Sri Lanka Adventure
We flew with Sri Lankan Airlines, direct from London Heathrow. The flight was comfortable and service was typical Sri Lankan hospitality. We were in Sri Lanka to enjoy a 10 day tour and were greeted on arrival in to Colombo by our guide just after lunchtime. It was just a 30 minute drive to the beach resort of Negombo. We checked in to the four star Jetwing Sea, with the beach and ocean on our doorstep. Being so close to the airport, Negombo is ideal for a short stay to recover from any jet lag. For honeymooners, time to recharge after the excitement of the wedding. Close enough to Colombo, you can also take a day trip to immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of the city or rise early to visit the local fish market.
Departing the coast, we headed two hours north to the ancient city of Anuradhapura. A night and a day was plenty of time to explore the ruins and the enormous Stupas here. Walking through the grounds of the ancient crumbling temples, we had our first taste of wildlife as monkeys roamed free around us. We then travelled inland, two hours South to Sigiriya at the heart of the Cultural Triangle. We stayed at the Sigiriya Hotel, one of the many hotels that you can choose in the area. The Cultural Triangle is home to Sigiriya, Dambulla and Habarana. Each offer a choice of boutique properties, large complex style hotels or the option to stay in your own private resort villa, meaning there is something for everyone whether you are travelling as a couple, as a family or on a tour.
Sigiriya Rock or ‘Lions’ Rock, as it also known, is iconic to Sri Lanka and is a must do. We started our ascent from the surrounding ruins and gardens of the site. Approximately 1200 steps carved out of the rock and via stairwells have been built to assist visitors. The steepness and difficulty varies along the way as you stop to look at the rock paintings left behind by ancient settlers before arriving at the Lions Feet. The rock was once carved in to the sculpture of a lion and the Lions Feet still remain carved in to the rock to this day. A little further up and you reach the peak and are rewarded with beautiful 360 degree views. After our climb we made our way to a local wood carving factory and had our first elephant encounter. Elephants are wild here and as we drove, a large bull approached the side of the road to cross. We stopped to allow him space to cross, patiently waiting for him to continue on his journey to the nearby watering hole.
The Dambulla Rock Temple is another landmark in the triangle, home to five cave temples with the earliest dating back to the first century BC and contain beautiful decoration and images of Buddha. The largest cave houses a 52 metre long Buddha! The temples are elevated on a hill and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset as monkeys played around us in the trees. I would recommend two or three nights in this area as there is so much to see and do. Other highlights include cycling trails, a safari at Minneriya National Park, hiking to the Elephant Cave or you can take a day trip to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa.
Heading South towards Kandy, we stopped at a local spice garden. Arriving in Kandy was in complete contrast to the peaceful surroundings of Sigiriya. Bikes, mopeds, tuk tuks and cars tore around the city which was full of life and colour! Our scheduled stop here was at a famous pilgrimage site called the Temple of the Tooth. This is the most visited site in Kandy and the tooth relic that it houses is thought to be from Buddha. From Kandy, we then began our journey in to the rolling hills of the tea plantations. As we were on a guided tour we went by bus along the winding mountain roads. You can also take the journey via the train and enjoy a more traditional experience.
Nuwara Eliya has a very British feel to it. We checked in to the colonial Jetwing St Andrews hotel and were treated to a delicious 4 course tasting menu for dinner. This is one of the best meals I have had anywhere in the world and for the equivalent of around £12 per head! You can easily get out about to explore from here or you can choose to relax in the hotel grounds, enjoy a game of snooker and indulge in traditional afternoon tea. Famous for Tea, the plantations offer guests the chance to pick their own tea and visit a working tea factory to see how the tea is produced and enjoy samples to bring home and share with family and friends. A handy tip for your visit to this area would be to pack some warm clothes. Whilst Sri Lanka has a fairly consistent climate in the high 20s, Nuwara Eliya sits high above sea level and temperatures can drop below 20 here. It felt quite chilly so remember to pack a jumper alongside the shorts, tees and flip flops.
Following our short stay here, we continued to Uduwalawe to visit the elephant orphanage and enjoy an elephant safari in the National Park. We travelled via Ella where we stopped to take in the beautiful landscape and waterfalls. After a morning stop at the orphanage, where we were able to see the first feed of the day, we boarded our jeep to head out in to the National Park. We were lucky to see sightings of an entire elephant family with their calf, reptiles, birds and water buffalo too. After an action packed day, we headed towards the coast for an overnight in Ranna. The South Coast of Sri Lanka is rugged yet beautiful. Having arrived in the dark, it was a real treat to wake up to the sound and sights of the ocean crashing on the shore the next morning.
Our final day took us to Dutch colonial Galle, passing local villages and fishermen out at sea, carefully balanced on stilts as they caught their fish for the day. After a short stop to explore the fortified city, we made our way north to the beach resort of Bentota and joined our guide on a speedboat to the Cinnamon island in the centre of the Bentota river. Unique in its setting, Bentota has the river to one side and the Ocean to the other which makes it perfect for those who love to be on the water. This was our opportunity to relax after our Sri Lanka Adventure. For anyone looking to extend their stay, I would highly recommend taking the short flight to the beautiful islands of the Maldives just 45 minutes from Colombo. Sri Lanka and the Maldives makes for the perfect twin centre option and the perfect way to end your holiday.