Sri Lanka is a country known for many things. With a rich culture steeped in tradition and history, there are many reasons to visit – delicious food, windows into British colonial culture, rolling hill country, white-sand beaches – it’s difficult to pin down just one reason in the end. Why not travel all over the country and get a little bit of everything?
Colombo
The beating heart of the country, this is the best place to start your Ceylon tour. Take in the culture and some excellent places to get street food and a beer or two, as well as a healthy dose of culture at the National Museum that details colonial history to a great extent or the older architecture that’s peppered throughout certain districts. You’ll also get some great choices for hotels in Sri Lanka.
Weligama
When vacationing in Sri Lanka, the beaches are a must-not-miss! For this, Weligama Bay is perfect, as it’s an inviting fishing village that’s perfect for beginners and experts to get their waves. Lined throughout the shore are a string of surf shops ready to serve your every need, or perhaps you could hire a bicycle to take your own pace through the town.
Nuwara Eliya
The highlands of Nuwara Eliya is almost as well-known as any of the beaches you could find but for very different reasons. Green hills as far as the eyes can see, the elevation of this hillside town makes the area much colder than the rest of Sri Lanka, but it’s a great place for tea and strawberries! There are several tea estates that you could tour to get an idea of how Ceylonese tea is prepared – some of which are provided by such brands as Aitken Spence Hotels for ease.
Yala
For those interested in the wilderness of Lanka – go no further than Yala National Park, an experience any avid safari-goer should not miss. Containing over 40 species of animal life within its jungled depths, it’s one of the most popular parks in the country, However, the park closes for 8 weeks starting the month of September, so bear that in mind when planning!
Adam’s Peak
Although you may be spoiled for choice amongst the various biomes in Sri Lanka – try and keep room for Adam’s Peak, as the beauty offered during this climb is definitely worth the effort and is considered one of the most adventurous things you can do for a hike! It also has significance to various spiritual communities in Sri Lanka, and you may find the young as well as the old making the climb. It’s a short distance from Nuwara Eliya, so you can plan your itinerary accordingly.
