Diamond in the Rough – The Best 5 Reasons To Visit Sri Lanka!
I wasn't prepared how much I would love it!
Sri Lanka simply blew me away and now ranks highly amongst my favourite countries I have visited so far! This small island, shaped like a diamond just South of India, truly is a gem!
It's a place where you can simply have it all! Beautiful nature, stunning beaches, wildlife, culture and history all topped off by friendly locals and delicious food.
Sri Lanka has just the right balance between having a decent tourist infrastructure yet still being untouched and authentic.
Not convinced yet? Here are some more reasons why you should visit Sri Lanka in 2022!
1. The Vibe
It might sound silly, but Sri Lanka simply has a good vibe. You know when you land somewhere new and you immediately get a good feeling? The first time I travelled to Sri Lanka, I was prepared for the hectic craziness of India. I expected, especially Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, to be too noisy, too chaotic and just too much. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Of course, Colombo is a big city and just like every decent-sized Asian city, it is far from quaint and quiet. Yet, it was quite easy to manoeuvre around by taxi or tuk-tuk, coming past some beautiful parks and historical buildings and the famous Galle Face beach promenade.
Sri Lanka is a majority Buddhist country with a long and rich history. Thanks to its central location between the Middle East and Asia, Sri Lanka has been part of the ancient Silk Road and a major trading hub, bringing people and cultures together. Like many other countries, the island has been colonised by the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. The colonial influences are still visible in the historical buildings and in everyday life. The British ruled the longest and have left Sri Lanka – or Ceylon as it used to be called – with tea plantations and obsessive love for cricket.
As a traveller, you find a unique combination here of a solid touristic infrastructure without being too overrun and generic. Sri Lanka has still maintained its authentic character – its beautiful imperfectness! Thank goodness, it mostly lacks the huge hotel bunkers with high-speed internet and manicured lawns, blocking kilometres of prime beach spots. It’s easy enough to get around, yet travelling here is still an adventure!
I don’t know if it’s the lush green landscapes or the beautiful people, going about their business – either way, the country has stolen my heart! It’s hard to put it in more sophisticated words, but Sri Lanka – for me at least – simply has a great vibe!
2. The Ease to Get There!
Getting to Sri Lanka is easy! All major Middle-Eastern carriers like Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad fly into Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport. It is, however, worth checking for flights with Sri Lankan Airlines directly. It’s a good, reliable airline with a wide network, often offering great deals to Colombo directly from your closest airport! Go to Trip.com to find the best flight connections and lowest rates! It always gives you a great overview of what’s available and easy to book.
Once you have booked your flights, you also need to apply for an electronic visa before your arrival in the country. The online application is quick and easy and costs 35 USD for most nationalities. The visa usually gets approved within 24 hours, but don’t leave it to the last minute to apply. Plan at least a week before departure to give it enough time for delays. Also, make sure to go through the official website Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization System for your visa application. Many visa companies are offering their service for an extra fee. Therefore, if you see the visa advertised for more than 35 USD, you are probably not on the correct website! Be aware!
Even during COVID times, Sri Lanka allows fully vaccinated travellers into the country without having to quarantine or do a PCR test on arrival. If you are fully vaccinated you’ll just have to fill in a health declaration form before departure as well as present a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours before departure. Obviously, it is also possible to travel as a family with children regardless of their vaccination status. All necessary information can be found on the online visa website!
With the flights, visa and COVID information sorted – what are you waiting for? Time to pack your bags and get back on the road!
3. Stunning Diverse Landscapes
You would be hardpressed to find a country – especially the size of Sri Lanka – that offers more variety in landscapes!
Sri Lanka has some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen in Asia. What makes them so special is that many of them are still pretty untouched by tourism. Local fishermen go about their business and at some beaches, you find some rustic little beach bars.
However, the island has so much more to offer than just the glorious coastline and beaches. If you travel inland – best travelled by train by the way – you find yourself in dense jungles, cool mountain regions and stunning tea plantations. There is so much to discover! Especially the mountainous tea region around Nuwara Eliya and Ella is just spectacular! And much cooler than the hot and humid coast. No matter if you just want to visit a tea plantation or if you like to climb Little Adams Peak, the area is just beautiful.
If you are interested in some wildlife experiences – go on a safari! Yes, you read this right! Sri Lanka has a few national parks – Udawalawe and Yala to name a few – which are home to Asian elephants, buffalos, deer, foxes, crocodiles and the national animal – the peacock! It might not be the African savanna, but it is a beautiful and affordable experience! Sri Lanka truly is a Slow Travellers paradise since it is so easy to spend quite a bit of time in each place to take it all in.
4. The Food
If you have followed Slow Trail Travel for a while, you know I love my food! And Sri Lankan food is simply delicious! As in most countries in the region, curries are the staple of Sri Lankan cuisine. Unlike many typical Indian curries, the Sri Lankan varieties seem less rich and creamy. You find some delicious chicken and fish curries as well as a huge array of purely vegetarian curries – from chickpea dhal to beetroot, aubergine or even jackfruit. Coconut is the backbone of pretty much any typical Sri Lankan dish! Be it in form of coconut milk , cream or shavings, the taste hidden or prominent – there will be coconut in your dish in some shape or form
A delicious typical local street food snack I found was kottu roti! It is not only delicious it is quite the show, too. The roti is a flatbread that is getting noisily hacked into little pieces while frying in a pan with some other delicious ingredients of your choice. As you can imagine, it’s not your healthiest snack, but it is delicious!
My favourite Sri Lankan meal was, however, is the so-called egg hopper. Typically served for breakfast, it’s the love-child between a pancake and a fried egg. It looks like a little piece of art and you can choose if you want it sweet or savoury. Add a bit of the typical sambol – made from coconut shavings (of course!), red peppers, onion, chilli and lime juice – for a little kick and you have a winner. Breakfast was definitely my favourite meal of the day and it generally comes with loads of fresh fruit, freshly made egg hoppers, roti and jams and yogurt.
Apart from the delicious and inexpensive curries, Sri Lanka offers some world-class restaurants, too. The most famous restaurant is probably the Ministry of Crab in Colombo! Set a little time and budget aside for this experience and make sure to add it to your To-Do list.
Galle Fort is another excellent place for some great culinary experiences! The beautiful historical fort area is packed with galleries and great restaurants, often set in stunning historical buildings! Peruse the old cobblestone streets and treat yourself to a delicious meal afterwards!
4. Culture & People
Sri Lanka has a well-balanced mix of modern and traditional lifestyles. Life here feels modern enough, yet it is far away from the hectic life in most Western countries. It is an exciting mix thanks to the many local ethnicities and cultures paired with the international influences of colonial times. Culturally Sri Lanka is strongly influenced by Theravada Buddhism which has been passed on from India. You find many beautiful Buddha statues, shrines and temples all around the country.
Due to the century-long history of Sri Lanka, you also find many ancient leftovers of long-gone kingdoms! Kandy – a Must-Visit in Sri Lanka – used to be an independent monarchy in Ceylon and is home to the famous Tooth Relic. Another Must-Visit is the famous Sigiriya Rock. On top of this massive free-standing rock, you’ll find the ruins of an entire fortress built in the 5th century by king Kashayapa I. If you are interested in culture and art, there is so much to explore and discover!
Generally, people are extremely friendly and welcoming! They are genuinely excited to welcome guests and love to strike up a conversation. If you know anything about cricket, the better! Most Sri Lankans speak English very well not only due to the British colonisation. After winning its independence from England in 1948, the right to free education has been taken into the country’s new constitution. With a literacy rate of 92%, Sri Lanka is a well-educated country and ahead of many other countries in the region. Even India has a lower literacy rate of about 89%, while Bangladesh lies around 83%.
Being able to speak to the locals and hear their stories is one of the many reasons that makes travelling around Sri Lanka so easy and enjoyable!
5. Affordability
Best of all is – Sri Lanka is very affordable! Obviously, it always depends on your personal taste and budget, but you can easily have a great experience for not too much money!
The currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) with a good exchange rate if you come from countries with a strong currency (e.g. EUR, USD or similar). If you are happy to eat locally and try out some street food you wouldn’t spend more than about 10 USD in a day. If you treat yourself to a few meals in more high-end restaurants, you should probably calculate around 20-30 USD for your meals. You can get beer from as cheap as 1 USD for a 330 ml bottle – of course, always dependent on the area and restaurant where you buy it.
As it comes to accommodation, Sri Lanka offers a lot of stunning individual boutique hotels that are quite affordable! You’ll be surprised where you can stay for your money in Sri Lanka! We booked most of our trip on the go through Booking.com and found some true gems here. The train tickets from Colombo to Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ella cost somewhere between 2 and 10 USD for up to 8-hour train rides! Yes, it is that cheap! If the train is not for you, book a taxi or other private transport for longer distances. You can get taxi rides for about a 2- drive for around 40 USD! And given the size of the island, most transfers are not too long in any case! Perfect for the individual, intrepid traveller!
If that hasn’t convinced you to add Sri Lanka to your travel list, follow us next time when we explore our first Sri Lanka travel itinerary!
I hope you enjoyed our little journey to Sri Lanka. If you did support the blog by giving it a Like and Subscribe to read more!
Have a great week and until next time!
