Sri Lanka
In October 2017, I was lucky to experience an amazing trip to Sri Lanka hosted by Turkish Airlines and our superb local agent Columbus Tours. Like so many other countries in Asia, Sri Lanka has it all – history, culture, beaches, wildlife, weather and lovely people.
Sri Lanka is basically a year round destination with 2 monsoon seasons – the south western monsoon between May and December and the north eastern monsoon between October and January. Our trip straddled the 2 monsoons but in general, we experienced some lovely sunshine. When it did rain, the downpour was short and then followed by some more sun.
Our trip started with an overnight at the Movenpick Hotel in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. We did a short city tour but the main point of this stop was to rest and freshen up before we started our sightseeing. I would however recommend that time permitting, you spend 2-3 days at a nice beach resort near Colombo before starting your tour.
All the itineraries I put together are entirely bespoke and you can do as little or as much as you want. On days where you are sightseeing, you will have your own air-conditioned car with a chauffeur/guide. We were on the road early every morning as there was so much to see and each day brought different experiences.
From a wildlife point of view, we stopped at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage and got up close to the elephants whilst they were being bathed. The Orphanage was founded back in the 70’s to care for baby elephants orphaned in the wild. We then visited Kaudulla National Park and were thrilled to see herds of wild elephant in their natural habitat. Our wildlife lesson also included a safari into the Yala National Park on the South Coast. Here we saw elephant, deer, water buffalo and a sloth bear! Yala has the highest density of leopard in the world but because of drought being experienced in this area, part of the park was closed during our visit and we did not see this elusive animal. However, I believe that during peak season from December to April, sightings are high.
One of my favourite parts of the trip was the climb of over 1200 steps to the top of the Sigiriya Fortress or The Lion Rock. Considered the 8th wonder of the world, Sigiriya was built in the 5th century AD by King Kasyappa. We arrived on a feast day and there were huge crowds and so the climb took about 2 hours. The Palace was at the summit where the King had 500 hand maidens living! The views from the top of the rock were incredible and I experienced a huge sense of achievement!
Next up was Kandy, the cultural centre of Sri Lanka and the capital of the last Kingdom. Here we visited the Temple of the Tooth where the sacred tooth of the Lord Buddha is kept. The colourful evening ‘Pooja’ where the worshippers offer flowers to the sacred relic was well worth the visit and you get a feel for the tradition and importance of this place. The temple was beautiful when lit up at night.
The highlight for me however had to be the tea plantations. The drive from Kandy to Hatton was spectacular – I thought Ireland was green but I could not believe how fabulous and green the countryside was in this area. We were so lucky to stay in one of the bungalows at the Ceylon Tea Trails. On arrival at our bungalow we were met by our butler and a glass of bubbly. Accommodation was superb with just 5 rooms in each bungalow. We also had an infinity pool and Jacuzzi and the views were simply amazing. There is lots to do in this area; for starters, you can hardly visit the tea plantations without visiting a tea factory! We came home with so much tasty tea that I had to invest in a tea pot and strainer! There are also some gorgeous scenic walks and hikes in this area as well as mountain biking, kayaking and tennis. My biggest regret of this trip is that we only spent 1 night there. I would highly recommend a minimum of 2 nights but preferably 3.
From a beach point of view, we visited the Jungle Beach Lodge north of the town of Trincomalee on the East Coast. The hotel was situated on a magnificent beach and the water was so warm. Saying that, the best time for weather in this area is during our summer. On the South Coast, we had a glimpse of some fabulous beaches, however, as we were right in the middle of their ‘off’ season and due to strong currents, you could not swim in the sea. But saying that, I thought the beaches of Sri Lanka were some of the best I have seen anywhere.
On our final day we drove to Galle and through Galle Fort that was built in 1588 by the Portuguese and fortified by the Dutch in the 17th century. The walls were so strong that they withstood the hammering of the Tsunami back in 2004. Galle Fort is now a Unesco World Heritage site and behind the walls you can find boutiques, antique shops and restaurants in addition to a marine museum and ancient churches. Wandering around the fort is a must in any itinerary and I can’t wait to go back to this amazing country.