too much choice - Tamil Nadu and Kerala!

divadino

Hi
I've got 16 days once i land in Chennai (from Dehli) to see a bit of Southern India and I'm somewhat overwhelmed by what to choose and how to get from A to B without over stressing myself (and allowing for illness - so ideally keeping buses to minimum in case i get caught short ). I can probably fit in a few Deccan flights into the budget to help things along.

So what to see in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and how to get there. Travelling alone. Thought I would finish off in Bangalore and fly up to Mumbai for 2 days (enough time?) before flying back to London. Mix of temples, culture, wildlife, backwaters etc. Love watching the waves on the sea but not a big one for sitting on the beach for hours sunbathing!

any ideas guys?

Dinah
x

Jorge Reverter

Hi Divadino,

My advice is: Move by car and driver, and my itinerary should be:

Chennai
Mahabalipuram
Kanchipuram
Pondichery
Chidambaram
kumbakonam
Thanjavur
Trichy
Madurai
Thekady - Periyar
Munnar
Allepey - Backwaters
Kochi

and back home via Bombay

Jorge

Digital Drifter

Second that. take your time in Kumbakonam, Madurai & Allepey backwaters.

regards,
Digital Drifter

divadino

Thanks guys!

Do you think I'd manage to fit all that in - where should I spend the most time and the least time within this?

What no trains, buses? Just a driver and car? Won't that be expensive for over 2 weeks by myself or do I just get different drivers at different points that are not as accessible by train/bus?

What about Kanniyakumari - everyone seems to rave about it - and also Ooty? Should I even attempt to make it up to Mysore (especially if I'm flying out of Bangalore) or leave it til another trip?

cheers

Dinah

Jorge Reverter

Hi Dinah,

You can get the same car and drriver since Chennai Airport to Kochi airport. The cost average AC car should be around 1600/1700 Rupees/per day all included. The difference between buses and trains is because you only have 16 days.

In my opinion avoir Chennai and drive direct from the airport to Mahabalipuram, you will enjoy the place. From there you can visit Kanchipuram. Most of the places are temple villages really impressives. You can spend a couple of days in Madurai and visit several temples not far from the town. The mountains in Kerala are prettty nice with tea and spice plantations. The backwaters is something you probably never forget. Fort Cochin is also good place to stay enjoying fresh fish in front of the chinesse
nets, and from Kochi airport you have several daily flights to Mumbai.

Probably you must leave Mysore and other places for your next journey.

Jorge

radz

divadino:
For 16 days you cant spend much time on all the place.Even if you travel by car also.
You can land Kochi,then can start from there.
Kochi

Thekady - Periyar
Allepey - Backwaters 3 days(I suggest you can spend more time here .

I would prefer Trivendram and Kanyakumari.AFTER Allepey backwaters you can head towards Trivendram and Kanyakumari-Madurai &other places.

Tamil Nadu these place must i suggest.
Madurai
Thanjavur
Chidambaram
Pondichery (you can skip Pondi if u want dont few ppl dont like.)
Kanchipuram
Mahabalipuram
Chennai .

Happy travelling.

Radz

__________________
My Photo gallery

divadino

Thanks Radz

I'm not starting from Cochin..... I start in Chennai and then finish in Cochin or preferably Bangalore. So how would you pace your suggestions across 16 days and which bits would you do by train, which bits by bus and which by car/driver?

thanks

Dinah

Jorge Reverter

I think the only way for visiting all this places in 16 days is by car & driver the whole traject. If you are going southwards to Madurai and then Kerala, Bangalore is far away and the nearest airport should be Kochi with a lot of flights to Mumbai and Delhi. Fort Cochin is a nice place to spend a day.

If traveling by bus and/or train you will spend a big part of the time sharing the experiences with locals. Is for sure the best way to travel in India but probably for longer stays. [IMG] Bus queue[/IMG]

Jorge Reverter

The pic has not been sent

divadino

Ok Jorge

I get your point! I'm feeling all nervous now you've put that picture up there!

What about luxury buses?!!!!

Does the cost of 1700 rps per day with car include drivers accommodation (mine I know would be extra) and also do I have to pay for him to travel back to Chennai? What are the roads like in TN / Kerala.

It looks like trains along the Kerala coastline are frequent, so maybe I could "experience" train travel on this bit of the trip!?!

By the way, I saw you were planning a trip for your brother in Rajasthan. I'm going to spend 3 weeks there before flying to Chennai. Still debating whether to do it by public transport or with Intrepid tour (which still uses public transport but at least there is a guide who does all the organising/booking etc.). When is your brother going? Is he alone too?!


Dinah

Jorge Reverter

Hi Dinah,

The pic in my last message was just a joke.

Price for car & driver includes everything: driver accommodation ad the travel back. The roads all over India are not good ( it's an euphemism, frankly speaking they are terrible, but is a part of the indian experience).

A good idea should be to take the car in Chennai airport for par of your travel and for instance in Kochi or Alleppey or Kotttayam after the backwaters you
can go south to Quilon (Kollam) and Varkala by train to have the experience
(in my opinion is a must). And can fly from Trivandum(Thiruvananthapuram) to
Mumbai/Delhi etc.

My brother is traveling on 15th October and is going with his wife (she is from London). I think other IMikers are travelling to Rajasthan next October, make the question.

My advice in Rajasthan is to use night's trains as distances are quite big.

Jorge

radz

divadino:
Roadz are not bad that much,last few years in Tamil Nadu &Kerala so much improvement.The place you going main roads, i think by car will be fine.
If you are starting from Chennai then
Kanchipuram
Mahabalipuram
Pondichery
Chidambaram
Thanjavur
Madurai

From Madurai to Munnar.
Munnar
Thekady - Periyar
Allepey backwaters
Kochi.
Bangalore you have to all the way from Cochi,that you can try train or flight.

divadino

Thanks Jorge and Radz

You guys are stars! Even though the buses are seriously and ridiculously cheap around TN and the distances quite short to visit places between Chennai and Madurai - I think you are right Jorge, I should forgo a bit of the "cultural" experience of the bus and get a driver at least to Madurai or to Kochi. From Chennai (which most people think is not worth visiting - do you agree?) to Kochi, stopping a the places Radz suggests (although will probably miss out Pondicherry), by car would 9 days be enough or too rushed? Jorge do you have any recommendations of a driver from Chennai (is that how you covered this area when you were there?)?

Then I could spend 7 days around Kochi, Allepey, Varkalam, Trivendrum, and down to Kanyakumari by train or bus and of course boat! Is this more than enough.

I doubt I would have time to fit in Ooty and Mysore too, so maybe I should just fly straight from Trivandrum up to Mumbai. At least that way I might manage to relax!

Jorge - re Rajasthan - I'm going in December - and I've worked out how I could get around on trains and buses (and some car) by myself, but I'm really leaning towards doing the Intrepid trip (which would cost twice as much as doing it myself) but as time is precious and I don't know how "disorientated" and "culture shocked" I'll be when I arrive, so it's a good way of easing myself into India - let someone else book all the trains etc. and be there everyday to support me and the group.

thanks

Dinah

Jorge Reverter

Dinah,

Pondicherry in some districts looks like a french colonial seatown, mainly interesting french people and searchers of spirituality in Aurobindo's Ashram. Comsuption of alcohol is allowed and you don't need to stay in dark rooms just for having a beer. Few km from there you should visit Auroville (you can do it on your way south) I think it's worth the time you spend.

I have travelled through TN by car. Here you have a web site for hiring a car:

www.allindiatours.com The owner is Mr. Karunanidhi

Probably 10/12 days will be more than ennough for this part of TN. If interested I'll give you my prefered itinerary. But do not leave Kerala without paying a visit to the backwaters.

Jorge

divadino

Hi Jorge

Great - yes if you can PM me your itinerary (any good hotels and tips about places to see on the way, travel time etc. would be great too). Also your Rajasthan itinerary would be great too - although I do think I'll pay a couple of hundred pounds more to do an organised trip on public transport just so I can get into the swing of things!

thanks

Dinah

ps - where do you live in Spain?