Sri Lanka's South Coast on the Locals' Bike of Choice

After picking up a Honda Dio, we head off to Galle on the south coast of Sri Lanka, before riding along the south coast to Ahangama
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Locations and Contacts:
- Galle, Sri Lanka
- Cafe: The Oldest Cafe in Galle
- Final Cafe: Cactus, No 76 in front of Commercial Bank ATM, Ahangama 80600
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[@neiljohnson6051]

For those commenting on prices, please be aware that the people of Sri Lanka are going through a very tough time currently. The triple shocks of Covid, general economic mismanagement resulting in a government debt crisis, and the drop off in tourism in the wake of the Easter 2019 bombings have left the economy in tatters. Glad to see Freddie and Monica rock up in Galle and Ahangama and showcase a unique and largely unspoilt paradise, as for all the challenges, the coastal scenery is some of the loveliest in the world, the people remain as charming as ever and the food is delicious. Just a word on the prices, the most expensive coffee at Cactus in Ahangama is less than GBP3.00, definitely not cheap by any standards but do bear in mind there are far less expensive alternatives nearby. Alternatively, pop to the supermarket and pick up a few bits and pieces and head down to the beach. Finally, the reason prices are so high is that fuel bills have rocketed, there is monthly wage inflation as more workers are tempted to take hospitality jobs overseas and VAT has been imposed on pretty much everything from the start of the year. Thanks again to Freddie and Monica for higlighting this unique corner of paradise!

[@duncanjowett5575]

Totally agree with everything you say. The island and most of the people are beautiful & fantastic. They need our support.

[@stewy62]

Old chap, you missed off the best bit of Galle which is surely the cricket ground. One of the iconic places to watch Test cricket with the Fort in the background 🇬🇧

[@FreddieDobbs]

I did go to take a look- it’s a beautiful setting!🏏

[@ajittffcure]

Such a beautiful location. Sri Lanka is very clean looking overall. As an Indian, it is interesting to see the similarities between both our countries but also the differences... I mean those coloured autos are not so prevalent here... and I could be mistaken but so many monitor lizards are uncommon here in similar landscapes as Sri Lanka (like South Western coasts of India). Lovely scooter you have there. Regarding high prices for coffee, my advice, whether you are in Sri Lanka or India, I think it is better you try the local coffee shops as opposed to big brands like Starbucks, etc. They tend to charge a lot and by our South Asian standards that is exorbitant and outrageous (like £5 or £6 for a coffee).

[@FreddieDobbs]

Big chains don’t seem to exist here- there isn’t one Starbucks in the whole country. I found in general, Sri Lanka was at least twice the price of Goa

[@PasanArunajith]

​@@FreddieDobbsPrices got much higher after the recent economic crisis in sri lanka. Most locals cannot even afford to have three meals a day after that. We're slowly recovering though

[@rohanperera8009]

Sri Lankans rarely drink coffee. Typically coffee shops are targeted to high income Sri Lankans or foreigners so their prices are high.

[@fitzstermoto]

Freddie, I nearly spit out my coffee when you hopped on the scooter and rode away from the monolith lizard leaving Monika to fend for herself - just picturing her running down the road trying to catch up to you on the scooter 🤣🤣🤣 LOL!

[@FreddieDobbs]

There was no time to waste!😆

[@mr.solitude3352]

First thing I noticed: the place is SO clean. In contrast to that other place that you visited. BTW, the breakdown of religions in Sri Lanka are the following: Buddhists: 70.2%; Hindus: 12.6%; Muslims (mainly Sunni): 9.7%, and; Christians (mostly Catholics): 7.4%. Buddhists get extra credit for valuing cleanliness.

[@stevezahn8056]

Wow Freddie. My wife is gonna love this one. She’s just a pushover for a beautiful beach. I’m sitting in my work truck right now and it’s 38 degrees With a cold Kentucky drizzle coming down. Am I a bit jealous? Your dam right lol

[@FreddieDobbs]

Haha, I’ll do my best to send you some warmth you way, Steve!🇱🇰☀️

[@SteveSeadog]

Beautiful locations, and it's great to get an insight into the various sub-cultures in Sri Lanka. Monika's doing a great job with the filming and editing.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Thanks Steve🙌🏻

[@125ZJK]

Freddie Monika thanks for the atmosphere you've just shared . It looked beautiful compared with a cold and wet London. Ps please don't leave your Passport as deposit.

[@danielleclare2938]

I am in London, Canada the weather is the same. Nicer tomorrow.

[@125ZJK]

@@danielleclare2938 lol same here in London England after 11:00

[@FreddieDobbs]

Delighted you enjoyed it! I won’t be leaving my passport again

[@110adventures7]

Another great video Freddie, took me back to our time in Sri Lanka. We stayed on the coast not far from Galle. We had the honour to be invited by the locals to pull the fishing nets in on a Sunday morning. Unfortunately it was only a few months after the tsunami hit and a great deal of the coast was devastated. Every where we went the locals were always smiling after losing their homes and belongings. Lovely people it was lump in the throat time for us day by day.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Wow. I can’t imagine how devastated things were, because there are still half destroyed houses all along the coast, 22 years on😳

[@110adventures7]

@FreddieDobbs we were not as brave as you. We Tuktuked locally or taxied for further distances. The traffic going up into the tea plantations and elephant orphanage was horrendous. We were on a tight hillside road and a massive truck overtook us with barely enough room, a car coming in the other direction and an elderly guy on a bike just crossed in front as all this was going on. I've driven all over the world but decided against it in Sri Lanka.

[@Dan-xx5jq]

Your videos are a welcome distraction from all the terrible news from around the world. Very informative as well! It is a real pleasure watching. Thank you.

[@ProfessordevilL]

Wise choosing a Honda Dio. It's everything you described it to be. I, a local Sri Lankan own one as well. It's Sri Lanka's Toyota Corolla. Regarding tuk tuks, you have to exclusively use Uber and PickMe, the local competitor. Even the locals don't get on a tuk tuk unless it's a Uber or a PickMe now.

[@guyrose2239]

Thanks guys …. You lifted a dull wet Gloucestershire night… enjoy your travels 🤗🌈🇱🇰

[@lynnbroadhurst4807]

Great video 📹. Tickled me when you said,' Run Monika, I'll catch you up!' Monika calmy carried on 😂

[@mcpjohnson]

Excellent video, professional, as always. Credit to Monica for her work too. Ride safe you two.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Thanks MC🙌🏻

[@RichardParsons65]

Looks wonderful - and a fabulous travelogue by you both. Both entertaining and educational!

[@boycie1150]

Very much liking the style of videos you produce, Freddie. Informative, and visually, really good to watch. You clearly know how to 'present'. And the shots of interesting things are spot on. Kudos to Monika for her sterling camera work. Well done both 👍👍

[@ourhudlathome8885]

Great video, what really makes you travel vlogs is all the B roll parts by Monica, and the ambient music you use. These really add to the detail and atmosphere of the places you visit. I watch a lot big YT travel channels and the quality of yours stands out 👍 👏

[@kusalcreats98]

Freddie its rarely to find some good old royal Enfield's here in SL but ill suggest you a bike call HONDA bently 125 0r roadmaster 200 which is quite famous japanese bikes here , give it a try...

[@whatthe6532]

No one around. Just a brilliant beach. Excellent choice of music.

[@Dan-xx5jq]

I do see SL as very similar to India with one major exception: It is CLEAN!!!! i love their train stations as they are so CLEAN. It is like going back in time when the British first built them as they are from that time period but so well maintained. The trains also do not have awful those metal bars across the windows, like in India. They look like cattle cars in India. I can't wait for India to replace them. Who's idea it was to do that?? Treating people like cattle.... 😢

[@Dan-xx5jq]

I love the sound of the waves. So cool with the large sandy beach, that is so peaceful. How I wish I could retire here in a condo near the beach and a few cafés.

[@kimetogo]

Just found your channel after posting a video of the NT 1100 in Eynsford UK. Comments mentiond you visited there some time ago and I checked it out and you sure did. You showed the town and Ford very nicely. Great videos. Cheers

[@FreddieDobbs]

Thanks very much, delighted you found the channel!

[@theshepherd9382]

Very interesting video, Thanks for making these. Keep up the good work 👍

[@axi9082]

Cinematic Perfection as always guys.

[@waters1801]

my favorite type of content on the tube, thank you very much.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Thank you so much🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@rithvikb12]

Genuinely impressed with the video and editing. Maybe your editing is more magic than ur iPhone 15

[@FreddieDobbs]

Thank you so much🙋🏻‍♀️📷

[@kaizen2049]

Super excited to visit the south coast of such a beautifully diverse country ❤❤

[@hasanthaperera400]

Oh i thought to go vacation Bali this time, This video changed my plan. I'm coming Sri Lanka

[@user-hf6ok2tj5h]

Another great video. But doesn't some of the best tea in the world come from Sri Lanka?Maybe a nice locally sourced cuppa would have been a refreshing alternative to those high-priced Lattes?

[@FreddieDobbs]

We’ve just finished a road trip up to the famous tea plantations- breathtaking area in the middle of the island!

[@piyumsandeepa4546]

Such a Clean voice & Documentary accent.Nic work Brother.keep it up...❤️🇱🇰

[@fardu-gd4ex]

15:17 whoa got scared back there

[@gdreading9088]

Now that's what I call a beautiful beach

[@eduardp.4274]

Beautiful!

[@marcheighton6436]

Freddie Monika's vidiography is a master class well done monika the hidden star 👍👍👍

[@stuarthammond1009]

Enjoyed that vlog Beautiful quality and informative. I'm here from UK and obviously I want monika and you to have best time. My daughter is resident here so I have heads up on many of the obstacles you have found. She also as friends that can make sure things improve when your experiences are highlighted. We often get street food for 700 rupees (£1.60) fried rice or kottu and one portion is two much for 2 people. Honda navi is another fine bike probably same 110cc engine and perfect for island like dio. Honda could sell this in UK for under 2 grand but with carburetor and no ABS it wouldn't make a many laws and regulations. Very sad as it's available in USA and Australia as well as all Asia. Monitor lizards there tale is there weapon!

[@garryclarke-kray4071]

The beaches look very beautiful

[@chathurakapuge]

This presentaton is absolute feelsome & cinematic !!

[@arunpandhi4558]

Nice beaches. Overall, an excellent informative video. I was not aware that Sri Lanka was so expensive.

[@chathuramadubashana9783]

Beautiful views. Breathtaking beaches ❤

[@bitterqueen7065]

Local prices for Latte is also around £4 because we don't normally drink fancy coffee here very often. Certain brands of foods/clothing/services have risen to UK prices with inflation in SL, extremly limited percentage of locals can afford them.

[@dreamcrusher112]

and everyone in that cafe was foreign so I bet prices increase - nothing wrong with that really.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Great to hear from a local, thanks for sharing this🙂🙌🏻

[@roshpack]

Superbly presented 👌

[@darrenharris8909]

Go to Abode by the beach for sunset drinks, great food and to watch the Surfers. Also to Paradise cove for an amazing spot to laze by the beach.

[@SHAILESH506]

14:18 madness, a view to die for!

[@blaze26700]

Freddie can you visit Andaman (India), its closer to Sri Lanka. If you like beaches, you will love this place. But this place is not cheap. You have to stay in a good hostels.

[@KayNine-eq3os]

Thanks Freddie, looks like a great place to visit. I think they've had serious economic problems after decades of civil war. Hopefully it settles down now. The people are supposed to be lovely. Can you sort out the Sri Lankan licence from the UK before travelling?

[@Dan-xx5jq]

I like your shirts. From watching you in India to now. You have good style.

[@Paul_Wright]

I’m still shocked you missed the fort Aguada in India yiu drive past it twice also how did you traverse to Sri Lanka? Drive or fly ?

[@user-eo5qv1sn7f]

You did a good job brother this is Sri Lanka haven ❤ thx brother

[@kanishkaherath2850]

Welcome to Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 . The tourists paradise in the South Asia.

[@sergentcolon1]

Lovely video Freddie, I wouldn’t be happy leaving my passport to hire a scooter or any mode of transport though.

[@richardbartlett6932]

I was really impressed with Colombo tbf.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Interesting- we’re heading there today so will have another wander around

[@biker_dale]

Looks like a chaotic and beautiful place, sadly falling to western greed with the local real life spots becoming few and far between. Glad you found an authentic place to eat and drink, looking forward to your travels here.

[@FreddieDobbs]

It’s a very interesting point you make, Dale. This is one of the key things I noticed; there are no locals at any cafes or restaurants that we visited (genuinely not one in two weeks)

[@bestsri1]

​@@FreddieDobbsLocals go to other beautifull places.

[@user-ft3mj1gj7t]

hope you enjoy your travel (lv from LK❤)

[@FreddieDobbs]

Thanks very much!

[@rogmeonrn719]

This is not really a baby. They are of two types. The larger type lives mostly in watery areas, while the smaller type lives mostly on land.

[@roadsweride_pt]

Hey Freddie, Great video as usual!! Can you please ask Monika the name of the track that starts at 14:20 ...such a good one! Many thanks!

[@thomasmeredith9124]

Freddie, was Goa cheaper for food and coffee? I was shocked to hear the prices for a coffee and a sandwich in Sri Lanka, costs less in uk. Monika is an expert with the camera now. Love your videos, have been following them since you went to Tenerife. I actually went to Tenerife and hired a Honda Scooter like the one you have now in 2022.👍

[@Jupitervonn]

Nice Vlog! Have you ever considered to rent a Tuk Tuk? It would be a very interesting experience.

[@buddheepa]

Unique Presentation❤❤❤

[@leeandjancruise]

You left your passport with the scooter rental guy, really? Freddie you're well travelled and I thought you'd know better. imagine if he said he'd lost it or more likely he'd sold it? If you should get it back chances are you've now been cloned. Great vlog once again both, ride safe.

[@windwalker583]

I agree....he may have sold it by now

[@maxturner3604]

Oh my, I can't believe he's left it, could bring him all sorts of problems

[@Dan-xx5jq]

But they do ask for it. What is one supposed to do then??? Do you give them a photocopy but it is illegal to photocopy a passport. I have never rented a vehicle, but I have seen the signs that all state they they need to retain your passport. I saw signs like that for India and Thailand. They will not release a vehicle to you until you turn over their passport to them. I was wary of them saying they lost it, but what is one to do, if you need a vehicle. Can you provide guidance or a way around it? They too have to protect their property. If they don't have your passport, if the vehicle is totally damaged what if the person decides to skip town. Then the owner of the vehicle is left with the loss. At least if they have your passport they don't have to release it until you pay up. I am really interested to see the way around this.....???

[@earthworm7894]

This is very common in Asia. In fairness to the guy that owns the bike that bike is a pretty big investment to him, and losing the bike and not being compensated is a bigger issue to him than it would be to most Europeans who have more money. I am in my mid 60s and have been backpacking for 40 years throughout Asia. There are so many dead shit backpackers looking to save $0.50 that would take advantage if anything bad happened to the bike because oftheir error and the owner had no easy natural recourse. so it’s hard to avoid giving your passport in many places. if you’re forced to give up your passport to get the bike, the best idea is to go to places that rent, and that I’ve been around for many many years, and I mentioned in guide, books, or or popular influential, websites,. They have too much to lose by taking a short-term profit and behaving badly. Renting from the place that you are staying is also a good alternative because they similarly are badly impacted by bad reviews . recommendations as a good experience by other travellers also helps. the other alternative is just to hire a car from one of the big corporate car rental agencies who don’t require a passport but of course that cost more and there’s not so much fun.

[@mr.solitude3352]

aren't bike owners there required to have insurance to cover their bikes? and wouldn't that cover the bike's theft or damage?

[@achalachamara6947]

Welcome to Sri Lanka 🙏

[@FreddieDobbs]

Thank you!🙂

[@grahambrown3718]

Leave my passport with a random man 🤣🤣 brilliant Freddie. Enjoy your trip

[@samboyle4779]

hi freddie we go to S.L. alot and have just come back your right about the tuk tuk drivers they would rip there grand mother of have you got the exchange rate right as goa is 100ruppes to the pound and S.L. is 380 S.L.ruppes to the pound we find it very cheap in S.L. but galle can be very expensive.

[@FreddieDobbs]

I paid on card most of the time for food, so the GBP amount popped up immediately- we paid £24 for 2x sandwiches and 2x coffees a few times (although that was the top end of the market). I found it to be at least 2x more expensive than Goa for food

[@dlog4097]

Love from Sri Lanka ❤️..

[@rohanperera8009]

Colombo has Uber and you can order a tuk tuk or a car using the app. Not sure if they have Uber outside Colombo.

[@rdasarihyd]

"Monica .. you run & I will catchup." - very funny...

[@englishforsrilanka2535]

3:33 That, dear Fred, is a Bengal monitor. Although it looks quite identical to a water monitor lizard to the untrained eye, they prefer land over water. The happy chap swimming is, in fact, a water monitor lizard.

[@5tevieb954]

Are you still on course for the DGR?

[@tonyenglish2061]

After your recent run in with traffic cops I’m surprised to see you riding with a (seemingly) broken Speedo. Take care.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Even the Hondas I pick are broken!🤯

[@YamuAwidinna]

Welcome to sri lanka. Nice vdio ❤❤❤❤

[@bonus5512]

Thank you Freddie. You're simply the best. That's it. Can't wait to see your Bonneville in good shape. Hello from Italy.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Thank you and hello over in Italy!🇮🇹👋

[@ianhalliwell8604]

There's you waxing lyrical about beautiful white sands and a turquoise sea when what wafts into view, a load of dumped tyres. You could be back in London.

[@astro61362]

Interesting video. I wonder why no Royal Enfield love there?

[@jason65r]

Thank you for showing the prices of the food as this really helps me in deciding whether to go to Sri Lanka. Is it cheaper in the non tourist area? As in 3-4 minutes down the road? Or local markets? The same can be said in Vietnam in Da Nang as an example. High $$$ price for Steak and chips and Pizza but incredibly low prices for local meals. I'm more interested in having the local meals, as part of the experience of traveling to that country, with the occasional western meal. My New Zealand dollar does not stretch as far as your British pound. So a coffee and sandwich would be $17NZD. So say your a KIWI, but you had to to pay $34 British pounds for that meal, for both of you. would that change your mind in visiting Sri Lanka? So that's a hard no from me until it changes. Love your channels. Both of you, Stay safe. At 15:16 Holy S#@T, that could have been bad.

[@rohanperera8009]

If you go to a restaurant that caters to locals that has local food, food will be really cheap. These will not be fancy restaurants, and local food can be very spicy.

[@Aditya-gm8uf]

Visit ravan palace ..

[@laknaladduwahetty3191]

Come back sri lanka. Hope to see you soon sir and Madam

[@aloysiushettiarachchi4523]

Yes, that is 'Stern von SriLanka'. Should be reclaimed.

[@JohnLowe-kt5gr]

The Japanese mopeds are almost as well engineered as the Japanese cars!😊

[@nicholasparkin6979]

Always leave just a copy of your passport. All the info they need. Happy days to you both.

[@KVenturi]

OMG A honda dio 😲 I just told you about that in the india video

[@dhanushkay1]

Wow

[@ezio6897]

Hope you get your passport back in one piece. Wishing you a safe journey.

[@FreddieDobbs]

Luckily I did get it back ok😬

[@bestsri1]

Sri Lankans are so nice..

[@ezio6897]

@@bestsri1 I'm not Sri Lankan

[@satyamevajayate1138]

Please visit RE factory in tamilnadu

[@manosparavida3551]

Hopefully the rentor you left your passport with isn't an undesirable. Thank you for another great insight on travels in the surprisingly costly Sri Lanka.

[@FreddieDobbs]

I won’t be doing this again😳

[@johnkelly2279]

You've got it tough Freddie, but keep fighting it😅😅

[@durage2durage257]

HI VERY GOOD MORNING VERY GOOD EXP,ANING FOR CEYLON BRITISH ISLAND NOW CHANGE THE NAME SRI LANKA BUT CEYLON IS NICE NAME!!! PROMOTING THE TOURISM IN CEYLON THANK YOU VERY....VERY... MUCH !!!🎉❤❤❤

[@kennyx8482]

actually the one in the water is the more dangerous monitor lizard..the one you said was baby on land isnt the same type. its way more harmless

[@aboroginal]

British should have stayed with Ceylon. It would’ve been marvelous . People would have loved them to stay even now they say they shouldn’t have left.. Now politicians have spoiled it.

[@Kaile1789]

3:45 actually these are two types of lizards.. The one in water with dark black with white gray spot one is called Monitor lizard.. Mostly live close to water bodies ... The next guy, you said baby lizard is called Sri Lankan iguana... Its gray colour all of his body..usually they are around that size.. Maybe grow up to 4,5 feet maximum.. Monitor lizards grow bigger.. Atleast to 6,7,8 feets well grown one..

[@anushka-nashpathirana8741]

Welcome sri lanka boss❤

[@anushka-nashpathirana8741]

Taxi in colombo uber and pickme app

[@chrisaris8756]

Didn’t your tuk tuk have a meter??? All the ones I’ve been in have had one. Interesting the driver wanted $10 but took £2!!

[@johnratcliffe4105]

Freddie, where's the chivalry??? Leaving Monika to run from the Lizard while you have the bike to tear away on...😝😉

[@michaelhayward7572]

Beware of monitor lizards if they are cornered or being defensive. They can be ferocious and are incredibly strong. Get one mistakenly in a house and they can wreck a room in 2 mins flat.

[@duncanjowett5575]

AHANGHAMA!!!❤❤❤ FWR?

[@jamesonpace726]

Dear gawd, left yer passport with a random man? Yer nutty....

[@FreddieDobbs]

Hmmm, quite a few people have said this so I won’t be leaving it again😳

[@jeremystill5442]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@adejames88]

All I had to do is leave my passport with a random man……what could possibly go wrong?

[@plotracer5027]

Is there any one from India?

[@Beano_z]

From what I can see it looks like the typical tourist trap that so many Asian countries have become. To be honest, at those prices and having to deal with the locals trying to rip you off every chance they get, and having to fly 10+ hours to get there, isn’t it just too much of a trade off? Would a holiday to Portugal not have had the same level of enjoyment with much less headache? Just some observations from watching this episode….great filing and keep up the good work, love the channel!

[@wasanthakatukurunda5949]

Beano...your type never leave the shores ...stop hating and being jealous of who can do...why dont you grab your pipe and enjoy your home brewed coffee . Its minus 3 outside your flat.

[@louisgara8754]

I’m glad to see that real helmets are being worn with your sandals. Those monitor lizards seem quite bold. Frankly, they creep me out.

[@FreddieDobbs]

That was the closest Monika got to them (she has a huge lizard phobia)

[@louisgara8754]

@@FreddieDobbs I also have a phobia of big carnivorous lizards with their tongues flicking in and out - that's just nightmare fuel. If one of those had come for me like that I think I would have returned to the airport and taken the next flight out that I could get a seat on.

[@aumkar2]

Freddie, hoping that passport bit was a joke.

[@FreddieDobbs]

It was actually true😳