Travel Eat Drink Like a Local

Marble Beach is in the Koddiyar Bay in Trincomalee. We passed the famous China Bay before reaching Marble Beach. This has a wonderfully wide clean beach with thick vegetation surrounding it. The ocean is shallow and ideal for relaxing in water, swimming, and play. For the most part of the day you can have the beach all to yourself. There are at least two lifeguards on duty all the time. Only a part of this beach is accessible to the public. The large part of the beach is a private beach operated by the Sri Lanka Air Force with it's wonderful bungalows, dinning areas and chalets. Towards the public access beach Bungalows that belongs to Marble Beach Resort operated by Sri Lanka Navy The food we had there was one of the neatest and most well prepared Sri Lankan style meals we had in Sri Lanka. The service provided by the staff was highest quality(Felt like they were under the command of someone all the time :)) Upon inquiry we were told all these guys have gone through at ...

Ten Reasons why Polhena is my favorite beach in Sri Lanka 1. This is the beach we went to growing up almost every Sunday morning with our dogs in tow. I have seen this beach with no beach and I have seen this beach as wide as it is today, alternating as the nature chooses to. 2. This is the beach known for an awesomely fun and relaxing sea dipping and swimming. One of the best for shallow water sea bathing. 3. This is the beach all travelers stop at before heading down to Kataragama and back making it a great place to watch people from around the country. 4. The shallow ocean feels like a pool. There is a reef at a good distance from the beach that keeps waves from coming in hard and strong creating the effect of a humongous swim pool. 5. The presence of life guards makes you feel safe and availability of showers are one of a kind in Sri Lanka. Don't forget to tip the helpers at the showers with a smile and a kind a word. They will even bring water all the way to yo...

This is one of the most scenic drives in Sri Lanka. Matara to Galle takes only 45 minutes. I have made this trip many a times in my life and I still look forward to it every-time I visit home. The city of Galle has undergone major developmental changes since 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that devastated coastal areas of Sri Lanka. Stilt fishing is a sight not to be missed as you pass Ahangama, Kathaluwa areas heading towards Galle. They catch small fish that get caught in the waves heading to the beach. This is not a very lucrative fishing business. Their catch is mostly used to feed their own families. Stilt-Fishing Then you approach the world famous Unawatuna Beach. When I had not traveled to the beaches in other parts of the world this was awesome. As children we had spent quite a bit of time here. Waters are calm in the morning and late afternoon for a good swim, fun and frolic in the ocean. However, since I have beaches to compare with now, this ranks very low on my list for th...

Heading south to Santa Barbara California for few days of rejuvenation is always exciting and refreshing. Same landscape, new eyes!  Heading south on 101 is always fun and exciting!     We in general don't like staying in hotels. It's just that we feel they stick you between two walls. And another reason it better be nicer, cleaner, and tidier than your home. Unless it's all inclusive, pampered vacation we like rentals for our road trips. Also, when you have a house to yourself it's an opportunity to shop local grocery stores and farmers' markets for produce and specialty foods.    Our temporary home on Carrillo Hills  Santa Barbara for the next few days. Santa Barbara is a city we all love. The beaches, historical sites, art galleries, fantastic bars and restaurants, all in few minutes reach. We usually make it a point to research where the locals hangout and that's where we chose to have our meals, or go for hikes. Here's few fun...