Sri Lanka

Aug 2, 2015

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Tips:

• After reflecting upon my 2 weeks in Sri Lanka I realized I wasn’t mentally prepared for this trip. I wanted some down time and relaxation but I quickly realized that Sri Lanka is best for adventure. If you love adventure and exploration then this is absolutely the place for you. It has many different things to see which I will list some below but much of it is far away from each other. This means it requires 4-8 hour of driving, bus or train rides to get from one place to another. Some times through winding mountains. If you can handle this and are ready for adventure then book your ticket.

• Cash is King. Few places take card so take out money when you arrive at the airport. There is an ATM next to the exchange counters after baggage claim.

• Sri Lanka is very inexpensive but when you are budgeting for this trip keep in mind tips and other surprise payments. 50 Rupees per bag to the guy bringing your bags to your hotel room, 25 or more Rupees to check your shoes at a temple. Nothing is for free here. Be prepared as someone gives you a “free tour,” a “help up those stairs” at Sigiriya, a “chance to fish on poles like the locals.” You will think its free at first but they will give you a price AFTER you have already completed their task. In the long run, its still very inexpensive and they are just trying to make a living but knowing this before you go will help you to not feel so negative about the many surprise payments you encounter.

• Don’t touch any stray animals! There are dogs everywhere and even monkeys in some places. Leave them alone. They are harmless and are used to humans being around them but they shouldn’t be touched. Many have diseases that are not easy to spot.

• If you can spare the expense of about $110 USD per day (including gas/fuel and tip) then hire a personal driver for your entire trip. It is faster than public transport, includes Air Conditioning, and they are willing to stop along the way for photos or food. Drivers also can give you a unique experience because they can suggest things you weren’t aware of or planned. If you already have hotels booked and prepaid then don’t let the driver talk you into staying somewhere else. They sometimes make money off of tourists by making deals with hotels or other tourist attractions. Also, if you book hotels in advance ensure they have drivers quarters for your hired driver. AGREE ON A RATE AND DATES IN WRITING. Drivers are nice and can agree with you over the phone or in person but they also can misunderstand. Having it set on paper and them confirming it on paper will avoid some last minute surprises.

• In Sri Lanka you can come 100% prepared with everything booked or with nothing booked. Its a flexible country and surprises are at every turn. It is possible you can benefit from not planning everything as you may get suggestions from locals, other travelers or your driver.

• Internet is not what a westerner is used to. Many hotels only have internet in the lobby, sometimes it doesn’t work. Only certain cafes have internet and you will most likely need to ask for a password. Prepare your loved ones that you may not be able to Face time, Skype or Call that often.

• If you absolutely cannot go one minute without internet then buy a local sim card but ensure your phone is unlocked and can use one. They are relatively inexpensive.

• In many cities it will be hard to find a sit down restaurant unless you look for a hotel. Most restaurants are located in a hotel.

• Many places list prices in USD. The Colombo airport even takes USD. Be prepared with a currency conversion for both Sri Lankan Rupees and USD.

• Bring a small flashlight/torch. Most places do not have street lights and it gets dark before dinner time. If you plan on leaving your hotel for food there are numerous holes and trenches along the street that you can fall in. Be careful!

• DO NOT BOOK EXCURSIONS/TRIPS THROUGH A HOTEL! They are always more expensive. You can easily find other options at a lower rate at places along the main streets just outside your hotels.

 

Common Phrases:

• Ayubowan- Hello, greetings

• Istuti- Thank you

• You don’t really need to know any other words because almost everyone speaks english. The above are not needed but they are polite and locals will appreciate your gesture.

 

Unique:

I managed to sign up for one week volunteering and painted an 800 year old temple just outside of Kandy. You can find more info on this at IVHQ.org or Green Lion. You pay a fee for your week but it includes housing, breakfast, lunch and dinner and transport from the airport to the volunteer location. And if you are lucky like me, the volunteers at the temple who prepared our meals made some of the best food I had on my entire trip. You can volunteer for longer than a week and switch between the different programs Green Lion offers as well as use the weekends to explore the rest of the country. I met many people who did this and seemed to be loving their time.

For the best view of Sigiriya consider booking the Hotel Sigiriya. This was a relatively low priced hotel with a view of Sigiriya rock from the pool. It also has a spa with good prices. I got a 45 min facial for 300 Rupee ($22 USD).

 

Food & Drink:

Since I jumped around all over Sri Lanka I will list some of the best places in each. Also, most Sri Lankan food is without meat so many places will have many vegetarian options.

A good local snack that you should order anywhere is roasted cashews.

Kandy- 

Queens Hotel has a lunch buffet that will fill anyones belly. Many different curries, both hot and mild, and many vegetarian options.

Aroma Cafe is a great place for fried rice, wok veggies, soups, salads, aovcado milkshakes, iced tea and coffee. It also has a clean bathroom and free wifi. This was my daily go-to after volunteering each day so I could cool down with an iced tea and email my family.

Sigiriya- 

Restaurant Sigiri View is a very small little shanty covered outdoor place with a super inexpensive and delicious lunch buffet. 

Next door to this and just across the small bridge is a BBQ place they call a “Rastaraunt” because they play reggae and it has a very chill vibe. This is a good option for dinner. They have veggie and meat kebab options.

Nuwara Eliya-

Salmiya Italiano was one of the highest rated places in this town and when we attempted to get a seat it was packed and with people waiting. It is VERY small and opens at 6:30. We got there at 6:45. I suggest you get there as soon as it opens.

The Grand Hotel is truly grand. Its a beautiful property and have cafes, tea shops and different restaurants. They also have afternoon tea. This is another good option if Salmiya is packed.

Galle-

Fortaleza is my pick. It is one of the few places that served bloody maries and had a menu with local and western dishes. High quality food and a great atmosphere and soundtrack. On the specials board were veggie samosas, bruschetta, and a large fish platter. We also got the mezze plate, fajitas, and sesame encrusted tuna salad. ALL were good.

 

Budget:

There are many temples along your journey no matter where you are headed. These of course are free from the outside to take photos and many are free to enter but may include a shoe check. The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, however, is 1000 Rupees ($7 USD) and it’s probably the most expensive to visit.

The largest Hindu temple in Sri Lanka is on the way from Kandy to Dambulla in Matale. Its very colorful and worth stopping if you are able.

Sigiriya Rock is an intense climb but worth the views. It is the most expensive activity we paid for but again, the entire country is still inexpensive. It was 3960 Rupees ($30 USD) but it takes a while to climb and has views worth more than the price. BRING WATER to keep hydrated and even maybe a granola bar. The ticket also allows access to the museum at the bottom.

Horton Plains National Park is a great hike with stunning views and waterfalls. Expect to pay around 2000 rupees ($14 USD) for access. You can hire a guide but I recommend you skip the guide unless you really want to know about the flora and birds. They can slow you down with info you may not be interested in. We walked at a good pace and did not stop for lunch and it took just over 2 hours. If I can make a recommendation it would be that when you begin you have the option of going left in the direction of worlds end or right in the direction of Bakers Falls. I highly recommend you go right. It will be an easier walk since the steepest of climbs is near the falls and you will be taking them downhill if you go this direction. You are allowed to bring in your own food and drink but no loose plastic is allowed so remove the label on your water bottle and put your food in a paper bag. 

Nor Lanka hotel in Unawatuna is by far the best rate compared to location. They neighbor a fancy hotel on the beach so its less expensive because it doesn’t sit directly on the beach. It was clean, had the best internet of all hotels we stayed, the staff was nice, breakfast was good and had 3 options (local, western, yogurt), and rooms were large and with Air Conditioning. I highly recommend this place and Unawatuna Beach.

Fort Galle is also a place worth visiting. It is an old fort town and looks nothing like the rest of Sri Lanka. It is about 15 minute drive from Unawatuna beach. If you don’t care about staying near a beach then book a hotel in Galle. It has a lot of beauty and some cute shops and restaurants and completely free to roam. 

Tour a tea plantation if you can. Our driver just stopped at one on our drive from Kandy to Horton Plains. There are many along the road. You also do not have to purchase anything and this is the one and only place where I got a free tour and wasn’t pressured to tip a certain amount afterward (of course we still tipped).

 

Shopping:

On the beach is best! Many people will bring clothing, magnets and carvings up to your beach chair. You can negotiate with them and they usually already offer a lower price than if you shop at the tourist shops in town. I got a carved wood sculpture of the fisherman on stilts for 1000 rupees ($7 USD) and a beautiful silk beadspread for $1500 rupees ($11 USD).

Kandy is King. I Noticed that prices we paid in shops and markets in Kandy seemed to be less than the shops along the coast. I think most tourists stick to the coast so you can find better deals in Kandy or the Central Province areas.

 

The Downfalls:

The only 4 star hotel we stayed during out trip was Jetwing Blue in Negombo and it was the worst hotel we booked. First, we booked for 3 people (one queen bed and a rollaway) on Hotels.com and when we arrived the hotel staff said that a rollaway bed wouldn’t fit in the room we booked even though we paid for a room for 3 persons. After they claimed there were no other rooms available we looked up the hotel on hotels.com and managed to find a room for 3 persons. After much arguing they put us in an upgraded room but it smelled strange. It wasn’t until we saw a cockroach that we realized the smell was bug spray. We complained and asked for a new room. This new room wasn’t available for 3 hours so they told us they would hold our luggage while we sat by the pool. 3 hours later we discovered our luggage sitting in the lobby where we left it for anyone to steal. Our new room was without bug spray smell and very clean. It wasn’t until the next morning when we were re packing out things that we discovered a very large spider on our luggage. I spent almost 2 weeks hotel hopping and in some rural and jungle areas and not once did I see any insect or bug in my hotel room until we got to this beach. We chose to end our trip in Negombo since it is near the airport. I highly recommend this but do not recommend this hotel. My friend booked a second night at Jetwing Sea and said it was MUCH better.

Spice gardens are a sales pitch! If you like learning about different plants and spices be prepared for each one to have a health benefit and a product for sale to go with it. The gardens will include a “free” tour (remember what I said about free) and after the tour you will be given a list of rememedies and products to fix them and they will attempt to sell those items to you. You are not obligated to buy anything and the prices are not inexpensive like the rest of Sri Lanka. It is just another uncomfortable situation that you can avoid.

Anything you read will suggest climbing Adams Peak to see the sunrise. While this may be worth the experience we passed on this because we visited during monsoon season. It wasn’t constantly raining but we heard from some other travellers that when it was raining the trek became a bit dangerous and the entire mountain is full of leeches during rain. So we though it was smart not to risk this at the time. If you still want to risk it then make sure you have a lighter for leeches.

I was very excited to be able to go on an elephant safari but what I encountered tore at my heartstrings. If you have any sort of connection to protecting animal welfare then I think you should consider passing on the safari. The elephants roam freely on large open plains but the amount of jeeps lined up on the land was sad. There was also a moment I witnessed where jeeps had surround a group of elephants and people were having a great time snapping photos but nobody seemed to realize that the Elephants were scared and didn’t know how to escape since they were surrounded. In my opinion, this is one of those instances that animal safety and welfare could have been better but the standard was lowered in order to accommodate more tourists because the tourists want it.

 

Travel Details FYI:

• 5 days volunteering, 6 days vacation

• July

• Driver: Prem +94 726 727 247 or Prem11480@yahoo.com Lives in Sri Lanka and Dubai so he may be available in either.