[Wind]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thats actually true. In fact when driving towards north on NH4, one can still maintain that kind of timings, even with a sedate drive. For example a breakfast break is almost at 350km in about 4 hours. With Hosur 6-lane being up that should be possible. But in spite of that, just because there are not enough good places south of Salem, I typically take it easy to reach Salem at just about 7. With the kind of situation right now, around Hosur, I assume about 2 to 2.5 hours for 200km for Salem. Hence a 4:30 AM start from Bangalore, takes me to Salem by 7. Perfect for steaming hot breakfast at any of the hotels in Salem.

Could you please recommend any good hotels near Salem bye-pass. Also, which is the hotel near Madurai bye-pass that you mentioned in the previous post?

-- Wind

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Wind

Could you please recommend any good hotels near Salem bye-pass. Also, which is the hotel near Madurai bye-pass that you mentioned in the previous post?

Madurai bypass: Arya Bhavan.

Ref : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3410863

Salem:
I have not seen anything like A2B on the bypass. I had noticed a Kamat closer to the outskirts. Dont know if it even survived! Apart from that I mostly rely on Grand Estancia and Park Plaza. Service is quick (as breakfast is a buffet) and no need to mention about clean rest rooms. The places make for a refreshing break. Of course its heavy on purse. But for me, its a once in while drive. So I am OK spending.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by Wind

During the onward journey, I started from Bangalore at 4:30 AM and the plan was to have breakfast at Arya Bhavan which is about 13 kMS before the turn out to Namakkal. The hotel was not open in the morning and so we decided to proceed ahead and the same was the case with Hotel Vaibhav Laxmi and Hotel Fantasy as well. Ultimately, had a sandwich at CCD which is near Fantasy.

Fantasy opens during lunch timings only. 20 Kms from Fantasy, you have Hotel Saravanas on the right side and then immediately after the toll on the madurai bypass you have hotel Hari's restaurant on the right side. We always prefer Hari's restaurant.

Originally Posted by kala

There used to be a restaurant on the left side of the road just after Karur bye-pass which was quite decent.

I think you are talking abour aristos which is now called as vaibhav laxmi. The one next to a BP.

Originally Posted by Wind

Could you please recommend any good hotels near Salem bye-pass. Also, which is the hotel near Madurai bye-pass that you mentioned in the previous post?
-- Wind

Immediately after the toll on the madurai bypass you have hotel Hari's restaurant on the right side.

The one mentioned by CrAzY dRiVeR is on the Dindugal-Madurai road I guess. Not on the madurai bypass.

[aviddenis]

Hi,

I just completed the Bangalore Kanyakumari Bangalore stretch as part of my Kanyakumari to Himachal, Ladakh road trip. The roads were excellent and we could do both sides in 8 hours each with a couple of tea/coffee breaks both the times. The tolls though were on the higher side (Rs. 720/ each way). Would be happy to anser any queries that I can.

[ravib]

Last week i did Bangalore-Tirunelveli-Nagercoil-Bangalore trip.

A new A2B restaurant is coming up in Vadipatti BP COCO outlet, just before Samayanallur/Madurai outskirts. Will be a good stop over for those who travelling towards Salem/Bangalore when starting from Kanyakumari/Nagercoil.

For an early start from Bangalore and those who travel towards Tirunelveli and beyond, this A2B will be an alternate good stop for Lunch apart from Hari's restaurant after Thirumangalam Toll. Ideal for refuelling as well after driving about 400+ kms.

In all Toll Plazas, dedicated FASTag lanes are ready and is expected to be operational towards end of August or early September.

-Ravi

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by ravib

For an early start from Bangalore and those who travel towards Tirunelveli and beyond, this A2B will be an alternate good stop for Lunch apart from Hari's restaurant after Thirumangalam Toll. Ideal for refuelling as well after driving about 400+ kms.

In all Toll Plazas, dedicated FASTag lanes are ready and is expected to be operational towards end of August or early September.

-Ravi

Thanks for the update. Yes, this will be a good alternate for Hari's which is crowded these days. Is this location after Hotel Fantasy while coming towards Madurai?

Recently, we enjoyed sumptuous and delicious breakfast and evening tiffin at Valluvar Family Restaurant, located on the RHS of NH 7, while driving from Bangalore towards Madurai. Good food and clean loo were their USP. They have erected a pandal to protect our parked carks from the immense heat during summers!

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by ampere

Madurai bypass: Arya Bhavan.

Ref : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3410863

Salem:
I have not seen anything like A2B on the bypass. I had noticed a Kamat closer to the outskirts. Dont know if it even survived! Apart from that I mostly rely on Grand Estancia and Park Plaza. Service is quick (as breakfast is a buffet) and no need to mention about clean rest rooms. The places make for a refreshing break. Of course its heavy on purse. But for me, its a once in while drive. So I am OK spending.

Amp, There is a small change in my plan. I will be driving to Kanyakumari first and then to Rameswaram/Dhanushkodi. Which are the good hotels to stay in Kanyakumari. I am not looking at expensive ones. My budget is limited to around 3K/day.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Amp, There is a small change in my plan. I will be driving to Kanyakumari first and then to Rameswaram/Dhanushkodi. Which are the good hotels to stay in Kanyakumari. I am not looking at expensive ones. My budget is limited to around 3K/day.

The prominent one is TTDC which every one goes to. You can also look at Seashore, which I hear is good.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Amp, There is a small change in my plan. I will be driving to Kanyakumari first and then to Rameswaram/Dhanushkodi. Which are the good hotels to stay in Kanyakumari. I am not looking at expensive ones. My budget is limited to around 3K/day.

That is a good decision. If you start early, you can reach Kanyakumari for lunch.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Amp, There is a small change in my plan. I will be driving to Kanyakumari first and then to Rameswaram/Dhanushkodi. Which are the good hotels to stay in Kanyakumari. I am not looking at expensive ones. My budget is limited to around 3K/day.

Look at Vivekananda Kendra or Hotel Sea View (this one may be tad expensive).

[Rohit_Quad]

Hi Everyone. I got some queries regarding the a trip i'm planning.

Planning to leave Hyderabad on the 15th of April for Kanyakumari with 2 of my boys. My plan goes like this -

> Go to Banglore first and spend the friday night there.
> Start to Kanyakumari on the Saturday morning or maybe Sunday Morning depending on how it goes
> Go to Kanyakumari. Do a night halt there.
> Go back to Banglore.
> Spend another night there.
> Come back to Hyderabad.

This is what i have figured out till now. I have got no clue on what to see near Kanyakumari, i know there is a beach and that's about it. For me, these things are more about the drive than the actual destination .

I did go through some posts which were very informative, but people have been spending like 4~5 days for the entire trip. Can people who did this kind of trip kindly suggest some activities or places worth seeing nearby to Kanyakumari or maybe between Kanyakumari and Banglore.

Thanks in advance.

P.S. - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...karnataka.html

Took this thread as inspiration and did this trip in 3.5 days. Close to 2200 Kms of Solo Driving (2~3 more boys as passengers) accompanied by many adventures (camping, night trek, etc.). Was one hell of a trip.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rohit_Quad

This is what i have figured out till now. I have got no clue on what to see near Kanyakumari, i know there is a beach and that's about it. For me, these things are more about the drive than the actual destination.

Agree there is not much to seen. But if you start early morning from Bangalore, you will reach Kanyakumari by late afternoon. And you start the next day morning. See if that is what you want. I would say one more night, even if nothing to do, but laze around. If you are temples guy, instead of 2 nights in Bangalore, spend one in Madurai and go around the main temple.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Rohit_Quad

Can people who did this kind of trip kindly suggest some activities or places worth seeing nearby to Kanyakumari or maybe between Kanyakumari and Banglore.

In Kanyakumari, we have places like Sunset point, Vivekananda Rock, Suchindram temple,Thiruparappu falls, 3D wax museum, Triveni sangamam. When i went to Kanyakumari last December, I spent close to 2 days to cover these places

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Rohit_Quad

Hi Everyone. I got some queries regarding the a trip i'm planning.

Planning to leave Hyderabad on the 15th of April for Kanyakumari with 2 of my boys. My plan goes like this -

> Go to Banglore first and spend the friday night there.
> Start to Kanyakumari on the Saturday morning or maybe Sunday Morning depending on how it goes
> Go to Kanyakumari. Do a night halt there.
> Go back to Banglore.
> Spend another night there.
> Come back to Hyderabad.

This is what i have figured out till now. I have got no clue on what to see near Kanyakumari, i know there is a beach and that's about it. For me, these things are more about the drive than the actual destination .

I did go through some posts which were very informative, but people have been spending like 4~5 days for the entire trip. Can people who did this kind of trip kindly suggest some activities or places worth seeing nearby to Kanyakumari or maybe between Kanyakumari and Banglore.

Thanks in advance.

Frankly IMPO, doing a 1200+ kms trip one way for just one night halt is not worth it unless, you want to cover additional places/spend additional time. I would strongly suggest you to spend additional time for the trip to atleast match the driving time on road.

These are the places you can cover, if you plan for 2 days atleast in and around Kanyakumari.
1) Boating to Vivekandarock/Thiruvalluvar Statue => 0.5 day
2) Suchindram Temple, Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Thotti Palam, Thiruvattaru Temple, Thiruparappu Falls (in linear order) and back to Kanyakumari => 1 day.
3) Sunset and Sunrise at Kanyakumari + Kumari amman temple

As ampere mentioned, if you are not a temple guy, you can skip temples but its worth to visit Padmanabhapuram palace, Thotti Palam and Thiruparappu falls. I did travel in Mar 2014 and the waterfalls had good amount of water, so hoping even in April, it won't be bad.

If you have additional days in hand, you can do Madurai Temple or Yercaud hill station (30 kms ~ 1 hour drive from Salem) for 0.5 day to 1 day, depending on your schedule. Look for Bangalore-Yercaud thread.

-Ravi