driving times

Hi,
Ella to Arugam bay, about 4 to 4 1/2 hours.Arugam bay to Galle about 6 to 6 1/2 hours..
They are only rough estimates as I've done different parts of the journey by bus with all the stops etc, and never actually visited Arugam bay..

Arugambay worth the drive?.
I suppose it depends on what you want to go there for and when you're going. July, August, Sept, times the weather and sea conditions are certainly best on the east coast although if you wanted a beach for swimming and snorkelling, then I'd recommend Nilavelli just north of Trincomalee in the north east,

Rod.

Hi!

I don't know Arumga Bay, but my husband did a taxi there and he told me that Tangalla-Arumga Bay it's more than 6h. so Galle arumga bay should be 8h or 8h30.

Severine

Driving from Ella means driving 17km or 45 min to Wellawaya - about 45 min - and there onto Arugambay - around 110 km or 2 hrs.

Arugambay to Galle: you cannot go on a coastal route as the Yala national park is there. You have to go back to Wellawaya, go south to Tissamaharama, from there to Hambantota and from there - on the Galle Road - you can go to Galle. This is around 200km and will take you 4-5 hours.

Check out this detailed map: Arugambay (called Pottuvil on the map) is on the lower right hand corner of the map.

http://www.math.ruh.ac.lk/~riscmap/mapSriLanka.jpg

I recommend both drives - the road is mostly great and, except for Hambantota to Galle, devoid of traffic - as the scenery is beautiful. Most of what I've enjoyed in Sri Lanka has been the rural drives, stopping every so often for a rice and curry or kottu. City driving is awful, though.

Another nice (day trip) drive is to go from Galle to Deniyaya. It's 60km of good road into the southern tea hills and the scenery is breathtaking.

Edited by: jaliyaj