From Udawalawe to Tangalle
Pubblicato: 12.11.2024
Day 8
At 6 AM, Subhash, our guide, picked us up for the safari. On our way to the national park, we once again encountered the first elephants, monkeys, and water buffalo. Inside the park, we were greeted by a stunning landscape. The weather was beautiful, the forests were lush and green, and in the middle of the national park, there was a huge lake.
The Udawalawe National Park is a national park located at the border between the Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces in southern Sri Lanka. The region was declared a national park on June 30, 1972, to protect the wildlife there, such as birds and elephants. The Udawalawe National Park spans over 30,800 hectares.
Sri Lanka has a total of 27 national parks. That's quite a lot, considering that Sri Lanka is roughly the same size as Bavaria.
Subhash was very knowledgeable about the animals, and he really didn’t miss anything. He spotted animals that we would never have discovered at the same moment. It was very important to him to take paths off the main roads to be as alone and undisturbed as possible, which of course aligned with our desires. We were able to observe some elephants in peace. Sometimes it was even a whole family with young elephants. We saw various birds, including the green and blue bee-eaters, some eagles like the crested eagle, the white-tailed eagle, and the gray-headed fish eagle, as well as the serpent eagle. We spotted a woodpecker, the Ceylon chicken, many peacocks, and many other birds. The Ceylon chicken is, by the way, the national bird of Sri Lanka. We also managed to observe some mongooses. Mongooses hunt snakes, including venomous ones like cobras. We saw different monkeys, including the Ceylon toque macaque and the Hanuman langur. Additionally, we encountered many deer, some monitor lizards, lizards, and two crocodiles. Overall, we had already seen some palm squirrels in Sri Lanka. Subhash discovered leopard footprints. After that, he was very eager to spot a leopard. He had succeeded in doing so a few times before, which is probably the king's discipline of the park, as leopards sleep during the day in the bushes. Unfortunately, we were unable to see one that day. And yet, we had a really wonderful day and were very happy about the beautiful and peaceful moments we shared with the animals.
Our safari lasted a total of 7 hours. We spent the rest of the evening back at the same accommodation, where the mother cooked us traditional meals in the evening. The food was truly delicious, the best we had eaten so far here. Although one must say that everything is always freshly prepared here and has tasted good so far. The portions are just always too much!
Day 9
We said our goodbyes and headed to the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Off to the beach! Our first stop is in Tangalle. So we took the bus and arrived at our destination within 2 hours. The bus rides are always an experience. Somehow I always feel a bit like I’m on a party bus or the bus from Harry Potter. Because one thing is for sure: there’s a decent bass and a good tempo 😀
So far, public transportation has thankfully not been too crowded. This is supposed to be the case, especially in the high season. The high season here in the southwest starts in December. We really enjoy having chosen this travel time, as it often feels like you are the only tourist in Sri Lanka. There’s not much going on anywhere, you can do everything at a leisurely pace, prices are even lower, nothing is fully booked, etc. Just great for us. Not so great for the locals. Some locals even have two restaurants or two accommodations. One on the south or west coast and the other on the east or north coast. Depending on the season, they switch locations. The climate here heavily depends on the monsoon. The southwest monsoon runs from May to August and the northeast monsoon from October to December. During this time, it rains a lot. November is still considered a very rainy month. However, we have been very lucky with the weather so far, hardly any rain, and if there is, then only in the evening. The advantage is fewer tourists, which we genuinely enjoy.
At 6 AM, Subhash, our guide, picked us up for the safari. On our way to the national park, we once again encountered the first elephants, monkeys, and water buffalo. Inside the park, we were greeted by a stunning landscape. The weather was beautiful, the forests were lush and green, and in the middle of the national park, there was a huge lake.
The Udawalawe National Park is a national park located at the border between the Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces in southern Sri Lanka. The region was declared a national park on June 30, 1972, to protect the wildlife there, such as birds and elephants. The Udawalawe National Park spans over 30,800 hectares.
Sri Lanka has a total of 27 national parks. That's quite a lot, considering that Sri Lanka is roughly the same size as Bavaria.
Subhash was very knowledgeable about the animals, and he really didn’t miss anything. He spotted animals that we would never have discovered at the same moment. It was very important to him to take paths off the main roads to be as alone and undisturbed as possible, which of course aligned with our desires. We were able to observe some elephants in peace. Sometimes it was even a whole family with young elephants. We saw various birds, including the green and blue bee-eaters, some eagles like the crested eagle, the white-tailed eagle, and the gray-headed fish eagle, as well as the serpent eagle. We spotted a woodpecker, the Ceylon chicken, many peacocks, and many other birds. The Ceylon chicken is, by the way, the national bird of Sri Lanka. We also managed to observe some mongooses. Mongooses hunt snakes, including venomous ones like cobras. We saw different monkeys, including the Ceylon toque macaque and the Hanuman langur. Additionally, we encountered many deer, some monitor lizards, lizards, and two crocodiles. Overall, we had already seen some palm squirrels in Sri Lanka. Subhash discovered leopard footprints. After that, he was very eager to spot a leopard. He had succeeded in doing so a few times before, which is probably the king's discipline of the park, as leopards sleep during the day in the bushes. Unfortunately, we were unable to see one that day. And yet, we had a really wonderful day and were very happy about the beautiful and peaceful moments we shared with the animals.
Our safari lasted a total of 7 hours. We spent the rest of the evening back at the same accommodation, where the mother cooked us traditional meals in the evening. The food was truly delicious, the best we had eaten so far here. Although one must say that everything is always freshly prepared here and has tasted good so far. The portions are just always too much!
Day 9
We said our goodbyes and headed to the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Off to the beach! Our first stop is in Tangalle. So we took the bus and arrived at our destination within 2 hours. The bus rides are always an experience. Somehow I always feel a bit like I’m on a party bus or the bus from Harry Potter. Because one thing is for sure: there’s a decent bass and a good tempo 😀
So far, public transportation has thankfully not been too crowded. This is supposed to be the case, especially in the high season. The high season here in the southwest starts in December. We really enjoy having chosen this travel time, as it often feels like you are the only tourist in Sri Lanka. There’s not much going on anywhere, you can do everything at a leisurely pace, prices are even lower, nothing is fully booked, etc. Just great for us. Not so great for the locals. Some locals even have two restaurants or two accommodations. One on the south or west coast and the other on the east or north coast. Depending on the season, they switch locations. The climate here heavily depends on the monsoon. The southwest monsoon runs from May to August and the northeast monsoon from October to December. During this time, it rains a lot. November is still considered a very rainy month. However, we have been very lucky with the weather so far, hardly any rain, and if there is, then only in the evening. The advantage is fewer tourists, which we genuinely enjoy.
Days 10+11
We spent these days very relaxed on the beach. We chose a really great accommodation right by the beach. The beaches here are beautiful. However, the water isn't suitable for swimming everywhere. But we have already found a few spots where we could swim wonderfully. Besides, we don’t mind the occasional high wave either. The sea temperatures are very inviting; you get that 'bathtub feeling' again. The beaches here in Tangalle are quite wild, covered with many palm trees and several nice little beach bars.
For our accommodation here, we pay just 15 euros per night.
The accommodation is owned by a German woman and her husband. The husband is from Sri Lanka and lost his hotel and a total of 8 relatives in the tsunami in 2004. Angelika, as the owner is named, is a nurse and came to Sri Lanka to help the wounded. That’s how they met. They rebuilt the accommodation together. Angelika had already been in India and Nepal and supported medical care there. Her dream was always to build a children’s home to help needy children and orphans.
She has fulfilled this dream here in Sri Lanka. Isn’t that great?
In any case, we have found a wonderful place to stay here. You can really let your soul dangle. Of course, there are also a few dogs here that often bring a smile to your face. I don’t even want to mention the two puppies. Simply adorable.
Angelika definitely brings good ideas and avoids unnecessary plastic consumption, which, to be honest, is not something that is taken into account here in Sri Lanka.
By the way, it’s excellent to write here under the palm trees on the beach.
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