Sarah Says
“We’ve all read the news about Sri Lanka’s economic upheavals, yet I was surprised at how little this affected my trip – I felt warmly welcomed and I was glad to be in Sri Lanka – the teardrop isle certainly needs our support.”
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Warm Welcome and Good Prices
While we’d never want to take advantage of Sri Lanka’s good nature, the fact is that right now, a holiday to Sri Lanka makes for very good value. With tourism a priority right now for Sri Lankans, I was welcomed with open arms by hotel staff wherever we went, my support was appreciated, as tourist spending is an important way to kick start the economy.
I was wondering whether our driver would have issues getting fuel but it wasn’t a problem throughout our trip in Sri Lanka. Food and drink is still relatively good value and it is such a varied country with different scenery every day, it was a joy to be somewhere so diverse yet easy to travel in.
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Sarah’s Tips: Hotels & Villas
If you’re travelling as a group, it’s historically been tricky to secure the best villas in the best locations, especially at peak times. Yet now villas at Christmas and Easter have availability, for example a beachside villa such as five-bedroom Skye House on the southwest coast. Equally, you could have your pick of Sri Lanka’s tranquil inland properties, including iconic hotels like Kahanda Kanda and Kandy House.
If you’re looking for the perfect tropical beach break, I recommend stylish KK Beach, a Corbusier-inspired hotel that’s right on the beach – all the rooms have lovely terraces where you can watch the flaming sunset.
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Sarah’s Highlights
In the name of research, my trip was a packed itinerary so I could see and do the top sights, in order to give our Real Holidays clients the most up-to-date and relevant information for their own holidays. Despite this, it didn’t feel rushed and gave me an amazing overview of the breadth of Sri Lanka and the range of experiences you can enjoy here. We visited the temples of Anuradhapura one evening and then about 12 hours later, we were in the Wilpattu National Park following a leopard down a trail, and then the next day, we were climbing Sigiriya Rock and spotting an elephant calming walking along the road.
Then we went to Kandy and up to the Tea Country which was scenically beautiful and calm. Our next stop was Yala National Park for some more game viewing before heading along the southern coast, before having a night in Galle and then finishing the trip with a walking tour around Colombo. And I can’t not mention the food! Nothing beats Sri Lankan rice and curry. I loved the range of dishes cooked in clay pots that we enjoyed at Ulagalla, near Anuradhapura, overlooking the paddy fields.
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Trips for All Travellers
One of the nicest things about Sri Lanka is that it’s equally welcoming to all types of traveller. If you’re a honeymooner or couple, you’ll find luxury hotels, Ayurvedic spas and a peaceful, lush hill country. Families will have blast here, learning to surf, enjoying train journeys, seeing elephants in the wild and discovering temples hidden in caves.
Nature lovers will relish the chance to spot leopards in the national parks, whales and dolphins in the Indian Ocean and birds and sloth bears in the jungle. Throw in a deliciously aromatic cuisine, tropical beaches, tea plantations and mountains, and you’ve got the components for a varied and hugely memorable trip to Sri Lanka. So – are you ready to start planning? Call me and let’s get the wheels in motion.
