First of all, Sri Lanka offers a lot.
It might not be same kind of snorkeling and diving center, like
Thailand and it might not be as cheap as Thailand is. But IMHO you can
find cheap food, cheap accomodation and a lot to see.
There are several national parks,
where you can have safaris and see different kinds of wildlife. As
you are probably staying in hotels near jungle, you will probably see
wildlife even at your hotel. Like this Hotel Sigiriya, where I am at
the moment writing this, at the pool area, they have Land Monitors
running around the grounds, monkeys in trees, a lot of “kaskas”
(what might be true english name of those?), Gekkos (of course),
squirrels.
Hotels in Sri Lanka vary a lot. There
are greater four star hotels, that cost from 70 € to 250 € per
night and probably some 5 star hotels also. But then there are
cheaper, 20 € – 45 € hotels, hostels and homestays.
Most of people travel here by hiring a
driver, for one day, three days, or even for whole holiday. It is
really good way to see the interesting spots and live an easy life in
an interesting country – but that's not really my kind of way. I
have travelled now two times a longer distance with a driver, once
from Wellawaya to Badulla and another time from Kandy to Sigiriya
(where I am now, when writing this - updates below this are made later during the trip of after it).
Most of my travelling kilometers I have still done in trains and busses. They work surprisingly well. First train ride wasn't that pleasant, because it was so full and crowded (it was sunday quite close to new year's holiday - this was explanation given by a police man going on holiday and sitting near me). Another not so pleasant ride was from Nanu Oya to Kandy. That train trip was first awesome, with beautiful scenery and I had one great hour to enjoy the views and everything. But because it was cheap night train, I was harrased by a begging lady and also by one gay guy. So I really recommend going by ExpoRail wagon, if possible. It costs more, but it's still not expensive (mine was 1200 rupies from Badulla to Nanu Oya) and so worth it. If you want to stay indoors, it has AC, if you want to go to observation deck, you can see a lot, enjoy the nice wind and views.
Busses are okay and they are cheap. But they are not that comfortable and I haven't seen any AC busses yet. I know there are such, but they have probably gone mostly on routes where I haven't used busses (to and from Colombo perhaps?).
My route in Sri Lanka for these three weeks:
1. Colombo (stayed 2 nights, to get used to Sri Lankan ways and other stuff)
=> Train from Colombo to Weligama and tuk-tuk from weligama to Mirissa
2. Mirissa (stayed 4 nights, was originally meant to stay there for 2 nights, but liked it too much and took 2 nights more and Mirissa has been my favourite destination in Sri Lanka)
=> By tuk-tuk from Mirissa to Matara and by bus from Matara to Tissamaharama, tuk-tuk from Tissamaharama station to hotel
3.Tissamaharama (stayed 2 nights, this was mostly for Yala National Park)
=> Guy from Tissamaharama's second hotel drove me with hotel's car to Tissamaharama's bus station, took a bus to Wellawaya, but had to change bus at one bus station, to get to Wellawaya), tuk-tuk from Wellawaya bus station to hotel (about 4.3/5 km)
- Now south coast is done, moving towards central Sri Lanka -
4. Wellawaya (stayed 3 nights, but this was kinda one night too much and it would have been different, if I would have stayed three or maybe even four nights in Ella, because there was much more interesting things in Ella, as Wellawaya mostly only had this Jetwing Karuduketha hotel, which was really nice, but no reason to spend more than 2 nights there)
--- Oh, while writing this in hotel's terrace at Nilaweli, I just got a a cup of tea (with sugar in it) from old man, who is taking care of this hotel). What a nice surprise! This is something I really value in this country! People just are nice and bring you kindly stuff, that you didn't even ask for. Earlier after my morning swim, he brought me a bag full of slices from coconut plant! Everybody who knows me, knows that I am going to tip him well for this. ---
=> Took a driver from Wellawaya (arranged by The Jetwing hotel) to Badulla. Driver didn't really know where the hotel was and tryed to ask someone. When I used my mobile phone and Google maps, I already knew how to drive to the hotel, but stubborn driver didn't listen to me. When he was totally lost and couldn't find it, he understood to listen to my advices, where to turn and how to find the hotel. But for his sake, I have to say that hotel wasn't in easy location. It was near an electricity site, on a side road.
5. Badulla (1 night to catch the exporail wagon early on morning, this was a mistake - should have gone to Ella (which was couple stations after Badulla (which was starting station) and stayed in much more comfortable hotel for that night))
=> Got a tuk-tuk from hotel to railway station and got into the ExpoRail wagon, that was amazing ride. Then left on Nanu Oya station and had arranged with hotel, that they send a tuk-tuk driver to get me to hotel from the station. That was working and good thing to do.
6. Nuwara Eliya (1 night, went to Horton Plains and saw Mini World's End there (loved it) and next day got finally to see a tea factory (Macwoods) and to buy some tea packages from there, also wandered around new year celebrations in Nuwara Eliya, which is one of the main centers for this Sri Lankan big holiday!)
=> Same driver threw me to train station of Nanu Oya to catch a train to the Kandy. This was not so great ride, after the sunset). Arrived to Kandy 22:30 and a driver picked me from train station to take me to the homestay/hotel in Kandy. Driver was actually homestay's keeper's son and his wife together in their car.
7. Kandy (2 nights, Kandy was much better than expected and homestay was quite nice, but many places were closed because of the New Year's holiday. There might have been some places to see and tour manager might have taken me there, but I actually joyed the low pace walking around the city, instead of rushing to surrounding temples and I did get to see the temple of the tooth).
=> Took a car with hired driver to drive me from Kandy to Sigiriya, through Dambulla (I am always mixing up with Badulla and Dambulla, but I think I got them right into this post). Homestay's tour manager insisted to join me in car (he said he has no better things to do, but it's pretty clear what was the thing with this). They took me to Hindu temple in Matale (which was tour manager's home town). Then to spice garden in Matale and then to Dambulla.Finally after Dambulla we got a lunch break and after that a short drive to Hotel Sigiriya.
- Now central Sri Lanka is experienced and moving on to northern part -
8. Sigiriya (2 nights in Hotel Sigiriya. This has been best hotel in my trip and was totally worth the money. I was originally booking for one night only, just to climb up to the Lion's rock, but ended up taking another night, to just enjoy the pool and great service and all.)
=> Took the driver from Sigiriya (who had been my tuk-tuk driver to Lion's rock in Sigiriya) to drive me to Nilaweli. This was a really good guy, named Chlminda). Enjoyed the drive with him. We stopped besides a great lake for toilet and I tried to get a lunch there, but they missed my order and I had my only burst of anger in there. Never forget or miss big, hungry, white man's order! ;)
- Climate and specially the surrounding environment changes a lot, when you come to (more Muslim area of) savannah/desert kind, northern part of the island Sigiriya still had more Jungle like feel in it -
9. Nilaweli (1 night. I am currently (19.4.2016 10:44 local time (+5,5h from GMT)) in Hotel Sea Zone's terrace, in runs in front of rooms. There is some nice wind here and I have don't have too many clothes on me. Even surrounding flys don't much bother me at the moment.)
- This point of time I am writing this, below writings are plan for the last days in this trip -
=> I have arranged with my upcoming booking with Amaranthe Bay -hotel, that they will send a tuk-tuk to this Sea Zone hotel today about 12:00 clock, to get me to the Uppuweli hotel. I will be paying 800 rupies for that, which isn't so bad price, though I think the distance isn't actually that long (800 rupies would mean 16 km ride). But when it's ordered from hotel, I think the price is understandable.
10. Uppuweli (2 nights, in Amaranthe Bay hotel)
Then to Colombo and possibly staying and sleeping there in hotel for some time of the day as my flight back home starts next morning 04:40 at the Colombo airport).
