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Just Me Travel

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Category: Asia

MONGOLIAN CULTURAL NORMS AND TRADITIONS – HOW TO PREVENT CULTURAL ERRORS (2023 Updated)

Unlocking the Secrets: Successfully Navigating Mongolian Beliefs, Customs, and Values.   A journey to Mongolia is about more than crossing vast landscapes and nomadic lands. It is also a deep…

Unlocking the Secrets: Successfully Navigating Mongolian Beliefs, Customs, and Values.

 

A journey to Mongolia is about more than crossing vast landscapes and nomadic lands. It is also a deep dive into diverse cultural norms and traditions shaped by Buddhism, Shamanism, and Animism. 

Navigating foreign customs can be challenging, especially in a country like Mongolia. In this travel blog post, I’ll guide you through the challenges, providing invaluable tips and practical advice on navigating Mongolia’s cultural environment without stumbling into unintentional faux pas. 

Please read the post to make sure your journey to Mongolia is filled with breathtaking landscapes and enriched by a profound understanding of the cultural norms and traditions that make Mongolia uniquely remarkable.

 

Cultural insensitivity is a sign of profound disrespect. I learned this the hard way in Varanasi (India) when I took a photo of the cremation pyres on the banks of the Ganges River. It took my guide a lot of talking, much apologising, and payment of money to appease the men who supplied wood for the pyres. In my defence (but no excuse), I had not been informed not to take photos of the cremations.

My wrongdoing mortified me. Even though this occurred many years ago, I still beat myself up about it. I have travelled extensively and would describe myself as culturally sensitive. To this day, I cannot explain what made me think it was okay to take such a photo.

So, when our guide in Mongolia advised us about local customs before our two-night stay with a nomadic family, I felt a deep appreciation and relief that I would not commit any social or cultural faux pas through ignorance. I firmly believe that knowledge is power, and I was about to meet this family in a “powerful” (culturally knowledgeable) position.

So, what lessons did I learn from my Mongolian guide?

First, our guide requested we wait to take photos of the family but get to know them a little first. This was a more than reasonable request and one I knew I would have no trouble complying with because I often feel uncomfortable photographing people. However, given this was a photography tour I was on, the family expected photos to be taken of them as they knew this was a part of our learning.

We were advised to ask whatever questions we wanted, with the guide translating for us as the family doesn’t speak English. I suspect this also allowed the guide to ‘censor’ inappropriate questions – a sound filtering system.

Our guide continued her invaluable insights on Mongolian cultural norms and traditions:

  • When you enter a ger, you must always go to the left. Don’t circle the interior of the ger. If you need to go to the right once inside the ger, return to the door and then to the right.
  • Don’t step on the threshold of the ger. You must always step over it.
  • In a group setting, always say hello to the oldest or most important person first.
  • Do not touch a person’s head or shoulder; doing so is taking that person’s luck away.
  • Touching a person’s feet (with your feet) signifies you want to challenge that person to a fight. If you unintentionally touch a person’s feet, shake hands with that person or touch their arm. By doing this, you are saying, “I didn’t mean that” (to challenge to a fight); it removes the challenge.
  • Do not throw tissues in the fire. The fire is a holy thing, and throwing tissues into the fire is contaminating the fire. It was essential to know this custom as, one by one, we were coming down with colds.
  • When Mongolians offer you food and drinks, you must accept it with your right hand, and you must taste whatever is offered or, at least, pretend to taste it by putting the food or drink to your lips. There is another alternative if offered a glass of vodka. You can dip your ring finger in the vodka, remove your finger from the vodka and flick your ring finger into the air, thereby flicking drops of vodka in the air.
  • When offered something, touch it with your right hand before taking it while supporting the elbow with the left hand. This custom is also followed when giving something. The exception to this is when offered a meal or providing a meal.
  • When exiting religious buildings, e.g. temples, step out backwards so that you do not show your back to the interior. To show your back is to show disrespect to the gods.
A brass bowl in a person's hands is presented.

Accept and taste all food and drinks that are offered.

 

Children in Mongolia don’t get their hair cut until they are between 2 and 5 years of age. For girls, this is usually between 2 and 4 years old. Conversely, boys will have their first haircut at 3 to 5 years of age. The reason for leaving the first cutting of children’s hair until this age is because Mongolians believe children are born with their mother’s hair. The cutting (more like shaving) of the hair signifies the child becoming their own person and is celebrated with a hair-cutting ceremony.

The khadag is a long piece of silk cloth (like a scarf). It comes in 5 different colours – blue, white, yellow, green and red – with each colour having its unique significance:

  • Blue is the most sacred colour in Mongolian culture, representing Mongolia’s eternal blue sky. The blue khadag is the most common and can be given to anyone, regardless of age, to show respect.
  • White represents milk and is the symbol of purity. It is often given to mothers.
  • Yellow represents the sun and is the symbol of wisdom. The yellow khadag is given when you greet monks.
  • Green represents the earth, being in tune with nature. It is the colour of inner peace and is only used in religious rituals.
  • Red represents fire and blood (as in circulation). It is the colour of life, of prosperity. As with the green khadag, it is not used to greet people but only in religious ceremonies.

To give or offer a khadag to someone or something is to show respect, the ultimate offering. To present a blue khadag to a person or animal is the highest form of respect. Driving through Mongolia, I often saw sheep and horses with blue khadags tied around their neck. Our guide explained that this shows respect for the animal, which can’t be killed/eaten.

A pile of rocks and stones with a pole in the middle of the mound covered in blue scarfs. Animal skulls are placed in front of the mound.

Mongolia’s cairns (shrines) are mounds of rocks and stones for offerings.

 

Mongolia’s cairns (stone shrines known as ovoos) are adorned with khadags, primarily blue ones. Most Mongolians are Buddhist, but Shamanism is integral to Mongolian life. Locals and travellers erect the cairns to provide offerings to the local spirits, thus showing their respect and honouring the spirits of the surrounding land. When you come across a cairn, you should always stop and show your respect by making an offering. The ritual entails walking around the cairn three times in a clockwise direction. As you do so, you make an offering while making a prayer or wish. This might be for a safe journey, good health, good fortune, or much-needed rain. The offering can be a khadag, food, money, vodka, or a small stone. If you are in a hurry and don’t have time to stop at a cairn, the driver will honk the horn three times. At one cairn, our driver offered a blue khadag. We settled for a small stone each time we stopped at a cairn – and there were many.

 

Unlocking the secrets of Mongolia’s rich cultural environment requires more than just travelling through its breathtaking landscapes. Understanding and respecting this remarkable country’s cultural norms and traditions is the key to a truly immersive and rewarding travel experience. Avoiding cultural errors is not just about being polite; it’s about creating authentic connections with Mongolia’s warm and hospitable people.

Start your Mongolian adventure with cultural sensitivity, and let the vibrant traditions of this enchanting land enrich your travel story.

And my final piece of practical advice – know before you go!

 

Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog post in February 2019 and have updated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

 

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. All photos are my own and remain the copyright of Just Me Travel.

© Just Me Travel 2018-2023.

 

Have you travelled to Mongolia? What other cultural insights would you offer readers for Mongolia? I love hearing from you. Join the conversation and leave a comment below.

 

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A Mongolian nomadic man in tradition garb walks in front of a ger. There is a second ger behind the first and a mountain in the background.

A large pile of rocks and stones with animal skulls in front of the mound. a pole is in the middle of the mound with blue scarfs hanging from the pole.

 

Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and follow government advice.

 

Sign up to receive the latest in travel destinations, topics, resources and guides.

 

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Men in colourful robes sit on a wooden pole fence, with saddled horses behind them.A UNIQUE MONGOLIA HORSE FESTIVAL SHOWCASES IMPRESSIVE HORSE-RIDING TALENT (2023 Updated)

Attending a local horse festival in Mongolia is a must. Read my postcard to home to learn about the extraordinary horseback skills I saw.

 

A person is fossicking for dinosaur fossils along an escarpment of the Flaming Cliffs in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.DINOSAUR FOSSIL HUNTING IN MONGOLIA’S GOBI DESERT AT THE FLAMING CLIFFS (2023 Updated)

The Flaming Cliffs are famous for discovering dinosaur eggs in 1923 and is one of the world’s greatest dinosaur fossil sites. Go fossicking!

 

 

12 Comments on MONGOLIAN CULTURAL NORMS AND TRADITIONS – HOW TO PREVENT CULTURAL ERRORS (2023 Updated)

DINOSAUR FOSSIL HUNTING IN MONGOLIA’S GOBI DESERT AT THE FLAMING CLIFFS (2023 Updated)

  Fossick for Dinosaur Bones at Mongolia’s Flaming Cliffs – One of the World’s Greatest Dinosaur Fossil Sites.     Dear Pip, Deep in the heart of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert…

 

Fossick for Dinosaur Bones at Mongolia’s Flaming Cliffs – One of the World’s Greatest Dinosaur Fossil Sites.

 

A person stands on the top of a cliff that is part of red sandstone cliff formations known as the Flaming Cliffs. Flat plains surround the cliffs.

Mongolia’s Flaming Cliffs are in the heart of the Gobi Desert.

 

Dear Pip,

Deep in the heart of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert are the Flaming Cliffs. They are utterly remote at approximately 100 kms northwest of Dalanzadgad and nine hours from Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.

I don’t know how our driver found his way through the desert because there were no signs or landmarks I could discern to guide the way. When I asked (as translated by our guide) how he knows the way, he shrugged his shoulders, saying (as translated) he just knows. Beats me! However, find the way he did.

The Flaming Cliffs, so named because of their ochre and red-coloured sandstone cliffs and canyons, are an ancient formation of 71 to 75 million years old. They are famous for the first discovery of dinosaur eggs by the American palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews in 1923. According to our guide, the eggs were discovered when one of Andrews’ crew fell down the cliff into a nest full of dinosaur eggs.

The Flaming Cliffs are known as one of the world’s greatest dinosaur fossil sites, with more and more bones exposed through erosion. The first dinosaur fossil, a Protoceratops, was discovered in 1922, and in the 1970s, a fossil was unearthed of two dinosaurs locked in a fight. Being a well-known site for dinosaur fossil hunters excited Meg, who scrambled over the cliffs (in thongs!), fossicking for dinosaur bones.

Nearing the end of our cliff walk and exploration, we came across an object sticking out of the cliff face that could be a large bone – possibly a dinosaur thigh bone. Our guide suggested licking the ‘bone’ to test if it is bone or stone. Because bones are more porous than stones, your tongue sticks to it when you lick bone, but it won’t stick to stone. Of course, Meg had to have a lick. Her tongue stuck to it – bone!

A bit of trivia for you:

Roy Chapman Andrews was a bit of a daredevil, a swashbuckler, and he was the inspiration behind the Indiana Jones film character.

Love,

Joanna

A woman licks a dinosaur bone sticking out of a cliff face.

Bone or stone? The lick test!

 

Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog post in February 2019 and have updated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

 

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. All photos are my own and remain the copyright of Just Me Travel.

© Just Me Travel 2018-2023.

 

Would you seek out this type of experience when travelling? I love hearing from you. Leave a comment below.

 

Like this post? Save it for later!

A woman fossicks for dinosaur fossils on red sandstone cliffs. The cliffs are the Flaming Cliffs in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.

 

 

A woman stands on top of a cliff in Mongolia's Gobi Desert looking out to the flat plain in the distance.

 

Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and follow government advice.

 

Sign up to receive the latest in travel destinations, topics, resources and guides.

 

You might also like

Men in colourful robes sit on a wooden pole fence, with saddled horses behind them.A UNIQUE MONGOLIA HORSE FESTIVAL SHOWCASES IMPRESSIVE HORSE-RIDING TALENT (2023 Updated)

Attending a local horse festival in Mongolia is a must. Learn about the extraordinary horseback skills I witnessed in my postcard to home.

 

Two gers set on the steeps with mountains in the background. A mongolian nomadic man walks in front of one of the gets.MONGOLIAN CULTURAL NORMS AND TRADITIONS – HOW TO PREVENT CULTURAL ERRORS

Cultural sensitivity when travelling is a sign of deep respect. Prevent social and cultural faux pas through ignorance. Know before you go!

 

 

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A UNIQUE MONGOLIA HORSE FESTIVAL SHOWCASES IMPRESSIVE HORSE-RIDING TALENT (2023 Updated)

  No Trip to Mongolia is Complete Without Having Attended a Local Horse Festival and Witnessed Extraordinary Horseback Skills.   Dear Pip, Our trip to Mongolia is turning out to…

 

No Trip to Mongolia is Complete Without Having Attended a Local Horse Festival and Witnessed Extraordinary Horseback Skills.

Several me in colourful robes line up on their horses for the start of competition. They are carrying long poles with lassos on the end.

Mongolian nomads ready for competition with their uurgas (lasso poles) at a horse festival.

 

Dear Pip,

Our trip to Mongolia is turning out to be one unique cultural highlight after another. We spent the day sharing the excitement of a local horse festival in the Orkhon Valley, organised by Tsaidam Ger Camp, where we stayed for the night. The festival aims to preserve nomadic tradition and promote the talent and capabilities of Mongolia’s nomadic herders.

The Orkhon Valley is in Central Mongolia, about 360 kilometres southwest of Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar. The Orkhon Valley, a cultural landscape comprising 1,220 square kilometres, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Mongolia’s history, culture, and people are intimately linked with horses, with children learning to ride almost from the day they can walk. In a country with 13 times more horses than people, I can understand how Mongolia has become known as the land of horses. Throughout the day, I came to appreciate Mongolian nomads’ strong bond with their horses and to understand how Mongolians have long been considered some of the best horse riders in the world.

After Meg shared snuff with some local elders and our guide explained what the horse festival entailed, we found a spot amongst the locals to watch and photograph the men, dressed in traditional costume, compete in several events, including horse lassoing, grabbing a lasso pole from the ground, and riding a wild, bucking horse. These events are designed to show off the Mongolian nomads’ unique horsemanship skills and the strength of their horses.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the lassoing of stampeding wild horses. However, I learned it is an essential skill as nomadic households have many horses ridden infrequently and need to be re-broken in because they have been left to roam at will, becoming semi-wild. I needed to remind myself that this is their way of life and culture.

Being able to ride a bucking horse is par for the course with breaking-in horses, and this competition elicited shouts of encouragement from the crowd and laughter when horse and rider parted ways. One man who managed to stay on his horse delighted the crowd as he and his horse disappeared into the distance.

I particularly enjoyed watching the men grabbing an uurga (long pole with a lasso on the end) off the ground from a galloping horse. I was left in awe as to how they stayed on their horse because they would be well down the side of the horse, around its fast-moving legs. Their core strength must be remarkable! With all the rider’s weight on one side, how did the horse not topple over?

Some of the younger men had a competition on the side, grabbing a cigarette lighter off the ground from their galloping horse – some more successful than others. The control these young men and all other competitors had over their horses was genuinely impressive.

It was a most enjoyable, exciting day; I will take home unforgettable memories.

Love,

Joanna

Riders on horses with lassos on long poles rope stampeding horses.

Lassoing wild, stampeding horses at the Mongolian Horse Festival.

 

People stand around in front of a tent while watching a man fall to the ground off a bucking horse.

I bet that hurt! A competitor falls off a bucking wild horse.

 

A man in a colourful robe hangs on the side of his galloping horse as he picks up a stick off the ground.

Picking up an uurga (lasso on a pole) off the ground from a galloping horse.

 

A young man hangs on the side of his galloping horse as he picks up a cigarette lighter off the ground.

A young man picks up a cigarette lighter off the ground from a galloping horse.

 

Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog post in February 2019 and have updated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

 

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. All photos are my own and remain the copyright of Just Me Travel.

© Just Me Travel 2018-2023.

 

Would you seek out this type of experience when travelling? I love hearing from you. Leave a comment below.

 

Like this post? Save it for later!

Men in colourful robes sit on a fence railing with their saddled horses behind them.

 

A man dressed in a colourful robe hangs on the side of his galloping horse as he picks up a pole off the ground.

 

Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and follow government advice.

 

Sign up to receive the latest in travel destinations, topics, resources and guides.

 

You might also like

 

A person is fossicking for dinosaur fossils along an escarpment of the Flaming Cliffs in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.DINOSAUR FOSSIL HUNTING IN MONGOLIA’S GOBI DESERT AT THE FLAMING CLIFFS (2023 Updated)

The Flaming Cliffs are famous for the discovery of dinosaur eggs in 1923 and is one of the world’s greatest dinosaur fossil sites. Go fossicking!

 

A nomad and his ger

MONGOLIAN CULTURAL NORMS AND TRADITIONS – HOW TO PREVENT CULTURAL ERRORS

Cultural sensitivity when travelling is a sign of deep respect. Prevent social and cultural faux pas through ignorance. Know before you go!

 

 

8 Comments on A UNIQUE MONGOLIA HORSE FESTIVAL SHOWCASES IMPRESSIVE HORSE-RIDING TALENT (2023 Updated)

ULTIMATE SRI LANKA ITINERARY – The Best of Sri Lanka in 20 Days

Use This Comprehensive Trip Planner To Create Your Sri Lanka Itinerary.   Sri Lanka is a land where history and culture are inseparable, with breathtaking landscapes from the beaches to…

Use This Comprehensive Trip Planner To Create Your Sri Lanka Itinerary.

 

Sri Lanka is a land where history and culture are inseparable, with breathtaking landscapes from the beaches to the hills and wildlife said to rival Africa. Discover the best sights and things to do in Sri Lanka with my comprehensive 20-day travel itinerary. Encounter the wildlife found in its national parks and wetlands, discover the natural beauty of the Hill Country, explore six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, wander through untamed gardens, and so much more.

 

About Sri Lanka

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka for short, and formerly called Ceylon – is that teardrop-shaped nation lying at the bottom of India in the Indian Ocean and is often referred to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.

For a small country, Sri Lanka packs a mighty punch for the traveller with a fantastic combination of diverse landscapes, pristine beaches, ancient culture, historical and religious temples and buildings, and unique experiences.

“Within a mere area of 65,610 kilometers lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometers of coastline – much of it pristine beaches – 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years.”

https://colombo.embassy.qa/en/sri-lanka/tourism

Sri Lanka offers something for every type of traveller, no matter what your desired adventure or experience. There is no shortage of things to do in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has a long history of colonisation by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. These external influences have left their mark on Sri Lanka, building a country with many ethnic groups, languages, and religions. Buddhism is the main religion of Sri Lanka (70.2% of the population), followed by Hinduism (12.6% of the population). Muslims (9.7%) and Christians (7.4%) comprise the last two major religious groups.

Overview

I toured Sri Lanka in 2017 with my sister and brother-in-law. Our 20 days in Sri Lanka were on a private tour, with a customised itinerary we developed in conjunction with Insider Journeys, an Australian-based specialist tour operator. Coordinating it all was our travel consultant at Helloworld Travel Professionals in Albury.

Insider Journeys organised our accommodation, vehicle and driver-guide, and additional guides, such as the Naturalist in Bundala National Park.

In Sri Lanka, you must pay for the driver-guide’s accommodation on a private tour.

Much of what we did and saw resulted from our pre-tour research when developing our itinerary. Once in Sri Lanka, we included additional activities based on further research and suggestions from our driver-guide.

Note: From here on in, for convenience and reading ease, I will refer to our driver-guide simply as our guide.

Our itinerary covered Sri Lanka’s Hill Country, Cultural Triangle, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, national parks, magnificent gardens (formal and wild), and beautiful coastlines.

Twenty days in Sri Lanka gave us a comprehensive tour at a relaxed pace.

A map showing a road route taken around Sri Lanka on a 20-day itinerary

Sri Lanka Itinerary route map (Google Maps)

List of places to see in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka itinerary overview

 

Detailed Sri Lanka trip itinerary

The itinerary starts with an international flight into Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital city, and ends with the flight home (Australia) from Colombo.

The itinerary focuses on our personalised trip and is written from my perspective as I experienced it. While based on having a private guide for the duration of the journey, the itinerary is adaptable and works just as well for travellers using trains, buses, and taxis, which are available throughout Sri Lanka.

As well as being there for us on pre-determined trips, excursions, and activities, our vehicle and guide were also available for 80 kilometres per day for anything else we wanted to include at the last minute.

The reviews of the hotels listed in this itinerary are my opinions as written in 2017. If I was to stay at the hotels today, my thoughts might be different.

Sri Lanka is one of those countries where foreigners pay a higher entrance fee to sites and museums than that paid by Sri Lankan residents.

Day 1: Arrive in Colombo

Day 1 was purely an arrival day for us. Our flight arrived in Colombo just before midnight.

Our guide met us at the airport and drove us to our accommodation, where we stayed for the next two nights – Galle Face Hotel (see review, Day 2).

Day 2: Colombo

  • Discover the city of Colombo

Colombo is a new capital city, having only been Sri Lanka’s capital since 1815. It is a dynamic city with a multicultural community encompassing the past, present, and future. Colombo is known for being one of the best places in Sri Lanka to splurge in fashionable boutiques, sample a wide range of cuisines, and enjoy its vibrant nightlife.

Our day began after a leisurely breakfast, with our guide taking us on a one-hour orientation drive around Colombo. Returning to the hotel, we left our guide for the day and immediately headed out again to explore Colombo in more detail on foot. Colombo is flat and easy to walk around, but the heat and humidity can be tiring. We covered two districts: the historic Fort district, where modern office blocks rub shoulders with Colonial-era buildings, and the Pettah, the bustling bazaar district and home to Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque.

We let our feet provide the direction, starting at our hotel, which fronted onto Galle Face Green, past Old Parliament Building and Old Colombo Lighthouse in Fort, and into the Pettah, where shops are organised in a bazaar-style layout, with each street dedicated to a particular trade. On Sea Street, you will find gold jewellery shops.

The bustling Pettah district is a chaotic, vibrant melting pot of different ethnicities and religions. Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque opened in 1909 and is known locally as the Red Mosque due to its distinctive red and white exterior. Located on Second Cross Street in Pettah, it is one of the oldest mosques in Colombo and a popular tourist attraction. Non-Muslims are allowed in the mosque, and women may also enter to look around, but you must cover your hair, arms, and legs.

A multi-storied red and whit brick building

Jami Ul-Afar Mosque

 

A cityscape of old and modern buildings in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Colombo is an intermingling of modern and colonial buildings

 

Old Colombo Lighthouse (featured in the photo above) is a clock tower and was a lighthouse. Initially built as a clock tower in 1860, the lighthouse was added in 1865. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1952. However, it is a functioning clock tower and is the only lighthouse in the world that doubles as a clock tower.

A colonial building with columns has a highrise modern building with rows of windows behind it.

Old Parliament Building with Hilton Hotel as a backdrop

 

The modern Hilton Hotel forms a backdrop for the neo-baroque-styled Old Parliament Building, which houses the offices of Sri Lanka’s President.

In the early evening, stroll along Galle Face Green to view the sunset over the Laccadive Sea and mingle with the locals. Galle Face Green is a large grassy area with the Indian Ocean on one side and the busy Galle Face Centre Road on the other, and a promenade stretching along the ocean side. Laid out in 1859 by the then governor of British Ceylon for horse racing, nowadays, it is a gathering place for locals to meet, eat, fly kites, stroll along the promenade, and just enjoy themselves when the heat of the day has faded.

Where we stayed

Galle Face Hotel > 2 Galle Road, Colombo 3

Galle Face Hotel is colonial grace and luxury. Situated right on the seafront and bordering Galle Face Green, the hotel is a lovely old colonial building, beautifully restored with an aura of elegance. It has well-appointed, comfortable rooms, and the service was excellent. Buffet-style breakfast and lunch on the long wide veranda were enjoyable and relaxing. I recommend a hopper for breakfast, and you can’t go past the chocolate croissants.

Hoppers are traditional Sri Lankan food and are generally served at breakfast. They are typically bowl-shaped pancakes made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk filled with egg, vegetables, curry, or whatever your tastebuds desire. They are delicious.

Day 3: Colombo to Galle

  • Visit traditional mask makers in Ambalangoda (83 kilometres south of Colombo).

The drive from Colombo to Galle, where we stayed the next three nights, took about four hours. We took the coast road rather than the expressway because we wanted to stop in Ambalangoda to visit the traditional mask makers, Ariyapala & Sons, whose museum, showroom, and workshop came recommended by Insight Guides Sri Lanka:

“The town of Ambalangoda … is most famous as the centre of the island’s mask carvers … Two mask museums stand opposite one another at the northern end of town. The larger and more interesting of the two is the Ariyapala and Sons Mask Museum.”

Travelling the coast road was a pretty drive as it hugged the coast, passing through village after village. According to our guide, a much more interesting route than the expressway.

The Ariyapala & Sons Mask Museum provides an insight into the history of masks in Sri Lanka and their role in storytelling and medicine. Traditionally, the masks, made from balsa wood, were used in Kolan dances performing folk stories and exorcism ceremonies to frighten off evil deities (bad spirits). The Sanni masks, of which there are 18, are distorted and disturbing. These masks are used in exorcism rituals, each representing a disease or ailment caused by yakkas (devils), such as vomiting, insanity, nightmares, and stomach diseases. Unfortunately, these traditions are being lost to modernisation.

Connected to the museum is the workshop where you can watch several artisans carving and painting masks. Above the museum is the showroom, where you can buy every mask imaginable at reasonable prices.

A wall of masks with googly eyes, open moths with large teeth, and big noses

Ariyapala Mask Museum

 

Ariyapala & Sons Mask Museum > 426 Main Street, Ambalangoda

Open 9.30 am to 5.00 pm daily.

Entrance to the museum is free.

Leaving the mask museum, we completed our journey to Galle – the most important town on Sri Lanka’s south coast. Galle comprises the old Dutch quarter – enclosed within the Fort – and the sprawling New Town outside the Fort’s walls. We stayed inside Galle Fort, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Where we stayed

Fort Bazaar > 26 Church Street, Galle Fort

You can read my review of Fort Bazaar in my blog post on 24 Hours in Galle Fort.

Day 4: Galle

  • Explore Galle Fort

The Portuguese built Galle Fort in 1589. In 1640, the Dutch seized the Fort and extended its fortifications, which survive to this day. The British modified the Fort after Galle was handed over to them in 1796. The fortifications run for three kilometres, and the walls are over one metre thick.

Galle Fort is small (0.52 kilometres square), relatively flat, and easy to walk around. We spent the morning and early afternoon on a self-guided walk around Galle Fort. Walking around the Fort is an excellent way to take in the many sites of interest Galle Fort has to offer.

The Fort’s bastions allow views of the lighthouse, clock tower, mosque, and main gate, and you pass many wonderful colonial buildings and cafes. Our walk took longer than the 90 minutes suggested by guidebooks because we walked at a leisurely pace so we wouldn’t miss anything, and we kept stopping to take photos on our way around.

Rather than spell out the route here and all that we saw and did, I recommend you read my blog post on 24 Hours in Galle Fort. In the post, you will find the following:

  • Why you should visit Galle Fort;
  • How to get from Colombo to Galle Fort and our experience of how scary driving in Sri Lanka can be;
  • A detailed tourist map of Galle Fort highlighting places of interest;
  • A detailed description, with photos, of the route we took on our self-guided walk around Galle Fort;
  • A review of Fort Bazaar, where we stayed for three nights in Galle Fort;
  • Reviews of where we ate in Galle Fort; and
  • Information on the weather we experienced and its impact on me and our camera equipment.

A white house with a white church beside it

Library and Dutch Reform Church in Galle Fort

 

Day 5: Galle

  • Visit the Martin Wickramasinghe Museum in Koggala (16 kilometres from Galle Fort).
  • Discover the Kataluwa Temple in Ahangama (2.7 kilometres from MW Museum).
  • Watch the fishermen haul in their boats at Weligama (Weligama is 13 kilometres from Kataluwa Temple).
  • See the Peace Pagoda (25 kilometres from Weligama on the way back to Galle Fort).

With Galle as your base, spend the day exploring outside the walls of Galle Fort along Sri Lanka’s south coast to discover places and sites off the beaten path. Our route was a round trip of 65 kilometres over five hours.

Our first stop was the Martin Wickramasinghe Museum in Koggala, 16 kilometres from Galle Fort – an excellent museum that sees few tourists.

Martin Wickramasinghe (1890 to 1976) was one of Sri Lanka’s greatest authors and intellectuals. The central theme of his writings was that of the culture and life of the people of Sri Lanka. His books are still required reading for Sri Lankan school children.

Set in seven acres of gardens in the small town of Koggala, the Martin Wickramasinghe complex comprises the Folk Museum and the home where Martin was born and grew up. Part of his home is over 200 years old and survived being destroyed by the army in the Second World War because a female Royal Airforce officer fell in love with it and decided to live in it. Martin’s home was not handed back to the Wickramasinghe family until after Martin’s death, and Martin’s ashes are buried next to the house.

The Folk Museum, which opened in 1981, is a repository of artefacts depicting the history of Sri Lankan folk culture from ancient to modern times. The museum is home to a fantastic collection of masks and puppets. In the gardens, you will find exhibitions of traditional modes of transport.

Traditional Sri Lankan wooden fishing boats in a museum

Traditional fishing boats, Matin Wickramasinghe Museum

 

I recommend you take a guided tour, finishing in the museum shop where you can buy books by Martin Wickramasinghe.

Martin Wickramasinghe House and Folk Museum > Matara Road, Koggala

Open 9.00 am to 5.00 pm daily.

The ticket price is 200 LKR (Sri Lankan rupee) (US$0.58).

A short distance from the Martin Wickramasinghe, at just 2.7 kilometres, you will find the 13th-century Buddhist temple, Kataluwa Purwarama Temple, in Ahangama. Fantastic murals cover the temple’s walls, many of which are thought to date from the 19th century. The murals include several unusual paintings of Kaffringha dancers with a troupe of Western musicians. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit in 2017, they were in the process of painting over the murals, which is probably why we couldn’t find the portrait of a lopsided Queen Victoria.

A painting of a man beating a drum while two bare-chested men leap in the air. A woman watches on.

Kataluwa Temple mural of dancers

 

A painting of Sri Lankan and Western musicians and two Western women

Mural of Western musicians in Kataluwa Temple

 

From Kataluwa Temple, drive 13 kilometres further along the coast to the village of Weligama, described as a sleepy fishing village. We had planned to walk around Weligama and find somewhere for lunch, but it looked so uninviting we passed straight through. Instead, take a walk along the beach, paddle or swim in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, and watch the local fishermen haul their boats up onto the beach. This latter appeared to be no easy task. The progress was laborious, even with four to six men on either side of the boat.

Several men push their large fishing boat out of the water and onto the beach.

Fishermen hauling their boat up onto the beach at Wiligama

 

Before leaving the beach at Weligama, take some photos of Sri Lanka’s renowned stilt fisherman. The fishermen balance themselves on a crossbar on the stilt or pole as they fish and can usually be seen early morning or at dusk. But be warned! Those sitting on stilts later in the day are not fishermen but local people posing on the stilts for tourists and expecting payment for photos taken.

The best place to see the stilt fishermen is along the south coast from Midigama to Koggala.

Seven wooden poles with traingle-shaped sitting platforms stand in the surf

Fishing stilts (poles) at Weligama

 

Heading back to Galle Fort, stop at the Peace Pagoda, built by the Japanese as a monument to the victims of the 2004 tsunami. Perched on the side of a hill, the Peace Pagoda offers fantastic views of Galle Fort.

View of a town on a peninsula with colonial buildings and surrounded by ocean

View of Galle Fort from the Peace Pagoda

 

From the Peace Pagoda, it was 8.1 kilometres back to our hotel in Galle Fort.

Day 6: Galle to Yala National Park

  • Tour Geoffrey Bawa’s Lunuganga garden in Bentota with lunch on the veranda (56 kilometres north of Galle Fort).

Finding things to do in Sri Lanka away from the crowds is an excellent reason to visit Geoffrey Bawa’s garden, as it is largely undiscovered by tourists.

Geoffrey Bawa (1919-2003) was Sri Lanka’s most well-known architect and is deemed the most influential Asian architect of the 20th century. On Lunuganga Estate, Geoffrey’s country home, he spent 50 years creating a garden described as a controlled landscape of untamed wilderness.

The garden is spread over 23 acres and is cared for by 18 gardeners. Time your visit for a guided tour and lunch on the veranda of Geoffrey’s former home. Read my updated blog post for details, photos, and descriptions of Geoffrey Bawa’s garden.

A wall with a window and roof surrounded by green plants

Geoffrey Bawa’s garden

 

I recommend visiting Geoffrey Bawa’s Lunuganga garden on the way from Colombo to Galle rather than backtracking like we did, making the trip to Yala National Park much longer than had we travelled to the park directly from Galle. We could not do this more direct route as Lunuganga Estate was closed for the Sri Lankan New Year when we drove from Colombo to Galle.

The drive from Geoffrey Bawa’s garden to Yala National Park took five hours. We had a two-night stay in Yala National Park.

Where we stayed

Cinnamon Wild Yala > Palatupana, Kirinda

Located at the periphery of Yala National Park, Cinnamon Wild Yala is a large commercial hotel lacking character. We stayed in Jungle Chalets, which were spacious, clean, and well-appointed. The chalets are individually situated but spread out over a large area. While this allows privacy between chalets, you could be up for a long walk to the main lodge for meals, a swim, or to meet your driver.

There was a focus on guest safety, with an escort required for people moving around the compound between 7.00 pm and 6.00 am.

The buffet dining area could do with ceiling fans to move the humid air, and the staff could show greater efficiency.

Day 7: Yala National Park

  • Look for wildlife on safari in Yala National Park.

Yala National Park is situated at the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka and is Sri Lanka’s most famous national park. It was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and a national park in 1938. It is best known for its variety of wild animals, especially for its large population of leopards, said to be the highest leopard density in the world.

The best activity in Yala National Park is a 3-hour safari drive around the park to spot wildlife. The safari drives are available morning and afternoon. But be warned! Yala National Park does not limit the number of vehicles entering the park or the route taken through the park. As such, your safari drive will end up in convoy with at least a dozen other vehicles.

We took a morning and afternoon safari drive and saw very few animals. We did spot two leopards on the afternoon safari drive, but it was difficult to make them out as they were well concealed by bushes. Other animals you may spot on your safari drive include sloth bears, jungle cats, mongoose, wild boar, deer, buffalo, and elephants.

On the morning safari drive, we saw a baby elephant concealed in the bush, a couple of mongooses, a few lone elephants, spotted deer, water buffalo, many birds, and a crocodile. The animals just didn’t seem to be out there. Disappointing! Our afternoon safari drive was no more productive than the morning.

A mongoose sits in the scrub

Mongoose in Yala National Park

 

Yala National Park is open from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm, year-round. The average park fee per adult foreigner is between US$31-36, depending on the number of people in a jeep.

Sri Lanka is supposedly the best safari destination outside of Africa. The three of us (my sister, brother-in-law, and me) agreed that if you have been on safari in Africa (which we have), where wildlife is diverse and bountiful, you will be disappointed with Yala National Park.

In truth, we cannot recommend Yala National Park. Don’t waste your time and money, as there is a better park – Udawalawe National Park (see Days 9 and 10).

Day 8: Yala National Park to Bundala National Park

  • Take a morning safari drive through Yala National Park.
  • Check out the birdlife in Bundala National Park.

There was the opportunity for a final safari drive in Yala National Park before travelling to Bundala National Park, about a one-hour drive along the coast west of Yala, where we stayed for one night.

Bundala National Park is a 62-square-kilometre ecotourism haven and birdwatchers’ paradise. It was first named a wildlife sanctuary in 1969, became Sri Lanka’s first Ramsar site (significant international wetland) in 1990, was redesignated as a National Park in 1993, and named a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2005.

  • Bundala National Park has over 200 endemic and migratory bird species, from the tiny bee-eaters to the painted stork.
  • The park is also home to 32 species of mammals, including elephants, spotted deer, water buffalo, wild boars, mongooses, monkeys, jackals, crocodiles, land monitors (they look like goannas), and fishing cats.
  • The park is the habitat of the endangered Star Tortoise.
  • The park’s coastal area is a breeding ground for five species of endangered sea turtles.

A tortoise with star markings on its shell drinks from a mud puddle

An endangered Star Tortoise in Bundala National Park

 

A crocodile approaches three birds on an island of reeds

A crocodile looking for dinner in Bundala National Park

 

Arranged by Insider Journeys, Bundala National Park’s resident Naturalist accompanied us on our afternoon safari drive. Having an expert point out the different birds (and the odd animal), provide detailed information about the birds being seen, and explain the link between the environment and birds and animals in the park made a huge (positive) difference to the safari experience – and one you should experience for yourself.

The sheer volume and variety of birds seen on our safari drive were staggering. My sister, an amateur bird watcher, was in raptures. The painted stork was my favourite.

Two birds with long pink legs, long orange beaks, and white, black, pink, and green feathers drink from a mud pool.

Painted Storks

 

Bundala National Park is open from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm, year-round. We stayed the night inside the park. The park entrance fee is US$10 per adult foreigner, plus a vehicle fee and VAT.

Where we stayed

Mahoora Luxury Camping > Bundala National Park

Mahoora Luxury Camping had set up our tents on the edge of where the sand meets the scrub vegetation, opposite salt pans where salt is mined. The setting was unspoilt, and the atmosphere was one of quiet solitude. To describe the tents as luxury camping required a massive stretch of the imagination. The tents were army tents. My tent came with a bed that was so narrow I feared falling off it should I turn over in my sleep. There was also a table and enough room to move around. At the back of the tent was an attached ‘bathroom’ with a shower (cold water only, but it came out hot because of the heat), toilet, and hand basin. My sister and brother-in-law’s tent was identically furnished, except they had two beds. Electricity only came on after dinner and went off when we went to bed. It was unbearably hot inside our tents.

What the tents lacked in luxury, the service, food, and safari drives with the Naturalist more than made up for it.

There is no permanent accommodation in Bundala National Park. But Mahoora Luxury Camping staff assured us they maintain an eco-friendly campsite, removing all evidence of our presence once we leave, leaving no footprint.

We were served lunch on the beach shortly after we arrived in Bundala National Park, consisting of a tasty noodle, vegetable, and egg soup was first up, followed by rice and various curries. The dessert was curd and treacle (a national dish) and was delicious.

Dinner that night was a bar-b-que on the beach. We could not fault the food and service provided by Mahoora Luxury Camping.

Before heading for bed, the staff told us there would be a wake-up call for our last safari drive at 5.30 in the morning. A 5.30 am wake-up call caused some concern for me because the tent was too hot to wear anything in bed. I overcame this concern by setting my alarm for 5.20 am to have some clothing on before a staff member appeared to wake me.

Day 9: Bundala National Park to Udawalawe National Park

  • Take a morning safari drive through Bundala National Park.
  • Look for wild elephants in Udawalawe National Park.

Our morning safari drive around Bundala National Park before heading to Udawalawe National Park proved just as fruitful as yesterday afternoon’s – seeing lots of birds, crocodiles, water buffalo, monkeys, and a lone elephant.

A brown and white eagle sits on a tree stump

Changeable Hawk-Eagle in Bundala National Park

 

After a leisurely breakfast, we left Bundala National Park, driving about 70 kilometres northwest to Udawalawe National Park, where we stayed one night.

Udawalawe National Park, covering almost 31,000 hectares, was established as a national park in 1972 to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River. The park’s most common type of vegetation is dry grassland, peppered with light scrub, making game viewing easy here.

Being best known for its large elephant population (about 600) – our reason for visiting the park – Udawalawe is the best place in Sri Lanka to observe wild elephants in their natural environment. However, do expect to see other wildlife, such as water buffalo and sambar deer, to the more rarely sighted leopard and sloth bear. The park also supports a thriving population of water birds and birds of prey.

The afternoon game drive saw me in elephant heaven!

A group of five elephants of varying sizes

Elephant family in Udawalawe National Park

 

If you only have time to visit one national park in Sri Lanka, I recommend Udawalawe National Park over the more popular Yala National Park. The game viewing is better, more interesting, and more diverse. It’s a smaller park; therefore, you are not driving long distances before seeing wildlife. There are also fewer visitors, so you are not travelling in a convoy of dozens of vehicles all on top of each other but have a more personal experience.

Udawalawe National Park is open from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm, year-round. The park entrance fee is US$25.00 per adult foreigner.

Where we stayed

Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort > Udawalawe National Park

The Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort is a large, impersonal hotel with incompetent reception staff who move at a snail’s pace (things may have improved in the ensuing years).

My room was spacious, with a huge bed. It was clean, had all the necessary amenities, and there was a lovely private balcony off the room. In comparison to room size, the bathroom was relatively small but sufficient.

The food was ordinary but edible.

My preference would be for a much smaller boutique hotel.

Day 10: Udawalawe National Park to Ella

  • Take a morning safari drive through Udawalawe National Park.

Two water buffalos head but each other on a grassy stretch of land beside the water.

Male water buffalos vying for dominance in Udawalawe National Park

 

Make time for a morning game drive in Udawalawe National Park before travelling to Ella, 90 kilometres (about two hours) north of Udawalawe. However, the trip took us three hours as we stopped about six kilometres before reaching Ella to take photos of the 90-metre-high Rawana Falls. It is one of the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka, where the water glides down the mountain over many ledges before bending into a stream that flows through the valley. At one point, the waterfall formed a natural pool that appeared to be a favourite swimming spot.

A waterfall cascades down the rocks. People are sitting on the rocks and swimming in a pool created by the rocks.

Rawana Falls near Ella

 

Ella is a small village on the southern edge of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. It is famed for its mountainous beauty, scenic landscapes, waterfalls, tea plantations, and lush vegetation. At an elevation of 1041 metres above sea level, Ella has a cooler climate than the surrounding lowlands. We stayed three nights in Ella.

Where we stayed

Mountain Heavens > Kitalella, Ella

Mountain Heavens is not centrally located and is inconveniently situated for getting to and from the village (Ella). While it is only 600 metres to the centre of Ella (where it is all happening), it is all hill and a very steep hill at that.

The rooms were spacious and well-appointed, with almost everything you needed. Glaringly missing was a means to communicate with Reception from your room, and the only option was to go up and down the stairs to speak to Reception face-to-face.

Breakfast was monotonous, and the evening meal (which had to be ordered by 4.30 pm) was ordinary. However, the view from the hotel was to die for, as its location meant you looked straight down Ella Gap (the valley between the mountains).

Mountains with houses on the slopes and covered in green vegetation

Ella Gap

 

Day 11: Ella

  • Walk the railway line from Ella to Demodara.
  • See the rock-cut figures at Buduruwagala (37 kilometres southeast of Ella).

In the morning, we decided to do something different and off the beaten track – to walk the railway line from Ella Station to Demodara Station. This is an easy 6.5-kilometre walk that takes you through the breathtaking scenery of mountains carpeted with tea plantations and over the famous, iconic Nine Arch Bridge. When you get to Demodara Station, catch the train back to Ella. For a complete description of this unique, fun walk, read my blog post on Walking the Railway Line From Ella to Demodara. Do as the locals do; walk the line!

Two people walk across a stone railway bridge with nine arches.

Crossing Nine Arch Bridge on our railway line walk

 

In the afternoon, we grabbed our guide for a drive to Buduruwagala Archeological Site to see the seven colossal 10th-century rock-cut figures carved in bas-relief in a rock that is said to look like a kneeling elephant with its trunk in its mouth. The shape of an elephant alluded me!

An image of Buddha and six other figures are carved into the rock face.

The seven rock-carved figures at Buduruwagala

 

The figures belong to the Mahayana school of Buddhism, which enjoyed royal patronage between the 3rd and 10th centuries AD, but no one knows why they were carved. The impressive 16-metre-high standing Buddha (the tallest in Sri Lanka) is flanked on either side by three smaller figures. The white central figure to Buddha’s right is thought to represent the Buddhist mythological figure, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. To the right of this white figure, in the thrice-bent posture, is believed to be Avalokitesvara’s consort, the goddess Tara. The third figure is said to represent Prince Sudhana.

The crowned figure in the centre of the group on Buddha’s left is thought to be Maitreya, the future Buddha. The figure to the left of Maitreya is Vajrapani, holding a thunderbolt symbol. The third figure is said to be Vishnu.

The site is open 24 hours. And tourist-free!

Day 12: Ella

  • Climb Little Adam’s Peak.
  • Have lunch at Bandarawela Hotel (15 kilometres southwest of Ella).
  • Discover Dowa Rock Temple (5.8 kilometres from Bandarawela).

We walked to the summit of Little Adam’s Peak in Ella this morning. The little sister of Adam’s Peak (in Dalhousie village), Little Adam’s Peak sits at 1,141 metres above sea level.

From my ascent of Little Adam’s Peak, I learnt not to believe anything I read in guidebooks. Described as a fairly gentle, mostly flat, easy walk, I found it anything but. To learn how my experience differed from that described in various guidebooks, read my blog post, What is the Missing Truth About Climbing Sri Lanka’s Little Adam’s Peak?

A path winds around and up mountains covered in green vegetation.

Climbing Little Adam’s Peak

 

After climbing Little Adam’s Peak, I deserved a special lunch, and this is what I got at Bandarawela Hotel, a short drive from Ella.

Nestled in the mountains at over 1,230 metres above sea level, Bandarawela Hotel, built in 1893, was a tea planter’s clubhouse. Having stopped updating the furniture some 80 years ago, the hotel is caught in a time warp.

My sister’s research had recommended lunch in Bandarawela Hotel’s Planter’s Bar, and we were not disappointed. We enjoyed a fusion of traditional classic and colonial Eastern and Western flavours while taking in the surrounding mountains’ panoramic view. A great atmosphere!

Before returning to Ella, at our guide’s suggestion, we drove to Dowa Rock Temple, about six kilometres from Bandarawela on the Bandarawela-Badulla Road. The site is open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, and entry is free.

Dowa Rock Temple is a heritage-listed temple famous for its partially finished 11-metre-high standing Buddha cut into the rock face of a granite boulder – the tallest rock-hewn Buddha statue in Sri Lanka’s hill country.

Be prepared to climb up a section of the boulder to get a good view of the Buddha.

An 11-metre image of Buddha is carved into the rock.

The 11-metre rock-carved standing Buddha at Dowa Rock Temple

 

Dowa Rock Temple was built by Great King Walagamba in the first century BC while taking refuge after an enemy invasion. The temple consists of several chambers carved into the rock. Inside, you will discover a couple of reclining Buddhas, many seated Buddhas, and walls covered with colourful Buddhist murals. At the rear of Dowa Rock Temple is a secret tunnel supposed to have been used by King Walagamba for his escape. The tunnel is said to extend from the temple to Kandy, but the entrance inside The Dowa Rock Temple has been cemented to stop intruders.

A cave with alow painted ceiling and a reclining Buddha behind glass.

Dowa Rock Temple

 

Day 13: Ella to Nuwara Eliya

  • Enjoy high tea at Heritance Tea Factory

The drive from Ella to Nuwara Eliya (where we stayed one night) took approximately two and a half hours, past tea plantations and breathtaking landscapes.

Nuwara Eliya is in a valley shadowed by Sri Lanka’s tallest mountain (Mount Pedro). The town and surrounding countryside have a definite European feel. Having been established by the British in the 19th century most likely accounts for this. In fact, Nuwara Eliya is often referred to as “Little England”.

Where we stayed

Heritance Tea Factory > Tea Factory Road, Kandapola, Nuwara Eliya

Nestled amongst tea estates, Heritance Tea Factory is a converted abandoned tea factory (hence its name) on the former Hethersett Estate. The hotel has kept the original exterior intact.

As our rooms weren’t ready when we arrived, we took a walk through the beautiful rose garden and visited the miniature tea factory where organic tea is produced.

High Tea at Heritance Tea Factory was an amazing, bountiful spread of savoury and sweet treats – an enjoyable, relaxing experience and a great way to fill the afternoon.

The reception staff were excellent, but some restaurant staff were slow to attend to us. After an exceptional High Tea, we found the buffet dinner disappointing.

My room was very comfortable but looked a little tired, and I showered with three cockroaches.

What has been achieved from an abandoned tea factory is impressive and a tribute to the hotel’s vision. It has been beautifully restored and converted. The hotel exudes an atmosphere of luxurious elegance and relaxation. I recommend staying here if money is no object or as a special treat.

Day 14: Nuwara Eliya to Kandy

  • Learn about tea production at the Ceylon Tea Museum in Kandy

Kandy, located in the Central Highlands, is the second-largest city in Sri Lanka. Our sole purpose for staying a night in Kandy (a 91-kilometre, three-hour drive from Nuwara Ellya) was to visit the famous Temple of the Tooth, which is said to house Sri Lanka’s most important sacred relic – Buddha’s tooth.

While my sister and brother-in-law visited the Temple of the Tooth with our guide, I took myself off to the Ceylon Tea Museum as I was keen to buy some quality teas.

The Ceylon Tea Museum occupies a former four-story tea factory. The ground floor exhibits include machinery from the 19th century used in tea production, which a guide explains in detail. The first floor was dedicated to two of Sri Lanka’s greatest tea pioneers – Thomas Lipton and James Taylor – and displayed other tea-related paraphernalia. On the third floor, eight shops sold fine Sri Lankan teas, each representing a different plantation (estate). And I got a free cup of tea on the fourth floor while taking in the views.

Allow a couple of hours for the Ceylon Tea Museum.

Ceylon Tea Museum > Hantana Road, Hantane, Kandy

Opening Times:

Tuesday to Saturday, 8.30 am to 3.45 pm

Sunday 8.30 am to 3.00 pm

(Closed Mondays and Poya Day falling on weekdays)

Ticket price: 1000 LKR (adult foreigner) (about US$3.00).

Unfortunately, visitors can’t see the sacred relic (Buddha’s tooth), only the gold casket which protects the tooth.

Where we stayed

Theva Residency > Theva Residency Road, Kandy

Overlooking Kandy from the slopes of the Hantana mountain range, Theva Residency is a lovely small boutique hotel with friendly, attentive staff.

My deluxe room was huge, clean, and modern, with a large terrace. While the terrace had a table and chairs, the room would have benefited from somewhere to sit other than the enormous bed.

The food in the hotel’s restaurant was excellent, with a menu that fused East and West. The staff were efficient and attentive, making our meal an enjoyable experience.

My only negative is that the hotel is a long way from anywhere.

Day 15: Kandy to Sigiriya

  • Explore the Dambulla Cave Temples (74 kilometres north of Kandy).
  • Learn Sri Lanka’s history through paintings.

Dambulla Cave Temples is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The site consists of five caves converted into temples dating back to the 1st century BC. Caves two and three are the largest and the most impressive, as they are full of Buddha statues of numerous sizes with different gestures or postures. The walls and ceilings in these two caves (temples) are entirely covered in paintings. The reclining Buddha in cave three is carved out of rock, as is the 14-metre-long reclining Buddha in cave one.

Opening hours are daily from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm, and admission is 1500 LKR (US$4.38).

A long white building is built into a rock, and people are walking around a paved area in front of the building.

Dambulla Cave Temples

 

A partial view of a reclining Buddha and sitting Buddha with frescos on the wall behind them.

Dambulla Cave Temples – Buddhas and frescos

 

Large stone feet that have been painted in multi-colours

The painted feet of a reclining Buddha in Dambulla Cave Temples

 

Please note: There are 364 steps to climb to reach the temple complex. Your knees and shoulders should be covered, and shoes must be removed before entering the temples. Beware, the rock can get very hot.

You can’t leave Dambulla without visiting the Painting Museum – formally called The Painting Conservation & Research Center. Located 100 metres from the Dambulla Cave Temples, the Painting Museum is a hidden gem. The paintings on display trace the history of Sri Lankan art from pre-historic cave paintings to the colonial era. The number of sites where frescoes and murals can be found all over Sri Lanka is staggering. The paintings are displayed in chronological order and excellently described. The last images depicting Buddhism hell came as a bit of a surprise.

The museum is open from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm daily. The entrance fee is US$2.00.

It was just 20 kilometres from Dambulla to Sigiriya, our base for the next four nights.

Where we stayed

Hotel Sigiriya > Sigiriya

Under no circumstances would I recommend staying at Hotel Sigiriya. My booking was for a superior room, but I was given a single room, which was tiny, dingy, dirty, smelt bad, and the air conditioner and house phone did not work. When I complained, I was ‘upgraded’ to a double room. This room was infested with ants, including in the bed, and the room safe was broken. When I rang for ant spray, it took 25 minutes for the spray to arrive and 30 minutes for staff to attend to the room safe. The first morning, I woke up with ants crawling through my hair!

I did go online to find alternative accommodation in Sigiriya. However, there were none with availability. Most unfortunate!

The staff were slow, inefficient, and incompetent, and their English was very poor.

The meals were buffet-style, and the food was ordinary at best.

Even our guide complained about the guides’ accommodation at Hotel Sigiriya.

Day 16: Sigiriya

  • Take a walk around the Royal Gardens at Sigiriya Rock.

We had every intention of climbing Sigiriya Rock, an ancient rock fortress and, today, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but the heat, high humidity, and 200-metre-climb (about 1,200 steps) put us off. Instead, we walked around the Royal Gardens surrounding Sigiriya Rock.

The beautifully landscaped Royal Gardens are divided into three sections – water, boulder, and terrace – and protected by inner and outer moats. The water gardens form an avenue leading to Sigiriya Rock, while the boulder and terrace gardens lie at the base of the rock.

In the boulder gardens, you can see the step-like depressions in the boulders where bricks once fitted to provide the foundations of buildings. Keep an eye out for Cobra Head Cave – so named because the overhang resembles a fully open cobra’s head.

A large rock with trees and lawns in the foreground

Sigiriya Rock and Gardens

 

Sigiriya is open from 6.30 am to 5.30 pm daily. The foreign tourist entrance ticket is US$30.00, which covers climbing the rock, the gardens, and the museum.

Day 17: Sigiriya

  • Tour the Sacred City of Anuradhapura (74 kilometres northwest of Sigiriya).

With Sigiriya as your base, take a day trip to Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Sacred City of Anuradhapura was the ancient capital of Sri Lanka from the 4th century BC to the 11th century AD, and it is Sri Lanka’s best-known ancient city. It is famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient palaces, gigantic stupas, monuments, complex irrigation systems, and the Sacred Bo tree (Sri Maha Bodhi), said to be the oldest documented tree on earth.

A tree partly hides a large stone stupa.

The Sacred City of Anuradhapura

 

All foreign travellers must buy a ticket to Anuradhapura Sacred City at US$25.00 per adult. Opening times are 7.00 am to 7.30 pm.

Day 18: Sigiriya

  • Discover the ruins of Polonnaruwa (57 kilometres east of Sigiriya).

Staying in Sigiriya, take a day trip to Polonnaruwa, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 under the name of the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa. It remains one of the best-planned archeological relic sites in Sri Lanka.

Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka between the 11th and 13th centuries after the destruction of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. Its ruins are clustered together in various groups:

  • The Royal Palace Group is south of the entrance.
  • The Quadrangle (Terrace of the Tooth Relic) is north of the entrance and home to Polonnaruwa’s most important religious shrines.
  • Gal Vihara (the northern temple) with its four stone statues of Buddha carved out of the stone cliff face.
  • The Island Garden is close to the Polonnaruwa Museum.

The ruins of an ancient round building made of stone and brick.

The Sacred City of Polonnaruwa

 

Open 7.00 am to 5.00 pm daily, the entrance fee for Polonnaruwa’s museum and cultural sites is US$25.00 per person for adult foreigners.

Day 19: Sigiriya to Seeduwa

  • Relax by the pool at Wallawwa Boutique Hotel.

Leaving Sigiriya, we returned to Colombo for our last night in Sri Lanka at Wallawwa, a boutique hotel. Here we relaxed by the pool set in beautiful tropical gardens and were pampered by bar staff who responded to a buzzer in the pool’s gazebo for drinks orders.

Where we stayed

Wallawwa > Minuwangoda-Gampaha-Miriswatta Road, Kotugoda

Wallawwa is a luxury boutique hotel in an oasis of tranquillity, just 15 minutes from Colombo International Airport. Read my updated review of Wallawwa. After my experience with Hotel Sigiriya, my stay at Wallawwa enabled me to leave Sri Lanka on a high note.

Day 20: Depart Colombo

  • Depart Sri Lanka from Colombo

And so, the curtain falls on Sri Lanka as it is time to depart for home – in our case, Australia.

My top five highlights from our Sri Lankan trip were:

  • Exploring Galle Fort on foot.
  • Walking the railway line from Ella to Demodara.
  • The safari drive through Udawalawe National Park.
  • Discovering Geoffrey Bawa’s garden on Lake Dedduwa, Bentota.
  • Viewing Dambulla Cave Temples

When to visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka experiences two monsoon periods affecting different parts of the island at different times of the year. The southwest monsoon season is typically from May to September, and the northeast monsoon is from December to February. The split monsoon seasons make deciding the best time to travel around Sri Lanka tricky. I suggest checking the World Weather Information Service for the average daily temperature (high and low) monthly, the average total rainfall, and the number of rain days.

We travelled around Sri Lanka from mid-April to early May, at the end of what is classified as an inter-monsoon season, continuing into the southwest monsoon season. The country was hot and humid, but we got some reprieve, with cooler temperatures and lower humidity in the hill country. We only encountered one burst of rain on the whole trip – in Udawalawe National Park.

 

The itinerary for our Sri Lanka trip is a compilation of places to visit and activities to do in 20 days. The itinerary is based on pre-travel research and my experiences during our trip. 

A 20-day itinerary for Sri Lanka offers a unique opportunity to discover the island’s diverse culture, rich history, stunning natural beauty, and warm hospitality. Whether you’re a nature lover, a history buff, or just looking for a relaxing vacation, Sri Lanka is sure to leave you with unforgettable memories.

The itinerary does not cover all tourist locations and every activity Sri Lanka offers. Still, it will be a good starting point for people who want to visit Sri Lanka and don’t know how to start or are looking for different ideas.

 

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. Stated opening hours and prices are correct at the time of publication. All photos are my own and remain the copyright of Just Me Travel.

© Just Me Travel 2018-2022.

 

Do you have any questions about this itinerary? Is there anything else you want to know or can I help you with? Leave a comment, and I will respond. Alternatively, contact me at joanna@justme.travel.

 

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An image of a mother and baby elephant and an image of blue and yellow fishing boats on a beach.

 

One image is of a wall of masks with googly eyes, a long nose, and an open mouth with huge teeth. The other image shows two people walking on a nine-arch railway bridge.

 

Are you looking for more ideas on destination Sri Lanka? Then don’t miss these posts:

WHAT IS THE MISSING TRUTH ABOUT CLIMBING SRI LANKA’S LITTLE ADAM’S PEAK

FIRST 24 HOURS IN GALLE FORT, SRI LANKA

WALKING THE RAILWAY LINE FROM ELLA TO DEMODARA, SRI LANKA

A PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR OF GEOFFREY BAWA’S GARDEN, SRI LANKA

WALLAWWA – a tranquil boutique hotel in Colombo City

 

Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and follow government advice.

 

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A PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR OF GEOFFREY BAWA’S GARDEN, SRI LANKA [2022 Updated]

Photos of an Astounding Untamed Garden by Geoffrey Bawa.   Geoffrey Bawa is still regarded as one of the greatest architects to have ever lived. But his genius was not…

Photos of an Astounding Untamed Garden by Geoffrey Bawa.

 

Geoffrey Bawa is still regarded as one of the greatest architects to have ever lived. But his genius was not confined to bricks and mortar. On Lunuganga Estate, Geoffrey’s country home in Sri Lanka, he brought together architecture, art, plants, and the odd cow to create a magnificent, controlled landscape of untamed wilderness.

Finding things to do in Sri Lanka away from the maddening crowds is an excellent reason to visit Geoffrey Bawa’s garden as it is largely undiscovered by tourists, being something different from the ‘usual’ tourist attraction.

 

I have my sister to thank for our visit to Geoffrey Bawa’s garden – not to be confused with Brief Garden, the former estate of Geoffrey’s older brother Bevis Bawa.

While researching things to do for our trip to Sri Lanka, that teardrop-shaped nation sitting at the bottom of India in the Indian Ocean, my sister discovered a reference to Geoffrey Bawa’s garden on his Lunuganga Estate. How could we not include a garden described as “the most seductive, passionate pleasure gardens of the twentieth century” (lunuganga.com) on our itinerary?

So, who was Geoffrey Bawa?

Geoffrey Bawa (1919-2003) was Sri Lanka’s most well-known architect and is deemed the most influential Asian architect of his time. For those architect enthusiasts reading this post, he was one of the founding fathers of the architectural style known as “tropical modernism”. Geoffrey Bawa is probably best known for designing Sri Lanka’s Houses of Parliament.

Living permanently in Colombo, Lunuganga Estate, situated on the banks of Lake Dedduwa in Bentota (midway between Colombo and Galle), was Geoffrey Bawa’s country retreat. Here, on 23 acres, he spent 50 years turning this abandoned rubber plantation (and, before that, a cinnamon plantation) into eclectic gardens of multiple shades of green.

We explored Geoffrey Bawa’s garden with the Head Curator on a 2-hour private tour.

Don’t expect to find manicured gardens of colourful flowers, neat borders, and gurgling fountains. But expect an untamed but controlled tropical wilderness of sudden vistas, intimate groves, sculptures, and wide landscapes. I found Bawa’s garden a place of peace, tranquillity, and restfulness.

Lunuganga Estate – Geoffrey Bawa’s garden

Lunuganga Estate is about 500 metres long and 300 metres at its widest. There is no spot where you can view the garden in its entirety. Instead, it is a journey from one seemingly disconnected space to another that somehow Geoffrey managed to create a cohesive whole.

Take a stroll with me on a visual tour of Geoffrey Bawa’s garden.

The Hen House

A brick and wood hen house with tile roof set amongst tropical forest.

Geoffrey Bawa’s Hen House on Lunuganga Estate.

 

Geoffrey Bawa famously designed Sri Lanka’s Parliament House. He then created his hen house (chicken coup) on Lunuganga Estate in the same style. Take from that what you will!

Sandela Pavilion

A glass room with large black and white floor tiles, polished wooden table, chairs and coffee table.

Sandela Pavilion

 

The Sandela Pavilion, also known as the Glass House, is an open, airy space and served as Geoffrey Bawa’s office. From here, he had a lovely view of the lake and could see anyone who arrived at the main gate.

The Red Terrace

A flat red earth terrace with views of a lake. with a stone wall on one side and jar on the wall

The Red Terrace with views of Lake Dedduwa

 

The Red Terrace derives its name from the red laterite ground surface, produced by the decomposition of the underlying rocks.

With its views of Lake Dedduwa and the Water Garden at the bottom of the hill, the Red Terrace was a favourite spot for Geoffrey to have lunch.

The Water Garden

A pond surrounded by tropical forest

The Water Garden

 

The Water Garden is a tropical oasis. The pond is shaped like a butterfly and is filled with pink flowering water lilies. A bench seat takes pride of place beside the pond in the shade of trees. Here Geoffrey would sit and ring the garden bell for his gin and tonic to be brought to him.

The Water Garden incorporates ornamental rice paddies stretching along the banks of Lake Dedduwa, adding to the eclectic nature of Geoffrey Bawa’s garden design.

Rice paddies beside a lake

Rice paddies on Lunuganga Estate

 

Sculptures around the garden

There are several sculptures around the garden.

Rusty, blue metal sundial sculpture with the head of a dog

Sundial sculpture in the Water Garden

 

The rusted metal sundial sculpture in the Water Garden has an air of decline and abandonment.

A stone sculpture of the face of horned pagan god, Pan.

“Hindu” Pan sculpture

 

The sculpture of the pagan god Pan was sculptured by one of Geoffrey’s Tamil assistants and called “Hindu” Pan by Geoffrey. No reason has been given as to why he called it such. Perhaps because a Tamil sculpted it?

Metal sculpture of a figurine with four arms

Garden sculpture

 

The Plain of Jars

A large black jar sitting on grass is reflected in the waters of a pond

The Plain of Jars

 

In a setting of sloping grassy plains surrounded by forest, the Ming dynasty-style jars that dot this part of the landscape were added here by Geoffrey.

The jars are not confined to this area of the garden but were purposefully placed by Geoffrey throughout the garden. Geoffrey Bawa had a knack for controlling the landscape without taming it.

A large black jar on the ground underneath a tree

Ming dynasty-style jar on the hill

 

A large black jar on the ground under a tree

A Ming dynasty-styled jar under a tree.

 

Jackfruit

Two Jackfruits growing on the Jackfruit tree

Jackfruit in Geoffrey Bawa’s garden

 

Lunuganga Estate is set in Sri Lanka’s wet tropical zone, so tropical fruits, like the Jackfruit, are not unknown and grow to large proportions.

Cinnamon Hill House

A single story orange coloured building with blue doors.

Cinnamon Hill House on Lunuganga Estate.

 

In a forested area on the western slope, Geoffery used Cinnamon Hill House as a studio from where he created his architectural designs. It also served as accommodation for his guests and was the last addition to the Garden.

Geoffrey Bawa’s home

A single story White House with black and white painted doors and red tile roof, partially hidden by trees and bushes.

Geoffrey Bawa’s former home.

 

The tour ended with walking past a most unusual windmill before the gentle climb up Cinnamon Hill for lunch on the wide veranda of Geoffrey Bawa’s former home on Lunuganga Estate, now a boutique hotel. Lunch consisted of a set menu of delicious traditional Sri Lankan curries.

A multi-storey brick windmill that looks like a castle turret

A unique windmill on Lunuganga Estate

 

The veranda of a home set with tables and chairs ready for lunch

Lunch on the veranda of Geoffrey Bawa’s former home.

 

The home sits at the top of Cinnamon Hill, allowing breathtaking views over Lake Dedduwa. Lunch was a visual and gastronomic pleasure.

The gardens are open to the public, and the buildings on the estate operate as boutique country accommodation

Guided tours of the gardens run daily: 9.30 am, 11.30 am, 2.00 pm, and 3.30 pm. A reservation is essential if you want to have lunch whilst visiting the estate. Check the Geoffrey Bawa Trust website for garden tour prices and how to book lunch.

Guests staying on Lunuganga Estate can wander the gardens without needing a guided tour.

How to get from Colombo to Lunganga Estate, Bentota

The drive from Colombo to Lunuganga Estate will take about 1 hour and 14 minutes, for a distance of 83.9 kilometres.

But what if I don’t have a car? Can I still get to Geoffrey Bawa’s garden?

You have three options if you don’t have the means to drive to Lunuganga Estate: train, bus, or taxi. The train is the fasted option, taking 1 hour and 6 minutes and costing AU$5 – AU$7, including the taxi fare from Aluthgama Station to the estate. For a taxi from Colombo to Lunuganga Estate, the most expensive option, expect to pay AU$30 – AU$40.

Refer to the website, Rome2rio, for details on schedules, costs, routes, travel times, and operators.

 

Geoffrey Bawa’s garden is not a formal garden in the European sense. Nor is it a major tourist attraction. But that’s what makes it interesting and a bucket list thing to do in Sri Lanka.

 

Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog post in February 2019 and have updated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

 

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. All photos are my own and remain the copyright of Just Me Travel.

© Just Me Travel 2018-2022.

 

Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. Would you visit Lunuganga Estate and Geoffrey Bawa’s garden if visiting Sri Lanka?

 

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A pond surrounded by tropical forest. The writing on the image states, Visit Geoffrey Bawa's Garden in Sri Lanka.

A photo of a house veranda set with tables and chairs for lunch. The writing on the photo states, Have lunch at Geoffrey Bawa's Garden in Sri Lanka.

 

Are you looking for more ideas on destination Sri Lanka? Then don’t miss these posts:

WHAT IS THE MISSING TRUTH ABOUT CLIMBING SRI LANKA’S LITTLE ADAM’S PEAK

FIRST 24 HOURS IN GALLE FORT, SRI LANKA

WALKING THE RAILWAY LINE FROM ELLA TO DEMODARA, SRI LANKA

WALLAWWA – a tranquil luxury boutique hotel in Colombo City

ULTIMATE SRI LANKA ITINERARY – The best of Sri Lanka in 20 Days

 

Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip, and always follow government advice.

 

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WALKING THE RAILWAY LINE FROM ELLA TO DEMODARA, SRI LANKA [2022 Updated]

Do as a Local, Walk the Railway Line From Ella to Demodara in Sri Lanka’s Beautiful Hill Country.   When my son was little, his grandmother told him to say,…

Do as a Local, Walk the Railway Line From Ella to Demodara in Sri Lanka’s Beautiful Hill Country.

 

When my son was little, his grandmother told him to say, “The devil made me do it”, whenever he was in trouble. What, you might ask, is the connection between walking a railway line in the hills of Sri Lanka and a grandmother teaching her grandson how to get out of trouble? Read on to connect the dots and discover a path less travelled.

 

When staying in Sri Lanka’s pretty hill town of Ella with my sister and brother-in-law, my sister decided it would be an adventure to walk the 3 kilometres along the railway line from Ella to the iconic Nine Arch Bridge. From there, we would choose whether to walk back to Ella or continue a further 3.5 kilometres along the railway line to Demodara train station, catching the Kandy-Colombo train back to Ella.

With all in agreement and knowing the expected time the train departs Demodara, we set off at 8.20 am after an early breakfast for our possible 6.5-kilometre walk.

A man walks along a railway line which is surrounded by hills and tropical vegetation.

Walking the railway line in Sri Lanka from Ella to Demodara.

 

Just after stepping onto the railway line near our hotel, we were confronted with the sign, ‘WALK ON THE RAILWAY LINE IS PROHIBITED’. I immediately decided that when stopped by the railway police, I was going to tell them, “The devil made me do it”. I wonder how well this translates into Sinhala or Tamil? If that didn’t work, I was going to blame my sister, the hotel manager, and guidebooks because they all suggested this escapade – a “must do” in Ella, to do as the locals do.

I stopped worrying about ending up in a Sri Lankan prison when about 5 metres further down the line there was a sign advising that walking the railway line was dangerous. Evidently, the authorities had given up telling people that walking the line was prohibited. I relaxed. ‘Dangerous’ I can handle, but ‘prohibited’ went against my ‘good’ girl nature.

However, ‘dangerous’ became a not-so-friendly companion again upon entering a tunnel that was impossible to see any light coming from the other end. Blindly feeling my way through the tunnel with my feet against the railway track, I wondered aloud what action should be taken in the event of a train coming whilst we were in the tunnel. Luckily, my brother-in-law had been thinking ahead and consulted with our hotel manager to find out when we might come face-to-face with the train from Kandy on the Nine Arch Bridge.

Feeling relatively safe in the knowledge I was not about to be squished by a train, the walk through the tunnel became a devil-may-care adventure filled with excess adrenaline running rampant through my body. I wasn’t convinced I was doing something entirely legal in a foreign country.

I may not have felt quite so safe and would definitely have run out of adrenaline had I known the tunnel exits right on Nine Arch Bridge.

Two people exiting a railway tunnel

Exiting the tunnel at Nine Arch Bridge

 

Two people walk along a bridge constructed with with nine arches. The bridge is in a tropical landscape.

Walking the railway line on Nine Arch Bridge

 

The Nine Arch Bridge, a popular tourist attraction, spans a deep gorge and is surrounded by a vision of green, with tropical forests interspersed with tea plantations. And so-called because it has nine arches or spans. Very imaginative! At 91.44m (300ft) long, 7.62m (25ft) wide and 24.38m (80ft) high, this railway bridge is deemed to be an engineering marvel as it is made entirely of rocks, bricks and cement without a single piece of steel. Not knowing anything about engineering, I must concur with the experts. The bridge’s height and all those arches, plus the environment in which it exists, make it an impressive bridge and worth plugging as a tourist attraction.

We had timed our arrival at the Nine Arch Bridge to watch the 9.15 am train from Kandy cross the bridge.

A blue train driving on a railway line through tropical vegetation in hills.

Here comes the train!

 

Everything you read about Sri Lankan trains advises you they rarely run on time. However, this one was on time and came down the line just after we crossed the bridge. Stepping off the tracks, I expressed our expert timing with an enthusiastic wave to the driver and all the passengers.

The Nine Arch Bridge is the midway point between Ella and Demodara stations. Having gotten this far, we decided to continue our walk along the railway line to Demodara to catch the 10.40 am train back to Ella. Now I was on a mission to reach Demodara in time to catch that train as I was not walking the 6.5 kms back to Ella.

Please Note: The Sr Lanka train timetable has altered since I visited Ella. The 10.40 am train I caught now leaves Demodara at 10.55 am, and the changed timetable impacts the arrival time of the earlier train at Nine Arch Bridge.

We made it to Demodara by 10.20 am but weren’t allowed to purchase our train tickets immediately, being told to wait until 10 minutes before the train was due. No explanation was forthcoming as to why this was so. However, as Demodara was such a pretty station, with its many potted flowering plants lining the platform, we were happy to wait to be ‘allowed’ to buy our train tickets. When I did front up to the ticketing window, I thought I had misheard when asked to pay 30 Sri Lankan rupees (the equivalent of 30 Australian cents) for three one-way tickets from Demodara to Ella (10c each). I was so impressed with how cheap the trip was that I also bought my sister and brother-in-law their tickets.

Two people sitting on a train platform underneath a picture of a steam train engine.

Waiting at Demodara Station for the train back to Ella

 

The train was practically empty. Not what I had expected, which made choosing a seat difficult due to too much choice. Which seat would give me the best view of the scenery as it passes by outside the window? Ultimately, I chose to stand in the doorway like a local.

The train ride, although short-lived, was fun and the highlight of my day. Anyone would think I have never ridden a train before!

A train on a bridge approaches a tunnel and people standing near the bridge wave at the train.

The train on Nine Arch Bridge approaches the tunnel we had so recently walked through.

 

Guidebooks publicise the walk along the railway line as a must-do activity in Ella. However, we came across no other tourists except at the bridge itself. Is it too far off the beaten track for most tourists? We were the only non-locals walking the line. I had to smile whenever we passed a makeshift stall by the rail tracks – Sri Lankans cater to people’s needs wherever they can!

To my surprise, the walk was effortless. It was flat all the way, and you get into a rhythm as you lope from sleeper to sleeper. The endless views of tea plantations, tropical vegetation, valleys, and mountains made for a pleasant walk. And the company was good too – not one disagreement!

Tea bushes growing on hills

Tea plantations are seen along the railway line walk

 

Visiting the Nine Arch Bridge is touted as a must-do attraction in Sri Lanka. You can get to the Bridge by taking a tuk-tuk from Ella or walking through the jungle. Or do as the locals do and walk along the railway line. Take the path less travelled.

 

Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog post in January 2019 and have updated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

 

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. All photos are my own and remain the copyright of Just Me Travel.

© Just Me Travel 2018-2022.

 

Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts. Would you have walked the railway line given Ella station’s ‘prohibited’ sign?

 

Like this post? Save it for later!

An image with two photos. One is of three people walking on a railway line and the other is of a bridge with nine arches.

Three people walking on a railway line with flowers, bushes, and signs beside the tracks.

 

Are you looking for more ideas on destination Sri Lanka? Then don’t miss these posts:

WHAT IS THE MISSING TRUTH ABOUT CLIMBING SRI LANKA’S LITTLE ADAM’S PEAK

FIRST 24 HOURS IN GALLE FORT, SRI LANKA

A PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR OF GEOFFREY BAWA’S GARDEN

WALLAWWA – a tranquil boutique hotel in Colombo City

ULTIMATE SRI LANKA ITINERARY – The Best of Sri Lanka in 20 Days

 

Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip, and always follow government advice.

 

Sign up to receive the latest in travel destinations, topics, resources and guides.

 

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WALLAWWA – a tranquil luxury boutique hotel in Colombo City [2021 UPDATED]

Wonderful Accommodation in an Oasis of Tranquility in Sri Lanka Wallawwa is luxury accommodation at its best. It is all character and serenity. Read on to see why I recommend…

Wonderful Accommodation in an Oasis of Tranquility in Sri Lanka

Wallawwa is luxury accommodation at its best. It is all character and serenity. Read on to see why I recommend you experience Wallawwa for yourself.

Picture yourself relaxing by the secluded pool and being able to buzz for bar staff to attend to your needs. Imagine playing croquet on the manicured lawns before partaking in complimentary tea and cakes at 3 o’clock on the wide veranda. This was my reality of Wallawwa, a luxurious, boutique hotel whose former life was an 18th-century colonial manor house.

Set in acres of lush gardens scattered with daybeds and couches strategically placed around the main lawn, Wallawwa manages a feeling of intimacy.

Wallawwa’s 18 spacious rooms include two family suites and a two-bedroom suite with a pool. All rooms open onto a secluded veranda and tropical garden. My ‘Wallawwa Bedroom’ was comfortable, cool, and tastefully furnished. There was no missing the magnificent king-sized four-poster bed (twin beds are available). A large, polished concrete-lined bathroom with a rain shower, plush towels, and luxurious toiletries completed the room. The room amenities included tea/coffee making facilities – always a winner for me.

The staff were friendly, efficient, attentive and helpful.

The Verandah is Wallawwa’s open-sided restaurant serving top class Asian cuisine, with much of the produce used in the cooking coming from the hotel’s organic garden. Make sure you leave room for dessert because they are to die for.

For those looking for personal pampering, Wallawwa’s Z Spa offers a collection of relaxing treatments. Unfortunately, my stay at Wallawwa was only one night, and I could not treat myself to one of their signature massages. Next time.

If you must leave this piece of tranquillity, Wallawwa can arrange excursions for you.

Wallawwa, on Minuwangoda Road, Kotugoda, is just a 15-minute drive from Colombo International Airport and 30 minutes to the city.

Rooms start at USD390 per night, including à la carte breakfast.

Wallawwa is one of seven Teardrop Hotels across Sri Lanka. I also stayed at Fort Bazaar (another Teardrop Hotel) in history-rich Galle Fort.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored.

Comment below to share your thoughts on this blog post. Would you stay here?

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WHAT IS THE MISSING TRUTH ABOUT CLIMBING SRI LANKA’S LITTLE ADAM’S PEAK?

Who Said Climbing Little Adam’s Peak Is An Easy Walk?   Dear Meg, Hello from Ella in Sri Lanka. While here, I decided to walk up Little Adam’s Peak. The…

Who Said Climbing Little Adam’s Peak Is An Easy Walk?

 

Dear Meg,

Hello from Ella in Sri Lanka.

While here, I decided to walk up Little Adam’s Peak. The walk from Ella to Little Adam’s Peak’s summit is approximately 4.5 kilometres (return) and said to take about 45 minutes each way. The walk was described in four guidebooks as an easy, mostly flat walk, with a small amount of climbing at the end.

The hotel’s reference to Little Adam’s Peak summed up the experience:

This walk is unlikely to make you break out in a sweat, and the entire round trip can be completed in about two hours. The first part of the walk is quite flat … some climbing is required to reach the summit. The view from the top is more than worth the gentle exertion though, offering a splendid panorama of Ella Rock and The Gap.

 

Well, they were all wrong! All the guidebooks lied.

  • It was uphill all the way. There was no ‘flat’, and there was nothing ‘easy’ about the walk.
  • I did break out in a sweat – big time.
  • The walk was two hours one way.
  • ‘The small amount of climbing at the end’ was not just uphill; it was more than 300 vertical steps.
  • As for ‘gentle exertion’. There was nothing gentle about the blood pounding in my head when I finally reached the summit. This was heart attack material!

 

Having reached the summit (at the height of 1,141 metres), I was too exhausted and out of breath to appreciate the ‘splendid panorama’. And I thought I was fit! There is nothing ‘little’ about Little Adam’s Peak.

I didn’t feel a sense of achievement but just felt jilted by the guidebooks. In hindsight, I should have stayed in Ella drinking coffee, and left the walk up to the others to complete.

Walking up Little Adam’s Peak would have to be one of the worst experiences of my life. Well, perhaps not, but it sure felt like it. I left the others at the bottom of the mountain and took a tuk-tuk back to the hotel. It cost me a lot of rupees, but it was worth every one of them.

Tropical bush framing a mountain peak

View of Little Adam’s Peak – still a long way to walk

 

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. All photos are my own and remain the copyright of Joanna Rath.

 

Comment below to share your thoughts on this blog post. Tell us about a climbing challenge you have faced. What was the outcome? Did you feel a sense of achievement or not?

 

If you like this post, PIN it for keeps.

 

To read more on what to see and do in Sri Lanka, click on the links below:

WALKING THE RAILWAY LINE FROM ELLA TO DEMODARA, SRI LANKA

FIRST 24 HOURS IN GALLE FORT, SRI LANKA

A PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR OF GEOFFREY BAWA’S GARDEN

WALLAWWA – a tranquil luxury boutique hotel in Colombo City

ULTIMATE SRI LANKA ITINERARY – The Best of Sri Lanka in 20 Days

 

Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and always follow government advice.

 

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FIRST 24 HOURS IN GALLE FORT, SRI LANKA

Travel magazines and tour companies have named Sri Lanka as one of the destinations for 2019 – a must see, bucket list destination. I travelled to Sri Lanka with my sister…

Travel magazines and tour companies have named Sri Lanka as one of the destinations for 2019 – a must see, bucket list destination.

I travelled to Sri Lanka with my sister and brother-in-law for a 23-day trip around this teardrop shaped island. This was a private tour with our own driver. However, it is also possible to travel around Sri Lanka by taxi, bus or train.

I still hold mixed feelings about my trip to Sri Lanka. After all, we can’t always expect to like everything about every country we visit. That said, Sri Lanka held some highlights for me that are well worth mentioning, such as walking the railway line between Ella and Demodara and our visit to Geoffrey Bawa’s garden. I also highly recommend visiting Galle Fort. In fact, it is worth staying at least a couple of nights.

Galle Fort is a historical fortified city, with the New Town of Galle located outside the walls. Galle is situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka – a distance of 126 kilometres (78 miles) down the west coast from Colombo (Sri Lanka’s capital).

Why visit Galle Fort

Galle Fort is rich in history; with 400 years of history spaning Portuguese, Dutch and British colonialism. Built by the Portuguese in 1589, the Dutch seized the Fort in 1640 and extended its fortifications, which survive to this day. The British modified the Fort after Galle was handed over to them in 1796. Galle Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains the best example in south and southeast Asia of a fortified city built by Europeans.

Galle Fort is protected by a wall (ramparts), with 14 bastions, that has seen little change since completion by the Dutch in 1729. The fortifications run for 3 kilometres and are over 1 metre thick. Inside the Fort is a mixture of architecture, with Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient mosques and churches, and grand mansions. Here you will find cafés, restaurants, boutiques, museums, and hotels. It is also a thriving commercial centre.

With an area of only 0.52 kilometres square within the fortifications and being relatively flat, Galle Fort is easy to walk around and to see everything. It is also a good base for day trips to the southern beaches, gardens, tea factories, rain forests, and nature walks.

From Colombo to Galle Fort

At the suggestion of our driver we took the coast road to Galle rather than the expressway. While taking the expressway would have been quicker (approximately 1.5 hours as opposed to approximately 3 hours), the coast road, according to our driver, is more interesting; more scenic. And it was. Hugging the coastline, we passed through many small villages which provided a glimpse into local daily life; where farmers and fishermen continue to live and work as they have done for generations.

This was our first real experience of driving in Sri Lanka. I have been in many a country where I thought the population as a whole are terrible drivers, but Sri Lankan drivers take the prize. Their idea or practice of passing is downright scary. Picture this … You have a two-lane road just wide enough for two cars, with one lane for each direction. Suddenly, your lane has three vehicles abreast (including your own, with your driver on his mobile phone) as two vehicles want to pass one, and there is a bus coming in the opposite direction. No one gives way as all four vehicles come abreast and all you can do is close your eyes and hold your breath. And yet, I never saw an accident.

I learned a valuable lesson on this drive – don’t ever think of doing a self-drive holiday in Sri Lanka as you may never survive the experience. Their driving and use of the roads are, for these foreigners, positively frightening. My brother-in-law was never able to relax when we were driving. For some reason, he always managed to get the seat with a clear view out the front windscreen. Causing him to remain transfixed on the traffic and in a perpetual state of anxiety.

Galle Fort 

We arrived in Galle Fort mid-afternoon. Our hotel for the duration of our stay in Galle Fort was the Fort Bazaar, inside the Fort itself.

The Fort Bazaar (at 26 Church Street, Galle Fort) was formerly a 17th century merchant’s townhouse.  Opening in 2016 in its current status as a small, boutique spa hotel, its 18 rooms are very spacious, cool and furnished with comfortable four-poster beds. Unfortunately, at the time of stay (April 2017), the pool and spa were not yet completed, and they were still waiting on a liquor licence. However, it is in a very central location within the Fort and complimentary tea and cakes were served daily between 3.00 and 4.00pm. My kind of hotel. I could not fault the staff, who were friendly, attentive and helpful. Sri Lankan hospitality at its best.

Note: The Fort Bazaar, according to a recent view of its website, now has a pool, a spa, and a liquor licence.

Due to the lack of a liquor licence (which did not suit at all), we booked dinner in the restaurant at the Galle Fort Hotel (at 28 Church Street), which came recommended by guide books.

The Galle Fort Hotel was a former gem merchant’s mansion. The restaurant’s setting was picture perfect, with the tables set up on the wide veranda overlooking the pool and garden.

However, dinner was less than ordinary, and the service was very slow even though there were only a few diners. In the heat and humidity, all we wanted was a cold drink to start with. But, once seated, we were suddenly invisible. We were starving by the time they remembered to take our meal orders. We do not recommend the restaurant in the Galle Fort Hotel.

A walk around Galle Fort

Over dinner, we decided to make an early start for our walk around Galle Fort, its bastions and ramparts (walls) the next day, so that our walk would be completed before the day got too hot. In hindsight, it makes no difference in April, heat-wise, what time of day you venture out as it is always very hot and wet (humidity, not rain).

On this day that we decided to do our walk, the humidity was 80% and caused some havoc with our DSLR cameras – fogged up lenses and constant error messages. While I have never found out conclusively if these problems were due to the humidity, it is certainly something to be aware of.

The humidity also impacted on my clothing. I wasn’t just dripping perspiration, I was completely wet. I was wearing a dark pink t-shirt that I had washed several times prior to this trip. However, the pink dye was coming out of my t-shirt. It stained my body, and my camera strap and my camera where they were touching the t-shirt. To top it off, the colour was completed bleached out of the t-shirt where my backpack was touching it – to the point where my t-shirt looked as though it had been tie-dyed.

After a leisurely breakfast at the Fort Bazaar of fresh fruit, bacon and eggs, and freshly ground coffee, we set off on our self-guided tour (walk) of Galle Fort.

Galle Fort map

(Map courtesy of the Fort Bazaar)

 

All Saints Church in Galle Fort Sri Lanka

All Saints Anglican Church

Walking up Church Street (Galle Fort’s main thoroughfare) towards the main gate and the Clock Tower, we passed All Saints Anglican Church (its stumpy steeple, a distinctive landmark) and the Maritime Archaeological Museum

Galle Fort dutch church tombstones

The tombstones laid in the floor of the Dutch Reform Church

Our first stop was at the Dutch Reform Church. Originally built in 1640, the floor of the Dutch Reform Church is laid with tombstones which were moved there from the Dutch cemeteries. The oldest of which dates from 1662. There are more tombstones in the grounds of the church.

Leaving the Dutch Reform Church, we continued up Church Street, making our way to the Clock Tower; our starting point for our walk along the Fort’s ramparts.

Heading east and past the Main Gate, we walked up onto the ramparts at the Moon Bastion with its Clock Tower that was built by the British in 1882. From here we were able to look down the ramparts (east and west) to the Star Bastion and Sun Bastion.

This is the most heavily fortified section of the ramparts as they protect the most vulnerable side of the Fort – the northern landward side. Galle Fort is surrounded on three sides by the Indian Ocean.

For those cricket fans…These northern ramparts provide a good view of the Galle International Cricket Stadium outside the Fort. This massive, 30,000-seater stadium has hosted more than 100 one day international matches. Australian bowler, Shane Warne claimed his 500th Test wicket at the Stadium in 2004. In 2010, Sri Lanka’s legendary cricket player, Muttiah Muralitharan played his last match at this venue. However, as at July 2018, the Galle Stadium was a risk of loosing its UNESCO World Heritage status due to the unauthorised construction of the 500-seat pavilion.

Turning south, we came to the Fish Market Bastion, where we left the ramparts to walk through Court Square. Here we stopped at the Old Gate. This was the original entrance to the Fort, with the Fort side of the gate inscribed with the Dutch East India Company’s coat of arms. The port side of the gate is adorned with a British crest (which replaced the original Dutch crest).

Court Square is shaded by magnificent, massive banyan trees with branches that seem to spread forever. The Square houses the law courts (with the lawyers standing around in their black suits) and the Old Dutch Hospital (now home to shops and cafes).

Galle Fort lighthouse

Galle Fort lighthouse on Point Utrecht Bastion

 

Heading south down Hospital Street, we found ourselves at Point Utrecht Bastion which is dominated by the lighthouse. Built in 1938 and standing 18 metres high, the lighthouse is still in use.

At the lighthouse, we climb back up onto the wall; walking along the southern rampart towards Flag Rock. Along this southern section of the wall, families were gathered on the shaded grass; picnicking and playing cricket.

Walking past the Meeran Jumma Mosque (which looks very much like a European Baroque church), we came to Flag Rock located on the southern-most end of the Fort. People dive from Flag Rock into the ocean – described as daring free-style divers. I did see one young man run along the top of the rock and dive from it. “Idiot” might be a better description than “daring”. “Clearly potty” is how one guide book describes these jumpers. Perhaps they have insider knowledge of exactly where the submerged rocks are?

 

We finally headed north as the ramparts hugged the west coast. We ended our ramble along Galle Fort’s ramparts near the army barracks, just before the Clock Tower where we had begun. Here we cut across the village green, past the Army Barracks as I had thrown a hissy fit; being upset that we were still walking in the heat. This was a short cut back to our hotel and a welcomed decision.

The guide books and tourist brochures inform you the walk along the ramparts will take 90 minutes. We took almost twice that length of time due to the heat and constant stopping to take photos. It’s surprising how hard it is to lift your feet when weighed down by heat and humidity!

We made a couple more stops before heading back to our hotel for a well-earned rest in a lovely cool room.

A long cool drink on the wide veranda of the luxury Amangalla Hotel was warranted before visiting the Manor House Museum (at 31-39 Leyn Baan Street – entrance is free). This is a private collection of antiques and miscellaneous objects (described by one guide book as “outright junk”). The collection belongs to Abdul Gaffar, a local gem merchant, and is on display in a restored Dutch house. In my opinion, Gaffar has a serious hoarding problem, with rooms and cabinets stuffed full of old typewriters, cameras, telephones, crockery, spectacles, jewellery and old Chinese memorabilia. To describe this collection as bazaar is being very kind and generous. It was just downright weird! For that reason alone, it is worth the visit. The museum does provide insight into some traditional crafts with presentations of lace embroidery, gem cutting and jewellery making. However, be cautious if you suffer from asthma because the museum is very, very dusty.

Lunch was at the Serendipity Arts Café; recommended by one guide book as a place to eat. The food was good (had a very tasty chicken club sandwich – not very imaginative of me) but I would not recommend it as it was not atmospheric; as was foretold.

We were back at the Fort Bazaar in time for a rest before partaking of the hotel’s scheduled afternoon tea and cakes served on the terrace.

This night we had dinner at The Fort Printers (39 Pedlar Street). This elegant, small private hotel (a restored 18th century mansion) was a printing facility in its former life. The original printing press is on show in the lobby of the hotel. We had discovered this hotel on our morning walk. I found the menu limiting as I am allergic to seafood and this was the speciality of the house. My sister and brother-in-law do not suffer from the same affliction and loved the menu choices. However, the menu did include chicken, lamb and vegetarian dishes. The restaurant is in a lovely setting in a courtyard around a small pool. We were tucked into an alcove at the side of the courtyard that afforded a good level of privacy. Which was just as well as our conversation became quite lively and animated. Even so, we were not forgotten. The staff were friendly, attentive, knowledgeable about their menu, and ready to answer any questions we had. The food was so good, we went back a second night.

And so, our first 24 hours comes to an end. But not so our stay in Galle Fort as we spent a further day venturing outside of the Fort and into the countryside beyond; visiting the Martin Wickramasinghe Museum, Kataluwa Temple, the coastal village of Willgama, and a final stop at the Peace Pagoda. But that’s another story.

 

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Palm trees on a beach with a rock wall in front and the sea behind

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and unsponsored. Unless specifically stated, all photos are my own and remain the copyright of Joanna Rath.

 

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WALLAWWA – a tranquil luxury boutique hotel in Colombo City

ULTIMATE SRI LANKA ITINERARY – The Best of Sri Lanka in 20 Days

 

Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and follow government advice.

 

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