1

Hi,
The itinerary that you've outlined is possible without any problem but it won't give you time to see much of the sights.

You can get a bus to Kandy from Katunayake which is a little town next to the airport. About 3 1/2 hours by bus so you can spend most of that day wandering around Kandy including the Temple of the tooth and the cultural dance show. You'd also have time to visit the Botanical gardens if you wanted to. I'm not usually into gardens but I do like this one.

Second day, you can get a bus from Kandy to Tissamaharama not sure of the times but it's almost certainly quite an early start. I've done that bus ride a few times and it's about 8 hours on the crowded bus.

But, I'd suggest that you take the train from Kandy, ( Peradeniya Station ) as far as Ella or Haputale and spend a day at one of these places just to enjoy the fantastic mountain scenery.

Then continue down to Tissa , by bus, next day. That would be day 4. Stay in Tissa.

Early morning safari in Yala, then same day bus to either Unawatuna or Hikkaduwa.. From either of these places you can get a local bus into Galle . An afternoon in Galle is plenty time enough to see the place.

I know that sort of trip loses you some of your beach time but the beaches of Sri Lanka don't compare with those of Thailand or Malaysia etc, but the scenery of the hill country is as beautiful as you'll find anywhere.

Travelling by bus and train is cheap. Guest house accommodation will probably be well hiked up anywhere around the south west coast but elsewhere you should still be able to find reasonably priced places.

Rod.

2

Why not going immediatly from the airport to Kandy and save the visit of Colombo for the last day ?

Vero

3

Hi,

according to me you have to go to Kandy on the 1st day and visit all the places there - botanical garden, Kandy night with dancers, Tooth Temple. The Temple is open all day, but the relic can be seen from 19,00 pm for 5 minutes only.

Good accomodation is Hotel Devon or Hotel Serene, both of them is very good, 3 stars, and they have swimming pool too.

On the 2nd day you can go to the Yala, accomodation can be the Elephant Reach Hotel. Maybe this is the best hotel there.

On the 3rd day you can travel to Unawatuna or Hikkaduwa. I know Unawatuna very well because I live here. This is the most beautiful place at the Indian Ocean. :-)

Unawatuna is closer to Galle where you can visit the Galle Fort easily by bus or by tuktuk. It takes only 15-20 minutes to get there from Unawatuna and it is very cheap.

There are many accomodations at Unawatuna.

Unawatuna Bay - for backpackers, with fans and wi-fi but there is no hot water and A/C. It has very good preice, only 20 $/double room and 25$/triple room.

Hotel Prilaxinn - with very nice rooms, next to the beach with A/C, wi-fi, hot water. It's 60 $/double room.

Lanka Resort Apartmans - very nice place in the jungle. You can reach Unawatuna Beach and Galle by 10 minutes but you can have a rest at a peaceful place. The apartman complex was built in rthis year and it has all amenities: hot water, LCD TV, A/C, fans, comfortable double beds, sri lankan and european breakfast, very big swimming pool, bar, resaurant with snacks all day, monkeys :-), wi-fi, european staff. This price is 85 $/apartman. They have 6 medium apartman for 2 person and 1 big apartman for 4 person.

All the programs can be reach from Unawatuna:

• whale watching at Mirissa (it starts at 5,30; the boat leaves at 7,00 and it takes to 12,00. Whales watching is guaranteed, if you can't see them they takes you back next day for free. Breakfast, bottle of water, some medicine is including.),
• Koggala-lake boat trip (Temple Island, Cinnamon Island, Birds Island + spicy garden with massage and natural pharmacy)
• turtle farm
• jungle trip
• Galle Fort (unesco Heritage)
• snorkelling, diving
• Temples: Jatagala, Unawatuna, Japanese stupa,
• meditation and buddhist philosophic lessons by monks every day at Unawatuna
• rent a bicycle and you can reach every program, or you can take a tuktuk; or you can choose buses coming every 3 minutes.

We can organize your trip from Colombo to Kandy, Yala, Unawatuna, Colombo with all transfers, accomodations and programs.

4

Hi fruska - I know this thread is a bit old but I just want to know what the weather is like mid July in Unawatuna - I know it's monsoon season but would this affect a three/four day beach holiday?