22 Jan Sri Lanka
Having spent an incredible 10 days in Sri Lanka, I have just one regret; that I wasn’t there for longer. Filled with beautiful beaches, mountains, an amazing view around every corner, welcoming people and seriously good food, this small country has so much to offer.
Landing in Colombo, we travelled to Kandy, Ella and Arugam Bay for a mix of culture, hiking and beach time, and I already can’t wait to go back and see the rest.
You can travel between most places by train, which is by far the most scenic way to go – one journey worth a mention is from Kandy to Ella, an 8-hour journey but said to be the most beautiful train ride in the world. It did not disappoint! Going through green landscapes and tea plantations overlooking mountains and valleys, was more than enough to make the journey seem to fly by.
In Ella, we stayed in accommodation that felt like we were the only people there looking over the mountains. The sunrises and sunsets were some of the best I’ve ever seen. Whilst we were here, we walked to the famous Nine Arches Bridge and managed to time it for a train passing across, as well as a hike to Little Adams Peak – with panoramic views of the mountains.
Our final stop brought us some beach time in Arugam Bay. To get here you have to drive through a national park, where we saw some exotic looking birds, water buffalo and even some elephants along the way. The beach was lined with bars and restaurants, and being there over the weekend, there was a party going on somewhere every night!
The country still had a bit of an undiscovered vibe to it, not overrun with tourists and the people had a warmth about them that’s not easy to forget. If you haven’t been, add it to your list!
