Sri Lanka - Land of Smiles
As we touched down in Colombo, a lush green carpet of vegetation snaked out beneath us. The feeling that you are in an island nation is immediate, from the coconut trees to barefoot living. But this is a country with a difference.
Sri Lanka offers amazing wildlife from elephants to leopards to rare birds, such as the horn-billed toucan, gorgeous beaches (perfect for surfers), mountains strewn with tea plantations and a tropical climate that lasts throughout the year.
Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is a really friendly place to visit. A warm ‘Ayubowan’ meets you wherever you go. This means ‘long life’ and people press their palms together and point their thumbs towards their heart as they say this. I soon relished this opportunity to share a respectful greeting. The default setting of strangers smiling at me and making eye contact was strange at first but also very lovely.
As soon as we travelled into the centre of Colombo, I noticed the hustle and bustle of tuk tuks weaving their way through busy streets and markets. Drivers use their horns to punctuate a never-ending ‘conversation’. Outside hospitals, however, a picture with a horn crossed out indicates that drivers must refrain from beeping, so they don’t disturb patients. This seems to be the one rule that every driver abides by.
Another part that really stands out about Sri Lanka is the many temples alive with song, prayer and the intoxicating aroma of incense and blown out candles. The main religion here is Buddhism but mosques, Hindu temples and Christian churches are also spread across each city.
Whilst staying in picturesque Kandy in the mountains North East of Colombo, we were lucky enough to visit the Sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) at night, which added a certain ambiance. Tourists are reminded to cover shoulders and knees and refrain from posing in front of images of Buddha. This holy site is for Buddhists from all over the world what Mecca is to Muslims. The Temple of the Tooth is welcoming up to 10,000 visitors a day.
The bustling markets are another notable part of Sri Lankan life. They are a delight to your senses, jammed with spices to awaken every palate and stacks of tropical fruit. I was particularly intrigued by the ‘open air’ butchers, a very interesting sight, not for the faint hearted.
You may ask what the top reasons are for a visit to Sri Lanka? Apart from the above vivid impressions and experiences, I would say that the rich wildlife must be right at the top. You can see monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, elephants and leopards, as well as rare birds. The hot spot for animal sightings is Yala National Park in the South of Sri Lanka, which you can discover by Jeep tours, although there are other fantastic nature reserves to explore, too. Near Yala NP, you can stay in the exclusive Chena Huts – private luxury cabins with their own private pool, surrounded by unspoilt wilderness, particularly popular with honeymoon couples.
Sri Lanka offers interesting turtle hatcheries - a must for eco-conscious travellers who can learn about local conservation work. During my trip I had the chance to adopt a little turtle and then set it free and release it back to the sea. On glass-bottomed boat trips from Hikkaduwa Beach you can see turtles in their natural surrounding as well as spot dolphins and whales.
Hikkaduwa Beach is a favourite with families due to its shallow beaches. Galle, the former capital, has retained many of its Dutch colonial buildings as well as the famous Galle Fort, which played an important part during the Portuguese reign. I particularly enjoyed the charming old town of Galle with its picturesque alleyways and traditional bars and restaurants, perfect for a spicy dinner. Sri Lanka is an exciting place to eat, especially if you like it hot. My favourites were their fresh fish and seafood, breakfast Dhal and ‘Hoppers’ (bowl shaped rice flour and coconut milk pancakes, sometimes filled with curry or a fried egg). To digest these delicious meals, I became quite partial to the local Arak spirit – distilled from coconut flower sap. On our ‘tuk tuk safari’ (tuk tuks which were fitted with their own mini fridge stocked with ice cold beers and water and a sound system to play your favourite tunes) in the Galle neighbourhood, our group was invited to a local family where we learnt how to cook a delicious curry with chapati bread.
I inspected the fabulous Amari Galle Hotel where I stayed in one of their wonderful superior rooms – most rooms provide stunning sea views. The hotel offers amazing swimming pools, a private small beach area which is regularly used for romantic beach BBQs, a trendy rooftop bar and super friendly staff who always greeted us with a broad smile.
The cultural heritage of Sri Lanka also plays an important part in the countries attraction to so many tourists. Sri Lanka blends Muslim, Tamil and Sinhalese cultures and many UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the fortress of Sigirya, perched high on its 650m rock.
The local transport system to get around Sri Lanka is an adventure, whether you travel by minibus, tuk tuk, by bike or aboard one of the country’s iconic blue trains, taking you past traditional villages and lush tea plantations. Again, we were very lucky to be invited to one of the largest tea factories in the country, Herman Teas, where we learnt all about the White Virgin tea. I must have sipped about 30 different teas.
Sri Lankan Airlines offers direct London Heathrow to Colombo flights, which take about 11 hours. Sri Lanka is also an easy destination to combine with Dubai or the Maldives for an unforgettable two-centre holiday.
Which brings me to the second part of our study trip. On our way home, we stopped on the magnificent Maldivian island of Havodda. But that is the story of another travelblog…
In short, I would recommend this small, but very thrilling, friendly country of Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean, to everyone. Please, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you would like to find out more or if I can tailor your very own unforgettable holiday experience in The Land of Smiles.