A glance at Sri Lanka

Tripoto

Welcome to Sri Lanka!

Photo of Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

"Ayubowan!" Welcome to Sri Lanka!

Warm greetings by Sri Lankans greeted me upon my arrival in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Known affectionately as the the "Teardrop Island" due to the country's resemblance to a teardrop when viewed from a World map, Sri Lanka is an island country situated south of India in the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lanka is a country filled with romantic landscapes. With rising mountains, lush forests & beautiful coastlines governing the country, it is no wonder why the country was once considered the "lost paradise" by many travelers.

A Sri Lankan schoolgirl

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

I spent 3 weeks travelling in Sri Lanka & the local people I met on my journey left an indelible impression on me. I was treated with respect, kindness & hospitality in most places I visited. The Sri Lankans, despite facing many adversities in life, are a special group of people & they will always hold a special place in my heart.

For this trip, I spent more time in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka & I must say this is one of my favorite region in the country. The highlands are filled with stirring mountains covered by lush green tea gardens. And I must say that it is something magical to witness the mountains slowly disappearing under the rising mist.

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

The highlands, dotted by many tea plantation is also the best place to witness the Sri Lankan "tea pickers" doing what they do best, picking the tea leaves which will eventually be processed into the world famous Ceylon Tea.

A friendly tea picker smiling for my camera!

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Packing green tea leaves

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Visiting the villages in the highlands also offers an interesting insight into the lifestyle of rural Sri Lanka. I was invited to stay with a local family & had a really good time. It was a peaceful & remote village located up the mountains and going up to the village requires a long & bumpy tuk-tuk (rickshaw) ride up the bending mountain road!

Travelling by bus is the cheapest way to get around the village

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Upon reaching the village, a curious family came out to greet me!

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

I also had the opportunity to watch a group of local young men playing the country's most popular sports, Cricket in possibly one of the most scenic place to play the game.

Such a beautiful place to play Cricket!

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Travelling in Sri Lanka can be straightforward and easy as there are many different choices of public transports. Going by bus is the cheaper option but I will highly recommend you to travel by train especially in the highlands region! Also do take note that most mode of transportation in Sri Lanka does not come with A/C & it can get really crowded & uncomfortable at times!

But travelling by Train in Sri Lanka is really epic & the picturesque landscapes will make the "uncomfortable" journey worthwhile!

Epic train travel in Sri Lanka!

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country & you can find many ancient palaces & stupas all over the country. Being the oldest continually Buddhist country, there are several scared sites you can visit in Sri Lanka if you are more into seeking the cultural & historical aspects of a country. Anuradhapura, Mihintale, Polonnaruwa & Kandy are some amazing places you can explore.

A Buddha statue with Hindu influences

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Sri Dalada Maligawa which houses the relic of the Buddha's tooth is a scared place in the Central Province of Kandy

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Also, if you are visiting the Indian subcontinent (South Asia) for the first time, I will recommend you to start with Sri Lanka. And this is because having already visited India, Pakistan, Nepal & Maldives in this region, I think Sri Lanka will be a good introduction to travelling in South Asia.

Mihintale, a Buddhist pilgrimage site

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Always ready for a picture!

Photo of A glance at Sri Lanka by Wen Tang

Despite its close proximity to India, the pace of life in Sri Lanka feels much less frantic than that of its neighbor, which makes it ideal for the intrigued traveler to explore! It is a beautiful country with culture, awesome food, wildlife & amazing landscapes! I left the country feeling totally refreshed & reinvigorated! So what are you waiting for? Go & savor all that Sri Lanka has to offer!

Frequent Searches Leading To This Page:-

5 days tour package sri lanka, 3 nights 4 days sri lanka package, sri lanka maldives tour package from ahmedabad, budget sri lanka tour packages, tour packages from sri lanka