The moon chaser: Sri Lanka

World tour 3rd stop - Sri Lanka 27 days (15th August - 10th September 2019)

Our Route:

Negombo (3 nights) - MT Lavinia (2 nights) - Galle (2 nights) - Kataragama (3 nights) - Ella (3 nights) - Kandy (2 nights) - Dambulla (3 nights) - Anuradhapura - Jaffna (6 nights) - Negombo (3 nights)

Budget was NZ$27 per day (international flight not included)

On the 15th August we flew to Colombo and arrived very early on the 16th.

Negombo - paid for 3 nights but actually just stayed 2 nights (15th - 17th August)

The host family was very nice, the breakfast was amazing and they looked after our big luggage which has our two years of stuff for us. We went to the fish market, Dutch street and just wondering around town.

MT Lavinia two nights (18th - 19th August) - from Negombo to MT Lavinia by train (train from Negombo to Colombo Fort then Colombo Fort to MT Lavinia)

We watched amazing sunsets at MT Lavinia beach and just chilled.

Galle two nights (20th - 21st) - from MT Lavinia to Galle by train at 1st class (with A/C and soft reclining seats cost LKR 600/person)

We spend most the time at Galle Dutch Fort and Dutch Town.

Kataragama three nights (22nd - 24th) - from Galle to Kataragama by bus.

On the first day we just chilled at the home stay, second day we walked around town and organised the safari tour, third day we went to Yala National Park as a whole day tour. We were pretty lucky and saw leopard twice, crocodiles, an elephant very close, and heaps of amazing birds.

Ella three nights (25th - 27th) - from Kataragama to Ella by bus

We climbed the little Adam's Peak and went to the Nine Arch Bridge on the first day, second day we climbed the Ella Rock and hired a scooter went to the Ravana Falls, third day we jumped on the hired scooter went to the Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory, Demodara, Badulla and Bandarawela.

Kandy two nights (28th - 29th August) - from Ella to Kandy by famous blue train third class reserved seats cost LKR 400/person)

We visited the Bahirawakanda temple on the first day should I say first night and it has the second tallest Buddha statue in Sri Lanka, second day we walked around the Kandy lake, tried to visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth but we forgot dress according the rules (no shorts and cover shoulders), visited the British Garrison Cemetery.

Dambulla three nights (30th August - 1st September) - from Kandy to Dambulla by bus

First day we visited to Dambulla Royal Cave Temple the admission fee was very expensive for foreigners (LKR 1500/person and local is free), second day we climbed the 8th world wonder Lion Rock (admission fee LKR 5300 for foreigners) and the Pidurangala Rock (admission fee LKR 500 for foreigners), on the third day we went to the Kaudulla National park and there were more than 100 elephants gathering at the lake, it’s amazing.

Anuradhapura 0 nights just transit to Jaffina- from Dambulla to Anuradhapura by bus (it took two and half hour)

We walked around outside of sacred temple while waiting for the train to Jaffna.

Jaffna 6 nights (2nd - 7th September) - from Anradhapura to Jaffna by train (it took more than 4 hours), you don't need to spend that much time here
probably only need to stay 2 nights max. We stayed at a hostel that we can use the kitchen and washing machine, basically we were just chilled, did some cooking and washed our clothes.

We visited Jaffna Dutch Fort, walked the whole Jaffna-Pannai-Kayts (AB-19) Road and back, Nallur Hindu Temple (Man need to be topless to go in to the temple)

Back to Negombo for 3 nights (8th - 10th September)

We got our big luggage back and get ready to the next stop

Heading to India on the 11th September.