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Hi,
Accommodation.
Recently I stayed in,

Moni Guest House and restaurant, Munai Murukan Mawatha, Kovil Road, Passikuda..
Tel;.. +94-(0)-65-3654742.
A good guest house, rooms ( less than 1500 rupees ), food all good and just about halfway between Passikudah beach and Kalkudah Beach so just a short stroll to either.

Hill Country,.... The ABC guest house , 109 Sherwood Road, Haputale.
Tel;.. +94-(0)-57-2268630.. Email.. abcguestinnhaputale@gmail.com
Again, rooms less than 1500 , all ensuite very comfortable and friendly. Good cheap home cooked food. great views from the room balconies.

Is " Pollanuwatura " supposed to be Polonoruwa ?
If so, I also stayed at Leesha Tourist Home, 105?A, New Town Road, Polonoruwa
Tel;.. +94-(0)-72-3340591.
Good guest house and also low priced. Within easy walking distance of the ancient ruins.. About 10 to 15 minutes stroll.

Those three all have double rooms but as I paid about 1200 in all of them for a double ensuite room, I'm sure you'll get a room at the right price.

Water rafting. That'll be Kitulgala on the Kelania Ganga.Easier to reach from the west coast but if you're going south through the hill country, get off the train at Hatton and get the bus from Hatton to Kitulgala.
Great place to stay and I reckon cheapest rafting , is
The Adventure base Camp, Kalukohutenna,, Kithulgala. ( about one mile on the Hatton side of Kitulgala ).
Tel;.. +94-(0)-72-4524555,, Email.. adventureupul@gmail.com
A good range of accommodation in the adventure camp, from dorms to en-suite rooms built almost hanging out over the rapids. menu isn't very varied but food is excellent and cheap.

Rekawa,, I've been a couple of times. I enjoyed it for the atmosphere and the work that they do but to be honest it wasn't much of an experience. You're not allowed torches (or light coloured clothing) and late at night that means you don't get to see much.
By all means go for the experience and to help their income but if you're down on the south coast and heading back to Colombo that way, I'd advise stopping off at Hikkaduwa. Going on to the reef beach. Walk right to the southern end and walk into the sea in one of the sandy gullies where the reef joins to the beach. Sooner or later you'll see huge turtles swimming around you.

The south isn't very wet is Sept... If you get any rain, it's usually a cloud build up late afternoon, a short sharp downpour, then the cloudes go away again.

Meeting other back packers is pot luck.. If you're staying in Kandy, I've always met a variety of back packing travellers in the place I usually stay at, The Kandy View Hotel.

Rod.

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WOOOOOW
Rod , thanks a million, it is much more information than I expected!
I'll definitely use it all! It's a very strange thing which I experienced so far, I have noticed no one is replying my emails when I send my inquiry to the hostels, guesthouses. Maybe just bad luck?
Anyway I really appreciate your input into the post.
Kind regards
Mariola

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It would have been great to link up but I think I arrive as you are leaving Sri Lanka.

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We're just back vom Trincomalee/Ninaveli and we found a lovely place to stay at the White Sand Beach Hotel at Ninaveli. It's not the cheapest in town (60 € double rooms) but it's at the beachfront and it's very clean: http://www.trincomalee-guesthouse.com/. A really fantastic place to stay. Don't get nervous if you have to wait a bit for the meals - seems as if they like to take their time. Not in the LP.

Hill Country / Ella: We stayed at the Eeshani Guest Inn, very clean, very good accomodation. You stay with the family (try the curry, the old lady of the house does) and we payed 3.500 Rupies per night for one of the double rooms. I am quite sure you can as well book it as a single room. LP latest edition page 171.

Polonnaruwa: Seems as if it is difficult to find a good place to stay. We stayed at the Samudra guest house - LP top choice. Some of the rooms are a bit dumply and it wasn't the most proper place of our trip. But it seems to be the best you can find. LP page 197. We payed 2000 Rupies for a double room. And you should like the buddhist singing of the nearby temple which you can hear loud and clear when you sit at the veranda in the evening.

We've made a very good experience, people were always helpful and friendly. If you discuss prices with a three wheeler or at the market it seems to be easier as a man. Solo women: Take care a bit. A long skirt and protected shoulders should help to minimize discussions.