4/11/2018 - How to go to Habawewa - Wilpattu National Park?

Money exchanging at the Airport

There are a few Bank money exchanges booth in the Bandaranaike International Airport once you passed the imigration. All off the Bank money exchanges booth there offering the same USD rate. It is adviseable that you bring in USD/EURO to deals with the money exhanges.

Phone SIM Card

To enable local mobile service, there are four mobile service provider (Dialog, MOBITEL, Etisalat, HUTCH). The largest mobile service provider is Dialog.  

It claims to has the widest coverage. Nevertheless each of the mobile service provider has different features package up for tourist at LKR Rupee 1300.

The mobile services provider staff will help you to filled up the forms.  Hand over your passport to them, they will photostat copy it to be attached it with your application form.

  

Is it safe to overnight at the airport?

Bandaranaike Airport is never silent at night.  

There are many flights arrive at night.  Most of the tourist once they walk out from the arrival hall usually in no time they are been pickup by their tour driver or their accommodation airport transfer service that they have pre-booked.  I prefer to travel in the budget way, so I didn't engaged any tour agent/driver. I didn't even booked accommodation to spend the night even I arrived with the flight landed at their local time 23:30pm .  There are many chairs at the waiting area in the airport that one can join the locals to rest for the night with a full blast TVairing entertainment in singhala/tamil language.

 How to go to Wilpattu National Park from Bandaranaike International Airport

I waited there till @5.30am for the earliest airport bus to colombo fort. The airport shuttle bus #187 to colombo fort journey takes 45 mins. It is an aircon bus with the level 5 rating (my own judgement) acceptable cleanliness. 

My first destination is Wilpattu National Park. Once I get down from the airport shuttle bus, as usual one after another tuk-tuk taxi man greets me … “Madam where you want to go?..”

I just ignore and walk pass them cause the local told me before that if possible do not use tuk-tuk because they over charging tourist.  

I walked around the colombo fort bus station and asking what bus to takes for Habawewa.  It was frustrating as no one could understand, most likely I pronounce it wrongly.  I also show the address of the guesthouse address that I intend to stay. Still no one can understand me.

I want to go to here… Here.. Here.. Here.. how to go?

Wilpattu Road,Hunuwilagama Habawewa, 50220 Habawewa, Sri Lanka

Still no one could understand.  I did remember someone shared in the internet that the bus number is 87.  Apparently there are a few destination that label as #87 as well.
More frustrating. Which is the correct bus to take? Then I have an idea I walk around and ask the bus driver/conductor.
Wilpatu Road yes?  No?   Finaly this question really works.  I was been directed to take bus #87 that label COLOMBO ---> VAVUNIYA (pronounce as WOW… NIA).  My face break into smile as if I have found a plot of gold.

Apparently you can take any bus that plight to Trincolmale via Putallam.  The choices of bus are #822, #4 and #87.  Travellig time from colombo fort is approxiately 6hrs.
Inform the bus conductor that  want to go Wilpattu junction. The fare is 380 SL Rupee.  

There is a bus stop at the junction with the road signboard 7.7KM to Wilpattu.  Continue the journey to the guesthouse by TUK-TUK Taxi.