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Monaragala
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If you’re coming from the touristy Hill Coun-
try, then Monaragala will probably be your
first stop in the East. A bustling place with
a huge Sunday market, it’s a good introduc-
tion to the region. The town nestles beneath
Peacock Rock, a round-topped forest-covered
mountain. Upgraded roads and improved
transport connections mean that few travel-
lers now break their journey in Monaragala
these days, but the town’s unhurried ambi-
ence and leafy avenues have a certain appeal.
1 ights & ActivitiesS
An easy but beautiful hike starts near the bus
station. Walk five minutes past a colourful
little Hindu Ganesh Temple to the ageing
rubber factory, then veer left to a rock-paved
footpath that climbs between attractive boul-
der fields through Monaragala’s famous rub-
ber plantations. A much more demanding
trek is the full-day round trip to the summit
of the densely forested Maragala Rock.
There is no set trail up the mountain and
you’ll need a guide, which can be organised
through guesthouses (including Kanda Land-
vilka) for around Rs 2000 per day. From the
summit you can check the surf at Arugam
Bay on a clear day.
4 leeping & EatingS
For cheap meals there are various stalls
around the bus station.
oKanda Landvilka gUesThoUse $
(YMCA; %227 6925; [email protected]; Araliya
rd; s/d rs 1000/2000; a) Run by Uva, a hos-
pitable English-speaking licensed tour guide
and his family, this excellent guesthouse (in
the old YMCA building) has five spacious
rooms and a lounge, and is the best place
to hook up with other travellers. Hiking to
Maragala rock and a rubber plantation are
offered, the latter involving a night in a hill-
top mountain lodge. There’s good food too:
rice and curry costs Rs 300.
Victory Inn hoTel $
(%227 6100; http://www.victoryinnmonaragala.com; 65
Wellawaya rd; s rs 1500, d with/without air-con rs
4500/3500; aW) The smartest place in town,
though that’s not saying much – the Victory’s
smoked-glass facade and lobby are looking
pretty dated. Rooms here (some with balco-
nies) and most with wooden trim, are also
old-fashioned, though comfortable enough.
For a filling meal, the Rs 350 lunch buffet is
a great deal, and the restaurant serves both
Western and local dishes.
Sunshine Guesthouse hoTel $
(%227 6313; Wellawaya rd; s rs 1500, d with/
without air-con rs 3250/2750; aW) This hotel
was being renovated at the time of research.
It offers spartan but clean tiled rooms with
mossie nets.
Pavilion sri lANKAN $
(61 Pottuvil rd; hmeals in canteen/restaurant from
r s 200/300) In the heart of town on a busy
junction, the Pavilion is a tale of two halves.
The smart, air-conditioned restaurant has
posh tables and makes a civilised setting for
dinner, with well-presented fish, vegetable
and noodle dishes. For more casual dining,
the neighbouring canteen has lots of excellent
rice-and-curry options and is great for lunch.
8 Information
Commercial Bank (Bus station rd) and several
others along Wellawaya rd have ATMs. in the
market area, Samudura Communications
(%227 6765; per hr rs 50; h8am-6.30pm)
is the best internet cafe.
Wijayawardana (VJ) is a friendly english-
speaking guide who charges rs 4000 per day
for leading hikes or trips in a three-wheeler; call
him on %077 649 1117.
8 Getting There & Away
Monaragala is a convenient junction town be-
tween the east, the south and the hills. some
handy bus routes include the following:
Ampara rs 110, 2½ hours, hourly
Colombo rs 415, seven hours, hourly
Ella rs 105, two hours, six daily
Kandy rs 210, five hours, five daily
Kataragama rs 85, two hours, two daily
Nuwara Eliya rs 175, four hours, 9.15am
and 2.30pm
Pottuvil (for Arugam Bay) rs 120, 2½ hours,
seven daily
Siyambulanduwa (for Ampara and Arugam
Bay) rs 50, one hour, frequent
Wellawaya (via Buttala; for the Hill Country)
r s 50, one hour, every 20 minutes
Around Monaragala
Yudaganawa
In a forest clearing near the village of But-
tala, the ancient, ruined dagoba (stupa) of