After breakfast, with the Dutch girls in tow, we all loaded into a new Toyota van and were on our way out of Tissamaharama. It’s about a 90km trip via Wellawaya where the A2 terminates. About 5 or 6 kms before Wellawaya you can see the mountains rising up through the breaks in the overhanging palm trees that shade a...
We managed to get seats on the bus again on our journey from Tangalle to Tissamaharama (Tissa), the gateway to Yala National Park. It definitely pays to get on at the starting point of the route. Once again the A2 follows the beaches along the southern coast. The busy seaside towns of Ambalantota and Hambantota fell steadily behind us and...
On our way out of Mirissa, we hailed down a bus heading for Matara and changed over at the main bus station there. Starting at the bus station usually means you can get a seat in the crowded (but dirt cheap), Sri Lankan, public buses. About 2 hours later, having stuck to the coast road (A2) all the way, the...
We arranged a tuk-tuk to the bus station in Galle and jumped on the next bus in line for Mirissa. As it was the starting point, we managed to both get seats – bonus! The bus follows the A2 around the coastline (at break-neck speed) and is quite a picturesque trip. It takes about 2 hours to Mirissa and it...
As much as we loved Hikkaduwa, we had to move on if we were to get to the rest of the Island during our stay. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Galle Fort was just down the coast so we headed down for a few days. Roshan (from the guesthouse) drove us the 30kms or so down to Galle (pronounced “Gawl”) in...
After enjoying the charms of the colonial capital Colombo for almost six days, it was time to head for the South West Coast of Sri Lanka. First stop, Hikkaduwa. Unused to the trains, we managed to book 3rd Class tickets to Hikkaduwa (85 LKR each (USD 1.10) and squeezed on to an already over-crowded carriage with all our luggage. Fortunately,...
Overwater bungalows surrounded by incredibly clear blue water. Tropical islands fringed by pure white beaches. Magnificent sunsets and incredible underwater encounters. All wrapped up in an ASTRONOMICAL price tag that would make even those with money to burn think twice. That’s always been our perception of the Maldives islands and resorts, and so we never really thought about what it...
As the plane descends into Negombo, the location of the international airport servicing the country, 35kms north of Colombo, you get an excellent view of Sri Lanka’s green, carpeted hill country. Our transition to arrivals was swift as there weren’t a lot of planes at the time. We bought a sim card for $10 US dollars and got the change from...
We enjoyed our time in Split with its bustling street life, tiny lanes full of all kinds of shops and cafes and a well-preserved Roman palace and fortress. It’s a lot more laid back than Dubrovnik and prices were far more reasonable. Once again our Airbnb abode was excellent. Central to the main area, stylishly appointed, and with all the...
It was time to depart mainland Croatia and see what their famous islands had to offer. First up Korcula, then Hvar. Simply stunning. Worth every pedal stroke! And there were quite a lot. The Islands: Korcula/Hvar Our journey to the island of Korcula involved taking a car ferry from Ploce to Trpanj, a small village on a long spit of...
Exploring Sri Lanka’s Colonial Capital, Colombo
11 Mar, 2018
