2024 Oct Sri Lanka
Our next holiday was ‘Luxury Sri Lanka’ – our first foray into ‘organised’ travel through TripADeal. TripADeal is an Australian owned and operated online travel agent offering bucket list tours, cruise and resort holiday packages at unbelievable prices – possible because they have to be paid for up-front. We normally do our own travel arrangements; this was one of those bargain trips where everything is pre-planned. We weren’t quite sure how we’d go but hoped it would work out.
Our flight arrived in Colombo late at night and the group of about 20 assembled at the airport awaiting our coach to take us to our 5-star Heritance Hotel at the beach resort of Negombo, about 40km north of Colombo. The following afternoon, we were taken on a city tour of Negombo. The city was an important port during the colonial periods. In the late 17th century, the Dutch built a network of canals, over 100 kilometres in length, that was used to transport cinnamon and other spices from inland plantations to the coast. After the tour we returned to the hotel and enjoyed an evening at leisure.
After breakfast we embarked on the 140km drive to the magnificent Heritance Hotel Kandalama. Designed by renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, the hotel is set in 211 acres of protected forest, in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle, with Sigiriya as the backdrop. Completed in 1994, the hotel blends modernist design principles with reverence for local heritage and environmental sustainability.
After lunch, we joined the optional trip to Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site built during the reign of King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The ‘Lion Rock’ of Sigiriya is a citadel rising 200 metres above the jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70-hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens, including the renowned water gardens, encircle the base of the rock. It was 1,276 steps up – and 1,276 steps down again – we were impressed with ourselves! The view from the top was certainly spectacular – as were the crowds… On the way back down there is a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway which gives access to the world-renowned frescoes of the ‘Heavenly Maidens’ of Sigiriya. These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster.
The next day we opted for a day of relaxation at the lovely hotel, before Keith joined six others for a Sri Lankan Culinary Demonstration followed by lunch. The cuisine of Sri Lanka has a very rich tradition, which includes many varieties of sweetmeats, rice, curries, sambals and salads.
Others of the tour group opted to join a trip to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Polonnaruwa, built in the 11th and 12th centuries AD.
I enjoyed a relaxing day lazing around the pool.
The following day we travelled approximately 100 kilometres to Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka. Along the way we stopped at a spice garden in Matale to see how the fragrant spices Sri Lanka is renowned for are grown. In Kandy, we were taken on a guided city bus tour, taking in the city centre, the famous Kandy Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a gem and lapidary museum, and had a chance to wander through the wonderful Kandy market. By now it was quite late for lunch, but Keith and I managed to find a local restaurant in the middle of the market and enjoyed a delicious bowl of curry. Nearby we discovered Bogambara Cultural Centre. Once a maximum-security prison established in 1876, the site has transformed into a vibrant park where you can enjoy leisurely strolls among lush trees and serene water ponds. We met another couple from our tour and enjoyed an ice cream in one of the pavilions.
Then it was time to meet the rest of our group for a short coach ride to see a cultural show including traditional music and drumming. The show lasted about an hour and was quite impressive – particularly the fire walkers outside. Then, finally, it was off to our hotel for the night, the Golden Crown Hotel – opulent and gaudy, but with a fantastic roof-top swimming pool which we enjoyed in the cool of the evening.
The next day our tour was due to travel to Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka’s highest town and the heart of the country’s most beautiful region, the southern hill country. Nuwara Eliya sits high above the coastal plains of Sri Lanka amidst the mountain clouds – a timeless favourite and a city so nostalgic that it has since earned the nickname of ‘Little England’.
In my research for the holiday, I had read of an iconic train trip that you could do from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. Built by the British in the late 1800s, Sri Lanka’s rail system was originally used to transport tea and coffee for export so it’s no surprise that this seven-hour trip takes passengers through stunning plantations, remote villages, lush hills and tumbling waterfalls. The train follows the contours of the hills, gradually climbing upwards, whereas the coach follows a completely different route. The article also recommended taking a 2nd class ticket and sitting on the right side of the carriage. Several days earlier, I had enquired with our tour guide about getting tickets for the train, but he obviously wasn’t interested – his response was that it was “not possible”. Another couple on the tour, Cathy & Steve, overheard my conversation and expressed enthusiasm for taking the train journey. So, after breakfast in Kandy, we informed our tour guide that we were taking the train and would meet them at our hotel later in the day. He was rather taken aback, but we gave him no choice. The four of us took a local taxi (read tuk-tuk) to the main train station and enquired about booking for the 8.47am departure. Yes, it was possible, but only 3rd class tickets were available – not a problem! In fact, 3rd class included upholstered seats and toilet facilities at the end of the carriage!
The train ride was fantastic – the carriages had windows which opened downward allowing a clear view out, and the younger passengers would hang out the carriage doors and have their photos taken. The train made a few stops along the way, and we eventually climbed above the tree line and had views of the tea plantations stretched across the hill tops. It was a magnificent trip.
About three hours later we reached our stop of Nanuoya (the closest to Nuwara Eliya) and hailed a minivan to take us to our hotel, Jetwing St Andrews. The hotel is a restored Georgian style country mansion, where we stepped back in time and indulged in all the pleasures of upcountry luxury. It was to these very highlands that the colonial British retreated for cooler climes and built empires from hill stations that became their adopted home.
The next day, we had a relaxing morning including a full English breakfast followed by a wander around the hotel’s gardens. In the afternoon, our guide took us on a sightseeing tour of Nuwara Eliya to visit some key sights such as Bale Bazaar, the President’s House and the Prime Minister’s Residence. We finished the tour at the Grand Hotel for High Tea.
Our next destination was Yala (approximately 192km) with a brief stop to see the Ravana Falls at Ella. The waterfall measures approximately 25 metres in height and cascades from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop. Also close by is the Nine Arch Bridge part of the railway line from Nuwara Eliya to the coast, crossing the lush jungle valley below. From our coach we traipsed downhill to the bridge and had time to take some photos – but unfortunately, our tour guide hurried us back to the coach before we could see the train crossing – the closest we came was hearing its whistle from below! Really disappointing.
Afterwards we continued to the Yala National Park where we were to join a jeep safari. Overflowing with vast grasslands, shrubs, ponds and dunes, this vast 1,259 square kilometre park is one of the most famous wildlife destinations in Sri Lanka. Its inhabitants include herds of elephants, Sloth bears, Spotted deer, jackals, and abundant birdlife, as well as the highest density of leopards in the world.
Once again, our tour guide did not explain that the safari would take several hours, so Keith and I set off with only one bottle of water between us on a hot and humid afternoon. We saw elephants and buffalo, but no leopards – and became rather dehydrated. We eventually checked into the Jetwing Yala hotel – another 5-star resort. Luckily it had a very nice pool, and the next day was a rest day.
Next, we were off to Koggala, on the coast where you can see Sri Lanka’s famous ‘stilt fishermen’. Stilt fishing is one of the most interesting traditional fishing methods in Sri Lanka. Records indicate this sport came about just after World War II. The beautiful sight of fishermen perched on branched poles as they fish skilfully during dawn, noon and dusk can now be seen commonly along the southern coastal towns.
It was on this coach ride that one of our tour group had developed a bad cold and Keith managed to catch it rather severely. It seemed as though the dehydration had exacerbated everything, and he became almost delirious and confused. It was very worrying. As soon as we arrived at our hotel, the Radisson Blu Resort in Galle, I got Keith into his swimming costume and we floated in the pool for an hour or so, trying to absorb some fluids through his skin – as well as drinking plenty of water. I also prescribed some of his antibiotics.
The next day Keith was slightly better – just as well as, after breakfast, we were taken for a city tour of Galle. The tour began at Galle Fort – the largest intact Dutch fort in Asia, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It faces the Indian Ocean on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Galle Fort is one of the best-preserved examples of 17th century colonial fortifications in the world. Keith and I took it easy and strolled around the fort before stopping for lunch at one of the many restaurants.
Our next destination was Colombo, with various stops along the way. The first at Ambalangoda to visit a Mask Factory. There was a gallery where you could see local folk cutting, moulding and painting masks. Then it was a visit to the Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery. Both locals and international volunteers are a common sight at Kosgoda. Aside from its traditional industries of fisheries and cinnamon cultivation, the area has been recognised by the Wildlife Protection Society for its Sea Turtle Conservation Project.
At last, we made it to the Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo. Keith was beginning to feel a bit better, so we enjoyed dinner at one of the hotel’s restaurants overlooking the setting sun. There was even a piper in complete Scottish tartan costume playing ‘Abide with Me’ as the flag was lowered. Very surreal.
The next day was our last day, and our return flights to Australia didn’t depart until late in the evening. Despite this, our tour guide insisted our tour group check out at 10am and, as we gathered in the hotel reception area, went around each couple to collect his ‘tip’. Some of our group were unsure whether he would share it with the driver and his off-sider, so gave them their tips directly. It certainly left an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Having collected his money, he ushered us into a coach for a tour of the city (including an unwanted stop at a tourist ‘tat’ store) before taking us to the airport some 5-6 hours before our flights. We were really annoyed to learn that another TripADeal group who had been doing the same trip as us (with a different tour guide) were offered the option of late check out from the hotel, so they enjoyed a relaxing morning around the pool before a quick tour of the city on the way to the airport at a civilised time.
In summary, the tour certainly covered what was probably the best of Sri Lanka, but we were disappointed with our particular tour guide compared with a corresponding tour with the same company. It turns out that the tour guide is the ‘make-or-break’ factor and ours was definitely disappointing. However, the 5-star accommodation was a real treat.
Although we were careful to wear face masks on the flight from Brisbane to Colombo, we hadn’t thought things through that we should also wear masks on the coach trips. By the time we got home after about 40 hours travel, Keith was struggling to breathe, and we ended up visiting the hospital Emergency Department! I don’t think we’ll be doing a coach trip again… But Sri Lanka was wonderful.