Sri Lanka

[fedssocr]

I've decided that my next big destination late in the year will be Sri Lanka. Anyone been? I'm looking for a travel agent/guide. Utopia has a few listed that look promising, just need to contact them but recommendations are welcome.

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[JamesIII]

Streets are the best bet in Colombo..lots to do there and the people are very friendly..but want to warn you the hotels are very expensive and no deals since the
gov control everything now..they want the tax so its all based on the rates of Singapore and New York..

[Old git]

It's over twenty years since I last went to Sri Lanka - I keep thinking about a return trip, but it never quite happens..

I recall nice, very dark skinned lads with shiny hair and bright smiles. Though small dicked they usually got rock hard very easily and came quickly.

A downside was the attitude of the hotels - the only sex I could get in a hotel room was with staff members, and only then very covertly.

Another downer was the hordes of boys hustling the tourists, most of whom were not interested in sexual stuff. If you started to sound one out, others would often come over and he'd clam up.

I still managed a few nice encounters though, and wonder if the hotels are more guest friendly now..?

[steveky]

I was in Sri Lanka three years ago, and can reiterate Old Git’s description of “nice, very dark skinned lads with shiny hair and bright smiles”. Truly, Sri Lankan men are hot, hot, hot. I hooked up with many through PlanetRomeo – and had some great encounters. Others just happened on the street unexpectedly - as James said, they really are friendly.

Can’t vote for Colombo though - what a shithole. The only thing of interest that I can recall was a shopping centre that was three floors of non-stop cruising. It was like being in a gay club. No action on-site, but hook-ups were being made left, right and centre. I will try to remember its name by the time I finish this post.

Some other thoughts about the destinations that I went to.

Bentota, where we stayed on a waterway of some description or other that was a centre for watersports, most of which would raise the ire of local residents should they have been occurring in Australian waters. But here they were accepted, and our hotel was nice enough and had a significant stock of ice-cold beer, so happy about that. Brought a PlanetRomeo squeeze back there without issue.

If you are a fan of architecture, I have to recommend Lunuganga, Geoffrey Bawa's famed estate. Like in some Tim Burton movie, there was a single rope in the middle of the double gates, and attached to the rope was a bell that the tuk-tuk driver pulled hard on. After about a minute, a stunningly handsome guy appeared, dressed in what was obviously his house outfit of blue singlet and short dhoti. He informed us that the estate was open for inspection, but not the house - and the cost would be 1250 rupees each, about $AUD10 per person. This sounded expensive relative to everything else in Sri Lanka, but on the basis of a friend of a friend's recommendation, we were loathe to let the opportunity pass.

So in we went and were asked to take a seat in an outdoor undercover area. The man disappeared and came back 2 minutes later with an invoice for the 2,500 rupees. We gave him a larger amount and so he disappeared for 4 or 5 minutes this time, and then appeared with the change, but also wearing a new outfit - a resplendent white shirt and matching white sarong. He was going to personally show us around the estate. All of a sudden the 2,500 rupees was an absolute bargain. He was very friendly and reasonably knowledgeable about the property and its previous owner. We were only allowed into one building of the estate, a two level building made entirely of recycled materials, which was nothing short of amazing. The furniture and bric-a-brac stored within, equally so. We had an opportunity to see inside a number of the other buildings through the windows and the furniture and art were to die for. We walked around the estate for an hour with our guide and it was a delightful experience. And when I mean the guide was stunning, I mean fucking stunning!

Following the excursion to Lunuganga we (I was travelling with an ex) boarded a train to Hikkaduwa. I had forgotten how much fun train travel in rural areas can be, and this train line is mostly right on the ocean. God only knows how they afford the upkeep of the tracks with the constant corrosion that must occur. Hikkaduwa is a sort of backpackers’ enclave, with diving, snorkelling and surfing the main pursuits. It was pretty dead, but this was at the start of the off-season (and the west coast monsoon started very early that year), so probably to be expected. It was nice to be by the seaside enjoying a beer but the hotel that we chose was less than exemplary.

That little mistake was well and truly rectified when we booked into our accommodation in Galle in the fort area in a room with a stunning view of the Southern Ocean over the ramparts. It was an absolute treat, and the hotel owners (it's a wee family-run business) agreed to provide hoppers for breakfast each day… that supposedly quintessential of Sri Lankan culinary staples. It is sensational.

We walked around most of the fort area, and felt instantly at home. The history is palpable, and if there has been any development in recent decades it appears to have been done very sympathetically. A gem, and my favourite stop of the trip. The temperature was much more manageable in Galle than in Colombo with cooling sea breezes having a desirable effect.

On one night in Galle we ventured from the “old” area into the “new” area of town, ostensibly to have a different culinary experience at a local eating house. It was disgusting, but on leaving it we found the “Sydney Hotel” a few doors down. Well, if that wasn’t the hand of god at work, I don’t know what it was. This place was a like something from a Humphrey Bogart movie. The fans overhead had created a flickering, almost strobe-like, effect on the lights in the ceiling above then, and furniture in various states of disrepair was scattered around the room. The paint was peeling off the walls, hidden only occasionally by the obligatory Lion Beer or Club Soda poster. There were two dogs slumped lazily on the floor, in a scene that you would expect to see in a Broken Hill pub.

The beers were cheap, they were cold, and they were delivered upon request by an ancient Sinhalese man who must have had a history and a half to tell. The whole thing was so remarkably shabby, and so very, very right for this part of the trip.

Next stop was called Unawatuna… a kilometre or so of nice beach that was a bit of a back-packers haven. That meant there were plenty of things to see on the beach that keep one’s attention, no matter which flavour you were looking for. Both Sri Lankan and international… a visual smorgasbord.

We went back to Colombo for a bit of regrouping after which we set off on a 6 hour train trip to Nuwara Eliya, ostensibly to go to a place called World’s End. Nuwara Eliya is an outpost of British colonialism, with the most magnificent assortment of Tudor-style buildings, constructed by the British who came to the area to plant tea, or just to take the mountain air. They constructed quite the retreat with a stunning golf course, and even a racetrack where monthly meets are still held.

World’s End is a national phenomenon within the Horton Plains National Park not that far from Nuwara Eliya, and this was the main reason for coming here. World's End is a sheer precipice with a 1050 m drop – and is part of a 9 km walking track. Can’t recommend Nuwara Eliya unless you’re coming for sporting pursuits, although the bloke at the homestay we stayed at was a bit of a bodybuilder and took a shine to my ex, so that led to much flirty banter.

We hopped on a bus after a couple of nights at Nuwara Eliya, and headed to Kandy. Less than 70kms away, it nonetheless was a two-hour bus ride through some pretty stunning scenery.

Kandy was chaotic by comparison, but not so chaotic as to make it unbearable. I actually fell reasonably in love with the place. It is home to the Temple of the Tooth. Not a shrine to dentists, but rather it is the place where a tooth of Buddha rests, and it is generally regarded as the most important relic in all of Buddhadom. Okay, so I made the word Buddhadom up, but it does have a nice ring about it. I met the most eclectic assortment of characters in Kandy, and can confidently say that the townsfolk are a credit to their city, especially as far as friendliness goes. The last night there started off with a Bob Marley tribute concert and ended up at the best bar in Sri Lanka, bar none. It was a slow start the following day.

I did have an incident in Kandy worth relating given the comments here about bringing locals back to the hotel. I met any number of good looking, friendly and willing men at the Kandy Market. Hook-ups in the facilities (but no action there due to the presence of attendants) or just hang around on the balconies and men would come up for a chat. Really, very cruisy.

I had a huge day one day – drinking wise - and hooked up with a guy from the market later in the evening. I was four sheets to the wind, but dragged him back to my hotel without any problem. Once there, he wanted to go out and get some food, so I gave him money and told him to get some and bring some back. About an hour later, he started calling my phone. I knew I was completely pished, and had a slightly uneasy feeling about this bloke – a feeling that I have learnt to trust. So I never answered his calls.

The next morning, the guard on duty told me that he had decided not to let the man enter the hotel “to protect me”. I was grateful – but it was a curious experience. Lo and behold, when I went to leave the hotel at 10am, the guy was standing outside the front entrance waiting for me. He had apparently waited outside all night. Guilt trip plus!

I stayed in Sri Lanka for 18 days, and somehow miraculously survived being made into a road fatality statistic (all Sri Lankan drivers are homicidal maniacs). I can thoroughly recommend it, and its men.

To your specific question about tour guides, think about doing a PlanetRomeo trawl for a few months before you go. Having a local tour guide that sleeps with you and costs nothing more than meals and transport surely has some merit. You will find Sri Lankan men accommodating in every sense of the word.

[Old git]

Interesting update..

Did you need to sound out your hotels before you booked, or can it be taken as read that Sri Lankan hotels are gay friendly now?

[steveky]

I didn't suss out any hotels prior to my visit, in terms of their gay-friendliness. I was travelling with my ex (a Sri Lankan), and we (he) wanted separate beds. Most hotels tried to put us in a double bed together.

[Old git]

Sounds much more relaxed than it used to be - at least for a couple checking in..

Wonder how they'll react if I pick up boys on the beach, and take them back to my room for a lunch box inspection.. ?

[fedssocr]

Just back from my trip. Really enjoyed myself. Lots of tourist stuff and climbing. Definitely hot guys around. Sri Lankan society is still quite conservative and guys are under a lot of family pressure to get married, have kids, etc. Grindr had a decent amount of traffic. But it was the only app that seemed to get much use. I didn't use PlanetRomeo though while I was there.

Visited "Brief" Geoffrey Bawa's also-gay brother Bevis's estate. The gardens need a lot of maintenance. Lots of quirky art. He certainly loved a penis...and the local youth.

It's a nice country. Very good hospitality. If you like nature there are plenty of good places to visit. And there is a lot of historic stuff too.

Stayed two nights at Dickman Resort. They allow women now so that probably has had a bit of an effect on the place. There were a couple of straight couples there when I was. And a couple of other old queens. Had a "massage" from one of the staff guys. I think they've done some recent renovations. I guess ownership changed relatively recently.

Plenty of gay staff at hotels. One place I stayed had a couple of boys who seemed very interested in me and my marital status (or lack thereof). Overall lots of very sweet people. The traffic in Colombo and to an extent in Kandy is quite heavy. But elsewhere not too bad. Lots of big buses and trucks though as well as tuk tuks and scooters, bicycles, pedestrians... Glad I wasn't driving.

[Old git]

I've heard about the Dickman "massages" before - and the inverted commas seem to confirm past accounts..

One of the big downsides of making the trip from BKK is the late evening arrival, which doesn't leave time to go looking for a bed-mate. on your first evening (although I forget what time Sri Lanka's nightlife turns in).

Do you reckon one of the Dickman boys could
be booked in advance for an all-night 'massage' - and are the massage boys nice fresh cuties - or fat thirty-somethings?

[fedssocr]

You could probably find some one on Grindr or Planteromeo if you were really desperate for a companion on your first night. There isn't really much in the way of gay nightlife from what I gather. Apparently on weekends some of the clubs are mixed gay and straight but I don't believe there are any exclusively gay clubs anywhere on the island.

When I checked in at Dickman the manager mentioned that if I wanted a massage I could either make arrangements with one of the guys on staff or he has a list of other guys that can be called. Most of the guys there work during the day. They do things like cleaning up the grounds and pool, etc so they have other responsibilities beyond servicing the guests. IMHO the hottest boy there is the one who works in the kitchen and serves you breakfast. I think he is probably early 20s, tallish, lean, very cute. I don't know if he was available for other duties as I presumed he probably needed to be available for dealing with food and beverage requests. At night I think there are only a couple of guys there, one who takes care of the front desk and one other guy. I'd say that most of the guys working there are late 20s to mid 30s. They're all pretty fit or average from what I could tell. The guy who I got together with had a great body if you like lean, wiry fit guys. Pretty big cock too. The only problem was that he obviously smokes which is big turnoff for me in general. So kissing him wasn't so great. But I got the impression that a fairly large percentage of people there smoke. Nice guy though. For the guys on staff it's a set 2500 LKR (about US$17) for a session and you pay the guy directly. I think if they call some one in you have to negotiate with him regarding the price.

Apparently Negombo is the main place to find gay guys, even moreso than Colombo. I couldn't tell walking down the street if guys were interested in me in a cruisy way or if it was just the typical beach town operators trying to make a buck off the tourist.