SRI LANKA – The pearl of the Indian Ocean
Here are a few things I associate with the unforgettable trip to Sri Lanka: endless sand beaches, tea plantations, walks with the elephants, drinking the best tea in the world, train rides through the jungle, the beauty of the mountains, hiking to reach the incredible waterfalls… This trip taught me how to love the nature, the people and finally – how to love my life.
Asia has always been in the back of my head and I was fascinated by their leisurely lifestyle, culture and beautiful nature. On top of everything, Indian ocean is known for its sandy beaches and marvelous resorts.
My determination to visit Sri Lanka started by looking at photos on Instagram where people would post breathtaking photos of it. I started doing my research and the more I found out, the more I liked the idea of going there.
We took the flight from Budapest and the company we chose was Qatar Airways. I deliberately chose the flight which had a 30 hour layover in Doha. The reason for that is simple – my husband and I never got the chance to visit Doha (the capital of Qatar) so this was the perfect opportunity to do so. The cost of the return ticket from Budapest to Colombo was 650 euros.
DOHA
We arrived in Doha in the evening and after we left our bags in a hotel, we headed to the city to explore as much as we could. We accidentally met one of the Taxi drivers who offered us a 3 hour tour of the city and this turned out to be one of the best things that had happened to us. He showed us the most popular and the most important places in the whole city so we really felt like we experienced Doha’s spirit. Couple of places worth mentioning: Souq Waqif, Doha Corniche, Doha West Bay (business side of the city with enormous skyscrapers), The Pearl of Qatar (new part of the city which looks like Dubai Marina). My love for Arabian countries is really strong so I wasn’t surprised that I fell in love with Doha.
We arrived in Doha in the evening and after we left our bags in a hotel, we headed to the city to explore as much as we could. We accidentally met one of the Taxi drivers who offered us a 3 hour tour of the city and this turned out to be one of the best things that had happened to us. He showed us the most popular and the most important places in the whole city so we really felt like we experienced Doha’s spirit. Couple of places worth mentioning: Souq Waqif, Doha Corniche, Doha West Bay (business side of the city with enormous skyscrapers), The Pearl of Qatar (new part of the city which looks like Dubai Marina). My love for Arabian countries is really strong so I wasn’t surprised that I fell in love with Doha.
SRI LANKA
Our trip to Sri Lanka lasted 10 days and for the first 5 days we hired a private driver who guided us and showed us around. One thing I have to mention is that the traffic there is very chaotic so it takes a long time to get from one place to another. Few things to keep in mind: they drive on the left side of the road, defined rules in traffic don’t exist, animals are often on the roads and streets, scooters and tuk-tuks are everywhere… We paid our driver 50 euros per day which ended up being a great thing because he showed us all the places we wanted to visit, gave us advice and took care of us. Furthermore, he was a great company to be around and taught us a lot about the people on the island.
PINNAWALA
Our driver picked us up in the morning of our first day and we drove to the place called Pinnawala. This place is known as a shelter for elephants and it left a really good impression on me. Pinnawala offers a variety of hotels and they’re relatively cheap.
We stayed at Elephant Bay Hotel because it has an amazing view – you can see the elephants bathing in the river and it’s incredible.
The next place we visited was Kandy. It is a second largest city of Sri Lanka with a million residents and it’s located on the hills in the centre of the island. Our drive to Kandy was especially exciting because our driver bought us tiny special bananas and explained to us that Sri Lanka offers 62 kinds of bananas.
Our next stop was Royal Botanical Gardens Peradeniya. This garden contains more than 4000 different plants including orchids, medicinal herbs, spices and palm trees. The ticket for this costs 50 kn (roughly 7 euros).
In the evening of the same day we decided to attend the night of their traditional music and dance, where we really got to know their tradition and music.
IN THE LAND OF CEYLON TEA
Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, is also known as the land of tea. The most famous tea there is Ceylon tea. More than a million people work in the tea industry, and we were also given the opportunity to see the life of a tea picker. There are plenty of tea plantations on Sri Lanka and we visited the Blue Field Tea Garden tea factory on the way to Nuwara Eliya. Our guide took us around the entire factory where we were introduced to the entire process of making tea, from harvesting to packaging. An interesting fact is that the best pickers pick about 60 kg of tea a day, and for each kilogram they earn about 0.70 kn. In the factory we tasted various types of green tea, and at the exit there is a “tea shop” where visitors can buy beautiful packages and different combinations of Ceylon tea.
RAMDOBA SLAPOVI
Right in the heart of the island there is a town called Nuwara Eliya which was our next destination. Along the way, we visited one of the many waterfalls, Ramboda falls. The road to the waterfalls was very challenging, tiring and we experienced real wilderness, but the final result was definitely rewarding.
NUWARA ELIYA I NINE ARCHES BRIDGE
The famous railway line from Nuwara Eliya to Elle is definitely a “must have” thing to do in Sri Lanka. The ride takes 4 hours and the price was only a few kunas. If I’m being completely honest, the trip was not the most comfortable due to the large number of people, uncomfortable seats and the fact that these trains are old. On the other hand, traveling through the jungle surrounded by the mountains and the lowlands is an unforgettable experience that can’t be experienced when traveling by car or bus. After 4 hours we arrived at our destination and our driver was waiting for us there. This part of the island is mountainous so the temperatures were pretty low at night.
You’ve probably heard of the place Nine Arches Bridge – it’s a big attraction on the island and I would definitely recommend going. The trip to this popular bridge is not easy at all, we had to walk through abrupt forest areas but after an hour we saw a marvelous bridge. Once again, I was convinced that everything in life is worth the effort. While we were drinking out of the coconut, we waited for the train that drives across the bridge couple times a day.
SOUTH ISLAND
5 active days on the island were slowly coming to an end, so we headed to the very south of the island where we found the most beautiful beaches for swimming and sunbathing. We arrived to a place called Tangalle, where we said goodbye to our driver and decided to spend the rest of our holiday enjoying ourselves on the beaches that Indian Ocean has to offer.
Unawatuna is the place in the south of the island and it’s one of the most famous vacation spots because it offers countless world famous hotel chains, many restaurants, various water activities as well as excursions. Some of the famous beaches there include Dalawela Beach, Hiriketiya Beach (suitable for surfing), Tangalle Beach, Mirissa, Negombo and many others.
DOHA
After 5 days of relaxation and resting on the beautiful beaches, our trip came to an end. We flew from Colombo to Doha. We had a 24-hour stop in Doha which we used for shopping – I definitely recommend visiting ‘Villaggio Mall’ shopping center, which was built on the model of Venice, and offers excellent service.
The harmony of our body and nature is the most important thing for human life and personal growth, and this island has taught me that. It taught me to live in harmony with nature, indulge in challenges, expand the boundaries of my mind, but also my heart. Sri Lanka will remain deeply engraved in my memory, and I recommend with all my heart a visit to this Indian pearl to all of you.
PRICE LIST
Airplane tickets range from at least 400 euros and up. The price of a private driver is around 50 euros per day. We booked the accommodation through booking.com. You can find quite decent accommodation for 20 euros in the centre of the island (Kandy, Ella, Nuwara Eliya) while the prices in attractive/known places are a bit more expensive. Food is similar to Asian prices, and so are transportation and various tickets for parks, museums and excursions. The most expensive part of the whole trip were certainly the airplane tickets, and everything else is far below European standard. If the cost of travel is holding you back from visiting Sri Lanka you don’t have to worry because for relatively low price you get a lot of experience and incredible memories.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Visa
- the application is done online (you get a confirmation e-mail), the price is 35 euros
- the agencies take a high commission fee so I would recommend sending the request by yourselves https://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/visainfo/center.jsp?locale=en_US
Currency
Sri Lankan rupee
100 LKR= 3.21 KN
Exchange your money in town, they have a bad exchange rate at the airport
Climate
Tropical with an average temperature of 25 C
The best time to visit is from November to May
From June to September is the rainy season
Clothing
If you plan to explore the inside of the island, bring thicker clothes because there are big differences in temperature. In the south of the island the temperature is 30 C, while in the inside the temperature is around 15C.
Water
Drink bottled water
- Bring cash (there are few ATMs)
- High factor sunscreen, UV index is 12
- Mosquito spray (for forest areas)
- Average meal at a local restaurant: 3-10 euros
- Water: 0.20 euros
Time of travel: April 2019
If you have any extra inquiries, you can contact me and I will gladly answer your questions. I hope this travelogue helps you plan your next travel.
You can find more info on my Instagram.
Thank you for reading.
Love,
Martina