Colombo to Sigiriya via Kandy
Nov 28, 2013, 4:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 710
Colombo to Sigiriya via Kandy
What is the best way to do this?
I have heard the drive from Colombo to Kandy is over 3hrs, and then it will be 1hr at least from Kandy to Sigiriya.
Is a hotel in Kandy or Sigiriya better for the cultural triangle of central Lanka?
I have heard the drive from Colombo to Kandy is over 3hrs, and then it will be 1hr at least from Kandy to Sigiriya.
Is a hotel in Kandy or Sigiriya better for the cultural triangle of central Lanka?
Aug 23, 2015, 8:02 pm
#3
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
I took the train from Colombo Fort to Kandy in early 2008, and IIRC it was between 3.5-4 hours.
There are a few temples, tea plantations and botanical garden in the vicinity (I hired a tuk-tuk), and Kandy's downtown was bustling if unmemorable. Somewhat hilly too.
Didn't get to Sigiriya, but I thought Kandy was worth a short visit.
There are a few temples, tea plantations and botanical garden in the vicinity (I hired a tuk-tuk), and Kandy's downtown was bustling if unmemorable. Somewhat hilly too.
Didn't get to Sigiriya, but I thought Kandy was worth a short visit.
Aug 23, 2015, 8:27 pm
#4
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AH yes, it cannot be soon enough when the restricted access highway from Colombo to Kandy is started, built and completed. The journey on the current highway would be enlightening to those who complain about traffic in California.
When I visited Sigiriya I stayed in Dambulla. There seems to be quite a selection of hotels, albeit clustered at the lower end. booking dot com or agoda dot com both seem to have representative sample. Two star in the area are generally clean but basic and are good value for money.
Anuradhapura is about as far from Sigiriya (on the northern side) as Kandy is on the south.
While I have always traveled with Sri Lankan friends, if traveling independently, I would be tempted to take the train to Kandy with a short stop at a two or three star hotel. Arrangements for a driver with that hotel would likely be far less expensive than with the 5 start versions in Colombo.
I offer a vote for the botanical garden as well. (Entry for foreigners is 10x the price for locals - though still cheap). I would be surprised if the taxi desks at the airport were more expensive than the Colombo hotels.
Though if wanting to arrange a driver/guide for more than a day I would prefer to do it in advance. OTOH, a series of day trip hires would be possible and if a driver was particularly helpful, would likely be amenable to further arrangements.
Happy wandering
Fred
When I visited Sigiriya I stayed in Dambulla. There seems to be quite a selection of hotels, albeit clustered at the lower end. booking dot com or agoda dot com both seem to have representative sample. Two star in the area are generally clean but basic and are good value for money.
Anuradhapura is about as far from Sigiriya (on the northern side) as Kandy is on the south.
While I have always traveled with Sri Lankan friends, if traveling independently, I would be tempted to take the train to Kandy with a short stop at a two or three star hotel. Arrangements for a driver with that hotel would likely be far less expensive than with the 5 start versions in Colombo.
I offer a vote for the botanical garden as well. (Entry for foreigners is 10x the price for locals - though still cheap). I would be surprised if the taxi desks at the airport were more expensive than the Colombo hotels.
Though if wanting to arrange a driver/guide for more than a day I would prefer to do it in advance. OTOH, a series of day trip hires would be possible and if a driver was particularly helpful, would likely be amenable to further arrangements.
Happy wandering
Fred
Aug 31, 2015, 4:23 pm
#6
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You can cut the corner from Colombo Airport to Kandy, avoiding the city itself, and there's plenty taxi stalls in the arrivals hall to negotiate a decent fare.
I found hotels in Kandy fairly overpriced for what they were, and ended up staying at a guesthouse to visit Kandy, but also found a good rate for the fascinating Heritance Kandalama hotel near Sigiriya to visit that area.
Got taxis and trains as and when needed throughout the trip. The idea of having a guide drive us round everywhere fills me with dread! Very easy to arrange.
I found hotels in Kandy fairly overpriced for what they were, and ended up staying at a guesthouse to visit Kandy, but also found a good rate for the fascinating Heritance Kandalama hotel near Sigiriya to visit that area.
Got taxis and trains as and when needed throughout the trip. The idea of having a guide drive us round everywhere fills me with dread! Very easy to arrange.
Sep 1, 2015, 10:09 am
#7
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Thanks!
I am also thinking of staying at the Heritance Kandalama.
How much further is the drive from CMB to the Heritance Kandalama (in Dambulla, yes?) than CMB to Kandy? Assume late at night.
I am also thinking of staying at the Heritance Kandalama.
How much further is the drive from CMB to the Heritance Kandalama (in Dambulla, yes?) than CMB to Kandy? Assume late at night.
Sep 1, 2015, 11:34 am
#8
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About an hour and a half, maybe less if it's really quiet. It's not quite in Dambulla, but set on a lake on a back road between Dambulla and Sigiriya (you can see both from the hotel). Also, if it's late at night, you're probably going to be able to avoid getting dragged into one of those spice gardens by your driver, so that'll stop you losing time...
Do take directions of how to get there, though, as out-of-town taxi drivers may not be able to find it easily. I had an offline map (CityMaps2Go) with GPS, which was invaluable getting there late at night - there are some signs, but not always obvious!
If you want your Colombo driver to accompany you for the whole trip, you will need to factor in driver's accommodation.
It is fairly isolated, though, so you will need some form of transport to get around. Actually, if it's a hot day, you'll be grateful for a waiting driver at Polonnaruwa, as the ground gets scorching (you'll be barefoot for much of it) and the sites can be a bit of a walk apart, with minimal shade, even if the short distances involved do seem a little ridiculous at the time.
If you want to go by bus to Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa, I'd recommend basing yourself elsewhere. It's doable from Kandy and Dambulla, although I have to say Dambulla is rather dusty and unremarkable. FWIW, though, when looking at guesthouses in Sri Lanka, standards of cleanliness are pretty universally high.
At the end, though, it all comes down to taste. You will get more local flavour staying in a guesthouse and getting some home-cooked rice and curry (possibly one of the most understated names for a wonderful variety of dishes - even if you do have to beg for them to not dumb down the spices or drown it in coconut milk). You'll get more of a local city feel staying in Kandy, a real working city, than in the tourist zone further north. But then, the Kandalama is an exceptional hotel - sure, the rooms are slightly dated, and the service isn't quite the polished 5* you may experience elsewhere, but the architecture, setting and wildlife are quite remarkable. Plus, the buffet dinner and breakfast do let you put together some top-notch Sri Lankan dishes.
The train service is great as well, but the highlight is daytime travel on the Kandy-Badulla section. The overnight train to Batticaloa does stop at Polonnaruwa at about 1:30am, but this doesn't sound fun after a longish flight...
Do take directions of how to get there, though, as out-of-town taxi drivers may not be able to find it easily. I had an offline map (CityMaps2Go) with GPS, which was invaluable getting there late at night - there are some signs, but not always obvious!
If you want your Colombo driver to accompany you for the whole trip, you will need to factor in driver's accommodation.
It is fairly isolated, though, so you will need some form of transport to get around. Actually, if it's a hot day, you'll be grateful for a waiting driver at Polonnaruwa, as the ground gets scorching (you'll be barefoot for much of it) and the sites can be a bit of a walk apart, with minimal shade, even if the short distances involved do seem a little ridiculous at the time.
If you want to go by bus to Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa, I'd recommend basing yourself elsewhere. It's doable from Kandy and Dambulla, although I have to say Dambulla is rather dusty and unremarkable. FWIW, though, when looking at guesthouses in Sri Lanka, standards of cleanliness are pretty universally high.
At the end, though, it all comes down to taste. You will get more local flavour staying in a guesthouse and getting some home-cooked rice and curry (possibly one of the most understated names for a wonderful variety of dishes - even if you do have to beg for them to not dumb down the spices or drown it in coconut milk). You'll get more of a local city feel staying in Kandy, a real working city, than in the tourist zone further north. But then, the Kandalama is an exceptional hotel - sure, the rooms are slightly dated, and the service isn't quite the polished 5* you may experience elsewhere, but the architecture, setting and wildlife are quite remarkable. Plus, the buffet dinner and breakfast do let you put together some top-notch Sri Lankan dishes.
The train service is great as well, but the highlight is daytime travel on the Kandy-Badulla section. The overnight train to Batticaloa does stop at Polonnaruwa at about 1:30am, but this doesn't sound fun after a longish flight...