ContactsSL


\HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN	\NEGOMBO	\TISSAMAHARAMA	\ELLA	\KANDY	\COLOMBO	\LINKS	\CONTACTS
Contacts - a work in progress! If you want to contact me, send it to [nbr at www.grinninggeckodesign.com] but for the love of God, no Spam, please. I hate Spam, canned or email. And even if I had a male appendage, which I most assuredly do not (Gordon is another story), there's no way your damned annoying email would convince me to buy winkie-expanding potions over the internet. The places and things and whatever listed below are just places and things and whatever that we liked. No one paid us to put this stuff here! Use the info at your own risk, and I hope you enjoy Sri Lanka as much as we did.
ACCOMODATIONS

Contacts - a work in progress! If you want to contact me, send it to [nbr at www.grinninggeckodesign.com] but for the love of God, no Spam, please. I hate Spam, canned or email. And even if I had a male appendage, which I most assuredly do not (Gordon is another story), there's no way your damned annoying email would convince me to buy winkie-expanding potions over the internet.
The places and things and whatever listed below are just places and things and whatever that we liked. No one paid us to put this stuff here! Use the info at your own risk, and I hope you enjoy Sri Lanka as much as we did.

Bo-o-o-red on the train!

COMFORT LODGE
197 Rajapihilla Mawatha
Kandy, Sri Lanka
http://www.hotel-comfort-kandy.com/
TEL: 074-473707
FAX: 074-473015
EMAIL:reception@hotel-comfort-kandy.com

Very pleasant guesthouse on the side of a hill in Kandy.
Quiet and peaceful, with good food and great service. Excellent value!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MOUNTAIN HEAVENS HOTEL
Ella, Sri Lanka
http://www.mountainheavensella.com/index.htm
TEL:
+94 57 4920336
+94 57 4925757

This was our favourite hotel in all of Sri Lanka. Beautiful place
with an exquisite view of Ella Gap.
Shanta (who deserves an Employee of the Year award and a big fat raise)
gave me a huge list of phone numbers. Pick any one!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SUNSINDA HOTEL
Kataragama Road
Akurugoda, Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka
TEL:
+94-47-2239078
+94-777-907794
MOBILE: +94-777-903437
EMAIL:
sterne@sltnet.lk
WEBSITE: http://www.srilankatraveller.com/hotels/sunsinda-hotel-tissamaharamaya

Another lovely hotel with a pretty swimming pool and tasteful rooms.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WATERFALLS HOMESTAY
Ella, Sri Lanka
TEL: 057-5676933
WEBSITE: http://www.thebackpacker.net/travelhostels/73345_ella_travelhostels.htm

We didn't stay here, but it's a very nice place run by the Australian ex-pat we met, and her husband. Check it out! Lovely bright rooms with nice ensuite bathrooms. A pretty view and a quiet but convenient location.

Amazing what a strong wind can do to your figure.

M.M. JAYANTHA
("Guide extraordinaire" for Bundala and Yala National Parks (and various other attractions)
Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka
MOBILE: 0777-073813
TEL: (but you're likelier to reach him directly on his cell phone): 0472-237603

I can't say enough about Jayantha, as a guide and as a person. Hire him!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Luki" (pronounced "Lucky")
QUEEN'S TOURS & TRAVELS
Queen's Hotel, Kandy
Luki's Mobile: 0777-643984
TEL:
081-2236528 (also the FAX line)
081-2237979
081-4471553
EMAIL: queenstourssilva@yahoo.com

Very nice guy, and a conscientious and safe driver. Laid-back, no pressure, great service! If Luki is busy, Jayantha's brother Neel also works for this outfit and is highly recommended.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Kandy" Silva
TAJ SAMUDRA HOTEL
Colombo, Sri Lanka
TEL:
077-6409661
0094-777-487755

"Kandy" Silva drove us to the airport on the night we left Sri Lanka. He was a really nice guy and a careful driver. He does tours, and we read all the entries in his guestbook, which was filled with glowing reviews. If you are looking for a driver in Colombo/Kandy, please give him a call! He works in Colombo but lives in Kandy.

FOOOOOOOD! NUMMY NUMMY NUMMY!

Too drunk on love to read a flight itinerary properly. Hoo yeah. Hey, we bought those shirts in Colombo. I think they were three bucks each!

For manicures, pedicures and other spa services, try the Holiday Inn Colombo Spa, and ask for Shyamalee. She's wonderful!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gordon got a great haircut at Wimal's Salon at the Holiday Inn Colombo. Call 2422001-9 Ext 226

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Singapore Airlines rebooked us for free when we missed our flight home because we were too stupid to read an itinerary correctly. They were under no obligation to do so, as our tickets had a zillion restrictions on them. They are a fabulous airline. Amazing service, and man, I love those personal TV screens in each seat! We also got the best fare from Vancouver to Colombo through Singapore Airlines, I kid you not.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Traditional Kandyan and Low Country Dances of Sri Lanka
Kandyan Arts Association Hall, Kandy
TEL: 94-081-2239118
MOBILE: 94-0777-605106

They also sell nice handicrafts at the Kandyan Arts Association Hall.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SHOPPING

You know, Gordon and I are NOT big shoppers, but I freely admit that we went a bit nuts in Colombo. So much name-brand clothing is made there, and it's incredibly cheap. Oh yeah, and I brought home a year's worth of tea! Here are some places we liked.

Odel's Department Store
5 Alexandra Place,
Colombo 7
TEL: +94 114722200

Any tuktuk driver knows where it is! A nice place to shop, and you can stop for coffee, tea and croissants at the Deli-France!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

House of Fashions
28 Duplication Road
Colombo 4

I dare you to live empty-handed. Shop until you drop! It's a clothing mecca.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Other malls to check out:

Crescat Boulevard Mall

Liberty Plaza

Majestic City

and a nice clothing store:

GeeBees
7 Duplication Road
Colombo 5

You can walk there from House of Fashions. Not as dirt cheap, but they have nice clothes and fancier stuff like saris upstairs.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BOOKSHOPS

There are lots of bookstores in Colombo. We liked this one:

Vijitha Yapa Bookshop
There are branches in Colombo, Nugegoda, Kandy, Galle, Matare and Negombo

Nice manicure and pedicure, but the Birkenstock tan lines on my feet suck.

Check out what happens when you send a shirt to be laundered at the Holiday Inn Colombo. It comes back complete with a cardboard bow tie!

Plenty o’ Internet in Sri Lanka, with varying degrees of speediness. Here is one place in Kandy that we liked a lot:

ISPnet - ISP Kandy - ISP INTERNET CAFE
77 Kotugodella Veediya
Kandy
TEL: 081-2201610-11
EMAIL: ifno@ispkandyan.lk
WEBSITE: www.isplanka.lk

Bo-o-o-red on the train!	COMFORT LODGE 197 Rajapihilla Mawatha Kandy, Sri Lanka http://www.hotel-comfort-kandy.com/ TEL: 074-473707 FAX: 074-473015 EMAIL:reception@hotel-comfort-kandy.com Very pleasant guesthouse on the side of a hill in Kandy. Quiet and peaceful, with good food and great service. Excellent value! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MOUNTAIN HEAVENS HOTEL Ella, Sri Lanka http://www.mountainheavensella.com/index.htm TEL: +94 57 4920336 +94 57 4925757 This was our favourite hotel in all of Sri Lanka. Beautiful place with an exquisite view of Ella Gap. Shanta (who deserves an Employee of the Year award and a big fat raise) gave me a huge list of phone numbers. Pick any one! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SUNSINDA HOTEL Kataragama Road Akurugoda, Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka TEL: +94-47-2239078 +94-777-907794 MOBILE: +94-777-903437 EMAIL: sterne@sltnet.lk WEBSITE: http://www.srilankatraveller.com/hotels/sunsinda-hotel-tissamaharamaya Another lovely hotel with a pretty swimming pool and tasteful rooms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WATERFALLS HOMESTAY Ella, Sri Lanka TEL: 057-5676933 WEBSITE: http://www.thebackpacker.net/travelhostels/73345_ella_travelhostels.htm We didn't stay here, but it's a very nice place run by the Australian ex-pat we met, and her husband. Check it out! Lovely bright rooms with nice ensuite bathrooms. A pretty view and a quiet but convenient location.
Yes, we were bo-o-o-red on the train. And hot and undernourished.
Yes, I'm old enough to know better.
But I just don't care! (Do you like how Gordon's facial expression never changes?)
See, we can be perfectly sensible. If we have to be. Perfectly normal.	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HOLIDAY INN COLOMBO 30 Sir Mohamed Macan Markar Mawatha, Colombo 3 TOLL-FREE: 1-877 660 8550 TEL: 94-11-24220019 FAX: 94-11-2447977 WEBSITE: www.holidayinn.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OASIS BEACH RESORT Negombo, Sri Lanka TEL: 031-2279022 031-2279526 FAX: 031-2279338 http://www.srilankatravelguide.com/NEGhotels.htm Good value, nice beachfront hotel, friendly and helpful staff, and delicious fresh seafood! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recommendations by other travellers who have visited my site: GANESH GARDENS Tangalle, Sri Lanka Ganesh Gardens was hit hard by the tsunami but has been completely rebuilt on a site next door to the old one. It is at the end of a very bumpy road, but has friendly, laid-back staff and a loyal European following. Nice beach restaurant, and hammocks to relax in while reading a book or watching the ocean waves. PALM PARADISE Tangalle, Sri Lanka Fairly upscale place on a nice beach. http://www.palmparadisecabanas.com/ Both Ganesh Gardens and Palm Paradise are described as "peaceful and quiet... with unobtrusive and good service and wonderful fresh seafood ." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHITRANGI de FONSEKA GUESTHOUSE Contact: Mrs Chrangi De Fonseka No7, Karlshrue Gardens, Colombo 8 Tel: 01-697919 Fax: 01-697919 http://www.explorelanka.com/tr_services/home_stay/fonseka.htm We didn't stay here, but it was highly recommended to us by a pair of Americans we met in Kandy. They were spending a month there, so they were obviously impressed! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SAMARU BEACH HOUSE Contact Mr. Aruna Shantha No. 544 New Bypass Road Pelena - Weligama Tel: 0094-412251417 http://www.mtly.nl/samaru/index2.htm A Dutch visitor to my site recommended this place, and said the folowing: “It’s a very relaxed small guesthouse with eight rooms and an excellent restaurant, on the south coast between Galle and Matara. Room 8 is very good, with a view on the beach. Especially when you’re jetlagged, it’s so nice to sit on the balcony to see the sun rise, cows strolling on the beach and fishermen trying to catch some fish.”
But not for long! Put that tongue in my ear, and you're a dead man!
GUIDES / DRIVERS
Amazing what a strong wind can do to your figure.	M.M. JAYANTHA ("Guide extraordinaire" for Bundala and Yala National Parks (and various other attractions) Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka MOBILE: 0777-073813 TEL: (but you're likelier to reach him directly on his cell phone): 0472-237603 I can't say enough about Jayantha, as a guide and as a person. Hire him! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Luki" (pronounced "Lucky") QUEEN'S TOURS & TRAVELS Queen's Hotel, Kandy Luki's Mobile: 0777-643984 TEL: 081-2236528 (also the FAX line) 081-2237979 081-4471553 EMAIL: queenstourssilva@yahoo.com Very nice guy, and a conscientious and safe driver. Laid-back, no pressure, great service! If Luki is busy, Jayantha's brother Neel* also works for this outfit and is highly recommended.* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Kandy" Silva TAJ SAMUDRA HOTEL Colombo, Sri Lanka TEL: 077-6409661 0094-777-487755 "Kandy" Silva drove us to the airport on the night we left Sri Lanka. He was a really nice guy and a careful driver. He does tours, and we read all the entries in his guestbook, which was filled with glowing reviews. If you are looking for a driver in Colombo/Kandy, please give him a call! He works in Colombo but lives in Kandy.
Did you know that Singapore Airport has free Internet access?
FOOOOOOOD! NUMMY NUMMY NUMMY!
Too drunk on love to read a flight itinerary properly. Hoo yeah. Hey, we bought those shirts in Colombo. I think they were three bucks each!	RAMS RESTAURANT 11 D. S. Senanayake Veediya Kandy, Sri Lanka TEL: 081-5670313 Very good Indian food in the heart of Kandy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FLOWER SONG RESTAURANT 137 Kotugodella Veediya Kandy, Sri Lanka TEL: 081-2223628 Yummy Chinese food, and a touch of Thai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DELI-FRANCE cafés Various locations in Colombo, including Odel's Department store, and the Crescat shopping mall TEL: 081-5670313 I am seriously addicted to their pain au chocolat! If you a hankering for good fancy coffees and nummy pastries, well, you've been warned. I am still in withdrawal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HOLIDAY INN GUESTHOUSE (not affiliated with the big hotel chain) Ella, Sri Lanka We had a couple of really nice, reasonable lunches here, and the best tea of the trip, in my humble opinion. The service was really nice. It's on the main street of Ella, not far down from the Curd Shop, and across the street from it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "REFRESH" RESTAURANT Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka TEL: 047-223-7357 FANTASTIC food, and a nice-looking hotel attached to it. On one visit, we had a wonderful meal of grilled fish fresh from the ocean. Delicious! Make sure you have a meal there. The original Refresh restaurant was in Hikkaduwa, but according to our waiter, it was destroyed by the tsunami. A great shame. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MISCELLANEOUS
	For manicures, pedicures and other spa services, try the Holiday Inn Colombo Spa, and ask for Shyamalee. She's wonderful! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gordon got a great haircut at Wimal's Salon at the Holiday Inn Colombo. Call 2422001-9 Ext 226 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Singapore Airlines rebooked us for free when we missed our flight home because we were too stupid to read an itinerary correctly. They were under no obligation to do so, as our tickets had a zillion restrictions on them. They are a fabulous airline. Amazing service, and man, I love those personal TV screens in each seat! We also got the best fare from Vancouver to Colombo through Singapore Airlines, I kid you not. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traditional Kandyan and Low Country Dances of Sri Lanka Kandyan Arts Association Hall, Kandy TEL: 94-081-2239118 MOBILE: 94-0777-605106 They also sell nice handicrafts at the Kandyan Arts Association Hall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHOPPING You know, Gordon and I are NOT big shoppers, but I freely admit that we went a bit nuts in Colombo. So much name-brand clothing is made there, and it's incredibly cheap. Oh yeah, and I brought home a year's worth of tea! Here are some places we liked. Odel's Department Store 5 Alexandra Place, Colombo 7 TEL: +94 114722200 Any tuktuk driver knows where it is! A nice place to shop, and you can stop for coffee, tea and croissants at the Deli-France! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . House of Fashions 28 Duplication Road Colombo 4 I dare you to live empty-handed. Shop until you drop! It's a clothing mecca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other malls to check out: Crescat Boulevard Mall Liberty Plaza Majestic City and a nice clothing store: GeeBees 7 Duplication Road Colombo 5 You can walk there from House of Fashions. Not as dirt cheap, but they have nice clothes and fancier stuff like saris upstairs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BOOKSHOPS There are lots of bookstores in Colombo. We liked this one: Vijitha Yapa Bookshop There are branches in Colombo, Nugegoda, Kandy, Galle, Matare and Negombo
Shyamalee's manicure work. "I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and..." well, not exactly gay.
Nice manicure and pedicure, but the Birkenstock tan lines on my feet suck.
Check out what happens when you send a shirt to be laundered at the Holiday Inn Colombo. It comes back complete with a cardboard bow tie!	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INTERNET Plenty o’ Internet in Sri Lanka, with varying degrees of speediness. Here is one place in Kandy that we liked a lot: ISPnet - ISP Kandy - ISP INTERNET CAFE 77 Kotugodella Veediya Kandy TEL: 081-2201610-11 EMAIL: ifno@ispkandyan.lk WEBSITE: www.isplanka.lk
MORE
All photos and text copyright Natalie Rowe 2008 - Stealing brings bad karma. Don't make me set my lawyer-husband upon you!