Sri Lanka in January 2015

[Bower]

Booked a villa in Pitiwella for two weeks in January, be staying with a Swedish couple that have been friends for over 30 years. Grateful for any pointers and must dos and donts from any members that have actually been there. I know DK lived there for a while and BB has been a visitor

[Davis Knowlton]

I lived there from 77-79, thus it's been 35 years since I left. So, can't be much help. You are going to be way down South, and my key recommendation would have been the city of Kandy, in the central mountain region, which hosts the Temple of the Tooth, Buddhism's most famous relic, as well as the botanical gardens which housed the Allies South Asian Command during WW2. That's where the commando school sequences in the Bridge On The River Kwai were shot. Also, as you drive up the winding mountain road, the trees are full of the HUGE fruit bats that were also in that movie.

Not far past Kandy are the tea plantations.

But, I think all of that is quite a ways away for you.

Looks like beach city for you.....

[chassamui]

Hope the OP can manage a few pics. Fascinating place.

[Davis Knowlton]

Above said, the beach resorts are really nice.....or were when I was there. Almost uninhabited beaches, great hotels, fantastic food, good diving. But, 35 years gone, who knows?

During my two years there, I used Sri Lanka as a kick-off point to the Maldives. The Maldives was virtually unknown then, as you could only get to it in a small, very unsafe, Air Ceylon flight from Colombo. The only tourist island was Villingilli. A hut where a German guy had an air compressor and scuba tanks, some huts on the beach. Swimming with hundreds of sea turtles every day.

Then, they reclaimed land, extended the runway to bring in jets direct from Europe, etc, etc......

and it was over.

[Bettyboo]

https://teakdoor.com/travel-the-world...to-thread.html (Sri Lanka photo thread)

[thaimeme]

Hope the OP can manage a few pics. Fascinating place.

Indeed it is.....
If not historically stimulating for those who have interests.

[Bower]

I did check out your post BB and the beaches look great. My wife and the lady of the couple joining us will love them. As for me and my mate it's a car and driver for us most days, exploring. Don't mind all of us having an overnight stop to Kandy.

I might have another go at posting pictures, has it got any easier yet ? It's selfish I know , I love the photos on here and do apriciate the work that goes into it, me I just don't have the patience or perhaps the savy.

[Bettyboo]

I did check out your post BB and the beaches look great. My wife and the lady of the couple joining us will love them. As for me and my mate it's a car and driver for us most days, exploring. Don't mind all of us having an overnight stop to Kandy.

I suspect you'll really enjoy yourself. I enjoyed Thai beaches 20+ years ago, but didn't enjoy my last few trips to Samui or Phuket, and just find Hua Hin and Chaam ok because I was living on Rama 2, so could drive down. But, the Sri Lanka trip was the first time in many years that I've really enjoyed a beach holiday, relaxed, unwound, etc. It's a nice place and cheaper than Thailand.

[Stranger]

Sri Lanka is ace.

Personally I found Kandy a bit boring. Had a fantastic time up in the mountains though, Nuwara Eliya and also Ella, both magical.

For beaches, avoid Hikkaduwa.......Unawattuna is very nice and chilled out though.

[Davis Knowlton]

^In general, I agree. Kandy is interesting for the Temple of the Tooth, if you're into that type of thing. I happened to hit it on the day the elephants parade through the city in the 'tooth ceremony' so it was quite amazing.

Random Thoughts: Those big, black crow-like birds you see in BB's pictures are fearless...they will swoop in on the casual beach diner and snatch the food right off of his plate.

Sri Lankan curries are HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! The beach hotels probably tone them down, but real ones are HOT!!!! I had the hottest curries I've ever had in my life in a local restaurant in Kandy. Lao food is ice cream in comparison.

Before your trip, buy one of those little dashboard men whose head bobbles around up and down and side to side. Stare at it for an hour a day or so. Follow the movements. This will be a great help in communicating with Sri Lankans.

[Davis Knowlton]

Not for rookies.....and not so much a Sri Lanka story, but in 1977 I took the third class train from Colombo all the way to the north of Sri Lanka's Mannar District. From there, I took an incredibly overcrowded ferry to the Indian side. I waited for hours on the Indian side while they tried to figure out how to log me in...no foreigner had made that crossing in years, according to them.

By the time we finished screwing around, I'd missed the express train to Madras. After some curry and tea by the tracks, I finally caught a mail train to Madras. Riding up top with the construction workers as all cars were overflowing.

Hours later, made it to Madras.

The route was closed a couple of years later due to the fighting with the Tamils, although I believe it has recently been reopened.

[Davis Knowlton]

If Bower will permit......

Once I got to Madras, I slogged through the pouring rain to the Connemara Hotel, the oldest hotel in Madras. Crumbling Raj elegance. It is now a newly renovated Taj Connemara Hotel.

I was filthy. Riding on top of trains and in ferries for two days.

Thoughts of a long hot bath and buckets of beer dancing in my head.

Got to my room and told the ancient bellhop to hop to it, and bring me six large bottles of ice cold Kingfisher beer.

WHAT????????????? DRY STATE?????????????IT CAN'T BE.

Am advised this can be sorted across the street at the Office of Those who Dispense Beer. Off I go.

I enter and am eventually advised that if I register as a certified alcoholic, I can get two beers a day, or all six at one time.

Perfect, says I. Passport, says he. Before I can blink, WHAM, a full page chop goes into my passport.

THE BEARER IS A REGISTERED CERTIFIED ALCOHOLIC IN THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU!

Was in my passport for years........But, the beer was excellent!

[nilantha]

elephant orphanage .kandy. galle .mirrissa beach .stay at the galle face hotel in columbo.take the train through stunning scenery.climb adams peak .my favourite country

[blue]

! went there maybe 10 years ago, when the civil war as on.
I loved the culture, the trains , great food - healthy and filling .. I liked kandy nice and cool up there .
Bought some nice batik art pieces , expensive , but not often found outside S E Asia.
As a beach place no, Asians haven't got a beach culture - either they are trying to sell you stuff or sat fully dressed.

[Bower]

Thanks guys, this is all very encouraging.

[Roobarb]

elephant orphanage .kandy. galle .mirrissa beach .stay at the galle face hotel in columbo.take the train through stunning scenery.climb adams peak .my favourite country

Yup, agree with Nilantha. If you are not into beaches then a day trip to Galle is well worth doing, it's a lovely old colonial era town you can wander around with plenty of places for a beer and some nosh.

Mirissa Beach is good, even just for an afternoon drink or two in the hotel overlooking it. If I remember correctly the western end of the beach has a sort of natural funnel that creates a reasonable surf if you're into that sort of thing. You can also get boats from Mirissa to go whale watching if that tickles your fancy. They go about an hour or so offshore so take some beers.

Another suggestion, although it's a bit further away, is going to see Geoffrey Bawa's house and gardens which are near to Bentota (about an hour and a half on the highway north of Galle). Bawa was an influential post war architect and he created a superb sort of colonial style country estate. The house itself is not large and is run as a sort of private hotel so when it's rented out you can't get in there, but the gardens are really the highlight and are well worth a visit. They have guides who seem to know their stuff and are happy to go around at your pace.

» Introduction Geoffrey Bawa

My honest suggestion would be to not plan too much. Sri Lanka is a great place to just chill out and relax, doing stuff sort of gets in the way of that...

Enjoy your trip.

[Davis Knowlton]

Blue makes a good point. The batik there are fantastic. I still have one from 1977. They are made in the traditional way - or are at some places. Others, like many Indonesian batik, have succumbed to machine made processes.

If your mate knows a good place, it's quite interesting to watch them being made, and one really nice one is great to take home, as well as making great gifts.

Of course, after so many years, I have no idea what they cost now. Could be very expensive, but maybe not.

[Bower]

Well i tried to take on board as much of the advice given here. It was worth it so thank you guys.

Got back last night.
Flights: Business class Emirates £4200 rtn for both of us, well worth it, no hiches and limo to and from our home to the airport included. Long layover outbound in Dubai, was offered FOC car, hotel and visa but we stayed at the airport lounge.
Our accomodation was a three bedroomed villa in Pitiwella a 10min drive in a Tuk tuk away from Galle. Booked through tripadvisor to get the guarantee but if we return (and we may) i will do it direct. The villa was called Rose Villa and belongs to a small company Kew Villas. They have a facebook page and a website Kew Villas Approx £1200 per week depending on the season.
Owned by a Dom and his wife. Dom is an upstanding gentleman who without prompt on my arrival gave me a refund of £400 as the discount for booking more than 10 days, this is not an option on tripadvisor. The villa was great, as described on the website so no need to repeat. The beaches we found fantastic, miles of empty white sands, very little rubbish to be seen, friendly fishermen who were happy to sell lobsters and red snapper etc from their daily catch.
Galle is a lovely historic town with a fort and daily markets, great for a browse and the shop prices were very reasonable, good restaurants with western dishes and outstanding local fare.
We took a minibus and driver for a few days to travel up to Kandy and surrounding area. Organised by the villa owner, cost £40 per day for vehicle and driver inc tolls and fuel. We paid for the hotel for the driver and gave him some small money each day and he took all his meals with us, very interesting company he was too.

Overall a great holiday, super place to vist. Really nice people, genuine smiley people. Great food, cheap, clean.
So thanks to all for the tips and encouragement. Roobarb we did go to geoffrey Bawa's house and had a facinating time strolling through the house and gardens again thanks for the tip.

[patsycat]

Now that sounds like my sort of holiday!!

[Bettyboo]

Great stuff. Any pics coming...

[Bower]

BettyB we took loads of pictures but i really cant be arsed to work out how to do it here. It is so simple for other forums/sites.
I feel a little guilty because some members here go to a lot of trouble but........i am lazy f**ker sorry.

It sure is great long or short break place to visit though, the villa i had is available for short bookings too i think.

[nigelandjan]

i am lazy f**ker sorry.

Oh dear


FAIL

[Bobcock]

Total fail.

I'm stopping posting pictures to, in protest.

I may also delete everything I have ever posted if the thread owner doesn't reverse his decision.

[Mozzbie47]

A friend of mine visited about 5 years ago, paid up front for his holiday, he lasted 3 days, said it was the worst place he had ever been to, get me out of here.
He said it should be called SHIT LANKA

[Bobcock]

Sounds like he should stick to Toremolenos.... or Margate.

Truthfully, opinions like that tell me more about the person than the place.