Sri Lanka

[winz]

So a friend and I booked flights to Sri Lanka for the end of March.

Has anyone got any personal recommendations of places to see and things to do? I'm having a look on Trip Advisor, but we only have 10 days and don't want to be darting around and missing the good stuff.

Cheers
____________________
Current Bikes: BMW K1200S
Previous: Honda CBR929RR, Honda CBR1100XX, Honda CB600F

[Rogerborg]

Any local who approaches you to "practice their English" will rob your phone.

If you buy a replacement and go to the monkey temple, the monkeys will rob you again

The rozzers won't give a stuff about you being robbed other than to try and charge you for giving you a crime number for your insurance.

Courtesy of a young lad in our office who got his eyes opened good and proper. They grow up so fast these days.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[grr666]

Make sure you have your injections. I'd probably make sure your life insurance is paid up as well.
____________________
Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[fatjames]

I went a few years ago, it's a beautiful place to visit.
There's a lot of coast, so seafood is plentiful. I love fish, so was in heaven. The local lager is really nice too (Lion) and everything is super cheap.
The Udawalawe national park is nice for a day out, we hired a man and a jeep to take us round. I get a bit bored with things like this, so wouldn't recommnend going for any longer than a day with lunch in the middle.
Also really liked Bentota, it's a bit more of a beach resort with elephant rides and boat trips into the mangroves to see "crocodiles"... more like lizzards and birds.
Also went to Kandy, there was a huge festival, lots of elephants in fancy dress and kids playing with swords and ribbons.
Getting around is nice and easy, tuktuks can be found everywhere and are cheap. But if you're travelling around, get a train.
Street food is nice too. Their local fish and chips equivelent is chota roti which is diced fried roti with fish/meat / sauce etc. Very simple, but lush. Kinda like a smashed up chicken kebab served on a page of magazine. With strips of magazine to clean your hands with after.
Usual Asian precausions need to be taken - get your jabs, only drink bottled water, avoid salads and be insured.
Oh, climb sigiriaya too. It takes about an hour and the views are amazing.

[RhynoCZ]

Don't step on the deadly Mexican staring frog of southern Sri Lanka.
____________________
'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Rogerborg]

[fatjames]

[scorps]

I was lucky enough to spend two months there so travelled all over the place. Kandi for the elephant orphanage is a must, Dambulla Rock, spectacular panoramic views from the top, going out on a glass bottomed boat to see turtles, The tea plantations and waterfalls, actually far too many fabulous things to mention.
Have books and pens with you for the child beggars. Meat dishes tend to have bones in and there are a shit load of monkeys that nick stuff.

Have a wonderful time, Sri Lanka is somewhere Id go again if I could ever afford it again. I wish Id had a smartphone during my travels as I have about eleventy zillion photographs tucked away in the attic.

I recommend the local swordfish.
____________________
Do not presume that I am male.

[winz]

Thank you all, that's wonderful news.

I am up to date with jabs after my Thailand trip last year and insured to my eyeballs. So I'm not too worried about that.

Best keep my eyes out for the monkeys, then, sound like a right pain in the arse.
____________________
Current Bikes: BMW K1200S
Previous: Honda CBR929RR, Honda CBR1100XX, Honda CB600F

[derillius24]

Following with interest as I'm heading there myself at the end of April with the long haired General.

The monkeys sound like right cunts. I'll punch a few and report back.
____________________
CG125, CBF250, DRZ400-SM, Z750, Street Triple R, Tuono V4R

[Baffler186]

I second Dambulla, tea plantations and such. I was on a 3 week tour and we did lots of nice stuff but visited far too many temples. And ruins of temples. They were a proper bore and a magnet for scammers, beggars and generally people trying to get money for nothing. Just ignore everyone or say no thanks to everything, making it crystal clear that you don't want a guide, or a cool drink, or a tuktuk.

As you say, usual Asian rules apply but it's nice to visit once, and 10 days will be just right.
____________________
Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic