Chennai to Madurai - how?

phacops

Hello!

We will come to Chennai in march and would like to proceed to Madurai.

What do you recommend?
By plane?
By train?
or with car and driver?

What shouldn´t we miss on the stretch?
Mahabalipuram probably, Trichy? Tanjore?

Any suggestions for good hotels on the route?

From Madurai I thought to go to the Periyar NP, but am also thinking about Munnar and some trekking to or near Anaimudi.
Any suggestions for this part?

Thanks!

phacops

pundabee

Munnar is good for natural beauty and mountain trekking. Periyar is good for wildlife and forest trekking. You can get to both places by bus from Madurai in less than 4 hours, but Periyar (destination is called Kumily) is much better connected, i.e. the buses are more frequent.

Whether to do Munnar or Periyar, or both, and in which order if both, depends on where you will be going afterwards.

pmvelu

Hi ,

If you would like to do Chennai - Madurai direct(With No Stoppages in between) , then Train is ideal.

If you could hire a Car , then the following route might be interesting.

Chennai - Dakshina Chithra(Arts & Crafts Village) - TTDC Beach Resort Complex (For best beach with no curious onlookers - 5 kms before mahabalipuram))-Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry - Chidambaram (Big Natarajar Temple + Pitchavaram Mangrove Forests Boat Ride ) -Kumbakonam (Temple Town with Lot of temples)- Velankanni (A Big Church with beach) - Thanjavur (Big Temple) -Trichy- Madurai

Hope this helps

anubisgrau

i flew this route (in reverse direction: madurai - chennai) 3 years ago on air deccan. it was cheap and efficient, i recommend that. not more than 2500rp per head.

Indizen

Train No 2637 Pandian Express is a convenient overnight train that leaves Madras at 21:30 to reach Madurai at 6:15. (500 km)

phacops

Thanks for all answers, esp. for pmvelu´s tipps.
Mahabalipuram - isn´t it better a day trip from Chennai?
The others I have to look for.
What about Trichy and Tanjore? Worth a stay? Or should we spend more time in Madurai?


@pundabee: From Periyar we want to go to the backwaters for a housebout tour. Actually I´d prefer Munnar and its mountainous surroundings. Read some interesting threads here... thanks.

But nothing about trekking around Anaimudi. Any hint?

phacops

Lakshmi Bhabi

I just got back from Trichy and really enjoyed Srirangam (make sure you go up on the roof, the Rock Fort and others travelling with me enjoyed Thanjur as well, so I would say it's worth it to stop there. It had a more laid back feeling than Madurai, and I'm glad I didn't miss it. Some other places I really enjoyed were Periyar wildlife sanctuary and Kodaikanal.

Please let me know per email if you'd like me to recommend a wonderful driver; I travelled for nearly 30 days with mine all over Tamil Nadu and he was the best part of the trip. Trust me, finding a safe, reliable driver in India is like striking gold

Trichy Hotels: We were there on business, so we stayed at the SRM hotel and Hotel Sangam, not sure about the rates as they were paid for by the company - but if they are too much try Hotel Femina or Hotel Sevana - there must be others that are cheaper still.

Enjoy!

pmvelu

Yes you are right . Dakshina Chithra + Mahabalipuram can be done as a day trip from chennai . What I suggested is an alternative route through all the interesting places which will lead to your destination (Madurai) without turning back to the originating station.

I am not sure how much time you have but if you have ample time, then :

Day 1 :-

Chennai -Dakshinachithra & Mahabalipuram (Stay)

Day 2:-

Pondicherry (Auroville , Aurabindo ashram, Beach (Stay)

Day 3:-
Chidambrama , Pitchavaram, Velankanni (Stay) OR Kumbakonam (Stay)

Day 4:-

Thanjavur (Big Temple etc..) , Trichy (Stay OR Travel to madurai and stay - Just 2 1/2 hours in car))


Definitely Thanjavur and trichy can be done on a day and there may not be a need to stay in both the places and fyi, Trichy is just 1 Hour (60km) from Thanjavur.

Scandojazzbuff

Because of the proximity of most of the sites in Tamil Nadu that you want to see, I would strongly recommend you to hire a car and driver. SP Mani, spmani6500@yahoo.co.in was the company I used and made the trip for us very enjoyable and efficient. A/c new Ambassador for 1700Rs per day. After you do this, I would go to the following:

Kanchipuram-your intro to the Chola and Pallava temples.
Mamallapuram-more temples and a much better place to hang out for a night or 2. You can get here through Kanchipuram.

Pondicherry. A different place because of the French.

Chidambaram-great temple but keep going toward Thanjavur.

Dharasuram and Thanjavur. Great temples and Thanjavur art gallery is mind blowing.

Trichy and Madurai. Each have great temples.

I went from Madurai to Kumily(Periyar) and then up to Munnar. Very picturesque and a great change from TN. After Kochi, I went to Wayanad Wildlife Preserve in the north of Kerala. This is the best wildlife viewing and a beautiful area. Very few tourists. Kerala is crawling with tourists but most are in Kochi and the south.

phacops

Again thanks for all answers!!

So I think we ga by car and will look for a reliable driver

For the itinerary I have learnt, that Mahabalipuram could be done as day trip - but also that its perhaps better to stay there for night.
I´m not yet decided, because we dont´t like to change hotels too often.

The other recommendations I´ll try to fit in our itinerary.

Hotel recommendations for Madurai I´ll look for ...

But about trekking around Anaimudi no news? Perhaps I´ll post in the trekking-subforum.

phacops

Nick-H

Chennai --> Mahabs: 1-2 hours, depending on where and when you start.

Mahabs --> Pondy: 2 hours.

I'd say it probably depends where you want to wake up, where you spend the night.

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