea - nothing. All the way till Kutta.

Beyond Kattikulam you should turn into the Mananthavady bypass (signposted as the road to Kalpetta and Calicut). This will take you directly to Panamaram from where you turn off towards Nadavayal and Kenichira/Beenachi. Take the left turn immediately after the bridge at the edge of Panamaram town.



There is a hotel at the junction of Mananthavady bypass with the road to Kattikulam; I forget its name now. Otherwise you can go into Mananthavady town and look for Hotel Brahmagiri. Beyond these two there is nothing till you reach Mysore except small road-side eateries at Kattikulam/Handpost etc.

At Mysore easiest for you to do is to cross MRR and go all the way till the junction with JLB Road (it is a large junction with a roundabout), turn right and proceed till you reach NH 212 coming from Calicut/Nanjangud, turn left and if you are familiar with the route, go through Mysore city. Else turn right towards Mall of Mysore and Bannur Road, left to MRR and then right at Columbia Asia junction onto SH 17 and towards Bangalore. This is a bit longer but you are less likely to lose your way. :-)

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

I may also travel to Calicut on Friday. But will be taking your proposed return route on the onward journey. Had an exchange with bhpians binand and kala in the Bangalore-Calicut thread on places to stop. Basically there is nothing between Mysore and Kattikulam and even the one at Kattikulam, not sure on how good/bad it is.

Which means that best option is to stop at Manathavadi-Hotel Bhramagiri. Details in this post by binand

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3653104

Originally Posted by kala

Try Hotel Kalyani on Mysore ORR. Pretty decent place for breakfast. It is on the left hand side, about a km after you cross the last of the the 3 railway underpasses that Binand referred to.

Regarding directions I think the post by Binand is pretty clear. Remember that the turn off to HD Kote is easier to get to if you get into Hunsur town instead of going straight on SH88 (Hunsur bypass)



On my trip to Wayanad last week I had taken the Bavali route and did check up the name of the hotel in Kattikkulam that I had referred to in an earlier post to Rajeevraj. The name is Holiday Hill. I had lunch there during one my my trips a few months ago and the restaurant seemed pretty neat, and the food was OK (and they have adequate parking space too). Their website is http://www.holidayhillhotel.com .

This hotel comes on the left hand side of the road when coming from Manathavady towards Bavali. Advantage over Brahmagiri is that you don't need to go out of the way and enter Mananthavady town (which is somewhat messy with all its one ways)

As everyone else mentioned - once you pass Kattikkulam there is nothing till Mysore (unless you want to enter one of the resorts near Karapur and try and see if they have restaurants)



I prefer to take the Mysore Ring road itself in the anti-clockwise direction, i.e turn right on to RR when coming from HD Kote. Then turn left on NH212, and right towards Mysore Race course / Lalit mahal palace / Bannur Road and then again Ring road to Columbia Asia junction.

You could also continue for another 2.5 to 3 kms on SH33 further after the Ring road junction and take a right turn on Link Main road to connect to NH212. That road is also very good, and probably a little bit shorter.

Thanks a lot for the update. I have the following questions.

https://goo.gl/maps/thUvt

While returning, from kattikulam I should proceed to HD Kote. Which place should I look for directions? ( HD Kote/ Handpost) to avoid going via Naraghole? Are there clear directions?

I also came to know about another route for the onward journey. This was suggested by someone in the HVK forum in FB.

Bavali - Kattikulam-Kuruva island-Payyampalli-Koyileri-Panamaram - Is this the same Mananthavady bypass suggested by you?

Any idea about this route? Is it the one shown in Maps?

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

While returning, from kattikulam I should proceed to HD Kote. Which place should I look for directions? ( HD Kote/ Handpost) to avoid going via Naraghole? Are there clear directions?

It is a straight road to Bavali/HD Kote from Mananthavady side. The road to Kutta-Nagarhole via Tholpetty turns off (Left turn) at Kattikulam town, little ahead after Kattikulam bus stand. So should not be much of a confusion. And signboards are in place.

Originally Posted by pramodpk

I also came to know about another route for the onward journey. This was suggested by someone in the HVK forum in FB.

Bavali - Kattikulam-Kuruva island-Payyampalli-Koyileri-Panamaram - Is this the same Mananthavady bypass suggested by you?

Any idea about this route? Is it the one shown in Maps?

This is not Mananthavady bypass. This is a different route and is shorter by around 7-8 KMs.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by philgrac

It took about 2.5 Hrs to arrive at Palakkad.

That's a good sign. Used to struggle Palghat-Thrissur stretch. How is Kuthiran section? I am driving to bangalore on April 1st and planning an early morning start. So I guess it will be a good drive.