Hi,
Three weeks is a good time to spend in Sri Lanka. A week in the cultural triangle, a week in the hill country and a week relaxing on the beaches,, what could be better.
Best place to head for from the airport is Negombo. A big town with all the traveoller stuff on the northern outskirts of town. Plenty of guest houses and budget hotels , right on the beach and with plenty of small bars, restaurants, shops etc all around.
Couple of places to think about for accomodation.
The Silver Sands,
229 Lewis Place,
Negombo.
Tel; +94-(0)-31-2222880.........Very popular with backpackers. Rooms are a bit old and tired but comfortable, friendly and a good restaurant.
Or,
The one that I prefer , mainly because the rooms are a bit bigger and brighter and it has a pool.
The Oasis beach Hotel, ( & fish and lobster restaurant ).
31 Poruthota Road,
Negombo.
Tel; +94-(0)-31-2279022
Really a continuation of the same road, they just change the name half way along. Much , cleaner and better stretch of the beach than the Silver Sands. Cost is slightly more .
Getting to Anuradhapura... I'm not sure if there's a direct bus to Anuradhapura but not a problem anyway.
From the Negombo bus stand you can get a bus to Puttalam... Or from the statio you can get a train to Puttalam.. Then from there you can get a local bus to Anuradhapura.
The Grand Tourist Holiday resort,
4B2, Stage 1,, Lake Road,
Harischandra Mawatha,
Anuradhapura.
Tel; +94-(0)-25-2235173
Good rooms and restaurant. It,s got to be a bit big since they built up the restaurant area but still a decent place to stay. I suppose the restaurant build up should be welcomed as lots of local families eat there now so the food has to be good.
Including and between Anuradhapura and Polonorua.. Places to vist .
Anuradhapura,,,,, Mihintale,,,,Ritigala,,,,Aukana,,,, Polonorua... Mihintale and Ritigala are my favorites of these.. Not many tourist visitors but both beautiful sites . Oh yea, and Habarana if you wanna go elephant riding.
Place to stay Near Polonorua.
The Grand Tourist Holiday Inn, ( yes the same ownership but a completely different type of guest house ).
Sigirya Road,
Galakotua Pothana,
Kimbissa.
Tel; +940(0)-777-049116
This one has the rooms set in a lovely garden setting. All excellent rooms and bathrooms, each with a verandah to sit out and enjoy. The restaurant and lounge are also really good. A bonus here sometimes. It's not unusual to be woken a little bit early by the room boys chasing a wild elephant or two out of the grounds.. If that doesn't wake you, the sound of the wild peacocks that roost in the nearby trees should do.
Also an ideal place to visit Sigirya which is another must , in my book.
From there head south. On the way visit the rock temple at Matale and the cave temples at Dambulla..... If you happen to have a driver for this part of the trip it's well worth while makibng a detour to see a little of the Knuckles mountain range.. Beautiful and completely unspoiled
Into Kandy.
Usual places are The Temple of the Tooth, The cultural dancing show and the Peradeniya Botanical gardens.
You can also do a trip to the Elephant orphanage from Kandy. There's also several markets in Kandy worth a vist. 4 that I know about. The best for photo,s is the one that I've never seen any other travellers in, an indoor vegetable market set at the rear of the prison.
Places in Kandy to stay.
The Kandy View Hotel,
40/42 Hillpankandura,
Ampitya Road,
Kandy.
Tel; +94-(0)-81-4481300
Good rooms, great roof top restaurant and a small splash pool.
Or,
Then Old Empire Inn,
21 Temple Street,
Kandy.
Tel; +94-(0)-81-2224284
Right next to the temple of the tooth. Real olde world , colonial place. Only 2 rooms are ensuite the rest are shared bathrooms.
Or,
If you want a taste of real Sri Lankan home life, then let me know and I'll send a pm with the info for a local family that let a couple of rooms in their own home and live in with the family. A beautiful home, fantastic rooms and home cooking. The couple who,s home it is are also really lovely , friendly and helpful people.
From Kandy.
Train south through the hill country. To Haputale or Ella. Plenty of other places to stop off as well if you want to get to Adams peak or somewhere else along the line.
Haputale is a small , busy mountain town. Walks up to Liptons seat set on a mountain top . Not too tiring to get there. and a short bus ride out of town to the Diyulama falls.
Ella is a little mountain viollage wityh amazing views and scenery all around.
Little Adams peak and Ella Rock are two places worth walking to.
To Stay in Haputale.
The Sri Lak View,
48 Sherwood Road,
Haputale.
Tel; +94-(0)-57-2268125
Everything here is good and has great views down onto lesser peaks and valleys.
in Ella.
The Tea Garden Holiday Inn,
Tel; +94-(0)-57-2228860
Bottom of the main village street, the road curves right. Just around that curve the Tea Garden sits above the road on the right. The two top rooms have a huge 270 degree wrap around balcony with views to die for.
Or
The Sun Top Inn,
18 Police Station Road,
Ella
Tel; +94-(0)-57-2228673
Lovely guest house with just three letting rooms. Great food , rooms and extremely friendly place.
After Ella.... Just near to the Sun Top, at the bottom of police Station Road you can get a bus direct from there to Matara on the south coast.
From Matara it's easy to get a bus to anywhere on the south coast and as it's also the end of the south coast railway you can get a train to Unawatuna, Galle, Hikkaduwa , etc ....anywhere between Matara and Colombo.
Happy planning.
Rod.
