The sunny island of Sri Lanka is a delightful vacation spot, offering everything from luxurious beach escapes to adventurous hikes up the side of mountains peppered with tea bushes. Though the island is small and travel is relatively easy, it takes prudent planning to see the best of everything in the time that you have. Here are some tips on planning a trip around the country!
1. Making A Rough Itinerary
Do research on what experiences are available depending on what you are interested in, whether it’s beaches, mountains, animals or culture. For golden beaches one can peruse the stretch of ocean leading down from Colombo to Galle and Hikkaduwa, a stretch that includes Kalutara hotels that are perfect for beach vacations such as Citrus Waskaduwa. A wanderlust for crisp air among misty hills leads others to Nuwara Eliya, Ella and Haputale. For an immersion into Sri Lankan culture, many travel to Kandy, Jaffna, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. And for safaris that feature wild animals endemic to Sri Lanka, Pinnawala as well as the Yala and Wilpattu national parks are popular!
2. Getting your route right!
Now that you know what you want to see, creating a feasible travel route that encompasses everything you want is necessary! One way to accomplish this is to base yourself in Colombo, and travel to the different regions of the country from there. Roughly speaking, it’s South and East for beaches, the North for off the beaten track exploration and the middle of the country for the hills. It’s also possible to travel to each region as you go around the country. As long as you figure out how to carry your luggage with you wherever you go, and know what transport to take you’ll have a fun experience.
3. Planning Travel
Travel in Sri Lanka ranges from extremely cheap with caveats to costly but convenient. Taking the bus will set you back under a dollar in most cases, but they can be crowded and will only be suitable for shorter distances. For long distance travel, however, A/C buses that are quite comfortable can be booked online. Trishaws, or tuk tuks as they are called, are fun and easy to ride around in most cities, but make sure they have a working meter or agree on a price before you get it. Tuk tuks and cars are also available through apps. Train schedules are available online, and feature three classes. Trains that go upcountry tend to sell out weeks beforehand, so try to book seats very early, perhaps even before you enter the country. You can also hire drivers and vans or cars to take you around.
4. Accommodation
Try to book ahead, there are many online sites that offer good rooms for reasonable prices. A slew of homestays have cropped up over the last few years that make for a delightfully homely experience, and some even offer to teach guests how to cook traditional Sri Lankan food! There are also guest houses, hostels for backpackers and many luxurious hotels.
5. Other Tips!
Some other tips include making sure to get a Sri Lankan sim (easily obtained from the airport) so that you can keep in touch with family and friends and upload your favourite travel photos on Instagram as Wi-Fi is not readily available throughout the country. Carry lightweight clothing as the weather is usually hot, but keep a cardigan handy for the colder parts of the country. Slippers, flip flops and sandals are the easiest footwear to use, but sneakers and trainers for hiking is good choice. Mosquito repellent is also a good idea! All in all, make sure to have the time of your life.
