TransporT
(^) Sea
Sea
Plans to resume ferry ser-
vices between Mannar in
northwest Sri Lanka and
India have been rumoured
for many years, but have yet
to materialise. A service link-
ing Colombo and Tuticorin
(Tamil Nadu) in India lasted
only a few months.
GETTING
AROUND
Domestic flights in Sri Lanka
are quite limited, distances
are not vast and new ex-
pressways are shrinking
travel times.
Travelling on public
transport is mostly a choice
between buses and trains:
both are cheap. Trains can
be crowded, but it’s nothing
compared with the seem-
ingly endless numbers of
passengers that squash into
ordinary buses. Even stand-
ing on a train is better than
standing on a bus.
On the main roads from
Colombo to Kandy, Negom-
bo and Galle, buses cover
around 40km to 50km per
hour. On highways across
the plains, it can be 60km
or 70km an hour. In the Hill
Country, it can slow to just
20km an hour.
All public transport gets
crowded around poya (full
moon) holidays and their
nearest weekends, so try to
avoid travelling then.
Air
Options for flying within Sri
Lanka are limited. Connect-
ing air service at Bandaranai-
ke International Airport
is provided by Cinnamon
Air (%011-247 5475; http://www.
cinnamonair.com), which
caters to well-heeled trav-
ellers. Destinations include
Batticaloa, Dickwella, Sigiriya
and Trincomalee. Service is
on small planes, some using
floats.
Very limited domestic
service operates at times
from Ratmalana Air Force
Base, 15km south of Fort.
Flights to Jaffna are operated
by Fits Air (%011-255 5156;
http://www.fitsair.com).Bicycle
Cycling around historic areas
such as Anuradhapura and
Sigiriya are the best and
most enjoyable ways to see
these important sites. More
and more hotels and guest-
houses have bicycles guests
can hire (rent).Hirë (^) Simple, cheap mountain
bikes make up much of
the rentals you’ll find in
guesthouses and hotels.
Rates average about Rs 500
per day.
̈ If your accommodation
doesn’t hire bikes, they
can usually hook you up
with someone who does.
Many places rent bikes to
nonguests.
̈ (^) Bikes available for day use
typically are not suitable for
long-distance riding. Bike-
rental shops offering quality
long-distance machines are
rare. Consider bringing your
bike from home if you plan on
serious cycle touring.
Bike Tour s
Tour and outfitting compa-
nies organise cycling tours of
Sri Lanka and may also help
you get organised for inde-
pendent travel.
Action Lanka (www.action
lanka.com)
Eco Team (www.srilankaeco
tourism.com)
SpiceRoads Cycling Tours
(www.spiceroads.com)
Long-Distance
̈ (^) Keen long-distance
cyclists will enjoy Sri Lanka,
apart from the steeper
areas of the Hill Country
and the busy roads exiting
Colombo. When heading out
of Colombo in any direction,
take a train to the edge of the
city before you start cycling.
̈ Start early in the day to
avoid the heat, and pack
water and sunscreen.
Your daily distances will
be limited by the roads; be
prepared for lots of prudent
‘eyes down’ cycling as
you negotiate a flurry of
obstacles from potholes to
chickens. Remember, too,
that speeding buses, trucks
and cars use all parts of the
roadway and shoulder, so be
very cautious and wear very
visible clothing.
CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL
Every form of transport that relies on carbon-based fuel generates CO 2 , the main cause
of human-induced climate change. Modern travel is dependent on aeroplanes, which
might use less fuel per kilometre per person than most cars but travel much greater
distances. The altitude at which aircraft emit gases (including CO 2 ) and particles also
contributes to their climate change impact. Many websites offer ‘carbon calculators’
that allow people to estimate the carbon emissions generated by their journey and, for
those who wish to do so, to offset the impact of the greenhouse gases emitted with con-
tributions to portfolios of climate-friendly initiatives throughout the world. Lonely Planet
offsets the carbon footprint of all staff and author travel.