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SRI LANKA

Serendipitously Splendid

All recommended sites & everything else can be located & checked out with a few clicks - most have 10 photos showing views, food, beds, scenery, facilities, goods - everything you need to make an informed decision & links to all of them.

 

Just click on any marker, then on the traffic arrow           and a 2nd location for instant detailed public & private travel information including routes, distances, times, frequency, transfers & stop locations.

The Sri Lankan Coat of Arms

Your holiday - Your way

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COUNTRY GUIDE

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BEST TIME TO GO - December to April is the peak season.

  • The island has two monsoon seasons which means if the weather is bad on one side it will be okay on the other.

  • October to March for Southern and Western part of the island.

  • April to September for the Eastern and Northern coasts.

  • March is best for the hills.

  • So anytime of year you will find some good weather.

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POPULATION - 21,323,733

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CAPITAL - Sri Jayawardanapura Kote

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MINIMUM WAGE ANNUAL IN $US - $1619

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CURRENCY - Sri Lankan Rupee LKR $1 = 185 LKR

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RELIGION - Theravada Buddhists 70%, Hindus 13%, Muslims 10%,  Roman Catholic 6%

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ETHNICITY - Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri LankanTamil 11.2%, Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, 

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LANGUAGE - Sinhala

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NATIONAL DRINK - Toddy and Arrack (distilled from palm sugar)

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NATIONAL DISH -  Rice and curry

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GOVERNMENT - Semipresidential Representative Democratic Republic Practicing                                                        Majoriatarionism

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AGE - 2347

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BIG MAC IN $US - $4.11

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LITERACY - 96.3%

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LIFE EXPECTANCY - 77

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TOURISTS PER YEAR - 1.6 million

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NO.1 TOURIST SITE - Sigiriya Rock Fort

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CHEERS - Seiradewa

Large elk or deer
Ladies picking tea in a tea plantation
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HIGHLIGHTS - mountains, beaches & buffets

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Negombo 2N

Sigiriya 1N

Kandy 2N

Nallathanniya 1N

Nuwara Eliya 3N

Ella 2N

Arugam Bay 3N

Yala National Park / Udawalawe National Park 2N

Tangalle 3N

Mirissa 2N

Galle Fort 2N 

Colombo 3N

Negombo 1N

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  • Adam's Peak

  • The Hill Club

  • Tea Plantations

  • Colonial Hotels

  • Pilgrimages

  • Spice Gardens

  • Sigiriya - 8th Wonder

  • Buddha's Footprint

  • Buddha's Tooth

  • World Famous Surf beach

  • Go on a Leopard Safari

  • Breakfast and dinner buffets

  • World's most scenic train journey

  • Unique Self Drive Tuk Tuk option

  • Chicken Cordon Bleu in Diablo Sauce

  • Banana fritters with Jaggery and Icecream

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  • Negombo is a no brainer for starting and ending the trip. Much closer to the airport than the old capital Colombo and much less hassle. Plus it has laid back beach resorts and incredible sunsets. It's a friendly place to get orientated and ready to go exploring the island. You'll find that even though it is a close neighbour it is very different to India. Negombo has a good range of hotels, restaurants and even some bars for nightlife. Grab a place with a pool or gate crash one of the fancy places. One of the great things about Sri Lanka is that you can be in the centre of the island high up in the mountains and a few short hours later hours later wriggling your toes in the sand watching the sun set on the beach. The trains are a great way to travel around and very cheap. 

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  • Today you're off to the "Eighth Wonder of the World" - Sigiriya - and number one tourist site in Sri Lanka with good reason. This is one of those places that you need a guide to show you around otherwise you will miss so much. It's a fascinating place and the history of it is quite astounding. It really must have been a sight in it's day. Stay in a nice hotel nearby with a pool and maybe a view of the rock.

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  • It's a bit of a thing to see the sun rise so you might like to climb it again or hold off until this morning to go up. Or you could climb nearby Pidurangdula and escape the crowds and have a fantastic view of Sigiriya. After breakfast head off to Dambulla to have a look at the Royal Cave Temple and Golden Temple. Have you ever seen Buddha with a beard? Then have lunch at the Traditional Foods Sales Centre where you can try some of the local delicacies. You would be hard pressed to find some of these dishes anywhere else. 

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  • Continue on to the nation's Culture Capital the Sacred City of Kandy. Famous for being home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Buddha's Left Canine). Yes you can visit but no you're not allowed to see the tooth. It's UNESCO listed plus it's a pilgrimage so you'd better go.  There is a spectacular ten day festival held every year in July or August. Part of it are massive processions featuring musicians, acrobats, scantily clad dancers, about sixty elephants illuminated with fairy lights, drummers, flame throwers, whip crackers, mask wearing demons, fire eaters and the star of the show carried on the back of a big elephant in a large golden chest - the tooth! But it's not the real one because somebody might steal that.

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  • Kandy is a lot livelier than most Sri Lankan towns and has pubs and bars where it's easy to meet people and make some new friends. Enjoy it while you're here. It also has some peaceful areas like the man made Kandy Lake, the Royal Botanical Garden  and the Udawattakele Forest Reserve. There are good eating options here as well as museums, markets or try an Ayuvedic massage. Avoid the Elephant Orphanage and their cruel practices. You can see happy ones on your safari.

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  • Some people say that the train ride from Kandy to Ella is the most beautiful in the world. You'll be able to see for yourself. One thing for sure it's one of the cheapest. You'll be doing it in two legs as you've got another pilgrimage to complete. Speaking of two legs I hope you haven't worn them out climbing rocks because you're going to need them for this next one. They say you're a fool if you don't climb it at least once and a fool if you do it more than once. Adam's Peak is a sacred place and a lot of things happened here. There is a five foot impression of a  footprint here that may have belonged to Buddha, Shiva, St. (Doubting) Thomas or Adam standing on one leg for a thousand years as penance for the apple episode. 

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  • After a communal dinner and chat you will be grateful if you had an early night. You'll need to get up very early to make the summit by sunrise. I haven't seen a lot but can easily state this was the best. There are plenty of little tea shops along the route to have a rest. It's quite a surreal sight to see it lit up off in the dark distance and to think that you will soon be up there. It gets quite steep at the end and you'll need something warm when you get to the top. Don't forget to watch for the magic triangle as the sun comes up. It comes and goes in a flash.

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  • When you're ready you can start making your way to the favourite Hill Station of the British Raj, Nuwara Eliya. It's the most important are for tea growing and is the perfect place to visit a Tea Estate and Tea Drying Factory. Learn the ins and outs of tea production and then sample a cup with a piece of chocolate cake. Or there are a few high end options if you love your tea. You will be amazed at how steep the hills are that is grown on and how the pickers manage. Before tea, coffee was grown in these hills but the crop was wiped out by leaf rust (which still threatens our coffee supplies today) and the industry was dead 20 years after it first appeared in 1869.

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  • Another must do is to follow in the footsteps of Chuck and Di and have dinner in the Hill Club. It was established by the Coffee planters in 1878. It's a real part of history and a great experience. Just don't rip the felt on the Billiard table or that will be the end of your credit card. There is a nice golf course here if your legs have recovered from Adam's Peak or maybe a trip out to World's End.

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  • Time to resume the train journey to Ella. Sit on the left hand side of the train for the scenery although both sides are pretty good. The trains are a lot of fun but get ready to block your nose and ears in the tunnels. You have two choices for accommodation in Ella. You can stay in town or get a place on the side of a mountain with an incredible view. I recommend the latter with a few hikes and plenty of tea and relaxation on your terrace. You could also try a cooking class and take home some new skills.

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  • Surf's Up. Down A - Bay way. Well between April and October and peaking from July to September. The waves are justifiably world famous at Aragum Bay. There's a lot of other things to do here though and if you are here in the off season everything will be MUCH cheaper. It has a great laid back atmosphere with all of the shops, restaurants and bars along the street behind the beach. There's great beachfront accommodation, happy hours, party nights, great sunrises and surprisingly, sunsets. Yoga is popular as well as Ayurvedic massage and treatments. You can hire a scooter to have a look at some of the natural attractions around here. Or for even more fun you can hire your own tuk tuk. As it's also a fishing village the seafood in the restaurants couldn't get much fresher. Or you could buy some directly off the boat and BBQ it yourself. All in all you'll probably want to stretch out your time here. But don't fret because there are more great beaches coming.

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  • Africa may have the big five but here you'll be on the look out for the big three. Leopards, Elephants and Sloth Bears. You could also see crocodiles, wild peacocks, sambars, jackals, in fact there are 44 types of mammals and 215 species of birds. There is a ton of choices on where to go, where to stay, how long and how much to spend. First of all you'll have to decide whether to do Yala National Park or Udawalawe National Park. Both are easily doable and there are pros and cons for each  one. You could spend thousands for a couple of days of luxury safari but a few hundred with everything included including alcohol and Glamping accommodation would be better. Check out the best deal in Aragum Bay and get them to drop you off at Tangalle Beach at the end of it.

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  • Sri Lanka is blessed with many fine beaches and the kilometers of white sand at Tangalle are some of the best. Because it is the futhest away from Colombo it is a bit quieter than some of the others. Grab a scooter and start exploring. Or just wander out your door. You can go on "Turtle Watch" and see them come up Rekawa Beach at night time, make their nest and lay their eggs. Five different species lay here and some of them are rare. Thanks to the mangroves in Rekawa Lagoon you can add mud crabs to your diet. The famous Singapore Chilli Crabs come from Sri Lanka so hopefully there's a few left. You will find your deserted tropical island paradise beach here. The stunning sunsets will complete the picture. Just be careful of the currents.

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  • Heading west around the coast you will come to another very special beach called Mirissa. This beach has it all and you'll find the night life a bit livelier than Tangalle. It has developed in recent years so you will find a good range of hotels and restaurants. You can go whale watching here and also see turtles and dolphins. Head around to Welligama and check out the stilt fishermen and Taprobane Island. If you're very wealthy you could stay there in the 1920's mansion for a night or two. Back in town head out for a surf or go over to Parrot Rock for the Sunset. I had the unusual experience of a dog knocking at my door at 7.30 am on my first morning here. Not expecting visitors I was surprised to see him when I answered the door. I gave him a biscuit and went back to bed. And felt good about it all day.

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  • Now for a change of pace a colonial Dutch mansion hotel inside the fort at Galle called Galle Fort Hotel funnily enough. If it's out of budget there are plenty nearby to choose from. If it's cricket season you'll be able to catch a match at the very scenic and laid back Galle International Cricket Stadium. If you're lucky the Aussies might be playing. Otherwise this UNESCO listed town is easy to get around on foot and you might walk the ramparts, go shopping on Pedlar street or have high tea at Amangalla. A day trip to fabulously named Unawatuna is a must and if you are missing the beach already you could stay there. The surf is good for beginners and it's a great place with everything you might want. 

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  • Back in Galle history buffs will have plenty to look at. Over the years Sri Lanka has been colonised by the Portuguese, Dutch, British and even the French in Trincomalee for a few months. You might forget where you are and think you're in Europe somewhere. Enjoy the sunst with a Pina Colada.

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  • Colombo is different to most other cities in that all the poor suburbs are along the beachfront. But the best beachfront property of all belongs to the Mount Lavinia Hotel. Stay here if you can or somewhere nearby so you can use their pool. It's a stunning location and another colonial gem. There are a lot of affordable 4 and 5 star hotels along here so you're bound to get a special deal at one of them. And spending some time around the pool in a nice hotel would be a good way to unwind after all your adventures.

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  • Colombo used to have the best shopping centre in the world. I know this because I once spent six hours bopping away going from store to store (there was boppy music playing throughout the store). And I don't like shopping. The prices were insanely cheap and the service was the best I've ever had. Did I mention they had a bar, fresh sushi and a French patisserie. It is called Odel's and it is still there but a change in ownership has meant a change in prices. House of Fashions is another place being known for good prices. 

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  • Golfers might like to play Royal Colombo which has a few similarities to Royal Adelaide including the train going through the middle of it. For some street food head to Galle Face Green, it's also perfect for the sunset. The "Old Dutch Hospital" is a great place to go shopping and have a feed. You can ride around the city on an open topped double decker bus or get a tuk tuk to take you around. Being the largest city there are plenty of highlights to please everyone.

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  • Make your way back to Negombo and the airport for one last night. Catch another one of those amazing sunsets and splurge on a seafood dinner. Maybe you should pop into Thailand for a few of weeks on your way home. Couldn't hurt could it?. #41, #42, #43.

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Negombo

Paradise Beach Hotel

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KANDY

Go to a spice garden

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ELLA

The Hilltop Guesthouse or in town the Sun Top Inn

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TANGALLE

Coppernath or nearby in Medaketiya area

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GALLE

Galle Fort Hotel

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COLOMBO

Mount Lavinia Hotel, Galle Face Hotel or cheap 4 or 5*****

Pilgrimage site in Sri Lanka - Adam's Peak
Sunrise at the top of Adam's Peak
sigiriya mountain top palace and fort
A Leopard
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