[Acelerar]

I am planning a trip to Kodaikanal from Bangalore on April 2nd. Planning to start at 5 AM.

Based on the recommendation here, I am planning to take Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Dindigul and Batlagundu route.

1) Is it still the recommended route? Is there any recent change? Does any one know if the Batlagundu bypass is complete now?
2) For breakfast planning to stop at Saravana bhavan aka Aasai Dosai at Salem as recommended. But does this come on the right side of the road? Google maps shows that you have to take u-turn at the round about and come back on the right side of the road. Are there any better options on the left side of highway?

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by Acelerar

I am planning a trip to Kodaikanal from Bangalore on April 2nd. Planning to start at 5 AM.

Based on the recommendation here, I am planning to take Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Dindigul and Batlagundu route.

1) Is it still the recommended route? Is there any recent change? Does any one know if the Batlagundu bypass is complete now?

Yes, No and Yes.

Originally Posted by Acelerar

2) For breakfast planning to stop at Saravana bhavan aka Aasai Dosai at Salem as recommended. But does this come on the right side of the road? Google maps shows that you have to take u-turn at the round about and come back on the right side of the road. Are there any better options on the left side of highway?

It's right at the intersection. So, I think you can simply take the right, get into the service road on the other side and go to the restaurant. Then All you have to do is take the U turn right at the same intersection.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Acelerar

For breakfast planning to stop at Saravana bhavan aka Aasai Dosai at Salem as recommended.

Due to the flyover work it may be a bit painful to cross over to right side to reach Aasai Dosai and another to get back after breakfast, plus the food is not great.

Instead, I would suggest you consider one of these options:
1. Krishna Inn near Shoolagiri inside a HP Petrol bunk campus, also has a McDonald outlet - approximately 60Km from Bangalore
*This may not be open if you're starting at 5am, others (see below) will be open

2. Sree Saravana Bhavan about 3-4Km after Krishnagiri toll on left side (opp. the Kaveripattinam lake) - approx. 95Km from Bangalore

3. Sai Sangeet, just before Thoppur toll, need to make a U-turn and head back about 0.5Km, inside an Indian Oil bunk campus that also has a Coffee Day outlet - approx. 150Km from Bangalore

*When making the U-turn you will see a Bharat Petroleum bunk with an A2B, that one is best avoided!

[Arjun Reddy]

Anyone driven to Kodai recently from Bangalore ? An update on road conditions and Restraunts will be appreciated. Planning a 6 am start on the 20th of April.
Thanks.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

An update on road conditions and Restraunts will be appreciated. Planning a 6 am start on the 20th of April.

No problem with roads, great all the way.
Route is also simple - Bangalore-Salem-Namakkal-Karur-Dindigul-Batlagundu-Kodai.
Turn off at Dindigul onto service road after the toll, head towards Batlagundu (there is also a turn towards Palani). You can also go via Palani but a bit narrow roads.
Since you're traveling on a weekday, 6am start should give you lots of options for breaks.
But I'd suggest starting a bit earlier say 5:30 so that you can cross Salem before 8:30 and escape the city traffic there.
Good Breakfast stop options:
0.Krishna Inn, Shoolagiri (may be a tad early, place opens around 6:45) - 60km
1.Sree Saravana bhavan, 3km after Krishnagiri toll (kaveripattinam bypass) - 90km
2.Sai Sangeet​, Thoppur - make a U turn before the toll plaza and come back 200-300m, inside an Indian oil bunk campus that also has a coffee day outlet. Avoid the A2B that comes first inside a Bharat petroleum bunk, that place is not great.- 150km

Edit:you don't need to go all the way to Madurai for Kodaikanal which is the topic of this thread!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Acelerar

I am planning a trip to Kodaikanal from Bangalore on April 2nd. Planning to start at 5 AM.

Account for 8 hours. So if you start at 4, it will be an ideal lunch time at Kodai.

1) Is it still the recommended route? Is there any recent change? Does any one know if the Batlagundu bypass is complete now?

Its still the recommended route

2) For breakfast planning to stop at Saravana bhavan aka Aasai Dosai at Salem as recommended. But does this come on the right side of the road? Google maps shows that you have to take u-turn at the round about and come back on the right side of the road. Are there any better options on the left side of highway?

Location is just fine. If you want to splurge you have Radission and Grand Estancia.

[Acelerar]

Originally Posted by Acelerar

I am planning a trip to Kodaikanal from Bangalore on April 2nd. Planning to start at 5 AM.

I did a trip to Kodaikanal from Bangalore last week. Started at 5.30 AM on April 2nd from Bangalore and was able to reach Kodiakanal by 2 PM with two breaks. Took the suggested route of Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Dindigul and Batlagundu route. Road was in excellent condition and traffic was not much. Many thanks for the suggestion.

For breakfast I stopped at Saravana bhavan after Krishnagari toll which was okay.

Weather was excellent in Kodaikanal with night being cold (around 14 degrees; Resort was on the top of a hill).

Started my return journey at 9.30 AM on April 8th and reached home by 6 PM by taking the same route. While returning, I could already see Kodaikanal getting crowded with lot of on-coming traffic and tiny water falls on the ghat section main road (forgot the name though) fully crowded!
For lunch stopped at Aasai Dosai, Salem and food was delicious.

[bejoy]

I did Bangalore - Kodai last Saturday

Started at 5:30 am. Had the breakfast at Sai Annapoorna Veg, after Selam by around 9:00 am. Great food and restrooms. This comes (on the left side) around 21 kms after the Omalur Toll Plaza. There is virtually ZERO decent restaurants/restrooms after this (for at-least 2 hours and beyond), as I learnt during the return. Good roads all the way, a very few rough stretch /potholes on the ghats. Reached Kodai by around 2:00 pm, greeted by horrible traffic jams everywhere in town.

Return was yesterday (Monday) and had lunch at the same place (by 3 PM). One needs to take an exit after crossing this hotel and take a U-turn below the flyover. For going back to Selam side, there is a U-turn after 1 km from this hotel.

Maps location of Sai Annapoorna Veg:
https://goo.gl/maps/X3dJ9PtrFAR2

[NPV]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Maps location of Sai Annapoorna Veg:
https://goo.gl/maps/X3dJ9PtrFAR2

Thanks for sharing this
Ideal location to stop immediately after crossing Salem, especially for folks going towards Karur/Dindigul/Kodai/Madurai, etc. There was earlier an Arya Bhavan somewhere close to this place but has been shut down.

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by NPV

Thanks for sharing this
Ideal location to stop immediately after crossing Salem, especially for folks going towards Karur/Dindigul/Kodai/Madurai, etc. There was earlier an Arya Bhavan somewhere close to this place but has been shut down.

Well, there was one drive in restaurant after Karur, where we had breakfast back in 2010 (last visit to Kodai). Got the co-ordinates from the pic on my phone. This is the location:
Ammaiyappar Restaurant
https://goo.gl/maps/5itrnBF9aXG2

It had good amenities, a park for the kids and has good parking space. Hope it is good still. Somehow I didn't notice it this time.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Well, there was one drive in restaurant after Karur, where we had breakfast back in 2010 (last visit to Kodai). Got the co-ordinates from the pic on my phone. This is the location:
Ammaiyappar Restaurant
https://goo.gl/maps/5itrnBF9aXG2

It had good amenities, a park for the kids and has good parking space. Hope it is good still. Somehow I didn't notice it this time.

Its more than a year or two since this hotel was closed. Before Ammaiyappar, its name was Vaibhav Laxmi and before that it was Aristos, I think.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Its more than a year or two since this hotel was closed. Before Ammaiyappar, its name was Vaibhav Laxmi and before that it was Aristos, I think.

Yes, even I think the was Aristos. I remember HVK talking about it almost 7-8 years back!

Sai Annapoorna veg is a good option for fast and early travelers south of Salem. However we halted at Salem for break, both while going and coming back from Kodai. Gives a nice half way point.

[smnrock]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Its more than a year or two since this hotel was closed. Before Ammaiyappar, its name was Vaibhav Laxmi and before that it was Aristos, I think.

i guess it's not closed completely, may be opens only evening time. I've been there twice in the last one year. They have kids play area and also having projector setup in the open area.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by smnrock

i guess it's not closed completely, may be opens only evening time. I've been there twice in the last one year. They have kids play area and also having projector setup in the open area.

Oh..really? I have not seen this open during breakfast timing. This was my regular stop when it was called as "Aristos", very convenient place as its kind of mid-point for my Bangalore - Nagercoil trips. I will check this place during my next drive.

[smekad]

I am planning to travel to Kodai this weekend. I am travelling with infant and a child. Planning to start early at 6am (that is the earliest we can start owing to infant).

We plan to break for breakfast at Salem, however I am not sure if we can reach kodai for lunch as I am not an aggressive driver and with kids I will have to take frequent breaks. Not to mention the ghat section slows us down considerably due to motion sickness.

Given this what would be a good restaurant near dindigul or 4 hrs from salem?

Thanks in advance