Arrive Jan 1st

We arrive in Colombo and have nothing booked, we are staying 2 weeks and plan to spend the later half on the beach kicking back.

Where should we head for 1st, I%26#39;m not a big fan of cities and would prefer to head out of Colombo, not sure if Kandy is too far to travel after a long flight.

A friend who has been before suggested booking somewhere decent for the first couple of nights and having them collect us.

I%26#39;ve no problem winging it as we have done similar in Vietnam, SA, Thailand but perhaps someone with local advice might advise differently.

Finally, what would be the nicest beach to base ourselves for week 2, ideally not too developed/busy and with some surf.

Thanks in advance,

Mark

Arrive Jan 1st

Hi Mark,

Best place to stay for the first 1-2 nights is Negombo. Decent beach resort with lots of restaurants and acco, and only 15-30 mins from the airport. After that you could do Kandy etc.

For the 2nd week southern beaches are best - e.g. Mirissa, Tangalle or Unawatuna. Hikkaduwa is the best surfing spot in this time of the year but maybe a bit too developed for you, though the southern part of it usually is quite relaxed.

All the best,

%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]

Arrive Jan 1st

Thanks Erik %26amp; Sandya

I%26#39;ve done a bit more research and have come up with a provisional plan, I%26#39;m happy to book as I go but would appreciate any feedback you might have particularly in relation to distances and travel as this seems to be the most difficult aspect in SL.

I agree with your suggestion of a short hop to Negombo after our long flight and plan to head on for Kandy the next day(how?).

Spend 3-5 days between Kandy - Nuwara Elya - Ella and the surrounding countryside. Possibly hire a scooter\motorbike here.

Then move on to SouthCoast galle\unawatuna\mirissa\matara\tangalle.

Is there anything worth travelling for beyond these towns given that we only have 2 weeks.

Thanks Again,

Mark

Hi again Mark,

Okay the main questions:

1) Transport. It%26#39;s public or car-with-driver, no one here would recommend self-drive though maybe some experimenting with scooter/motorbike in the mountains can be fine.

Car: count for prices based on Rs 40/km for roundtrip basis and Rs 60/km for one-way rides. And e.g. Negombo to Kandy is 130 km.

Public: bus (AC express with guaranteed seat) has most choices but strong limitations on luggage. Backpack often possible though you might have to pay an extra seat, serious suitcases are a nono. Train fewer choices, enough luggage space, no seat guarantee except for the few trains with reservations.

So Negombo-Kandy is a direct bus (3.5 hours) or train with Colombo transfer (5-6 hours), for instance.

2) Areas to visit. The Hill country on which you focus is as beautiful as the Cultural Triangle, with e.g. Sigiriya Rock fortress. In the end it%26#39;s your choice what is most important. Wildlife safaris can be done in both routes - near Habarana (north) but also in Udu Walawe (the route from Ella to the southcoast).

Hope this helps a bit,

%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]