Sounds of Polwaththa

Want to hear the sounds you can expect? Just listen to our teaser.

Those are the sounds of the wildlife you will wake up to. This includes over 60 species of birds, monkeys and giant squirrels jumping from tree to tree.

Certificate of Excellence!

The certificate says it all! We would like to thank Trip Advisor for this award, but most importantly, all our guests who reviewed. us. We take all comments very seriously and we appreciate all the kind words. They continue to give us enthusiasm and belief in what we are doing.

New bird watching spots coming!

For those looking to visit Sri Lanka for endemic birds and other wildlife, make sure to visit us. With over 60 species of birds including 17 endemics we are one the prime locations for bird watching in the central and Kandy district of the island. 

We are trying to bring you as close to the birds as possible and with that we have constructed a birding spot which will be one of many to come. 

For a list of our bird checklist please go here: http://www.polwaththa-ecolodges.com/birds.html

A special thanks to Petr & Katerina

Petr and Katerina stayed with us in January of this year. After unloading their bags we realised that most of their stuff was camera equipment! They did not take long to get it set up and before we knew it, they were ready to explore with their camera gear. Unfortunately the equipment did not make it possible to walk far but after spending a few days with us, mostly sitting in the rain and waiting on species of wildlife they were kind enough to share some pictures they took.

These pictures were taken mostly by Katerina, who spend hours waiting, capturing and eidting (while Petr was sleeping, so we were told). She now has her own website at http://www.kata-photo.com/svatby/ where you can see more of her great photography and pictures of Sri Lanka.

 

THANK YOU

A glimpse of the wildlife at Polwaththa. Have to be observant!

Some of the common animals not in picture: Deer, wild boar, our dogs, cat and 60 plus species of birds.

Upcoming Kandy Esala Perahera

For those who do not know what the Esala Perahera is - it is an exhibition of the tooth relic of The Buddha (as a symbol, the inner cast is displayed on the back of a majestic elephant) which was brought to Sri Lanka from India about 2,000 years ago.  The festival is also meant to evoke the Gods to produce rain for the cultivation of crops, good health and fertility. The Perahera consists of hundreds of dancers and drummers, about 70 colourful elephants, fire jugglers and other performers, which is generally about 2 km long. It is one of the busiest periods in Kandy as people from all corners of the country come here to pay homage to The Buddha and which has also turned out to be a big tourist attraction with an ever-increasing demand for tickets.

The festival takes place for about 12 days in August and is set to take place from the 11th to the 21st August, with the 5-day Randoli Perahera starting on the 16th and the Day-Perahera on the 21st. The Randoli Perahera is a larger and more beautiful procession with more elephants and drummers.

OUR GUESTS
For our guests we will be giving a service of not only booking tickets, but also providing transport at a reasonable costs by our 4x4 jeep that can transport max. 9 persons. You will be brought and picked up behind the Dalada Maligawa (temple of the tooth) which is a 10 minute walk to the main entrance of the Temple where the processions starts.

For more information feel  free to contact us.

Travelling through Sri Lanka by Train

Sri Lanka is becoming an increasingly popular tourism destination, and travelling through the country using local transport has never been easier. Although there is plenty of room for improvement, the trains have seen an unprecetended demand, with foreigners hanging on the outside of the train - something only the locals would dare. As fun as that may be for some, our tip is this: Book train tickets as soon as possible. The upcoming holiday season (December/January) will see an even higher demand for tickets so dont count on getting tickets 10 minutes before departure unless you are willing to stand.

The trains to Badulla, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy have various classes; luxury, observation, 2nd and 3rd class.  A 2nd class ticket does not guarantee you a seat so be there as early as possible. 30-45 mins if you want the chance to get a seat. The same applies for trains to Trinco and Matara.

Tickets can now be booked using exporail (www.exporail.lk) but this is only for the luxury class. This may not be the best way to experience the journey as you do not mingle with the locals as much as in the second class, but at least it guarantees you a seat. You can also book train tickets using a Mobitel sim card. The difference is that you can only book a ticket 14 days prior to the day of the journey. Simply dial 365 and book the journey that you want, but be prepared to wait on the line as you wont be the only one dialing to get a ticket. The rest is pretty simple and straightforward. Visit http://www.mobitel.lk/ticketing for more info. Ticket prices range from Rs. 150 to 1500 depending on the journey and class.

We strongly recommend the train to anyone who is thinking about travelling by train - it is not only cheap, it is quite comfortable as well (considering you get a seat) and it shows you Sri Lanka first hand. It is definitely better than sitting in an A/C car for the entire trip.

FOR TIMETABLES AND ROUTES - http://seat61.com/SriLanka.htm#.UbQ59_k3C69