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Roads in Kerala are pretty much ok except that you would need to use Radarbot or Waze, else be prepared for hearty fines, especially after TN where you would have been zipping thru. Overspending fine is Rs. 1500 per instance. Speed limits vary depending on the location, whether the road has medians, 2 / 4 lane etc etc
In Kerala, IMO you can't go wrong with Indian Coffee House. Whether its for breakfast, lunch or tea and snacks. If you are nearer to the Kochi airport around lunch time as Bejoy suggested Salkara is a good option. If you have passed this you will find lots of other options on the NH47 bypass in Ernakulam (The last 15 odd km of your trip)

I recently did Alleppy-Kochi and Trissur-Kochi. The roads are decent, except for the constant traffic. But compared to Bangalore, it is nothing, mostly well-mannered and you will be able to maintain a constant speed of 60 comfortably.

If having lunch in Kochi, my go-to place is BTH Sarovaram. They serve one of the best vegetarian Kerala meals on a banana leaf. It is on the opposite side when driving towards Alleppy and the restaurant is on the first floor without a lift. So, keep that in mind if you have elderly folks with you.

Last time we tried this place for lunch while on the way to Alleppey. There was huge waiting and didn't get seats even after waiting for more than 30-40 minutes so finally dropped the idea and left It was a weekend and we reached at peak time. So if you are planning to visit on weekend, please keep in mind if you are short of time.

Article in today TOI about the various speed limits on Kerala roads and the variations compared to GOI guidelines.

Hi Friends,

After a gap , am driving down to Ernakulam, from Hennur, Blr. I am guessing that the Toll roads should make the drive a breeze, at least upto Palghat.

Starting at 5.00 AM, and breakfast plan is Krishnagiri or around.

Can I get some suggestions for good Lunch places near Coimbatore ( close to the bypass would be great, so that a major deviation can be avoided) ?

Woudl be great to get some tips for any recent changes en-route .

Thanks !

I had lunch here during my last trip and would recommend it if your plan permits. It is on Palakkad bypass

NMR crossroads
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SbgGAYavY2U7V5Nx9

If you can extend till Walayar, Rice Bowl is a decent option with enough parking. This is on left side after crossing border.

https://goo.gl/maps/9YRjVSdedYAKQFV97

I have tried this place for an early dinner when i traveled last month.

A 5 AM start from Bangalore and reasonable speeds will see you driving Salem-Bhavani in the 8-9 AM breakfast window - Krishnagiri might be too early. You will probably reach Coimbatore by 11 AM which might be better suited as a mid-morning snack place. A lunch break during 1-2 PM could be scheduled at one of the several restaurants along the Thrissur bypass.

Thank you all for your suggestions, will definitely help me to plan accordingly.

One more doubt. Considering the confusing signals coming through regarding the speed limits within Kerala, what would be the current maximum through National Highways ?

Regards,

85 KM/H in NH. I usually cruise in around 70-80 range as you won't need to think about speed limits as you change roads.

https://mvd.kerala.gov.in/en/roadsaf...-limits-kerala

The max is 90, but it varies rapidly depending on the area you are travelling in.
Suggest you use Radarbot or Waze.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Drove from BLR to Alleppey today. Drove conservatively once in Kerala. It was a different driving experience, could soak in a lot as was not too determined on speeding. Started from Mahadevpura at 4 am, thanks to the diversions from ISRO all the way till Silk Board, exit from Bangalore took almost 45 mins. Reached Allepey by 1430 with two short breaks. Drove non-stop from little after Salem all the way to Allepey.
Kerala truly is one large city connected by highways.
I saw some Mercs and Beemers zipping though, well in fact a lot of KL and TN cars were doing so.

Hi All,

We are planning to travel down to my hometown, Kerala this Christmas. But on checking the flight prices, I was left shell shocked :Shockked: looking at the ticket fare.
I guess due to the holiday season flight prices are quite high.



So my better half and I decided to take a trip in our car this time.
But this is going to be our first major road trip and we have never traveled this far (our earlier major drive was upto Hampi from Hyderabad).

Need team-bhp help here to plan a perfect trip, to make it comfortable for my 2-year-old daughter.

Note: I'm a newbie driver with a road sense :) and my better half is well-experienced and cool-headed one.

Current Plan:
Hyderabad -> Devanahalli -> HBR Layout, Bengaluru ->Silk Board junction, Bengaluru -> Hosur -> Salem ->Dindigul -> Theni -> Kumaliy -> Thiruvalla



If I'm not taking the right route to skip Bangalore traffic, kindly correct me (via HBR Layout, Bengaluru ->Silk Board junction, Bengaluru)

The plan is to complete the drive in two and a half days (as we are new to this route and want to test if the return can be done in 2 days) starting around noon from Hyderabad, making a halt at Anantpur or Gooty and proceeding till Dindigul on the second day, and on the third day enjoy the drive of Kerala Hill section(kumily route) and reach home.


I have read about the deadly stretch of NH-44 near Salem, and I have my reservations about this route.

Any suggestion on the alternative route or a place to stay on the second-day trip?

Thank you in advance. Cheers :thumbs up

If you are keen on the Dindigul-Theni-Kumaly route please go ahead. It is a lovely route to drive on (take the road that goes in front of Vaigai dam). But I would recommend Coimbatore-Thrissur-Muvattupuzha instead as a personal preference, for these reasons:

1. Same commitment (few years back back my BIL and I drove via these different routes starting from Ambalapuzha and we both arrived at Sai Sangeeth at Thoppur at approximately the same time), but less likely to have on-road delays. Christmas time, all roads to Kerala will be invariably crowded; and you want to be in a dual-carriageway, surface level road instead of on a single carriageway mountain road.

2. I think Coimbatore is far better equipped for your overnight stay needs than Dindigul. This route generally has better wayside amenities since it goes through urbanised areas for almost its entire length.

3. I think your map screenshot is taking you via Bangalore ORR from Hebbal to Silk Board; whether it is the right choice or not can be said only after knowing your actual timings. There is metro construction happening all along this ORR semicircle so there can be significant delays.

That Thoppur ghat needn't worry you. While it is even today a dangerous section (the ghat is only about 6 km, though) the probability of being involved in an accident is minuscule.

Did a Bangalore - Ettumanoor round trip last week.

Onwards 23rd October

Took the Dindigul - Theni - Kumily route. The roads are very good throughout, even on the Kerala side. This route is appealing as its scenic and low on truck movement compared to the Salem - Palakkad route. Of course there is the risk of traffic jams at the ghat section. Another positive is lower tolls

There is a stretch of about a kilometer before Theni where bye-pass is closed and had to take an unpaved road which was akin a soft roading trail.

All non-TN vehicles were being checked after Theni even luggage was checked

I started by 3.45 am from Bangalore and reached Ettumanoor by 14.30 with a breakfast and 3 photo breaks.

Return 29th October

Took the Palakkad - Salem route . The vanilla drive. Could see a couple of fly overs completed in the last 2 months. Started 3 am from Ettumanoor and reached Bangalore by 11.45 with one break.