Hampi which was once the capital of the Vijayanagar kingdom is now one of the most glorious and vibrant destination’s in India where you can completely relax, unwind and explore. It’s historical past and the immense treasure of archaeological ruins and relics is a major tourist attraction, beckoning pilgrims, believers, historians, tourists, even trekkers and rock climbers from across the globe.

The eclectic mix of tourists and their varied interests for visiting Hampi give this town a unique personality. Hampi demands a laid back vacation-  it is  inviting, exciting, beautiful and a charming mix of the contradictory.

Allow yourself an time-extravagant holiday here – explore the stunning architectural ruins of bygone glory, soak in the setting sun along the banks of the Tungabhadra, visit the glorious temples, taste global cuisine in unique ambiances, get up-close and personal with the elephants on the banks of Tungabhadra, practise rock climbing on the many boulders around the town and go shutter crazy!!

It is a destination that will soothes and excite the body and mind in many different ways, and for those yet to be convinced : here is a slide-show of some pictures that I took during my trip to Hampi.

Do write in/comment for any further information on travel/stay and eating out options in Hampi.

What is Mount Lavinia Like

Mount Lavinia is a laid back suburban town far enough from the madness of Srilanka’s capital Colombo. Depending on the time of your arrival Mount Lavinia could look lazy, touristy, crowded or even resemble a neighbourhood near a university campus teaming with (mostly young) people from across the world. Similar to almost all the beach front towns the alleys of Mount Lavinia are narrow with houses packed close to the beach front. Although a definite tourist spot there is a unique overlap of teaming locals and travelers, thus giving you ample opportunity to blend in and experience the local culture.

An itinerary is not needed to explore Mount Lavinia- wandering aimlessly , blending in with the locals, popping into local store’s, tasting street food and checking out the local architecture, watching the sun set over the Indian ocean and finishing of the day with a fabulous dinner on the beach is plan enough.

 Life is a beach in Mount Lavinia

Sights and Culture of Mount Lavinia

Architecture
A bustling mix of tourists and locals Mount Lavinia has preserved its local appeal while catering to travellers. One of the most charming things about this place is the architecture, each house is splendid in its design and the gates to the houses are all unique and wonderfully ornate. I could spend an afternoon just milling along the alleys and noting the architecture.

Activities and shops
Mount Lavinia is one of the more affluent areas in Srilanka and hence you will find plenty of spas, malls, gaming zones and restaurants along the main street area. A stroll along the main street will give you a fair idea of the amenities and the transport options.

Also the pet stores and automobile spare part shops are unlike anything I have seen before.

Sight seeing
The beach has a almost 360 panoramic view of the Indian ocean and the sunset is worth waiting for. Although, the beach does appear to get slightly crowded, venture out a little further and you can breathe free .( The locals warn tourists to not wander away from the well lit sections of the beach post 9 pm)

Food
Restaurants are plenty – beach side, on the main streets, in the narrow alleys.

The cuisine is mind boggling too the street vendors and restaurants alike offer almost everything ranging from Nasi Goreng, dumplings, Laksa to the local delicacies.

Night Life
Mount Lavinia has a thriving night life and plenty of options to choose from. Most of the beach side resorts/restaurants/dance floors begin setting the mood from the moment the sun sets.

Mount Lavinia Restaurants and eating out

Cuisine and Budget
Mount Lavinia can boast of street vendor and swanky restaurants that offer food options ranging from Nasi Goreng, Laksa, dumplings to Srilankan Specialities. Local fare of appam, string hoppers and kottu can be found aplenty.

The drinks
There are also plenty of options to keep oneself hydrated. There is the abundantly available fresh coconut water ,fresh squeezed juices and plenty of juice centers offering smoothies and milkshakes.

Bread and bakeries
The bread from Srilanka needs special mention, every few block’s there are bakeries churning out soft, fragrant delicious bread- a fairly recent development that the locals attribute to the tourist inflow

Also notable is plenty of cake shops selling perfect looking fresh pastries.

Eating within the hotel
Most of the hotels (budget or otherwise) offer reasonable priced breakfast, lunch and dinner options. The food served here is usually good quality, made by the local chefs and has good enough variety.

Yes there are KFC’s and Pizza Hut’s
Apart from the speciality restaurants and street vendors the options of Pizza Hut, KFC etc are also available and usually deliver to your hotel past 11 pm also .

Beach side restaurants
During the evening the beach atmosphere is nothing short of a fair and the usual ice cream vans and finger food vendors throng aplenty.

Walk further down the beach stretch and you will find options of candle lit dinners bang on the beach. The staff will put your table as far out on the beach as safe and possible – this I highly recommend, nothing like the beach breeze, lovely music and the moon lit sea for a view .

Warning: The portions served in most restaurant’s are huge (by European standards ) so be warned and order appropriately, remember there is plenty to experience and experiment .

Mount Lavinia Shopping

General
The shopping stores in Mount Lavinia pack almost everything that you would need, so much so that I was taken aback that some brands and items that are available only in super markets in India are available in the ‘mom and pop stores’ in Mount Lavinia.

Clothing
Plenty of malls and local stores can be found along the main street. Further, the famous ‘House of Fashion’ is only a 30 minute ride by tuk-tuk or bus from Mount Lavinia.

There are also several stores that claim to make custom fit suits for men and women, although I could not try getting anything made here I would love to give these stores a try when my stay duration is more than a week..

How much time to spend in Mount Lavinia

That depends entirely on your budget, how much time you have and what your plans are.

Although 2-3 days is enough to explore Mount Lavinia and unwind , it is one of those laid back places where people come and stay for month’s at a stretch. My suggestion, plan your itinerary well and decide how much you want to laze around and give that time to Mount Lavinia .

What else can be done

If you choose you can completely skip staying in Colombo and do all the sight seeing while putting up at Mount Lavinia. Colombo is about 30-45 minutes from Mount Lavinia and you can explore the city and return to the calm of Mount Lavinia.

Most hotels also offer tourism packages ranging from 2 days to week around Srilanka covering places liked Kandy, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa etc. You would need to check with the the hotel you choose to stay with regarding the same.

Where to Stay in Mount Lavinia

This is a tricky one as the options are plenty. I stayed at Tropic Inn and was extremely satisfied with my stay here.

Tropic Inn Accommodation
The rooms are basic but clean. The hotel is a converted house and retains its cozy charm.

Tropic Inn Rates
The rates were way less than what my budget was but the amenities were just what I wanted. Does not kill to save up on budget .

Tropic Inn Service
The service at Tropic Inn is exceptional. The staff is prompt courteous and extremely helpful- and each one of them goes out of their way to ensure your comfort.

Tropic Inn Food
Tropic Inn offers breakfast, lunch and dinner at nominal rates. The food is well made with choices from local cuisine to more international dishes. Breakfast is buffet style and does leave you satisfied

In-fact the string hopper and its spicy chutney was the best I had in my entire trip to Srilanka

Tropic Inn amenities
Free Wifi
Prompt and safe pick up from the airport at any time at a nominal charge
Free pick up from Mount Lavinia Train station
Currency Exchange ( And they offered the best rate)
They offer Tour packages, which I was not aware of and did not try

Tropic Inn Location
2 minutes walk from the beach
2 minutes walk from the main street
15 minutes walk from the Mount Lavinia Train Station
30 minutes ride to ‘House of Fashion’ shopping area
45 minutes to Colombo (Galle Face)
1 hour from the airport
Plenty of restaurants within walking distance

You can visit the official Tropic Inn website here to learn more.
(P.S: I stayed a couple of nights in Taj Colombo during my trip to Srilanka and hands down would choose Tropic Inn for the service and ease , but more on that later ).

Some images from my travel to Mount Lavinia can be seen  here.

The interesting thing about Srilanka is that it can be the destination you want it to be and there is always something for everyone – there is much to be experienced ranging from the nightlife in Colombo, to the historical relics of Anuradhapura and the beautiful wildlife sanctuaries around Polonnaruwa, to the beautiful serene and cool Kandy Hill-station and a brisk trek in Sigiriya.

For a country so tiny Srilanka  definitely packs quite a punch.

You can read one of my earlier posts on travel in Srilanka here .

As the story goes Murugan used the Vel (Spear) that Parvathi gave him to gain control over Asuras(demons) by turning them into a peacock and a hen. The peacock then became Murugan’s throne.

More pictures and details about Thaipusam and it’s celebration can be found here.

Thaipusam is truly a reflection of how festivals are celebrated in India – the devotees in trance supporting the Kavadi’s on their pierced bodies.