Our next destination was a beach town on the northeast coast called Trincomalee. The owner of our hotel in Negombo, as well as all of the priests, raved about the pristine beaches and exciting activities. We were super excited the whole bus ride there.
To put it bluntly, Trincomalee sucked. Maybe because it was the offseason, but entire place was grungy and ukempy. Perhaps its best days were behind it. The hotels and food were grossly overpriced, by Sri Lankan standards at least. Our hotel was $24 a night, which doesn’t sound like much, but more than double what the going rate should be. Cow dung and dead fish covered the beach, releasing an unpleasant smell in the air. On top of that, the weather wasn’t on our side either. The sun remained hidden behind the clouds the duration of our stay.
We met a Scottish scuba/snorkel instructor/guide who set us up with colleague who take a boat to an island called Pigeon Island the following morning for a decent price. It was here we could swim with turtles, sharks, and other underwater creatures. Much to our disappointment, the weather did not take a turn in our favor, so the plan was aborted. Instead we took a tuk tuk to the peninsula nearby and visited Thirukkoneswaram Kovil, a medieval Hindu temple.
Disappointed in the Sri Lankan beach, we headed inland for a more cultural experience.
Comentários