I never get tired of visiting Sri Lanka

When I first visited Sri Lanka, it was in the days when tourists were unable to visit the north, so I viewed Sri Lanka as a one or two-time visit destination. In those days there was a well-trodden route stopping off at various points around the bottom half of the country.

The day I arrived, I made my way to the hotel in Colombo to get some sleep, adjust to the time difference and explore the city. The following day, I caught the train from Colombo Station and made my way towards Kandy. The train journey was slow but it’s an excellent way of seeing the countryside as it meanders along the track. It’s also a good way of meeting the locals. On arrival in Kandy, a car and drive met me and took me to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Although the Orphanage was a nice visit, I felt slightly uncomfortable that this wasn’t anything more than a performance show rather than an authentic experience. In lots of ways, it was good for me to see the orphanage as it has made me appreciate the authenticity of animal welfare, and I would never recommend it to anyone as a place to see Elephants especially as there are several other places in Sri Lanka that are far superior.

After the orphanage, I checked into my hotel and spent the next few nights based in the area so that I could visit the impressive Dambulla Cave Temple, Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Polonnaruwa UNESCO Heritage Site. Exploring the cave temple at Dambulla is a must as it so well preserved and climbing the rock at Sigiriya whilst avoiding the anger from some of the local monkeys is also worth the effort, as the views from the top are breath-taking. I also made a point of exploring the ruins at Polonnaruwa with its dagobas (shrines) and Gal Vihara (rock temple) and its four main carvings cut from a single piece of granite. A minimum of half a day is needed to explore this beautiful site.

After spending time here, I headed to Nuwara Eliya, a town set high up in the hills amongst the tea plantations. The most important thing to remember in Sri Lanka is that the temperature on the plains is a lot warmer than it is in the tea plantations so bring a fleece and a jacket with you. Whilst I was there, I visited a Tea Plantation and saw the processes of making the tea which I found interesting. I can still smell the aroma from the processing machine, that smell of pure tea was stronger than anything I’ve smelled in a UK supermarket. We drink enough tea here in the UK, so it was a no brainer to learn about where it comes from and how it is made.

After Nuwara Eliya, I made the long journey down towards the south coast where I spent the rest of my time relaxing and enjoying the sea breeze. I have since been back to Sri Lanka multiple times and really fallen in love with the destination. There is so much to see and experience, so my original thought of it being a one-time visit destination really does not do it justice. Sri Lanka is a year-round destination, offering some incredible beaches, some amazing wildlife experiences, some incredible food if you are willing to try things, and some wonderfully friendly people. Accommodating ranges from small boutique properties to larger hotels so everyone is taken care of. Riding on a Tuk Tuk of course is a must do experience and now there are apps available, so you don’t even have to leave your hotel room to order one. My top tip though? Order a traditional Sri Lankan curry, it takes several hours to make so order it in the morning so that the kitchen can prepare it for your evening meal and remember to ask how spicy or not you like it.