Kandy - A different world

 I looked out the window of the car as we were being driven up the winding roads of Kandy (116 kms from Colombo) and felt the cool breeze, 26 degrees to be precise, inhaled unpolluted air, noticed tall dense trees, pristine white Buddha statues adorned with Lotus flowers at every corner, and marveled at the driving skills of our host who navigated flawlessly as he whisked us to our hotel. I instantly liked the place and looked forward to discovering a part of Srilanka.

Kandy a hill station is an ideal getaway for locals and tourists. We had opted for a homely stay and decided to stay at a Kandy View Garden Hotel which offered comfortable cozy rooms and a common kitchen where we could cook. The view from the room was breathtaking - since we arrived at night Kandy city was shining in all her glory under full moon reminding me of Sinatra’s song "Fly me to the moon."

 

If night journey felt like taking a ride to Hogwarts castle the morning sight was equally mystical. The sun sneaking into our room through the netted curtain, the lush green leaves devoid of any dust, cascading roads, and the chug of a local train could be heard at a distance, birds hopping from tree to tree and we enjoyed this view from the villa balcony sipping freshly brewed tea.

After sampling typical Srilankan breakfast - Kiribath which is rice cooked in coconut milk we start off towards the first visit - Sigiriya. Ranked as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this is a 200metre rock which is perched like a bird and offers tourists opportunity to trek up the mountain and soak in a different view of the city from the top. What amazed us was the sight of elderly men and women who climbed this rock bare foot with ease.

After a tiring walk down the rock, our friendly guide stopped at a village eatery where we gorged on typical Lankan lunch which consists of rice (two varieties - white and red), fresh lake fish sambol, beans curry and papad.

Our next stop was the Dambulla Buddha temple. Another World Heritage Site,The rock towers 160 m over the surrounding plains. There are more than 80 documented caves and  major attractions are spread over 5 caves, which contain statues and paintings. We reached this place just before sunset and enjoyed watching the sun go down behind the plains.

Everywhere you go there is cleanliness in Kandy - the streets, the river, tourists areas are spotless. There are no plastic covers strewn carelessly on the road. We even saw a cleaner sweeping the streets at 6pm. River Mahaweli Ganga flows majestically through the city and tastes sweet. 

In terms of expenses, we coughed a bit on travel, food and entry fees. We found out that tourists from SAARC countries had a better discount from other nationalities for entry fees at tourist spots. So ensure you carry a copy of the passport everywhere.

Since Lanka was colonized by the British like India, some influence is left behind like the bakeries around. Six days we gorged on mouthwatering pastries and sweets breads which were fresh and delicious. What's amazing is the gratitude the locals showered on us when they knew we were Indians. We were greeted with the same lines, "You are from India...you got Buddha to our country and How is your new PM...Mr.Modi?

Easy to commute, Kandy city is well connected and one can opt to travel by local bus, train, tuk-tuk or hire a cab to roam the city. One can save money if you commute by local bus which is very convenient.

Personally my husband and I felt we could have skipped Pinnawala elephant orphanage. After a two hour drive we landed at a well maintained orphanage where there were herd of elephants(around 30) hustling around in an open area. At 10 am precisely their mahouts blew the whistle when the herd walked about 100 yards and entered river opposite the orphanage for their daily bath. Coming from India where we have seen elephants at a young age, we felt the entry this tourist spot can be given a miss.

Over-all Kandy was like devouring a sweet candy which satiated and yet left you wanting for more.

Must visit places in and around Kandy: Cultural show which showcases the local dance and culture, take a walk around Kandy Lake at dawn and watch the city unwind, Royal Botanical Garden in Peradiniya is a Nature Lover’s paradise with over 4000 varieties of plants, includes spices, orchids, palm trees and medicinal plants, Nuwara Eilya located South of Kandy - average temperature of 16degrees this place reminds you of Ooty, breathtaking journey to this place via train or road where you pass through magnificent waterfalls at Ramboda, which plunge over the cliffs in two adjacent 100m cataracts. From Ramboda, it’ a short drive on to Labookelie Tea Factory and Nuwara Eliya.

 

http://hotels.comlanka.com/hotel/kandy-view-garden-hotel

Experience serenity at Galibore Fishing Camp

An unique wedding gift to us – one night stay at Galibore Fishing camp got us driving down to the venue on a Saturday morning. Not far from Bangalore (100 kms) we started on our journey at 9 am after eating breakfast.

Being a weekend we reached Kanakapura road in one and a half hour after than we resorted to asking passer-bys for directions. There were direction signage’s 50 kms to the resort which helped us reach the venue faster.  The last 10 kms was quite bumpy and required skillful driving on uneven mud and pathway of stones. Since the resort is located in a jungle the natural habitat is kept untouched.

We parked and were greeted by a friendly staff member who welcomed us and took us to the office. After a quick hassle free registration we were escorted to our individual cottage which overlooks the river bank.

The camp initially allowed angling of fishes where one could angle large masheers but the government has banned fishing since 2011. Nevertheless the camp offers whole lot of fun activities like Coracle rides, rafting (during season), trekking and nature walk.

 

There are 15 cottages which is spacious with comfortable beds and very clean bathrooms. There are solar panels hence there is power supply throughout the day.

A quick look around the place we saw inviting hammocks around the place, swings not attached to metal but was attached to tall strong trees and when you swung and looked up at the sky you saw the sun sneaking through the wide branches of the deciduous forest.  For sport enthusiasts there are badminton rackets, volley ball and cycles available.

We were most excited to see the rafting boats which were parked on the river bank and set our date for rafting around 3.30pm. After a quick wash we were voraciously hungry and headed to the Gol Ghar where a buffet lunch awaited us. The food was sumptuous and healthy with a spread ranging from hot rotis, lots of vegetables, bowl of fruits and dessert as well.

The camp was full and it was delightful to see children running around exploring the swings and enjoying nature. At sharp 3.30pm we were taken by jeep 6 kms upstream where we could raft down. The best time to go rafting is during monsoons when the river is full and rapids are high. We were lucky that it had rained the previous day and Cauvery was at her mighty full (80 feet of water). Our instructors’ gave us thorough instructions on how to navigate and use the paddles in the water. That done we got into our rafts and set sail. The sight was one that gets itched in your memory – cascading river flowing through dense forest and you are wading through Mother Nature in a rubber raft – very different experience from driving in traffic. There were high rapids the last one km stretch and it was fun going up and down the rapids. At one point the instructors’ even made us jump into the water so that we could overcome fear of water.

After a fun rafting experience we had coffee and went on a different boat ride – Coracle ride. We were lucky to spot crocodile taking in the sun – sunbathing I would call it. We were glad he didn’t move after seeing us. We even spotted colorful Kingfisher and wild pigeons across the bank.

As the sun set in jungle and birds returned to the safety of their homes the guests gathered around camp fire where we snacked on barbequed chicken and munched on peanuts.

After yet another pleasing dinner we retired to the cottage so that we can wake up fresh and early for our nature walk. One can opt for a mountain hike as well where you can see a beautiful view of the forest and experience strong wind. That’s how the place got its name – ‘ Gali’ means wind and ‘bore’ is rock. We wanted to spot animals hence chose nature walk – our must see animal on the trip was the endangered giant squirrel. Our guide took us to the berry tree and assured us that squirrel will definitely come here as this was his favourite fruit. And sure enough we heard rustling of branches and a giant squirrel jumped from tree top to reach his favourite tree. As he munched on his breakfast we took some pictures and set off on our walk.

We spotted colorful Kingfisher on the river bank, a search for crocodiles didn’t leave us disappointed as we saw one receding into the water (we only had time to take a pic of his tail as he entered water). Further up the walk further away from us we saw a group of spotted deer running deep into the forest. At a distance we heard the screams of a mother bird who was protecting her chicks from a preying owl.

Our guide showed us huge pits in the ground which he said was dug by wild boars. We saw many paw prints belonging to boars, deer’s, also a trail mark where crocodile slid by earlier and lot dung droppings.

After a satisfactory walk we headed back to the cottage and gorged on heavy breakfast. After another round of coffee we recounted our walk with fellow guests.

It was time to head back to the grind and we reluctantly packed our bags. We agreed that this trip was relaxing and definitely recharged us. A great trip with sweet memories just like how it is meant to be.

 Distance from Bangalore: 100 Kms

Location: Kanakapura Road

Directions: Come towards Banshankari and drive straight on Kanakapura Road towards Sangam

Tips: Carry torch which will come handy in the night, comfortable shoes for trekking, don’t leave the cottage unlocked as there are lot of monkeys’ who are very skillful in opening doors

http://www.junglelodges.com/galibore-nature-camp