16 days in Sri Lanka/Southern India: where would you go?
Dec 9, 2014, 2:13 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,198
I am also in the advance stage of planning a trip to SL for early 2016. My husband wants to go to India instead of Sri Lanka so maybe a visit to both in one trip would work. I have about 16 days to play with for the vacation. I would be flying into CMB on CX on award tix so would have to buy a flight CMB-India. I will follow along here and see what the OP comes up with.
Let us know what you settle on.
quarryking: could you PM me with your friends' itinerary and driver info? Much obliged.
Let us know what you settle on.
quarryking: could you PM me with your friends' itinerary and driver info? Much obliged.
Dec 9, 2014, 2:20 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,198
The biggest unanswered question for me is how to get around in Sri Lanka.
It seems to me we have more or less 4 options:
1) A car and driver combo
2) Self drive
3) Use entirely local transport (trains, buses, taxis, tuk-tuks)
4) Mix and match a bit of the above.
I would *love* any advice people have on the feasibility and pros and cons of each. It's worth bearing in mind that (especially now I have done the sums on our upcoming mortgage!) we really need to be travelling frugally. It's also worth noting that we're very independent travellers, and that I have happily driven in many places with rough roads and dangerous drivers (Romania, Iran, Mongolia, Vietnam, Naples...
)
1) Car and driver
It sounds like this is what most people do. I'd be open to doing this for a few days (especially for the Kandy/Cultural Triangle part of the trip) but I wonder whether this can create some tension or really change the experience (especially if you don't get a great driver)? Have people had experiences of the driver wanting to take them to his cousin's shop or his friend's restaurant? On the other hand I can see how it could hugely enrich the experience compared to just driving yourself.
2) Self drive
Ideally I'd like to self drive around the highlands - would this be madness? On first search, I don't see much evidence of rental cars (without drivers) being available outside of Colombo. Any thoughts on this?
3) I really like the idea of a few train journeys in Sri Lanka, and there's lots of information available about them. But for some routes (e.g. from the central/southern highlands down to the south coast) it looks like it would have to be buses, which I'm generally not a fan of. Just how bad are they?
It seems to me we have more or less 4 options:
1) A car and driver combo
2) Self drive
3) Use entirely local transport (trains, buses, taxis, tuk-tuks)
4) Mix and match a bit of the above.
I would *love* any advice people have on the feasibility and pros and cons of each. It's worth bearing in mind that (especially now I have done the sums on our upcoming mortgage!) we really need to be travelling frugally. It's also worth noting that we're very independent travellers, and that I have happily driven in many places with rough roads and dangerous drivers (Romania, Iran, Mongolia, Vietnam, Naples...
)1) Car and driver
It sounds like this is what most people do. I'd be open to doing this for a few days (especially for the Kandy/Cultural Triangle part of the trip) but I wonder whether this can create some tension or really change the experience (especially if you don't get a great driver)? Have people had experiences of the driver wanting to take them to his cousin's shop or his friend's restaurant? On the other hand I can see how it could hugely enrich the experience compared to just driving yourself.
2) Self drive
Ideally I'd like to self drive around the highlands - would this be madness? On first search, I don't see much evidence of rental cars (without drivers) being available outside of Colombo. Any thoughts on this?
3) I really like the idea of a few train journeys in Sri Lanka, and there's lots of information available about them. But for some routes (e.g. from the central/southern highlands down to the south coast) it looks like it would have to be buses, which I'm generally not a fan of. Just how bad are they?
Dec 9, 2014, 4:35 am
#18
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We were there for a week and a bit in the summer, and flew via Chennai/Colombo. In the end, the itinerary was:
Colombo airport direct to Galle
Galle
Udawalawe
Ella
Train from Ella to Kandy
Kandy station direct to Kandalama
Kandalama to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla
Kandy for the Perahera
Kandy to Colombo Airport via Pinnewala
We didn't have loads of time, but absolutely loved the trip. We arranged transport on an ad-hoc basis, which was very easy to do and pretty good value. Partly for the train journey, partly because neither of us enjoy guided tours, partly because I'm used to doing the same in India - our one experience with a more guide-type driver backed this up! We stayed at a mixture of upmarket hotels and basic guesthouses, both of which had their perks.
With more time, I'd love to have spent more time on the South Coast, perhaps looked at the East Coast, and headed up to the Tamil region.
If I had additional time in South India, I'd have headed down from Chennai to Pondicherry, then onwards to Trichy, which has a direct flight on to Sri Lanka. If the ferry were still running, I'd have travelled by land via the wonderful Rameshwaram in a heartbeat. Tamil Nadu is a very underrated state!
The train journey we did was from Ella (which was a gem of a place) down to Kandy, and hugely worth doing. We took the 'blue' train rather than the tourist one, pre-booked via Facebook.
It's hard to think of a highlight, there were so many - the wonderful Galle Fort and the little bays along the coast; the safari at Udawalawe; walking through the plantations at Ella; the stunning train journey through the highlands; Bawa's wonderful Kandalama Hotel; climbing Sigiriya; the immaculately preserved ruins and temples at Polonnaruwa; the Esala Perahera and seeing the Sacred Tooth... Not to mention the utter charm of the island, incredible food (although you do have to insist they don't water down the curry with coconut milk) and welcoming people. I was slightly saddened by Pinnewala - it had turned into more of a zoo with some questionable activities. Udawalawe was a far, far better way to see elephants.
We didn't take the buses, mostly due to the type of luggage we had. They're not dissimilar to the rural buses you see in India - fairly crowded and breakneck speed (everyone knows to get out their way). No AC, just open windows. Bearable for a couple of hours - wouldn't like to do much more than that.
Colombo airport direct to Galle
Galle
Udawalawe
Ella
Train from Ella to Kandy
Kandy station direct to Kandalama
Kandalama to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla
Kandy for the Perahera
Kandy to Colombo Airport via Pinnewala
We didn't have loads of time, but absolutely loved the trip. We arranged transport on an ad-hoc basis, which was very easy to do and pretty good value. Partly for the train journey, partly because neither of us enjoy guided tours, partly because I'm used to doing the same in India - our one experience with a more guide-type driver backed this up! We stayed at a mixture of upmarket hotels and basic guesthouses, both of which had their perks.
With more time, I'd love to have spent more time on the South Coast, perhaps looked at the East Coast, and headed up to the Tamil region.
If I had additional time in South India, I'd have headed down from Chennai to Pondicherry, then onwards to Trichy, which has a direct flight on to Sri Lanka. If the ferry were still running, I'd have travelled by land via the wonderful Rameshwaram in a heartbeat. Tamil Nadu is a very underrated state!
The train journey we did was from Ella (which was a gem of a place) down to Kandy, and hugely worth doing. We took the 'blue' train rather than the tourist one, pre-booked via Facebook.
It's hard to think of a highlight, there were so many - the wonderful Galle Fort and the little bays along the coast; the safari at Udawalawe; walking through the plantations at Ella; the stunning train journey through the highlands; Bawa's wonderful Kandalama Hotel; climbing Sigiriya; the immaculately preserved ruins and temples at Polonnaruwa; the Esala Perahera and seeing the Sacred Tooth... Not to mention the utter charm of the island, incredible food (although you do have to insist they don't water down the curry with coconut milk) and welcoming people. I was slightly saddened by Pinnewala - it had turned into more of a zoo with some questionable activities. Udawalawe was a far, far better way to see elephants.
We didn't take the buses, mostly due to the type of luggage we had. They're not dissimilar to the rural buses you see in India - fairly crowded and breakneck speed (everyone knows to get out their way). No AC, just open windows. Bearable for a couple of hours - wouldn't like to do much more than that.
Dec 13, 2014, 8:40 pm
#19
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I did 2 trips to Sri Lanka circa 1998 so I'm a bit dated (and it was pre-tsunami and the north was a no-go then), but I generally favored the decrepit trains over the decrepit buses even though the train system was really antiquated. At least there was a bit of elbow room.
Hikkaduwa was really beautiful and Galle was amazing, in that it was obviously historic and atmospheric but unrenovated. It had a certain authenticity there.
Staying at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo at $21/night for 4 nights was really great (probably more than that now). Elephant orphanage was gimmicky but OK. Didn;t really get enthused about Kandy though there was that temple. Stayed 2 nights in Haputale (reached by train) to do a daytrip to Horton Plains by train. Amazing national park, and if you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes.
Looked into getting a car to Polonnawura but the travel agent talked me out of it. Fine today, no doubt. Even Colombo could be pleasant in spots (though the Pettah not so much so).
Hikkaduwa was really beautiful and Galle was amazing, in that it was obviously historic and atmospheric but unrenovated. It had a certain authenticity there.
Staying at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo at $21/night for 4 nights was really great (probably more than that now
). Elephant orphanage was gimmicky but OK. Didn;t really get enthused about Kandy though there was that temple. Stayed 2 nights in Haputale (reached by train) to do a daytrip to Horton Plains by train. Amazing national park, and if you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes. Looked into getting a car to Polonnawura but the travel agent talked me out of it. Fine today, no doubt. Even Colombo could be pleasant in spots (though the Pettah not so much so).
Dec 19, 2014, 10:33 pm
#20
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, TX -- AA Life Platinum; QF Life Silver; UA Silver
Posts: 5,462
I was just looking for this info. 
headed to Colombo in late Jan for a few days before a day or two in Maldives.. then going to Bangalore for work.
I've seen spice plantations and elephants before, so was hoping to focus on Kandy/Sigiriya or Galle area.
I've been to Southern India before, did a loop from Cochin -> Aleppy -> Periyar -> Madurai -> Thanjur -> Pondicherry -> Chennai in two weeks.
headed to Colombo in late Jan for a few days before a day or two in Maldives.. then going to Bangalore for work. I've seen spice plantations and elephants before, so was hoping to focus on Kandy/Sigiriya or Galle area.
I've been to Southern India before, did a loop from Cochin -> Aleppy -> Periyar -> Madurai -> Thanjur -> Pondicherry -> Chennai in two weeks.
Dec 20, 2014, 8:52 am
#21
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
[QUOTE=RustyC;23993319]I did 2 trips to Sri Lanka circa 1998 so I'm a bit dated (and it was pre-tsunami and the north was a no-go then), but I generally favored the decrepit trains over the decrepit buses even though the train system was really antiquated. At least there was a bit of elbow room.
Hikkaduwa was really beautiful and Galle was amazing, in that it was obviously historic and atmospheric but unrenovated. It had a certain authenticity there.
Staying at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo at $21/night for 4 nights was really great (probably more than that now). Elephant orphanage was gimmicky but OK. Didn;t really get enthused about Kandy though there was that temple. Stayed 2 nights in Haputale (reached by train) to do a daytrip to Horton Plains by train. Amazing national park, and if you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes.
[QUOTE]
I've heard that there's an expressway to Hikkaduwa now, but when I visited it in January 2011, the ~110 kilometer trip took 3.5 hours on the road that hugs the Indian Ocean. Not a bad beach though.
Also, as for the Galle Face Hotel, there are some good crab and seafood fritters to be had right on the Galle Face Green.
Hikkaduwa was really beautiful and Galle was amazing, in that it was obviously historic and atmospheric but unrenovated. It had a certain authenticity there.
Staying at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo at $21/night for 4 nights was really great (probably more than that now
). Elephant orphanage was gimmicky but OK. Didn;t really get enthused about Kandy though there was that temple. Stayed 2 nights in Haputale (reached by train) to do a daytrip to Horton Plains by train. Amazing national park, and if you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes. [QUOTE]
I've heard that there's an expressway to Hikkaduwa now, but when I visited it in January 2011, the ~110 kilometer trip took 3.5 hours on the road that hugs the Indian Ocean. Not a bad beach though.
Also, as for the Galle Face Hotel, there are some good crab and seafood fritters to be had right on the Galle Face Green.
Dec 20, 2014, 12:36 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
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Posts: 3,648
I want to do a private tour for Hubby and I with a car and driver. I find if I use the plan that tour companies do I usually see the highlights.
Besides Jetwing that SanDiego1K used, anyone have experience with a SL bases TA to plan a trip? I've been in contact with one, Reddot Tours, and their initial 14 day tour price is so ridiculously expensive I think they are trying to rip me off. They have the cost of the car and river at $100 a day. Is this the going rate?
Dec 25, 2014, 10:05 am
#23
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newbieRunner: What tour company are you traveling with?
I want to do a private tour for Hubby and I with a car and driver. I find if I use the plan that tour companies do I usually see the highlights.
Besides Jetwing that SanDiego1K used, anyone have experience with a SL bases TA to plan a trip? I've been in contact with one, Reddot Tours, and their initial 14 day tour price is so ridiculously expensive I think they are trying to rip me off. They have the cost of the car and river at $100 a day. Is this the going rate?
I want to do a private tour for Hubby and I with a car and driver. I find if I use the plan that tour companies do I usually see the highlights.
Besides Jetwing that SanDiego1K used, anyone have experience with a SL bases TA to plan a trip? I've been in contact with one, Reddot Tours, and their initial 14 day tour price is so ridiculously expensive I think they are trying to rip me off. They have the cost of the car and river at $100 a day. Is this the going rate?
So far we've visited Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Kandy and apart from a couple of hours when we were climbing up the Lion Rock at Sigiriya (but not when we were coming down) it hasn't stopped raining for the last 6 days!
Jan 14, 2015, 3:07 am
#24
Original Poster
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Belatedly coming back to my own thread, having just returned from our holiday yesterday (and being online was a very low priority).
I feel your pain on that front, NewbieRunner! We too had ghastly weather for our first 5 days, including at Sigiriya, and had transport plans foiled by the rain (no trains running on highland routes). However it dramatically improved from about December 29th, luckily in time for the beach portion of our trip - no doubt you experienced the same?
And apologies not to reply to your suggestion to meet up in Galle - to be honest I forgot all about FT and this thread once our trip got under way in earnest!
I'm travelling with a UK-based company called Exodus but their local agent is Nkar Travels & Tours (Pvt.) Ltd. http://www.srilankaholiday.travel
So far we've visited Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Kandy and apart from a couple of hours when we were climbing up the Lion Rock at Sigiriya (but not when we were coming down) it hasn't stopped raining for the last 6 days!
So far we've visited Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Kandy and apart from a couple of hours when we were climbing up the Lion Rock at Sigiriya (but not when we were coming down) it hasn't stopped raining for the last 6 days!
And apologies not to reply to your suggestion to meet up in Galle - to be honest I forgot all about FT and this thread once our trip got under way in earnest!
Jan 14, 2015, 4:41 am
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
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If anyone's curious, here's what our itinerary ended up being (with a few brief comments added).
Overall, we loved Sri Lanka and would definitely go back to see more. The people were unfailingly cheerful, friendly, smiling and outgoing. It felt very safe and very welcoming. The scenery is amazing, and it strikes a nice balance between having enough tourist facilities to be comfortable but not being ruined or overdeveloped. I really enjoyed the food, and you can travel there very cheaply.
Main things to be aware of in Sri Lanka:
- not many mid-range accommodation options (lots of super cheap and basic or uber luxurious $300+ hotels)
- very patchy wifi at most budget places. Investing in a local SIM card was a great move
- getting anywhere (except along the southern expressway) takes a looooong time. The roads aren't all that bad, just massively overcrowded, and the driving is moderately scary.
Kerala was more of a mixed bag - I loved Kochi, but was a bit lukewarm on the rest. The backwaters are well and truly discovered, and felt touristy and a bit ruined to me. Perhaps if you could get further off the heavily travelled tourist track, like Spymon did, it would be a better experience. However the people were all friendly and the food was good. I'll definitely go back to India, but would head to the north next time. Kerala's semi-prohibitionist tendencies are a pain, too, for those who enjoy a beer after a hot day of exploring.
Hope that was helpful - let me know if you have any questions!
- Wed 24/12 Arr CMB just after midnight
Accomm: OZO hotel Colombo. Actually pretty decent, but weather prevented us using their very nice looking rooftop pool. - Thu 25/12 Explored Colombo. As expected, Colombo is not a major draw. Highlight was walking through the Pettah, which was still fairly lively on Christmas day. Also went to Geoffrey Bawa house, which was intriguing for those with an interest in design. Lowlight was discovering no alcohol can be sold on holidays such as Christmas day, so came dangerously close to having my first teetotal Christmas since the age of 9 (narrowly averted thanks to our meagre minibar: 2 cans of beer!).
Accomm: OZO hotel Colombo - Fri 26/12 Colombo > Kandy via bus, after train cancelled due to heavy rain. Not a fun journey at all - took about 5 hours.
Accomm: Queens Hotel, Kandy. Basic but fun, with loads of historic atmosphere. Kandy itself was a pleasant surprise, and extremely lively at that time of year. Explored Temple of the Tooth and saw interesting candlelight vigil for 10 year anniversary of Tsunami. - Sat 27/12 Hired car and driver for the day to go to Dambulla and Sigiriya. Both amazing sites, but truly appalling weather dampened the experience somewhat.
- Sun 28/12 Trains still all cancelled, so hired driver to take us from Kandy to Haputale. Paid well over the odds (US$130) due to last-minute booking, peak peak time, and some road closures necessitating detours. Great scenery en route.
Accommodation: Leisure Mount View Holiday Inn (nothing to do with the chain) - cheap, basic, but fairly comfortable and with mind-blowing views and very friendly and helpful owners, plus delicious Sri Lankan food. - Mon 29/12 Woke up to stunning views and long-awaited sunshine. Did very scenic walk from Lipton's Seat to Dambattene Tea Factory and did brief but interesting tour, then caught local buses from Haputale via Pelmadulla to Embilipitiya. Cost about $1 all in, and surprisingly enjoyable and quick (3hrs).
Accommodation: Pavana Resort - nice small pool, very friendly and obliging host, basic but comfortable room. No food but close to a good restaurant (3-4mins walk). Breakfast included, despite our 5am departure on safari (they gave it to us to go!). - Tue 30/12 Half day trip to Udawalawa National Park. Saw tons of elephant, plus water buffalos, mongoose and interesting birdlife, but not much else. We chose here on whim because supposedly Yala would have been very busy and somewhat impassable after all the rain, but in retrospect I wish we'd tried Yala instead. However I think for anyone who has experienced the better national parks in Southern or East Africa, these will all be disappointing.
That afternoon, caught local bus to Matara (3hrs) then tuk tuk to Mirissa.
Accomm: Sea Breeze, Mirissa. Super basic but decent location, and run by a lovely, obliging guy. For that time of year, very little was still available at short notice for a small budget (this was US$38 incl breakfast). - Wed 31/12 - Thurs 1/1 Relaxation and beach time at Mirissa, which is a really lovely beach and just a generally amiable and enjoyable place, with probably a 50:50 independent traveller:tourist mix. Lots of places to eat and drink, all much of a muchness. Very lively at that time of year - NYE was a blast, with several sound systems on the beach.
- Fri 2/1 Whale watching trip in the morning (saw a blue whale but a pretty uninspiring experience overall, despite randomly meeting my very first schoolteacher who I hadn't seen since 1978), then in the afternoon caught a tuktuk to Unawatuna, then explored Galle that evening, including a great dinner at The Fort Printers.
Accommodation: Thambapanni Retreat - a nice place, secluded, with comfortable beds, friendly staff, nice pool and excellent food. About a 4 minute walk to the beach. - Sat 3/1 Hanging out in Unawatuna / Galle. Unawatuna is significantly more developed than Mirissa - the upside is more choice and possibly better quality restaurants, the downside is a more mainstream feel and an inferior beach. Wandered to nearby Jungle Beach and tried snorkelling there, which was terrible - the water on that side (facing Galle town) was much dirtier. Galle itself is lovely, though almost a bit too chi-chi for its own good - almost feels like another country.
- Sun 4/1 Morning: Hired car and driver to take us to CMB.
Afternoon: fly Sri Lankan CMB 1405 – 1525 COK (our $55 upgrades cleared - great value IMHO).
Accommodation: Fort Abode, Fort Cochin - clean, comfortable, OK breakfast, great location, a bit characterless. - Mon 5/1 Exploring Kochi - a very enjoyable introduction to India. Between the gentrification it's still very much India, with all the trash, filth and human deprivation that entails. Had great dinner at The Old Courtyard restaurant (though like most others, no alcohol is served).
- Tue 6/1 Train from Kochi to Varkala. Great experience, but trying to book it was a nightmare. Should have planned further ahead. Varkala itself was not that appealing - a nice beach but an awkward mix of slightly sleazy anything-goes beachside party town with hippy dippy yoga lovers droning on about achieving self-awareness. Like most of Kerala, there are very strict rules about serving alcohol - more or less restricted to only 5 star hotels - but most venues will covertly serve it to you disguised in teapots or ceramic mugs.
Accommodation: Mango Guest House. Mistake booking, as I thought it was the Mango Villa. Worst accommodation of the trip, hardest beds of my life. - Wed 7/1 Hired car and driver to resort north of Alleppey, for 3800INR, took about 3 hours.
Accommodation: Lemon Tree Vembanad Lake Resort - nice enough but ageing, with only one restaurant and, horror of horrors, no liquor licence! They did kindly send someone out to source "BYO" beers for us, but they had to be drunk in privacy of our room. At least we avoided paying resort booze prices! The lovely lakeside infinity pool and tranquil location are best features. - Thu 8/1 Exploring backwaters and relaxing. Did a half day boat trip on a small boat. Pleasant, but I agree with those who consider backwaters a bit overrated - at least the way we did it. Maybe if you could get further off the beaten track it would be better. Lots of litter evident nearly everywhere did detract from the experience.
- Fri 9/1 Morning: relaxing at resort.
Afternoon: hotel supplied car and driver to Kochi airport for about 2400INR, then fly Sri Lankan COK 16.15 – 17.30 CMB
Accomm: Colombo Beach Hostel at Negombo. Basic but OK for the price (US$22 for non-ensuite double room with breakfast) and for a very short stay. Hard beds and very poor wifi though. Once again we timed our arrival for a holiday (due to the election, I think) so no booze, but by now I was wise to this so we found somewhere that served disguised beers. - Sat 10/1 Morning: fly Sri Lankan CMB 0720 – 1335 KUL (in biz ). Once again, Sri Lankan surprised us with a great product - good food, flat beds on the A330, and very caring service.
Overall, we loved Sri Lanka and would definitely go back to see more. The people were unfailingly cheerful, friendly, smiling and outgoing. It felt very safe and very welcoming. The scenery is amazing, and it strikes a nice balance between having enough tourist facilities to be comfortable but not being ruined or overdeveloped. I really enjoyed the food, and you can travel there very cheaply.
Main things to be aware of in Sri Lanka:
- not many mid-range accommodation options (lots of super cheap and basic or uber luxurious $300+ hotels)
- very patchy wifi at most budget places. Investing in a local SIM card was a great move
- getting anywhere (except along the southern expressway) takes a looooong time. The roads aren't all that bad, just massively overcrowded, and the driving is moderately scary.
Kerala was more of a mixed bag - I loved Kochi, but was a bit lukewarm on the rest. The backwaters are well and truly discovered, and felt touristy and a bit ruined to me. Perhaps if you could get further off the heavily travelled tourist track, like Spymon did, it would be a better experience. However the people were all friendly and the food was good. I'll definitely go back to India, but would head to the north next time. Kerala's semi-prohibitionist tendencies are a pain, too, for those who enjoy a beer after a hot day of exploring.
Hope that was helpful - let me know if you have any questions!
Hi all
Below is my first stab at an itinerary. Any comments welcomed! My thinking is to spend more time in Sri Lanka (~10 days) and less in Kerala (~5 days), as I think in Kerala we'll just stick to Cochin, the waterways and a bit of the coast.
In the cultural triangle, I definitely want to see Sirigiya plus either Polonnaruwa or Anuradhapura. I haven't decided yet whether we try to do that bit by public transport or car and driver. Then into the southern highlands by train for some tea ogling and hiking before dropping down to the South Coast (by bus, I guess) for some relaxed beach time before heading to Galle then back to Colombo to fly out.
Here's the itin in its current (rough) shape:
Any and all comments or suggestions welcomed!
Below is my first stab at an itinerary. Any comments welcomed! My thinking is to spend more time in Sri Lanka (~10 days) and less in Kerala (~5 days), as I think in Kerala we'll just stick to Cochin, the waterways and a bit of the coast.
In the cultural triangle, I definitely want to see Sirigiya plus either Polonnaruwa or Anuradhapura. I haven't decided yet whether we try to do that bit by public transport or car and driver. Then into the southern highlands by train for some tea ogling and hiking before dropping down to the South Coast (by bus, I guess) for some relaxed beach time before heading to Galle then back to Colombo to fly out.
Here's the itin in its current (rough) shape:
- Wed 24/12 Arr CMB just after midnight
Accomm: OZO hotel Colombo - Thu 25/12 Explore Colombo
Any Christmas lunch ideas?
Accomm: OZO hotel Colombo - Fri 26/12 Colombo > Kandy via train
- Sat 27/12 Kandy/Cultural Triangle
- Sun 28/12 Kandy/Cultural Triangle
- Mon 29/12 Kandy > Adam’s Peak or Haputale/Ella (is the Adam's Peak climb worth the early start and uninspiring options for accommodation nearby?)
- Tue 30/12 Haputale/Ella and around
- Wed 31/12 Haputale/Ella > Tangalle
- Thu 1/1 Tangalle
- Fri 2/1 Tangalle > Unawatuna / Galle
- Sat 3/1 Unawatuna / Galle
- Sun 4/1 Morning: Unawatuna / Galle > Colombo (Train dep Galle 07.25 arr Colombo 9.32)
Afternoon: fly Sri Lankan CMB 1405 – 1525 COK - Mon 5/1 Exploring Kerala
- Tue 6/1 Exploring Kerala
- Wed 7/1 Exploring Kerala
- Thu 8/1 Exploring Kerala
- Fri 9/1 Morning: Kerala
Afternoon: fly Sri Lankan COK 16.15 – 17.30 CMB
Accomm: hotel at Negombo - Sat 10/1 Morning: fly Sri Lankan CMB 0720 – 1335 KUL (in biz )
Any and all comments or suggestions welcomed!
Last edited by mad_atta; Jan 14, 2015 at 4:57 am
Jan 14, 2015, 4:45 am
#26
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If anyone's curious, you can see my trip photos here:
http://instagram.com/mad_atta
http://instagram.com/mad_atta
Sep 23, 2015, 8:33 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,648
I ended up planning my trip with a local company, Camlo Lanka Tours.
http://www.camlolanka.com
The owner, Kanchana, has been most responsive in helping me plan the itinerary and find hotels at my price point. I will be meeting up with a facebook friend who recommended Camlo Lanka, for 5 days of the trip. My driver with car and gas is $55 a day.
Right now the plan is:
arrive late stay 1 night Negombo
1 night Anuradhapura
2 nights Dambulla
2 nights Kandy
1 night Ella
2 nights Nuwara Eliya
2 nights Tangalle
3 nights Unawatuna
Some hotels I booked online myself, some are booked by Kanchana. I may still modify the plan since the trip is not until February.
http://www.camlolanka.com
The owner, Kanchana, has been most responsive in helping me plan the itinerary and find hotels at my price point. I will be meeting up with a facebook friend who recommended Camlo Lanka, for 5 days of the trip. My driver with car and gas is $55 a day.
Right now the plan is:
arrive late stay 1 night Negombo
1 night Anuradhapura
2 nights Dambulla
2 nights Kandy
1 night Ella
2 nights Nuwara Eliya
2 nights Tangalle
3 nights Unawatuna
Some hotels I booked online myself, some are booked by Kanchana. I may still modify the plan since the trip is not until February.
Oct 10, 2015, 11:54 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: CO Platinum/1K, SPG Platinum/Ambassador
Posts: 1,705
Planning a week long trip to Tangalle with day trips from there. How's the snorkeling/there? Can we do that on off days or do we need to travel from there as well? Also, what's the taxi (non tuk tuk variety) situation. Was hoping to get there and strike a deal with a driver to be ours for the week for a certain price. When I was in mauritius there were a bunch of taxis at the upscale hotels and they were all too willing to take me up on that offer.