Sri Lanka

Where is Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka, formerly know as Ceylon, is an island in the Indian Ocean off the south coast of India.

Brief history of Sri Lanka

Urban settlements were first recorded about 3000 years ago, in the 10th century BCE.

Sri Lanka was colonized since the 16th century by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. It gained independence in 1948.

Sri Lanka experienced a civil war from 1983 to 2009. In 2004, tens of thousands died in the tsunami, along with destruction of coastal resorts. In 2019, terrorists attacked churches and hotels on Easter Sunday.

And then came Covid. So Sri Lankans are very happy to welcome tourists back.

Arriving in Colombo

I arrived in the steamy capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, on a Friday evening. The airport is actually closer to Negombo, another city on the coast just north of Colombo. The trip by taxi took me down the highway, through streets crowded with young men, through slums, to my relatively posh hotel in a nice area. Friday night was party time here.

At a stop sign in the rundown area, a woman who was oddly well-dressed knocked on my taxi window then held her hands out, begging. (I did not see a lot of that for the rest of the trip).

One day on my own in Colombo

There was one day on my own before joining my G Adventures group tour that night. I wanted to walk to a few places I chose, but it’s so hot and humid! So I turned to Uber. On my Uber app I could choose a car, a tuk-tuk, or a motorcycle. There were tuk-tuks right outside the door, so I chose one of them, but the app let me know what price I should aim for when haggling.

This country is a mix of religions, mainly Buddhist and Hindu, with Islam and Christian thrown in. There can be colorful shrines on any random street corner, or on a road in the country. I chose to go to a spectacular Buddhist temple, Gangaramaya. It is filled with Buddhas, brightly painted statues, and stuffed elephants. Yes, stuffed elephants. When I mentioned my love of elephants, my tuk-tuk driver wanted to take me to another temple with a live elephant who lived on a chain. I chose not to see that poor creature.

My next destination was the National Museum. My driver pleaded with me to make a quick stop at a gem factory, promising we would leave in five minutes. Sri Lanka is famed for its sapphires, rubies, and other gems. Of course I was offered a great deal on any purchase, but I declined, and we went on our way. I told my driver to leave me at the museum, and paid him about $2. That was with a tip!

After the museum, I found a tuk-tuk to take my back to the hotel for a rest. The heat was getting to me already.

Joining the group tour

I met the group of 15, mostly from the UK, and the local tour leader. We went for a meal across the street to the complex known as the Dutch Hospital. The building dates back to the 1600’s, and is indeed a hospital built by the Dutch. Now it’s a shopping complex with an inner courtyard filled with restaurants.

After dinner, energized by the slightly cooler air, I went for a walk along the Galle Face nearby on the oceanfront. My tour leader told me it was very safe, but I got tired of the tuk-tuk drivers looking for fares and other groups of men calling to me, so I turned back. And I realized I had to look the other way when crossing the road, or I would be run over, since driving is on the left side of the road.

The next morning as a group we met our tour bus, complete with driver and bag guy, for the next two weeks. We walked to the local markets, then drove around to some sights. There are many huge construction projects under way, apparently financed by the Chinese. We stopped at Independence Square, built to celebrate the country’s independence and now used as a public park.

Negombo

After the tour of Colombo we hit the road for Negombo. We dropped our bags at the beachside hotel with pool before heading out.

Here the Dutch, who love canals, built a few. We went on a boat tour of he Dutch Canal and the surrounding lagoon and wetlands. We stopped at a sandbar to hop out and eat some fresh fruit. Another boat stopped in the mangroves with its scraps, attracting a boatload of monkeys.

Back at the hotel, we watched sunset on the beach, and then a few of us walked down the street for dinner at a place called Family Kitchen. It turned out to be just that – when I set off in search of a washroom, I nearly walked into the family’s living room!

Cave temples of Dambulla

In the morning we set off for the cave temples of Dambulla. This is a World Heritage site. You need to climb to the top of a hill to find caves from the 1st century. The caves were dug by hand to create a monastery.

Inside the caves are colorful well preserved mural paintings and dozens of buddha statues in different poses. These were added to the caves over time. The area continues to be of great religious importance to Sri Lankans, and many come here to pray.

You need to take off your shoes to enter. I recomment taking socks because the tiles are really hot! And look out for the monkeys who will try to grab things from you.

Safari in Minneriya National Park

We carried on to our cabins for the night, then transferred to safari jeeps. We are going to see wild elephants!

There is a man-made lake here that elephants love. We saw a lot of them. As the afternoon went on, more and more elephants appeared. We bumped around in the open jeeps on rutted roads, stopping close to these Asian elephants (not quite as big as African elephants, but you still don’t want them angry with you).

We ended the safari with a climb to a lookout at over the park at sunset.

Back at our cabins, we had an outdoor dinner with musicians and everything, but we had a very early start the next day.

Sigiriya, the Lion Rock

We were up before dawn to be among the first at this World Heritage site. Back in the 5th century, the king made this his fortress, surrounded by landscaped gardens, some of the oldest in the world. Half way up was a gateway in the shape of a lion. Only the paws remain to show that this ancient fortress is Lion Rock.

It’s 1200 steps up to the top to where the palace stood, surrounded by terraced pools that remain. On the way back down we saw protected frescoes on the rock walls.

What a fantastic sight! And thankfully we started the walk at 6 am before the heat of the day.

Village tour

In the afternoon, we went to a village lunch. Our transport there was by tractor, then a catamaran ride through the waterways. A local woman with helpers prepared our meal for use using produce from the gardens. The ride home was catamaran and tuk-tuk.

Some of our group skipped the village lunch and went to Polunarruwa, the ruins of an ancient capital city, and biked around the site in the blazing sun.

Back at my cabin, I entered and heard a loud cracking noise. I looked up to see a the shape of a large creature outside, taking up most of a window. Outside the window at least! I waited a minute and it came back for a picture. My tour leader identified it as a gray hornbill, a 2 foot high bird with beak just made for banging on windows.

After I had rest on my cabin porch with a local dog, who also scared the heck out of me when he came to lie down at my feet, my new friend Sara and I went to the outdoor spa next to our cabins for an ayurvedic massage. Don’t get the massage here if you are shy…..every body part gets a massage. Then, a herbal sauna, followed by tea. I left feeling relaxed and refreshed after that very long day!

Spice plantation

The next day we stopped for a tour of a spice plantation. This is another thing Sri Lanka is famous for, especially its cinnamon. We learned the medicinal uses of the spices we saw, then were treated to spiced tea and shoulder massage to loosen us up for the spice shop. Here we could purchase ayurvedic remedies for almost anything.

My biggest takeaway from the spice lessons was – use red oil for any aches and pains. Or a lot of other things. It seems to be made from a secret recipe – online I found that an ingredient is dashamula or “the ten roots.” Whatever that means!

Before getting some red oil, I asked my tour leader (twice in one day) if he could help me get some ice, to put on the knee I had sprained a while back. The second time I asked, he was shocked, and asked if I drink a lot? He though I was using the ice for drinks! Putting ice on sore muscles is not a thing here, it’s red oil.

We had lunch at a shop and restaurant supported by G Adventures. It offers opportunities for local women, and youth with disabilities, with training in handicrafts and hospitality.

Temple of the Tooth

On to the city of Kandy, home of the famed Temple of the Tooth. According to legend, when the Buddha died in India, one of his teeth was retrieved from his ashes, and smuggled to Sri Lanka in the 4th century. It was always kept near the reigning ruler of the country. The tooth ended up here when the temple complex was built in the 15th century. Buddhist monks pay homage to the tooth three times each day, and a great festival in honor of the tooth takes place each summer.

We gave flowers to the Tooth – I think – the tooth lies inside a series of gold and jeweled caskets that sit on a throne so you can’t see it!

Raja, a massive tusker elephant used in ceremonial processions for many years until his death in 1988, of course is stuffed and is on display with pictures of his time at the palace.

Kandy

We walked around the Kandy city center nearby. Flower sellers line the streets around the temple, to supply the throngs of people coming to make an offering to the Tooth. We checked out a shopping mall and the fruit sellers, finding the famed durian fruit – it doesn’t smell that bad on the outside, but when you break it open it smells like a dead body. It’s supposed to taste really good though! Apparently we would be banned from entering our bus if we were anywhere near the foul smelling fruit.

Cultural dance show

By then it was time for the cultural dance show. This extravaganza featured ten local dances, some very athletic and acrobatic. Backflips, plate spinning, and at the end, fire walking.

Finally at our hotel for the night in Kandy. I entered my dark room, trying to find the light, and stumbled down two stairs leading down to the bed. The light switches were over the bed. The room also had an overwhelming smell of varathane from woodworkers in the basement. I had to change rooms. Not the best stay we had!

Royal elephants

The next morning we had some free time, so after a swim in the rooftop pool I set out to see the royal elephants. At the Temple of the Tooth, there was a sign saying you could go to see them feeding and bathing. My tour leader asked someone at the temple who said yes, they were at the back of the temple, but he didn’t know anything about it. I couldn’t find a thing about them online, but I was up for an adventure.

My uber tuk-tuk driver started out in the wrong direction, after I corrected him and he turned around, he dropped me off far from the temple. As soon as I realized that, I just hopped in another tuk-tuk. A man who said he was a guide led me way behind the old palace and up a hill to see three chained elephants, including one tusker used for ceremonies, eating hay. I couldn’t go anywhere near them. And that was the royal elephant adventure.

I haggled away for the guide and the tuk-tuk back to the hotel and our bus. With time to go to the shop across the street from the hotel, I found a $5 shirt and a $7 dress. I didn’t need more clothes, I just needed lighter clothes to survive in the heat.

Digana

We headed to the nearby town of Digana. First we stopped at a store that sold alcohol, since tomorrow is the Full Moon holiday, celebrated every full moon.

Digura was a bit of a rest stop for us. We had a big pool to cool off. The only activities were a village walking tour, and a cooking class.

Curry and rice is the meal of choice here, you can have it three times a day if you want. But there is always spicy meat and vegetables to add, along with hoppers, a bowl-shaped pancake made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk. You can add anything to them, then roll them up and eat them like a burrito.

Tea

The next day we drove back through Kandy and a viewpoint over the city and lake. On to a tea plantation and factory, where the smiling hostess taught us how to pick and process tea. All tea comes from the same plants, it’s just processed differently. We tried samples of white, black, and green, plus the factory’s Golden Flush, which they call the best in the world. (They all tasted the same to me….)

The British introduced tea plants a few centuries ago, and we are entering the highlands in the centre of the country where tea grows best. We had lunch at a tourist spot with a gorgeous view overlooking the hills. I drank an iced tea made from local tea.

We ended in Nuwara Eliya, meaning city on the plain, at Sri Lanka’s highest elevation of about 1900 meters. It is noticeably cooler here, I actually needed a sweater in the evening! Its nickname is Little England. It was a retreat for the British colonialists, where they could indulge in favorite pasttimes like golf, cricket, horse racing, and polo.

I attended my first ever High Tea at the Grand Hotel, with tuxedoed waiters and manicured gardens. A wonderful experience with mostly Brits who have done it before. The downside – after all the tea I drank today, I may never want it again!

The next day I wandered in the town to see the golf course, race track, cricket fields, and a market with “seconds” from major sportswear companies – a lot of them have factories in Sri Lanka. I bought a great shirt for about $15.

Train from Kandy to Ella

Now for the part many of us were looking forward to – the train through the scenic highlands. This is one of the most beautiful train rides in the world! The scenery is amazing, and it is right beside you. You can lean out the open windows and entryways for an exciting view. However you need to look out for the tunnels and rail signs that can help you become one of the many casualties every year.

As the train chugged along, we had stunning views of tea plantations, waterfalls, villages.

Ella

After the 2 1/2 hour train ride, we arrived in Ella. It’s a backpacker town in the highlands, surrounded by forests and tea plantations. The town has great restaurants and nice shopping. Everyone comes here for the hiking.

After dinner at a rooftop bar I tried a cocktail with arrak, the local firewater. The spirit is described as “a little sweet, like bourbon and rum, but with a stronger, burning kick and a mysterious bouquet”. It is made from the distilled sap of unopened coconut flowers. It was first made over 2000 years ago, making it one of the oldest distilled spirits in the world, far older than Scotch whisky. The drink didn’t agree with me, and I experienced what our group called an “arrak attack”. I’m going to stick to the ubiquitous, light and fruity Lion beer from now on.

Nine Arch Bridge and Little Adam’s Peak

Our tour leader told us we had two short walks this morning, easy, then a longer hike this afternoon if we wanted.

First hike was down half an hour to Nine Arch Bridge, to wait for the train to pass over this scenic bridge. There are huge wasp nests under the bridge, and the wasps come out when disturbed by the train. If they come near you, you should lie face down on the ground. That way your most vulnerable parts are protected, and there’s only half the surface area compared to if you remained standing. Good to know!

We climbed back up to the road, then started up to Little Adam’s Peak. That was a tough hike, a couple of hours of steep steps climbing up past a zip line. It seemed endless. At the top a guy makes a living squeezing lime juice for all the hikers who have gone through a couple of bottles of water to get there.

Almost everyone declined the afternoon hike, including me.

Back to the lowlands

The next morning we headed towards our safari destination. We stopped for a viewpoint at a waterfall, where monkeys with big teeth were waiting for us. Some people posed for pictures right beside them, and luckily didn’t have any body parts taken from them. They can be dangerous!

We’re back in the steamy lowlands, past rice paddies and a stupa from the 2nd century. We saw a family spreading ride over one side of the highway to dry it out.

With an overnight pack, we left our bus behind to hop in jeeps taking us to our glamping tents, 45 minutes from the park.

Yala National Park

We headed out on an afternoon safari in Yala. Along the road to the park we saw several elephants, including a loud baby. They came close enough to touch, which you shouldn’t do. Apparently these elephants are being fed by humans which is not really good for them.

We are here to hunt leopards. This is one of the best places to see them. We saw lots of spotted deer, buffalo, crocodiles, peacocks, hornbills and other birds as we drove around for hours. Finally one of the several jeeps spotted a leopard in the bush. We could just see the top of him as he relaxed on the ground far away. After letting us watch him for a while, he got sick of it and retreated. Someone spotted another leopard jumping down from a faraway tree, but I didn’t see it.

Back at our campsite, we had a nice dinner by candlelight. My tent was a long way from the main camp, so two guys from the camp came to lead me there. Kerosene lamps on the path were few and far between. There’s an optional second safari leaving tomorrow at 5:30 am, so I went to bed soon after dinner so I could get up early. Three guys walked me back to my tent. I had a real bed, bathroom with shower, mosquito repellant plugin, and a very necessary fan.

In the morning I set off from my tent in the dark and got lost, so sent a message to my tour leader Tiran to send help. I found my way before they found me though. We saw two leopards this time, both spotted by Tiran. They were brief sightings but much closer than the one I saw the day before.

To the coast

My camera had been acting up since yesterday, and during the second safari crapped out for good, so I used my phone camera. I thought that was it for the camera, but it works now at home! I think it couldn’t take the heat and humidity, just like me.

Back at camp, we reunited with our bus, and continued along the coast to our home for three nights and final stop on the tour, Mirissa. Our hotel is right across the street from the beach and ocean. The ocean is pretty rough so not a lot of swimming being done.

Mirissa

Trudy and I grabbed a tuk-tuk to go to Coconut Tree Hill, a well-known spot for sunset. We could see Parrot Rock, close to our hotel, where you can walk at low tide, and hurry back before the tide rises again. On the way back we stopped at a jeweler for money exchanging.

A group of us from the tour crossed the street to the beach for dinner, where all the restaurants now have chairs and tables out covering most of the beach. There are lights strung on all the tables and it’s a really pretty atmosphere. A table of fresh fish is out for you to choose from. I had a passion fruit cocktail (2 for 1) and auburgine with mozzarella and prawns, one of my favorite meals.

Suddenly a giant green turtle came flipping up the beach right by our table. She got stuck on my chair for a minute so I quickly moved it to let her though. This turtle was on a mission! She continued on, hung a left, and started digging a hole. Then she laid eggs! The restaurant guys rushed to move furniture out of her way. They collected her eggs afterwards, and said they would take them to a hatchery. Cool experience!

Galle

We set out for nearby Galle. It is a coastal town with an old Dutch built fort and walls.

On the way there, we stopped at dock where sailors were heading out to sea in colorful boats . Next, we stopped to see stilt fisherman. These guys drive a long pole in to the ocean bed a few meters from shore, then add a horizontal branch to sit on, and then throw out their lines. However, all the fishing is actually done in the early morning, and these guys were pretending to fish just for tourists. They were very lazy and fooled no one, but they got a tip from our group.

In Galle we walked along the fortified walls of the old town, and shopped on the cobblestoned main street. This place is another World Heritage Site. It feels like a medieval city in Europe, built by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British.

Back at our hotel, I crossed the street to take a picture of the beach, and a local young man invited me to a party. It was very dark out!

Whale watching

Most of us went on an early morning whale watching tour. This is apparently the best place in the world to see blue whales, the largest mammal ever to exist, weighing up to 150 tons. Tiran told us he heard the blue whales have not come back yet this year. But, the tour companies are saying they have seen them.

It was a great boat ride, but we did not see any whales. We did see bottlenose and spinner dolphins. The highlight was a dolphin leaping in the air and spinning nicely for us!

We had a last group dinner together that night and I had my favorite dish, spicy devilled prawns.

Negombo

I have one last night in Sri Lanka at a beachside hotel in Negombo, close to the Colombo airport. Trudy and I considered taking a scenic train ride, but it would mean being up early to take a taxi to the train station, hauling our bags on board and hoping we had a seat for a few hours, then taxi to our hotels. The train is super cheap, only about $2, but there is no first class where you could reserve seats, you just hope for the best. Instead we did the trip the stressless way – a taxi for about 3 hours, costing us each only about $40.

Just outside my nice beach hotel I found lots of local shopping and restaurants. I wanted to try on dresses in the heat of the day and that was interesting. In one shop I was in a cramped bathroom/supply room. In another, the young guy at the front had to wake up his dad who was sleeping behind a wall, so that I could go back there to try on.

I had a lovely fresh made fruit salad at a shop where the girl there told me about her dream to get to Canada to work.

The next day I had a last swim, my last hoppers, and my last shopping. At the airport, I had to go through security before finding check-in, told a different gate than what the boards said, and ran to be the last one on!

And I’m off for Male, Maldives. I’m sad to leave this beautiful country and its friendly people.