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#8129
A tropical retreat within easy reach of some of Sri Lanka's finest beaches
House • Gonapinuwala Sri Lanka
Exchange types accepted
Statistics
Listed December 2020
Views 3931
General overview
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Features
Washer
Oven
Microwave
Fridge
Air conditioning
TV
WiFi
Bed sheets
Towels
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Travel Styles
Long term
Adventure
Budget
Family
Romantic
Sport and leisure
Foodie
Relaxing
Eco
Village
Beach
Water
Remote
Tropical
Culture
Cycling
Accessibility
House rules
Suitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets not allowed
No smoking
Allergens
Carpet free
Smoke free
Dates of Availability
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Neighbourhood
The town of Hikkaduwa is close by (10 minutes by car or three-wheeler) and has beautiful beaches and coral reefs. You can snorkel with tropical fish and there are sea turtles that can be hand-fed while you are still on the beach. The beaches to the south of the town are famous for surfing. Hikkaduwa also has a large number of restaurants, as well as supermarkets and shops selling souvenirs.
Galle is 18km from our house (about 20 minutes by car, or a little longer by three-wheeler). It is famous for its beautiful old fort with boutique hotels and odd little shops. It is the third largest city in Sri Lanka and not as pretty (for temples) as Kandy (the second largest) or as big as Colombo (the largest) but it has something special about it. Next to the fort is one of Sri Lanka's test cricket grounds - well worth a visit as the local crowds are friendly and totally non-partisan.
Whale (blue, sperm, humpback and Bryde's) and dolphin watching trips are also run from Galle, although more operate out of Mirissa which is a little further along the coast and take people to the deep water off Dondra Head, the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka. We have done this ourselves and strongly recommend it. Best, apparently, from January to April.
Our house is perfect if you just want to get away from it all or can be used as a base for trips around the island. The trains run efficiently and are cheap (buses are also possible but although cheap can be terrifying) or you can hire a car with a driver to visit national parks, wildlife parks.
Nearest airport
Colombo International Airport is about 2 hours away.
Getting around
Our house is about 2 hours by car from the international airport in Colombo, in the south west corner of the island. Hikkaduwa is the nearest resort and is about 6km (4 miles) away. Galle, Sri Lanka's third largest city, is 18km from our house (about 20 minutes by car, or a little longer by three-wheeler).
Basic Shopping
Walk down the drive and turn right, there is a small shop selling bread, eggs, some veg, bananas, shampoo, mosquito coils, that sort of thing. Very handy. You can also buy ‘curd’ – yoghurt (usually sold in an old coffee jar or a shallow terracotta dish) – delicious. The jars need to be returned for re-use but the dishes don’t. The owner also has a tuk-tuk and can take you places if he is not busy. His English is very limited. If his son is around, he will drive the tuk-tuk instead and is much more cheerful than his dad. We can give you his contact number, and you can send a text message to book a lift.
Gonapinuwala (the nearest village)
There is a newish, large supermarket called 'Wimala Super' in the village (coming from the house, when you reach the village, turn right onto Baddegama Road, and it’s a short distance on the right).
Hikkaduwa
One fairly well-stocked supermarket near the bus station (basics, dairy, some vegetables, ice cream, soft drinks, cleaning stuff). One ‘expat’ supermarket (Sandagiri) on Galle Road, also has postcards, stamps, cigars, sun cream, charcoal, and tonic water. For meat, bacon, eggs, and some other bits and bobs, there is a Farm Shop in Hikkaduwa, halfway between the Chaaya Tranz Hikkaduwa and the Bus Station. The fish market (near the railway station) is good for cuts of (or whole) tuna and seer fish and also decent fresh fruit, herbs and vegetables. They speak enough English to make shopping possible and they are very friendly.
Map of Approximate Location
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People Like Us Local Guide
We live in Hong Kong, and would be happy to meet up with PLU members for a meal, or to show people around the markets (although unfortunately we can't offer accommodation in HK).
Feedback
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