Sri Lanka: Culture, wildlife and tea all on one tropical island!
In fact, my experience of travelling around the island for eight days was all this and so much more!
My adventure started with an overnight flight from Heathrow to Colombo with SriLankan Airlines – a relative breeze given that the flight is direct and takes off late in the evening when I was helpfully tired, so I actually got some sleep. Being four and a half hours (yes, you read that right) ahead of the UK, jet lag is also easier to manage when travelling to Sri Lanka compared to some other long-haul destinations.
On arriving, the first thing that struck me (aside from the tropical heat – a welcome break from the autumn chill at home) was the warm welcome from Columbus Tours, our local partners who were looking after us in Sri Lanka. This is the very same welcome that Travel Counsellors' clients receive on arriving at the airport, and it was wonderful to experience it first-hand. Introductions made and water distributed, it was a smooth transition to our minivan to start our exploration of Sri Lanka.
A shade over 24 hours later and we found ourselves in the company of more than 50 elephants in Minneriya National Park. It was easy to while away a few hours watching these gentle giants, mostly eating (elephants need a minimum of 150kg of grass or leaves per day!). Slightly less expected was the high number of crocodiles lurking in the water or (more unnervingly) lying on the banks, absolutely still, mouths wide open…
Wildlife is a big draw in Sri Lanka, and as well as the elephants, it’s also possible to spot the (somewhat shy) leopards in Yala National Park to the south. More on this later.
For spectacular views with a dose of history, you can’t beat the UNESCO Heritage site of Lion’s Rock Fortress in Sigiriya. I’ll admit, I was questioning the value of doing this come the 4am wake-up for a sunrise climb, but without a doubt, it was a highlight of the trip. It’s steep and there are 1,236 steps, but with a reasonable level of fitness it’s absolutely doable – and easier in the cool temperatures of the early morning. The reward is the most beautiful 360-degree view, and the knowledge that this has hardly changed in centuries since King Kasyapa first decided to build his fortress on the rock in 477 AD.
More ancient history awaits in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, or you can admire the Buddhist history of Sri Lanka (about 80% of Sri Lankans are Buddhists) at Dambulla Caves, another UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a calming place, and the Buddha statues and fresco paintings are spectacular – as they are at the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, yet another UNESCO Heritage site!
After a pit stop in Kandy, we headed south to Nuwara Eliya, although ‘up’ is a more accurate description as this area is at a much higher elevation than the rest of Sri Lanka. Often referred to as ‘Little England’, mainly due to its climate which sees much cooler temperatures and more rain than elsewhere, it was favoured by the British during colonial times. This is still very much evident, and nowhere more so than at the Grand Hotel, where we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea.
This is tea country after all, and a visit to a tea factory is an absolute must. I am not a tea drinker – coffee is my beverage of choice – but I still found it fascinating to learn what’s involved in tea production, and I enjoyed the opportunity to taste different teas (I’m still not a convert though!).
After the cultural and educational experiences in the north, it was time for a complete change of scenery, but not before another highlight – a surprise trip in a tuk tuk to visit the iconic Nine Arches Bridge and the beautiful scenery surrounding it. All arranged by our driver/guide, this was a unique way to see where the famous Kandy–Ella train crosses the bridge that was built to transport tea.
Yala National Park, in the south of Sri Lanka, is drier and the vegetation more sparse than the lush, green, tropical landscape of much of the north. It was here that we headed out on our safari experience, patiently waiting for leopards who finally made an appearance, walking nonchalantly across the path of our jeep. Many of the hotels in Yala are coastal, which makes for some lovely sea views, although the sea is rough and the animals wild, so it’s not the best place for a beach break. Save that for Koggala, Mirissa or Bentota – or if you’re travelling in the UK summer months, head to the east coast of Sri Lanka (perhaps Passekudah or Trincomalee) to avoid the monsoon rains often present in the south at that time of year.
Whatever time of year you travel, it’s worth including the fortress town of Galle on your itinerary. The immaculately preserved fort was built by the Portuguese in the 1500s, fortified by the Dutch about a century later, and then further modified by the British. Inside the fort walls, the streets ooze character, with plenty of shops, restaurants and bars, as well as small, charming hotels that still retain their colonial charm. A great place to while away an evening – and one of my favourite stops.
Visiting so many places made for an interesting and diverse trip, but Sri Lanka is so much more than its sights. Everywhere we went, Sri Lankans were friendly and welcoming. English is widely spoken, and tourists welcomed. The popular curry buffets offer so much choice, even at roadside rest stops (which are very welcome on long journeys), and there are often more than twenty delicious dishes to choose from (International cuisine is usually also on offer). One thing I didn’t expect was the wonderful selection of desserts and sweets seen in so many places. I have a seriously sweet tooth, so this was a welcome treat I just had to sample!
The literal translation of Sri Lanka is ‘resplendent island’. Resplendent meaning ‘attractive and impressive’. That sums it up well – although, based on my own experience, I’d add relaxing, inspiring and fun too!