Miracle!
We drove with the aim of swimming, diving, driving as much as possible around the country. First, we turned to a travel agency (tested on ourselves many times, Select Black SI). The manager offered a choice of several tours, 8 nights. After looking at the information on the Internet, we stopped at Koggala Long Beach from News Travel. When we had already decided to redeem, we took a closer look at the schedule with the manager Alesya (many thanks to her). it turned out. 6 nights is real! We wanted to travel around the country and visit Kandy, Colombo. Nothing optimal was found, the wife agreed to go savages. We bought tickets for Hey Arabia, about $ 1.500 for two. Convenient schedule, departure around 14 from Kyiv, around 04 from Colombo, arrival around 03 in Colombo, around 13 in Kyiv. We drove from Yalta. Convenient connection with Kyiv-Simferopol trains. About Air Arabia - nothing wrong if you don't have to drink on the plane. Indeed, in Kyiv they take away everything that is piercing, cutting, all liquids in containers over 100 ml.
They even checked the shaving gel (100 ml. ). Water (2 x 0.5 was thrown away, then bought for 20 UAH at the airport and in vain. On board - 0.9 dollars. Bottle 0.5 (cheaper than in Yalta on the embankment). Feeding is normal, they took sandwiches with them, but in vain. 0.5 kg type of pilaf - 8 USD etc. service is normal About visa - we booked a hotel without a card and prepayment - there are many of them. ) March 13.2014, a day before departure, at 23:00 for myself and my wife, transferred money, 15 minutes later I received confirmation, printed it out, took it with me. and, as far as I saw, the only ones, the rest created a queue at the ETA counter, although, given the early time, it’s okay. The officer was given a printout from the ETA, nothing more. After 2 minutes, we received passports with visas and went to the exit We drove without luggage, with 2 - backpacks).
We decided to go to Hikkaduwa by train from the Fort station, to the station - by bus. left the terminal, turned left, after 20 meters - to the right, went out the gate, turned left and after 30 meters across the road - bus stop 187. Goes to Central Station, the central bus station (about 200m from Fort). Arrived about 1 hour. The first train has already left, the next - in 1 hour. returned to the bus station. We found a bus to Matara (goes through Hikkaduwa), sat in the first places, then regretted it, it was very scary! We don't understand the way they drive. Do not hesitate to ask in English, everyone can explain. try to ask people. at work (police officers, salespeople, drivers, etc. ). the rest, most likely, will stick to see off and beg for money. In general, the people are very hospitable, decent. I didn’t hear about thefts, I didn’t come across deceptions, except that once in the market, buying an outlandish fruit, the boy asked for $ 1.
apiece, in another city it turned out - a kilogram. The road goes over the ocean, very beautiful. After 2 hours they arrived and left. Wife immediately became very ill (morally). Heat, dust, dirt, poverty, noise, many destroyed, abandoned, simply neglected buildings, plus the road (about 2 days). We reached the armored hotel Apollo. We looked at the number. Horror. The wife said. that this is not a hotel and she got even worse. We thought about going to Koggala, where the agency offered. I offered to go, look for something for the night, come to my senses and go in the morning to look for a hotel. Find something worth less than $ 120 did not work stopped in Kral Reef. Plus - the price of $ 38 with breakfast, a room with a front view of the ocean, a decent beach, clean bedding, air conditioning. minus everything else. The next morning we swam, walked around the neighborhood, did not find anything suitable, and spent the night at night. Inside again went to look for a hotel. They did not take out breakfast (dirty tablecloths, chairs, kettle, etc. ).
The owner of the restaurant where we had dinner recommended the hotel across the street. They went, moved and were not mistaken. Hotel Hikkaduwa Beach. Room on the 2nd floor with a panoramic (super) view of the ocean. $70 BB. The hotel is worn out, but in Lanka, I understand, no one bothers about cleanliness and repairs. everything worked. Free safe at the porter. Wi-Fi in the room, skype worked. The weather is super. Ocean ...We drove before and after the settlement the entire southwestern coast - we didn’t find better. There are better hotels - Citrus, Caaya Tranz (160 and 240 USD respectively). If you sit in a hotel, you can pay. We didn't sit. These hotels are located nearby and all tourists go to one common beach. The beach is the best on the entire coast (enclosed by a coral reef, you can safely swim all the time, including at night - I recommend it, the depth is up to 2 meters). The best section of this beach is located between Hikkaduwa beach and, in my opinion, Coral rocks by Amaya (120 USD). Killed by the 2004 tsunami, the reef comes to life. Such a variety and quantity of fish have not been seen in Sharm al-Sheikh.
many turtles swim, starfish, beautiful huge shells were found. Near the bay, flocks of 200 colorful pieces, a little deeper and farther, flocks of 10-12 large, 40-60 cm, different, were encountered. We took pictures (we took a case, masks, tubes with us). The only small negative is the slightly cloudy water, due to the sand. visibility 5-7m. Super! . Plus water 28-30. The main thing is not to burn out. The only thing to be careful = along the coast in front of the hotel = a very strong northern current, carries somewhere into the bay. Everything is nearby - a market, shops, a fish market, a good inexpensive restaurant - opposite the hotel, two-story (dinner - $ 15-17 for two with beer). Breakfast at the hotel is normal buffet. They took dinner for a sample - they brought stale fish, told the chef and refused. The bed is clean, the attitude of the staff is good. If you are traveling for the sake of nature, the ocean and impressions, then you are here. If you didn’t feel like paying two or three times more for new furniture and doors, then in Citrus, Caaya Tranz.
We traveled mostly by bus. Came out, waved his hand, went. Bus conductors charge as much as they should. Very cheap: Colombo - Hikkaduwa - about $ 2. On buses, destinations are duplicated in English. It is very convenient to take a tuk-tuk for short distances. From 35 to 50 rupees 1 km. 11 dollars - 124 rupees. We went and saw Koggala Long Beach. The hotel is cool, but the room with BB $ 140, there is nothing nearby, some two cafes and the ocean is constantly stormy. We went to Galle. Nice fort. Very convenient junction bus station for movement. The next day - watch Blowhole. such a break in the rock near the ocean, from which a fountain of water escapes. Worth a look. We got to Galle, from there - to Matara. thence to Dickwell. From there to some kind of fork (4 km. , It was better to take a tuk-tuk, on the way back they took for 300 rupees). Then we walked 800 meters through the picturesque village. The next day - rest by the ocean and a walk around Hikkaduwa, markets, shops.
We bought squids at the fish market, 1 kg. - 600 rupees. I cleaned it myself, filled it with boiling water in a plastic bottle (we always take a boiler), and you're done. With beer class! Shopping, souvenirs, shopping. Everything is cheap, but you need to look for quality. You can trade almost everywhere. about products, etc. - very often there is a price on the packaging (look) prices in small shops and stores can vary by half (in stores they are lower and fixed). We went swimming at night. Very good.
The next day we went to the Sinharaja reserve. We agreed with a tuk-tuk in an hour, took a dip and drove off. We drove for about 2 hours. The driver kept asking for directions, we passed plantations of coconuts, tea, drove into such jungle ...I understand that we drove from the back of the main entrance, to a place where there are no tourists. Very beautiful! They did not regret it, although they returned by 6 pm already. They saw the country from the inside. Paid 2700 rupees. March 23 by bus went to Colombo.
There are regular minibuses with air conditioning, seats for 30. The ticket is slightly more expensive than the bus, the time is about the same. We got to the bus station, took a tuk-tuk and went to the Shalimar hotel (250 rupees). The hotel was booked after reading the review, because of the convenient location and low price. Air-conditioned room 4500 rupees per night without breakfast. For Lanka, the hotel is not bad. Minus - no fridge, noisy, windows to the street. But there is a kettle. There is Wi-Fi, but it didn't work in the room. Nothing to see in Colombo. The catering is also not very good. Dirty, scary. We bought a train ticket for 07-00 the next day to Kandy, in the 1st class, a panoramic car. 350 rupees per ticket. They said to come by 06:45. We've arrived. The train left on schedule. The car was half empty. next to us was a Muscovite. traveler. The car is shabby, but with a toilet, clean. Very beautiful road! In Paradeniya (6 km. to Kandy) is the Royal Botanical Garden. We saw the name of the station, got off, took a tuk-tuk for 200 rupees.
The entrance to the garden is 1000 rupees for foreigners, for locals - 50. Beautiful, but not impressive. You will go - take bananas. Flocks of monkeys sit in the crowns of trees and when they see bananas they run towards you. From the garden to Kandy - by bus for 70 rupees. I liked Kandy better than Colombo. Type Moscow - St. Petersburg ...We visited the Temple of the Tooth Relic. As expected, fine. Entrance 1000 rupees. Women - a skirt. My wife had to buy. They also looked askance at me in shorts (it was necessary below the knees, lowered). We went back by bus. Mountain road, scary, long. The train is better. And queues for buses. There was a plane at night. Slightly stingy, lay down until 12 at night, did not fall asleep. the porter ordered a transfer to the airport - 2500 rupees, a good new car. The porter woke up, arrived at the airport. waited. Cool tea - 50 rupees, in Boryspil - 25 UAH! They carried water, food, and fruits on the plane, in my opinion, even alcohol, except for dangerous ones. Delayed for an hour. The flight is excellent.
Connections between planes in Sharjah are about 30 minutes, but, as I understand it, Air Arabia Sharjah has a home port and everything has been worked out. Haven't heard of any problems. Special respect to the pilots. When we landed in Kyiv, at the time when there were skids, I got scared, the strip was cleaned with fragments, by 75 percent. We landed perfectly. Only an aircraft of Azerbaijani airlines was in the visibility zone. Yes, regarding purchases, they made in Hikkaduwa, Colombo, Kandy. The best place for shopping is Kandy. We bought a SIM card dialogue at the airport - 1500 rupees. On account 700. They asked me to set up the tablet - no problem. The Internet is not worse than ours. I will not write everything else, there are enough practical tips. Conclusions: nature - 5, ocean - 5, hotels - 3, shopping - 4, food - 4, transport - 4, people -5. Overall impression - 5. As for swimming and the underwater world - a better beach than between Hikkaduwa Beach and Citrus in the southwest You will not find it!
