In Sri Lanka, home stays are a very popular, cheap, and fun way to get an insider’s view on the local culture. Even though Sri Lanka is a poor country and hosting travelers at one’s home provides a decent income for many families, it certainly doesn’t mean that there wouldn’t be many families who love to do it for the cultural exchange. And to be honest, in home stays you are often met with better hospitality than many of the hotels and lodges around.
At Nadeesha home stay, you will meet Jayasena, the man of the house, who keeps busy by building an additional floor to the home, and his wife Patma who will feed you with all the traditional Sri Lankan curries and breakfast foods around! You will also meet their daughter Nadeesha, according to whom the homestay is named after, and of course Clara, a few weeks old Tibetan Terrier puppy, who is very keen on biting everything around her, toes in particular! Currently, the family has only one room available for the guests, but the dream of having a larger home stay is progressing, brick by brick.
Location and surroundings
Kandy is one the best cities to visit in Sri Lanka, as the climate is excellent with daily mean temperatures of about 25 ºC (77 ºF) all year round. The size is just perfect for being able to walk to most places, and it is also one of the cleanest cities in Sri Lanka. Nadeesha Homestay is located only a 10 minutes walk away from the city center, on a hill next to a small waterfall. This makes the surroundings very peaceful and relaxing. When you sit on the terrace at night, all you can hear is the birds, crickets, and the murmur of the water. You can also find very nice walking paths near the house without having to share the road with the tuk tuks (a nickname given to the auto rickshaws). The paths spiral around the colorful houses on the hills, and you are met with many smiles from the locals, as well as a few angry barks from the dogs, unfortunately.
The growing house
As mentioned, the family is currently building an additional floor to the house, so at the moment there is only one room available for the guests. It is a double room with an en-suite bathroom which you will get for 3500 LKR (24.50 USD) per night, including a delicious Sri Lankan breakfast. The room is nothing fancy, but it has everything you need, such as a comfortable bed and a hot shower. The fact that the upper floor is still under development is actually a fun fact. The house is facing a football court, so grab your binoculars and enjoy the game, or help Jayasena with the bricks. In the evenings, the city lights and the buddha on the opposite hill are beautiful, as are the stars on a clear night.
Experience more of Sri Lanka
In addition to the home stay, Jayasena also runs his own tour business called Joco Lanka Tours, so with him you can easily explore more of Sri Lanka. The tour packages range from four to fifteen days, with different themes, or you can also suggest your own itinerary. As the homestay is currently under development, it actually cannot be found on any booking website yet, but you can contact Jayasena through the Joco Lanka Tours.
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Nadeesha homestay is a place where you can really feel at home, come and go as you like, take part in the cooking, and enjoy a glass of arrack (Sri Lankan coconut liqueur) with the family. Jayasena and Patmah have a genuine interest in sharing stories while providing excellent hospitality to people all over the world.
History
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