Bombay - Taprobane/Sri Lanka/Ceylon - Bombay

[hassan79]

Nice trip and info thanks for sharing. can u share cost of trip as well like hotel fairs and car rentals

[Bombaywalla]

Ayubowan, machan!

most of the public own awsome cars c class,e class,3 & 5 series,audi a4 & 6

With all due respect, I didn't see a lot of German cars in the country, and I spent a lot of time being driven around ('cause I like it). Even the car parks at the Crescat mall (and towers) were dominated by reconditioned Jap imports.

kia sorento,hyundai santafe,toyota premio are just normal cars here

As they are in most places on the planet

well wheare r the out station pics and please show them too like galle kandy nuweraliya those places r beautifull too. dambula is more of relics but good to see u hed there and how about anuradhapura when my uncle was alive he used to take us to every part of the country

I took a ton of photos which I'll post in sequence. I didn't go to Anuradhapura this time, but I will for sure on my next trip

and do tell me what hotel did u stay in how was the price

In Colombo, I stayed at the Lake Lodge Hotel (CMB 3), and I think it cost about $95 a night. I tried the Cinnamon Grand hotel on my way out, which cost about $130. In Dambulla, the Thilanka Resort & Spa cost about $75/night including breakfast.

[Bombaywalla]

Nice trip and info thanks for sharing. can u share cost of trip as well like hotel fairs and car rentals

Thanks, Hassan. I travelled alone, and I thought it'd be best to rent a car + driver for the duration of my trip. A friend of mine suggested I rent a Toyota Axio, which with a full-time driver, cost me LKR 8000/day. As far as hotels go, it really depends how much you want to pay - Sri Lanka has a whole range of hotels to choose from; from budget to 5 star, ranging between $15 to $350. Many hotels have drivers' accomodation, and for those that don't, you've got to pay extra. Most hotels have different rates for locals and foreigners, FYI.

[Bombaywalla]

More photos of Sigiriya...

One of the water channel outlets at the base of the rock...

[Bombaywalla]

[atharshah]

Ayubowan, machan!

With all due respect, I didn't see a lot of German cars in the country, and I spent a lot of time being driven around ('cause I like it). Even the car parks at the Crescat mall (and towers) were dominated by reconditioned Jap imports.

As they are in most places on the planet

I took a ton of photos which I'll post in sequence. I didn't go to Anuradhapura this time, but I will for sure on my next trip

In Colombo, I stayed at the Lake Lodge Hotel (CMB 3), and I think it cost about $95 a night. I tried the Cinnamon Grand hotel on my way out, which cost about $130. In Dambulla, the Thilanka Resort & Spa cost about $75/night including breakfast.

well may be bcz ur from india but btw khi and colombo i think colombo has better cars

mercs are very common here bcz they are owned by dimo engeniering diesel and motor engeniering so r they the owners of nano chrysler tata trucks electric companies so they have marketed mercs well

as for german

lot of mercs,beemers,audis are arround if ur in colombo out station lot of premios with the affluent class

[Bombaywalla]

More from Sigiriya...

The route to the 'Mirror wall' and summit...

[Bombaywalla]

Originally this wall was so well polished that the king could see himself whilst he walked alongside it. Made of a kind of porcelain, the wall is now partially covered with verses scribbled by visitors to the rock. Well preserved, the mirror wall has verses dating from the 8th century. People of all types wrote on the wall, on varying subjects such as love, irony, and experiences of all sorts. Further writing on the mirror wall has now been banned...

Frescos inside a cave...

The restoration of a segment of the 'Mirror wall'...

[Bombaywalla]

Texture...

[Bombaywalla]

The lion-shaped rock...

One of the king's pools atop the Sigiriya rock. That's what I call a pool with a view...

The mile high club of ancient Lanka where the King would enjoy dancing topless women who would make every evening atop the rock, memorable...

The view from the summit...

A future destination...

[hassan79]

Thanks, Hassan. I travelled alone, and I thought it'd be best to rent a car + driver for the duration of my trip. A friend of mine suggested I rent a Toyota Axio, which with a full-time driver, cost me LKR 8000/day. As far as hotels go, it really depends how much you want to pay - Sri Lanka has a whole range of hotels to choose from; from budget to 5 star, ranging between $15 to $350. Many hotels have drivers' accomodation, and for those that don't, you've got to pay extra. Most Sri Lankan hotels have different rates for locals and foreigners, FYI.

Thanks for the info: )

Sent from my A8 using Tapatalk 2

[Bombaywalla]

En route to the Heritance Kandalama Hotel where I've wanted to stay ever since my friends told me about it a few years ago...

This beautiful hotel is perched on the hillside across the lake...

The countryside of this amazing island nation reminds me of India's southern states...

[Bombaywalla]

En route...

...and we're there...

[nickatnite]

The countryside of this amazing island nation reminds me of India's southern states...

very true, it is like driving through western Tamil Nadu and Kerala. infact, there is a land link, now partially submerged under the sea off Rameswaram island linking TN and Sri lanka. folks in TN who cannot afford airfare take a train to Rameswaram island , then hop on a ferry to Talaimannar in SL and then take a train/bus to Colombo or other destination and the cost is quite cheap. i want to try this once as the train winds it's way through the forests enroute, i'm told. though i have visited Colombo and Kandy/Nuwara Eliya , first time comparing the land area of sri lanka and tamil nadu as you had mentioned in your intro and am surprised. sq km area of srilanka is 65,610//sq km are of tamil nadu is 130,058!!.

nice pics and a quality thread as usual from you(Y)

[Bombaywalla]

folks in TN who cannot afford airfare take a train to Rameswaram island , then hop on a ferry to Talaimannar in SL and then take a train/bus to Colombo or other destination and the cost is quite cheap. i want to try this once as the train winds it's way through the forests enroute, i'm told.

That sounds awesome, but quite stressful too

nice pics and a quality thread as usual from you(Y)

Thanks so much, mate.

[Bombaywalla]

The primary premise of my Kandalama visit was to see first-hand, the famous architect Geoffrey Bawa's minimalist, unobstrusive design masterpiece, 'Heritance Kandalama Hotel. The original plan was to build the hotel next to Sigiriya, but to protect the cultural site, Geoffrey Bawa insisted on building on a ridge 11km to the southeast. This location also provided splendid views of Sigiriya and Kandalama lake or reservoir, known locally as the Kandalama tank. The entire structure is built on a raised platform resting on columns, allowing rain and spring water to flow freely from the mountainside into Kandalama lake. This design also lets animals move freely underneath the hotel, and is a supreme example of Bawa’s philosophy of adapting architecture to suit the environment.

They even have their own elephants!!!!!

The layout...

more later...

[Ghassan]

thanks a lot for sharing superb pics... brought back good memories...
Hope u had great time there especially going till top of sirigriya rock... but the views at top are much more rewarding!
Awaiting "little england" pics...

Keep posting!

[Bombaywalla]

thanks a lot for sharing superb pics... brought back good memories...
Hope u had great time there especially going till top of sirigriya rock... but the views at top are much more rewarding!
Awaiting "little england" pics...

Keep posting!

Man even though it rained like crazy whilst at Sigiriya, the views were still breathtaking! More comin' up...

Heritance Kandalama (contd)...

[Bombaywalla]

Simple, clutter-free spaces...

[Bombaywalla]

The hillside continues under the hotel structure unobstructed...

The hotel has special 'honeymoon' tables set up in natural caves around the hotel...