[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by narayans80

From Madras, Palani route doesn't make sense since its a detour. But from Bangalore, one can either take Aravakurichi-Dharapuram or Perundurai-Kangeyam-Dharapuram and take the Palani route.

The leadup and ghat are relatively free than Vathalagundu route.

Yes but since I stayed in Kodai for couple of nights, resort person suggested that I can go to Palani and back to Kodai the second day (day trip) in case I want to visit Palani temple. One moment I thought of going there to show the new rope car to my son but then decided not to visit and just enjoyed the weather in Kodai itself.

SAPVEN can use Palani route to go to Pollachi and possibly report back the condition of the road.

[SAPVEN]

Originally Posted by narayans80

From Madras, Palani route doesn't make sense since its a detour. But from Bangalore, one can either take Aravakurichi-Dharapuram or Perundurai-Kangeyam-Dharapuram and take the Palani route.

The leadup and ghat are relatively free than Vathalagundu route.

Thanks. I just checked with people in Kodai and the depressing news is that the Vathlagundu-Kodai route takes 2.5-3 hours (depending on traffic ) . I would definitely like to avoid this (if possible).

I am told that the Palani-Kodai road is good, so if anybody has used this route, would like a feedback.

Thanks.

[monish_m]

Someone shared this route - https://goo.gl/maps/5r6wZ2CfGEjBg9YZ9

Dindigul - Pannaikadu - Kodai.

Smaller roads, scenic and decent condition. Their suggestion was to use this if the other one is choked up.

Let us know if you end up using this route.

[SAPVEN]

Originally Posted by monish_m

Someone shared this route - https://goo.gl/maps/5r6wZ2CfGEjBg9YZ9

Dindigul - Pannaikadu - Kodai.

Smaller roads, scenic and decent condition. Their suggestion was to use this if the other one is choked up.

Let us know if you end up using this route.

Thanks for the tip, but I saw this route only after I returned. Used the usual ghat road from Vatlagundu, which was much better than I expected. Since it was a Friday, it was relatively free of any jams (small wait at the entry Toll).

While returning , used the Palani route, which was just lovely, smooth road, scenic views and hardly any traffic.

[theexperthand]

Hi,

Between the two routes mentioned below, which one will be better in terms of scenery and less traffic?

Route 1: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Dind...10.2413516!3e0

Dindigul - Tandurpatti - Adukkam - Kodaikanal.

Route 2:

Originally Posted by monish_m

Someone shared this route - https://goo.gl/maps/5r6wZ2CfGEjBg9YZ9

Dindigul - Pannaikadu - Kodai.

Smaller roads, scenic and decent condition. Their suggestion was to use this if the other one is choked up.

Let us know if you end up using this route.

--Anoop

[monish_m]

The regular Batlalagundu route worked just fine, great roads, lovely scenery.

[gurminder_81]

Spent 3 nights in Kodai and Poombarai village. Here's a small update about roads and conditions.

Onward Journey:
Sarjapur Road, Bangalore to Villa Retreat, Kodaikanal.
Friday, 2nd Sept: Started from home at 1 PM with simple packed lunch which we could just munch while driving. Drove non-stop till Batlagundu, Dindigul Thalappakatti till 6:45 PM. Usual traffic faced till Krishnagiri. Some truck traffic till Salem, and then the beautiful sceneries open up post Namakkal. The roads are brilliant all the way till Batlagundu, with some diversions due to incomplete bridge work around Salem area.

Bathlagundu to Kodaikanal road was absolutely free of traffic because of the evening/night time, and no traffic jams were there. The road is being constructed at 3-4 places where some sewer lines / pipes are being laid for the rain water to flow through. At these places only one way traffic was allowed. Started at 7:35 PM from Batlagundu and reached our Hotel at 9:10 PM.

Return Journey:
We were staying in Glamps (luxeglamps) near Poombarai village. Started on 5th September, Monday at 11:30 AM and reached Attibelle toll at 9:15 PM, with 2 stops of more than 1 hr each at Sri Sarvana Bhavan at Batlagundu and Sri Sarvana Bhavan Asai at Salem. Met with rainwater clogging near electronic city toll and wasted almost 1 hr in traffic. Ultimately reached home at 10:35 PM.

Summary: After spending the beautiful time in Kodai and reaching water clogged Bengaluru roads, all I can say is that we landed from nature's lap into nature's slap.

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by gurminder_81

Onward Journey:
Sarjapur Road, Bangalore to Villa Retreat, Kodaikanal.
Friday, 2nd Sept:

Started on 5th September, Monday at 11:30 AM and reached Attibelle toll at 9:15 PM, with 2 stops of more than 1 hr each at Sri Sarvana Bhavan at Batlagundu and Sri Sarvana Bhavan Asai at Salem. Met with rainwater clogging near electronic city toll and wasted almost 1 hr in traffic. Ultimately reached home at 10:35 PM.

.

I came across your post while looking for info on Kodai and what a coincidence that I have also booked one of the nights in Villa retreat

How was the weather there? Did it rain a lot?
Also, what is your feedback on the hotel? Food and room were satisfactory? I have booked a deluxe room with balcony and would be traveling with kids.

Also, about the route from Sarjapur to Hosur. There are lot of potholes and traffic on this stretch via Attibele toll plaza. Last time I covered this stretch, Gmap showed a faster route bypassing the Sarjapur attibele road and directly connecting to Hosur town without touching the highway. I didn't take it but I'm wondering if it is worth to explore? Did you or someone in the forum try this route (both ways) and is it recommended?

[gurminder_81]

Originally Posted by Aviator_guy

How was the weather there? Did it rain a lot?
Also, what is your feedback on the hotel? Food and room were satisfactory? I have booked a deluxe room with balcony and would be traveling with kids.

Also, about the route from Sarjapur to Hosur. There are lot of potholes and traffic on this stretch via Attibele toll plaza. Last time I covered this stretch, Gmap showed a faster route bypassing the Sarjapur attibele road and directly connecting to Hosur town without touching the highway. I didn't take it but I'm wondering if it is worth to explore? Did you or someone in the forum try this route (both ways) and is it recommended?

Weather was absolutely awesome. Very little rain, and the landscape was changing from being cloudy to sunshine to cloudy again. Most of the time fast moving clouds were observed. We experienced rain while doing boating in Kodai lake, while visiting Mannavannur lake, but we were carrying an umbrella so no issues. Highly recommended to carry an umbrella.

Hotel Villa Retreat is just fine. Has decent parking space to park at least 8-9 cars. Room size is strictly small but the room and the bathroom were clean. Queen bed can accommodate only 1 kid with 2 adults. No overall complaints actually.

Regarding food, we only had breakfast on the two days that we were staying in Villa Retreat. They have very limited menu that you can order as there is no buffet. However food quality was just decent. We always had tea outside the hotel at the roadside vendors near Coaker's walk. It tasted much better We tried Mann Manam restaurant for awesome non-veg food and then also tried Ten Degrees restaurant along with Dominos. If you are going towards Mannavannur lake, then do try Passiflora Ristorante near Poombarai. They offer awesome food quality, great ambience with amazing views.

We stay in-between the Hosur road and Sarjapur road, so we always go via Hosur road to Attibelle. On any given day, it is much faster than bypassing Attibelle. The only issue on Hosur road are the two red lights which might take sometime, but overall we have found Hosur road to be faster. May be it depends where exactly you stay on Sarjapur Road.

Have a good trip.

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by gurminder_81

Weather was absolutely awesome. Very little rain, and the landscape was changing from being cloudy to sunshine to cloudy again. Most of the time fast moving clouds were observed. We experienced rain while doing boating in Kodai lake, while visiting Mannavannur lake, but we were carrying an umbrella so no issues. Highly recommended to carry an umbrella.

Hotel Villa Retreat is just fine. Has decent parking space to park at least 8-9 cars. Room size is strictly small but the room and the bathroom were clean. Queen bed can accommodate only 1 kid with 2 adults. No overall complaints actually.

Regarding food, we only had breakfast on the two days that we were staying in Villa Retreat. They have very limited menu that you can order as there is no buffet. However food quality was just decent. We always had tea outside the hotel at the roadside vendors near Coaker's walk. It tasted much better We tried Mann Manam restaurant for awesome non-veg food and then also tried Ten Degrees restaurant along with Dominos. If you are going towards Mannavannur lake, then do try Passiflora Ristorante near Poombarai. They offer awesome food quality, great ambience with amazing views.

We stay in-between the Hosur road and Sarjapur road, so we always go via Hosur road to Attibelle. On any given day, it is much faster than bypassing Attibelle. The only issue on Hosur road are the two red lights which might take sometime, but overall we have found Hosur road to be faster. May be it depends where exactly you stay on Sarjapur Road.

Have a good trip.

Appreciate your feedback

I live in Whitefield and take the Gunjur Sarjapur road to connect to Attibele checkpost. Lately the stretch has become full of potholes and traffic. I guess one of the trips, I should try to use the countryside route to Hosur in case it turns out to be better.

[Aviator_guy]

So I took the Sarjapur Hosur countryside road avoiding the SJP-Attibele road and it turned out to be a good decision. Road is two lane but traffic was sparse and road condition was excellent all the way to Hosur ( Kudos to TN officials who don't make excuse of rains)
Attaching the route I took as suggested by gmaps and a snap of the road condition. I think it would be my preferred route next time unless gmaps shows anything abnormal in this route.

[sansvk]

I have an upcoming trip to Thekkady, Munnar. Can any one update if the Batlagundu, Periyakulam and Theni bypasses are complete and open to traffic. Google shows this as the default route, but on closer inspection it looks like some sections are incomplete.

[sansvk]

Answering my query listed above. Batlagundu bypass is complete, this has been open for some time. Periyakulam bypass entrance is incomplete, but a few metres before or after the planned entrance there are roads that connect to the bypass. Theni bypass towards the end there is bridge construction in progress, better avoid as its off road at that location, should be done in few months.
I bypassed Theni using the Vaigai dam route with a visit to the dam. Stretch is good, couple of short narrow sections and speed bumps near villages.
At Bodi, there is railway track being layed and a possible over bridge, there is a small deviation at this section.
Bodimetu ghat road upto Poopara is in excellent condition. Poopara to Chinnakanal, few gravel track excursions due to road work. One small section is narrow and broken down.
At Devikulam, there is diversion near PineTreeResort into Devikulam Police station, SBI road and out.
Rest of the section from Poopara to Munnar town is wide and in good shape.

[venkyhere]

Is the Batlagundu to Kodai ghat route (the most 'main' one, out of so many ghat routes from different directions) the most traffic infested one ?
As a guesstimate, which would be the peak hours and lean hours in terms of traffic, on this bit of road ?

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

Is the Batlagundu to Kodai ghat route (the most 'main' one, out of so many ghat routes from different directions) the most traffic infested one ?
As a guesstimate, which would be the peak hours and lean hours in terms of traffic, on this bit of road ?

I used this route today during noon time. Traffic was ok for most part except few places where road work is happening on the Kodai ghat road so got stuck for few minutes a couple of times due to construction trucks. But nothing major and the police was able to clear the traffic quickly. I can imagine some traffic pile up during weekend rush.