We have a habit of taking things close to us for granted and
travel is no exception. Cities and countries close to where we live are always
on the “I can go anytime” list. With so many lovely places to visit, we never
end up going to ones that are a short plane right away.
Sri Lanka has been on my ‘someday’ list but with its
proximity to India and Dubai, I have always chosen a more exotic destination to
visit.
So when my friends
Nick and Alex decided to tie the knot in Sri Lanka, I found no excuse to put it
at the back burner. I bought a dress to wear to the wedding, booked a flight
and waited anxiously to put an out of office and disappear for five days.
Usually before every trip, I spend hours researching the
city and making plans (that I never follow) but this time, with Ramadan just
getting over and campaigns going live, I figured I will just wing it.
The beauty of traveling is actually in winging it. What you
end up remembering are the places you find by chance. Like an old bookstore
tucked away in some corner or a cute roadside café.
Sri Lanka did something like that.
It could have been the deafening sound of the ocean, the
melting butter type sunsets, the delectable fresh seafood or the people that
stole my heart.
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| The Beach Life :) |
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| Bentota Beach |
We spent five days on the West Coast – two in Bentota, one
in Galle and two in Unawatuna. Here are my top five things to do in the area
Watch the sunset whilst sipping a cocktail at the Avani loft bar
We stayed at the Avani Bentota Resort and Spa that has a great
beach, two pools, an amazing spa, rooms facing the ocean, great food and
exceptional staff. The highlight of our stay was however sipping cocktails at
the loft bar and listening to the waves make havoc on the beach.
If you are someone like me who is a sucker for sunsets, lazy
jazz sort of tunes, passion fruit mojitos and free canapés (the staff kept
bringing us free food!) – this place is for you.
(Avani Bentona Resort and Spa - http://www.avanihotels.com/bentota/
room rates starting from AED 470 for a standard room. Massages start from 250
AED for 80 minutes)
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| My Lovely Room at Avani Bentota Resort and Spa |
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| The View From My Room |
Visit a turtle hatchery
The west coast of Sri Lanka is home to beautiful sea
turtles. There are hatcheries all along the coast and they do some amazing work
with the sea turtles and in the general cleanliness of the beach. If you are
lucky, you could release baby turtles into the ocean with a silent prayer that
your baby survives and then after a trip around the globe comes back years
later exactly where you left it to lay its eggs.
The hatchery guide will take you around and show you turtles
that are waiting to be released, turtles that have been found after accidents
in the ocean, turtles for research and give you a brief background on the
efforts these families put into the upkeep of the hatchery.
The entry is a donation at most hatcheries that goes into
purchasing food for the turtles as well as eggs from black marketers.
Cute (not so) Little Turtle
Take a cruise along Madu River
In just 5000 Sri Lankan Rupees, you can hire a boat for
yourself and cruise along the sixty-four islands and large mangroves of the
Madu River, just a half an hour drive from Bentota.
The river is calm and the guide will happily do an island
hop if you want. We went to four different islands. We saw locals grow
cinnamon, got our feet chewed by humongous fish (at a rate of 1.5$ it has to be
the cheapest pedicure I have ever got), saw how prawn farming is done and
visited an island with a small Buddhist temple where a monk blessed us for good
health.
On our way back, our guide encouraged us to ride the
motorboat and I finally discovered what my horrible sense of left and right
direction is good for. Seriously considering investing in a boat now!
(Captains Boat House - http://www.gangabadaasiriya.com/
Two hour boat ride for 2 people on a private boat AED 150 (Excluding tips)
Donation at the Buddhist temple AED 30, Fish Pedicure AED 6)
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| Cruising Among Mangroves |
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| Cheapest Pedicure Ever |
The Buddhist Temple Island
Climb up Galle Fort and watch the world go by
Formerly a Dutch colony, Galle is a sleepy little town that
seems to have never fully woken up from its colonial inhabitation. Cobbled
streets, shuttered windows, cafes in verandahs, art galleries and old churches
create a charming atmosphere.
Walk up the Galle fort, a UNESCO world heritage site not only
for the stunning views of the Indian Ocean and its history but to watch a match
without a ticket at the cricket stadium below (The cricket crazy Indian in me
could not stop the excitement of watching the on-going India-Sri Lanka test
series)
For souvenirs and quirky stuff check out the gallery called
‘Stick No Bills’ I went a little crazy here and picked up tons of post cards
that I plan to frame soon.
(Galle fort - http://gallefortguide.com/–
Entrance is free, Stick no bills - http://sticknobillsonline.com/)
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| Views From Galle Fort |
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| An Old Church In Galle |
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| DONT MISS THIS SHOP! |
Take a time out and watch a jaw-dropping sunset
There are a few things in life that compare to sinking your
feet into soft, powder like sand and watch the sky change myriad colours for
that half an hour before the sun melts into the ocean for the day and if you
are lucky like I was, you will also get to witness a beautiful bride take her first
steps into a new life with this magical backdrop. (And shed a few happy tears!)
(As all the beautiful things in life, this is free)
I loved Sri Lanka for these experiences and so much more -
The really nice local beer, seafood, clean roads and pristine beaches but most
importantly it was the attitude, generosity and honestly of the local people
that truly touched my heart.
A piece of paradise awaits just a four-hour plane ride away.
I can’t wait to go back. What are you waiting for?
(Emirates and Sri Lankan fly direct to Colombo everyday of
the week from Dubai. For a cheaper option – Book on Fly Dubai)
2 comments:
This looks really nice :). Planning a trip there . Did you have to stay in different hotels?
How did you commute around areas?
Thanks,
Hi!
Thanks for the comment. Yes - stayed at the Avani Bentota resort (there are lots of resorts in the same line as the Avani) and then at the unawatuna Calamander beach resort (when you are booking there : ask for a room in the new building) also in Unawatuna, there are lots of small villas that can be taken on rent. We hired a car for the entire trip - it is not expensive. You can check with the hotel for this.
Have a good trip!
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