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JeGraNet Sri Lanka Visit Oct 2008 - Mar 2009 Planned Itinerary.

We are planning on visiting Sri Lanka to develop this website along the same lines as our Thailand travel website: www.thailand-travel-guide.co.uk

If you have any information or notes you would like to share with us we may add them to our trip.

Recommendations for accommodations welcome

We are interested in visiting ancient places in Sri Lanka, natural features, festivals, fishing and anything unusual.


Colombo (1)

Due date 1st October 2008.

Estimated stay 15 - 20 days

Clock Tower

Colombo Museum

Town Hall

Independence square

International Convention Centre

Pettah: Markets etc

New Capital Area

Buddhist Temples:

Asokaramaya - Thimbirigasyaya Road, Colombo 5. - Beautiful mural paintings.

Bellanwila - Raja Maha Viharaya Bellanwila. 717361 Recognised seat of learning and beautiful mural paints.

Dipaduttaramaya - 159, Kotahena Street, Colombo 13. 471443 Colombo's oldest temple,built in 1806. Murals painted by Burmese monks in 1890.

Gothami Viharaya - Gothami Road, Colombo 8. - Mural paintings by well known artist George Keyt assisted by Manjusri.

Issipatanaramaya - Issipatana Mawatha, Colombo 5. 586678 Beautiful mural paintings.

ParamanadaPurana Viharaya 29, Paramananda Mawatha, Colombo 13. 433315 Very old temple built in 1806.

Vajiraramaya 14, Vajira Road, Colombo 4. 584202 Highly recognized seat of learning.

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya - 13km form Colombo. - One of the 3 places in Sri Lanka visited by Lord Buddha. Facinating wall & ceiling paintings by famous artist Mendis. The annual procession in January is second only to the Kandy precession in spectacle.

Leave Colombo - Bus coast road A3 North


Negombo (2)

Estimated stay 7 days

Old Negombo

Hotels

Beaches

Airport

Leave Negombo - Bus along the coast road A3 North


Puttalam (3)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

Salt Pans

Lagoon

Fishing

Leave Puttalam - Bus on A12 north-east


Anuradhapura (4)

Estimated stay 7 days

Anuradhapura UNESCO World Heritage Site:

The sacred Sri Maha Bodhi Anuradhapura or Sri Maha Bodhiya (Bo Tree)

Temples - Star struck stupas in ancient Anuradhapura;

Dakkhina Stupa and Mirisaveti Stupa,

The Jetavanaramaya or Jetavanarama dagoba (highest brick structure in the world)

Brazen Place,

Samadhi Buddha Statue,

Abhayagiri Dagaba,

Isurumuniya,

Kiribath Vehera,

Kuttam Pokuna,

Lankarama,

Lovamahapaya,

Magul Uyana,

Naka Vihara,

Queen's Palace,

Rathna Prasadaya,

Sela Cetiya,

Thuparamaya,

Toluwila Statue

Vessagiri


Mihintale (5)

Estimated stay 2 days

about 12km from Anuradhapura a rock dotted with cave shrines and dwellings a grand granite slab stairway of 1,840 steps that leads to a summit with superb views of the surrounding area.


Trincomalee (6)

Estimated stay 7 days

Beach

Fishing

Dutch Fort

The Hood's Tower Naval Museum

Harbour

Trincomalee "Elephant Island"

Hindu and Buddhist historical and ruin sites

Trincomalee Museum

Konneswaram Temple Artifacts

Hot springs - The seven hot springs of Kanniyaw AKA Unudiya, are on the road to Trincomalee.

Tiriyayi or Thiriyaya, just over 45km north of Trincomalee, is an example of ruins of an ancient Buddhist monasteries that have been discovered in the area.

St Mary's Church, Trincomalee


Dambulla and Sigiriya Area (7)

Estimated stay 7 days

Dambulla is a huge isolated rock mass rising around 160m over the surrounding plains, with an ancient rock temple that has been created spread over five mostly natural caves. Some of the wall paintings date back over 2,000 years. The most outstanding feature of the Golden Temple of Dambulla is the immense reclining Buddha image carved out of the solid rock, around 14m in length.

Sigiriya Rock's main features and areas of interest are the 5th century

Water Gardens,

The Lion Gate,

Lower Palace,

Outer moats,

Stone stairways,

The mirror wall,

frescoes,

courtyard,

The ruins of the palace buildings,

rock cut pools

and the views from the top!


Polonnaruwa (8)

Estimated stay 7 days

Gal Viharaya - Granite statues of the Lord Buddha.

The Archeological ruins:

Atadage House of the Eight Relics

Alahana Pirivena or University

Bodhisattva, Bodhisativa or Bodhisativa Polonnaruwa

Council Chamber / Audience Hall

Demala Mahaseya an unfinished stupa in Polonnaruwa
Gal Potha or Stone Book
Gal Viharaya - Recumbent Buddha
Hatadage Shrine of Sixty Relics
Kiri Vehera or Milk-white Shrine
Kumara Pokuna - Royal Bath-house
Lankathilake
Latha Mandapaya or Lotus Sanctuary
Monks' Hospital
Moonstones
Nelum Pokuna, seven 'Lotus Bath' ponds
Pabulu Vehera or Coral Shrine
Parakrama Samudra Reservoir
Potgul Vihara or Monastery
Rankot Vehera, The Golden Pinnacle Dagaba
Royal Citadel
Satmahal Prasada the tower in seven tiers
Siva Devale Shrine
Thuparamaya Image Houses
Tivanka Pilimage Image House
Vatadage Temple, where the relic of the tooth of the Buddha was kept
Vatadage Round House
Vejayanta Pasada or Royal Palace


Batticoloa (9)

Estimated stay 2 days

Batticoloa is home to the famous ‘singing fish’.

a small well preserved Dutch fortress


Ampara (10)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

Ampara is a remote city on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, about 200 km from Colombo. In the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It was a part of the domain of Kavantissa (2rd century BCE) and was then known as Ambaragama, which over the years changed to Ambara and Ampara.

There must be ruins here!!


Monaragala (11)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

No Data??


Badulla (12)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

No Data??

Hindu Temple called "Seetha Kovil" (Hanuman Kovil). It is found on the way to Nuwara Eliya from Badulla


Nuwara Eliya (13)

Estimated stay 10 - 14 days

Adam's Peak
Bambaragama Falls

The Baker's Waterfall - Located in the Horton Plains quite close to World's End, may also come across the rare black monkey.


Bandarawela
Diyatalawa
Haggala Gardens

Hindu Temple called Sita or Seetha Kovil dedicated to the diety Hanuman on the way to Nuwara Eliya from Badulla

Horton

Lake Gregory

Pidurutalagala

Tea Estates and Factories

The Golf Course

Trout Fishing Streams

Olu Ella Waterfall - Located in a remote village called Malalpola off Yatiyantota on the High Level road from Avissawella to Nuwara-Eliya.

St Mary's s Church, Yatiyantota


Haputale (14)

Estimated stay 1 - 2 days

No Data??

Haputale by narrowguage railway (14)


Gampola (15)

Estimated stay 1 - 2 days

No Data??


Kandy (16)

Estimated stay 7 days

Temple of the Tooth

Paradeniya Botanical Gardens

Kandy to Hatton Railway trip


Matale (17)

Estimated stay 1- 2 days

No Data??


Kurunegala (18)

Estimated stay 7 days

The Seven Rocks

Ibba-gala Buddhist Temple, in a low valley halfway to Elephant Rock

Maligawa Ancient Ruins - Parakramapura or Panduvasnuwara to the north-west with remains of a moated palace and monasteries from the 12th century, Dambadeniya to the south-west with its mid-13th century ruins, and Yapavuwa to the north.

Kurunegala Lake or Kurunegala vewa - A large man-made water reservoir constructed by ancient kings.

Kurunegala Clock Tower a war memorial to soldiers and officers who fell in the two World Wars.

The Malay Mosque in Kurunegala

Visit Yapahuwa Rock Fortress off the main A28 Kurunegala to Anuradhapura road about 45km north of Kurunagala. - Public transport is considered the most economical mode of transport to Yapahuwa.



Kegalle (19)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

(Red A) Pinawella Elephant Orphanage


Gampaha (20)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

No Data??


Ratnapura (21)

Estimated stay 7 days

historical places and places of interest:

The cave temple of Diva Guhava (15km)

Maha Saman Devala

Pothgul Viharn

Waterfalls: Bopath Ella, Katugas Ella, Kirindi Ella

Rubber Plantations

Gem Mines and Gem pits in Ratnapura

Kirindi Oya Waterfall 200 metres fall - Along the Katupitiya road on the way from Ratnapura to Pelmadulla. For a closer look, stroll down the foot path beyond the factory which will lead you directly to the Kirindi Oya Falls.


Bandarawella (22)

Estimated stay 1 -2 days

Diyaluma Falls - The second highest water fall is located 13 km towards “ Koslanda “ on the Wellawaya Road. It is 220 metres in height.

Bambarakande Falls - 263 metres - tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. It is nestled in a forest clearing just 6km off the A4 Colombo to Bandarawela road.


Go via Ella - Rawana Falls 49 metres in height. Visible from the Ella-Wellawaya road, near Udunuwara village. A popular stopover for travellers.

Buduruwagala Rock Sculptures - Located 5kms south of Wellawaya a side road branches west off the road to Tissa to the rock cut Buddha figures of Buduruwagala.


Kataragama (23)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

temples at Kataragama.


Hambantota (24)

Estimated stay 7 - 10 days

Sea Side

The area it is also a convenient base for exploring the nearby Bundala National Park, Yala National Park


Matara (25)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

Two well preserved Dutch forts, the larger one houses much of old Matara, known as Mahathota, including a rest house which is said to have been built on the spot where captured wild elephants were corralled before taming. The other, smaller star fort, with an attractive and unusual gateway, was built in 1763 and now houses a public library.


Galle (26)

Estimated stay 7 days

The old Dutch ‘Star’ fort, a UNESCO World Heritages Site that covers over 35ha; A well-preserved Dutch Groote Kerk, The old Dutch Government House; The New Oriental Hotel, dating from 1684; The old bell tower and believe it or not a tide-based Sewage-System (Hmmmm...), also designed by the Dutch.


Hikkaduwa (27)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

Hikkaduwa was the first resort area to be developed in Sri Lanka and still draws clients from around the world. Hikkaduwa is famous for the coral reef which falls pretty high up on the list of things to do in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka as the coral reef is only a couple of metres under the sea's surface.

An international 'surfer comunity' has grown up around the southern beaches, where Hikkaduwa surfing is good for body or board surfing. The Hikkaduwa water temperature is great!


Bentota (28)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

Bentota Resort complex is a romantic rendezvous of river and sea with several hotels, railway station, post office, shopping arcade and cafeterias.

There is an open air theatre showing folk and mask dancing with clusters of palms overlooking everything.


Kalutara (29)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

There are fortifications in the area dating back to the colonial feudes when the Portuguese, Dutch and British vied for control over the area.

Local places of interest include The Basket Hall, Kalutara Temple and Kalutara Bridge.

You could call Sri Lanka's Katutara beach 'Playa de Kalutara' as there are fine white sand beaches with water that is very safe for swimming.


Dehiwala (30)

Estimated stay 2 - 3 days

No Data??


155 days accounted for

182 days Visit

27 'spare' days

 


We apologise for the repetition of some place or proper names with different spellings, but there is no definitive spelling translation of these words.

We welcome reviews of any Sri Lanka resorts, hotels or visitor attractions. Please see our contributing writer's guidelines.


JeGraNet.com statement - 15 October 2008 - Quote from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: "There is a high threat from terrorism in Sri Lanka. Fatal attacks have become more frequent. They have occurred in Colombo and throughout Sri Lanka, including places frequented by expatriate and foreign travellers. Further attacks may occur at any time. There is an increasing risk of British nationals being caught up in an attack". As independent travellers we left Colombo after just 9 days into our planned 6 month stay as a result of a feeling of insecurity, however we are sure that 'package tour' travellers to tourist resorts will probably enjoy a worry free holiday.



Where is Sri Lanka? - Just off the south-east coast of India. - Location Map for Sri Lanka




 

Anuradhapura

Batticoloa

Colombo

Dambulla

Galle

Hambantota

Hikkaduwa

Jaffna

Kalutara

Kandy

Kotte

Kurunegala

Matara

Negombo

Nuwara Eliya

Polonnaruwa

Puttalam

Ratnapura

Sigiriya Rock

Sri Jaya'pura

Trincomalee

National Parks, Reserves and Protected Areas

Sample 10 day Sri Lanka Tour

Contributing Writer's Guidelines

 

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