Leopard spotting, surfing and culture - Round trip Sri Lanka (part III)

3-week itinerary Sri Lanka

During the last part of the round trip in Sri Lanka we went surfing, leopard spotting and enjoyed the food and culture. We visited the following beautiful places:

Safari at Yala National Park
- Sleeping: RiverSide Cabanas
- Yala National Park
Surfing in Hikkaduwa
- Sleeping: Universal Beach Guest House
Culture in Galle
Crowds in Colombo

Tip: In the map, turn the different layers on or off via the left square button in the grey bar.

NB. You can read my previous blogs about Sri Lanka here:
– Temples and elephants – Round trip Sri Lanka (I)
– Kandy, Adam’s Peak and Ella – Round Trip Sri Lanka (part II)

1. Safari at Yala National Park

From Ella we left by bus to Tissamaharama (also called: Tissa). The bus was so crowded that we had to stand. It was a memorable ride through the mountains with loud music and video clips on the screens in the bus. After about 2.5 hours we arrived in Tissa and took the tuktuk to our accommodation RiverSide Cabanas.

Sleeping: RiverSide Cabanas

RiverSide Cabanas is a fairly simple eco-conscious place to stay compared to other options near Yala National Park, but this makes it quite affordable. And the good thing is: you can sleep in a tree house (but then the luxury variant)! We had a nice room with a balcony including disco lights. The mosquito nets are necessary because there is a gap between the walls and the roof.

Tip: It’s located next to the river, so don’t forget your anti-mosquito! And a headlight is also very useful here.

The atmosphere is very relaxed and the owners are very friendly and helpful. They can also help you to book a safari at Yala National Park. The food is delicious and you sit comfortably with the other guests at long tables. Good conversations guaranteed!

Tip: Go for a walk from the Cabanas to the beautiful Yala Lake and see bathing buffaloes and huge fruit bats in the trees.

Location: RiverSide Cabanas, 540/1 Gangasiripura, Debarawewa, Tissamaharama, website

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is best known for the large number of leopards and a good chance to see one. Since I still hadn’t spotted a leopard (even after the many safaris I did in Africa), this safari was highly ranked on my list to do in Sri Lanka. And despite the many tourist jeeps, I found this safari – in contrast to the elephant safari in Dambulla – worthwhile.

We booked our safari directly through our accommodation at RiverSide Cabanas. You will be picked up very early in the morning (namely: 4:30 am) by the safari jeep. The jeeps are only allowed to enter the park at sunrise (around 6:00 am), so there are a lot of jeeps crowding in front of the entrance. We were able to enter as the fourth jeep!

In the park it became clear (fortunately) that you need some luck for a safaris, because nature can’t be told anything. All morning we have been looking for a leopard and when we should have seen him cross the road, we all looked the other way! I just got a glimpse of the leopard and captured it on camera. Fortunately, in addition to leopards, there are also many other beautiful large and small animals to see such as (swimming) elephants, crocodiles, buffaloes, warthogs, all kinds of birds (including many peacocks) and smaller creatures.

Tip: Put on old clothes, because you will be covered under a thick layer of dust!

2. Surfing in Hikkaduwa

To get from Tissa to the beach town of Hikkaduwa, you have to take the bus. We first took the tuktuk to the bus station in Tissa, from there the bus to Galle and a bit back with another bus to Hikkaduwa.

In Hikkaduwa you can chill on the beach or learn how to surf. The waves here are perfect for beginners! We have taken a number of lessons at Reef End Surf School. The effort made lazing around even more pleasant afterwards!

Location: Reef End Surf School, Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, website

Hikkaduwa is a tourist resort and attracts all kinds of people. We stayed a bit at the end of the village and did not suffer so much from the crowds (and we were there in February, the low season). It is not the most beautiful beach I have been to, but there is a place where you can spot turtles (unfortunately they are fed, so this is not very spontaneous and attracts many tourists).

Sleeping: Universal Beach Guest House

You will find a lot of hostels or high-end hotels in Hikkaduwa. We were incredibly lucky and had – the only! – cottage directly on the beach of Hikkaduwa. A great room with an even nicer balcony where we could enjoy the warmth in the evening with a book and wake up in the morning to the sound of the sea.

Along this stretch of beach you will find several restaurants where you can eat delicious fresh fish with your feet in the sand.

Location: Universal Beach Guest House, 622, Waves Inn, Galle Rd, Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka (via booking.com)

3. Culture in Galle

From Hikkaduwa we made a day trip to Galle. The historic Galle Fort is definitely worth a visit. The colonial part of Galle – although part of it is faded glory – is very nice to see. The view of the lighthouse and the fort from the fortress wall is particularly beautiful.

Tip: Don’t be tempted by “friendly” tuktuk drivers who offer to drop you off at the right place in Galle. We did fall into the tourist trap and ended up in a shop (with a lot of other tourists) and not at all where we wanted to be.

4. Crowds in Colombo

Vanaf Hikkaduwa namen we de bus naar Galle en vanaf de trein naar Colombo. De rit langs de zee is wederom prachtig, dus zorg voor een plek aan het raam!

In Colombo, many hotels were already full when we wanted to book, so we had a very standard hotel that was not necessarily mentionable. The hustle and bustle of Colombo at the Pettah World Market and busy streets with the colourful people, beautifully displayed merchandise and fragrant spices was a nice end to the holiday in Sri Lanka.

Colombo is not a city where you have to stay longer than a day, but as an end point (because the international airport is there) it is certainly nice to wander through the city for a few hours. Also look around you on the road, because before you might see an elephant’s ass sticking out of a truck!