Sri Lanka- The Gem of the Indian Ocean
PUBLISHED August 12th, 2013 03:32 am | UPDATED January 19th, 2016 04:01 pm
Sri Lanka wasn’t on my list of must-see places, but after going for the first time, it’s now on my list of must-return-to places. I had heard mixed reviews about this island and was a bit weary of it.. I’m not sure what I felt like Sri Lanka would be lacking, but now I know it simply does not leave anything to be desired. Culture, ruins, wildlife, mountains, beach—Sri Lanka’s got it all.
After going, I realized a few of the things that might make or break a trip here…so here’s my advice, in hopes that you will have a magical experience like mine!
• Hire a car and driver
Journeying around this moderately large island can be tricky, time consuming, and expensive. Many backpackers and travelers on a budget try to traverse the country by public transportation on the trains and buses. While the bus system is thrifty, traveling hours upon hours in overcrowded buses on winding roads won’t save you any time.
The train system reaches to many areas and includes some beautiful routes through the hill countries. First class is rumored to be pretty comfortable, but hard to get tickets for, as it seems most times you need to book in advance. I took a train from Matara to Colombo, riding second-class, and wouldn’t recommend it. The views are unimpressive and even second class gets terribly crowded closer to Colombo.
If you’re on a time crunch and enjoy having your own personal space, a private driver may be the best choice. They provide direct routes, eliminate all possible stress from navigation, and can potentially find you cheap places to stay. The more people you have, the more cost effective, so this is a great option if you’re traveling in a group. We paid US$450 for four days of travel with a driver in a minibus, gas included. Not only did he help us design our trip more efficiently, he saved us a ton of time and money by booking us into guesthouses he knew.
To contact our driver, visit www.sangeethlanka.com.
• Stay at home stays and eat their food!
Sri Lankan food spoils taste buds with blends of savory exotic spices and jolts of fire from chilies, complimented by sweet coconut. The food is prepared fresh, with local vegetables, so I offset the immense amount of calories I was consuming with the thought that at least it was healthy (kind of). Many of the guesthouses and home stays will prepare meals for you a small price. If you’re not able to eat at your guesthouse, patronize local buffets, where you can stuff your face for a few hundred rupees (a couple Singapore dollars). A driver can also be instrumental in sniffing out the good local food.
• Go to Yala National Park
The guide books seem to be split on which park guarantees adventurers the best safari adventure, but in Sri Lanka the consensus points to Yala over Uda Walawe or Minneriya. The park certainly delighted me, although a bit of luck might have been involved as we saw all the big animals to tick off the list: the sloth bear (native to Sri Lanka), elephants, water buffalo, dear, crocodiles, leopards, King Fishers, and many more. To enter the park you must have chartered a spot on a safari jeep, which will cost you around US$60 but includes the price of entering the park. It’s not the desert adventure of a real African safari, but it’s as close you can get in Asia and still amazingly cool.
• Visit the cultural triangle
These are the things history channel specials are made of. From UNESCO World Heritage sites to caves dating back to the first century—a plethora of antiquity awaits you in the cultural triangle.
Sigiriya is well worth the steep entrance fee and hike up the gigantic rock formation. From the top, Sri Lanka expands 360 degrees around the ancient rock fortress, a quilt of greens, browns, and blues—the eye catching on untouched lakes, towering mountains, and sprawling forests. The paintings on the side of the rock, depicting the king’s ‘harem’ remain in shockingly vibrant condition still.
The cave temple in Dambulla offers an interesting alternative to the usual temple experience. Loads of beautiful stone buddha statues crowd the dim rooms, and colorful paintings cover the cave ceilings and floor. Although some tourists travel through, most of the visitors are Sri Lankans making a religious pilgrimage to the holy site.
Other historical sites include the Temple of the Toot Relic in Kandy, an ancient monastery at Ritigale, and the ancient capital city of Polonnaruwa, all of which I couldn’t mange to fit into my itinerary.
• See the Tea Country
Weather you’re a fan of warm weather or not, this escape into the chilly hill country is refreshing after spending day in and day out in sky high temperatures and full on humidity of Singapore. Bring a sweatshirt and take in the delights of having a warm cup of tea on a tea plantation. The drive from Newara Eliya to the plantations takes you through gorgeous mountain scenery, where tea pickers amongst rolling green hills are back dropped by spectacular waterfalls.
We visited Blue Field Tea, where we had a tour of the tea factory and a complimentary tea on their veranda. You can find them at www.bluefieldteagardens.com.
• Take a load off at the beach
What better way to end a long, travel heavy vacation is to indulge in a couple days relaxation at the beach. Sri Lanka has two different rainy seasons: Southwest from May to August and North and East from October to January. In the east, Aragum bay is famous for surfing during the summer months, although it can be a little pricey during high season. The beaches in the south, including Mirissa and Wellington offer amazing activites in high season like whale watching, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and sailing. Just like Araguam bay, the beaches can be pricey during high season. If you’re on a budget, you can risk the rain and stay for half price at nice resorts. Try Paradise Beach Club Mirissa (www.paradisemirissa.com) for private bungalows on the beach, which include buffet breakfast and dinner for around US$50 a night during off season. Also, many of the beach resorts offer yoga and areveydic services, which can rejuvenate those aching limbs after hours spent in a car or bus.
Sri Lanka has got it going on if you’re looking for a diverse holiday—a week was just not enough to see it all. Many of the sites are not even mentioned here, simply because I couldn’t make it. Spend as long as you possibly can in this gorgeous country, and you will not run out of things to do!
Written by Wanderlush. Want to read more about living a life of bliss? have a wander through her blog here.
