An early start avoided the heat and the crowds
Having visited Kandy on two previous occasions, we were looking for something different and thought the Royal Botanic Gardens Peradeniya would be a good option. As day time temperatures were over 30 degrees, our guide, Ahmed, suggested an early start and at 8.15am the ticket office was deserted. The entrance fee was 2,000 Rupees/£7.30 each […]…
Simple, tasty food
Another Silver Traveller had recommended a small local restaurant right outside our hotel, The Ozo in Kandy. He’d even sent me a photograph so I could find it, as the restaurant had no name. However, on arrival at The Ozo, it was hard to miss what was now called ‘No Name Restaurant’ which was open […]…
Hotel Ozo – fine but not oustanding
Whilst travelling around Sri Lanka, we spent two nights at the Hotel Ozo which was well situated within walking distance of Lake Kandy, but at the top of a hill steep enough to make you puff. As befits a large city centre hotel, check-in was formal and there was no welcome drink. The rooms were […]…
A wonderful explosion of tastes and flavours
Whilst touring Sri Lanka, our itinerary included a culinary tour of Kandy and we met our guide, Ujith, at a Hela Bojun Hala on the city’s outskirts. These are food courts of open kitchens, serving a range of traditional dishes at prices subsidised by the Ministry of Agriculture, with the intention of both promoting local […]…
Time for a cup of Ceylon tea
Ceylon tea is world renown and on route from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy, we passed several tea estates, many which offered free tours and tastings. We chose the Glenloch Tea Estate to explore the various processes involved from plucking to cup. Our guide, elegant in a beautiful sari, firstly explained the seven factory processes: withering, […]…
An easy trek to Chimney Pond
Lonely Planet describes Horton Plains National Park as an ‘eerie, cold and bleak, but starkly beautiful highland plateau in the shadows of Sri Lanka’s second and third highest mountains’. The park was a 90-minute drive from our hotel in Nanu Oya and, because of high daytime temperatures, we set off at 5.30am. The narrow road […]…
An afternoon of diverse sights
Whilst staying at the Langdale Boutique Hotel, we took in an afternoon sightseeing trip to nearby Nuwara Eliya, a 30-minute drive away. The Sri Lankan city is often dubbed “Little England” due to its cool climate and colonial-era bungalows. Having passed the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, established in 1889, and huge old fir trees, we […]…
A reviving cup of tea at the top would have been appreciated
Whilst staying at the Langdale Boutique Hotel, in Sri Lanka’s hill country, a walk through their tea estate was recommended. Due to the heat, it was suggested we leave at either 7am or 4.30pm, and we chose the latter. We set off not really knowing what to expect, but immediately began heading up the side […]…
Ideal for rest and relaxation in Sri Lanka’s Hill Country
During our month-long tour of Sri Lanka, we visited the highland tea growing area, staying at Langdale Boutique Hotel by Amaya for three nights. The hotel, the former home of the founder of the surrounding tea plantation, resembled an English country house with beautifully manicured lawns, flower beds, and vegetable patch complete with white picket […]…
A scenic, but slow train journey
Although most of our Sri Lanka tour was by car, our itinerary included the scenic train journey between Ella and Nanu Oya (the stop for the hill station of Nuwara Eliya). Whilst waiting on the platform for the 9.17am train, it was hard to miss the station manager, resplendent in his white suit with gold […]…
Leopard spotting in Yala National Park
Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park consists of five areas, known rather boringly as blocks. Whilst staying at Ceylon Wild Safaris, we enjoyed game drives in 1 (the most popular), 3, and 5. 2 was said to be rarely visited due to its remoteness and 4 was never mentioned. As the drive to the park entrances […]…
Camping at Ceylon Wild Safaris
Whilst visiting Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park, we stayed at a campsite run by Ceylon Wild Safaris on an all-inclusive package. The six tents are luxurious, with a double bed, cream three-piece suite, coffee table and books, open hanging space with robes and safe, and lots of space. We also had AC, Wi-Fi and plenty […]…
