Medical – The nearest hospital – is about 1.5km north of the house (on the Negombo Road/A3). It’s called Hemas, and is a large building on the left as you head north. It is a private hospital but is good and efficient as well as being good value for foreigners. You can go there for any medical needs (urgent or non-urgent). You’ll have to pay a small fee (~$2) to get seen and after that you’ll be informed what treatment and medications will be needed and the cost. Being private, they are very keen to sell you medication, but don’t feel obliged to buy it if you feel it’s unnecessary ;-).
Police – Wattala Police Station is about 2 km north of the house along the Negombo Road, on the left side. Phone +94 112930222.
Trains – The nearest station is Wanawasala, which is about 1.5km. It is walkable (20mins) but 5mins to get to by tuk/3-wheeler. During the rush hour, trains to Colombo are frequent though crowded. Outside rush hour (0930hrs – 1500hrs) they are less frequent and less crowded. Unfortunately the timetable is somewhat irregular so, to avoid potentially waiting long times at the station, it is best to check the train time before going to the station (there are apps). Trains often run late and/or are cancelled. The trains can be crowded so keep your valuables out of sight but people are friendly and will help you navigate the system. The suburban trains are slow and it takes about 20 mins to get to Colombo Fort Station.
Buses – Most buses go south to Colombo (usually to Colombo Fort or Pettah) and north to Negombo and beyond. The bus stop for Colombo is about 400m from the house on the Negombo Road. The buses are cheap, slow (Colombo traffic), chaotic and crowded during rush hour but perfectly OK, provided you’re not in a hurry! Allow up to an hour to get to Colombo Fort. Bus stops are not always obvious but usually there’s a small crowd indicating where the bus will stop -getting on and off is ‘exciting’.
Taxi – There are no local taxi services we know of, but Kangaroo Cabs based in Colombo, will take you back to the house from Colombo, and may pick you up from the house if they’ve a vehicle in the area. Their cars are good quality, clean, reliable and the drivers are professional. You’ll need to download their app onto your mobile to contact and track them.
Taxi Platforms – Uber is common and if you already have an account, very useful. However, Sri Lanka has its own taxi platform too, PickMe. We use it, because it accepts cash and you don’t have to give it your cc details. And we like to support local firms. The vehicles are generally OK (and improving) and offer a cheap and reasonably reliable service. The drivers often work both platforms. You’ll need to download the app onto your mobile to use them.
Tuk/3-Wheeler – these everywhere and you can collect one from the bottom of our lane. Just hail them (relatively discreetly – a simple hand signal is all that’s needed). Make sure BEFORE you get in that they have a working meter! They’re great for short trips (<15 mins) but they’re not cheap and Uber/PickMe are cheaper (and more comfortable) for anything longer. If you have to negotiate a price, offer about 1/3 off what the driver asks for. Don’t be afraid to refuse the ride. If a couple of drivers refuse your offer then you may need to raise it. You can also book a 3-wheeler through PickMe.