sri-lanka-13-full-pdf-ebook.pdf

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temple on the left. From Kandy you can go

directly to the Lankatilake Temple on bus

644 heading towards Pilimatalawa. Get off at

Dawulagala Rd from where it’s about a 750m

walk to the temple.

Gadaladeniya

Temple BUDDHiST, HiNDU TEmPlE

(map p 159 ; admission Rs 200) This Buddhist

temple with a Hindu annex dates from the

14th century and the main shrine room

contains a seated Buddha. Built on a rocky

outcrop and covered with small pools, the

temple is reached by a series of steps cut

into the rock.

At the time of research, scaffolding and a

tin roof covered this temple in an effort to

protect it from further rain-induced erosion.

It’s a 3km walk to Gadaladeniya Temple

from the Lankatilake Temple, or you can

catch a bus from Kandy; bus 644 (Rs 28),

among others, will take you there. The main

Colombo–Kandy road is less than 2km from

Gadaladeniya Temple – you reach the road

close to the 105km post. It’s a pleasant stroll,

and from the main road almost any bus will

take you to the Peradeniya Botanic Gardens

or on to Kandy.

Meditation

There are a couple of well-regarded medita-

tion centres close to Kandy.

Nilambe Buddhist

Meditation Centre mEDiTATiON

(%777 804 555; http://www.nilambe.net) This medi-

tation centre offers daily meditation classes

spread over a minimum of three- to five-day

stays. Basic accommodation is available.

Reservations should be made through the

website at least two weeks in advance.

The centre is close to Nilambe Bungalow

Junction, about 13km south of Kandy. It can

be reached by bus 633 (catch a Delthota

bus via Galaha and get off at Office Junc-

tion). From Office Junction, you can walk a

steep 3km through tea plantations or take a

three-wheeler (Rs 250) to the centre. A taxi

from Kandy costs Rs 1400 one way.

Dhamma Kuta Vipassana

Meditation Centre mEDiTATiON

(map p 159 ; %238 5774; http://www.kuta.dhamma.org;

mowbray, Hindagala) This centre offers cours-

es from one day to 10 days following the

SN Goenka system of meditation. Booking

ahead is mandatory. There’s dorm accom-

modation with separate male and female

quarters. Take a Mahakanda-bound bus

from the clock-tower bus stop in Kandy and

get off at the last stop. It’s a steep 2km walk.

4 Sleeping

If you want quiet days spent wandering

along shaded tracks, with views of rolling

hills, stay just outside of Kandy. Accom-

modation skews to midrange and top-end

properties, and there are some lovely places

worth splashing out for.

oBaramba House BOUTiQUE HOTEl $$

(map p 159 ; %220 0173; http://www.barambalanka.com;

22 Upul mawatha, Primrose Hill; r incl breakfast

US$85-95; Ws) The Swiss–Sri Lankan own-

ers of this idyllic little three-room ‘boutique

guesthouse’ have created a little slice of bliss

here. There are cool, high-ceilinged rooms

with fans swishing lazily away above giant

four-poster beds, a crystal-clear pool in which

to work up a breakfast appetite and terraces

with easy-chairs, and views over the jungly

hills and chocolate-coloured river. No chil-

dren under 12 years are allowed. It’s out near

the Kandy War Cemetery (p158) and a Rs 300

three-wheeler ride from central Kandy.

oThe Kandy House BOUTiQUE HOTEl $$$

(Amunugama Walauwa; map p 159 ; %492 1394;

http://www.thekandyhouse.com; Amunugama Walauwa,

gunnepana; r incl breakfast from US$355; iWs)

Thanks to masses of exotic tropical flora,

Around Kandy

æ Top Sights

1 Ceylon Tea Museum.............................C3

2 Peradeniya Botanic Gardens..............C 2

æ Sights

3 Degal Doruwa Raja Maha

Vihara..................................................F 2

4 Embekka Devale...................................B4

5 Gadaladeniya Temple..........................A 3

6 Kandy War Cemetery...........................C 2

7 Lankatilake Temple..............................A4

Ø Activities, Courses & Tours

Amaya Hills..................................(see 10)

8 Dhamma Kuta Vipassana

Meditation Centre.............................D 4

ÿ Sleeping

9 Amaara Sky Hotel.................................D2

10 Amaya Hills............................................D3

11 Baramba House....................................C 2

12 The Elephant Stables...........................D 1

13 The Kandy House.................................. F2