Sri Lanka Day 35 (Dambulla & Sigiriya): Pidurangala Rock Trekking
To get to Sigiriya from Welisara could take up to 8h even though I have read online that that it would take approximately 5-6h.
According to the research I have done, the best (weighing the price and journey time) way to get to Sigiriya was to take the bus. The issue about taking the train was that it would take up till 6-7h and the station to alight would be Harbarana but there wouldn't be any bus from Habarana to Sigiriya. Tuktuk would then be the only option and it would be expensive.
Seriously, I didn't expect the journey to be this long, it was equivalent to me taking a flight from Singapore to Sri Lanka and the back to Singapore.
So, from Welisara, we took the bus to Colombo. Stopped by Colombo Pettah Floating Market to get a quick bite.
Breakfast: Hotdog bun
There are actually quite a few buses which can take you from Pettah to Dambulla. we took bus 48 in the end which last stopped at Polonnaruwa. The bus ride was crazy long and I could feel body aching everywhere. I slept most of the time and while I was awake, I would watch dramas on my phone. When the bus got really crowded, there would be people leaning against you and arms on your head rest but I guessed I have already gotten used to them. Not that I am fine with that because I would get really pissed when I had to sit with my back crooked because of the leaning and everything but I have accepted the way that that is how things work in this country.
It was around 1pm and we finally got to Dambulla. Stopped by for a lunch first before continuing the journey to Sigiriya. Should have explored this place more that time because I expected us to go back the next day but we ended up not. The Golden Temple and Golden Cave Temple at Dambulla are the two main attractions but we couldn't go due to time constraints.
Lunch @ Benthota Bake House: Rice and curry which we couldn't finish even though it was meant for one person.
Continued the journey to Sigiriya. We booked our accomodation there because the bus that runs from Dambulla to Sigiriya only operates from 6.30am to 6.00pm, so we did not have to rush off.
Nature Walk Sigiriya is owned by a friendly young couple and the location was good. It is located along the main road and opposite the area where the tuktuks are parked so it was very easy for us to move from one place to another. And the price was so good! It only costed us $17 per room per night and the cleanliness and conditions of the furniture are definitely better than some of the places we have stayed so far.
Off we go to Pidurangala Rock. It costs $5 to go up to this rock and it is a good substitute for the Lion Rock if you have decided like us to not spend the $39. I hope I don't regret not climbing that but I could feel myself regreting already because it is the iconic monument of Sri Lanka and the locals have been asking why didn't we go up to the rock. ANd when I researched a little about it, I think it was really something worth looking at. SIGH.
Some pictures while climbing the rock. It was easy at the beginning but got harder at the end because there were just rocks and no steps. We got lost while coming down and hence I would recommend a gui. I guessed we are really that budget till we had to save on every penny. Actually we also didn't expect ourselves to get lost. In the end we saw a dog and realised that that was the place we should head to. climbed up some rocks and finally got ourselves to the place the dog was at.
A sleeping buddha at the mid-point
The path got tougher after that.
Luckily a local guide for two foriegners were there to help us get up.
The view from the peak was pretty much like the one in Mihintale and I guessed it would have been better if we actually idn't go on consecutive weekends. That's the Lion Rock at the opposite side in the 1st photo.
Candid: The wind was so strong and I had to adjust my cap
Just wanted to chill there because the wind was nice and the sun was good too!
Left the place at around 5pm so and luckily we didn't insist on catching the sunset if not we might not be able to fnd the way out in the end. Called Clara accidentally and before that I told her I was lost in the forest. When she called me back, i didn't pick up because data was going to burst already. Made her panicked like crazy and she thought I was kidnapped. HAHHAHA.
Tuktuk back to the hostel and the Tuktuk driver was really nice to charge us the LKR300 even though he had to make a special trip down to fetch us and waited for me to get some biscuits near Lion Rock.
I didn't bring my toothbrush and the owner brought me to the nearby convenient shop. So nice of him! I think generally the people here in Sigiriya are very sincere and helpful. Nobody came to ask us for money too! It is quite underdeveloped area but it could be that that we could feel the kampong spirit.
Last minute decision to go Polonnaruwa the next day. Because we realised that if we are not going to Golden Cave in Dambulla, there is basically nothing to do the next day. The owner gave us directions and I must say that he really reminded us of the owner in Kandy Camarin Residence but both we felt that we underpaid for the service we received.
