Sri Lanka WILD!!! Without a tour operator!!!
I'll start in order, do not be offended by mistakes.
And so. . . we got to Kyiv normally, here we were met by friends. Many thanks to them, there was a lot of luggage... They were in a car... They took us to Boryspil.
A new terminal "F" has been opened in the port - good, but prices....a small bottle of water - 23 gr. , a glass of beer 0.3 - 35 gr.
Well, enough about the sad. . .
We got on the plane, we fly 4 hours to Abu Dhabi, there is refueling. We are let out into a huge transit hall for an hour. Guess where the Slavic people moved....of course, everything went to the SMOKING ROOM and Dyutifri.
The hall is beautiful... Arabs with harems scurry everywhere. I was struck by a rack with computers pcs. 50-60 with free Internet. But we don't need it....we need to have time to refuel with our "fuel" and smoke at least a couple of cigarettes.
We also had time to drink coffee for $5. : )
Loaded up, took off, but somewhere around 35% of the people decreased....many remained in the Emirates. We are happy, sit down for 1 - 2 people.
Feeding at MAU. . . so-so.... but how did the snack go.
We landed at 3:30 am local time. The airport in Colombo is not big, we went through minor formalities, we immediately ran into the problem of the language.
Exchanged for $ 500, received a pound of local currency (rupees), shabby, worn out, but there were no problems in the future for the goods.
We went to look for a taxi, when leaving the port we inhaled all the aromas of the local air, very high humidity. Night + 32*
A bunch of "bombs" of locals stuck to the parking lot. We say we need to go to Bentota (the route was developed at home). Generous and profitable offers of $120-150 immediately rained down. With a smart look, I answer "Hari name"...... that is, very expensive.
They like that we know a few words in their-it....more precisely TWO, also AYUBOVAN (hello)))))
Just because we own their language, they offer us dumping prices for the train - $ 100
Without losing self-control, we repeat - hari-name...
In general, the result is $ 55 and we start moving around the night Lanka. Riding is a separate topic (I will describe later)
We arrive in 2.5 hours in Bentota, we begin to drive up to different hotels, the price catastrophically does not suit us. 100-125$ per night. After the 3rd attempt, we say (more precisely, we explain to the kid on the fingers that this is VERY, well, VERY HARI NAME)
Only later I realized that the cunning Sri Lankan specially took us to expensive hotels, since the country has a flexible rollback system... If some kind guy undertook to take you to a cafe, hotel, store... he does not do it out of the kindness of his soul....just in any case, he will receive his%, be sure there is the norm.
In short, after a short meeting, we decided to go further south....and we did the right thing.....
Another hour drive + $10 and we are in Hikkaduwa.
The time is already 6.30
We stop near the first small hotel we like, agree on a price - $ 55 with breakfast and to the ocean, it is 5-7 meters from the hotel.
It's fantastic !!!
Hikkaduwa has beautiful beaches.
The "chip" of the beaches of Hikkaduwa is surfing for beginners. We tried a couple of times....board rental $ 1 per hour, body surf - $ 0.5.
It takes 4-5 days to get up, but the planned program did not allow us. If I come to Lanka again, I will devote a week to this matter. There are not many Slavs in this town. British, French, Germans, Scandinavians. Local Ukraine know more than Russia. Attitude towards "our brother" is excellent !!!
We tried not to disappoint them.
4 girls from Kyiv lived in our hotel - YOGI. Before dawn, they went somewhere to meditate and returned in the evening. They told us that if you walk along the beach with your back to the salt lick sunrise early in the morning, then after 2.5 - 3 km. rocks and reef begin. There, in the morning, a huge turtle sails up, accustomed by the locals. You can feed it with algae from your hands.
So we set off... we were lucky TWO sailed !! ! Walking along such a picturesque beach is a pleasure. The sand is dense and at the same time soft.
Loved Leo!!!
Bottled - 0.65, price - 160 rupees, if without a bottle - 60.
By the way, I forgot to write the rate of $ 100 - 1100 rupees.
On the third day we met a guy from St. Petersburg, he has been living in Lanka for a year now, he keeps his own small Guest House. The price is $7 per day. If someone goes I can give the address. His name is Valentine.
He helped us a lot, recommended a guy who has his own taxi - a Toyota minibus with air conditioning (this is important)
The price is $50 per day. The rooming house, refueling and food carriers are his problem.
4 days flew by quickly.
We must move on.
Developed itinerary:
9.00 departure.
Hikkaduwa - Yalla.
There is a national reserve.
Drive 4 hours + stops in picturesque places.
Overnight at the hotel.
at 5.00 - SAFARI !!!
departure at 12.00.
We are going to Ela, these are mountains.
Should be there by 5pm.
9.00 departure.
Let's go to Nuwara Eliya - WATERFALLS!!!
Then we return to the coast in Unawatuna.
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On the way, Aishan (that was the name of our driver) makes a stop in Gale.
This is a port city. Famous for its fort. It was built by the Portuguese 600 years ago.
The fort itself struck with its size, very large.....
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But most of all, on the territory of the Ford, I liked this extreme jump of the Sri Lankan !!!
A couple of young guys came up to us and put on a SHOW!!!
It's very simple.... for $10 a guy will jump from huge heights into the ocean.
Height... and you need to get between two pitfalls.
I saw sharks only on the counters of merchants and in the menu of restaurants and bars.
No jellyfish!!!
Water always - 27* - 29*
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There are a lot of fish, shrimp, and crabs merchants in Gala. Everything is fresh, just caught in the ocean.
Here, wild monkeys scurry about with the aim of spioning the fish.
Shark, tuna - $5-7 per kilo.
Red fish (sea bass) 4-5$
Shrimp $6-7 kilo.
Crab $5-6 kilo.
Squid (small) 4-5$
First Buddhist temple. It was the carrier himself who brought us to places that he thought were interesting.
It is located on a cape just behind the city of Gale.
Then Ishan took us to a turtle farm.
Entrance - 1.5 $
If he buys tickets, it's cheaper. . .
For groups of tourists from TOUR FIRMS - $ 5 ))
And this is in everything... in the market, fruits, seafood are 2 times cheaper for locals.
Before going to Sh. L. I dreamed of tasting the TURTLE, but after I looked at the attitude of the Sri Lankans towards these animals....I didn’t want to... I felt sorry...
Prvada was not on the menu in any of the restaurants...
A small turtle (what is in the photo) 2 days. On the third they will be released into the ocean.
And this is a feature of Sri Lanka !!!
These are the fishermen....in the mornings and evenings all the sticks are busy. )) Thousands of fishermen....sorry I didn’t take it off.
This is some kind of extreme at lunch. )) When he saw me, he immediately jumped off and ran to ask for a couple of rupees....but I retreated to the micro-bus
At 16.30 we arrived in Yala.
We stayed in a small hotel with 12 rooms.
Of the guests were all of us........well, a flock of chipmunks.
Price per room - 22$
We had dinner at the restaurant.
And at 22.00 lights out, tomorrow at 5.00 on SAFARI.
Agreed for $25 per person.
Then I met 10-12 people who also went to this park from travel agencies....I didn’t hear cheaper than $ 45 per capita....
By the way, people lived in other hotels worse than ours..... $ 40 minimum....without breakfast...
Of course, it will be cold in the morning, and the drive to the park is 30-40 km. no one told us. ))
Well, they didn’t mention that we would have a local SCHUMAKHER to drive...... This is a pipets !!! ! I have not received so much adrenaline in a long time. I thought we'd put our heads there. . .
Local, old, stupid jerk....he has no instinct for self-preservation, and in my opinion he does not even know that jeeps can turn over. He laid such turns, did such overtaking....Just a MORON !!!
The fact is that the park starts at 5.30, and jeeps come from all over Yala to get there earlier....We overtook the piece. 20-25.
And this is on a dirt, narrow road. ))
The park itself is huge and beautiful, but the living creatures are not enough....We expected more....Or maybe we just got a crappy "guide".
In general, they saw one elephant on the rocks and what was he doing there ?? ? One small one in the wilds, several buffaloes, a bunch of peacocks, monkeys, mangooses, monitor lizards, a crocodile....But we never saw the main JAGUAR...
The whole thing lasted 4 hours. It seems that the freak behind the wheel has no brake pedal at all.
And here is the mountain with the elephant in the first photo.
In the end, what was supposed to happen happened. On one of the pits, which crackled, grunted..... And it became quite fun to ride....on a small bump, a pit, such blows began that it became impossible to sit, I thought the ridge would spill into shorts.
We stopped, the Chukchi began to inspect the rear outboard....then he climbed for a tool that consisted of a pipe and a small mount....
In short, the spring from the impact arched in the other direction and the impact became in the opposite direction....
He began to try to put it in its place, we watched him tinkering for about 10 minutes....then we got tired of it and we went to see...
He did not have enough mass to put the spring in place... had to intervene, but this moron constantly stuck his head between the body and the wheel. I really understood that if it breaks now, then we will lose the idiot guide and the suicidal driver...
Three times I tried to explain to him that you shouldn’t stick nonsense there... but he tried to tell me that a little more and he would fall into place...
In the end, Tanya took him by the hand for about three meters, and Falcon and I finished this dusty business.
At 13.00 we left a cozy hotel working for the four of us.
Road to El.
It is impossible to describe the beauty of the road along which we climbed for 3 hours.
The photo will not convey this.
At 17.00 we arrived in some village....on one of the highest points of Sh. L.
We specifically chose routes where there are fewer tourists. We settled in a small nice hotel.
$25 - per day, no brekfest.
The view from the balcony is mesmerizing.
It seems that all of Lanka is under your feet. We are above the clouds. . .
There are only a few Europeans in the hotels....
Well, in the evening sat as expected. We decided to take a break from Sri Lankan cuisine.
In the evening we walked around the aul....whites are probably seen there once a year....they ran out from all the shops and houses to look at us, "accidentally" touch us.
The attitude is the most positive, ready to provide any service, there are no beggars. The complete opposite of resort places. It is not customary to walk in the "fog"....these are clouds.
The third final day of our trip to central Sri Lanka.
We drove 50 km. and climbed Adam's Peak.
The spectacle is indescribable. Not much tired.... humidity, altitude, BEAUTY !!!
There are the best tea plantations.
Having spent 2.5 - 3 hours climbing the mountain, we went back to the ocean, but on the way we visited two waterfalls.
Then we went to a tea plantation.
The prices are really low. . .
We stopped at another Buddhist temple.
We decided to stop in Unawatuna, the beaches in this town were very much praised.
We went to three hotels and decided to stay in this....
Price $23 without breakfast. Only three numbers, in one lived Germans. The hotel is just under construction, we were the second who settled there.
The ocean is 5 meters, but there is no beach, there are stones, who likes to snorkel better not to come up with. Fins, a spear gun, a mask can be taken from the owner, he will prepare the catch himself, it's all free....
An interesting detail....In Sri Lanka there are no gaps between towns....constantly along the road there are houses, hotels, houses, shops, shops.
At first I thought it was over the ocean, but when we went to the mountains... the same picture. Not much out of the ordinary. The driver only managed to tell us this city is such and such....
Unawatuna is located in the very south of Lanka, there are a lot of fishermen, shops with seafood. Everything is very cheap.
You can buy in any tavern, restaurant you will cook everything. (well, if you buy beer or fresh from them. )) In your hotel, this is not even discussed, everything will be done in the best possible way.
In general, the people are very friendly. And our brother (Slavs) is generally treated with love !!!
I didn’t really like the beaches in Khikaduwa, the waves are small, the coast is narrow, good for those who are resting with children.
But the mover is there until the morning on the beach, there are many cafes, restaurants, and people just walk knee-deep in water...
Very beautiful at sunset.
In Khikaduwa, we saw a cape on the horizon, and there was not a big temple on it, we decided to take a walk....
It is located in a very picturesque place. All saw two monks. What I like in Buddhist temples is peace and quiet, no one imposes you to buy a candle, donate....you go wherever you want, take pictures....just you can’t wear shoes and stand with your back to Buda.
Accidentally came across these stones, the view is stunning from them to the ocean. The photo will not convey this.
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We had a flight at one in the morning, we decided to leave at lunchtime to shop in Colombo. We ordered the same taxi ($60) and he took us.
We drove through three major shopping centers and at 11 we were in the port.
There, fellow travelers were already waiting for us with questions "how are you ?? ? Where were you ?? ? How much did you pay ??? " We compared prices and we upset everyone, it turned out to be much cheaper, and were completely unattached to hotels...
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I really liked Srilanka, I will go again.
If you have any questions I will answer.
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If you need to organize a wild trip, we will do everything in the best possible way.
They will meet, take you, feed you, accommodate you, excursions for every taste are 2 times cheaper than tour operators offer.
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With uv. Alexander.
