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The quality of the roads varies. Generally the National Highways are wider and well maintained, though some of the state highways too are in excellent condition. The trouble for Kerala is climate. The Monsoon season is comparatively long and strong in Kerala. It creates havoc on the road condition, year on year. Together with its relatively high density of vehicle usage, a long bus ride in Kerala can be bumpy affair.

NH66

NH66 is the longest national highway in Kerala passes through almost all the districts of the state.

In fact NH 66 starts from Panvel , located south of Mumbai and joins NH544 at Edappally, a northern suburb of Cochin. South of Ernakulam, NH66 further continues towards Trivandrum and end at Kanyakumari in Tamilnadu.

Thus NH 66 connects five states - Maharashtra , Goa , Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu. This highway almost passes along the western cost linking the Konkan, Malabar and Cochin regions.

As you drive from south to north along NH66 it passes through regions were different languages are spoken. For example in Tamilnadu ( Tamil), kerala (Malayalam) , Karnataka (Kannada & Tulu) , Goa (Konkani) and Maharastra ( Marathi).

As is along the coastal line , the climate is practically uniform with humid sea breeze . So is the scenery peppered with coconut grooves, hills, paddy fields and rivers. Though it is straight and broader at many places NH 66 has innumerable curves, up hills and occasional humps.

As you come out of the Cochin city via the NH 47 bypass, you can spot this huge signboard at the Edappally junction (Lulu Mall Junction) showing direction to NH66. It's a 4-way junction. Straight ahead is NH66, towards your right NH544 continues to Thrissur ( Trichur) , towards left is Cochin City.

Initially NH66 zigzags through a thickly populated narrow section of road. After about 20 kilometers from the Edapally Junction the driving is less taxing.

[#route] NH 66 route along Kerala stretch towards Kasaragod from Ernakulam City is : Edappally -Paravoor - Kodungallur - Pallippuram - Guruvayur - Ponnani - Valakkulam - Tirurangadi - Kozhikode - Vadakara - Nadapuram Road - Thalassery - Kannur - Cherukunnu - Kokkanisseri - Hosdurg - Pallikkara - Kasaragod -Kurchipalla (exit Kerala) . The next major town is Mangalore in Karnataka.

NH 66 route along Kerala stretch from Trivandrum towards Ernakulam City is :

(Tamilnadu border) Kaliyakkavilai - Parassala - Neyyattinkara - Thiruvananthapuram city - Kazhakuttam - Attingal - Chathannur - Kottiyam - Kollam - Karunagappally - Kayamkulam - Haripad - Ambalapuzha - Alappuzha - Cherthala (bypass) - Aroor - Ernakulam (bypass)- Edappally

NH544

NH544 ( old NH47)  connects two towns in Tamilnadu - Salem and Ernakulam. NH 47 is one of the busiest highways in Kerala. Traffic jams are not unusual especially when it passes through some busy cities. Though it is bypassing the city , driving along the Cochin bypass of NH 47 can take even 1 hours for a short distance.

[#route] NH 47 route in Kerala : (Tamilnadu border) - Ernakulam (Edappally Junction) - Kalamassery - Aluva - Angamaly - Chalakudy - Thrissur (bypass) - Mannuthy - Vadakkencherry - Alathur - Palakkad (bypass) - Walayar (Tamilnadu border) . The next major city is Coimbatore in Tamilnadu.

NH49