Tag: UNESCO world heritage site

A week in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is often described by travellers as “India-light”.  It is far more compact, with many of the highlights possible to cover in a week; it has a similar culture in many ways; similar type of experiences on offer, such as tropical beaches, old forts, tea plantations etc; and it is generally a bit less hectic than the madness of a busy India.  But, if looking at the flip side, it also doesn’t really offer anything that India doesn’t.  So, if you have experience of India, you may find Sri Lanka chilled, pretty, nice to get around, but without necessarily the wow factor.  The exception to this though is the Tea Country and the spectacular train ride through it

I’ve listed below the classic, compact 1 week itinerary for some of the highlights and a few high level tips to help you get the most out of the trip:

  1. Time of year – the experience of Sri Lanka varies dramatically by season.  Basically, December to March / April is the best time for this itinerary as it is dry (and nicely cooler) season in the south coast and Hill Country.  April to September is best for the north of the country and the Ancient Sites, again because it is drier
  2. Prioritise time in the Tea Country – the beaches in the south are lovely, Galle is nice for an afternoon, and its worth dedicating half a day to try and see a Blue Whale in Mirissa, but the highlight is the Tea Country for not just the tea estates, but also the hiking and pretty “Old English” feel towns
  3. Book your trains in advance – you DO NOT want to be standing.  I’ve read in a few guide books that it doesn’t really matter if you stand – I think that’s ok for a hour or so, but for longer it really isn’t fun. It’s Sri Lanka – 2nd and 3rd class unreserved will have people crammed in to the point that you can’t sit on the floor and need to stand.  Tickets become available 30 days in advance and are super cheap (US$7 for first class just about everywhere), so jump on the train website (really not as bad as people whinge about) or, if left it late, buy at the stations (only the large stations such as Colombo, Kandy and Nanuoya sell reserved seating tickets)
  4. You’ll want a driver for parts of the trip – some parts of the journey you cannot take a train, such as from Galle up to the Tea Country, and some parts you’ll want a driver to take you around the immediate sites, such as the tea factories and estates.  Considering you only have a week, and potentially can share the cost among multiple people, it’s just easier to get a driver for the day.  They’re typically US$50 for the day and it also has the benefit of being able to speak in detail with a local as they proudly show you their country.  I rented Siri (+94 77 779 8962) for my drive from Mirissa to Ella, who was very knowledgeable; and Yoga (+94 75 165 0205) for around Nuwara Eliya.  I’d recommend both
  5. I wish I’d . . . visited the Uda Walaw National Park.  Would have been great to see more of the wildlife, and it fits perfectly into the route
  6. For more details on each of the experiences, see the detailed travel entries for:

Couple of hours in Kandy

Kandy, with its Temple of the Sacred Tooth and basic Buddhist museums on the relatively peaceful north shore of Kandy Lake, is nice as a brief 2 hour stop on the way to the Tea Country in the south or the Ancient sites in the north.  But I don’t suggest spending more time than that, and certainly prioritise stopping overnight in the likes of the super picturesque tea village of Ella (see The Hill Country Village of Ella for more details) or the “Little England” experience of Nuwara Eliya (see Staying in Nuwara Eliya’s Little England for more details)

 

There’s a reason it is regularly included in an itinerary of Sri Lanka, but never as one of the highlights . . .

The Historic Fort of Galle

The atmospheric UNESCO World Heritage site of Galle is on most traveller’s Sri Lankan list.  The place has some wonderful deep history across the colonial times of the Portuguese, Dutch and British that you can soak up while wandering the old streets and the fort walls in an afternoon, or for staying overnight to enjoy one of the beautiful colonial style hotels.  Nice to stop in and you don’t really need much more time than half a day

 

Top tip – no need to really have a set walking route as the fort area (the place you will spend all your time) is super small and easy to navigate.  Just head off in the general direction of the fort walls for the views of the surrounding area and the centre for some of the colonial hotels, where I’d recommend lunch at the Fort Bazaar

 

Travel tip – if travelling from Colombo by train, be sure to 1. Take the train – the views are beautiful as the train hugs the beach for a big chunk of the way. 2. Get first class or at least reserved seating – the train is one of the busiest in Sri Lanka, so you’ll be crammed in standing in the hallway between carriages with very little space. I decided not to wait 4 hours for the next reserved seating train, which was an error

5 days for Oman

Oman is a cracking country for a 5 day trip.  It has that wonderful Middle East vibe without the extreme restrictions of the likes of Saudi or Iran, the extreme opulence of the UAE and Qatar, and without the crowds of Egypt and Jordan.  To add to the mix, it has a surprisingly diverse offering – world class mountains, vast red deserts, gorge and canyon exploring, and all with the capital Muscat acting as a hub to launch yourself on these adventures

 

Its only real downsides are that it tends to be expensive; doesn’t have the well trodden traveller path (so you need to do a lot on your own); and, outside of the Hajar Mountains which are sensational, doesn’t have so many of the world class attractions you’ll find in other parts of the Middle East.  That being said, the below itinerary was cracking fun

 

Top tips:

  • #1 Prioritise the following 3 things (in order) – 4WD in the Hajar Mountains (including the forts of Nizwa and Bahla as they are en route); Hiking and swimming Wadi Shab; Staying in the red desert of Sharqiya Sands.  Muscat only needs a day max and you’ll naturally find this time as you’ll fly in and out of there

 

  • #2 Five days is enough, but with little chill out time – the 3 highlights above are all within 2 hours drive of Muscat and typically only need 0.5 days (Wadi Shab), 1 day (Sharqiya Sands) and 1.5 days (the mountains).  Two ways of looking at it:
    • If full of energy and trying to get the most out of the 5 days – the itinerary below is very doable and, if slightly impatient, you’ll find that you’ll be done with the places quite quickly (eg you really don’t need more than the morning in Wadi Shab and overnight in the desert).  You could even choose between Jebel Shams and the 4WD mountain road to make this a 4 day trip
    • If want more of a chill out – either make it a week, or chose between either Jebel Shams (famous) or the 4WD mountain road (spectacular, adventure

 

  • #3 Oman is expensive – it’s quite a shock when you see that the exchange rate is 3US$ to the Omani Rial . . . as in, the other way around!!  Everything is more expensive than you’ll likely be used to, so it pays to scan for in particular cheap accommodation and a decent deal on the 4WD

 

  • #4 Driving – you need a car if not on a tour, as public transport is pretty poor.  Broadly the deals started at around US$35 / day for a basic rental car, and around 2/2.5 times that for a 4WD – so it may actually make sense to take the 2WD for certain parts and change for 4WD when needed, which is what I did.  As always, have a scan on RentalCar to see what the rates look like.
    • What about a 4WD?  The 4WD makes a lot of the trip easier as you can easily drive up to Jebel Shams, drive to your desert camp in Sharqiya Sands) and is an absolute must for the drive across the mountains via Hatt.  That being said, the drive up to Jebel Shams is very doable in a 2WD (no restrictions); you can easily get the Desert Camp to pick you up from the town of Al Wasil or any pre-arranged meeting spot on the main road; and the drive across the mountain road via Hatt can be optional if you’re not up for the nerve jangling.  Be sure as well to check that it is a genuine 4WD, rather than a 2WD SUV (which the second rental company were not clear on)

 

  • #5 How to behave / what to wear – Oman felt very much on the chilled out end of the Middle East spectrum, and used to western tourists.  Whilst its always better to dress a bit more like a local (they find it odd, for example, that we wear shorts at all), for the itinerary below, there were no places where you would feel uncomfortable wearing clothes showing knees / shoulders

 

4WDing across the Hajar Mountains via Hatt

The Hajar Mountains, with their spectacular peaks, hidden hill towns, mini luscious oases and dramatic canyons are some of the most striking mountains in the world and by far the highlight of Oman.  Most people visit the forts of Bahla, the Wadi Ghul canyon and drive up to the plateau of Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest mountain – and these really worth doing.  But for a truly world-class experience, rent a 4WD and drive the mountain road from Bahla to Rustaq via Hatt.  The number of fellow tourists drop off dramatically, the valleys and peaks become more dramatic, the hill towns and oases are significantly more remote and untouched, and above all you’ll have a great feeling of adventure.  It’s not for the faint hearted though – the road is challenging, with the majority of your time spent on dirt roads, the drops off the side can be a little terrifying, and at times you will feel a bit isolated with no other drivers around you.  But, considering the ease at which you can experience this (easily be done in a day from Muscat and 4WD rentals are easy to rent), this should be right at the top of your list for Oman

 

Top tips:

  1. Is the route hard  to follow – no.  I’ve seen plenty of blogs that make it seem easy to get lost.  It really isn’t.  I’ve listed below the route to demonstrate some of the things you can expect to see, but you can just plug it into google maps and you’ll have no problems.  Even without google maps, its basically a direct road except for 2 forks that are clearly signposted
  2. Do you need a 4×4 – absolutely.  Contrary to many things written about the Jebel Shams ascent, I think you can easily get up Jebel Shams without a 4WD.  But you absolutely cannot do this mountain route without a 4WD – that would be dangerous
  3. Is it dangerous – as long as you (i) have a 4WD; (ii) don’t drive in the rain or when the road is very wet; (iii) don’t be reckless; (iv) use a bit of common sense when other cars are passing, this is not dangerous.  That being said, it is challenging and at times nerve wracking just because of the steep sides
  4. How much time does it take – it took me 3 hours for the drive, including stopping just about every 10mins for photos.  I think if you wanted to stop in some of the villages, add on an extra hour on.  If you are driving from Muscat, it’s around 1.5hours to Rustaq and around 2hours to Bahla.  So, all in from Muscat you’re looking at a 6.5-7.5 hour day
  5. The obvious stuff – your chances of something going wrong are low, but it always makes sense to prep correctly – reduce the pressure in your tires by around 20% for the offroading; make sure you have enough fuel (there are no petrol stations); make sure you have a spare tire and know roughly how to replace it; bring water in case for whatever reason you do get stuck.  Whilst it is quite isolated at times, I saw around 30 other vehicles on my trip (locals and tourists) so you will have support if you run into problems (in fact it will be in their interest to help you if you are blocking the road!)

Hiking and swimming Wadi Shab

Wadi Shab is a large gorge that makes its way from the Eastern Hajar Mountains to meet the Arabian Sea.  Purely for looking at it is beautiful – steep arid dramatic sides rising above and crystal clear turquoise water rushing through the streams and irrigation channels that cross all through the gorge (and are actually UNESCO World Heritage sites on their own).  But, the main reason the trip is so cool and worth the visit is the mini adventure of hiking and then swimming through the warm water of the gorge to find the partly submerged cave with small waterfall at the end.  Great fun

Top tip – get there early.  I arrived at 745am and had the walk and swim into the gorge completely to myself, which was magical.  The way back I counted maybe 50 people passing me, which would have been a very different vibe and suggests that groups arrive around 9am.  The small boats that transport you the first 2-3 mins across the water start at 7am (1 Omani Rial / USD2.5), so you can start anytime from then

How much time is needed – the guides say 4 hours, but I think you only need 2-3 hours – 45mins to walk to the start of swim, 30mins for the swim (wading / swimming / standing – not all swimming!), and then a bit shorter on the way back.  I was back on the small boats after 2 hours and wasn’t at all rushing

What to bring – because the swim is at the end, I reckon you could get by without a dry bag or water shoes because you can just leave your dry stuff at the start of the swim.  That being said, the adventure feel of taking the dry bag with me through the swim was fun

The gap into the partly submerged cave at the end is very small!  I turned up, on my own, not knowing there was a cave or a small gap – quite the moment deciding to go for it!

You don’t need a guide – it’s a very straightforward route and not really worth the OR25 / USD65

Where to stay – Wadi Shab Resort was basic (most places are in Oman) but really nice with immediate access to the pebble beach where you can spot sea turtles

10 day itinerary for Andalucia

Andalucia is the jewel in the crown of Spain.  There are various stella attractions that help this region claim that title – the Alhambra, Seville, Cordoba, the striking pueblos blancos (white towns), the flamenco dancing, the Sherry Triangle.  There are also natural spots that are worth the trip alone, such as the beaches of Tarifa, the mountains of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema and the coastline of Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar.  But it is the unique historical blend of Christian Spain and Moorish Al-Andalus that gives Andalucia the magic touch and makes it the must visit region of Spain

 

The itinerary below will give you the highlights and try to minimise the driving by having Cordoba and Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar as optional

 

I’ve listed tips below, but high level – the standout attractions are the drive through the achingly beautiful white towns of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema, Seville’s Old Town with its Cathedral and Palace, and staying overnight in the sensational Vejer de la Fontera

Historic Seville

When you think of the major historic cities of the world, you naturally think of the likes of Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Delhi, Beijing etc., but not necessarily Seville in that top bracket.  Yet it really should be – consider a few factors:

1. Huge variety of history – whilst many of the major European cities have ebbed and flowed in influence, Seville, from the time of the Romans, Goths, Muslim-rule, Catillian conquest, and through to its position as the commercial capital of the Spanish Empire in the Age of Discovery, has remained a key city – that is a serious variety of history in one place!

2. Major attractions – Seville Cathedral, The Royal Palace Alcazar and the General Archives of the Indies are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And then you have the likes of the Plaza de Toros (Spain’s oldest and premier bullring), magnificent Plaza de Espana and the other myriad of chrurchs, palaces and museums

3. Compact – unlike some of other major Historical Cities, the historic sites are all super close together, with most sites within 500m

4. The Old Town is magical – the old medieval lanes of the Historic area offer an Old Town that is not only pretty, but also has that wonderful combination of having a buzz, but being easily able to escape the crowds and find small deserted laned all to yourself

 

From an experience point of view, it’s acually the Old Town that makes Seville feel special . . . and very real in many ways.  As long as you can manage your expectations for fellow tourist numbers at the key attractions and avoid the intense heat of the summer, Seville is a “must visit” in what is the must visit region of Spain (Andalucia)

Salamanca’s Old Town

There are so many pretty towns all across Spain with their magnificent Cathedrals, windy Old Town streets and snapshot views straight from a fairy tale . . . but they often feel either super touristy or half deserted as they are no longer a functioning non-tourist town.  Salamanca is different because it is fortunate to have a university right in the beating heart of the Old Town.  This gives the visit a far more genuine feel and it’s actually quite magical wandering through the narrow lanes all around the UNESCO World Heritage listed Cathedral Nueva, finding local bars and restaurants full and then spilling out into the wider plazas like the Plaza Mayor.  Super underrated place to visit and one of the best Old Towns experiences you can find

 

Top Tip – as with so many Old Towns, its best just to head in and get lost in the vibe of the place, find yourself a restaurant, have a few drinks and do a steady explore to find what lurks behind the next street, rather than following a guidebook.  There is enough to Salamanca to give you this experience and I’d recommend doing so around dusk time when many fellow tourists have left and the restaurant scene starts (slowly!) to come alive

Accommodation tip – for a hotel right near the Old Town, with stunning views of the Cathedral from its garden pool and Monastery from its rooms, beautiful courtyards and generally top quality, I’d really recommend the Hotel Hospes Palacio de San Esteban.  Expensive, but great place

Wandering Bordeaux

Bordeaux is nice – the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town is pleasant and big enough to get enjoyably lost in; the Place de la Bourse is impressive with its mirrored effect looking from the fountains; and of course you have some of the best wines in the world to sample in the various wine bars and learn about in the museum La Cite du Vin . . . but the highlight of this part of the world is the vineyards themselves . . . and in particular around the Saint Emilion area (see Sampling wines in Saint Emilion for more detailed tips).  So, spend an afternoon if, as you likely will be, passing through, but not at the expense of time in the vineyards

 

Tip – the museum, La Cite du Vin, is surprisingly good.  It’s out of town a little, but only a 15min tram ride on the main route, plus it has views over the city with your choice of some free wine to compliment the view and the nearby Les Halles Bacalan is a market of tapas restaurants where the food is wonderful