Come See The Spectacular Magic Of Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA, A TRAVEL DIARY

My hubby and I made a brief sojourn to Sri Lanka in the last week of January 2025.

We booked a private tour through a travel agent and hence we could select the places and fix the size of our holiday according to our choices.  We had a local Chauffeur cum guide who spoke good English and was well aware of his country’s history, geography, cuisine, etc.

Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) is an island in the Indian Ocean about 28 kilometers off the southeastern coast of india.

Sri Lanka’s history is a rich tapestry woven with ancient civilizations, significant Indian influence, periods of colonial rule by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British,  ultimately culminating in its independence in 1948, marked by ethnic tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil minority, which tragically led to a protracted civil war in the latter part of the 20th century. 

Now about the trip:

On day one, when we landed in Colombo airport,  we saw our Chauffeur cum driver waiting for us with a placard.  We exchanged pleasantries and drove down to Kandy in the cool comfort of our car.
On our way,  we went to the Pinnawala Elephant orphanage which has the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. Spanning 10 hectares, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage offers activities like feeding the elephants along with bathing them in the river under the guidance of a trainer. We had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the river where elephants hang out for tourists. It made a fantastic combo – the view and the food – thereby giving us great photo opportunities.

Our next halt was a Cultural dance show at Kandy. This Dance Show is a stimulating Sri Lankan Arts, Dance & Cultural Heritage Show that is a must see for any visitor who visits the historic city of Kandy. It brings together all Sri Lankan dance types to one platform.  It was wonderful to see so much of energy in the performers from start to finish.

Overnight, we stayed at a beautiful hotel in Kandy.

The next morning, day 2, while we were going for our breakfast in the hotel that we stayed at, we were lucky to see a Sri Lankan wedding in progress.  The bride and groom-to-be were dressed immaculately. The bride wore a traditional saree called the Kandyan saree, which is a two piece attire. One covers the midriff and the other is draped and pleated at the shoulders. The groom wore a Mul Anduma. Dating back to the time of the Kandyan Kingdom, this costume was exclusively worn by members of the royal family, nobles and high ranking officials as a symbol of prestige and authority. Today, although the costume is no longer restricted to the elite, it continues to be worn during significant ceremonial occasions such as peraheras (processions), weddings, and other cultural and religious events to signify respect for tradition and the significance of the occasion.

The wedding was accompanied by traditional music and dance and we were fortunate enough to capture some beautiful moments in our humble mobile camera, as the wedding families were kind enough and too happy to let us take their pics and videos.

After breakfast, we visited the famous Tooth Relic temple which is located in the Royal Palace Complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy.  It houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha and is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. This temple is now a world heritage site.

We then drove down from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya which has a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya’s climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Called Little England, it was a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse themselves in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting, elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket. Many of the buildings in Nuwara Eliya still retain features from the colonial period.

The drive to Nuwara itself is very scenic with beautiful mountains, landscapes, waterfalls, and what have you.  The entire drive to Nuwara was very picturesque with captivating natural beauty all around. Even our lunch was with a beautiful view of a valley with a live music band playing in the restaurant.  What a fantastic combo of nature, food and music. We felt extremely blessed.

During the course of our drive, we also visited a tea estate, which reminded me of our own Munnar and Assam tea estates.

Overnight we stayed at Nuwara.

The next morning, day 3, at Nuwara Eliya after breakfast, we drove down to Susantha Herbal garden, which is a tourist based ayurvedic company founded more than 3 decades ago. There are a vast array of herbs & trees in the garden which have various medicinal benefits. This herbal garden is believed to be a part of the Dronagiri mountain that Hanuman carried just to bring the life saving herb “Sanjivani” to save Lakshmana’s life. We couldn’t believe that we were standing on a mythological (The Ramayana) land.

Our next stop was the Sita Amman Temple,  Ashok Vatika.

Seethai Amman Thirukkovil, also known as Ashok Vatika Sita Temple, is an ancient Vaishnavite Hindu temple located in the Nuwara Eliya district. The temple’s folklore is deeply connected to the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. According to the epic, after Sita was abducted by King Ravana of Lanka, she was brought to this location. Ravana sought vengeance against Rama and Lakshmana to avenge the disrespect shown to his sister  Shurpanakha. 

Near the temple runs a stream, said to have been formed to meet the needs of Sita Devi during her captivity here. On the rock face across the stream are circular depressions, which are regarded as the footprints of Hanuman.

Approximately 1.7 km southeast of this temple lies Hakgala Botanical Garden, believed to be the garden created by Ravana for Sita according to the Ramayana.

The Hakgala Botanical Garden stands at 1745 mts above sea level. It was supposedly a pleasure garden that the King Ravana gave to Sita in an effort to ease her grief. The garden, separated into several smaller gardens, is 28 hectares in size and has an enormous variety of exotic plants and flowers.

The next morning, day 4, after breakfast, we travelled from Nuwara Eliya to Bentota. The distance is approximately 210 kms and takes about 6 hrs by road. It was a very beautiful and relaxing drive through hilly forests, with breathtaking views of tea plantations,  rubber plantations,  water falls,  rivers (with people rafting), valleys, etc. Of course we took our time for a lunch break.

Overnight, we stayed at a beach side resort in Bentota, a resort town on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast. It is a popular destination for various water sports as it has a beautiful beach line.

Bentota is a good place for shopping as well. From colorful souvenirs to handcrafted jewellery, visitors can find a variety of local goods to take home. The bustling streets are filled with vibrant stalls that sell spices, textiles, and artwork, providing a glimpse into the rich culture of Sri Lanka.

The following morning, day 5, we drove from Bentota to Colombo.

We visited the Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo

The Most Visited temple in the city, the Gangaramaya Temple which organizes Sri aLanka’s largest and the most colourful Vesak Festival annually, has a history of 120 years. It was established in 1885 by Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera at a time when Buddhist and cultural resurgence were much needed as the country was under colonial rule. It is a must visit place for all tourists.

Our next stop in Colombo was the Lotus tower.

The Lotus Tower is also known as the Colombo Lotus Tower. It stands at a height of 351.5 meters (1,153 feet).  It is a symbolic landmark for the country. It ranks as the 11th tallest tower in Asia and the 19th tallest tower in the world.  The design of this building is inspired by the Lotus flower, hence the name, Lotus Tower. The flower lotus symbolizes purity within Sri Lankan culture.

Overnight we stayed at a hotel overlooking the grand city skyline.

Day 6 Colombo to Chennai….

Sport in Sri Lanka is a significant part of its culture and the most popular sport is, ofcourse Cricket.

As far as food is concerned, the central feature of Sri Lankan cuisine is boiled or steamed rice, served with a curry of fish or meat, along with other curries made with vegetables, lentils, or fruits. Sri Lankan crab curry and prawn curry in white coconut gravy turned out to be my favourite.

And Ceylon Tea, renowned for its exceptional quality, unique flavour and rich history, is globally celebrated as one of Sri Lanka’s iconic exports as a leader in the global tea industry. Ceylon Tea is not simply a major export, but also a symbol of Sri Lanka’s identity and heritage.

Sri Lanka hasn’t stopped delighting me with its many treasures.  If I get a chance to go again, I would definitely go again and again, and again…..

Source: My personal travel experience… and Google/ Wikipedia for historical facts.

Sudha Mukhopadhyay.