I am evangelical about Sri Lanka. I have already been there four times and probably would have been there more unless the pandemic happened.
Over the years, I have taken more people with me as I have travelled to Sri Lanka. Our last trip — in April — comprised a group of 11 friends and family members.
Sri Lanka is recovering from economic crises and needs more tourists as their economy is extremely dependent on tourism. Initially, there were doubts about whether we should visit or not. The economic situation of Sri Lanka made international headlines and was fresh in our memory. The images of protesters storming the presidential palace were not even six months old (it happened in July 2022), when we started planning the trip. However, after I started making enquiries from people who had recently travelled to Sri Lanka, I was reassured. For tourists, everything was back to normal. For Sri Lankans, inflation and increased cost of living were still major problems. But there was no question of safety for travellers. It was, and remains, extremely safe.
For a tourist, Sri Lanka has everything, well almost everything. From pristine beaches to ancient ruins steeped in mythology and history, from national parks with excellent wildlife viewing to tea plantations and hills — the variety is enough to satiate any discerning traveller.
An additional advantage is that it is a hop across from Chennai and has good connections with most metro cities in India. You have the options of visa on arrival and e-visa, which work exceedingly well. Finally, the country needs tourists. Their economy is reviving and there are absolutely no signs of any turmoil now in Sri Lanka.
Something for everyone
What do you get in Sri Lanka? Being an island country, it is dotted with amazing beaches. One is spoilt for choices. For wildlife enthusiasts, there is Yala National Park, which has reportedly the highest number of leopards in the wild, anywhere on earth. Although Yala is the most visited one, there are others like Wilpattu and Sinharaja, each having its own magic.
Then there are hill stations — Nuwara Elia, Kandy and Ella. These three places also offer a taste of tea tourism in Sri Lanka. This teardrop-shaped island is the fourth-largest tea producer in the world. Kandy is a major site for Buddhist pilgrimage. Devotees from all around the globe come to pay their respect to a set of nested urns, the innermost one reportedly contains Buddha’s teeth.
For those interested in history and archaeological sites, there is Anuradhapura and Sigriya. Then there is the very popular Ramayana Trail, which takes the traveller to all the important sites mentioned in the epic.
During one of my visits, I also learnt about the Geoffrey Bawa Trail. I overheard a conversation in a beach-front bar in Colombo where a group of European architectural students were excitedly discussing about visiting the house of a famous architect called Geoffrey Bawa. My curiosity was tickled, opening my eyes to the creations of this highly revered figure in the world of design. For dedicated fans of design and architecture, visiting the homes, gardens and resorts designed by him is something akin to a pilgrimage.
Facts you need to know
Some basic (and reassuring) facts. Like for like, holidaying in Sri Lanka is cheaper than it is in India. As I have mentioned earlier, it is now completely safe, and we have always found it to be an extremely hospitable country. In most tourist places, we had no difficulty communicating in English. Sinhala and Tamil are the two other languages which are widely spoken. On all four occasions we have travelled, we have organised our trips with tips from my cousin, Avishek, who lives and works in Taj Samudra, Colombo.
Sri Lanka is known for its variety of dishes
For virtually anyone travelling from India, Colombo would be the airport of landing. For the next leg of travel, one must plan according to individual choices. One is really spoilt for choice and how many places one intends to visit depends on the number of days available. There could be several combinations. One can choose between beach plus wildlife safari or wildlife safari plus tea tourism or hill stations and beaches or heritage trail plus tea tourism and so on. On our last trip, we travelled to Yala National Park, then to the beach resort in Weligama and Galle, and finally spent two days in Colombo before flying back. It was a compact trip of eight days.
There are bits to do in Colombo. We went on a private sunset ocean cruise, and it was worth every penny. We got some glorious Insta-worthy shots during our four-hour trip. Apart from the traditional day-long city sightseeing trips, one can tour the old city in a vintage car. There are plenty of options for day trips, including to Sigriya, a world heritage site.
Chasing crab galouti
For seafood lovers, Colombo offers great choices. Ministry of Crab is the most sought-after restaurant in Colombo. It is co-owned by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, former Sri Lankan cricketers, and since the time it opened doors in 2011, it has been a regular spot for touring cricket teams. One has to book weeks in advance to get a spot, especially for dinners.
Crab Factory is the newly-opened competitor at Taj Samudra. During our last trip, we ate at both places. The verdict? Crab Factory aced. The aroma and taste of crab galouti with mint chutney and mango salad still sweeten my dreams. The other must-visit restaurant in Colombo is Upali’s. It serves authentic Sri Lankan cuisine and is an extraordinary experience for the tastebuds. Amongst the many restaurants I have eaten during my travels, Upali’s is one name I am unlikely to forget (Tamarind in Mombasa is another one).
The two places we stayed at during our different trips to Colombo are Galle Sea Face Hotel and Taj Samudra. It is really a difficult choice to pick one and I will not. We were extremely lucky to have Samrat Datta, general manager at Taj Samudra, who took great pain to make us feel like stars during our short stay in Colombo. We realised during checkout that Taj Samudra has a casino.
Bang across the street from Taj Samudra is Galle Sea Face Hotel. It is a heritage hotel and is more than 150 years old. Even if you do not stay there, go to their restaurant/bar on the beach and order a tiramisu. It is one of the best I have ever tasted. Their bar has pictures of celebrities who have stayed there. From Prince Phillip (whose car is still preserved there) to Jawaharlal Nehru, Alec Guinness, Sir Donald Bradman and Yuri Gagarin, are some of the illustrious people who have stayed there.
The park is lovely, dark and deep
If you are a wildlife lover, you cannot miss Yala National Park. The other national parks which attract a lot of visitors are Wilpattu and Simharaja.
It takes about four-five hours from the airport in Colombo to reach Yala National Park. Yala is leopard country. It is the most visited and second-largest national park in Sri Lanka, bordering the Indian Ocean. The park covers 979sq km and is located about 300km from Colombo. Yala and Wilpattu were designated in 1938 as one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka. The park is best known for its variety of wildlife. It is an important conservation site for Sri Lankan elephants, Sri Lankan leopards and aquatic birds. One of the best parts of visiting Yala is that you can also go to the beach after a daylong safari, as it borders on Indian Ocean. Few of the nicest (and very expensive) properties inside the park are located on the beach.
On our first trip to Yala in 2014, we saw so many leopards that we came back with the mistaken notion that everyone who goes to Yala gets to see leopards. Later, we realised that a lot depends on your guide and the tracker. On our second visit in 2023, we saw fewer leopards, but the sightings were close and for prolonged periods. The Sri Lankan sloth bear, leopard, elephant, and wild water buffalo are all threatened mammals that Yala harbours. Toque macaque, golden palm civet, red slender loris, and fishing cat are other animals which can be seen in Yala.
Yala has very varied ecosystems in its different parts. The park is divided into five blocks and when we travelled in April, two blocks were open for tourists. The best time to travel to Yala is in the summer months of February to July, when animals are in open spaces, looking for water.
It is better to stay inside the park. The range of accommodations varies from basic to ultra-luxurious. The safaris can be organised independently or are organised by the camps/resorts where tourists stay. There are two safaris a day, like what happens in National Parks in India. One can book a daylong safari too, but in summer afternoons can get very hot and uncomfortable inside the park, so daylong safaris can become exhausting.
During the latest trip, we stayed in Leopard Trails in Yala and were bowled over by their hospitality, warmth and food. They went out of their way to accommodate 11 Bengali tourists, who were quite demanding and finicky.
A view of the Indian Ocean
Ocean view
After action-filled three nights in Yala, we headed for the beach at Weligama, at the Southern Coast of Sri Lanka. For beach lovers, choosing a particular beach in Sri Lanka can be a problem. There are too many choices. We chose Weligama because of its proximity to Galle and because we wanted to revisit an exquisite seafront boutique resort, Eraliya Gardens and Villas.
Once a sleepy beach town on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Galle now is bursting with new ideas and designs. The cobbled streets within the walls of its Dutch Fort are now lined by boutiques, cafes and hotels that blend local aesthetics with modern sensibilities.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Galle Fort is an example of colonial architecture meeting Sri Lankan and South Asian traditions. It is a relatively tiny place, but the fort is home to a labyrinth of cobbled streets lined with boutiques, curiously-named cafes, and Instagram-able corners. Galle Fort was originally built by the Portuguese in 1588 and later taken over by the Dutch in the 17th century. It usually takes three to four hours to explore, but given the impressive accommodations and relaxing atmosphere, there is enough to keep one busy for two days or maybe three if you take it easy. We opted to stay on the beach in Weligama, which is a 30-minute drive and travel to Galle for shopping and merriment. Shopping is more interesting in Galle compared to Colombo.
We lost our hearts in Eraliya Villas and Gardens. Built in colonial style, it is all about aesthetics and absolute privacy. The property has five beautiful villas and one bungalow, with four very large rooms. It is surrounded by secluded tropical gardens and located just a few steps away from the Indian Ocean. The infinity pool overlooks the ocean. This place creates an illusion that you are lost in time. When we went there for the first time in 2014, we never moved out of the property. If you want to shut the world out in one of the prettiest places, this one fits the bill. Fitted with antique furniture and beautiful accessories, this is an ideal location for anyone looking for peace and relaxation. Drinking your tea while watching the turquoise water of the Indian Ocean and listening to the waves is the most soul-satisfying thing to do here.
I wonder why more people from India do not go to Sri Lanka for holidays. The ease of travel, pocket-friendly accommodations and the relatedness we feel because of the commonalities in our South Asian culture, are big pluses that make Sri Lanka an attractive choice. One can go for a short break of three-four days to any of the multiple destinations or one can take a longer two/three-week tour to soak in more. We, for sure, will be back there soon.
Dr Jai Ranjan Ram is a senior consultant psychiatrist and co-founder of Mental Health Foundation (www.mhfkolkata.com). Find him on Facebook @Jai R Ram and on Instagram @ jai_psychiatrist