Our Sri Lanka Experience

Our driver, Romal, took us on a guided tour of the different districts of the city, through poorer areas and more modern, regardless of where though, the traffic was frenetic!

Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel was our hotel for the night and we chilled out for a few hours by the enormous swimming pool overlooking the lake, then the following morning we headed out to see some elephants.

Firstly, we called in to Millennium Elephant Foundation for a ride – Chris and Bobbi got a thorough soaking by elephant shower in the river! Then it was practically next-door for Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. Whilst it was fantastic to see so many elephants in one place I have mixed feelings about the set-up although the lunchtime bathing in the river was a sight to behold! There are more ethical places open now and I recommend visiting elephants somewhere like Elephant Transit Home instead.

After our first night at Kassapa Lions Rock Hotel in Sigiriya we headed out early for the long drive to Anuradhapura, the first capital of Sri Lanka, very busy with streams of locals visiting the sacred Bo Tree (Sri Mahabodhi Tree). It would be easy to spend a full day in this area visiting the remains of the Brazen Palace, the towering Ruwanveliseya Dagaba, Thuparama Dagaba, the Seated Buddha, the Kuttam Pokuna, temples, palaces and parks. Our long day ended back at the hotel where I ventured into the Ayurveda spa for a fabulous massage whilst Chris and Bobbi went for a swim.

Another early start the following day but this time to avoid the crowds and the heat, as we set off for the strenuous climb to the top of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress which was built in 5AD by King Kassyapa. Some of the frescoes are still visible and the views on the way up, and from the top, are breath-taking.

En-route to Kandy we visited a boys orphanage and girls school and were delighted to be able to leave a suitcase full of essentials and treats which were very well received. Then a steep climb up to the five Dambulla cave temples followed by the fascinating spice garden. The drive up was picturesque through the tea plantations and pleasantly cooler than our first few days. Kandy, the capital of the last Singhalese kingdom, is dominated by its lake and the nearby Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) which houses Sri Lanka’s most hallowed relic, the sacred tooth of the Lord Buddha being enshrined here. The colourful evening pooja certainly brought the place to life.

The mountainous route onwards to Nuwara Eliya is simply stunning – tea gardens and cascading waterfalls aplenty. Watching the ladies collect the leaves and then visiting a working tea factory highlights the processes gone through for us to enjoy our afternoon cuppa. With a strong British influence, with its cottages and rose gardens, parks and golf course, it is easy to see why Nuwara Eliya remains so popular. Our hotel, The Grand, really has the colonial feel about it.

A leisurely drive back down to sea level as we make our way to The Safari Tissamaharama Hotel close to Yala National Park. We opted to take the late afternoon jeep safari and were fortunate to see so many creatures in a natural environment – deer, wild boar, peacocks, green bee-eaters and numerous other birds, crocodiles, a leopard and, of course, elephants!

Almost time for our ‘R&R’ in Wadduwa - en-route we called in at Galle which is akin to a living museum with its historical Portuguese and Dutch influences with plenty of colonial style buildings, such as the 350 year old Dutch church and the old post office, this is definitely somewhere I’d like to explore further.

After our busy week we had a few days to unwind at The Blue Water Hotel Wadduwa, south of Colombo. Definitely a place to kick back and relax with palm-shaded gardens, an enormous pool, plenty of loungers and excellent food. We came back from a beach stroll one afternoon to be greeted by a wedding elephant, decked out in its finery, strolling through the gardens! Oh, and the sunsets.....

Sri Lanka is such a diverse destination - stunning scenery, wonderful wildlife, fabulous food and captivating culture – it’s no wonder the locals are such happy, smiling people!

When you’re ready to visit Sri Lanka please do get in touch, I’d be delighted to assist in turning your dreams into reality.