- Sri Lanka
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There our some hot contenders for 'most romantic hotel' in Sri Lanka - the other half would go for the Queens in Kandy, or the Oriental in Colombo (something about those old colonial buildings), but I think it's hard to beat the location and the rooms in the Garden Beach. It's just a short walk down the beach to the turtle sanctuary, and holding a day old turtle makes you feel squishy and sentimental anyway. Then there's the amazing view west across the Indian Ocean as the sun sets in a red-gold sky behind the palm trees. The staff will set up a candle-lit table for dinner in the garden. And if you're lucky enough to be in the two-storey suite with the four-poster bed, the setting for a romantic interlude is complete. Complete the experience by travelling by train either to stations about 8 miles north or south of Kosgoda (the Colombo - Galle train doesn't actually stop at Kosgoda station) and get a tuk-tuk to the hotel. Oh yes, and you can choose full board - and the food is good too - for a very competititive price - but that's not romantic - just practical.
Talgahapitiya Rd Kosgoda
phone 0094+91+4924515
www.gardenbeach-hotel.de
I have been to Sri Lanka on two occasions and just love the shopping there!
The high-end boutiques like Barefoot and Paradise Road offer traditional Sri Lankan and contemporary western products. You can find anything here from flamboyant coloured tablecloths to multi couloured sarongs.
'Odel' and 'House of Fashion' are department store-like shopping spaces which hold a range of designer wear (mostly seconds) and other quality products. Look carefully and you might find some hidden treasures among the rows of clothes or homewares.
'A-World' is a huge department store close to the Bandaranayake International Airport and is known to be the biggest shopping space in Sri Lanka. The clothes are slightly more expensive than places like Odel or House of Fashion because they offer original designer-wear.
All these places are well known among the locals, so all you have to do is ask your taxi driver to take you there. However it is best not to go with the regular taxi service as the drivers do not speak English and are not very safe to travel in. The same goes with trishaw's (tuk tuks), you will be lucky to find a tuk tuk driver who speaks english and doesnt rip you off!
Try a tour company like 'Abans tours' (www.abanstours.lk) which has a tour desk in Colombo at the Galadari Hotel as well as the Bandaranayake International Airport. Their rates are slightly more expensive than others, but all their drivers are friendly and speak good Engish. But most importantly they offer a safe and comfortable service.
Colombo
We went here for our honeymoon and despite the recent problems with Sri Lanka, this was the best holiday I have ever been on. We felt very safe in our hotel complex and didn't really need to leave it the whole time.
www.sensesholidays.co.uk/holiday/royal-palms-hotel-quot-5/67/
Two of us took a two week tour of the country with a special emphasis on the Buddhist culture. Amazing insights of the religion, met beautiful people and really good hotels. Very good all round. I am hoping to go back to take one of the Ayurveda tours.
For fantastic views and a slice of Sri Lankan life pick up some provisions at bustling Pettah Market, cross the road, brave the crowds at Colombo Fort Station, and for less than a pound rattle your way down the west coast to Galle or beyond. A stream of temples, houses, workshops show life behind the roads, and the line soon settles into its place between fine beaches creeks and bays, and the fields and forests of the coastal hills. Theres a rickety fan for air conditioning, and people sit in the open doorways reading a paper or gazing at the scene. A trolley and sellers pass up and down the aisle. You can join the train at many of the seaside resorts on route, to finally reach Galle. Straight outside the station here, nestling between dutch fort and the lapping Indian Ocean is the worlds most beautiful test cricket ground and a host of fine buildings to explore. Beautiful bays with bright small boats and stilt fishermen surround the town. And if this journey has tempted you, there are more trains and mountain views if you head for Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, or even up to Dambulla and finally Trincomalee on the distant east coast with its fine open bay and harbour. If crickets your thing you can reach nearly all of Sri Lankas test grounds and experience a riot of enthusiastic and friendly supporters.
Colombo Fort Station in the historic core of the City, Galle Fort Station right by the cricket ground.
Info at 'seat61'
I have been reflecting on some of my travel highlights of 2008 and it would be no exaggeration to say that top of the list came my trip to Sri Lanka in late October – and in particular my visit to Mahatenne House on the Ashburnham estate.
The guest house is situated on a working 70 acre tea plantation on the side of a mountain in the Knuckles Range, close to Elkaduwa. It is run by an ex-City whizz highflier type who (ahead of the credit crunch curve) reassessed his priorities in life and stepped off the London treadmill to go and live The Good Life on the other side of the world.
It is futile to try and convey the magic of my experience in words, but I will attempt to paint a picture with a few broad brushstrokes.
The day typically starts with breakfast served on the verandah while the morning mist and clouds unfurl to reveal the breathtaking view of rolling green hills and valleys, carpeted with tea plantations.
You will not be short of things to do during the day (children and adults alike): go for an exploratory wander around the estate – the ultimate Swallows and Amazons fantasy; take a power shower under the most beautiful 60ft waterfall at the bottom of the estate, reached by a 400 step path; anyone for a game of tennis on the newly refurbished court?; go and watch the daily weighing of tea; enjoy a refreshing dip in the swimming pool and lounge by the poolside catching up on all that holiday reading; or just sit on the verandah and breathing in the intoxicating air whilst contemplating life in peace and serenity. For Doctor Doolittle fans there are four resident dogs, a lake full of fish (which also yields some great meals), wild chipmunks that scurry through the trees, an array of beautiful birds and butterflies scattering a kaleidoscope of vivid colour everywhere (as far away as you can get from London’s monotone shades of grey), but most delightfully of all, Menike, a beautiful female elderly elephant, enjoying a peaceful retirement on the estate, her most arduous task these days carrying the occasional bare back passenger down to the waterfall. Sitting out after dark in planters’ chairs listening to the nocturnal chorus of cicadas under a canopy of glittering stars is mesmerising – the perfect lullaby.
The host is a very gregarious and generous character, and the staff are incredibly friendly and attentive (but unobtrusive) – you will be left wanting for nothing. The home-cooked meals are delicious and the (few) rooms are clean and quiet – not aiming to be top notch “boutique hotel” but very comfortable, and the rates are a real bargain.
This place really made an indelible impression on me – the memories of my trip will stay with me forever. Whether you are a lone traveller in search of something slightly off the beaten track, or a family looking for a package that will keep the children entertained whilst giving adults a peaceful break, I urge you to seek out this piece of paradise and complete the picture for yourself (apologies for plagiarising the previous submission).
Note: All the clichés contained in this account are statements of fact; all the superlatives are an understatement
Elkaduwa | 40 kilometres North of Kandy, Elkaduwa, Sri Lanka
email: mahatennehouse@yahoo.com
tel: 0094 (0)66 4920206
What? Hotel.
Why? The food.
Absolutely amazing place. Ulpotha is an experience that can never really be described. In summary, if a five-star beach resort with evening gin and tonics and home-from-home luxuries is your preferred destination, or if you like extreme hardship and want to eat bugs for breakfast, then Ulpotha isn’t for you and you wouldn’t fit in anyway. But if you genuinely want to get away from it all, in a warm, engaging and totally relaxing environment, but with a more minimalist lifestyle, where you can challenge your perception of just how important a hairdryer is, then you will have the most amazing time.
If anyone is into motor bike riding I would recommend renting a bike in Sri Lanka and touring around. My friend and I rented bikes in Negombo and toured Sri Lanka for two weeks.
Out of all the bike renting companies we found Negombo Motorbikes to be the fairest and nicest guy out of the lot.
Sha Lanka Tours
54, Beach road
Ettukala
Negombo
Sri Lanka
web: www.negombo-motorcycle-tours.com,
tel : 0094777- 488746 or 0094777 - 205828
The one guest house which stood above the rest in Sri Lanka was The Slightly Chilled Guest House at Adam's Peak. I must say the owners really made you feel welcome. The rooms were very clean and the view of Adam's Peak from the balcony was amazing.
Nice garden to relax and read. And being English, the curry I had was like anything I had in Brick Lane. And the best part was I only paid $20USD a night. We stayed another night as the owner showed us where the tea workers lived and got some nice tea for a lot less than the touristy tea factories.
Slightly Chilled (formerly yellow house)
Adam's peak, Dalhousie
www.slightlychilled.tv
94 (0)60 2519430
Kandy Cottage is a charming and cosy place of retreat for writers and artists, and also welcomes regular holiday makers.
It has the best of both worlds: it nestles in a little hollow adjoining the Udawatte-Kelle forest sanctuary, but is only ten minutes' walk from the historic city of Kandy - the cultural capital of Sri Lanka.
The Cottage is wired throughout with broad band internet access; and the facilities range from laundry to laser printing. What's more, the pricing is unbelievably low compared to similar places in Sri Lanka.
www.kandycottage.com
+94 81 220 4742 (land)
+94 714 327 590 (mobile)
It's a beachside hotel on the way to Galle. Fantastic place with amazing rooms and relaxed atmosphere. The architecture and the service is phenomenal.
Galle Road - about 3-4 hours from Colombo
Pinnawella is an amazing place and a fantastic way to see and understand the elephants of Sri Lanka. One of the first elephants you come across is chained up. Yes, I know what you are thinking - so was I - but it turns out that this gentle giant is chained for his own safety, as he is totally blind and would struggle to survive in the wild.
Bath time in the river is amazing and the setting is simply beautiful. I was in Sri Lanka only 2 months ago and it is a wonderful place. You really have to go - they are such lovely people and the country is so beautiful!
www.indiaescapes.co.uk
www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=43
This is the shop where the clothing manufacturers sell their seconds - dirt cheap top designers - bring an empty suitcase and fill it up -you won't be disappointed.
Colombo - ask a taxi driver
This is a hopping disco and live music bar in Colombo which kicks off around 11. You can play pool and meet the locals. I met one of the Sri Lankan cricket team there!
Also the Hilton hotel's karoake bar is lots of fun.
Colombo - ask a tuk tuk driver
I thought I would put up a few thoughts about volunteering holidays in general and specifically Sri Lanka with i-to-i.
I spent four weeks doing a volunteering holiday at Kosgoda, working on Tsunami relief projects.
In a nutshell, here are the pros and cons:
Pros: you get to meet local people as a guest rather than a tourist; immerse a little in local life; work on projects which do benefit people; spend time (relatively) safely in an unfamiliar country and not have to worry about finding accommodation companions and activities; you will meet amazing people and, possibly; add to others' lives.
Cons: you do not 'really' benefit local people or projects very much at all; the projects are usually under-resourced and of dubious value to the local community; you will pay an awful lot of money for the convenience factor, of which very little goes to the community you stay with; you need to be aware that you're doing this more for you than for the benefit of the communities you visit; you may come away feeling a little jaded about the 'ethical' aspects of your trip.
Having said that, you can increase your chances of finding a trip which substantially contributes to local projects by doing your homework - ask for written information on the proportion of the holiday fee which goes to the local community, ask for details of the feedback from the local community leaders as to the success of the projects, ask other volunteers what they thought, ask for advice from charities and NGOs.
I want to wrap it up by saying that I had an amazing time in Sri Lanka, the people, food, country and experience were all wonderful.
I do not think that I contributed very much at all to anything worthwhile, but what can you expect from a four-week trip?
If I were doing it again, I would make much more effort to find local organisations to arrange my trip with, and pay them directly. Booking through an intermediary such as i-to-i means you have no control over what goes to the communities you're trying to help.
i-to-i certainly make the process simple, but you do then compromise on the actual value of your volunteering efforts and hard-earned cash.
The elephant orphanage is a wonderful place to go because you can feed baby elephants with a bottle. If you go in the middle of the morning or at 2 o'clock you can see them having a bath in the river. Nearby you get a ride on a very big fat elephant. It is exciting and nice to see elephants.
From Lily Hardcastle (age 7) and Phoebe Hardcastle (age 4).
Kegalle; nearest station Rambukkana
Maybe only a sentimental old fool like me would be moved by Saint Andrews Anglican Church in Haputale (and dozens of similar Anglican Churches across Sri Lanka) but the Tamil community who this church still serves really care about this place and it tells a real story about the British in Sri Lanka.
I am not a religious person and I will not attempt to defend imperial rule but Saint Andrews, set in its neat little graveyard, with its well polished brass plaque in memory of the Haputale planters who fell in the Great War of 1914 to 1918 brought a lump to my throat.
If I should die, think only this of me - and all that.
In the township of Haputale, which is on the railway in the south of the Sri Lanka Hill Country
If you want to visit a truly impressive place which is usually crowd-free then get along to the ancient cave and rock temple at Pahiyangala.
Famous throughout Sri Lanka, Pahiyangala attracts Buddhists from all over Sri Lanka on Poya Day but is over-looked by the most of the guide books so the rest of the time you might well have the place to yourself. In addition to the pre-historic excavations and rather eclectic collection of relics there is a training centre for Buddhist monks and temple complex.
A site of special scientific and archaeological interest, complete with massive statue of a reclining Lord Buddha and surrounded by some of the finest countryside that Sri Lanka has to offer Pahiyangala is the prefect daytrip. There is no fixed entrance fee but a donation is expected, particularly if you are escorted around the site.
There is a flight of rather uneven stairs so take good shoes (which you will need to remove when entering the temple compound at the top).
Pahiyangala is near Bulatsinhala and easily accessible from Colombo and all other west coast tourist resorts. You can get there by three-wheeler or bus via Matugama or Horana or ask your hotel to arrange a car.
The hill temple at Pimbura is not a particularly impressive structure, more a ramshackle collection of shrines and associated outbuildings spread out on the top of a ridge. In fact the nearer you get to the temple, the more you feel like you are in Nepal rather than Sri Lanka, but the setting, the atmosphere and the fact that you are almost certainly the only visitor makes up for any shortfall in the architecture. You need to explore this place and just when you think you have seen it all there is yet another path to something else.
The views from the top are magnificent, which means it is quite a climb (but I am fat and 40 and I made it ok) so you will need good shoes and plenty of water and do not go too late in the day, the track is steep, rocky and unlit. For the naturalists amongst you there are birds, bats and even monkeys. There is only one monk in residence, he will be surprised to see you and will no doubt welcome your generous donation.
You can take the train from Colombo to Aluthgama and then take the bus to Agalawatta via Matugama. From Agalawatta pick up the Horana bus or a three wheeler (approx Rs150). There is only one road worthy of the name running through Pimbura, the track to the temple leads off to the left (if you are travelling north) just past the district hospital, ask anyone. There is an alternative route up and down the hill so you can make a round trip. There is another temple in Pimbura (which is not on a hill).
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