Be careful of trickster in Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka

Tissamaharama, also called Tissa , is famous as its safari of Yala National Park. There just around 3 km away from Yala, you can join a tour group there, almost all of hotel there provide the safari tour.

If you come from Ella, you can take bus Matara or Galle, then get off at Wirawila, transfer another bus to Tissa.

This story was happened on the bus from Wirawila to Tissa .I was standing in the bus , then someone get up and stand next to me . He want to talk with me , in these day stay in Sri Lanka , I feel many Sri Lankan like to talk with me , so I didn't have any doubt about his Purpose.

He asked me where I live in Tissa , I was book a hotel named K Holiday ,so I just told him. He also asked me did I book a safari tour to Yala , and he told me he can offer to me if I want , and leave his card to me . At that time I just thought he is a travel agency .

After get off the bus , I supposed to go to my pre-book hotel . Someone standing on the road , once saw me , he came and told me he is the host of K Holiday , he is waiting me there and want to told me there hotel have no water cause some issue .

I also didn't suspect him , cause in these days I feel Sri Lanka are so good , I never thought I would meet a trickster here , no ...... should be two tricksters .

At that time I just believe him and want to search another hotel on web at once , the other guys(who talk with me on bus, short as "bus guy") come and ask what happened , then they talked about my status , then the bus guy told me he also have a hotel , if I don't mind , he can took me there to see rooms .

Then I follow him to his hotel and get a room , he also asked me do I wanna join their safari tour , he quote to me Rs.7500, I feel that is a bit expensive and wanna get some compare with others first , so I just told him I would consider and told him my decide before 3 pm.

I went out and looked for tour agent , on the road , I saw the "hotel guy" , he ask me did I book the safari tour , he said he can offer in Rs.6500, I still told him wanna consider .

But after walk around the city , I didn't find any tour agent . Then I want to go to K Holiday and book the Rs.6500 tour .

Guess what I found ?When I arrive K Holiday , there is a lady host , and I thought that "hotel guy" should be his husband . I told him I wanna book the safari , that her husband told me at Rs.6500.

She thought I should check in first , I said "no , I just book the safari , not check in , your husband told me no water in your hotel ,then I move to other hotel already".

She confused and told me they have water , any water .

Finally , we found that two guys are tricksters and I move back to K Holiday(I didn't paid for the other hotel) .

After that, I saw the "bus guy" again , I took his photo stealthily, and show to the lady host of K Holiday , once she saw the photo , she know suddenly , and told me , this guy is an all known bad guys in Tissa, asked me don't believe everyone although many guys are good.

At the end ,I wanna told you a good place in Tissa , called Tissa Lake , that is a peace large lake near Tissa central , you can see some local people fishing there on their boat , and the view is good .

Sri Lanka Town -- Ella, feel like arriving an Europe village

Ella , which famous as a star town , when sunny day , there is full of stars in sky .But ... I should come for stars , why you give me a rainy day ?Cry ~

Ella is a very small town , just a main street and walk just need around 10 minutes can be finish . It doesn't like Kandy so crowd, and don't like Anuradhapura and Dambulla so many historic site , maybe because ever colonize by Netherlands and England , it's more like an Europe village than Sri Lanka's.

Walking here , you can see more tourist than local people , most of shops whiting English .

The road is smooth that I finally no need to bring by luggage to walk .

But seems I was happy too early . Why? Both side of the road are shops and restaurants , you can't find any Hotel on the main street . So where they are ?All the hotels are in path road , and all the path roads are not smooth .

When I finally carrying my luggage and finish the path , I found I still need to walk a long stair...

The best way to enjoy this town is walk in a restaurant and have a peaceful tea time . Or you can go shopping, there have many small shops and some of them selling good design ornament .

I found an unique thing when go shopping , ask staff , they told me this is a guitar ,so special ~

Normally , the tourist in Ella are from Kandy or Nuwara Eliya by train , the earliest train arrive in Ella at 4:00pm, so Ella is more lively at night than day time.

When night comes , the street light up , Bars and restaurants become more and more people , it's a town belongs night .

Kandy to Ella train journey , the most important is get a seat !

Kandy to Ella train journey is often described as one of the worlds most scenic. The full journey is around 6 hours , but some people would like to add a stop at Nuwara Eliya.

Nuwara Eliya is known as the little England , have many English style building, but I don't recommend to both spot in one day .Actually there is no train station , you need to get off train when arrive Nanuoya, then transfer bus to arrive Nuwara Eliya, so the best is stay one night in Nuwara Eliya if you wanna to both spot.

From Kandy to Ella have two depart time , 8:45am and 11:10am, 2nd class and 3rd class can be buy in train station , 1st class need to make reservation on web .

Suggest buy the 2nd class , the ticket price differ with 3rd class just around Rs.100, but less people the 3rd class .

I was buy the 3rd class , ticket price is Rs.175.

Both side of platform can get up the train , but it didn't show where is 3rd class and where is 2nd class , so you'd better ask a staff .Then just wait there , once the train arrive , even you see many guys block the door , don't be shy , just squeeze up .

Cause in the train actually not so crowd , just guys like to stand at the door , you just need to squeeze up quickly , maybe you can get a seat ! The full journey is 6 hours , get a seat is the most important !

Don't be shy ,just squeeze up .

Some pedlers will carry their foods selling on train , so don't worry about hungry , and the foods are in a low price ,this cake just Rs.40 per piece , and a big prawn .

The 17 days experience in Sri Lanka told me , when I see any special food and want to buy , don't hesitate to buy it , it can't find in another city .

To be honest , total 6 hours is a bit boring ,although views are great . If you are planing to Nuwara Eliya, the best is take bus from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, then by train to Ella, the most scenic is from Nuwara Eliya to Ella.

Sri Lanka #12 How to avoid traps when visit elephant orphanage

Only 2 elephant orphanage in the world , one in Sri Lanka, the other in Kenya. The orphanage was founded to care and protect the many orphaned unweaned wild elephants found wandering in and near the forests of Sri Lanka.

But if you visit the elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka, you need to careful , there is many fake elephant orphanage near the real one.

This day , I should go there by bus , If take bus to there from Kandy , you can take the bus to Colombo , and get off at Kegalle, then transfer Taxi. But in Kandy bus station, really too many bus that I can't find the bus which I should take .

I wanna give up , at that time ,many tuk-tuk driver came and ask me where I wanna go. They quote me Rs.2000 to there , another one quote me Rs.1500 round trip , of cause I would choose the lower one.

I know elephant orphanage is far away from Kandy , but I never thought it's so far away . We spent almost 1.5 hours to reach there, on the way , I am really too tried to sleep for a while .

When arrive Kegalle, I still remember to check Google map did I on the way to elephant orphanage, the way was right , so I believe the tuk tuk driver totally , he took me to a place where have elephant and paper factory , I didn't think that is fake , so if you go there , must double check the location when arrive.

Although I was leaded to a fake elephant orphanage, but I still get a funny time . Elephants are so cute , I found elephants like dancing very much, when they listen music , they will shake their body , although just small and slow, but really very cute~

In that elephant ...club, have a small museum , some elephant bones showing there, and some picture ask people to protect elephants.

Also you can ride elephants, take shower for elephants, one by one elephants will come ,and they will lay down then you are more easy to help them take shower, after lay down , they will not move enjoy your service.

There just around 10? elephants, a small elephant club , but you also can get some funny knowledge there. For example, elephants produce 90KG of droppings a day ! Elephants actually don't like peanuts!

There also have a paper factory , but they won't show you how elephant's poo poo turn to paper, they just selling some products make by that paper.

At the end ,although I have a fun time in the elephant club, I still wanna to the real elephant orphanage , maybe next time is to Kanya's elephant orphanage.

Sri Lanka #11 Sacred city of Kandy

Sacred city of Kandy , was the last capital of the Sinhala kings whose patronage enabled the Dinahala culture to flourish for more than 2,500 years until the occupation of Sri Lanka by the British in 1815. The temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is include in it .

In the temple of Sacred Tooth Relic , Tooth relic shown to public only three times a day, 5:30am, 9:30am, 6:30pm, at that time , you can see many Buddhists cladding in white and holding flowers come there to worship.

If you also watch the Kandyan Dance Show(refer my last blog) next to the Sacred Tooth Relic , once finish the show , you can join the 6:30pm ritual.

The Sacred city of Kandy with tight security , walk in need to check if you bring any dangerous. Buddhists and tours are separate , men and women are separate .

Entry Sacred city is free , but the temple of Sacred Tooth Relic need ticket for foreigner . Ticket for SAARC Countries & Thailand/ Myanmar are Rs. 1000, other countries are Rs.1500.

When the temple of Sacred Tooth Relic light up , it is so holy and pure.

Out side of the temple of Sacred Tooth Relic , there are the site of old Sri Lanka. A ancient wall separate the temple and the site. Some temples inside the wall, you can see Buddhists play an instrument in temples, some Buddhists praying .

I feel Sri Lankan are so pious, anytime anywhere ,even on the bus , once they see a Temple or a Buddha, they will pray.

If you are interested at Sri Lanka , but tied to see the temples , I recommend you go to the underground tunnel next to the Kandy Clock Tower. There have many printing on wall, the printing are describe the myth of Sri Lanka.

Another place I want to recommend is Nishantha Wood Carving. If you ever saw the Kandyan Dance show , you will found some of them wearing a special mask , these masks are make from this shop. Besides masks , there also have many carving of Buddha.

Sri Lanka #10 Meet a dancer who work for the Kandyan Dance Show

This day is a rainy day , Omal told me , Sri Lanka is a country with little rain, before September 2019 , there already 3 years no raining , so he want to close his coconut farm .

I stayed in Sri Lanka for 17 days , have several days was raining , lucky ~

Sri Lankan are very nice , maybe there just have a few Asian traveller , when I left coconut farm , began my trip , I saw many people ,and most of them like to say Hi with me ! some want to take photo with me ! They make me feel I am special .

This day I arrived Kandy , a big city in the central of Sri Lanka , I have no idea what to do today , just have a walk in the city .

I didn't bring my umbrella, an uncle saw me then he use his umbrella to cover me together .He talk many with me , he said he just like to talk with foreigner , he have been to many country ,and I believe him.

In a bus stop , he need to take bus , he asked me do I know the Kandyan Dance Show, and recommend me must watch it , he can take me there.

I thought I have nothing to do , that's ok, I don't need to search the way . On bus , he told me he is working there , he is one of dancers !Amazing , that means I would watch his show .

The Kandyan Dance Show is in the Kandyan Cultural Centre, which is next to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic , start at 5 pm ,so when the show finish , you can go to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic .

He bring me there and ask his friend give a good seat to me ,then he went to prepare the show .

Kandyan Dance Show is one of the defining experiences of a stay in Kandy. It is a traditional show , include 18 different kind of dances ,great and funny ,you can't miss it .

An important tips for you , that is the uncle told me , when the show almost finish , the people stand up , you should go fast . Where to go ? Go to the stage, at the end , there is a fire show , standing on the stage you can get some good photos .

Sri Lanka #9 Dambulla Royal Cave Temple and Golden Temple

On Google map , Dambulla Royal Cave Temple and Golden Temple are at the same place , but actually , they are two different temple and two different way to reach .

First the Golden Temple , is at the ground floor. If you walk from the central of city , you can easy to find it .There is a giant gold Buddha looking at you , you won't miss it !

Under the giant Buddha , there is a museum .It design as a large mouth , eat all of tourist .

When you look at its left side ,you will find a special view . There is a long long long line of Buddhist monks, their hand holding some tributes to the Giant Buddha.

Now we talk about the Royal Cave Temple, it is on the top of the hill, if you wanna reach the Royal Cave Temple , here have two mistake need to avoid .

First , as we know , in Sri Lanka , when we walk in a temple , we need to take off our hats and shoes , but Golden Temple you can wear it except you walk in the building .

Second , at the right side of Golden Temple, a stair walk to the top of the hill , and reach the Royal Cave Temple, but if you walk from this way , when you spend a long time and very tied reach the temple , the staff will told you , here no ticket for sell , you need to walk down at another stairs at the other side , buy the ticket first , then walk back !

I was make both of mistake , cause when I arrive , I saw someone remove their shoes , so I also remove my shoes , and then walk to the top , along the road , I didn't see any ticket center , when I arrived the top , my feet are so pain , and so tired , the staff told me "you need to walk down at the right stairs , buy the ticket , then come back "

"What ?! How far away ?"

" about 200 meters." But after I walk down , I found there is not only 200 meters . so don't make the same mistake as me !

The correct way is , if you walk from the central of Dambulla city , when you see the golden temple , keep walking , when you see below road , walk in , there is the way to the ticket center.