any suggestions for an itinery

Hi

Wonder if anyone can suggest some ideas to complete an itinerary for a brief visit to srilanka. We are in Srilanka for a week (arrive in Colombo on 30th May, afternoon) and is centered around a wedding in Colombo on the 3rd, Wednesday

So we have three days prior to the wedding and four days after (flying out from Colombo on the 7th, Sunday night).

We would like to spend the first three days based around Kandy. First of all, what’s the best way to get to Kandy, after landing at Colombo on a Saturday afternoon? Taxi to Kandy? Would quite like to take the train to Kandy, but not keen to stay in Colombo just to catch a train.

Any suggestions to spend three days based at Kandy. Thoughts were to do a day trip to either dhambula or polonnaruwa. My girlfriend like the sound of Ella in south- not sure we have time for all.

In the second phase ( wed to Sunday), after the wedding we are planning to hit the beach ( and hoping that the monsoons will be kind). We were thinking of Hikkaduwa or Unawatuna. Would it be realistic to expect either sun or swimming or snorkeling at this time of the year at these beaches?
What would be a good way to get to the airport from either of those beaches, without wasting much time- taxi? Or train from galle to Colombo/airport?
Also, any thoughts on safety and travelling in the places above? Given that it is likely to be off season, do we need to book accommodations etc in advance?

We would appreciate any suggestions and apologies for the lengthy email.

Many thanks, parvez

Hi Parvez,

There is an Intercity express train from Colombo Fort at 15.35 reaches Kandy around 18:15. This is much convenient and stops only at limited stations. Also there are trains from Colombo Fort at 16:35 and 17:45. If these are not convenient the best option is a car from airport to Kandy so that you don't need to come to Colombo.

In Kandy Earls Regency,Mahaweli reach are five star options. But you got plenty of good hotels for accomodation like Amaya Hills, Citadel, Topaz etc.

Hopefully you will enjoy sunny mornings. Unawatuna and Hikkaduwa both are good options for beaches.Obviously taxi is the much convenient way to get back to the airport without wating time. About sea conditions you can ask about the hotel life guards because they are well aware of the day to day sea conditions.

Nishantha

Hi Parvez,
You don't say what sort of budget you have. If you are an impoverished backpacker like most of us on here, then it's trains and buses for travel and guest houses for accomodation.
If you could afford a driver/guide and a car for the first three days, it would make it much easier to get around the historic sites and hill country.. Not only easier but much quicker so you could fit more in.

It isn't as expensive as you'd think. An air-con car, with a Ceylon Tourist Board approved driver / guide should cost you about 6500 rupees a day. That would include the car - driver/guide - and fuel.
On top of that you obviously pay for accomodation, food and any site entry fees.
A good B&B guesthouse should be around 2000 rupees a night.

What to see in the first three days.
Depends again on whether you have a car or whether you're using public transport.
Public transport, A bus from Kandy to Polonorua, see the ruins of the ancient city, then on to Sigirya, then from Sigirya to Dambulla for the cave temples and back to Kandy.
ON buses, that will probably take you the best part of three days. In Kandy you could probably squeeze in a visit to the Temple of the Tooth.
From Kandy a train back to Colombo for the wedding.

No time for thr hill country and Ella Unless you decided to miss any cultural sites, such as Dambulla, Sigirya, etc and spend those three days in the hill country.
That way, you could get to Kandy, on day of landing, in the morning visit the Temple of the Tooth and wander around the city, afternoon get the train south through the hill country to Ella, one clear day in Ella to walk around the mountain sides, tea plantations, etc and next day get the train back to Colombo.

After the wedding, train from Colombo south to Hikkaduwa. There's two distinctly different beaches in Hikkaduwa. One is the huge beach running south for miles but in May that will almost certainly be rough for swimming and no snorkelling.
The other beach is surrounded by a reef so fine to swim . It's also , in my opinion, the best place for snorkelling. Unawatuna has a reef but lots of it is just rock, not so much coral so not so much marine life.

The reef beach in Hikkaduwa, if you swim out about the middle of the beach, right in front of the Coral Sands hotel, you are swimming over coral with lots of fish, etc only 20 metres out from the beach...
So, in either Unawatuna or Hkkaduwa you can swim from a safe sandy beach but Hikkaduwa is best for snorkelling. I also think it's a much better place to stay. More local shops in the town, a big fishing harbour, plenty of small bars, restaurants, etc. So a much better mix of local and tourist life.
When it's time to return, depends on the time of your flight. If it's early morning, I'd recommend going north the evening before and staying over night in Negombo. Much better to get to the airport from there. If the flight is later in the day, you could travel up same day either by train , bus or car. But, travelling by bus is not easy with luggage. Anything more than a back pack and you're struggling .

If you decide to use a car for the first part, you could be picked up at the airport, drive direct to Polonorua. Stay overnight. Morning see the ruins, climb Sigirya travel on to Danbulla cave temples and be in Kandy for the night.
In the morning, visit the city including the Temple and then drive south through the hill country. Visit a tea plantation on the way to Ella. Overnight in Ella, one day in Ella and then drive back to Colombo.
The drive back to Colombo could be done in a couple of ways. From Ella , Hatton, Avissawella, Colombo.
Ella, Balangoda, Ratnapura, Colombo.

Both are beautiful routes , lots of amazing scenery , etc

I don't know about the star rated hotels but for excellent, clean and comfortable guest houses, there's no need to pre-book any accomodation.

I'll send you a PM with a couple or contact numbers for driver/guides. If you decide to use a driver and car try these for a quote and maybe a couple of others for comparison.

Hope thats helped and not confused you even more than you were.
Rod.

Dear Rod and Nishantha

Many Thanks for the info and the PMs. Although by no means on a luxury budget, it sounds like hiring a car may be a reasonable option for our first leg-maximizing what we can see in the little time that we have and that we may be able to afford it. We are thinking of doing the second leg by train (from Colombo to hikkaduwa and possible back to airport)-

So, working on that plan now and many thanks once again

Regards

Parvez