november - Tamil Keral & Hampi, please help

maltabella

Hello everybody ,
less than one month and I go back to India, cannot wait any more, but, like last year, so many doubts are araising. I would be much obliged if any kind soul could help me in solving my doubts, here is my schedule, please do not hesitate to comment it and leave your suggestion.

31/10 arrive MUMBAI
01/11 MUMBAI flight HUBLI – HUBLI train HAMPI (arrive 16:00ca)
02/11 HAMPI
03/11 HAMPI (19.55) train BANGALORE (06.10)
04/11 BANGALORE – KANCHIPURAM (16.00)
05/11 KANCHIPURAM – MAMMALAPURAM – KANCHIPURAM
06/11 KANCHIPURAM – TIRUVANNAMALAI
07/11 TIRUVANNAMALAI
08/11 TIRUVANNAMALAI – KUMBAKONAM
09/11 KUMBAKONAM – TANJORE
10/11 TANJORE – TIRUCHCHIRAPPALLI
11/11 TIRUCHCHIRAPPALLI – MADURAI
12/11 MADURAI
13/11 MADURAI (23.00ca) train TRIVANDRUM (06.00ca)
14/11 KERALA
15/11 KERALA
16/11 KERALA
17/11 TRIVANDRUM(16.10) flight MUMBAY(18.55)

Questions:
- is there any fastest way to get to Kanchipuram from Hampi instead of going to Bangalore and from here to Chennai? Could it be possible to head directly to TIRUVANNAMALAI from Bangalore and the going north to KANCHIPURAM and MAMMALAPURAM?
- What is the best route to get to KUMBAKONAM from TIRUVANNAMALAI?
- Is it ok to go to TRIVANDRUM from MADURAI if I like to spend few days at beaches and/or backwaters?
Any further suggestion welcomed,
Thank a lot everybody and see you soon in India!!!

steven_ber

Tirumalai, look it up and wet your lips.

Train 7416 departs Hospet daily at 22:25 and gets to Tirupati at 08:45 (2A, 3A, SL.)

Then Train 6351 departs Tirupati (on Sunday) at 12:30 and gets to Kanchipuram at 15:18 (2A, 3A, SL.)

This doesn't save you much time compared to the Bangalore option (though it gets you an extra couple of hours in Hampi), but if the train to Tirupati arrives on time I'd jump in a taxi to Tirumalai for a couple of hours.

Look for Tirumalai in your guide book and you'll choose this option, I think Tirumalai is the most visited place in India, though not by foreign tourists.

It's just a pity you won't have enough time for a haircut.

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maltabella

thank you steven, i gonna check.
do you or some one else think the itinerary is doable?

atala

Steven Ber, you are mixing up Tirumala near Tirupati in A.P. with Tiruvannamalai, the place of Maharshi, in T.N. which is meant by maltabella.

steven_ber

?????

No, I wasn't getting mixed up, the route I suggested to get from Hospet to Kanchipuram involved an overnight train from Hospet to Tirupati, then a 4 hour wait till the train from Tirupati to Kanchipuram, I was just suggesting that a quick trip up to Tirumalai may be a good idea.

I see Tirumalai is also spelt Tirumala depending on what map I use.

atala

Ahh, I see

maltabella

Thank you guys,
is it Kumbakonam really worth a visit? I am thinking about headin directly to TRICHY from TIRUVANNAMALAI, staying here for 3 days and from here visiting TANJORE and some surroundings, Could it be a good idea?
thank you max

atala

I personally think it is always a good idea to drop places from an itinerary. I personally would not want to go to more than 5 places on a one-month-trip (let alone shorter). If you rush thru on a short trip you have a lot of travel hassle without getting much of the atmosphere of the places.

In addition, I would hire a car now and then, because you see much more and can stop where you like. Your trip from Tiruvannamali to Trichy by car would be around 1200 Rupees, which is just 21 Euros...

Also it is rainy season in Tamil Nadu in November, take that into account. It can be a messy affair at times...

In Trichy I would stay near the Ranganath Temple (worth seeing) outside of Trichy; the market extends right into the temple area, portal after portal which gives it a nice atmosphere. Good photo opportunities, cameras allowed in the outer wall areas. No admission for non-Hindus though at the inner sanctum sanctorum. But you get to see enough. After Tiruvannamalai with nice temple atmosphere you know it already well.

maltabella

THANK YOU ATALA,
is anything worth a visit along 45 highway from tiruvannamalai to trichy?
ps
1200 Rs, today are around 60 euros

atala

60.00 EUR = 3,383.79 INR
Euro India Rupees
1 EUR = 56.3966 INR 1 INR = 0.0177316 EUR

http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi

atala

the scenery by itself is worth seeing which you do not see in a bus with loud music or videos...

Else, what is interesting to you? sometimes you see small temples, or those guarding spirits on horseback, just a number of horses in clay with a number of figures around them, right at the roadside. Keep your eyes open and ask the driver to stop any time you see something you want to check out. But get out of the car only at the side close to the edge of the road.

maltabella

sorry atala, it was a mistake ... hope my boss isn't a member... I am a bank employee

maltabella

hi guys,
anybody can tell me something aout Kerala and trivandrum? Is it easy to go to backwaters from here or is ok just for beaches like kovalam?
tnx

jeet

Check these sites:

http://www.keralatourism.org/
http://www.kerala-backwaters-houseboats.com/
http://www.ktdc.com/
http://www.kerala-tourism.net/
http://www.keralagreenery.org/

Hope you may get some good info.

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Have fun,
Jeet,
http://www.bangalorebeats.com/bangaloreblog/

Nick-H

Yes, it is easy. Allepey, which is a very few hours away, is the big centre for backwater cruises.

You'll find lots of information already Kerala on the site already: I suggest you browse, and I thinhk you'll find all your questions answered.

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