South India trip - Please Help!

sahara82

Hi, I'm heading to South India in January next year - I've got 33 days in total. I want to see heaps but still have some time for r & r - am I totally crazy to try and do this much? My only restrictions are that I'm flying in and out of Kochi and really want to be in Tamil Nadu for Pongal.

Kochi
Munnar
Mysore
Chennai
Tirupathi
Mamallapuram
Pondicherry
Trichy
Madurai
Trivundrum
Varkala
Kollam - Allapuzha backwaters trip

Any suggestions of places not "worth it" would be much appreciated! Thanks guys!!!

capt_mahajan

you are doing too much.

unless i was religious, i would knock off tirupathi.

and then, maybe trivandrum and madurai.

mysore? worth a visit, but its a spur off your track, kind of. if you do mysore, perhaps ooty/nilgiris instead of munnar??

sahara82

Thanks for your help! I thought Tirupathi looked quite interesting from my Lonely Planet (yes I know infinitely useless book)but I don't mind letting it go if it's nothing special. Also I was sort of just heading through Madurai and Trivundrum to break up the journey... but perhaps I can find an alternative route.

nedhopkins

I'd add a place: Kanchipuram. It has some marvelous temples. If you need to conserve time, it can be visited with Mamallapuram in a single day from Chenai.

dhans

Hi Sahara,

33 days is a good length for a trip like this. We also traveled along those lines that you can read about on:

http://www.indiamike.com/india/journ...urnal&j=9 402

Happy travels,

Hans

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TimMakins

Its very difficult to answer a question like this, as we know so little about you. What you like. What you want to see. Your style of travelling and available budget. You are an Australian female - no help there. You know about Pongal, and have got a Lonely Planet handbook - well both those things are encouraging. Have you plotted the locations on a map and tried to work out how to get from one to the other, and in what order? Your list suggest the order might have been thought about. What means of transport are you intending to use - public, or car and driver? That makes a big difference about what you can fit in.

We have to assume that YOU don't think your list is too much, and that YOU are interested in the places you list. Generally, I would say 'Go for it' as you have obviously considered your list reasonable before submitting it.

I would leave in Tirupathi - its a fascinating place in itself, and as the major pilgrimage place for South Indians, certainly the richest, it will give you a unique insight into the serious business of pilgrimage for Indians; quite different from Madurai, the other 'pilgrimage must-see'. Tip: avoid the queues for darshan by temporarily 'converting to Hinduism' and paying a small charge.

I would miss out Chennai: although it has its supporters, quite frankly from a tourist's point of view there is hardly a morning's sight-seeing really. This may come as a suprise to you, as its one of the major cities of India, and the regional capital, so you'll just have to take my word on this: Chennai sucks.

Its a good thing that you have still plenty of time before you leave. The secret of fitting a lot in a short time is good preparation. Plot where you want to go on a map. The advantage of doing this is that not only can you then work out routes, but you can also see which other places nearby might be worth visiting. Find out your means of travel, then make the crucial bookings, especially overnight trains, as soon as possible. You might even consider an Indrail pass for 30 days: they may be more expensive, but their unique advantage is that you can make rail bookings before the normal 60 day period, thus guaranteeing a reservation.

Tim in England - occasional researcher for Footprint South India Handbook

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fsg

Tirupati is a must, the richest temple in the world. They make millions £ by selling the tonsured hair alone!. Pongal is over 4 days, bogi, surya, mattu, and kanum, when the men get legless. They also have a bull fight somewhere near Madurai, calledd JALIKATTU.

The Pongal Kollams are very competitive, taking some 8 hours for a family to make, they start just after midnight, very decorative, preceeding days tins of paint and new harnesses are sold at every street corner, and on Mattu day they bring the bullocks gaily decorated to be blessed at the temple. Its best seen in a small town.

Munnar is OK if you want to see wall to wall tea, but otherwise its pretty unexciting, one of these 'honeymoon' hill stations beloved of Indians, like Naini Tal, equally unexciting

SitaParityaga

I went to Madurai during Pongal a few years ago, specifically to see the jallikatu (bull races) in Alanganalur.

Jallikatu is not everyone's cup of tea. Read about it and judge for yourself. I thought it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen in India. I had a blast with the locals too.

http://www.worldisround.com/articles...1/photo25.html

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...me/999/way/asc

When I was there, the local tourism development folks arranged to pick up people at various hotels in Madurai to take them (for free) to some of the local pongal celebrations just outside of town. Alanganalur is where the most organized jallikatu takes place, but I have heard there are other ones in smaller villages as well.

Jorge Reverter

Sahara82,

In my opinion to visit Tiruppati/Tirumala is a must. Once in Mamallapuram you must also visit Kanchipuram.

On your way south from Mamallap. to Trichy, is mandatory to visit Chidambaram, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam. Pondichery is not very interesting, only if you want to have a look at Auroville.

Jorge

ddevadatta

If yu do go to Mysore, which is really laid back, then a must should be the Tibetan colonoy near the Nagerhole National Forest (Also called Rajiv Ghandhi. There stay at the Jungle INN, the only family owned resort. Real laid back and greta place just to relax and deepending on season some very good wild life. I think contact info for this place is listed here in IM.

Then in Mysore there are usual tourist places. I found relaxing was just as much a memorable experience (travel is ALL about memories) than being frantic in trying to get to many places with little time and also trying to see too much in each given place.

Happy planning!

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sahara82

Thank you so much everyone!! Really a great help!

TimMakins - Here's a bit about myself and my trip:
I'm a 23 yr old female from Brisbane, Aus. I'm travelling with my cousin and my partner. This will be my second trip to India. I love festivals and that's why Pongal is a must. And I love beaches (who doesn't) and getting a little bit off the beaten track. And yes... I have worked out the mode of transport between each of these - doing it all by bus or train. Last time I had more than 2 months, so with the short time schedule I agree that planning ahead is good!!

Thanks for the alternative opinions on Tirupathi as a destination. I am personally very interested in it so will keep it in!

My cousin is the one who wants to go to Munnar so badly... maybe he can be convinced otherwise....

dhans

If you go to the South, I would defenitely visit one of the hill stations, Munnar is fine and can probably be fit in somewhere between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Alternatively visit Ooty between Mysore and Kochi.

Happy travels,

Hans

fsg

Glad you mentioned your mode of travel. Busses go everywhere!
I read a post from someone wheo had enjoyed Pondy but went everywhere by car. That fine if you want to spend that sort of money , but no everyone does. Id certainly put Kumbakonam on the musts as well as Tanjore.. Madurai leaves me cold, tho its a wondrous sight on the exterior, all down to preference.
Enjoy your trip

rangss

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Nick-H

I'm with Rangss on that one!

In terms of sightseeing yes, you can probably achieve the ticklist ---one temple, check; one museum, check; one church, check; one beach, check....

But travel is surely more than a checklist!