Here is a suggestion where other travelers to and from Arugam Bay Stopped Over.
Shown is the “White Monkey” Guesthouse high in the hills of Haputale. At 5 Euro or so/night a truly wonderful place with a view. Wrap up to your partner; it’s cool up there. But wonderful.
You can view a photo gallery of the White Monkey Guesthouse by clicking [here]
Contact : W.S.M. Dias and Fareena Siththy Hameed
Email : mailvaganamdias@yahoo.co.uk
Website : www.people.freenet.de/diasrest
Telephone : +94 (0)57-5681027
“White Monkey - Dias Rest” is well known to me since the beginning and in my eyes the perfect guesthouse close to Haputale.
You can stay and relax in a cottage or one of two big size family rooms. You can not imagine the special of this place and family - I mean you need to visit them once to understand the beauty of all.
Surrounded by nature only, wide tea estates and jungle, saddled on top of a 700 m deep abyss 1500 m above sealevel. Some fruit trees in the garden, like pashionfruits, avocados, bananas, jackfruits, tea, coffee, teak trees, etc. - Monkeys, deers, rabbits and lot of colourfull birds and some handsize butterflies I have seen there sometimes. Wild cocks and pigs shall be there too.
Especially the view from the supersize rooftop and through the panorama window of the cottage seems to be unique. Estates, villages, mountains, jungle, and far away the coastline. Oceans of clouds and fog turning in 3 different ways arround, vanishing or come into existence within secounds deep down over the hot jungle, like waves running up the cool walls of the canyon and washing against the guesthouse.
The food is excellent, clean and subtancial. I enjoyed it and ate there every day. They have seasonal fruits from their own trees and fresh vegetables, chicken, fish and beef from the market. Soemtimes homemade sweets and some creations of meals, so delicious, I´ve never had before, invented by Mr. Dias but no given names till now.
The family of Mr. Dias, his wife Fareena and their five children are very friendly, handsome and helpfull. The kids are curious and funny, they like to play and learn but kept always respectfull distance whenever I asked for rest. Always I felt save with them and with my valuables and my luggage too.
There are lot of trails in the estates and some interesting places where to go. Some old temples, viewpoints and a small cave. Lipton Seat and Lipton Factory (Dambatenne) are close by.
The day climate is like summer in Europe but little bit cool in the nights (16°C). It could be good to wear a jersey at nights and sometimes an umbrella for the rainy days. If not, Mr. Dias will help you.
I wish you all to have the same good time there like me. You will see it´s worth to stay 3 km out of Haputale cause you will have no any pollutions or noises there.
Myself I will be back next winter.
Last summer I had the pleasure of stopping off at the “White Monkey - Dias Rest” guesthouse (just outside Haputale) en route to Arugam Bay. The family were incredibly warm and provided a very welcome breakfast. The views from this guesthouse are stunning, breathtaking in fact! If you love nature and walking, this has to be the place to stay. I was just passing through at the time (people were waiting for me in Arugam Bay) but I still have the “White Monkey - Dias Rest” guesthouse business card in my wallet (yup, since August 2005!). I am a fairly regular visitor to Sri Lanka and Arugam Bay and I plan to spend a few days walking in the Haputale area when I am next heading to the Bay.