Ai Lanka Guest House

Wow, what a cool place!

The stay cost a bit more than places around there, about what I'd pay in Japan, but they were so helpful and pointed me toward plenty of good places. It worked really well for my first day of travel. I was traveling with a Japanese person I’d met at the airport, and the owners kindly let me stay even though I had no reservation. The owner's wife speaks Japanese, which was a big help, and they drove me to the bus stop the next morning. They served beer with dinner, which felt unusual in a devoutly Buddhist country where alcohol can be hard to find. I think that was the only time I had a drink during my week in Sri Lanka. Early the next morning, the owner's friend showed me how he butchered a wild boar he’d hunted in a tea plantation. He did it in a corner of the yard, and that’s when I realized the curry I’d eaten the night before was made from it. I heard the boars were being culled because they damaged the tea plantations, and they said I could come along if I wanted.

The room and bed were fine, but this happened back in 2015 and I felt ripped off. I hadn’t brought much cash because I expected things to be cheap, and I ran out after being charged high amounts for the room, meals, and other things. Other Japanese guests were also charged a lot. Check the costs for everything in advance, including airport transfers, tours, breakfast, dinner, and evening drinks. One night someone casually offered me a beer, so I assumed it was complimentary. They charged me for it on my last day. It’s best to confirm every charge.