This is the personal website of Garthee, who believes it is the perspiration not the perception that brings the success
Meemure
Introduction
Sri Lanka, being a tropical country with eye catching landscape, and astonishing environmental diversity offers all sort of places that could be expected in a tropical weather. Masses of tourists (domestic and international) flowing profusely every year, albeit the unfavorable political and military situation of the country, definitely demonstrates it. However, Meemure is one of the fantabulous destinations often overlooked.
What is special?
Meemure, pronounced Mee-mu-re’, is the remotest village in the island, with 14 kilometers away from Loolwatte, nearest point a public transport (bus services) can take you, or 29 kilometers away from the nearest town Hunasgiriya with proper amenities such as electricity, telephone, mobile coverage and frequent bus services.
The village lacks in transport medium, communication facility, electricity, hospital or any other amenities, nonetheless, it is self sufficed in food and water, with a School up to Grade 8 and a Buddhist temple.
What is Meemure?
Being a village with primitive religious, family based culture and attitude, the village and inhabitants portrait medieval Lanka, hospitable polite self-reliant and codependent with families at its core that values the religion culture and morality.
Also, according to an educated villager, the history of the village spans to the Dutthagamani or King Dutugemunu's period of 161BC (needs citation). Though the culture has been retained in intangible forms, any ruins that could prove this claim is yet to be found.
Demographically, it consists of Sinhalese - Buddhists with only a Buddhist temple and the village composes of around 1000 people majority of them are farmers.
The Buddhist temple welcomes you at the entrance of the village which starts at a junction with stone benches under the shades of a tree. There are two shops (mostly groceries and disposable food items are sold) and the school are around the junction from where two footpaths fork. One leads to the river and the confluence, where the scenes from movie "Suriya Aruna" were videoed, and the other to roots of mountain range, an ideal place for people loving to trek into and climb the mountain.
However, both paths go through wide paddy fields (on terraces), streams, stone fences and marsh land with alluvial deposits which will definitely provide a mesmerizing experience.
Stone fences are another special identity of Meemure, which are built merely using rocks (no cement or any other strengthening mechanisms used) to protect the village from wild animals and border the village and footpaths.
What to do/see there
+ Living in a village
+ Paddy fields on terraces
+ River, confluence, trek through river side
+ climbing mountain
+ Trekking
+ Stone fence
Atmosphere
In addition to be surrounded with light jungle full of highland but try bushes and trees, it has wavy landscape with reddish soil. Despite being dry in the day time, it enjoys sound rainfall in the evenings and a biting cold weather in the early mornings. Thus it gives pleasant experience of both the warm/dry and cold/wet environments in a single day.
Location
Meemure is located in the Knuckles range on its south eastern border, coming within Kandy district, central province, Sri Lanka. Approximate coordinates are :7º 30' 26.67" N 80º 38' 30 º 46" E
How to get there
There is only a road leads to Meemure unless you want to trek through jungles and climb treacherous mountain and it starts from Hunasgiriya and goes through Loolwatte and Haikawella. Hunasgirya is located on the kandy Mahiyangane road, therefore you could take a bus going to Mahiyangana, Uda-Thumpara or Monaragala from Kandy. However it is advisable to check with the conductor whether the bus goes through Hunasgiriya. You pass, Kundagasala, Pallekale, Victoria dam, Thigana and Theltheniya before reaching Hunasgiriya.
From Hunasgiriya there is bus service up to Loolwatte twice a day at 8am in the morning and 2pm in the afternoon (subject to change). Also some private operators provide van services to Loolwatte, and probably even further up to Haikawella. If you hang around Hunasgiriya bus halt, or have a snack at the only village resort available, you will be probably approached by the operators (if available) and you could work out a deal.
Planning the trip
Pre travel
Light packing especially backpack is preferable as you may have to trek for 14 kilometers. Also it is better to have a bedsheet / blanket as it gets very cold in the early mornings, and swim shorts if you like to have a bath in the river or wade through and climb up/down rocks along the river. Except for above mentioned any camping accessories, dry food and water bottle should suffice.
Travel
- From Colombo to Kandy
- Bus services available at Fort bus stand
- Train
Intercity leaves at 7.00 am and 3.30 pm has observation saloon and reserved 1st and 2nd class seats
Express trains leave at 5.30 am (with reserved observation saloon) and 5.30pm usually have unreserved 2nd and 3rd class seats
For details on timetables and train fares
http://colombofort.com/timetable.htm
http://www.scienceland.lk/railway/timetb.htm
- From Kandy to Hunasgiriya
Bus services (private and state operated) are available and you could take buses to Uda-Thumpara, Mahiyangana or Monragale. However, in long distance routes such as Mahiyangane or Monaragale you might not be allowed to take a seat, as long distance passengers wouldn't otherwise get in. However you could work out it with the conductor before getting into the bus. - From Hunasgiriya
- Bus to Loolwatte available at 8.00 am and 2.00pm.
- Van service (depending on the availability) is available to Loolwatte and sometime as far as to Haikawella.
Stay
You could stay at the school or Buddhist temple after obtaining permissions from the Principal of the school or the chief incumbent of the temple. However, unless you provide valid reasons and show enough respect and responsibility it would be hard to convince them and remember school hall or class room may not be available on weekdays.
However be prepared for primitive conditions of the lavatory, water supply and shelter. Also you work out a deal with the shop keepers for a cooked meal for around LKR80. Though the meal would be affluent in rice, will consist of only a curry or two.
What you can do?
You could trek into and climb the mountain through a jungle.
Way back
Depending on the availability of the vehicles (those came to transport construction material or other consumables) you could manage to get a deal, however the only other option is to trek back to Loolwatte on time to get the bus to Hunasgiriya (always check the time bus arrives at Loolwatte on your way to the village) or the van from Haikawella which leaves at 5.30am in the morning (confirm this also on your way).
From Hunasgiriya there are plentiful buses to Kandy. However, please note when you enter Kandy you might have to undergo security checks (depending on the country's security situation) and have your papers ready to avoid any delays.
Similar tourist destinations
- Rumassala - Galle, near Galle harbour
- Riverstan - On Knuckles range, can be reached through Matale - Rathota
