So the Sri Lanka chapter is over for our trip and we leave the country with very happy memories and fantastic experiences. We have met some lovely people along the way and will for sure be coming back to explore the south of the country in a different season .
We mainly focused our travels in the mountainous centre of the country and the beaches in the East and we are so glad we did. We didn’t have enough time to even fully explore the places we went to so squeezing in more would have meant a whistle stop tour of the country.
Arugam Bay
Since the last post we have spent 14 days in Arugam Bay on the East coast. It was so nice to set up camp for a while and not have to move hotels every other day. Having the beach on the doorstep was also an obvious added bonus and the surfing was brilliant. We got tuk tuks to a place called ‘Peanut Farm’ for early morning surfs and then surfed the local point near our hotel in the afternoons. It was lush to get in the water but by the sounds of it we just missed the really good swell that came through the week before. doh. Still we were happy with what we had.
Ella to Kandy
I think we would both agree that the highlight of the trip was probably the train ride from Ella to Kandy, the views were honestly astonishing. We were very lucky to get tickets as it was high season and the holidays for the local children. The views can only be described as breath taking, every corner the train took revealed another incredible view. The only tickets we could book were in first class but honestly second class would be fine too. The only issue with 3rd class is if you have your bags with you it means you might have to stand for the 7 1/2 hour cramped trip.
The Mountains
After the heat and humidity of Arugam Bay, Ella and Kandy were refreshingly cool. We loved Ella and wish we could have stayed longer, but our train ride called. Our second visit to Kandy was much better than our first. We found some nice little coffee shops and took a tour of the city, including visiting a tea factory, to keep up the British persona.
After Kandy, we took the bus to Negombo for our last night in Sri Lanka. We loved it. And will be coming back.
Sri Lanka Tips:
Biggest things we have learnt from our time in Sri Lanka for anyone thinking of adding it to your list of places to visit (and you really really should);
- The plug trick, remember to take a pencil (see example – doesn’t it look safe?!).
Plug trick - Bring a multi-usb plug – there is often only 1 socket!
- Ramputan – If its in season, EAT THEM!!! they are so good.
- The driving – carnage just get use to it, in the whole month we were there we didn’t see a single crash.
- The rotis – you can live off them and they are so so cheap and come in loads of flavours.
- Sleeping sheets – a must a lot of places didn’t provide sheets and in some places even if they did you were better off in your own sleeping sheet!
- Air Con at the beach, we just went for a fan but it was so so hot that if we did it again air con would be a must.
- Shower gel is weirdly really expensive, so make sure you pack some. Everything else you could find for an ok price.
- The buses are a must do experience, going up and down the mountains they race which is scary but really fun and you will be sure to get a chance to have a chat with some friendly locals.
Luxury facilities in paradise - The room standard, don’t expect luxury, no matter how much you pay. The tourism is only just growing so they dont have it down to an art yet.
- Ella train ride (sit on the right hand side if travelling from Ella – Kandy as its the best views.)
- If your tummy will let you… Eat Local, the food is so much cheaper and delicious. We had to eat western for a few days and the food just wasnt any where near as good.
- It is slightly more expensive than we were expecting, its not like Indonesian prices and beer is supprisingly expensive.
