Sri Lanka, 3rd (Bradt Travel Guide) [Paperback]

Royston Ellis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 20, 2009 | Series: Bradt Travel Guide

In spite of political problems and no-go areas you’ll find plenty of attractions on the tiny teardrop island of Sri Lanka. The island’s rich history comes alive with hundreds of temples, monasteries and gardens and even colonial architecture such as the World Heritage Site of Galle Fort. Watch Sri Lanka’s feisty cricket team, taste some of the world’s finest teas, or relax on its sandy beaches.  Sri Lanka is a country where you can splash out, even if your budget is small.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An engaging written companion with practical information of the sort only a resident could impart." Book magazine for librarians 'The definitive gazetteer to the island' Chris Haslam, Wanderlust

About the Author

Royston Ellis is a full-time travel and feature writer who has lived and traveled throughout Sri Lanka since 1980.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides; 3rd edition (January 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841622699
• ISBN-13: 978-1841622699
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,975,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > Travel > Asia > Sri Lanka

More About the Author

ROYSTON ELLIS is a British-born author of some 50 published books who has lived in Sri Lanka since 1980 where he writes in a century-old cottage overlooking the Indian Ocean. His first book, a sequence of poems called Jiving To Gyp, was published by Scorpion Press in 1959, when he was 18. Until 1961 he performed his poems on stage and TV to rock music (Rocketry) backed by The Shadows, Jimmy Page and a group that later became famous as The Beatles (whom he named). After living in the Channel Islands and the Canary Islands he moved to Dominica in 1966 where, as Richard Tresillian, he wrote the best-selling Bondmaster series of historical novels. He specialises now in books with Indian Ocean settings, including the Bradt guides to Mauritius, Maldives and Sri Lanka. (www.roystonellis.com)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A disgrace, August 11, 2010

By 

Ytrebyen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sri Lanka, 3rd (Bradt Travel Guide) (Paperback)

With the possible exception of Iran this is the worst Bradt Guide on the market. Whenever possible I try to avoid Lonely Planet and go for minor guides such as Bradt, as they usually lead you to places, sites, hotel and nightlife that isn't overrun by other tourists. Besides they're usually practical and geared towards those on a budget.
Sometimes Bradtguides use local residents as writers, and in this case that turned out to be a big mistake. Royston Ellis has been to every luxury hotel Sri Lanka can offer, he knows how you should properly address "your beach boy" and he's happy to elaborate on fireplaces or how he spent his 50th birthday, but the "guide" holds next to no relevant information about travel, sights or where to stay for those of us who are "not accustomed to 5-star hotels" (as he so elegantly puts it). The maps are rare and wildly inaccurate. In interesting towns such as Kandy and Trincomalee he hardly bothers to mention reasonable places to stay at all, and if you won't eat in your hotel, you might as well go hungry.

During my travels in Sri Lanka I ended up downloading parts of the Lonely Planet guide, simply because this Bradt Guide was only useful as toilet paper. Unlike Royston Ellis, who recommends the left hand, I really needed it.