Weekend Getaways near Buttala

4.Get the morning train to Galle which comes from Colombo. You can stay here for relaxing at Jungle beach or can get back to Bentota after sightseeing Galle fort in evening. I preferred to return to Bentota as I am more interested in sightseeing than relaxing.

I kept the bags at Unawatuna and went to Galle for the interesting cricket match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Apart from the cricket, there is Galle Fort which is a good place to visit.After wandering in the Galle Fort, I headed back to Unawatuna for the night stay.

Next morning, I got up a bit late. I was unable to bend my knee, the pain had worsened. The owner of the resort gave me some kind of ointment but it didn't provide any relief. I made my mind and thought of continuing my journey. I had breakfast which the owner's wife had cooked, it was some authentic Sri Lankan food; it was exquisite.I boarded a bus from Mirissa to Galle around 11 AM and reached Galle in an hour. It was getting really hard for me to travel. I met this English couple on the bus who gave my some painkillers by looking at my state. I wish I had clicked their picture but I was not in the right state.

We got off at the train station and headed to the Dutch Colony where we booked our accommodation. (If you're visiting Galle, stay in the Dutch Colony and take a stroll around the Colony and you are sure to get lost on your way back. It's worth it.) The Dutch architecture astounds you. Every street, every house, every shop and every restaurant is built keeping symmetry as a key ingredient. The beauty of the architecture is in its simplicity. A tour around the Galle Fort gives you beautiful sights of the Ocean and drains your energy out. It gets a bit crowded in the evenings. Try visiting the place early morning. A visit to Japanese Peace Pagoda and Jungle Beach is also a must. Jungle Beach has bluish-green waters. It is tucked in a tiny corner beyond the Japanese Peace Pagoda. The food is good and you'll love the view and mood with Sri Lankan music band playing in the vicinity. While Galle and Colombo greet you with the tropical climate of the Coast, you could head to Mirissa which has Whale & Dolphin watching, with a cruise ride. It's also a surfer's paradise and has surfing schools. Living in the Wild However, our itinerary included Yala National Park (known for Leopard-spotting). The tented accommodation was eco-friendly and it's something that teaches you to adjust without daily pleasures of hot water and other luxuries. We did the evening safari which lasted close to 4.5 hours. It was totally worth it as we camped the night in the National Park, amid shrill sounds in the wild. This was a magical evening as it was a full-moon night with campfire and candle-light dinner (BBQ). We woke up to a beautiful morning with birds chirping and sounds of other creatures, had a good breakfast and left Yala where we met one of the best human beings in Sri Lanka, our tour guide, our driver and a good friend - Krishna ( His Facebook page). Krishna - Our saviour in Sri Lanka My friend spotted Krishna while researching about transportation in Sri Lanka and spoke to him a couple of times. He found him as the best tour guide in Sri Lanka, as suggested by Trip Advisor. Little did we know that he will be our saviour there. Krishna provides transportation/ guide services through his company Tuk Tuk and Taxi Services. Krishna brought Kumar, his friend and colleague along while ferrying us to Nuwara Eliya. A die-hard Sangakkara and A.R. Rahman fan, Krishna is sure to entertain you with his adrenaline-pumping music (if you too are a Rahman fan) and his love for Tamil movies. Not only does Krishna give you the right plan, he will also help you save a lot of money through right advice. He is also a great storyteller who gives you snippets about his life and keeps you entertained throughout the journey, provided you reciprocate. One of his witty quotes: "I'm sometimes, Hindu. Because I have to be religious in front of my wife". An excerpt from our conversation: Me: You are God. Krishna: Yes, I'm Krishna. We loved every bit of the journey from Yala to Nuwara Eliya (hilly region), with Krishna. (During the journey from Yala, you're most likely to come across an Elephant on the road.) Like I said, our itinerary wasn't perfect. Krishna helped us re-work on it and took us to Ella which was on the way to Nuwara Eliya. According to our itinerary, Ella came after Nuwara Eliya. (so, now you know why we're thankful to Krishna). Of Rama, Sita, Rawana Falls & Hanuman Footprint

Galle is the fourth largest city in Sri Lanka and an increasingly popular vacation destination. With a wide variety of landmarks, eateries and high class accommodation, Galle provides a tourist experience that you won’t soon forget. Temperatures remain at roughly 26 degrees Celsius (but can sometimes go high) and the city’s climate is tropical, with no regular dry season.

3. Galle

GALLE

Galle is a district that lies in the southern coast of Sri Lanka. We took the train from Kandy via Colombo and came to Galle after an early morning commute. One sees some of the most beautiful sights from lush green hills and tea plantations to sea side towns as you arrive into Galle.

Galle is another small city in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. It is primarily known for it's cricket and is also home to the Sri Lankan Navy's Southern Command. A fairly busy town, Galle, has quite a lot of history attached to it.