Have you been planning a budget international trip for a long time? Visit Sri Lanka now under INR 45K per person!!!
Sri Lanka had been on our bucket list for way too long. While we had initially planned this trip for April 2019, but due to the Easter attacks, we had to cancel it. So when we were discussing plans for our December holidays, Sri Lanka topped my list as I already had a rough itinerary and it was quite affordable compared to the exorbitant flight prices to other Asian countries.
Located in the Indian ocean to the south of India, Sri Lanka is an island nation with pristine beaches, lesser crowd, rich cultural heritage, expansive tea estates, delectable food and the friendliest people. Best time to explore Sri Lanka is between October-February although the weather is hot and humid throughout the year. The Sri Lankan currency is LKR (1INR = 2.45 LKR and 1 USD = 181 LKR)
Our 8-day itinerary to Sri Lanka covering Colombo, Mirissa, Galle, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy will help you plan your trip better.
Reaching Sri Lanka
Colombo, the capital city is well connected to all major Indian cities by air with prices from Chennai as the cheapest.
The Sri Lankan visa process is called ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) which can be applied on the ETA website. The approval comes in within 24 hours and is valid for 30days. The visa charges are ~20USD but to support tourism in the country, visa has been made free till April 2020.
You can travel anywhere from Colombo as the connectivity of both road and rail is good. Uber and Pick me are popular apps to book your cabs, although tuk-tuks are easily available.
We traveled to Sri Lanka on the last week of December and our flight was from Mumbai to Colombo via Chennai. Post landing in Colombo, the immigration was quick and we were done in within half hour. From the airport, we took a bus to the main city bus stand but you can also book a cab.
You can buy a local sim to help with communication while you are in the country. Mobitel and Dialog are major telecom brands. We got our Mobitel sim from Chennai airport, but you can also get local sims from just outside the SL airport as there are few pop-ups of different operators. You can also top up your Airtel sim for international roaming from the pop-up outside the airport. We converted dollars to LKR at the airport as there were couple of banks’ branches at the exit.
Colombo
We reached Colombo early in the morning after travelling most part of the night and decided to stay for one night and explore the city. We booked an Airbnb which was around 4kms from the city center. Post some sleep, we stepped out and our first stop was the Gangaramaya temple. The place is a prayer spot as well as a museum with many pieces from the life and teachings of the Buddha. Remember to dress conservatively (you will be able to rent shawls or sarongs to cover your legs and shoulders from the temple premise) and behave respectfully so that you do not disturb others.
Our next stop was the Beira lake which is just walkable from the temple premise. You can sit here and enjoy the sunset. We also walked past the Virahamahadevi Park where people were enjoying the weekend with their families.
We visited the Galle face green which is the Marine drive/Chowpatty version of Sri Lanka. The place is very lively with both local and foreign tourists. People were flying kites, eating delicacies in the many tiny eateries or simply just sitting enjoying the day. It was time for sunset and we sat there watching the sun go down. Post sunset, we walked around the stretch of the Indian ocean just soaking in the evening vibes and dined in one of the stalls by the sea.
The next day we lazily walked near our Airbnb, had a relaxing breakfast and headed out towards our next destination, Mirissa.
Colombo gives the vibe of both a modern city along with some old-world charm. The city has a good nightlife with many bars and pubs across the main city center. One item on my bucket list was to visit The Ministry of Crab but because of the holiday season, they were booked for the next 4 days and I had to give it a miss. So, if you also plan to visit here, make sure to make your reservations in advance.
Places to visit – Gangaramaya Temple, Virahamahadevi Park, Beira Lake, Galle face Green, National Museum, floating market of Pettah, the gorgeous Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque, the Ministry of crab.
Mirissa
We took a local highway bus to travel to Mirissa. Buses from Colombo usually go till Matara which is a big town in the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka. The drive from Colombo to Mirissa will be around 3.5hrs via the fast expressway but a bus ride will be approximately 5.5-6hrs as the bus route is through the entire coastline and you will pass major tourist places like Bentota, Galle and Hikkaduwa. Make sure to sit on the right side of the bus to enjoy the view of the coastline.
We got down at Weligama and took a 5km tuk-tuk ride from the bus stand to our homestay. We checked into our homestay which was less than 100metres from the Mirrisa beach, freshened up and headed out. We reached the beach just after sunset, relaxed in one of the many shacks and enjoyed a candlelight dinner.
Mirissa is famous for whale and dolphin watching with October-April as the season. There are many agencies who arrange this tours and you can book the tickets both online or after reaching here but you can also ask your hotels/homestays to book it for you. It costs between 6000-9000LKR per person. The folks at our homestay booked the tickets for us at 6500 LKR per person. The boats provide breakfast and refreshments during the tour.
Our day started early and we reached the port by 6:30AM. There were many fishing boats of different sizes at the port with the bigger ones going out into the ocean for weeks whereas the smaller ones going for day trips. We sat on the top deck of our two-decked boat and post some coffee and sea-sickness medicines, started our journey inside the Indian Ocean by 7:15AM. The weather was very clear and as we rode deeper into the ocean the boat started rocking hard and everyone got very drenched. We were now almost 3hours in the water but there was no sign of whales anywhere and people were getting impatient and sea sick. The crew members were in touch with other nearby boats to enquire if anyone had sighted any whale. And then at around 10:45AM we spotted gush of water at some distance and all the boats stared to move in that direction. We got multiple glimpses of the magnificent blue whale for few seconds each and from quite a distance. The entire area was hovering with 10-12 boats and it might have scared the whale from making too many appearances. But it was worth the experience to see this majestic creature in its natural habitat. After circling for around 30-45mins, we made our way back to the port reaching by 2PM.
We had a quick bath to remove all the salt water from the hair and body and headed to the beach for lunch. Post that we checked out of our room and took a bus to our next destination.
Mirissa has a very South Goa vibe with clean beaches and is thronged by western tourists. Girls you can easily walk around in your bikinis here.
Galle
Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a city full of Buddha temples, various gems factories and fantastic viewpoints. We stayed for 2 days in Peddler’s street area inside the Galle fort and the area gives the feeling of a Dutch town with cute roadside cafes, boutique stores, gorgeous lanes, colonial architectures and picture perfect corners. Weather in Galle is pleasant during Dec-Feb, but one does feel warm irrespective of the month during noon time so better to carry an umbrella or a cap. Since our hotel was inside the fort area, we spent our evening exploring the pebbled streets and indulging in some yummy Gelatos. There are many stores selling souvenirs and you can buy items like keychains, incense sticks, handmade card and paintings, jewelleries, sarongs etc.
Next day, we started early and walked inside the fort area after a hearty breakfast in one of the cafes. We visited the Dutch reformed church, the National museum, the Galle clock tower and the Galle cricket stadium which is just outside the main gate of the fort area.
We also witnessed the most amazing sunset on the last day of the decade from the Galle lighthouse.
Popular beaches like Unawatuna, Koggala, Hikkaduwa are quite close to Galle with activities like surfing, canoeing or diving.
Places to visit – Galle fort, Galle Lighthouse, Galle clock tower, Japanese Peace Pagoda, Dutch reformed church, National museum, St. Joseph’s chapel, sea turtle hatchery.
Nuwara Eliya
The 1st day of the new decade was the most tiring day of our entire trip. We were travelling to Nuwara Eliya from Galle which is an 8-hour bus ride. The bus ride took us through most part of the southern coastline of SriLanka with some pretty scenic views. The roads were smooth but the journey was tiring as we were seated for 8hours finally reaching Nuwara Eliya by 4pm.
Our homestay was around 4kms before the main city center and just walkable from the beautiful Gregory Lake. This was one of the cutest properties I have stayed at and the owner is such a great guy.
Nuwara Eliya, also known as Little England, is cold and windy with temperature around 18oC when we reached. We freshened up, put on our jackets and shoes and roamed around the Gregory lake. We picked up some local whiskey and chicken kotthu on our way back and enjoyed a cozy dinner.
Next day we went to the main city center for breakfast and rented a tuk tuk to visit the famous Pedro tea estate and the Lover’s leap waterfall. Pedro tea estate covers an expansive area with a gorgeous view. We took a paid tour inside the factory and were shown the different steps of tea processing. After the tour we wandered around the tea estate clicking pictures and bought some tea packets for our families back home. Post that we left for the Lover’s leap waterfall by tuk-tuk and we were dropped near the entrance of the waterfall from where we had to hike till the top. The hike is quite treacherous as the route is slippery with small streams flowing along with pebbled path, but we still made it to the top to an amazing view of the waterfall and the whole Nuwara Eliya town. The evening was again spent walking around the town area and enjoying the architecture of the British colonial times.
Places to visit – Pedro tea estate, Lover’s leap waterfall, Nuwara Eliya post office, Gregory lake, Sita Amman temple, Hortain plains.
Note: There are three ways to reach Nuwara Eliya from Galle – bus, train and cabs. There is only 1 direct bus to Nuwara Eliya from Galle. For the rest (buses and trains), you have to take a break journey - either travel to Colombo from Galle and then to Nuwara Eliya or reach Kandy from Galle and then proceed to Nuwara Eliya.
Kandy
Kandy is the 2nd biggest city in Sri Lanka and is home to the famous Temple of the Tooth, a sacred Buddhist temple housing the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Considered the cultural capital of SL, the city is vibrant with beautiful street arts in many corners.
Our hotel had a mountain view room with open washroom (yeah, you read it right). The view looked awesome from our room’s window as well as from the washroom. You can actually take bath with a mountain view which makes it a good experience altogether.
We booked a tuk-tuk from our hotel for sightseeing for the day and our first stop was the Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha statue, an 88ft high white statue of Buddha and the second tallest statue in SL. The place offers a breath-taking panoramic view of the entire Kandy city along with a museum depicting stories from the life and teachings of the Buddha.
We visited one of the spice gardens where the host showed us local spices in his backyard. One can also buy spices from these gardens as they are really cheap and unadulterated compared to the ones that we buy from the supermarkets. We witnessed the Kandy cultural dance by local artist group which is an energetic and fast track dance form. We also visited the Kandy view point to capture an eagle view of the entire city.
The next day we visited the Temple of the Sacred Tooth relic located inside the Kandy palace. You can also visit the International Buddhist Museum if you are interested in the history of Buddhism.
We took a pleasant walk around the Kandy lake just near the Tooth temple. There is a good marketplace to roam around with plenty gift shops to buy souvenirs and many restaurants to enjoy local Sri Lankan cuisines.
We had a late-night flight back to Mumbai from Colombo. We boarded the local bus from Kandy to Negombo and after a 4hr ride, the bus dropped us right outside the international airport.
Places to visit – Temple of the Sacred Tooth relic, Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha statue, Kandy Lake, spice garden, Kandy viewpoint, Royal Botanical garden, Commonwealth War cemetery, International Buddhist Museum
Things to buy from Sri Lanka: Gemstones, spices, tea, Incense sticks, Wood carvings, Fridge magnets, keychains, sarongs, traditional masks
Food: Chicken fried rice (@Sunshine beach resort, Mirissa beach), kotthu (roadside stalls), hoppers (@Hoppa, at Peddlar’s street, Galle), Sri Lankan traditional rice and curry meal (@DeSilva restaurant, near Nuwara Eliya bus stand)
Costs:
Flights (per person): Mumbai to and fro Colombo via Chennai – Rs. 20000
Hotels/homestays (per room for 2people): Colombo (Hithaishi’s House 4000LKR), Mirissa (Molly’s House – 6000LKR), Galle (Shoba Traveller’s Tree 8000LKR), Nuwara Eliya (Redwood Hollow Cabana 5000LKR), Kandy (Mintaas Hotel 7500LKR)
Entry fees (per person): Gangaramaya temple (300LKR), Pedro tea estate (250LKR), Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha statue (250LKR), Kandy cultural show (1000LKR)
Whale Watching (per person): 6500LKR
Buses (per person): Airport to city (45mins, 150LKR), Colombo to Mirissa (5hrs, 350LKR), Mirissa to Galle (1hr, 70 LKR), Galle to Nuwara Eliya (8hrs, 450LKR), Nuwara Eliya to Kandy (4hrs, 250LKR), Kandy to Negombo airport (3.5hrs, 160LKR)
Things to Remember:
1.Always bargain with the tuk-tuks
2.For travelling by buses, check the route map or ask at the bus stand information center (Best Option). The buses travel through the entire coastline and you will have amazing views but the timelines will be stretched so plan accordingly
3.Trains are convenient but crowded most of the time
4.When in Galle, stay at Peddlar street as famous attractions are just walking distance (5-15 Min)
5.Kandy closes down by 6pm
6.Dress modestly and behave appropriately when visiting places of religious importance
7.You will be overcharged on items like chips, water bottle, biscuits etc., so keep an eye on the MRP
8.Most Sri Lankans love Indians and do not think of us as foreigners. They can be extra nice and even offer discounts
Note- I help plan trips for free. Comment below if you want some help with your trips. You can also DM me @ https://instagram.com/life.and.frames?igshid=qr9t25xqjuae
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