Drive along the Western Ghats
Make your way through the Nilgiri Mountains in Ooty, glide by the Konkan Coast, and arrive at the beaches of Goa.
Day 1 Ooty
Smooth winding roads surrounded by verdant plantations and rolling hills— Ooty in Tamil Nadu makes for the ideal starting point for your road trip adventure along the Western Ghats. Ooty, or Udhagamandalam, is a three-hour drive from Coimbatore International Airport. Kick start your journey from here but not before exploring its colonialera bungalows, bazaars, temples, and tea plantations. If you have time, take the leisurely train ride from Ooty to Mettupayalam along the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, via postcard stops like Coonoor, Wellington, and Lovedale.
Day 2 Bandipur National Park
Mudumalai is just 45 kilometres from Ooty.
Visit the Bandipur Tiger Reserve and National Park where you can spot the tiger, elephant, leopard, Indian bison, spotted deer, sloth bears, and over 350 species of birds ( bandipurnationalpark.com). From here, a four-hour-long drive to Kannur in Kerala via the Malabar Hill Highway is alluring—the highway turns smoother and the landscape greener as you approach the state of Kerala. Stop by the Muzhappilangad drivein beach for an exhilarating drive along the shimmering Malabar coastline. Pick any of the independent beach houses by the Thottada Beach Stays for the night and go on idyllic night strolls among the mangroves, enjoy Malabari dinner paired with a performance, and wake up to stunning beach views ( starts from ` 4,100/USD55; thottadabeachhouse.com).
Day 3 Kannur
You may want to spend some time in Kannur, for this little coastal town in northern Kerala has a lot to offer. Visit the 14th-century St. Angelos Fort, a massive sea-facing structure built by the first Portuguese viceroy in India. Take a laid-back boat ride in the backwaters of Kavvayi Islands and drop by the Arakkal Museum ( keralatourism.org), the former residence of the only Muslim royal family of Kerala. Farther ahead on the Konkan belt in the state of Karnataka is Mangaluru, a 143-kilometre drive through National Highway 66. A diamond in the rough, Mangaluru has an appealing non-touristy vibe and urges you to spend your time surfing, admiring the architecture of local temples, and gorging on the delicious Mangalorean cuisine including the famous neer dosa, chicken ghee roast, kori rotti (rice crisps), fish
pulimunchi (fish in coconut and tamarind gravy), and more. The Gateway Hotel Old Port Road, Mangalore (starts from ` 5,640/ USD76; tajhotels.com) and Goldfinch Hotel Mangalore ( starts from ` 3,499/USD47; goldfinchotels.com) offer
luxury stay options.
Day 4 Goa
The last leg of your road adventure—the 345-kilometre drive from Mangaluru to Goa via National Highway 66—brims with untouched beaches and interesting pit stops like Kaup, Udupi, and Bhatkal. En route Goa, you may stop to see the 100-year-old lighthouse at Kaup, pray at the Sri Krishna Matha Temple in Udupi, go parasailing on Malpe Beach, laze in a hammock on Devbagh Island near Karwar, and visit the 16th-century Jattappa Chandra Natheswara Jain Temple in Bhatkal. In stretches, the highway to Goa is flanked by the ocean on one side and jade rivers on the other. You may need to be slightly wary of traffic, but Goa is worth it, with its trendy bars, beach shacks, elegant cafes, and many clubs and discotheques. Try The Leela Goa, a property sprawled across 75 acres, with a winding river on one side and the azure blue sea on the other ( starts from ` 13,500/ USD183; theleela.com).