Welcome home, Craig and Jeanne. Glad to see your report starting!
Carol

Oh good - I'm really looking forward to this report!

teaser....you give us a wonderful introduction, but NO MEAT!!!

the market will wait, get on with the important things in life like trip reports....haha

The start of your trip report is making my Monday morning a bit more bearable. Thanks....but we want more!

Ok, I never knew that Jeane is a dentist.

Stellar start as usual. Anxiously awaiting more!

Aloha!

Me too and looking forward to hearing about the Shangri La bkk as we are considering it for one of our 2 stops in BKK

Craig-We have been looking forward to this. Leave out no detail. Nothing is too small. Bob is right. The market is plummeting without your help. Ignore it and get writing.

Craig, I've beeen awaiting your report. I'm even checking Fodors from Kauai so I don't miss a word!

Welcome back Craig! Great introduction. I'm thinking it may be my turn next year, so I'll be hanging on your every word.

Kathie: Can you feel the waves of envy ?

Femi- no complaints from anyone who lives in California. Here in the Northeast, we had snow on Saturday.

The AAC Limo driver dropped us off at the Krungthep Wing of the Shangri-La where we were met with a welcome drink and escorted to our spacious Deluxe Room for check-in. We decided to forego showers for the time being in order to take advantage of the free cocktails and canapés which were only available in the lounge until 7 PM. The Krungthep Wing lounge is a beautiful space befitting a very grand hotel and we enjoyed our small snacks with white wine for me and fruit juice for Jeane.

After our “dinner” we checked out the pools, restaurants and the hotel arcade. The Thai restaurant overlooking the river seemed like a really nice setting for a meal so perhaps some day when we are hungry we will check it out. Jeane saw some things she liked in the arcade but did not buy. We returned to the room for showers. I took mine first since I’m pretty quick. I was just settling in on the sofa with my book when I heard explosions in the distance. I went out on our deck (we were a few stories up) and my suspicions were confirmed – fireworks! So I called for Jeane and said come, let’s watch. There was a barge in front of the Penn that was shooting them off – a short but spectacular display – not really allowing for us to set up for photography, just a spontaneous, special moment and a great welcome to Asia.

Shortly thereafter we crashed for a few hours. We awoke very early and were the first ones at breakfast – I think it starts at 6 AM. It was still dark out when we got to the lounge – I think I did some free internet even before it opened. Breakfast was good but not great – the buffet in the main part of the hotel is said to be fantastic but we didn’t want to deal with that. We were also inside and while we could see all of the river activity, nothing compares to the Penn’s excellent buffet breakfast, outside. Unless we are really in a hurry, we will return to the Penn next time just for this.

I returned for the room and just felt dead, jet lagged. I lay down for a while to recover. At about 9:00, I called SJ International (jewelers) for Jeane – they answered and said that they would send someone over shortly. I think they arrived around 9:30 so she was there a little before they officially opened at 10. Meanwhile, I was waiting to hop on the sky train to Rajawongse which opens at 10:30. I left at 9:45 – the sky train is right there next to the Krungthep Wing. Of course, I was early and had to spend some time perusing the offerings at Asia Books on Sukhumvit also near the Nana sky train station.

Right at 10:30 I arrived at Rajawongse. There were already customers in the shop. Victor greeted me by name and I tried on the two suits that were ready for me. They fit perfectly. In the meantime, I was sharing the one dressing room with 2 other customers – a bit awkward – perhaps its time to expand to a new location, guys. Anyway, I was happy that I could leave with my new suits and 2 complimentary ties and return to the Shang.

When I got back, Jeane had not returned yet. I found out later that she had beat me back even after purchasing a black onyx pendant (with diamonds), black onyx earrings (with diamonds) and a white gold omega necklace. Jeane sends her thanks, Kathie! Jeane was back in the arcade with an eye on some Indian pillow coverings – no great bargain in Bangkok but something she wanted. Meanwhile, I was sitting on the deck outside reading a book. The weather was fairly warm but the humidity was not overbearing as it usually is in Bangkok. When Jeane came back, I suggested we take a nap as the jet lag was just killing me. We slept for 2 or 3 hours and felt rejuvenated, ready to take on the next leg of our trip.

No napping. You are required to exhaust yourselves for our amusement.

I note that in your introductory remarks, you elected to not mention your greatest shame, i.e., your baseball affiliation. Probably, for the best. Your fatigue reminds me of Mussina in September.

Panda, In contrast to my extreme jet lag at the beginning of our trip, I am amazed that I wasn't falling asleep at noon today. However, many other duties call, including catching up on spring training news from Tampa where the 2008 world champions are preparing to beat up on their most hated adversary from New England. Mussina is a bit rusty but the Yanks have 3 young starters in Kennedy, Chamberlain and Hughes + the ever reliable Pettitte and Wang that will challenge lesser teams like the one you root for. Meanwhile, Schilling is out, Buckholz is in? We'll see...

Note to readers-this report is likely to contain untold inaccuracies. The last post by the OP included a gross misstatement. everyone knows that Chamberlain is not yet a young "starter", unless starting the eighth inning qualifies one as a starter. It does not bode well for the Asia "facts" to follow. Of course, the OP may be blinded by love concerning his second-rate baseball team. The Asia "facts" are likely to be more accurate.

The great Panda should realize that Chamberlain is being groomed to become a starter in spite of his very successful relief appearances last season. Now back to the "meat":

AAC picked us up at 4 PM for our 6:30 PM flight on Singapore Airlines. We had never flown on Singapore but were pleased that it lived up to its reputation. They even supplied me with a 110v AC adapter so I could use the data port for my I-phone/pod. The business class dinner and drinks were excellent.

We arrived on time at Singapore Airport. The Ambassador Transit Hotel where we had phoned in a reservation was nearby. I credit flyertalk.com with cluing me in on the fact that they don’t answer e-mails and I am glad that I could pick up the phone and reserve. We arrived at 9 PM Singapore time and were due to leave at 7 AM so that didn’t leave much time to do anything else but stay there and sleep. At this point I should mention that it was not our original intent to have a long layover at SIN. However, due to nighttime shootings at the Columbo airport, Singapore Airlines decided to move its evening flight to the morning – hence a much longer connection and one less night spent in Sri Lanka. I do not recommend the Transit Hotel for anything other than a short stay.

The transit hotel was very basic – small and functional but with a queen-sized bed. Somehow we managed a decent night’s sleep. We chose to have coffee the next day at the Singapore biz lounge, a wise decision even though it was located at the farthest end of the terminal from our gate. There was no data port on the Singapore – Colombo flight, an older plane but the breakfast was good. The flight approached from the east and the views of the tea country mountains and lakes were phenomenal before we landed at Colombo airport.

Immigration was a breeze. Our plane was not at all full but we were the first off anyway. Between Immigration and baggage claim there is a huge duty free shop that you must walk through. That was no problem as I needed to pick up some provisions for our 12 night stay. Prices for wine and spirits were excellent. Our luggage arrived promptly and we were the first ones out. As we headed toward the exit we were greeted by both our tour director and a representative from Boutique Sri Lanka.

At this point, an explanation is required. The representative from BSL came to give us a refund in rupees since the safari portion of our trip had been cancelled due to concerns about safety in the game parks. I had applied most of the difference to alternate lodging but there was money left over. BSL was there to give us the difference. Also, I did not use BSL to arrange a driver as I felt I could do better on my own. The driver I arranged, Rammuni Silva was recommended by David Stockwell, a “Destination Expert” on tripadvisor.com. As it turned out, Rammuni was an aspiring tour director (which I knew in advance) and had brought along a car and driver (which I did not know he was going to do). In any case, it did not cost us any more with this arrangement and the van we had was huge - limousine type room to stretch our legs and tons of room behind us for the luggage.

We set off for the Kandalama Hotel in Dambulla – it was a long ride with a lunch break for the driver while we enjoyed a cool fruit drink. Upon arrival we were quite tired and decided that exploring the Kandalama and taking an afternoon nap were all we could handle. We arranged for Rammuni and driver to come for us the next morning to start our tour. At the Kandalama we were on the 4th (next to highest) floor with great views of the Sigiriya Rock (we were in the Sigiriya Wing) and good views of the Kandalama Reservoir. The room was very spacious as was the bath. A/C was adequate but we needed the ceiling fan at night as well to be comfortable. We enjoyed the buffet dinner that night and every night we were there. There were different kinds of curry each night as well as a selection of fresh cooked grilled items to the rear outside of the restaurant. The vegetable offerings and deserts were also quite tasty. There was a limited beer and wine selection available at extra cost. Beers all over Sri Lanka are served in 1 pint + bottles so you don’t go thirsty. Brands available almost everywhere are Lion, 3 Coins and Carlsberg – none are particularly inspiring but better than wine with the almost always spicy food.

Craig, I'm so glad that Jeanne had a successful visit to SJ.

Craig, good start. I'm hooked. I just tried to look up Rammuni Silva on Trip Advisor and couldn't access his details. If you think he was really good, can you supply his email address or other contact info. Thanks. Tell Jeane I think her shopping efficiency at SJ is admirable.

Hi Craig...I saw your title this morning, but held off reading it till I had time to sit, savor and be jealous!!

Glad Jeane had a chance to pick up some baubles at SJ and you got teh nice suits. I'm sure you two will look even better than ever at the next GTG!

Loking forward to lots of details,

Lucy

Oh, good, now we're to Sri Lanka. It sounds like you were as impressed as we were with BSL's service.

great start....

btw, i asked for the fireworks to be at the sh-la, they must have gotten confused as you usually stay at the penn....i will demand a refund...!!

We woke up early on our first full day at Kandalama. The breakfast buffet starts at 6:30 AM and we were there when it opened. I had already had my morning coffee in the room. Our room had an instant coffee maker but I used my portable electric coffee brewer which I always bring on trips. It requires a little extra effort with clean-up etc. but it’s worth it for me. We did not really appreciate Kandalama’s inflexibility on meal times – the dinner buffet starts at 7:30 PM and one night it did not start until 7:45 due to a staff meeting. We are early-to-bed, early-to-rise people and are not used to being on a European meal schedule. That being said, we ran into a Scottish couple with their 4-year-old daughter who were just as displeased with the lateness of the meals. Having arrived directly from their flight, all they wanted to do was feed their daughter and get some sleep. Almost everyone that stays at Kandalama is on a half-board plan so the option to eat when you want does not exist. This is one of the few complaints I have about Kandalama. As for the Scottish couple it was fun getting daily updates from their 4-year-old on monkey sightings – she was a very cute kid.

The early breakfast gave us time to wander the grounds and take some photos before heading out. Jeane had an encounter with one of the monkeys that always seemed to be hovering by our deck. She was sitting outside cleaning the lenses for her camera when suddenly the monkey swooped in and swiped her bottle of lens cleaner. She coaxed the monkey with a cookie to drop it but it ended up on the deck below us. I asked one of the cleaning crew to fetch it – no problem as the room below us was vacant. Needless to say, once the novelty wears off, the monkeys can be a bit of a pain. The hotel advises you to keep your sliding deck door closed at all times so the monkeys can’t get into your room and swipe things.

Rammuni met us promptly at 9 AM and we headed on to Sigiriya, a half hour away. The roads all over Sri Lanka are usually paved but often just one lane so the going is slow. We stopped by the lake on the side opposite the hotel and were able to take some stunning photos of the morning sun reflecting off the water. At Sigiriya, Rammuni suggested we buy the Cultural Triangle pass that includes admission to Polonnaruwa where we would visit the next day. This is where my frustration with currency and money began. At Sigiriya they wanted rupees and would not accept US dollars. I had not yet been to an ATM since I had some rupees already from BSL at the airport and from Kathie to buy some tea at Tea Trails. I was also under the impression that they would take US dollars at these sites. As it turned out, at Polonnaruwa they do accept US dollars for the pass. Anyway, Rammuni happily offered to loan me the rupees to cover the cost of both the tickets and the tip for the guide so we were set for the time being.

I should mention that I had with me a credit card, an ATM card, travelers checks (to pay the balance of a lodging deposit – more on this later) and US currency to pay Rammuni for his services (he had insisted on currency, not travelers checks). So it wasn’t like I was unprepared. Later in the day I did hit an ATM. It seemed also like we were constantly scrounging for small change for tips – 100 rupee notes for porters and baggage handlers, 50 rupee notes to give people when we took their photos and 10 or 20 rupee notes for watching shoes at temples and for toilets. Enough said.

Sigiriya was our favorite place in the cultural triangle. There are 1200 steps to climb but it is well worth it for the history, the frescos, the carvings and the views. Rammuni had arranged for an excellent guide – we gave him 1000 rupees at the end. We found out later from Rammuni that this was not really enough - for future services of this type, we were much more generous.

The Sigiriya climb is not for everyone. It can be quite strenuous for those that are not in shape. Although much of it is shaded, it can still get quite hot. We saw several people struggling, including a Japanese man who was so elated that he had reached the top that he missed a step while going down, falling 6 feet into a pit and fortunately for him having his wind knocked out.

sounding very interesting....can't wait to see pictures...

Correction - the last sentence of my previous post should read:
We saw several people struggling, including a Japanese man who was so elated that he had reached the top that he missed a step while going down, falling 6 feet into a pit and fortunately for him ONLY having his wind knocked out.

On the way out of Sigiriya is the Sigiriya Handicraft Village. It had been mentioned in one of the guide books and I asked Rammuni to stop there. The village had a small array of shops featuring wood carvings, paintings and other crafts. The quality was not quite to our standard so we did not buy anything.

We discussed the schedule for the remainder of day and decided to break so Rammuni and the driver could have lunch. Afterwards we would head directly to the Dambulla Caves. Jeane and I don’t normally break for lunch because we tend to snack all day. In the tourist areas there are restaurants with pleasant outdoor settings that cater to tourists and their drivers. At this one we took advantage of the western-style toilets and enjoyed a cool fruit drink as we waited.

I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to visit the caves at mid-day but Rammuni convinced me that it would not only be ok but it would be more efficient than returning to the hotel and going out later. He was right. The $10 admission to the caves could be paid in either US dollars or rupees. Having now hit the ATM, I chose the local currency.

The Dambulla caves were a cake walk compared to Sigiriya. To get to the entrance to the caves we had to climb a couple of hundred steps, mostly in the sun. There were several monkeys along the way. They seemed pretty innocuous and we did not have any problems with them. After we reached the top, seeing the five caves was easy. We removed our shoes at the entrance. Rammuni arranged to have a guide show us around for a tour that took less than an hour. The area outside the caves was very hot so we had to step quickly in our bare feet. Inside the caves it was fine. This was the third Buddhist cave temple we have visited – we had previously been to Pak Ou Caves near Luang Prabang, Laos and the Pindaya Caves on the way to Inle Lake in Myanmar. Like the previous two, the Dambulla caves were filled with Buddha images. However I found these caves much more interesting. It helped that we had a very good guide who could explain the significance of many of the statues. We tipped him well after the tour.

Dambulla was the site a few weeks ago of a bombing where Tamil terrorists blew up a bus full of Sri Lankan Buddhist pilgrims on their way from Kandy to Anuradhapura. I asked Rammuni where in Dambulla it had occurred but he was not quite sure. We discussed the current situation in Sri Lanka several times during our tour. Rammuni always emphasized two things: that the Tamils say they hold absolutely no grudges against foreign tourists and that the terrorists are only a small minority of the Tamil people.

We returned to the hotel around 3 PM and had the remainder of the afternoon to relax on our own. Jeane and I spent some time at the business center where we could access the internet. We were told there was a nominal fee to use a computer (300 rupees per ½ hour) but we were never charged. There is Wi-Fi at the Kandalama but only one of the computers was connected to it. It had kind of a tricky keyboard but was relatively fast. The others had slow dial-up connections. Next to the business center there were a couple of shops selling jewelry and other items – nothing that caught Jeane’s eye though.

I spent the rest of the afternoon reading – I was working my way through Leonard Woolf’s autobiographical book “Growing”, an account of his time as a civil servant in British Ceylon in the early 20th century. Leonard was the husband of Virginia Woolf, although he was single during his time in SL. An interesting insight into the Colonial period…

The next day was a long one – departure at 8 AM for the two hour drive to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa and then on to Minneriya National Park for a late afternoon safari. The ruins of Polonnaruwa are situated in a park-like setting over several square miles. We met our tour guide at the park entrance and began our tour at the first class museum. In the museum there were excellent displays on how the various structures we were to see would have looked like during Polonnaruwa’s heyday about 1000 years ago. From there we toured the ruins by van and by foot for about 2-1/2 hours. Our guide was excellent – his English was the best of any we had and we tipped him very well. I think it is important to understand that only “official” guides can conduct tours at the major sites and that these guides receive no other compensation besides what tourists choose to give them.

We stopped nearby for lunch prior to heading to Minneriya and arrived there after a one-hour drive at about 3 PM. It was somewhat of a process arranging our guide and admission to the park along with our private safari vehicle and driver. However, it all came about fairly quickly and we were on our way in our open Jeep. Rammuni sat up front with the driver while Jeane and I stood in back with the guide.

The main road through the park runs by the appropriately-named Minneriya Lake. We had fairly low expectations as this was not high season for game-viewing. So we were quite surprised when almost immediately we came upon a small herd of elephants, including a 2-week old baby. They conveniently stood in the sun not far from our vehicle, providing for great photos – that is, until the elephants decided that we were going to be a threat to the baby. Then all hell broke loose and the elephants started stomping and making trumpeting noises. They came out to the road and seemed ready to charge. At that point our driver wisely decided that it was appropriate to make a hasty retreat down the road, leaving the elephants behind.

That experience was hard to top. We saw lots of other wildlife in the park including purple-faced leaf monkeys, giant squirrels, a jack rabbit, a fox, sambar deer, a wild pig, mongooses, peacocks and several species of large birds. The safari lasted about 2-1/2 hours. Just before we returned to the park entrance, we came upon another herd of 7 or 8 elephants and one last photo opportunity. The total cost of the safari was about $50 in local currency, I think. We tipped the guide and driver 500 rupees each. We arrived back at the hotel a little before 7 PM. This was one night that we did not mind having a late dinner.

The next morning we were up early as usual. We had arranged with Rammuni to depart for Kandy, our next destination at 8:30 AM. Before we left I wanted to get a photo of the outside of the hotel and the jungle growth covering it to help it blend into the surroundings. I imagine you either love or hate Jeffrey Bawa’s design of both the interior and exterior of Kandalama – it’s rather stark, but unique and functional none-the-less. Anyway it took quite an effort to find the perfect vantage point for the photo. I finally found a spot on the 7th floor outside one of the conference rooms which worked well.

The drive to Kandy takes about 2 hours. We told Rammuni that we had no interest in the spice gardens but we were open to high quality shopping. Rammuni suggested we stop about halfway at a large wood-working shop that I forget the name of. There was a short tour that included a description of the types of woods used and the different types of finishes available. It was a first class operation with very high quality goods. They claimed to only hire artisans that were disadvantaged in some way – mentally, physically or otherwise. Items for sale included colorful Kandyan masks, all types of furniture, doors with carved panels and other assorted wood handicrafts. We wound up buying a beautiful hand-painted teakwood elephant for about 7500 rupees, a nice souvenir to add to our collection.

loving the report....

Craig, Really savoring your report. Sounds like you and Jeanne had a great trip with lots of variety and interesting sights, wonderful shopping and excellent guides. Looking forward to more & seeing Jeanne's treasures from SJ at the next GTG.

We continued on our journey toward Kandy. Shortly we came to a roadside stand. Rammuni got out of the van and we watched while a woman used a long knife to remove the tops of four coconuts. Rammuni handed one to each of us with a straw, keeping one for his self. The coconuts were full of liquid, what the Sri Lankans call “king coconut”. I had read that it has great hydrating qualities and Rammuni informed us that it is used in Sri Lanka as an intravenous solution in hospitals. I drank mine right down so I could get rid of the coconut – I could really feel the hydrating effects as the liquid was absorbed into my body. Jeane only sipped on hers and regretted it later when her coconut would spill every time our vehicle hit a bump.

We arrived in Kandy and stopped so that Rammuni and our driver could have lunch. They left us at a place up on a hill overlooking the lake with the city on the opposite side. It was a three-story building with a restaurant on the top floor and a jewelry and clothing shop on the bottom two floors. We checked out the shop then went up to the restaurant for some drinks. The view from the restaurant was quite nice although the day was turning cloudy. I tried to order a beer but the server informed me that it was a Poya (full moon) day so no alcohol could be sold. I ordered a Sprite instead and Jeane had a fruit juice. It wasn’t long before Rammuni showed up and took us to our next stop, a place that made and sold batik products. Jeane saw some things that she liked but didn’t care for the feel of the material so we moved on. By this time it had started to rain. Rammuni wanted us to check out one more shop – another woodworking place nearby that turned out to have more of the same but lesser quality. Now it was pouring. I decided that we were done shopping and asked Rammuni to take us to the Kandy House, our hotel so we could check in.

We told Rammuni that we would not take a long time to settle in so that we would have time to do Temple of the Tooth and see the Kandyan dancing which started at 5:30 PM. We also wanted to check out the Kandyan Art Association and Cultural Center which was supposed to be nearby. We received a quick tour of the hotel from the manager and made a 7:30 reservation at the restaurant.

I should mention at this point that an overnight in Kandy was not part of our original itinerary. We had scheduled an overnight safari for two nights at Yala National Park which was then changed to Uda Walawe and then subsequently cancelled due to security concerns. This all happened at the last minute so we had to scramble to make changes. In retrospect, we really benefited from the extra time in Kandy. If we had just passed through Kandy and headed on to Tea Trails we would have felt very rushed.

So we headed to Temple of the Tooth. Security has been tight there since a bombing there several years ago. The plan was to visit the Temple and then do the Kandyan dancing which was relatively close by. I asked Rammuni about the Kandyan Art Association and Cultural Center after we arrived. I don’t know what he was thinking but after going through the vehicle security check we turned around, exited the area and headed out. When I saw all the tour buses lined up at the intended destination, I knew he had it wrong and told him to head back. We did and as we were walking to the Temple of the Tooth, there it was. Noting that it closed at 5 PM and that it was 3:30 or so, I suggested we go in then. Apparently there are artisans that you can see doing their thing but we didn’t have time for that. The shop was two rooms full of pretty high quality stuff. I purchased a couple of very nice looking tea tins embossed with elephants for my assistants back home. Jeane picked up a coconut wood soap dish that she will use in her Asian themed office when it opens.

On to Temple of the Tooth…we had a great guide and in spite of it being a Poya Day, it was not crowded when we were there. We were able to see where the tooth was relatively quickly. Of course you can not actually see the tooth but then it is more legend than reality anyway. I hope that saying this does not jeopardize my status in the next life. There were a couple of layers of security with screening etc. for men and women but no big deal.

Back at the Kandy House, we had a pleasant dinner in the restaurant outside overlooking the gardens at the rear of the hotel. Menu choices were limited and the price was a bit high but we enjoyed our food.

There is no a/c at the Kandy House and our room was a bit warm even with the windows open and the fan on. We were awoken by Buddhist chanting, presumably at a nearby temple at 5 AM. It went on for about 45 minutes so we were unable to get back to sleep. We enjoyed a nice breakfast on our private veranda, walked the grounds and took some photos then prepared to head out to the botanical gardens and on to Tea Trails.

Great report, Craig!

loving your report. I hope it is giving Bob some ideas..karen

i have plenty of ideas: south africa, russia, south america, south india and sri lanka

Wow! You two survived the Dambulla Cave temples at mid-day. I'm really sun-sensitive, and would have ended up with sunstroke!

I'm really enjoying traveling along with you.

Hi Craig. Am I correct in understanding that $10 was not a large enough tip for a half-day tour of Sigiriya?

PS: Hi Karen! I will refrain from making any snide comments about Bob's 'ideas'!

I truly don't know the exact answer to that one Femi. The guide did not act pleased when I gave him the 1000 rupee note so later I asked Rammuni what was appropriate. He replied that 1000-2000 rupees would be the right amount. I took it that he said 1000 at the low end to let me to save face.

If the guide gets no compensation for his services other than what I give him, then its not really a tip, it's payment for services. If I err on the high side, so what - it's little to me and a lot to him.

For what its worth, I hope this helps.

Bob - as patron saint of the Asia board you are only allowed to visit Asian destinations. No Russia, no South Africa, no South America. Also, no hijacking of my thread for a marital spat...

Kathie, we really weren't in the sun that much at the caves, just on the steps going up. However, as you will see in a post forthcoming, we got clobbered hiking at Tea Trails one time at mid-day.

To backtrack a bit – we stayed in the Cornelian Room at the Kandy House which is classified as a Super Deluxe Gallery (Upper Floor) room. It is mid-range in price amongst the nine rooms in the hotel.

Also in my previous post it seems I did not mention the Kandyan dance performance, which was well worth seeing. Kandyan dancing is performed at 3 different venues around Kandy and the one we saw at the Art Association and Cultural Center is said to be the best. The venue itself is kind of dumpy but once the show starts that doesn’t matter. The cost was 300 rupees per person. There are refreshments for sale and (very) basic toilet facilities. Having arrived 20 minutes prior to the 5:30 PM performance, we were able to snag seats in the 3rd row center which were perfect for taking photos. There are 10 different dances including a fire walking demonstration where patrons are permitted to leave their seats so they can watch close up. Toward the end of the show everyone stands when they sing the Sri Lankan national anthem. It was a very colorful show and we got some good pix.

The following day Rammuni and the driver were ready for us promptly at 8:15 AM. Rammuni had met briefly with the hotel manager. Kandy House was a property he was not familiar with and he wanted to be able to offer it to his clients in the future. From the hotel it was a 45 minute drive to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. There’s an ATM right outside and I took advantage of it. I withdrew 25,000 rupees dispensed in 1000 rupee notes – I now had a very thick wallet but still not much small change for tips… The gardens are world class and not to be missed. Admission is 600 rupees per person. We spent two hours there strolling the grounds, admiring the spectacular trees and flowers and taking a lot of photos.

We had agreed to meet Rammuni at 11 AM so he and the driver were waiting for us. He asked if we wanted to visit any more shops on the way to Tea Trails and I told him that we would take a pass. We had expected the shopping in Sri Lanka to be disappointing and it was – I didn’t see a need to waste any more time at it until we got to Galle.

The drive to Tea Trails took about three hours. As we went further up into hill country, the roads became narrower and windier. There was tea growing everywhere – beautiful bright green plants. When we finally arrived at Tea Trails we were greeted by our butler and one of his staff. They helped us with our things and we checked in to our master suite at the Norwood Bungalow. Originally we were going to stay in the smallish Jeffrey Deluxe Room at Norwood but when our safari was cancelled and our stay was extended from three nights to four, we upgraded to the suite. Since it was about 2 PM, they asked us if we would like to have lunch – we told them that yes, we would. The chef came by and discussed the menu with us – we told him that we would prefer vegetarian lunches however meat for dinner would be no problem. That was fine with the chef and it worked out great. He would consult with us on every lunch and dinner during our stay.

I had really been enjoying Sri Lankan food for the past few days. At Tea Trails however, we would only have Sri Lankan food on one night. The cuisine was wonderful however – consistently delicious and well-presented. Portions were not too large. All of the meals were served on the patio outside of the bungalow where we could enjoy great views of the tea plantations below and the mountain tops in the distance. As all alcoholic beverages served at meals were included, it was hard to turn down a glass or two of white wine at lunch. Cocktails were also available during the social hour before dinner.

At the conclusion of lunch, our server asked us what time we would like to have high tea. We told him 5 PM although it seemed silly to have tea (and snacks) so soon after lunch. We returned to our room to unpack and settle in a bit before exploring the grounds. While we were unpacking the activities director came by and discussed the various things we could do while at Tea Trails. We were most interested in the hikes and the tea factory tour so we spent some time discussing those. We were disappointed that we could not do the train ride from Hatton to Nanu Oya since it gets booked up weeks in advance.

Our suite, by the way was huge, distinctly Colonial in design with a four-poster bed, large oriental rugs, lots of windows and plenty of light. Although our Bungalow was originally built in 1890 and rebuilt in 1940, everything about it was new since Tea Trails only opened 3 years ago. The large bath had double vessel-style sinks and lots of counter space. Jeane loved the heated towel rack. The shower/bath combo can only be described as awkward, although the rain shower spigot provided lots of hot water. The suite had its own private garden with comfortable lounge chairs for sitting outside.

Norwood is the largest of the bungalows in acreage. Because of that and its central location to the other three bungalows, the bakery and the laundry facilities are located here. We took our time walking around, checking out the fabulous pool and large vegetable garden. After we were done walking, it was time for tea, which was served to us in the dining room. The tea was fine and we nibbled on the little pastries and sandwiches even though we weren’t at all hungry. We decided that going forward we didn’t need to do this any more and would have our tea with our meals. We scheduled dinner with our server for 7:30 PM. They told us we could have our meals any time we wanted but that dinner was normally at 8 with cocktail hour at 7.

After tea, I wanted to read for a while. Jeane didn’t want to sit around so she asked our butler about going on one of the short self-guided hikes that the activities director showed us. He was reluctant at first due to concern for her safety going alone but Jeane was persistent – she just wanted to walk around and take some photos before it got dark. Our butler gave her a map and off she went, returning an hour or so later. We went for cocktails that night at 7 and chatted briefly with a British couple before we sat down to dinner.

The next morning Jeane wanted to repeat her hike and catch the sunrise – waking up at 5:30 AM. I told her she was on her own. Before we turned in, I gave our butler a big load of laundry and arranged for coffee in the room at 6 AM. We appreciated the “free” laundry service and I appreciated not having to brew my own coffee. We had laundry done every day.

We had scheduled the tour at the nearby Norwood Tea Factory at 9 AM. Jeane had to hustle after she returned from shooting the sunrise so that we would not have to rush through breakfast to be ready for our tour. Tea Trails had arranged for the British couple that we met the previous night and their two teenagers to join us in the Tea Trails van for the drive down to the factory. We were ready to go at 9 but much to our dismay the British family had just started to eat their breakfast. I made a bit of a scene with our butler and after considering alternatives for us and for the family he decided to ask them to GET MOVING. By 9:15 we were on our way. The parents apologized to us for the delay and blamed the Tea Trails staff for telling them they only needed ½ hour to eat. I suspect however that the real problem lay with the two kids who were unable to get out of bed that morning.

The tea factory tour was excellent – everything you ever wanted to know about growing, manufacturing and drinking tea. The tour was led by one of Tea Trails’ assistant managers. He had a great sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm. We would run into him later on at the Summerville Bungalow. After two hours we were returned to Norwood along with a couple from Tientsen Bungalow. They were staying for lunch.

Jeane and I decided to take the long (1½ hour) self-guided walk before lunch. The trails are all well marked with signs and arrows – sometimes on paved roads but usually on dirt or gravel tracks. This hike started out on the main road from our bungalow – we did not appreciate having to move aside for the tuk-tuks and vans that seemed to pass by at regular intervals as we trudged up the hill. Eventually we got off the main road and could enjoy the wonderful scenery (tea fields everywhere) and views of the mountains in the distance. At one point we could see Adam’s Peak where Sri Lankans make their pilgrimage up the mountain in the middle of the night so that they can see the sun rise when they reach the summit. While it was not terribly hot for a mid-day hike, we neglected to put on sunscreen. Fortunately we wore hats but our arms and the back of our necks got burnt pretty badly. From then on we made sure to apply sunscreen before going out.

We enjoyed another delicious lunch and both decided to relax for the remainder of the day. I found a book in the library, Michael Crichton’s “Next” and began to work through it. We had another nice dinner that night but were disappointed that no one else showed up at cocktail hour.

We thought it might be nice to try a hike at one of the other bungalows so we asked our butler to contact Rammuni so that our driver could take us to Castlereigh the next day. We would also have lunch there after our hike. Rammuni and the driver arrived promptly at 9 after our 7:30 AM breakfast. They were in good spirits, apparently enjoying their accommodations and their time off. The drive to Castlereigh took almost an hour as we stopped to take photos of a cricket match along the way. As Kathie said in her trip report, the Castlereigh Bungalow is located in a stunning setting right by the Castlereigh reservoir. This is in contrast to Norwood which is so high above the reservoir that we could hardly see it from the bungalow.

The butler at Castlereigh gave us a tour. All of the rooms were empty as it was a transition day for all of the hotel’s guests. The two spacious luxury rooms – Jamieson and Tate (where Kathie stayed) have a fantastic location directly overlooking the reservoir. The dining area faces a small pool. The gardens around the bungalow were lovely. Norwood and Castlereigh have 5 rooms but Castlereigh does not have a master suite. If we come to Tea Trails again would certainly consider Castlereigh.

Our hike was fantastic – we didn’t get going until almost 11 AM so we were again dealing with the heat of the sun – but it didn’t matter. This time we remembered to bring the sunscreen. We had chosen the long hike and the Castlereigh butler had provided us with a map. Again, the trail was well-marked. Shortly after getting going we came upon a school track meet with spectators cheering in the distance. As we walked closer, it became apparent that it was just getting started. A boy running with an Olympic torch appeared and the races were on. We watched for a while then continued walking. Like our previous day’s hike, there was a lot of up and down – tea grows better on hills because the slopes facilitate drainage. As we were walking we passed many individuals and families making their way on foot to the track meet – plenty of photo opportunities.

The hike lasted about 2 hours – the timing was perfect as we had arranged lunch for 1:30 PM. Our chef at Norwood had consulted with the Castlereigh chef regarding our menu. We were the only ones dining until another couple showed up toward the end of our meal. Jeane decided to take some photos so I started talking to the other couple. I am glad I did – they were from the UK like many others we met in Sri Lanka. They were extremely well traveled and we talked for a good hour about our mutual experiences. They didn’t seem to mind at all eating and talking at the same time. Jeane returned and we talked some more. Finally, it was time to get going.

Rammuni and the driver must have been wondering what we were up to as we showed up about an hour later than we said we would. That was no problem for them, of course. Since Summerville Bungalow was on the way back, we asked if we could stop there. When we arrived we were greeted by the assistant manager who gave us the tour of the tea factory. He offered to show us around. Summerville is the smallest of the bungalows with only 4 rooms. It is on the opposite side of the reservoir from Castlereigh. Only the dining area faces the reservoir. The sunsets from that vantage point are said to be spectacular. Because of its small size, Summerville is especially popular with families that want to rent out the entire bungalow.

It was pretty late in the afternoon when we returned to Norwood. Upon arrival, the general manager of Tea Trails greeted us and introduced himself. At cocktail hour that night we spent time with a Swedish couple who were living in Colombo. She was expecting shortly and they were enjoying a quick getaway to Tea Trails. We had an interesting conversation about the medical facilities available for an expectant mother and concluded that as long as it was a routine pregnancy she’d be fine. Dinner that night was Sri Lankan food. I have only one complaint about our dinners and that is that it was always pretty dark so we couldn’t see what we were eating very well. Our server brought us many dishes that night. They all tasted great but it was difficult to know what they were.

Off to bed – tomorrow is our last full day at Tea Trails and Jeane’s birthday…

you should have asked for more candles....??

we can't wait to go to tea trails and also to view your pics

Ah! The memories of Tea Trails. It sounds like you enjoyed it as much as we did.

and now robbie and fred are going...they will have to reserve a fodors suite...

Hi Craig, seems I'm a bit late to your party as I just found your report. It is wonderful to read, you write so evocatively. Glad you enjoyed the trip. King coconut water, I have some every morning in the office, and it has very good rehydrating properties, however it is definitely not to be used intravenously. Sad you could not finally see Yala, seeing from your report on Minneriya I can see that you really like wildlife, and also you discussed abut yala with me so many times in the past few months, guess it was just not to be. Yala is very special. Hope you get a another chance someday. On the subject of shopping, you really must see the classy boutiques in Colombo some day, good antiques, ethnic stuff, paintings etc.

Looking forward to the rest of your report...

Hi Craig,

Which bungalow would you consider as the best(views, comfort etc)?

Hanuman - My vote for views would go to Castlereigh since its right on the reservoir. If being near the water doesn't matter to you, Norwood rates a close second. As for comfort they are all comfortable - its just a matter of how comfortable you want to be. Three of the bungalows have huge master suites but most of the deluxe rooms and garden suites are quite large. You can get an idea of the rooms' relative dimensions on the website.

The other things to consider are whether you need a pool, tennis courts, croquet etc. and what you'd like your view to be like at mealtime.

Jeane wanted to do a long walk with a guide on her birthday. From Norwood there were a couple of choices. The previous evening the General Manager had stopped by our table at dinner. As part of our conversation with him, we discussed our options. He suggested we do the hike to Tientsin Bungalow and then stay for lunch. It sounded like a great idea. We had heard from the activities director that the Tientsin walk was a fairly level as opposed to the alternate one which would require a lot of climbing. That sold me. This was the only activity that we had to pay extra for – $15 per person. We arranged for the guide to meet us at 9 AM. The total distance was 16 km (about 10 miles) and it would take us about 3½ hours to walk from Norwood to Tientsin.

It was a very pleasant walk, a little cooler than our previous hikes because of the earlier start and the slightly overcast skies. As you might expect, most of the trip was through tea plantations. However we did encounter a couple of villages along the way which provided for some nice photos. It was a Sunday and as we set out we could hear melodious chanting from a distant Hindu temple. It is interesting to note that the residents of hill country are primarily Hindu Tamils, descendants of slaves brought over from India in the 19th century to work on the tea plantations. While the hill country Tamils have the same basic roots in India as the Jaffna Tamils living in northern Sri Lanka, the two groups are different. The Jaffna Tamils came to Sri Lanka over 2000 years ago and regard the hill country Tamils as being of inferior caste.

Our young guide spoke limited English but was well-supplied with water which we drank at ½ hour intervals. During the long uphill stretches he would ask us if needed a break. Most importantly he knew the way since this route was not marked.

We completed the hike in a little over three hours so we made good time. When we arrived at Tientsin, the gate was locked and there was no attendant. Our guide was ready to hop the fence but someone showed up and let us in. The General Manager was there to greet us and give us a tour of the bungalow. Every bungalow has its charms and although the six-room Tientsin has no pool and no views, it has the most spectacular gardens of any of the bungalows. The GM told us that a little building at the rear of the property was going to be converted to a honeymoon suite some time in the future. I asked him if there were any plans to expand Tea Trails beyond the four bungalows. He said yes, but not until the tourist situation in SL improves.

The GM informed us that it would be a while before lunch and asked if we would we like something to drink. He also asked if after lunch it would be ok if we rode back to Norwood with another couple who were going there for high tea. We thought that would be fine. I could see that we would be settling in for some down time but it wasn’t like we had any urgent business to attend to. Then he made a really nice gesture I thought, by offering us the use of one of the rooms which we declined. I ordered a glass of white wine, Jeane ordered a lime juice and we headed into the library. I was extremely pleased to find a paperback copy of “Next” so I could continue my reading. Jeane went off to take some photos of the garden. They called us to lunch at about 1 PM. The dining area is on a porch overlooking the upper gardens. Apparently they didn’t get the memo that we wanted vegetarian but it didn’t matter – the meal was light, a tasty prawn salad and soup.

After lunch I took some time to explore the gardens. There are two levels and the GM had explained that Tea Trails had maintained the original design which originated over 100 years ago. At about 2:30 PM we were told that the van was ready to take us to Norwood. The British couple we rode with was delightful – we talked throughout the ½ hour ride.

Since we planned to get an early start the next day, we did some packing, made arrangements to be picked up at 8 AM the next morning and put in an order for some tea – 24 tins at 350 rupees each, including 4 for Kathie from this forum. Once I felt organized I retired to our private garden to finish “Next” since I couldn’t take it with me.

We went to cocktails at 7 PM and spent time with 2 young men who were based in Kuwait but in Sri Lanka on business – one was a USA Iraq vet and the other was a Kuwaiti. As a special treat for Jeane’s birthday, they served us dinner in a little private gazebo located at the end of a short path away from the main dining area. Since it gets cold at dinner time, they brought one of the patio heaters from the main dining area and put it in the gazebo for us. That made Jeane very happy. After another delicious dinner, a cake showed up. The GM was there along with our butler and several of the staff to sing “Happy Birthday”. I had made arrangements for this in advance and had spoken to the chef in private the previous day so everything was perfect. After dinner, Jeane and I went to the dining area so she could share her cake with all of the other guests.

Jeane and I rose early the next day for our journey to Tangalle. Breakfast was at 7 AM. We were sad to leave Tea Trails but we were ready. I gave our butler a nice tip which he would distribute to his staff. We said goodbye to everyone and we were on our way. Rammuni thought that it would take all day to get to Tangalle. I think he envisioned taking the scenic route but everyone I spoke with told me it would take about 6 hours. I asked him if we could take the most direct route as 6 hours on Sri Lankan roads would already make for a long day.

Jeane was desperate for some up close photos of the tea pickers in action. They don’t work on Sundays and we just didn’t get close enough to them during any of our hikes. After about ½ hour of driving we came upon the perfect scene – tea pickers right at the side of the road with the sun shining on them perfectly. Jeane asked Rammuni if we could stop and the two of them walked down into the fields. Jeane got some great photos close up while I took some from a distance. Whenever Jeane took a photo of an individual worker she gave them 50 rupees. Considering that the average tea worker makes 200 rupees per day this meant a lot to them. Rammuni mentioned that morning is a good time to take photos of the workers because they are fresh and not tired.

Having accomplished that, we headed onward through the beautiful scenery in the hills. After a couple of hours the tea fields turned to jungle. We were still at altitude but we would soon be starting our descent. The road was one lane but paved. We encountered no other vehicles for quite some time. I asked to Rammuni if we could pull over since it was obvious that in the middle of this wilderness there would be no rest stops. “Jungle toilet” he said jokingly as Jeane and I headed off to relieve ourselves. Eventually the jungle turned to tea fields and as we reached the lower altitudes we started to see palm trees and other tropical vegetation. When we reached the coastal road it was obvious why the tsunami did so much damage – there was absolutely nothing in many places to stop the wave.

We pulled into Lansiya, our private villa in Tangalle just before 2 PM. It took some asking around to find it – there were several tracks off of the main road – it was not obvious from the directions I had which one was correct. Arul, the general manager/chef greeted us. He said he was expecting us between 3 and 6 – no problem, though.

The walk sounds lovely, Craig. It's wonderful that you got to see all four bungalows.

it all sounds so wonderful and relaxing, except for the hike....i would like to do it in an open horse-drawn carriage--preferably with a/c coming out from under the seat....

Arul’s 2 assistants helped us with our bags and I discussed sightseeing plans with Rammuni and Arul. We decided that Rammuni would come the next day at 2 PM so that we could visit one or two local Buddhist temples. We considered a nearby bird sanctuary but Arul felt that we could see plenty of birds right around Lansiya. We also discussed turtle watching where at night turtles make their way onto a nearby beach to lay their eggs but Rammuni said that it was best done when there was a full moon. He said we could stop at a turtle farm on the way to Negombo if we wanted to see them. So, we were ready to settle in for our three nights at Lansiya.

Our villa at Lansiya was quite spacious. It had a wrap-around porch on three sides, one of which was covered. There was plenty of seating on the porch plus a couple of tables for dining or propping up one’s feet. Inside the villa there was an enormous bedroom with a king bed, night stands, sofa, hope chest, and desk. There was no a/c but the bedroom had a large, albeit noisy ceiling fan. Opposite the bedroom were a hallway lined with closets, a wet bar, a toilet with bidet and a separate area with a sink leading to an outdoor shower. Shielded from our villa by trees were a large dining area and the kitchen. Next to the dining area was a good-sized infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean. There is an open shower by the pool for rinsing off sand and the salt. Towels were laid out for us to use. There were also saris in the bedroom that we could put on if we wanted to cover up. A large lawn extended from the pool to the rear of the complex where a building with two more (unused) twin bedrooms was located. There was a certain rustic quality to the place yet it was very comfortable and welcoming.

Arul had asked us if we wanted tea and cakes. We took advantage since we hadn’t eaten much that day. We arranged to have our dinner at 7 PM. Jeane and I spent some time exploring the nearby beach, chasing crabs and digging for shells. Afterwards, I went for a swim in the pool. The water temperature was just right – very refreshing but not too cool. After my swim the sun was just starting to set – it was to be the most amazing sunset of our three-night stay and I took several photos.

Three meals a day were included in our rate plus afternoon tea if we wanted it. Arul brought coffee to the villa every morning. Our meals were generally Sri Lankan in nature but delicious. The most memorable were grilled shrimp and a seafood curry. Breakfasts were simple – eggs, toast and jam but the highlight was always the bowl of mixed fruit that started the meal – slightly sweetened papaya, pineapple, watermelon, passion fruit, and banana – awesome! Arul did a great job with the food.

At nighttime we really noticed how rough the sea was – the waves constantly crashing against the rocks in front of the villa. I think it bothered Jeane a bit. The windows of the villa have wooden bars so we could leave them open without worrying about intruders. It allowed the breeze but also the sound to come in. We were given a key so we could lock the front and rear double doors at night. Arul and his wife, who took care of the house keeping, were pretty vigilant about security. On the afternoon we went out with Rammuni we came back to the villa and it was all closed up – they weren’t taking any chances.

On a couple of evenings we came back to the villa after dinner and heard loud barking. There are stray dogs all over Sri Lanka so we didn’t give it much thought. All of the sudden we would hear what sounded like a rifle shot and the barking would stop – did someone shoot a dog? Arul told us at the end of our stay that when the dogs start to make noise, he lights a single firecracker and tosses it outside. The loud pop scares the dogs and they are quiet for the rest of the night.

We spent a lot of time walking on the beach. Jeane would go out in the early morning to photograph the fishermen as they took their long nets out to sea with their colorful boats and then brought in their catch. The fish were usually pretty small, some even tiny. They tossed the smallest ones back. Lansiya is at the end of a nice stretch of crescent beach. As we were walking along together on our first full day we ran into Chris, another Brit and struck up a conversation. He was staying at his nearby villa with his wife and a friend. Chris suggested that we join them for cocktails that evening. We told him that we’d be delighted. He suggested that we check out the next beach the “greatest beach in the world no one has ever heard of” so we did. West of our beach is a small river were local women do their laundry. We waded through that and followed a short path through some trees to come upon a huge expanse of deserted beach – a few fishing boats but nothing else. It is a 45 minute walk end to end if you are combing for shells like we were. At the end of the crescent, some youths had a makeshift cricket game going on. As we headed back, a herd of cows appeared on the beach. I don’t know why neither of us had our cameras, but we didn’t. But the cows were right there on the beach and walked along for a while before exiting away from the sea. Nobody seemed to be leading them – a very interesting sight. When we got back to Lansiya, both Jeane and I had a very refreshing swim before lunch.

Rammuni came by at 2 PM as we had arranged and I explained that we would only have time to do the Wewurukannala Vihara Temple (yes, I had to look up the spelling) because of our social obligation. He was fine with that. The temple is in Dickwella, about a half hour from Lansiya. The main features are a 160 foot sitting Buddha and what Lonely Planet accurately describes as a “Buddhist chamber of horrors” which made for great photos to show the folks back home, if nothing else. The displays were actually what might happen to you in the afterlife if you did not behave. Rammuni and the guide made it clear to me that Buddhism simply lays out guidelines and that the gruesome punishments shown were not necessarily absolute. Ok…

After doing the temple, we felt we had time to visit the Amanwella which was quite close by to our villa. One of the staff there was very accommodating and showed us around, including a glimpse into one of the rooms. It seemed like quite a nice property and all the suites had plunge pools but it didn’t seem much better than many places we have stayed. Occupancy has recently been good at 70-80% but the price at about $500/night is well below that of other Amans.

We returned to Lansiya and shortly thereafter set out for cocktails with our neighbors. They were a lively bunch, opinionated as well (as were most of the Brits we encountered). We enjoyed arrack sours and discussed a wide range of mostly travel-related topics. As we prepared to leave, they invited us to join them again the next day for lunch at a fresh fish place they enjoyed going to. After considering the pros and cons of what would most certainly be a wonderful but long afternoon with our new-found friends, we chose to decline. If only we had had more time…

Our last day comprised another long morning walk on the “greatest beach no one has ever heard of”. We brought our cameras this time but the cows did not cooperate. The skies were slightly overcast today but we still used a lot of sunscreen. After a swim and lunch we spent the remainder of the afternoon getting organized for the trip home and just plain relaxing.

Wonderful report, Craig. Its clear how much you enjoyed the leisure this trip afforded especially at Tea Trails and your beach villa in Lansiya. I've printed out your entire report; it will be a great reference as I'm planning our SL sojourn. Their solution to barking dogs is amusing!

do you think a firecracker would work to fend off gpanda??

Great report as always!! I can't get over how you can post this report. We returned from India (Calcutta/Sunderbans/Orissa State) via BKK on Sunday ...

I am just getting to my TripAdvisor hotel reviews. I promise to make a "few comments" on my trip to India but it pales in comparison to the reports that MANY of you write for this website. I start to get intimidated by the detail you can recall

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for my BKK tips. They all came in handy. I didn't have to pay the 700 Baht as it was included in my airline ticket. The Novetel Airport hotel was wonderful for the overnight stay. I couldn't bare to get into a taxi when I got into BKK after the NYC flight for a dinner, but did venture downtown upon my return and LOVED the food at Harmonique. We got there just in time. The place was mobbed with people.

Thai Air premium economy was great but going into BKK they had no television/movie services or audio services, and Premium Economy was filled with a group of people who had won a free trip to Thailand so they stayed up in the aisles talking for the 17 hour flight Thank God the movies were working for my return flight.

Thanks
Bette ( ldtc2)

bette...most of us take notes and then use them when we return home to write trip reports or to help us remember about our trips

Twice during dinner at Lansiya, Arul brought his cell phone to our table with callers. The first call was Doris from Boutique Sri Lanka checking to see that everything was ok. We told her it couldn’t have been better and thanked her for her help. The second call was from Anitra who owns Lansiya along with her husband Dirk. I told her about our cocktails with the neighbors. I also told her that I first heard about Lansiya from a Norwegian woman at the Blue Elephant cooking school in Bangkok last year. She was thrilled about that and said that the woman was probably her sister-in-law. When I told Anitra we were heading to Galle the next day, she gave me some helpful shopping suggestions. I made arrangements with her to leave the balance of payment for our stay in a sealed envelope with Arul and we said our goodbyes.

Rammuni came for us at 8 AM for the all-day trip to Negombo. We had planned a few stops along the way so we had to get another early start. I gave Arul a nice tip for the staff and we headed out while waving goodbye to everyone.

We followed the coastal road for most of the day and could see that evidence of the tsunami still remained – mostly gutted, abandoned buildings close to the ocean that the government would not allow their owners to rebuild.

Our first stop was Galle Fort, two hours from Tangalle. The fort area is fairly compact and our driver parked the van close to a tall clock tower so he and Rammuni would be easy to find. We checked out the excellent views from the ramparts near the clock tower and then proceeded on our own to explore the area. I had hand-drawn a little map with the location of some of the shops we wanted to visit. In the two hours we allotted ourselves we came upon three very nice boutiques: Barefoot, Elephant Walk and Olanda. Jeane bought a cotton lace dress and some candles at Olanda. We saw some very nice things in the other two stores but did not buy. We also visited the reputable Ibrahim Jewelry where Jeane considered some sapphire earrings but decided she had purchased enough jewelry in Bangkok. Our last stop was Sithuvili Gallery where we purchased a painting in antique colors of a henna-covered hand holding a lotus blossom on an old 14”x10” door panel. To us it was quite striking and very reasonably priced at about $60.

We returned to the van and headed to our next stop – lunch for Rammuni and the driver. Rammuni picked a nice spot called Restaurant Refresh in the town of Hikkaduwa where we could relax while they ate elsewhere. Rammuni made sure we were seated at the front of the restaurant by the beach. I read later in the “Rough Guide” that this is the best restaurant in town. However, Jeane and I only ordered drinks. The sky had become overcast but it still was quite pleasant sitting outside.

After Rammuni returned we headed to a turtle hatchery in Kosgoda and saw hundreds of baby turtles as well as a few larger ones. Jeane was able to hold a foot-long leatherback for a photo. The tour took about 20 minutes.

I had asked Rammuni early on if we might visit a school and make a donation of supplies to be purchased in Sri Lanka. He said he wanted to give it some thought and I didn’t bug him about it. When we were planning our day today, he asked us if we would still like to do it. Given everything on our agenda I wasn’t sure we’d have the time but I went along with his plan. As it turned out it did not take long – he was able to set it up at a small Montessori school in Kalutara, his home town. We stopped at a stationary store on the main road in town and purchased books and pencils for 22 students.

The school day ends at 1:30 PM so I wondered how this was going to work. When we showed up at the one-room school house, most of the kids were there and they presented Jeane with a bouquet of flowers. The teacher had simply asked them to come back to the school – it must have been 3 or 4 PM by then. The children were all in their uniforms – we were told that they were preschoolers – they were very cute. Some seemed a bit afraid of us but that didn’t last long. I handed out the supplies one-by-one to these grateful, well-behaved kids while Jeane took photos. We also did some group photos with the teacher and her assistant. There were some stragglers and a couple of no-shows but I’m sure the children all received what they were supposed to. The whole exercise probably took about an hour.

It was still a ways to go to Negombo and we had to pass through Colombo at rush hour. As we drove along, it started to rain pretty hard. Rammuni said it was the beginning of the rainy season. I felt less sad that we were leaving the next day. It was dark out by the time we arrived at Villa Araliya but the rain had stopped. We checked into our deluxe double room on the second floor. For $70/night, it was a very nice room. It was air conditioned, there was plenty of hot water in the shower and the bed was at least a queen. There was a pool that we did not use. We used the extra pool towels for our shower in the morning. My only complaint was that the bed was only supplied with two single sheets – one for each of us. They were not enough to keep us warm while sleeping with the a/c on and I ended up turning it off in the middle of the night. We had a nice dinner in the restaurant which was not included in the price. Breakfast was included and served to us at 6 AM as we requested.

Just before dinner I sat down with Rammuni to settle our account with him. Everything was as we had agreed - $80/day for the van and driver plus a very nominal amount for lodging and food when the hotels we were staying at didn’t provide it. He gave me a little map that showed the route that we traveled and presented us with some small souvenir gifts. I told him that we were completely satisfied and would be happy to recommend him to others. Rammuni’s contact information is as follows:

Rammuni Tours & Taxi Service
Email – Rammuni@sltnet.lk
Cell - 011-94776067282
It is best to send him a text message on his cell alerting him to the e-mail. He spends much of his time on the road and can immediately respond to text.

Rammuni did not handle any hotel reservations for me. However, he does have good contacts and should be able to provide competitive pricing on most properties.

On our last morning Rammuni arrived at 7 AM to pick us up. I had settled our account with the manager using a combination of my remaining rupees and US dollars. I gave him a small tip to put in the “tip box” for his staff. The ride to the airport took less than a ½ hour. They dropped us off at the Singapore Airlines gate. There were a couple of porters there to help us with our things. I bid Rammuni goodbye and wished him well. I complimented the driver on the excellent job that he did and gave him a generous tip. I heard later in an e-mail from Rammuni that he was just as pleased with my compliment on his driving skills as he was with the tip.

Check-in went smoothly. They were able to check our luggage all the way through to JFK. We were offered a choice of the Araliya business class lounge or a restaurant if we wished to have breakfast. We chose the lounge. The Araliya Lounge was fine – food, drink, internet, and WiFi. Unfortunately the smell of cigarette smoke was everywhere since the smoking “area” was an open glass cubicle.

The two Singapore Air flights (CMB-SIN and SIN-BKK) went smoothly. As you might expect, service was stellar with good meals on both flights. We spent the two hour layover in Singapore in the business class lounge. At Bangkok we used one of Thai’s Concourse C lounges, taking advantage of the shower, refreshments and internet during our 5-1/2 hour layover before the flight to JFK. I immediately fell asleep (in the full upright position) after boarding the Thai flight – it took me a while to realize that we had reached altitude and I could recline my seat.

I think we were given a dozen hot towels each between the two Singapore flights and the Thai flight…

We arrived at JFK on time, sailed right through immigration/customs, and picked up our car at the valet parking for the 2-1/2 hour drive home.

Given the security situation in Sri Lanka and the last minute changes, I think the trip was as good as it could be – a little too much down time between Tea Trails and Lansiya but that really couldn’t be helped. Some day when conditions are better we’d like to return to camp in Yala National Park and do some shopping in Colombo.

Jeane and I took over 1000 photos between us. It will take a couple of weeks to sort through them all. I will post a link on this thread to our photo website when they are ready.

Sorry to see the report end so soon. I'll be waiting for pics.

Craig, I loved your report. I had the opportunity to re-live many memories of Sri Lanka and to think about things I'd do next trip.

Craig, We REALLY enjoyed your report. Sounds like it was a perfect vacation -- so relaxing and beautiful.

Craig,

Well this is one that I will file away for future reference. Love your traveling style.

Thanks again for the report.

Aloha!

It was a real pleasure reading your report Craig and that you had an overall good trip to Sri Lanka. Sometimes I feel you did not explore enough along the South coast, but then again if you wanted isolation and peace and quiet and not really looking for an idyllic beach to swim/snorkel etc I supppose Tangalle was a good choice. Mirissa, Galle, Hikkaduwa right up to Bentota has a lot more that what you saw. I was also surprised that you travelled in a Van rather than in a car. Vans are actually cheaper than cars to hire, and generally bumpy and less comfortable. Was also surprised that you had Rammuni plus a separate driver. Never heard of that before! Dirk and Anitra are known to me and just last Saturday we were at a pary together and were planning on doing some fishing toghether. I must point him to your report.

Mohammed - it is surprising that you say that about the van. We found our ride to be pretty smooth. We also had enough room in front of us to extend our legs fully if we wanted to. Maybe in the rear of the van it would be bumpy. I can't imagine a van would be cheaper with gas prices the way they are - maybe if there are 8 in the van the per person price would be cheaper - could you check on this for future reference?

I really don't know what the deal with Rammuni was but it worked well for us - we were truly surprised when he showed up with another driver. I have only communicated with Anitra but give both Dirk and Anitra my regards if you see them.

i loved every minute of the report...can't wait to see pics

bob

Hi Craig surprising it may seem but typically vans do cost a bit less because they they have a different lower duty/tax structure, also they run on diesel which gives a lot more mileage, and also the diesel is heavily subsidised in Sri Lanka. Sometimes one can pay more for a very new luxurious 15 seater van, and vans do have an advantage of higher ground clearence which is sometime useful on estate roads.

Mohammed, I would advise anyone then to go with a bigger vehicle providing they aren't charged a premium. My experience with Boutique SL and Red Dot Tours was that they wanted to charge a significant premium for a larger vehicle.

Craig,

I really beg to differ on that one, IMHO a car is really more comfortable and also a bit quicker too (no crazy speeding though). That said, please tell me how did you do on the long drive from Tangalle to Negombo. Rammuni sounds a good guide and I think you did well. You could hve perhaps saved 10 lousy bucks a day on the hire so that would not count for anything significant in the grand scale of things. I really wish you had stayed the last night in Colombo as there are such nice hotels both big and small here too and the drive to the airport is really fine. We do it all the time. This Villa Araliya place just does not sound very exiting.

Mohammed, we kept up with the smaller cars pretty well but I would agree that a lesser vehicle would be a tad bit quicker. As for comfort - to each his own. We do not travel lightly. We had three big bags, two smaller ones and two carry-on type bags. It would have been a very tight fit in a sedan. On the very long drives it would have been uncomfortable being cramped up in the back seat of a small car. With the van, we had enough room in front of us that we could extend our legs fully when we wanted to. There was also enough room that I could put my carry-on bag right next to me on my seat. Maybe the ride is bumpier in a van but I did not find it particularly bumpy.

As for the drive from Tangalle to Negombo - it was a long day but we had several stops to break up the trip (see report above). Villa Araliya is not exciting but we arrived pretty late - we ate dinner, went to sleep and got up early to get to the airport. I don't think we would have appreciated staying at a nice place in Colombo for that short amount of time.

Craig,

I really enjoyed your trip report--as usual.

Looking forward to seeing the photos.

Craig

Photos up yet?

Lori

Lori,

I'm working on the photos - long Easter weekend will help get it done. I'll post when they are up.

Craig

the market's so quiet, what's the problem??

Our photos are up - here's a link:

http://craigandjeane.smugmug.com/

Wow, Craig - great photos! Thanks. Love the frog!

Kandalama Hotel looks fabulous - I think I've been spending too much time In Europe - time to get back to Asia, lol!

Beautiful photos. Also enjoyed reviewing the pics from your prior trips, which have all been great.

Comparing all of the places you have visited in Asia, which has been your favorite?

Carole, Our favorites are Myanmar followed closely by Bali and India.

where does sri lanka rate and why??

Bob, Sri Lanka would rank close behind Myanmar, Bali and India. I am not sure I can really put a finger on "why". Perhaps it is that with each trip we take, our expectations get higher. While it is a beautiful country with friendly people, for us SL lacked a certain "wow" factor that puts the others ahead of it. We did have a fabulous time and do recommend it to anyone interested in exploring that part of the world. I can elaborate more when we get together next month.

Great photos Craig, enjoyed that tour!

Craig, I was awaiting your respnse to Bob's question. I think it's a fascinating topic. I expect different people would name different things as giving them that "wow" factor (I really like your phrase). I'd love to talk with other Fodorites about it, but I expect that it would make more sense in a get-together setting than on the forum.

along the line of kathie's thinking, we cannot explain why we do not like chiang mai....not handle to put on it.....for us there is no WOW factor....why is this?? (shut up andy!!)

kathie---i think it might make interesting reading here as well as at GTG's....we will be discussing it in boston....too bad you won't be here....haha

Bob, I wish I was going to be able to be at the Boston gtg... but we'll be one week away from our flight to Bangkok.

I have a feeling that we'll all be groping for words to describe what wows us and why and what places we just don't respond to, but it may be worth trying a post on the topic.

Hi, I have just been reading about your trip to Sri Lanka and wanted to say how much I enjoyed hearing about your travels and looking at the photographs. We're doing a very similar trip to yours in March this year (Sigiriya, Kandy, Tea Trails, South Coast) and so your travel notes have given me a taste of things to come (and some useful info).

Thank you.

Rosie - have a great trip and please post a report when you return.

Great report, Craig. I really enjoyed reading it. It definitely gives me some insight as I plan my trip for later this year.