Day 1 – Kochi To Athirapally
We landed in Kochi to grey skies and rain-soaked roads. The monsoon not only arrived before we did, but was thriving. The Honda cars were lined up with the City, Elevate, City Hybrid, and the new-generation Amaze, waiting for us. The Honda team gave us a proper Malayali welcome, and we wrapped ourselves in the ‘kaili mundu’ (lungi-style garment) before loading our cars with luggage.
The drive for the first day was a rather short but scenic one from Kochi to Athirapally at just over 60 km. While not much in terms of driving distance, it promised great views along the way. We were handed the keys to the City petrol automatic, and nothing says Honda like this sedan in India. “A perfect way to start the drive,” I thought to myself.
The 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine remains one of the most refined engines out there, and it just felt right with the City. It didn’t take long for us to leave the city roads for the winding route across the Ezhattumugham forest. Surrounded by a dense forest on one side and the Chalakudy River on the other, the City soldiered on without a fuss, with the sedan body style hardly being an issue. The underbody remained intact through the broken roads, and the CVT made our lives easier, telling us why it commands a strong goodwill as a comfortable sedan.
The stormy weather, coupled with the dense green cover, made for some great photo-ops along the way. The Ezhattumugham forest is home to wildlife, including elephants, and we tried to spot some on the way. As luck would have it, the elephant came to us, as we saw a relatively young one, grabbing a snack on the highway. This was a sight to behold, seeing this majestic creature in its element, clueless of the traffic it caused on both sides of the highway. But nature’s magnificence was waiting for us at the Athirapally Falls, more popularly known as the ‘Baahubali Falls’, since the movie was shot here. Our hotel for the night overlooked the Athirapally Falls, and just as we grabbed our seats in the restaurant area, some lovely tea and pakoras (fritters) made their way right in time to enjoy the view.
Day 2 – Athirapally To Munnar via Pariyaram
The plan for the second day was simple – drive from Athirapally to Munnar, a distance of 130 km that takes about 3.5 hours to cover. Our drive for the day was the new Amaze manual. But before we headed towards Munnar, we took a small detour towards the Charpa Waterfalls further down the road. A quick photo-op later, we were supposed to set our navigation for Munnar. However, there is no network beyond the Athirapally Waterfalls. Being the last car in the convoy with no one to reach out to, we decided to trust our navigation skills, or rather lack of, and drove in the direction that looked more scenic. I mean, what could go wrong?
To be fair, we did ask the local forest guards if they had seen other Honda cars with the ‘D2D’ going in the same direction. The guard just nodded towards us, and we took that as an affirmation. We even asked him if this route would take us to Munnar, to which he responded yes, but did not disclose that this route takes 250 km to get there.
We decided to pursue the forest road, and boy, oh boy, was this scenic. Freshly laid tarmac, no traffic, and the morning sun shining bright with the occasional clouds. Everything seemed perfect for some time. But we sensed something wasn’t right as the phone network, ergo navigation, was still inactive. We couldn’t see another Honda vehicle in sight either.
About 40 km into the forest, we decided to stop at the Thottapura View Point overlooking the Sholayar Dam. A bunch of local motorcyclists also stopped here, and we decided to ask for help with our whereabouts. One of them was receiving a phone signal and told us we were travelling in the opposite direction. It was at this moment I learnt that what’s the point of having a compass if you don’t have a map.
It was now time to decide – should we drive back or continue on this route and drive for another 200 km to Munnar? As tempting as the second option sounded, we decided to scoot back in the same direction we came, trailing nearly two hours behind everyone else.
The Honda Amaze came into its element with its tight chassis and a responsive engine, allowing us to catch up with the gang in a reasonable time. Making our way back to Athirapally, the roads went through the forest again, not as smooth this time, but the Amaze’s ride quality ensured we remained comfortable throughout the journey. Rubber plantations, narrow roads, and grey skies made up the next few hours as we climbed up to Munnar. The manual transmission did a great job when I wanted to be in control, complemented by the free-revving 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine. We made it to Munnar before sundown, giving us enough time to enjoy some tea and explore the local market for spices and chocolates.
Day 3 – Munnar To Kodaikanal
This was the third day of the drive, and this time it was the new Amaze Automatic that came our way. We needed to cover a distance of 180 km to Kodaikanal with plenty of twisties. First things first, we decided to stick to the convoy and downloaded maps to be safer. We then proceeded towards the famous Gap Road, a perfect location to see where your tea comes from. It is home to vast tea plantations and stunning panoramic views that will leave you speechless.
The luscious green cover is complemented by the clouds as you appear to drive into some. The wide road and fast corners here make it a driver’s paradise, and the Amaze continued to impress as a well-packaged all-rounder – be it in terms of space, comfort, refinement or quality. The CVT may not be the wisest choice for the steep ascents, but it certainly made our drive stress-free.
The Gap Road should be on your bucket list as one of the most enjoyable driving destinations, more so in the monsoon season. Time slows down here, and we found ourselves frequently parking on the shoulder to click pictures of the cars and ourselves. Sip on some chai, eat some corn, and see the tea pluckers harvesting leaves. Don’t forget to take some local produce home.
Being the longest leg of the drive, we rolled down into Tamil Nadu, and a quick lunch break later, it was time to climb towards Kodaikanal. The ascent to the ‘Queen of the hills’ was filled with local buses, tourist vehicles, and more on some narrow roads, and the Amaze did a good job of keeping up with everything the hills threw at it. We reached the hotel just in time for a quick snack, saving the big appetite for dinner.
It was also our last night on the drive, and what better way than games to bring this motley crew together. What followed was a round of dumb charades, which turned into many by the end of the night. From obscure movie titles to some weird enactments, the night was filled with hearty laughs.
Day 4 – Kodaikanal To Coimbatore
Time for the last day of the drive, and I finally got my chance behind the Honda Elevate. We need to make it to the airport in time, a distance of 170 km from Kodaikanal to Coimbatore. It took us two hours to climb down to the plains. While the early morning temperatures were soothing, the plains of Tamil Nadu reminded us that summer wasn’t over yet. Nevertheless, we had some 90 km to go, and the flat and fast highways ensured a higher average speed. The Elevate’s 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine came in handy with its strong mid-range, allowing us to maintain highway speeds with ease. The manual gearbox offered slick shifts, and the SUV remained impressive with its high-speed stability. A chink in the armour was the poor NVH levels at high speeds.
This was my first time in Kerala, and it lived up to the reputation. The scenic roads, green forests, stunning wildlife, and amazing cuisine came together effortlessly with Honda’s cars, reminding me why I love to drive. The Honda Drive To Discover 13 presented itself as the perfect opportunity to not only experience the brand’s wide range but also explore a new part of the country. Where do I sign up for the next one?
Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2025, Best SUVs in India.
First Published Date: 08 Aug 2025, 08:09 am IST
