Visiting Dambulla and Sigiriya in Sri Lanka

While the rail network that spreads across Sri Lanka covers some of the most important destinations, it is still very limited in connections between the main touristic spots.

We initially decided to travel from Elle to Arugam Bay but due to hustle of finding a convenient route in terms of travel time and expenses, we felt more pleased by the idea to travel to the northeast coast and visit on the way the architectural wonders in the heart of the country.

Our plan was to continue going north following the railway network, which meant returning to Kandy, where we reserved more time to explore the city, as we didn’t have a proper chance to do so during our first stop here. Read more about our time in Kandy.

An interesting aspect about trains in Sri Lanka is the difficulty to get a seat. Reserved seats (available for first and second class only) are most of the time sold out and unreserved tickets usually “reserve” travelers the chance to taste the authentic experience of being trapped and squished for hours between luggage and people. We had an uncomfortable experience when traveling from Colombo to Kandy. It was interesting and somehow fun in the beginning, but three hours later we knew it wasn’t something we wanted to try again soon.

Dambulla in northern-center of Sri Lanka

After failing to get reserved seats for the train to Trincomalee, we took a morning bus to Dambulla, a small city but an important access gate to almost any place in the country through a complex network of buses that uses the city as one of the main connection points.

We spent only three days in Dambulla and decided to use the last hours of the arrival day to visit the famous cave temple (also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla) situated at the entrance in the city. We were part of the last group of visitors allowed to climb the stairs of the temple, shortly before sunset, which we found very convenient and pleasant in the absence of the larger groups. When visiting Buddhist temples, a proper dress code must be followed. I was wearing shorts that day, which is not accepted at the entrance in any temple, but the person at the gate was kind enough to borrow me a scarf to cover my legs… the gesture was nice, although a pink scarf didn’t really reflect my preferences in choosing colors to wear.

DAMBULLA SRI LANKA

 

The temple includes a series of chambers, which represent divisions of a bigger cave filled with statues of Buddha. At the end of our visit, we were rewarded with a spectacular view from the height of the rock on top of which the temple is placed while the golden light of the last hour of the day left its last traces on the sky.

DAMBULLA SRI LANKA

 

We returned to the city, searching for a place to dine and planned to get an early sleep as we wanted to catch the sunrise on the top of the Pidurangala Rock in Sigiriya.

The Pidurangala Rock in Sigiriya

At hour arrival in Dambulla, a friendly tuk-tuk driver offered us a tempting cheap ride to our accommodation in return for the chance to propose us a sunrise tour to Sigiriya and back, which we happily accepted. We agreed on a price of 15000 rupees, which we could have easily negotiated, but given the early departure and the distance to cover, we thought it was a fair price to pay.

DAMBULLA SRI LANKA

 

At 4 o’clock in the morning the tuk-tuk driver picked us up in front of the hostel and we drove for more than 20 km in complete darkness till the entrance of the rock temple, where we were asked to pay an entrance fee of 500 rupees. A few other people arrived at the same time and together we started climbing up the stairs to the top of the rock. The Pidurangala Rock is less impressive than the Lion Rock, but surely less touristic, which made it our choice for a spectacular sunrise spot. The hike to the top is less than 30 minutes long and, while not very difficult, we advise wearing proper shoes as some parts are harder to climb and in the presence of humidity it can be very slippery.

The sunrise at the top was truly spectacular and the view over the surroundings beautiful to experience. And to make the journey more complete, after the return at parking space, our driver took us to the shore of the lake in the vicinity of the two rocks, from where we could watch their reflection of the water.

DAMBULLA SRI LANKA

 

We returned to Dambulla in time for a late breakfast and a long nap after.

On the third day we were planning to visit more of the Ancient city of Sigiriya and extend our day-tour with a visit of Polonnaruwa, but in the following morning we realized how tiring the last days through the country have been  and how much our energy levels dropped, so we turned our plans of exploring the surroundings into plans to rest and recover. Polonnaruwa will have to wait until our future visit to Sri Lanka.

A direct bus from Dambulla to Trincomalee brought us a day later to the seaside on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka, a country so small in size but so rich in experiences.

See more pictures from Dambulla and Sigiriya here.

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Our second time in Kandy, Sri Lanka

As our first stay in Kandy was very short, we left a bit sad for not having stayed a bit longer, but at that time we did not know that we would come back soon again.

Why did we come back then? Well, our plan was to go to Arugam Bay, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, for a volunteer project after visiting Ella, but the project was canceled, so we decided to travel more north to explore Dambulla and after go to the seaside in Trincomalee, where we were supposed to meet with my cousin, that was coming to Sri Lanka for holiday. The best connection was via Kandy and therefore, after a few days in Ella, we took the train back to our previous destination. Again, we couldn’t reserve any seat, but on the morning of the departure we were told that there were places available, so for a second time, we could enjoy the scenery along the way without being in a crowded carriage.

KANDY SRI LANKA

Sri Dalada Maligawa

We stayed during our 2nd time in Kandy in a lovely homestay, a bit outside the city but easily reachable by walking. Our host recommended us to go to the ceremony in the Tempe of Tooth, which houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. It plays an important role in the country, as it is believed that whoever holds the relic has the governance of the country.

KANDY SRI LANKA

Due to the importance of the temple, every day a ceremony is held to show that important relic, but taking part in the ceremony means sharing the experience with large crowds, especially during the evening. The visiting hours are 6.30am, 9.30am and 6.30pm. We went to the one in the evening and after buying the most expensive ticket (7,99 € for foreigners) that we ever bought in Sri Lanka, we entered and took off our shoes while we were welcomed by drums and music. It was extremely crowded with locals and tourists.

We followed the line like everybody else, but the moment when we passed the relic was so short that we did not even have time to realize what we just saw. Honestly, I kind of regret going there as it has high importance for the many local people who come there beautifully dressed in white clothes to witness the ceremony and to pray, but we didn’t feel very festive inside the temple. There were already many locals and on top of that having also the tourists really felt like being surrounded by too many people, not to mention that the entrance price was very high.

The Big Buddha

One of the things we enjoyed doing in Kandy was visiting the White Big Buddha statue overlooking the city. It is a short hike to the top of the hill where the Buddha stands and at the entrance, you have to take off your shoes and leave them there for a little price, which is considered a donation. We found it a bit much paying for shoes and the entrance, but note that in Sri Lanka it is normal to pay at the entrance in any temple.

KANDY SRI LANKA

 

There is a lot to do and to discover in Kandy, but we decided to skip some of the „attractions“. We did not visit any of the tea plantations as we visited one in Ella. We also heard that the botanical garden would be nice but we’re much more overwhelmed by the natural beauty and the tea fields, which we considered enough not to go to the garden.

Food in Kandy

As we already mentioned, at the Hela Bojun Hala food stalls we found a lot of delicious food for fair prices, compared to Ella, but there were also plenty of other restaurants around We also found good local coffee places and tons of fruits and fresh vegetables at the local market.

KANDY SRI LANKA

 

When we were in Sri Lanka in August, it was the season for all kinds of fruits and in no other country we found such cheap and delicious fruits like here. The only thing that we always found stressful was that in Sri Lanka (except Colombo) almost every place closed early, around 09.00pm

Here you will find more pictures from Kandy.

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Ella – tea plantations and beautiful mountain peaks

During our trip in Sri Lanka we visited many beautiful places, but Ella was one of our top highlights. We spent only 4 nights there, which we thought was enough to explore the surroundings, but if time had allowed us, we would have stayed for sure much longer.

ELLA SRI LANKA

Ella (or Elle as the locals call it), has approximately 45.000 residents and is located at 1000m altitude, being surrounded by beautiful and infinite fields of tea plantations. We loved it from the moment we arrived there. Although Ella can be reached in different ways, by private or public transportation, most tourists arrive by train from Kandy, mostly after the trip with the train has been so much advertised due to the beautiful landscapes that can be seen on the way. We were curious to find out what all the fuss is about, so we bought train tickets for what we hoped would be a beautiful experience. And it was!

ELLA SRI LANKA

During the 6 hours long ride we could admire wide green tea plantations, villages and waterfalls. Unfortunately, getting tickets for this trip can be a very challenging experience and being trapped in a crowded carriage with no possibility to look outside is for sure nobody‘s desire. Many travelers mentioned that people go off and on the train often, mainly locals that travel short distances, so it is very possible to get a seat even if you were unlucky to find only 2nd or 3rd class tickets.

ELLA SRI LANKA

Where to stay

At the arrival in Ella, there is no need to worry about transportation. As in most places in Sri Lanka, tuk-tuks will be waiting outside the station to bring you to the accommodation. But, as most of the accommodations are located in the immediate vicinity, walking to your hostel or hotel is as easy as taking a tuk-tuk, but obviously cheaper.

ELLA SRI LANKA

 

The main part of Ella offers countless accommodation options, but we thought that it might be a good idea to spend the first night closer to the tee fields, at the Backpackers Paradise camp, where, for more than a reasonable price, we got to wake up in a comfy tent overlooking a small tea plantation. The host was very friendly and made our stay truly special.

ELLA SRI LANKA

Where to eat?

There are many restaurants and bars in Ella. The food is relatively expensive in comparison to Kandy or Colombo. We went always to small local restaurants and ate mainly vegetarian food, but we could definitely feel that we were in a touristic place. For those that don’t always feel the need to be in a fancy place and care also about their budget, you should know that there is a supermarket in the touristic area, which has a small restaurant inside where they serve fresh rice and curry at a reasonable price.

Anywhere in Ella, you will find fruits and vegetables and every Wednesday, there is a small market along the Ella Passara road where locals sell fresh food. Western food is also largely available.

Street food was our favorite. Rotis, samosas, fried Daal made it on our menu quite often, especially when we went for hikes and wanted to have a snack with us. A big tasty Roti with potatoes and a spicy filling can be purchased for as little as 50 – 100 lkr (less than 50 cents).

What to do in Ella?

Ella has many nice spots to explore. It is a hiker‘s paradise, be it either an experienced hiker or a regular tourist eager to conquer the Little Adam’s Peak or the Ella Rock.

ELLA SRI LANKA

 

We climbed both of them. The hikes were easy and pleasant and we were rewarded with spectacular views.

Little Adam’s Peak is more accessible, but it felt less crowded. What we enjoyed observing was the interest of the locals in maintaining the mountain clean and make it pleasant for everyone to climb it.

 

Ella Rock felt a bit more challenging due to the many routes leading to the top, but there are always villagers around willing to guide you (in return for a small fee, of course). For many locals, it became a sort of business guiding tourists to the top of the giant rock. Some tourists reported that they have been sent in wrong directions in order to find themselves lost after and later to be „saved“ by friendly locals that helped them find the way back. We found all the routes marked on our mobile app Maps.Me, so we declined any help and found the way easily.

ELLA SRI LANKA

Other highlights of our stay were visiting the Nine Arch Bridge and one of the Tea Factories in the area, where we learned about the process of producing quality tea and tasted from different types of tea.

 

Interested in visiting Ella? Find more inspiration in our gallery.

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Kandy – our best food experience in Sri Lanka

We finally arrived in Sri Lanka. We got our visa extension and were already excited about exploring this beautiful country. So, after spending only one night in Colombo, we went straight to the train station early in the following morning. A local bus took us from our accommodation to the Fort (the city center in Colombo) where we planned to board the train to Kandy.

If you want to book a train seat in Sri Lanka you need to be fast and plan it way in advance. As we usually travel spontaneously, we could only buy tickets for the second or third class. The third class is usually very crowded and we knew that we might not get a seat in the second class either, but we were optimistic until we saw the train….

Train Ride from Colombo to Kandy

I have never seen a train that was so full, not even in India. It was incredible how many people were inside: students, workers, businessmen, backpackers, families and, of course, a lot of luggage. As we left very early at 06.00am, we arrived in Kandy around 10.00am and could go directly to explore the city.

We really wanted to do the famous train ride from Kandy to Ella two days later, so we decided to ask directly at the train station if there were seats available. We did not want to have the same experience again, mostly for the reason that the train ride this time would take around 7.00 hours. Unfortunately, we were not lucky and our mood was a bit down when thinking about the upcoming train ride that we expected to be a highlight of our stay in Sri Lanka.

Kandy City

Like in most cities in Sri Lanka, life happens around the clock tower: buses, dogs, food sellers, Tuk-Tuks. Everything and everybody is rushing.

KANDY SRI LANKA

 

We got caught by the vibe of Sri Lanka and enjoyed the new experience to the maximum, located in central Sri Lanka and is surrounded by mountains and tea plantations. We started our sightseeing in the same morning, after our arrival, and explored the local market and walked around the Kandy Lake, passing the famous Buddhist temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa). At the lake, we could admire different kinds of birds.

Our best place to eat was Hela Bojun Hala, a little food market that has several branches in Sri Lanka and where they serve a variety of Sri Lankan dishes and sweets for very low prices. We found it to be the best opportunity to try local foods.

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Lucky moment

On our way back to the Hostel we decided to go back to the train station as we have read about a Luxury Train going to Ella (or Elle how they say in Sri Lanka). We did not consider this option earlier because we thought we could not afford it anyway and we wanted to have an authentic experience by traveling with the regular train.

We came at the right moment. The counter was about to close when we asked about the availability. There were still 4 available places, only that the train would leave the following morning at 6.00am. The price was the same as for the normal 1st class, which was much higher compared to 2nd or 3rd classes but we would have had a guaranteed seat. The only problem was that we suddenly had to change our plan and stay one day less in Kandy.

We decided to book the tickets and did not regret it. We found out that this train runs only during the weekend and is an additional train, as also many locals take the ride to Ella, especially on weekends.

So we said goodbye to Kandy, but only for a short time, as we would return there soon. Here you will reach the article for our second stay in Kandy.

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Colombo – the capital city of Sri Lanka

Our first stop in Sri Lanka was Negombo, a city close to the airport and not far from the capital Colombo (40 km far). We arrived very late at night and were happy that our host picked us up and brought us to his beautiful home. Unfortunately, we spent there only a short night, as we were planning already on the following day to go to the office of immigration to extend our visa.

 

Visa for Sri Lanka

Usually, the e-visa (Sri Lanka ETA) can be required online (www.eta.gov.lk) at a cost of 35$ for a double-entry and will allow you to stay up to 30 days in the country. We wanted to stay longer in order to arrive at a proper time in India after the monsoon would come to an end. Therefore we had to visit the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Battaramulla, Colombo.

For the extension of the visa, we had to pay 26,80 $ (Miriam – Germany) and 31$ (Alex – Romania). The whole process lasted around 2 hours and was very well organized.

Moving around

The best way to move around in Colombo are tuk-tuks, that can be called over the mobile apps PickMe or Uber. Of course, you can also just jump in one tuk-tuk and ask them to use the meter to ensure that in the end, you will pay a fair price. We found it more convenient with the app because we lost less time explaining to the driver where we wanted to go. It also helped us to compare the prices, as sometimes rides in one app were cheaper than in the other. Given the time of the day when you want to move around, you might also realize that sometimes the meter price is more convenient, depending on where you go. In Colombo, there are also many local buses that can be used at very cheap rates.

COLOMBO SRI LANKA

Accommodation in Colombo

The second night in Sri Lanka we spent in a very nice backpacker hostel in the heart of Colombo, which allowed us to easily reach the train station, from where we would travel to our next destination, Kandy.  We liked the owner of the Hostel so much, that we decided to come back to the same hostel at our future visit to the city. He gave us a lot of good advises for the rest of the journey through his country and informed us about how to take trains, buses and where to find good food.

Our first contact with Sri Lanka was absolutely positive and throughout the whole stay, we felt in love with the country even more. In Colombo, you find very well equipped supermarkets, good transportation options, cheap and great local food and polite people.

COLOMBO SRI LANKA

 

The first stop in Colombo was only short as on the 3rd day we took a very early train towards Kandy. During our second time, we really discovered more about this lovely city.

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Some curious facts about Indonesia

Indonesia is a country that surprised us in many ways. I thought I knew how Indonesia was, as I have been in Bali years before, but Bali is very different from the other places we visited.

Indonesia is the 4th biggest country in the world with regards to its people, so it is easy to imagine how much variety it has to offer. We summarized 5 curious facts about Indonesia.

Fact #1 Photographs

In Indonesia, we definitely took more pictures than in other countries, but not with our camera. Many of the locals wanted to have a picture taken with us, much more than in China or in India, which sometimes felt quite funny. Once we’ve been stopped by the police as they wanted a selfie with us. You might think they are so crazy for pictures because they do not see tourists or „white“ people very often, but no no no, they ask tourists for pictures in order to get more likes on Social Media. But while most people asked nicely for a picture, many times pictures of us were taken in a sneaky or pushy way what we did not like. We do not take pictures of other people either without asking them.

Fact #2 Islands

To discover Indonesia takes a lot of time, as the country is the one with the most islands in the world. In total, the country counts more than 18.000 islands and more than 900 of them are inhabited. The biggest ones are Borneo, Papua/New Guinea and Sumatra. The capital Jakarta is located on the island of Java, the most populous island in the world.

Fact #3 Big bigger Indonesia

Indonesia’s biggest Islands are also some of the biggest ones in the world. And not just the islands are big, but also one of the biggest stadiums (Gelora Bung Karno Stadium) in Asia is located in Indonesia. Lake Toba in Sumatra is the biggest volcanic lake in the world and Jakarta is the biggest city in South East Asia and the second biggest conurbation city in the world. Borobudur temple in Central Java is the largest Buddhist temple in the world with more than 500 Buddha statues. Indonesia is also home to the biggest Muslim community in the world. Also, the biggest flower and the biggest snake are found in this country.

YOGYAKARTA JAVA INDONESIA

Fact #4 Volcanoes

The volcanoes are a magnificent part of the country and of the well-known “ring of fire”, which stretches along the Pacific Ocean’s coast and sum up more than 60% of the active volcanoes in the world. In total, Indonesia counts around 150 active volcanoes.

MOUNT IJEN JAVA INDONESIA

Fact #5 Durian

Indonesia was the country where we had our first encounter with the Durian fruit. The fruit looks similar to the Jack fruit but has a terrible smell, similar to sulfur. It smells so bad, that in trains and hotels it is forbidden to eat it. I tried it and I cannot say I liked it. However, there are some people that like it very much and I guess it is depending also on the fruit itself if it is ripe enough or not.

DURIAN FRUIT

Image by truthseeker08 from Pixabay

See more pictures from Indonesia here.

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Yogyakarta – culture, history and coffee

As an island nation, Indonesia offers access to a large number of beach paradises and spectacular natural landscapes. It is by far one of the most impressive travel destinations in the world. But apart from its natural wonders, history and culture are the other two aspects that make it worth visiting.

 

The city of Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is one of Indonesia’s biggest and most diverse cities, offering access to a reach number of experiences.

We chose a colorful hostel for the 6 days that we spent there, in a more touristy neighborhood, where we could enjoy the variety of delicious local coffee and food. It’s been one of the best coffee experiences in Asia… did we mention that we love coffee very much?

But apart from the good coffee and the chill atmosphere of the place, what we enjoyed most here was the chance to meet again with our friends from Sumatra, whose travel route matched a few times with ours, giving us the chance to meet again and again.

The city offers also a cultural experience. Try visiting the Sultan’s castle (The Kraton), the Taman Sari Water Castle or the Sonobudoyo Museum for an insider look into the local traditions. See the work of skilled artists handcrafting leather puppets, jewelry and batik.

 

Borobudur Temple and Prambanan Temple

Even if the country’s main religion is Islam, the two main attractions in Joghyakarta are the largest Buddhist temple in the world, Borobudur, and the biggest Hindu temple in Indonesia, Prambanan.

We found the tour organized by our hostel to be the most convenient and cheapest option and it included the visit of both temples in one day. Other travelers prefer to ride a scooter and have the freedom to move around and enjoy more time at the sights.

The tour started early, at 4 o’clock in the morning, so we could climb the stairs of the Borobudur temple before the sunrise. The funny thing about Indonesia is that most of the touristic experiences start at sunrise and nobody would advise otherwise.

The morning light and the mist surrounding the temple create kind of a magical atmosphere when you walk up the stairs to the top of it. Unfortunately, the crowd of tourists armed with selfie sticks, climbing everywhere for a more spectacular picture, ruins the magic fast. But even so, for us it has been a beautiful experience.

YOGYAKARTA JAVA INDONESIA

The history of the temple remains uncertain until recent times. Abandoned for years, it was discovered and renovated by the British ruler of Java in 1814, being today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Decorated with 504 Buddha statues and more than 2000 relief panels, it is an important place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The pilgrimage journey starts at the base of the monument and follows a path around it, ascending to the top through three symbolic levels of Buddhist cosmology.

 

The Prambanan Temple

While the sun started to move up the sky, so did we towards the Prambanan Temple. The mystical air was not part of the atmosphere anymore, but large crowds of people were. Luckily the area is large enough to accommodate a high number of visitors and give everyone a chance to enjoy exploring the site. Actually, while moving away from the central buildings of the complex of temples, we found smaller ones and almost completely ignored by the tourists, but equally beautiful. There is the option to rent a bike and move around the complex. Also, you can end the tour with a refreshing drink and a tasty snack at the food stalls inside the area.

YOGYAKARTA JAVA INDONESIA

 

The Prambanan Temple is one of the largest in Southeast Asia, dating back to the 9th century. Damaged by the earthquake in the 16th century, the ruins of the temples have been abandoned and rediscovered in 1811, but the reconstruction of the temple started only one decade later. The project required a lot of effort, due to the advanced level of damage. Most of the smaller shrines are now visible only in their foundations.

 

Mangunan Fruit Garden in Yogyakarta

If sunrises are your thing, you should know that Yogyakarta has plenty of spots where you can admire a perfect landscape under the morning light. The Mangunan Fruit Garden is one of those spots and, even if there aren’t many fruits around, despite the name, there are many viewpoints and platforms for picture lovers. After the full day tour at the two temples, we found it difficult to wake up for another sunrise, so we went there in the afternoon. The walk around was nice, although the afternoon felt very hot. It is a popular spot among locals for spending the free time, so be ready to share the place with many people and to be invited to take pictures with them.

 

At the end of the six days in Yogyakarta, we moved towards Jakarta, the capital of the country, which didn’t impress us as much as the other places we already visited in Indonesia. Probably, if we had a bit more time, we could have discovered more beautiful things, even in a big and crowded city like Jakarta. But at the end of our journey in Indonesia, we were already excited about discovering our future destinations, Sri Lanka and India.

For more pictures from Yogyakarta click here.

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