Sri Lanka is a country rich in rainforests, beaches and hills. What amazed me the most was the country was super clean and had amazing infrastructure & road connectivity. We had only 5 days in Sri Lanka and decided to make the most of it. We rented a car (highly recommend rentacarsrilankawithdriver@gmail.com and ask for Michael) for the entire duration of our trip and it was a decision well made. We arrived Colombo early in the morning and found our driver waiting & ready to embark on our 5-day trip to the following places -- Kandy (day visit) - Nuwara Eliya - Buttala - Mirissa - Galle - Negombo.
Our first pit stop was Kandy for some photo ops. Kandy is a very small city and you can easily cover it in a day or two. We visited the "elephant orphanage" and the "Temple of Tooth" en-route to our hotel in Nuwara Eliya. You would need roughly around 2 hrs in each place.
From Kandy we settled in for a rather long drive to Nuwara Eliya (5 hrs). Just as you are about to enter Nuwara Eliya, there is a very beautiful waterfall "Ramboda falls" which also makes for a refreshing break in your journey. Once you arrive Nuwara you will soon feel like you are in England; this city has a cool climate (who am I kidding -- we actually needed two blankets to stay warm at night :D) and a picturesque landscape dotted with tea plantations & covered in mist.
The next morning we set out for a trek to Hortons Plains to reach the highest precipice there "Worlds End". The 10-12 km trek is a fairly easy one but be prepared to do LOTS of walking.
From Nuwara Eliya, we drove another 4 hours to reach Buttala. Now most people would travel to Yala national park but we did not want to do that because the park has become all commercial & touristy. We saw this little place online "KUMBUK RVER" and decided that we just had to stay here for a night for two reasons 1) it was rated among the top 10 unique eco hotels in the world and 2) it was off the beaten track with many adventures such as zip lining across the river, elephant night watch, mud bath, and if you wish -- a Yala safari as well. Staying there was the highlight of our trip. Note -- you do not need to actually do the safari (we did not) because on your way back you would have to drive through part of the park anyway.
Another 4 hrs from Buttala got us to our next destination -- Mirissa. Mirissa is a beautiful sun kissed beach doted with many restaurants on the beach. We stayed in Mirissa only to catch a whale watching trip the next morning. The whale watching cruise is roughly around LKR 4000 onwards per person, you set out at 7 am and it's a 3-4 hour boat ride to see the whales. They offer you breakfast as well as a sea sickness pill if you are prone to sea sickness as the ride can get quite bumpy.
We checked out late from Mirissa and set for an overnight at Negombo as that's the closest to the airport (not Colombo as many would think). We stopped at "Galle" enroute for lunch and some photo ops. Tip - If you need a place close to the airport (or transit) I highly recommend "Neo Holiday Homes" as they are 1) close to the airport (10 mins) and 2) four star accommodation at 3 star prices.
That brings me to the end of my trip. Sri Lanka is a must visit destination if you are a nature & beach lover. I was blown away by its beauty and people. I brought back with me some very fond memories and I am sure you will too.
Happy travels!
Nuwara Eliya, also known as "Little England" is the hill country of Sri Lanka. We stayed at a beauty of a cottage named "Sherwood Cottage" which offered stunning panoramic views of the city and mountains.
A must-do in Nuwara Eliya is a visit to Hortons Plains and trek the 10-12 kms plains to reach"Worlds End", a sheer cliff with a drop of around 4000 ft. Standing at the precipice high up among the clouds and mist, you will truly feel your arm is touching the heavens.
Highly recommended -- nestled across the banks of the Yala national park is a hidden eco gem of a resort "Kumbuk River Eco Extraordinaire".
Rated as one of the top 10 unique eco hotels in the world, this place has a 40 ft elephant hut made out of grass. The hut is shaped like an elephant and sleeps 2 families and the best part if even if it's just the two of you, you will have the entire elephant room to yourself as the resort values privacy.
Stay here if you would like to sleep 'in the belly of an elephant'. Their Tree House Luxuria (which we booked) overlooks the raging Kumbuk River and if you are lucky you can spot wildlife across the river bank. Other activities offered by the resort include a mud bath, zip lining, elephant watch, Yala safari, etc. Truly a place to be if you want a unique & rustic Sri Lankan experience.
Mirissa is famous for whale watching so book yourself a tour that starts at 7 am and head to the ocean to catch a glimpse of these gentle giants of the ocean. We were lucky enough to spot blue whales, dolphins, and plenty of flying fish.
Galle is a city rich in Dutch history. The view from the fort offers stunning panoramic vistas of the emerald green ocean. You can browse the main shops dotting the streets of Galle for artefacts to take back home.
