Trip to Lunugam Vehera national park & the Hambathota Salterns

This was s cousins outing. As usual left home bit early had breakfast on the way.













Then reached some place, I am sorry I don’t know the same back then it was an abandoned hotel. There was a stream running through the premises we had a nice time over there. It was shallow & water was flowing well.

In the afternoon / evening we went a safari in the Lunugam Vehera national park. We went in an open jeep, and we were driving at high speed too on the way to the park. Well since it was the evening, we didn’t see many animals. But we heard elephants trumpeting from close by woods by the side of the road. It was getting dark when we were returning, elephants were approaching the road. It was little bit scary, but fun.


Day02
We went to see Salterns. It was like we entered a different world. Can see for miles and its very clean too.

Had lunch on the way & reached home before dark.

Trip to Maadu Ganga Villa, Balapitiya

It was for my 27th Birthday. We went on a trip to Down South.
(Piliyandala, Kesbawa, Bandaragama, Kalurata, Beruwala, Bentota, Induruwa, Kosgoda, Ahungalla, Balapitiya)
We left home mid day & visited a couple of places on the way to the hotel. The outing was to relax, so didn’t travel much. But it was an awesome weekend.

The Kalutara Vihara
The only dagoba (Buddhist shrine) in the world that is hollow.

Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery
These are operated by the Wild Life Protection Society of Sri Lanka to protect Sri Lanka's turtles from extinction.
The hatchery pays fishermen for eggs that they collect at night along the sandy beach.
After being fed, the baby turtles are taken to the sea and released when they are 2-4 days old, usually during the safer hours of darkness.


We checked in the hotel after lunch.
Madhu ganga villa is a great place for a hideout. Floating rooms and floating restaurant are their attractions.

Day 02
We had a romantic boat tour over the Bolgoda late for a couple of hours. We enjoyed it big time.
Boat was floating through mangroves.  We stopped on the way to pluck flowers before going to the temple Koth Duwa. Also we visited an island to and watched how cinnamon sticks are made.

Day 03
We had early breakfast and went to dip in the sea at Akurala (between Ambalangoda & Hikkaduwa). Akurala is great for a swim where a dead reef breaks the wave; it’s like a natural pool.

we left the hotel after lunch and reached home before dark.

Trip to Bandarawela

As usual we started the journey early in the morning, stopped on the way to have hot hot Kanda (herbal porridge) from an old uncle by the road. It was just sun rise when we stopped at belihuloya for breakfast. (RIVER GARDEN RESORT)

We walked down the resort it was nice being closer to the nature.

Then we went to see the Samanalawewa Dam. It was not open for public, still we wanted to give it a try. Luckily we met the Security OIC on the way, who wanted a lift. So lucky we got a change to have a round trip. Still we were not allowed to get out of the vehicle to take photographs, due to the terrorist threats. Hopefully we will be able to make another visit in near future.

Next we visited the Bambarakanda waterfall.
Bambarakanda waterfall, Haldumulla
The waterfall is said high about 241meters, highest waterfall of Sri Lanka. You have to turn off from Kalupahana Junction (160Km from Colombo - Badulla road) is at Between Belihul Oya and Haputale and travel around 5km inside. Travel to this place is not easy still we could make in our Ford Laser!
This is my first experience visiting a waterfall. It was a strange feeling to see such a load of water flowing freely over a rock.

Our next stop was Adisham Bungalow. Nadee joined us from on the way.
Adisham bungalow, Haputale
The house was built in 1931 by an English aristocrat and planter Sir Thomas Villiers, former Chairmen of the George Steuart, a trading and estate agency based in Colombo.
It was designed by R. Booth and F. Webster in Tudor and Jacobean style, on 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land. The house was designed in the Tudor style, on the lines of Leeds Castle in Kent, with stout granite walls of locally quarried stone, long, narrow turret windows and chimneys. The roof was covered with flat Burma teak shingles. The doors, windows, paneling, staircase and floors were all of Burma teak.
The garden lay-out was also British and, as in the house, the incomparable scenery is used to best effect.
Villiers imported fine period furniture, linen, carpets, porcelain, silver, and glassware from England for his home and named it Adisham after the Kentish village where he was born.

Then we bought lunch from Haputale town & started out journey to Lipton's Seat. The way through Dambetenna Tea Estate from Haputale town is a scenic road amid lush green tea plantations. Again we went all the way up in our car!!!

Lipton's Seat
This was a favorite look-out point for Sir Thomas Lipton (the great tea planter) when surveying the surrounding region of his tea plantations. It is told that on a clear day, a visitor can see 5 provinces of Sri Lanka. The panaromic view is out of this world and truly pleasing.

It was a long day for us. So we reached our night stop & wound the bit early.

DAY 02
We visited the Diyatalawa military base and Training facilities. Thank you Jayantha ayya for the awesome tour!

We came back to Jayantha ayya place, fixed a quick lunch and started again our journey to visit Bogoda Bridge. The bridge is situated at 13 km south of Badulla city.

Bogoda Bridge
Bogoda wooden bridge was built in the 16th century during the period of Dambadeniya era. This is said to be the oldest surviving wooden bridge in the world.  All parts of this bridge was constructed by woods using wooden nails as fixing material. The roof tiles show the influence of Kingdom of Kandy.

Bogoda Temple
Bogoda Buddhist temple is an ancient temple situated beside the Bogoda wooden bridge. The temple has much longer history than the bridge. Temple was built by the under instruction of King Valagamba.
Inside of the temple were elaborated with lovely paintings. The walls were built with a paste made of cotton wool, bee honey and extracted and purified white clay.

It was dark when we reach our stop.


Day 03
Dhowa rock Temple
Temple is located 6km from Bandarawela on Badulla-Bandarawella highway. It is believed, the temple bears a history dating back to about 2,000 years. The historic cave temple complex was once the sanctuary for King Walagamba. Is says that the incomplete large standing Buddha statuewasis done by King Walagamba while is stay. This 38 ft rock carved Buddha statue and the ornamental gateway are the main attractions of the temple.

We left Bandarawela after lunch. On the way we wanted to visit the Highland milk factory, but it was closed as it was a Sunday.

It was misty when we started our journey back home. We got fresh vegetable on the way and back we stopped for St. Clair’s for tea.

Reached home before dark

Kandy Trip

We got an invitation for a wedding in Dambulla. It was on a Thursday. So we decided to plan a trip.

It was a lunch invitation and Dambulla is a long drive from Colombo. So we left home early in the morning around 2 am and reached the hotel by 5.30 am, as the groom to be our friend Indika wanted us to be there early. Yes we were stopped by the traffic police closer to Kurunegala due to violation of speed limits. Well, we did bribe the police officer; else it could have been another trip to Kurunegala to collect the driving license.

After the wedding we start our journey to Kandy. We drove to Kandy through A9 – Kandy Jaffna Highway: Dambulla, Naula, Madawala, katugasthota, Kandy.
Road throughNaula, Matale is breathtaking. You need to stop for a while to enjoy the environment, fresh air, flora & fauna.


It was dark by the time we reached Kandy. A friend of ours arranged us a room right above the Kandy Lake. But we didn’t like it. Still since was late & didn’t want to make our friend unhappy either, so we decided to spend one night over there. We had dinner at Dinemore with our friend & his family.

Day01
First thing next morning, we checked in to our planned room. It was a great place.


Plan for the day was to visit some old temples in Pilimatalaawa; a small town about 10 km away from Kandy, a village famous for Traditional Brassware.

Galadeniya

• A Temple built by king Wickramabahu in 1344 during Gampola Kingdom time.
• Temple is located in a small hilltop, but easily climb from the main road. If you are coming by a small vehicle like a car or a van, you can just drive up.
• This temple has some features of the south Indian architecture. The 638-year-old jak wood doors still exhibit their original paintings.

Lankathilaka

• A fine example of a Buddhist-Hindu shrine of the fourteenth century.

Embekke

• The columns, pillar and doors are decorated with wood carving and even the roof was done with the special design. Specialty is that they use wood for everything, without any metal parts. Nails are wooden nails too.

Then in the night, we went to the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Day 2
We hiked in Hanthana, beautiful delightful set of hill tops which are stunning with lush panoramic views. A good hike for a beginner

In the evening we were tired & rested in the room.

Day 3
We drove back to Colombo; Kandy Peradeniya, Kadugannawa, Mawanella, Kegalle,  Bulath kohupitiya, Avissawella, Kosgama, Maharagama
On the way we visited Gatambe temple and stopped at  Kadugannawa to enjoy the view.