Sri Lanka

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
User avatar
matt2matt2002
Posts: 1126
Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 7:45pm
Location: Aberdeen Scotland UK

Sri Lanka

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Anyone here toured Sri Lanka?
I'm thinking of June and or July there.

I've checked out crazy guy but thought I'd ask the experts here, as well !

Thanks
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
mnichols
Posts: 1465
Joined: 22 Apr 2013, 4:29pm

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by mnichols »

I have a friend touring there at the moment but he's not back yet. Photos look stunning. It's on my list of must tour places. There are a few tour companies go there as well
User avatar
matt2matt2002
Posts: 1126
Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 7:45pm
Location: Aberdeen Scotland UK

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Thanks. Does your friend have a blog?
Any other info appreciated.
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
bikepacker
Posts: 2273
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:08pm
Location: Worcestershire
Contact:

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by bikepacker »

We did a CTC tour of Sri Lanka a few years ago, it was the best CTC tour we ever went on. Didn't do any write up but here are some pictures: http://www.by-bike.co.uk/photos.htm
There is your way. There is my way. But there is no "the way".
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by simonhill »

I've been to SL twice. Once before the civil war and once just after the ceasefire. I am going again in a week, for a month. Planning on heading north, the bits I couldn't do last time. If I like it I may even go back (coming home for wedding, hence only a month).

I don't blog or journalise, but if you want to contact me in April, I will be happy to try to help.

I think June and July are in the middle of the SW Monsoon, so expect plenty of wet.

Seek out Bill Weir on crazyguonabike. He has done a couple of trips there recently.
Gooseman
Posts: 7
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 2:03pm

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by Gooseman »

Hi
I was there last year, I'd agree with most people here in that it is an amazing place, but you'd need to be seriously careful as the driving is not as it is in Europe (and I know it's not great here either!). I am not said it's bad; it's just very very different. Having said that, when I was zipping around in tuk-tuks it all worked well (the rule is: there are no rules) and everyone seemed to be able to avoid one another as they cut across lanes and 'duck and dived' through gaps left and right. But it's seat of your pants stuff on the busier roads between towns along the coast. Away from these roads it could be much better, I don't know.

I'd be swapping out my lycra for brown corduroy I think ;)
User avatar
matt2matt2002
Posts: 1126
Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 7:45pm
Location: Aberdeen Scotland UK

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Thanks folks
I'm sold on the idea of going but would like to hear from someone who has been there, July August.
I believe the monsoon season?
Do I need mudguards?
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
iviehoff
Posts: 2411
Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by iviehoff »

Climate data suggests that Sri Lanka has a tropical climate rather different from most of mainland India, and more like places you would find in east Africa. But it varies considerably by location in the island. Whilst it rains to some degree year round, there are still distinctive wet seasons that are rather or much wetter than other periods. The west coast has 2 distinct wet seasons, with Little Rains in April-May and Great Rains in Sep-Nov. The east coast has a two season climate with a single wet season, surprisingly Oct to Feb, when it is bone dry in much of India. The average temperature is more or less constant year round. I would suggest that climatically June-August is a relatively good time to go. Jan-Feb would in theory be better in the central hills which have a marked dry season at that time, unlike the east coast, though some friends who went there at that time recently still suffered quite a lot of rain. But on the whole, I'd say Jun-Aug looks a surprisingly good time to go. Although the heat and humidity will be trying at any time of year.
pwa
Posts: 17366
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by pwa »

I can see the attractions of Sri Lanka, in spite of climate issues and reservations about other road users. I am interested in Buddhism and would love to visit some of those ancient sites. But I am interested in how we view a place that has recently emerged from war. Do we just block it out and admire the scenery? Probably not. Do we treat it as part of our learning experience, watching out for signs of the recent conflict as we move around? That still feels a little bad taste. But it is a holiday and you cannot spend the whole time in a respectful solemn silence. How do you get it right?

I've had that dilemma closer to home, in France, visiting a site where a massacre took place in World War Two. I felt okay about my visit because it brought tears to my eyes.

This issue occurs to me because yesterday I was listening to someone explaining that an estimated 40,000 people who "disappeared" at the end of the civil war are dead, not detained in secret detention centres.

I am sure we all hope that Sri Lanka's future holds only peace and healing.
User avatar
MrsHJ
Posts: 1822
Joined: 19 Aug 2010, 1:03pm
Location: Dartmouth, Devon.

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by MrsHJ »

I've been to Sri Lanka a couple of times to visit as my brother was based over there for 3 years and married a Sri Lankan. I didn't cycle and went once before and once during the civil war. Somewhat scary experience with a bomb blast and huge amounts of security but my main concerns now would be climate and other road users.

You know yourself and whether the climate will suit you for cycling-'it would be too hot and humid for me. As for the roads some get very busy but they have now put a motorway down the coast from Colombo to Galle (or somewhere around there) so in theory that's the worst bit of road sorted out. Personally I'd avoid cycling in Colombo- interesting but might be a bit much if you are jet lagged and dodging tu k tuks, buses, elephants etc.

However the airport is north of the city in a less busy area so maybe heading off north or east might be the way to go. I understand the roads to the north are open again now which they weren't when I last visited so that might be an interesting choice. Roads in the hill country etc would be fine for cycling in terms of busyness levels, presumably you'll have decent width tyres to deal with any imperfections on the surfaces.

Ps two monsoons- different areas and times of the year, figure out the timing and then make your route decisions accordingly.

Pp's agree re the post war commentary. It was post tsunami the first time we visited and that was complex too. Hoping the new government maybe signs of change for the country.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by simonhill »

I'd suggest a detailed look at the weather for a few specific towns. If you go to a site like wunderground or AccuWeather you can get daily by the hour historical data. Look at the month you are planning on going for for a few years to see what sort of weather you can expect. Not only rainfall, but sunshine hours. Also beware El nino effect.

I'm in SL at the moment and I was having a roti yesterday and the woman who ran the shop (actually a shed) said how nice the weather was. She then went on to say "not like the awful weather in Aug and Sept".

As to earlier question. I always have mudguards and would advise others likewise, whether it be dry East Anglia or the hills of Kandy.
User avatar
matt2matt2002
Posts: 1126
Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 7:45pm
Location: Aberdeen Scotland UK

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by matt2matt2002 »

simonhill wrote:I'd suggest a detailed look at the weather for a few specific towns. If you go to a site like wunderground or AccuWeather you can get daily by the hour historical data. Look at the month you are planning on going for for a few years to see what sort of weather you can expect. Not only rainfall, but sunshine hours. Also beware El nino effect.

I'm in SL at the moment and I was having a roti yesterday and the woman who ran the shop (actually a shed) said how nice the weather was. She then went on to say "not like the awful weather in Aug and Sept".

As to earlier question. I always have mudguards and would advise others likewise, whether it be dry East Anglia or the hills of Kandy.

Thanks Simon.
It's information like that I need. Local info is best.
Thanks for the tips on other weather sites. I'll follow that up.

My problem/ situation is that I can only have the summer months off from work. The other destination I am exploring is Ethiopia. But again, there are heavy rains then.
Best of luck for your own trip
Matt
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by simonhill »

Tips of the day.

Number 1:
Take a mosquito net. Fortunately I have one.

Number 2:
Don't leave your bike unattended in a rural area. Mine got 'monkeyed'. The buggers go for anything in plastic bags as they think it is food. I didn't mind them having my peanuts, but not my White Lightning lube. Luckily they got a taste and dropped it.
iviehoff
Posts: 2411
Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: Sri Lanka

Post by iviehoff »

matt2matt2002 wrote:My problem/ situation is that I can only have the summer months off from work. The other destination I am exploring is Ethiopia. But again, there are heavy rains then.

The historical situation, which was still the case when I visited the country in about 2001, although not to go cycling, is that there was very little tarmac, gravel roads tended to be very badly washed out with little maintenance, and many roads became impassable in the wet season. But the present situation is that the Ethiopians have been building/paving a lot of roads of late, as well as maintaining some older ones. But it started from a very low base, and the Ethiopians, for all their rapid economic growth, are still very poor indeed, so they just don't have the cashflow to do very much. Their main historical problem is that they have very little road, lots of settlements are not on roads at all, so their first priority is building roads to connect places rather than paving them. And building proper paved highways in a mountainous country with a wet season doesn't come cheap.

So, the difficulty may be getting up to date information over what roads even exist, let alone if they are paved.

In Wikipedia, quoting government data, by 2009 they claimed to have 90,000km of paved roads, which is 89% of the total, but I feel pretty sure this is a complete fantasy. They clearly have built some big new modern 4-lane roads interconnecting Addis and other major cities in the centre of the country, but these aren't really what you want to ride a bicycle on. Information from international highways journals suggests that they are only just now completing proper paved international highways to each of Djibouti, Kenya and Sudan, and that is simply inconsistent with the notion of having a country where in general, they claim, highways are paved - these roads were among their first strategic priorities for modern highways. As you see, proper information is very difficult to come by.

It may be that you have to check your route out on Google Earth. I've just done that to check out an unpaved highway I travelled on in about 2001, the Gonder to Axum road, which is a major internal highway, one of the two main roads to Tigray province. The satellite photos suggest it is still unpaved. Though I expect it is an all-year road.

Of course you'll still have the traditional problems with stone-throwing, etc.
Post Reply