Sri Lanka Travel Answers

The most beautiful, wide and sandy beaches can be found in Bentota (South West) a thriving tourist resort with many hotels The East Coast has some beautiful beaches and an April-September season, but the tourist areas of Trincomalee and Aragum Bay are still slightly underdeveloped. If you wish to enjoy soaring hot temperatures, world-class surfing, great diving and simple living, then the East Coast is very up-and-coming. Kandy low-cost resorts and villas Kandy is the ancient hill capital and has retained a charm that Colombo has lost. Two hour’s drive from the capital, it is compact with bustling but friendly crowds, a lake and the world-famous Temple of the Tooth. At the annual Perahera the casket bearing Buddha's tooth is paraded around town in a spectacular pageant with acrobatic dancers, drummers and Kandyan chieftains in attendance. Over 100 caparisoned elephants, whip crackers and jugglers take part in the 10 nights of celebration, climaxing on the night of the Esela full moon. There is a daylight Perahera the day afterwards. Kandy figures on most visitors’ “must see” list and as a result has a range of low-cost resorts. An eccentric choice is Helga’s Folly, a sprawling red, Bauhaus-style building clutching the hillside, with enough fantastic décor to satisfy your inner child. AND PLS GO THROUGH smarttravelasia.com/SriLanka... ITS LIL DETAILED. I HOPE ITS LIL HELP TO U.

When do you intend to go to Sri Lanka? West coast season is Mid December - end April and Mid July - end August (swimming not possible due to rough seas except reef protected parts of beaches at Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna). East coast season is May - September. Best west coast resorts are Beruwala/Bentota, Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna. All have a choice of accommodation and outside restaurants/bars. All inclusive seems to be on the way out in Sri Lanka, but some hotels in Beruwala/Bentota still have AI. Most hotels in Wadduwa and Kalutara still have AI due to lack of outside restaurants/bars. East coast resorts are Trincomalee/Nilaveli, Passekudah and Arugam Bay, but they are still lacking in infrastructure and are 7-10 hours drive from the airport.

Hi ! If chilling out is top priority, Bentota on All Inclusive would be the way to go. Otherwise Hikkaduwa is the place to be on bed and breakfast, and walk around freely (well, you will be accosted by beach boys sometimes, wherever you stay), go out in the evenings..... Really takes too much time to gout to the East Coast beaches, though it is very nice right now. Carl.

It would all depend on how much time u have for this. How many days do you plan to stay and when? All locations other than Trincomalee should be safe at night. if you plan to go eat outside then u should go bed and breakfast. cost to eat out can start from2 going upto50 depending on what u want to eat.

Hi saroton, ideally the the best season for a swin and also to see something intersting is the east coast trincomalee or arugam bay is the best. but limited eating out place.galle on the south coast is fine plce to chile out yet not to swim as it is the south west monsoon period and the sea bathing is not safe. henry