How do we actually leave Kandy after the parade tonight - we have a 6am Ella transfer
Watching the 4th Kumbal tonight then our driver wants to pick us at 6am for Ella. Hotel WhatsApp just said the streets stay blocked until the elephants go home. Does that mean 10pm or 1am. Can he even get to the lake hotels. Should we walk out to William Gopallawa and sleep in the van.
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4 Answers from travellers
Procession starts 6:40. On a Kumbal night it is usually past a given corner within an hour, then police unwind the blocks street by street. Lake-front and Dalada Veediya can stay pedestrian-only until 10:30-midnight depending how the crowd drains. Your 6am Ella pickup is fine if the driver waits on William Gopallawa / Peradeniya Road, not at the hotel door. Walk out with bags at 5:45. Do not make him try the lake loop at 6.
After last night we waited 40 minutes for a tuk-tuk that would not cross the route. Walked 15 minutes to the Gopallawa side and PickMe suddenly had cars. If you have a pre-booked van, pin a junction on the bypass and treat the last kilometre as a walk.
I will not enter Dalada Veediya after 4pm this week. Tell your hotel to send you to the Gopallawa pickup. Ella road via Peradeniya / Gampola is the normal one - that is also the rain / landslide side, so leave slack if Saturday morning is wet.
Scam Watch: kandy
TukTuk or tour drivers take you to "gem museums" or "government-certified" gem shops. They receive huge commissions (up to 40%) on anything you buy. Prices are inflated 3-10x the actual value.
Men approach tourists near Temple of the Tooth offering to be guides. After the tour, they demand large "donations" or guide fees (5000-10000 LKR).
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