SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka truly has it all. Absolutely banging food, breathtaking beaches, beautiful wildlife and scenery and of course, is oozing with culture. We only spent a week here, but I could imagine doing a good month here and not getting bored at all. I look forward to one day going back and exploring the hills filled with tea, and diving along the coasts.
I also celebrated by 24th birthday here, and if you can I could not recommend travelling around your birthday more!
YALA NATIONAL PARK
A day of safari in Yala National Park was absolutely unreal. One of the first trips I ever did was a trip to South Africa (in particular Kruger National Park), so this brought back all those wonderful memories. The day started just before sunrise, as we boarded the tall open truck. We managed to see Sri Lanka’s Big 4 – the buffalo, the Sri Lankan Elephant, the Sloth bear and the Leopard.
GALLE
I turned 24 in beautiful Galle, and it will always have a special place in my heart. We walked around the gorgeous town, stayed in the most stunning villa with a wonderful lake filled with waterlilies and ate nothing but amazing food. Highlights include crab curry, some seriously impressive fish and prawn tacos, and of course hoppers!
Past Galle, we also spent the afternoon on a whale watching trip near Mirissa. Absolutely loved seeing these beautiful creatures.
BENTOTA
Bentota was just beautifully relaxing. After a few days with all the driving around, and exploring other parts of Sri Lanka, our last spot on our trip was the beach town of Bentota. Our hotel was located right by the beach, the only thing in the way was a train line which definitely was a ton of fun! We also explored the Brief Garden – home and garden of Bevis Bawa, a renewed landscape architect.
SOME PRACTICAL NOTES
- If possible, get yourself a driver and guide. Our guide, Roshan, was the most lovely man and was so kind in showing us the country.
- Mosquito repellent is a must. I, as I always do, got eaten alive. Sunscreen is definitely a must too of course!
- There are so many things to see and do while you’re here. Choose a couple and don’t attempt to do it all, because I’m sure you’ll want to come back.
- Eat local. There are so many good local foods to sample. I didn’t know anything about Sri Lankan food before travelling there, and was completely blown away by everything we ate. Try the crab curry, the sambol, the hoppers.