Train Ride Across Sri Lanka
Posted: October 4, 2024
Backpacking Sri Lanka by train. Travel stories from 2016
I arrived at Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International after a short night flight from Abu Dhabi via Mumbai at 04.30. I was happy to get my checked-in bag very quickly.
I took a good coffee in the arrivals hall and waited for the world to wake up. Outside, I was shocked by first impressions, which, as those who know me, mean a great deal to me. I was expecting chaos and trash and shit everywhere.
It was clean. Neat streets with lots of flowers, no trash and no one shitting on the sidewalk. The plan was to head to the train station near the airport, hop on a commuter train to Colombo and then transfer to a Kandy-bound intercity train, but a bus with KANDY on the front trundled past. I hopped on. Welcome to Sri Lanka, my 82 country.
I wasn't a proper travel blogger back then. I have since learned that posts about how to get from place to place, especially from, let's say, the Colombo airport to Kandy, would do well. I hadn't learned the importance of taking the correct photos and collecting info that I could share.
I took a good coffee in the arrivals hall and waited for the world to wake up. Outside, I was shocked by first impressions, which, as those who know me, mean a great deal to me. I was expecting chaos and trash and shit everywhere.
It was clean. Neat streets with lots of flowers, no trash and no one shitting on the sidewalk. The plan was to head to the train station near the airport, hop on a commuter train to Colombo and then transfer to a Kandy-bound intercity train, but a bus with KANDY on the front trundled past. I hopped on. Welcome to Sri Lanka, my 82 country.
I wasn't a proper travel blogger back then. I have since learned that posts about how to get from place to place, especially from, let's say, the Colombo airport to Kandy, would do well. I hadn't learned the importance of taking the correct photos and collecting info that I could share.
Escaping the chaotic traffic of Kandy with a 3rd class train ticket to Hatton and a bus connection to the end of the road in Dalhouse jumping off point for Adams Peak.
Pilgrims flock to Dalhouse between December and April to climb Sri Lanka's most sacred mountain, Adam's Peak. The rest of the year, only crazy tourists come here and brave the elements: heavy rain and swirling clouds.
The idea is to climb at night and watch the sunrise.
Even now, despite the southwest monsoon, westerners come here with the idea to get up at 2am to start the climb, but for what? I climbed in the daytime. No need to waste my torch batteries. Mist is mist. It was only with luck that the day I made the climb, was less wet than the 5 days that followed.
The idea is to climb at night and watch the sunrise.
Even now, despite the southwest monsoon, westerners come here with the idea to get up at 2am to start the climb, but for what? I climbed in the daytime. No need to waste my torch batteries. Mist is mist. It was only with luck that the day I made the climb, was less wet than the 5 days that followed.
The usual crowd comes, sleeps a few hours, climbs, sees nothing, descends, has breakfast and heads off to the next thing on their list.
It's my 4th day here. It's picturesque, quiet and cheap. Why hurry? I am hanging out with an Aussie guy who I met in Kandy. We both have similar ideals and travel slowly. We stayed a week in the end. Besides the climb, which leaves EVERYONE with sore legs for a week, we made short hikes in the surrounding hills - tea country. The nicest walk, on our last day, a viewpoint across the lake to a waterfall, and then walking up and over the hills, along unmarked trails, dead reckoning our return walk.
It's my 4th day here. It's picturesque, quiet and cheap. Why hurry? I am hanging out with an Aussie guy who I met in Kandy. We both have similar ideals and travel slowly. We stayed a week in the end. Besides the climb, which leaves EVERYONE with sore legs for a week, we made short hikes in the surrounding hills - tea country. The nicest walk, on our last day, a viewpoint across the lake to a waterfall, and then walking up and over the hills, along unmarked trails, dead reckoning our return walk.
Back in Hatton, we continued by train to Haputale. With luck, we scored a great price after we said we'd stay 4 days in a twin room with a huge balcony and valley views about 1km from the noise of the town. We found an Indian curry house to top up on some Masala Dosa. We've been eating Sri Lankan 'curry rice' every day up until now. And on a 'short' hike to a small temple, we met by chance a tuk-tuk driver who suggested we could take a certain path to the left of the St. Benedict monastery and come out at Idalgashinna station and take the train back. Which we did after a fair amount of bushwhacking. The 10 Sri Lankan rupee ticket must be the cheapest ticket I have ever bought.
Another thing we did there was to take the train to Pattipola, the highest station in Sri Lanka and walk back along the tracks, photo below. Yes, there were trains and even a few tunnels, but 4 trains a day, and in each direction, it was easy to work out how long we had. Twice, we waited and got awesome close-ups as the trains passed. The bolts that hold the rails to the sleepers are all loose. Just as well, the trains travel at barely walking pace.
The last stop on the journey through 'hill country' was Ella.
Little Adams Peak as seen from Ella Rock. The journey through the hill country over. Time to go check out the coast and then Jaffna.
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