Ambalama
Getting there
Tucked into the glorious coastline south-east of Galle between Unawatuna and Talpe, Ambalama sits postcard-pretty in the seaside village of Dalawella.
- Planes Fly into Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (www.airport.lk) and jump onto a Sri Lankan Air Taxi (www.srilankan.aero) bound for Koggala, just 10 minutes' drive from the hotel. These planes take between 40 and 70 minutes and cost around US$150 a person.
- Trains Trains chug merrily down to Galle from Colombo’s Fort Station for the price of only US$1.50. The trip takes around three hours and is pretty basic so lighten your load with easy-to-carry baggage and be prepared to stand if it’s full. You’ll be able to buy bottled water and spicy local snacks on board from the vocal vendors that pace up and down the train. Once you reach the station, grab a taxi for the five kilometre (10-minute) ride east to the hotel along the road to Matara.
- Automobiles Self-driving in Sri Lanka is best left to the locals, and the hotel can easily arrange transport. Airport collections for the 150-kilometre journey cost from US$100 each way, and the trip takes about four hours. Should you have your own wheels, though, parking at Ambalama is available for free.
- Others Charter a chopper through Deccan Aviation Lanka (around US$2,000; www.simplifly.com) for the quickest transfer trip; it takes just 45 minutes and lands near Galle. From November to March, Deccan’s scheduled service to Galle costs a more attractive US$230 a person, although with only four seats up for grabs a day, you'll need to book early.
Ambalama Dalawella, Galle
