It is with much trepidation that I set out to spend the long weekend at the Gal Oya Wildlife Department’s Ekgal Aru bungalow. More than the long drive, it is the supposed state of the bungalow that worries me, having been warned of its dilapidated condition. The route from Colombo to Gal Oya takes me…
Category: Sri Lanka
Secrets. Surprises. Sites. Kaduruketha Sri Lanka
From soft linen to Spa Ceylon toiletries, Jetwing Kaduruketha is much more than I expected. Having travelled 223 kms from Colombo in just about four hours, I am ready to plant my feet on the ground. Jetwing Kaduruketha is located about 4.3 kms off the main Colombo Batticaloa highway (A4) and 3.5 kms from the…
Climbing Bible Rock. Aranayake Sri Lanka
Pre departure plans were somewhat skewed. Ashan Seneviratne, the man behind Little Adventures was trying his utmost to get us to focus on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of the upcoming climb. We seem to be more interested in what comes next…celebrations atop the rock. Is there ice? Who’s bringing the vodka? Wet wipes? Bites? Oh…what…
Birds and a Boulder. Anawilundawa & Anamaduwa Sri Lanka
It’s time for another weekend getaway, and this time I travel towards Puttalam en route to Anamaduwa. With an early start to avoid the weekend traffic, it’s nice to be back on the road again. Since it’s a long weekend and we are in no hurry, it seems like the perfect day to stop for…
Discovering city treasures. Pettah Sri Lanka
Suba Gaman. Great travels. This is what I signed up for on Saturday morning. Sharp at 8:30 a.m., a little white and orange glammed-up tuk-tuk, was at my doorstep to pick me up. Amiable Shane, my guide and chauffeur for the day, predicted a bright and sunny day as we tuk-tukked off on a tour…
Stunning rock inscriptions and kitsch temple warnings. Dikwella Sri Lanka
It is an idyllic weekend in the Southern coast of Sri Lanka. The sun shines fiercely, wilting everything in its glare. I am lounging on a daybed beside a cool fresh-water pool on one side and the steaming ocean on the other. This beautiful abode, called Thalassa, is located almost at the 189km post, past…
14th century temples. Gampola Sri Lanka
It’s a nice Sunday morning. Too good to be spent lazing around the house. So I’m off, heading towards Kandy. I have waited too long to visit three famous temples: Gadaladeniya, Lankatilake and Embekke. About 2.3 hours later and approximately 108 kms from Colombo, just past Pilimathalawa, is a turn off to the Gadaladeniya rock…
A Puppy and Paramotoring. Bentota Sri Lanka
There are five of us in the vehicle- two adults in front, two adults in the back and one 7-month, 43-kg puppy in the rear. We are on a day trip to the southern coast and this is the puppy’s first out-of-town car trip. We are excited. He’s like bleh (a state of mind usually…
Wild and the Wonderful. Uda Walawe Sri Lanka
The rains have played havoc in many parts of this country. Yet, unlike most of the places, some of these locations have benefited significantly with the abundance of rain. Uda Walawe is one of them. All around me the landscape is lush and green. The lakes, ponds and every pothole is brimming with water and…
The Back of Beyond. Meemure Sri Lanka
The final 30 kilometers from Hunnasgiriya is rough and rugged. At times the steep incline is precipitous and strong winds that blow across from the Corbet’s Gap and the Knuckles Mountain Range buffet the vehicle. The lonely stretches are devoid of human habitation and we struggle to find people to ask for directions, as Google…
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