Sri Lanka

[P_R]

To discuss about places to visit in SL

[P_R]

I have planned many times and have never made it. So much so that if I ask Roshan for info one more time, she is not going to believe me :-)

Planning a water/beach extended weekend trip in a month or so. Bentota seems to be a good place. Any other places to consider?
Other places to visit/activities (trekking trails etc.) nearby?

Not going with a historically inclined crowed so the ruins in interior SL etc. I am not planning for now.

[Roshan]

I have planned many times and have never made it. So much so that if I ask Roshan for info one more time, she is not going to believe me :-)

:)


Planning a water/beach extended weekend trip in a month or so.

Good to know that, I will also be traveling down in a month or so for about 3 weeks.



Bentota seems to be a good place. Any other places to consider? Other places to visit/activities (trekking trails etc.) nearby?

Bentota is good but there are other good places too for water/beach trip and some other interesting places. Will let you know.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

The mass Graves of Vanni/ Mullaitheevu, Yazhpanam

PR, I am really shocked !!!

After all that happened there, are you seriously planning to visit there, do not encourage tourism by visiting 'hell on earth'

BTW Did you know how many Countries are waiting to arrest that tyron??

[P_R]

Raghu, this isn't the place to discuss politics. I've responded in the SL thread.

[printhan]

--edited--

[Roshan]

I think this link might help to get an idea about SL tourism..

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1840277452683&oid=302440998300&comments

[printhan]

--edited--

[Roshan]

-edited by author-

I will provide further details about SL tourism for those who are interested.

[printhan]

ok. i edit my post. u carry on.

Ethical pathi naan en pesakudathu ennu explanation maddum thanga...

[Roshan]

ok. i edit my post. u carry on.

Ethical pathi naan en pesakudathu ennu explanation maddum thanga...

Not interested and definitely not here in the hub. May be I can pm you when I find time. Thanks for the understanding. Nice to know that you were born in SL :)

[Anban]

exactly !! shame on people who want to go on tours..
The mass Graves of Vanni/ Mullaitheevu, Yazhpanam

PR, I am really shocked !!!

After all that happened there, are you seriously planning to visit there, do not encourage tourism by visiting 'hell on earth'

BTW Did you know how many Countries are waiting to arrest that tyron??

[Roshan]

This might help too :

http://www.srilanka.travel/

[P_R]

This might help too : http://www.srilanka.travel/ Thanks Roshan, will check it out.

[P_R]

Is booking on different airlines to and fro a problem (for Indian citizens)?

Negotiating a package with a travel-agent guy, and he is stuck up on selling us the same airline to and fro- which gives lesser flexibility.
He's making it sound like a 'requirement' which I makes no sense to me.

But then, when I searched roundtrips on makemytrip/cleartrip etc. I am not getting multiple airline deals at all (which we always get when searching domestic flights).
I searched independent onward and return flights. And they add up to 'less' than roundtrip deals. That is strange because these sites have better deals on roundtrips. So I was wondering if it is indeed a 'requirement' (for visa on arrival or something) that one has to have a roundtrip with the 'same' airline.

Any Indian passport holders who have travelled to SL here who can comment on this?

[SoftSword]

SL'nu illa, if u find a independant onward and return flight deal better than a single airline roundtrip, u can very well go for it...
there is nothing like immigration dept cares for which flight u travel by, they wont even ask for those details.

[P_R]

Yes. I misunderstood the issue. This was about group fares - which are available to agents in deals with the same airlines.

[Roshan]

Yes. I misunderstood the issue. This was about group fares - which are available to agents in deals with the same airlines.

If you go through an agent they will always go with the same airline both ways. As Softie mentioned Immigration doesnt look into airline details at all. But if you are planning to get a visa on arrival they will look for the return ticket (it doesn't matter which airline it is). So you need to make sure you have the return ticket with you when you arrive in there. Anyway I can check with my travel agent and let you know.

[Plum]

Feeyar, nInga konjam anti-SL-Govt view uLLavarnu SL Immigrationku oru motta kadudhAsi pOttudalAmA?

[Roshan]

Prabhu, I have checked with my travel agent and she says there is no issues with the carrier for visa on arrival. But make sure you have your return ticket with you.

[sathya_1979]

PR, might help
http://www.dinamalar.com/News_Detail.asp?Id=211865

சென்னை கொழும்பு இடையே மீண்டும் ஏர் இந்தியா

சென்னை: சென்னை கொழும்பு இடையே ஏர் இந்தியா விமான சேவை வரும் 27ம் தேதி முதல் மீண்டும் துவங்கவுள்ளதாக அந்நிறுவனம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது. ஏர் பஸ் ஏ 321 விமானம் இந்த சேவைக்காக பயன்படுத்தப்படும். புதன்கிழமை தவிர மற்ற நாட்களில் இந்த சேவை இருக்கும். நிர்வாக காரணங்களுக்காக கடந்த ஆண்டு நவம்பர் மாதம் முதல் சென்னை கொழும்பு விமான சேவை நிறுத்தப்பட்டது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது

[aanaa]

to be visited


Botanical garden of Peradeniya, Kandy
Nuvereliya
Badulla
The waterfall at Laxapana - power station
( 3 power stations from uphills to down - nature.)

Trincomale - Temple/ 7 water springs (?)( closer to each other in different in temperatures)

More to visit

enjoy

[P_R]

Thanks folks.
Leaving tomorrow morning. Thu-Sun.
Going to Bentota and hopefully Galle.
Will let you know how it went :wave:

[P_R]

Back from a lovely 4 day trip of SL.

We had booked a beach hotel in Bentota. Bang on the beach - naalu naalum thaNNi dhaan!

Went on a nice safari in Maduganga river with its mangroves, wide expanse containing small but thick-with-greenery islands
Watersports at Bentota river were quite good.
I canoed till the place where Bentota river meets the sea just at the time of sunset. One of the best sights I have ever seen. Excellent.

Galle fort was huge. May be as big as the Udaipur palace fort - if not even larger. We had a packed lunch sitting on the ramparts of the 17th century fort overlooking the crickut stadium.
Picturesque is a cliched word but can't help but use it for what I saw on the ride from Bentota to Galle, with the roadside railway track on the seafront throughout
There was a plan on going coral sighting on Hikkaduwa. But the rains made the sea too rough to have enough visibility.

Even in the smaller roads from Bentota to Galle were lined by the kind of bucolic charm that has gone out of circulation in our worlds.
'As if manicured' lush lawns and gardens even the smallest of houses on the road, traditional architecture- reminded me of some parts of Goa near Panjim river.

On the last day we passed by the huge Stupa at Kalutara. The only place I saw any crowd at all in the whole trip.
And then a whirlwindy drive through tour of Colombo city. The colonial buildings in the city near the old parliament building were impressive. South Bombay style arches, stone finishes etc.

Also saw the Galle Sea Face area a grand seaside area in Colombo city.
Couldn't get enough of the seaside railway tracks and station. We stopped for lunch at a roadside shop and I ambled down to a track near a station (Bambalapittiya I think). A very oldworld small train was chugging its way through. Just 100 m. away you had the high rises of a business district. Even accounting for the fact that it was a Sunday I couldn't help feel how crowdless the places were.

Some General impressions
The smoothest immigration I have witnessed anywhere - okay I've only seen a handful of countries, but still, it was as close as it can get to traveling domestically.
English comes only third in the signposts - after Sinhalese and Tamil
I can't help but notice that the Tamil fonts here seem different.
And many Sanskritized words அபிவிருத்தி சபை for development council !! - so it felt like leading some very old magazine :-)
And of course their spelling is different: றோடு for Road!
I saw கொழும்பு and கொழம்பு were both being used as spelling.
Galle (pronounced Gaul) is written as காலி. I saw a bus that had the board கொழம்பு-காலி :lol:

Absolutely clean main roads, near zilch encroachments - looks like law-enforcement is quite strong here
The driver was anxious about stopping for more than 5 mins on the road (when we got down to take pics) as he was wary of getting parking fines from the police !!

Due to this being a short trip and the fact that we had a beach holiday in mind we chose a small stretch.
Sure there's more to see in SL on future trips.

[geno]

http://www.hitler.org/artifacts/autobahn/

"...The best possible way to bring the German people back into work is to set German economic life once more in motion through great monumental works... This is not merely the hour in which we begin the building of the greatest network of roads in the world, this hour is at the same time a milestone on the road towards the building up of the community of the German people. "

-- Adolf Hitler Perhaps best known throughout the world for its superior engineering and open stretches without a speed limit, the Autobahn was Hitler's invention from his dreams about an interstate highway system. Over 2000 km were built by 1938 and today approximately 11.000 km cover Germany. True to stereotypes about German engineering and maintenance, road designs are solid without a single pothole, with 4% or lesser grades, long acceleration and deceleration lanes, gentle curves, and free-resistant surfaces. Just as Hitler insisted on having buildings and other infrastructure that would last 1000 years, the engineers of the Autobahn design things right the first time and perform critical inspection and thorough maintenance to keep the best highway system in the world at peak operational performance.

[P_R]

Roshan, not sure if you got my mail.

Am planning another trip...needed some info.

Neenga ippollAm email paakka maatteenga, only facebook-nu sonnadhaala inga pOttu vaikkiREn :-)

[P_R]

Is Dehiwala a convenient place to stay in Colombo - for suththi paarthufying reasons. indha Galle Sea Face area pakkathulayaa irukku?

[Roshan]

Is Dehiwala a convenient place to stay in Colombo - for suththi paarthufying reasons. indha Galle Sea Face area pakkathulayaa irukku?

Have sent a reply to your mail with the details requested. Looking forward to seeing you in Colombo. If there's anything urgent please text or call me as I dont check mails regularly these days and also not online mostly.

[P_R]

Thank You. Saw the mail. Will let you know when I lock down my plans.

[aanaa]

good luck
viist to Dehiwala Zoo
- small place but lots of animals

[P_R]

good luck
viist to Dehiwala Zoo
- small place but lots of animals
Thank You.
I am going next week. I have very little time in Colombo though - not sure what all I'll cover.
Going to - Anuradhapura, Sigiriya/Dambulla, Polonaruwa, Kandy, Colombo and Galle. Will come back and post about it.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Thank You.
I am going next week. I have very little time in Colombo though - not sure what all I'll cover.
Going to - Anuradhapura, Sigiriya/Dambulla, Polonaruwa, Kandy, Colombo and Galle. Will come back and post about it.

You must visit Jaffna as well, esp Valvettithurai .

[P_R]

Possibly on future trips. Also the Kadirgamam, TirikONamalai temples.
Already will be spending a lot of time on the road this time.

[P_R]

Back from a trip with mixed experiences. Had a nice time but had to cut it short at the end due to an emergency.

Went to Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Kandy.
I guess it would be highly awe-insipiring to tourist from the West. While I really liked some of the places it wasn't actually 'whoa!' level.
What was universally impressive is the way they have maintained and highlighted the places (and charged heftily for the same!)

The massiveness of the Runaweli Mahasaya at Anuradhapura (I went on the full moon day in Jan, which is apparently a very auspicious day, so I kind of saw that in all its vibrance) was breathtaking. The famous cave painting in Sigiriya - kinda signature of SL - was more interesting than the view from atop the rock. The highlight was the ceiling painting in Dambulla cave. Sistine chapel ellAm ulagappugazh perudhu, idhaiyellAm much older and beautiful in its own right, yaarum avvaLavA solradhE illai! (felt the same in the ceiling sculptures/carvings in the penultimate chamber in the ChennakEsavA temple in Belur). Very well preserved.

The museums at Anuradhapura and Polonaruwa, musty as many of the Indian ones had some pretty ancient sculptures exposed in the perimeter rather nonchalantly! The ruins of Polonaruwa weren't that interesting but the huge reclining Buddha was

I have seen the huge one at Vat Chayamangalaram at Penang. Which is imposing. This is one isn't that big, but much much more ancient, bare and uncoloured (which is naturally more charming) and has an fantastic finish that left a huge impression. The depression in the 'thiNdu' he has under his head...how the deuce can you sculpt such a detail into such massive piece of rock! Amazing. The expression of Ananda (they seemed to call it the standing Budhdha!?) was also very well done. They have constructed a shed for protecting from rain but it kinda spoils the view IMO.

I haven't been to Ajanta-Ellora. Now I feel like going sooner rather than later.

One thing I see is how much effort goes into preserving (and cashing). There is a small samaNa-padukkai in Yanamalai in Madurai. It is on the way to the (now famous) Narasingam temple. It is 'maintained' by the ASI. Which means it has a padlock in a fence which at the foothills and no-one there. One has to scale the fence and go up the rocks and shrubs, deftly skipping drying shit to go up to see small friezes of Thirthankaras and a small- crumbling rock bed underneath a cave. Which is ten bloody centuries old. It is just ridiculous. I couldn't help thinking about it at every place I visited.

[aanaa]

thanks for posting your visit
Have you been to Sigiriya hill - nice experience.
next time
visit visit to Kadirgamam/ sivanoli patha malai/ nuvarelliya
nice places
Jaffna/ Trinco/ batti - also must visit

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Prabhu Ram

Rather than visiting Sinhala dominated areas, visit Tamil dominated areas, as they are also highly enriched with Chola Dynasty, which has been vandalised by the sinhala thugs!

[P_R]

thanks for posting your visit
Have you been to Sigiriya hill - nice experience.
Yes.

The famous cave painting in Sigiriya - kinda signature of SL - was more interesting than the view from atop the rock.


next time
visit visit to Kadirgamam/ sivanoli patha malai/ nuvarelliya
Opted out of Nuwara Eliya because I've been to many hill-stations here and I heard, though it was a nice place, there is nothing unique about it.

Katirgamam,Trikonamalai etc. perhaps on future trips. Long drives away they are :-)



visit Tamil dominated areas Yeah perhaps on future trips.

[skanthan]

Dear Prabhu Ram,

I am happy you enjoyed your visit to Sri Lanka. Right now, visiting Sri Lanka is something I can only dream of. If I do ever go, I will most probably like to visit the Tamil dominated areas as Paramashivan had suggested you to do. But I think I will also visit Dalada Maligawa, Sigiriya (I heard in the recent past, guardrails have been installed thus making the climb up less scary) and other Sinhalese historical and religious sites.