Sri Lanka is in my heart, I had no expectations when entering the country, but I fell in love with the people and the place. My new Sri Lankan friends asked me to tell my friends back home in Norway about my good time in Sri Lanka. I will tell the world about Sri Lanka and share the amazing memories I gained in the country with this super-quick guide about Sri Lanka.
I recommend you to check out some of these places:
Colombo, Galle Fort, Talalla Secret Bay, Arugam Bay, Hikkaduwa, Ella, Kandy, Mirrisa Beach, Adam´s peak, Marokollyia Beach and Yala National Park
Sri Lanka contains so much love and care, and the people are happy and friendly. There’s peace after the war and tsunami that made a big mark in Sri Lankan history. Now the people are looking to the future with hope and smiles. It’s time for Sri Lanka to grow and show its beauty to the world. It has so much to give if you want to receive it. If you need: 7 more reasons for visiting: Sri Lanka.
Super Quick Guide to Sri Lanka
Colombo, The Capital of Sri Lanka
Most people are likely to start their adventure in the city of Colombo. I recommend staying for one day before you go further on in the country or skip it and start in Galle or Hikkaduwa.
At the end of the journey in Sri Lanka, you have to go back to Colombo. Then you can spend some more days in the city eating continental food and shopping like a rock star, before leaving the country. Of course, go to the most famous place, Crown hair, and Beauty and get your hair, nails, and eyebrows done. The Crown is the best place with outstanding service in Colombo (My friend lost her wallet in the parking line, and the security did some detective work, we found the wallet in the other shop, she got it back with money everything in it).
We looked like million dollars when we left the Crown Hair. It was expensive for being in Sri Lanka but very cheap for a Norwegian and Swedish girl. For places to go for dinner, take a look at the Dutch Hospital in Colombo.
Galle Fort Southwest Coast of Sri Lanka,
Galle Fort is a must-see in Sri Lanka. It’s a colonial-era fort that has to be walked in, and you have to have a curry on one of the roof Cafes like Mama’s Galle Fort, where you can overlook the lighthouse and the monkeys in the trees while you have a delicious curry. If it is your first time with the curry, you will also have a big bottle of the local beer lion. So good and so needed. The spices were having a party in my mouth. Recommend it! Here you can do some nice, but expensive shopping.
Talalla Secret Bay
Talalla is a hidden secret. Not many people know about it. So it’s you and some Sri Lankan people taking a swim in the ocean. If you want the beach almost for yourself and you like to body surf with waves, this is the place to be. Talalla and Mirissa were the two most luxurious places we stayed in Sri Lanka. It was for a special occasion, celebrating a 30th Birthday Party.
Arugam Bay in The Southeast Coast of Sri Lanka
Arugam Bay offers awesome beaches, and everything is very chilled out. There is nothing in the world to rush for, in Arugam you can relax or rent a scooter and get lost somewhere. We did that and ended up at this gorgeous beach, with a whole military base watching two crazy foreigners swimming in the ocean. We also helped some local fishers by pulling the boat back to the beach, and we got to see some Sri Lankan fishes, which is tasty to eat. Seafood in Sri Lanka is highly recommended.
Hikkaduwa Bay
Do you like to surf? Do you like to party on the beach? Oh right, and welcome to Hikkaduwa Bay, the place to have fun and maybe meet some other foreigners as well. Here you can go for a swim or a surf – the choice is yours. It´s a nice place if you want a bit more action. Yes, Sri Lankan boys and foreigners come all together to help the local fishers with their boats. What a community. We had a crazy beach party there; it was super fun—a lot of dancing, Coconut Arrack drink, and lion beer.
Ella the Hill Country of Sri Lanka
Do you like to hike in the mountains? Do you want massages? Welcome to Ella the Hill country of Sri Lanka. It is a beautiful place to walk around and see the stunning nature of Sri Lanka. We walked the Little Adam’s peak since we were going to the prominent Adam´s peak two days later. It was a beautiful trip with a great view of Ella and the Tea plantation. We enjoyed it.
We also went to a tea factory and got an introduction to the whole process of tea in Sri Lanka. Of course, a lot of tea tasting, so tasty tea. I’m a big coffee person, but in Sri Lanka, there was always room for tea.
Divine Massage in Ella
In Ella, there were some excellent massages after long days of hiking. We didn’t hike so long, but there is still a need for a massage. We had dinner at some street restaurants with rice and curry ( three vegetarian dishes and two fish dishes). Pumpkin Curry is a must-try! And also, we got an introduction on how to drive a tuk-tuk.
Kandy – Temple of the Sacred Tooth
I got food poison, so I really can’t say much about the Temple of the sacred Tooth. Unfurtanely, I was sick for three days after eating our first fancy hotel dinner in Sri Lanka. We didn’t stay at the hotel, but we were desperate for some food, so we stopped there and had an expensive meal with food poisoning.
Mirrisa Beach Paradise in Sri Lanka
Do you like the beach? Do you want to drink coconuts and watch whales? Then Mirrisa Beach is the place for you. Maybe one of the best stops in Sri Lanka. Here you can relax and have a vacation feeling for some days. The ocean is excellent, and the waves are gentle, but there is still an option for surfing. If you’re not into that, then you can do some serious good yoga there. Or just read a book. Or eat a lot of seafood and local curry.
When you are tired of being at the beach, go and watch some whales out in the big ocean, and if you get tired of the beach, walk in the street and shop for some jewelry. Get yourself a beautiful sapphire ring or something. Or maybe you can save it for Colombia. Mirissa was my Paradise in Sri Lanka.
Adam’s Peak Or Sri Pada
The best experience in Sri Lanka. I recommend that everybody makes this trip. You have to be able to climb 5831 steps one way and back. Then you will reach 2,243 meters and realize that you are in the sky. Adam’s Peak is a prominent pilgrimage place, especially for Buddhists.
We had a company with two Sri Lankan friends that followed us because they wanted to do it for their Buddhist beliefs. It took us 3 hours to get up. When we arrived at the top, we had to take off our shoes, because we were walking on holy ground. Then we walked through the temple and rang the bell – one time for each of us. One of our friends rang the bell three times since this was his third time to climb Adam’s peak. We made the goal, which is to be at the top of the mountain at sunrise. We had a beautiful experience listing to the prayers in the sunrise, giving us a new day of life.
Marokollyia Beach
Marokollyia Beach is another great place to relax. Maybe not my favorite. It wasn’t recommended to swim there. If you want to live on the beach and watch big turtles laying eggs, this is the place.
Yala – Bundala National Park
In Yala National Park, you can watch the wildlife of Sri Lanka. It was an excellent wildlife experience in Sri Lanka. We watched a ton of animals that morning. Yala has the highest leopard concentration in the world. My friends did see one, but I was too slow to catch it as it was running away very fast. We also watched wild elephants. As Wikipedia says, “Tourism generates noise and air pollution in the park, but also generates money and therefore helps to justify the National Park.” They did respect the animals and nature, which is nice for the animals and their future.
Recommendation for 14 Days in Sri Lanka
If you want a bit of everything you should go to Sri Lanka, it has it all. If you’re going to eat international food and drink Starbucks coffee, do not go. You will be miserable. Prepare yourself for something new and beautiful. Have curiosity, smiles, and no rush. You will have a perfect time in Sri Lanka. It is a lovely country.
Also, if you want to read more about Backpacking in Sri Lanka.
If you only have 14 days. Here is an overview of an Itinerary for Sri Lanka
Get directly to Galle from the airport: Spend one night in Galle Fort. Then go to Mirissa Beach for five days of vacation time and coconut drinking. Then get a private car to Ella the hill country (Private driver doesn´t cost that much) two days of mountain and tea factory. Go to Adams Peak for one night. Maybe you can go to Kandy for one or two days and then take the train from Kandy to Colombo, a beautiful trip. Spend the rest of the two days in Colombo shopping and eating some international food if you have some cravings for that.
Sri Lanka in 12 Days – Essential Itinerary
As my friends discovered from the back of a tuk-tuk:
Love is Honey & Life is Jolly
4 Comments
Så kult at du bor i Hikkaduwa!! Hvor lenge blir du i Sri Lanka? Jeg skal tilbke på et tidspunkt.
Sri Lanka er helt fantastisk, og var virkelig et høydepunkt på reisen min. Savner gresskar curryen!!! Den var min favoritt 🙂
Så artig å se at det er flere som forelsker seg i Sri Lanka!
En bra og nyttig artikkel med mange tips var det også. Si ifra hvis du tar turen igjen, så skal jeg vise deg noen perler 🙂
Hehhe, ja jeg har tenkt på dette innlegget må jeg skrive snart, fikk enda mer inspirasjon til å dele når jeg hørte du skulle til Sri Lanka. Det var virkelig et land som var en ny oppdagelse for meg utrolig flotte mennesker, mye god mat og flott natur. Hadde ingen forventninger, men ble helt forelsket i landet. Ananas jucien er helt fantastisk der!! Adams Peak er en helt unik opplevelse!! Gleder meg til å se hva du finner på i Sri Lanka 🙂
Supert! Dette innlegget er jo nesten som laget for meg ;D Helt perfekt. Jeg har lyst til å se de fleste av stedene du nevner, men har bare 9-10 dager – så er nødt til å ofre noe. :/ Men Adams Peak vil jeg gjerne opp på!