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

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4 leeping & EatingS
Ambhasewana Guest gUesThoUse $
(%222 3865; 51st Ave; r with/without air-con
r s 1800/850; a) Run by a welcoming family,
this simple lilac-and-white guesthouse oc-
cupies a shady plot on a quiet side street, a
couple of blocks from the town centre. The
nine airy rooms are a great option if you’re
on a tight budget.

Monty Guest House hoTel $$
(%222 2169; http://www.montyhotel.com; 1st Ave; s/d rs
2500/3000, r with air-con rs 5000-9000; aWs)
In a leafy suburb 1km south of the centre,
the likeable Monty is a well-run place to
stay. Design-wise it’s slightly quirky: some
communal areas resemble a multistorey car
park, while the contemporary lobby is very
tasteful. Fan rooms are functional and a tad
dark, but air-con options boast modern fur-
niture and clean lines.
The restaurant serves a range of excellent
local and Western dishes (mains Rs 280 to
650) on its inviting outdoor terrace or in the
dining room.

Chinese & Western
Food Court C hiNese, sri lANKAN $$
(%222 2215; [email protected]; stores rd; mains
r s 250-650; h11am-10pm; W) A bustling, at-
tractive place with tables set in a central
garden and an open-sided dining room. Fea-
tures lots of Chinese-style mains including
delicious Manchurian chicken and salad
(Rs 775), and several dishes with kankun, a
leafy green related to morning glory. C&W
also has chintzy rooms that are overpriced
considering their size.
The hotel can set up safari trips to nation-
al parks including Gal Oya National Park;
contact owner Terrel, who has 4WDs.

New City sri lANKAN $
(Keells New City supermarket; meals rs 150-300) A
good bet for a lunchtime rice and curry, kot-
thu in the evening or quick eats (deep-fried
snacks and other small bites) for the times
in between. It’s close to the clock tower in
the heart of town.

8 Information

Commercial Bank (D s senanayake rd) has
a n AT M.
SabeeCom.Net & Bookmart (%492 1455;
r egal Junction; per hr rs 50; h8.30am-
6.30pm sun-Fri) has reasonably fast internet
connections.

8 Getting There & Away

Ampara’s bus stand has CTB and private servic-

es. For Arugam Bay you can also take a bus to si-

yambulanduwa (rs 78, three hours, 10 daily) and

change there, or minibus-hop via Akkaraipattu

( rs 50, hourly) to Pottuvil. For Batticaloa, you

can minibus-hop via Kalmunai (rs 48, frequent).

o ther useful services:

Batticaloa rs 90, three hours, four daily

Colombo ordinary/semi-luxury rs 385/525,

10 hours, nine/four daily

Kandy ordinary/air-con rs 240/420, 5½ hours,

hourly

Nuwara Eliya rs 298, eight hours, 6.30am

Pottuvil (for Arugam Bay) rs 121, three

hours, 2pm

Around Ampara

Buddhangala

Rock Hermitage BUDDhisT

(donations accepted; h6am-8pm) Rising above

the forest north of Ampara, this 150m-high

hill offers panoramic views from its rocky

summit (including, occasionally, wild ele-

phants at dusk). The site is said to be 1800

years old, and when the old temple, whose

remains are to the left of the main shrine,

was excavated in 1964, a gold casket contain-

ing a tooth of the Buddha was discovered.

It’s now housed inside the dagoba and is on

view every June for three days around poya

day.

Within an ancient cave overhang, inter-

esting museum-style treasures include a

human skeleton, used in meditation. The

site is beautiful, but without a guide or Eng-

lish signage, its spiritual relevance is some-

what lost; English-speaking monks may be

around to chat. Three-wheelers from Ampa-

ra, 7km away, cost Rs 800 return including

waiting time.

Deegawapi rUiN

(Dighavapi Cetiya) According to legend, Dee-

gawapi is the one place in southeastern Sri

Lanka that the Buddha visited. The stupa

was built during the reign of King Saddha-

tissa (137–119 BC) and patched up in the 2nd

and 18th centuries AD before becoming lost

in the jungle.

Rediscovered in 1916, for decades it has

been at the centre of disputes; many Sinha-

lese say the area’s predominantly Muslim

population deliberately settled on ancient

dagoba (read: Sinhalese) land, while many

Muslims, who have lived in the region for