After 7 days at sea from Thailand to Sri Lanka, we arrived into Trincomalee (Trinco) which would be our home base for our 25-day stay. Cruising in Sri Lanka Unfortunately, Sri Lanka is not really a “cruising” destination. Despite its beautiful beaches and pretty waters, the Sri Lankan government severely restricts the movement of foreign boats. …
Nine years ago, David and I had a wonderful experience on safari in Kruger Park in South Africa – this is well before Starry Horizons and our 6-year circumnavigation. We loved the safari trip, and thoroughly enjoyed spotting the big five game animals – elephants, lions, rhinos, wild buffalo….but no leopards! In researching Sri Lanka…
We took a break from the amazing train ride from Kandy to Ella and back to stop into Nuwara Eliya, a small town up in the mountains of Sri Lanka. This town is often called “Little England”, as the high society of the colony enjoyed the climate in Nuwara Eliya. And here in Nuwara Eliya,…
After three nights in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka, we said goodbye to our friends Kimi and Trevor and our driver Raj. We were ditching them to take one of the most scenic train rides in the world: Kandy to Ella on the iconic blue train. Buying Tickets for the Train in Advance If…
We arrived in Sri Lanka in Trincomalee, which is a bit unusual for tourists, who normally fly into Colombo. But our location meant we were close to some of the biggest attractions in Sri Lanka; the Cultural Triangle. There are five main parts of the Cultural Triangle; Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy, and Polonnaruwa. Hiring a Driver…
Our second day of the Cultural Triangle tour in Sri Lanka, we started off early. Kimi and Trevor were good sports about it, and we all appreciated the early start to beat the heat. Our first activity was to hike Sigiriya rock before it got too hot and crowded. We arrived around 8 am, which…
On our first day out in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, our driver, Raj, took us to Prasanna Hotel and Restaurant. This hotel also operates open-air Jeep tours in the nearby Minneriya National Park. Minneriya National Park Together with Kaudulla and Wasgamuwa National Parks, this is Sri Lanka’s elephant corridor. Depending on the weather and season,…
After two months cruising the west coast of Thailand, we were ready to kick start our year crossing the Indian Ocean. Passage Summary Mileage: 1,017 (not including heaving to & final motor) 1,051 (including heaving to & final motor in) Speed: 6.5 knots (not including heaving to & final motor) 6.16 knots (including heaving to & final…