Travel Mode : Air; Direct flight. It is a 2 1/2 hours flight from India. Flew Jet Airways. I would suggest you pick Sri Lankan airlines. Jet was more like a domestic flight and horrible food!
Travel Inside Sri Lanka : Had booked a cab (van) with a driver who took us around for the whole day.
First Day:
Reached Late Night to Colombo.
Checked into Cinnamon Red : Spanky Swanky Hotel : Good for the young and the business traveller.
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| Woke up in the morning to this view : Overlooking the city of Colombo. |
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| Cinnamon Red- Colombo |
Has a rooftop Pool over looking the whole of Sri Lanka. It is the highest storeyed building in Sri Lanka.
We went to the Bally's Casino. Was good fun. Just in case, if you are bollywood struck Preity Zinta made a guest appearance.
Clubs:
1) Silk -We did go there but it was EMPTY for a saturday night, due to the rains.
2) Clique
3) Disque
4) R & B - is open even after 4.00 a.m.
5) Sugar - for dinner. I did not get a chance to dine there, but it was recommended to us by a local.
Next day, we set off for Pinnawala elephant orphanage and Dambulla temple.
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| Tusker spotted at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage |
We have visited a lot of elephant orphanages. So in comparison to those and having lived in India, this seemed okay, however saw an elephant bottle feeding session,
Dambulla temple is some 800 steps to reach. But a beautiful view and a sleeping buddha and lot of buddha statues and murals. If that interests you then do go for it.
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| Dambulla Temple Base Point - You still need to climb the 800 steps |
Next day, Did the big climb of Sigiriya rock fortress. A definite go. It's also known as the lion's paw. Well maintained and offers an amazing view from the summit.
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| Sigiriya Rock Fortress |
Later in the day we visited the ancient old city of Polonnaruwa where you can revisit the ruins. Buddhism stupa and the sleeping buddha. Highlight of Sri Lanka is that there are lot of buddhist structures and statues.
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| Ruins of Polonnaruwa |
Hotel : Stayed two nights at Habarana Village by Cinnamon - Good Property overlooking the lake and Amazing Service and hospitality.
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| Mid Meal Snacking by the poolside At Habarana Village |
Another must visit at this place is the elephant safari where you get to see 300-400 herds of elephants. We got lucky and saw a herd on our way to Polonnaruwa, but that must be just 30 elephants together but a magnificent sighting.
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| Elephants at Habarana |
The next day we set off from Habarana- Kandy.
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| Good Morning Kandy - Earl's Regent Hotel |
On the way we visited Matale Spica Gardens. Definitely, Skippable, if you are an Indian because we have it all here, however Sri Lankans do know how to market their wares. We ended up buying quite a bit from there but then again my family likes to shop.
If you are into culture and like to know the history of a place, please visit the Kandy Temple, where buddhas tooth has been preserved. For me the most interesting part was the museum of installation of photographs and the history of how the temple was attacked back in the day by terrorists and how it has been restored. The significance of this story lies in the fact that the temple was beyond damage after a certain point due to the power of the tooth residing in the temple.
The Temple of Tooth Relic
Then we saw the Kandy Cultural Heritage Show. Please do not go for it.
Hotel - Earl's Regent. One of the best hotels in Kandy.
Next Day, We did a little cinnamon shopping in Kandy and then left for Peradeniya gardens (botanical gardens). Very well maintained. Quite a place for a picnic.
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| Camouflaging with the colours - Peredeniya Botanical Gardens |
The highlight was our stay at Hattons at Mandira Bungalows. Huge Mansion, Amazing butler service, Beautiful Property overlooking the tea plantations. Couldn't have asked for a better stay with wine, chills and a whole vintage mansion to ourselves. It was Perfect.
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| STRATHDON MANDIRA BUNGALOW |
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| It takes my breath away! |
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| Self Explanatory. |
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| BreakFast at Hatton's |
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| View from Strathdon Mandira Bungalows - Tea Plantations |
Next day, we set off again on a long drive to Nuwara Eliya - the Hillstation of tea plantations. I would skip it. Prefer Hattons to Nuwara Eliya for sure.Visited Blue Field Tea Factory - Showed us the whole processing of tea. It is auctioned and then sold under brand names such as Dilamh etc.
On the way to Nuwara Eliya, we did take stops at waterfalls. We also saw the Sita Temple. The Ashoka Vatika. And the Hanuman Mandir.
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| Zooming in on the "rose" in the backdrop of nature |
Stayed at Heaven Seven - Dont Stay Here.
Visited the Gregory Lake. Due to low rainfall the water level at the lake was very low, so boating was impossible.
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| Gregory Lake - Nuwara Eliya |
Next Day, we set off for YALA - the national park for the safari for leopard sighting. We checked into Jetwing Yala - Amazing Hotel.
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| Jetwing YALA - That's the sandy beach you can see behind. |
After a chilled beer and quick lunch we rushed for the safari.
Evening Safari was awesome - SAW A LEOPARD on the tree - so only caught sight of the back and the tail. Elephants crossing the road in between the jeep. Herds of deers and a lot of dancing peacock.
Morning Safari was quite low key.The only highlight was the dancing peacocks. Dozens of them.
Next day After the morning safari left for Cape Weligama - BEST Hotel. Best Property. Amazing food. Could have definitely stayed here for another night.
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| Cape Weligama |
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| Blue is my favourite colour - Cape Weligama sunset view |
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| A hot cuppa tea at Cape Weligama |
Activities:
Did body boarding
Scuba Dive trial for 30 mins
Next day check out left for Hikkaduwa
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| Hotel Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon |
Stayed at Hikka Tranz for two nights.
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| Reading a Book at Hikka Tranz Hotel |
On the way took a pit stop at Galle
Light house and the fortress. Got lucky to see a chopper land of the indian marine naval command. So exciting to see India in Sri Lanka.
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| Galle Light House |
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| Streets of Galle : Shopping |
Also it was the police anniversary the same day so saw a parade of police personnel from different departments dressed in uniforms.
Galle - Break for a lunch at Crepology. Total like of the place.
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| Crepo-ology |
Swam with the turtles . It was some experience.
Next morning woke up early to go to mirissa for whale watching and gosh we got lucky . Spotted a family of killler whales. If you are sea sick you should take the sea sickness pill.
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| Blown away! and how - what a sight. |
On the way back stopped at WIJAYA Unawatuna for lunch. Again a superb pick for lunch. Best Risotto and ofcourse the pizzas.
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| Pit Stop at Wijaya for Lunch |
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| Unawatuna Beach |
Well, locals did say that there are beach parties at Hikka most likely the bars being the long beach or the funky bar.
Next morning left for Bentota. Hotel : Taj Vivanta.
On the way did the mangrove boat ride. Again skippable. they will take you to the cinnamon garden and under the mangroves. I think one can save that for sunderbans.
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| Mangrove Leisure Boat Ride |
Went to a turtle hatchery. Enjoyed the turtles more in bali than here, but this was like an orphanage for turtles. It is more informative.
Spent the rest of the day at the hotel. Enjoyed the beach. Chilled!
Next day left for colombo in the afternoon. Shopped.
Stores:
Kelly Felder
Tammy
Paradise Road
Odel
Uptown
Something with "A" - lol - youll find it for sure, it is everywhere.
Ate lunch at The Gallery Cafe - Again amazing place for lunch.
Back to Mumbai via the night flight. Just be careful about catching your flight. We surprisingly got a lot of traffic on our way to the airport in the evening.
