Sri Lanka might seem to many like an extension of Kerala or Tamil Nadu, or of an Indian state beyond a narrow body of water, or a place that a group of South Indians managed to gain independence of. Yes, they are similar to us in many ways, but also quite different in many others. Sri Lanka is green, clean, safe, diverse, and affordable, even for Indians. We had low expectations for the destination, imagining it to be like a Chennai, Kochi, or Varkala; however, I found it to be better than all of these places combined.

We were a group of eight friends who visited Sri Lanka in the December of 2021 for eight days. Our itinerary looked like this:

Date	Day	When Awake	Night In
25th Dec	Sat	Landed in CMB & Pinnawala Sanctuary	Sigiriya
26th Dec	Sun	Lion’s Rock & Dambulla Caves	Kandy
27th Dec	Mon	Chill in Resort & Travel	Adam’s Peak
28th Dec	Tue	Adam’s Peak Trek	Yala
29th Dec	Wed	Yala National Park & Mirissa Beach	Unawatuna
30th Dec	Thu	Bentota & Hikkaduwa Beaches	Unawatuna
31st Dec	Fri	Colombo City & NYE	Colombo
1st Jan	Sat	Casino & Return to India

About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island country well connected to all major cities in India. It boasts abundant vegetation, well-maintained and clean roads, little to no begging, a showroom-led modern trade economy, clean sandy beaches, safe and friendly people, good English acceptability in tourist areas, and it is quite affordable for Indians.

I can’t stress enough how much more civilized the country is compared to any part of India. We were confident that we would feel at home, as the people resemble those from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but most there don’t speak any Indian languages. While there is a sizeable Tamil minority that speaks fluent Tamil, the majority converses primarily in English and Sinhalese.

Throughout our extensive travels across the country, we did not see a single pile of garbage. We visited in the post Covid period but it was still the era of PT-PCRs. We didn’t wear a mask anywhere in the country but even the few beggars in the country, that we saw, were wearing them even while begging.

In terms of food, we didn’t find idli, dosa, or other rice-based items that are ubiquitous in South India. Vegetarian food was a problem in general. I would rate it the lowest in terms of vegetarian food availability anywhere in the world that I have been to & I have been to 34 countries so far.

The currency of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Rupee (SLR), which was trading at 0.37 INR to 1 SLR when we were there. It has since weakened to approximately 0.3 INR to 1 SLR. At that time, the exchange rate for USD to INR was 1:75. A rough calculation suggests that USD to SLR should be around 1 USD : 200 SLR. However, it was trading somewhere between 240-260 SLR in the local markets. We had brought USD notes from India, and even though SLR was the accepted currency, everyone accepted USD and offered us a better exchange rate than the official 200 SLR : 1 USD. For example, an activity priced at 2400 SLR should have cost us INR 888 or $12, but due to the high demand for dollars, they would charge us only about $10 for it.

Fun Fact: The capital of Sri Lanka is not Colombo. It was changed a few years back to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, which is a locality in Colombo.

Currently, the country has waived any visa fees for Indians, but Indians still need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) before entering. The ETA is a simple online form that must be completed by all travelers. Approval for the ETA almost always comes via email immediately, so visa rejections are virtually unheard of for Indians. Even when we visited, the visa fee was only about Rs 2000.

Sri Lankan Map & locations

Let me take you through the map explaining you geographically where each of the destinations are situated.

We travelled about 800 kms in 8 day and covered parts of West, Central and Southern Sri Lanka. The airport is in Negombo, 1 hr North of Colombo city. We first headed north-east towards Sigiriya (taking a pitstop at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage) and then came south to Kandy via Dambulla. From here, we headed further South to Adam’s Peak which comes in the hill station/ tea garden region of Nuwara Eliya. Going South-East from here, we reached Tissamaharama (gateway to Yala National Park). Then, we headed West along the coast covering places like Mirissa, Weligama, Unawatuna and Galle. From here, we headed North, again along the coast, covering Hikkaduwa, Bentota and finally reaching Colombo. We headed to Negombo to catch our returning flight.

Cost of the Trip

	Amount (INR)	Comment
International Flights	14,000	BLR-CMB-BLR (Go Air)
Visa, SIM, Insurance	3,500	2k Visa, SIM at airport 1k
Stays	15,000	Mostly Air Bnbs
Food & Drinks	12,500	Veg food was a pain
Intra City Travel	8,000	Full time private car with driver
Entrances & Tours	17,000	Scuba, NYE, Safari, Surfing
Shopping	5,000	Miscellaneous
Total	75,000

Our 8D7N Itinerary

25th Dec 2021, Saturday

Go Air was operational in 2021, running direct flights from BLR to CMB. We had a 9 AM flight from BLR, and all eight of us boarded without any issues. We landed in about 1 to 1.5 hours. There were SIM card counters even before immigration, and we all purchased a SIM for about Rs 900, which was valid for our entire stay in Sri Lanka. The immigration process was standard and straightforward; since we had filled in the ETA, they already had our details.

The best decision we made was to book a full-time private vehicle for the entire journey. It was an upgraded version of a Force Traveller. Our driver, Shalom, was a gem of a person; we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. We booked the service through Olanka Tours & Travels based in Sri Lanka (Email: sales2@olankatravels.com), and Mayanthi, our sales consultant, provided excellent service.

Shalom was waiting for us at the airport exit. Colombo Airport (CMB) is about an hour away from Colombo city, located in Negombo. We had planned to head directly to Sigiriya, which is situated in the center of the island. On our way, we stopped for lunch, but vegetarian food was disappointing throughout the country. Taking a short detour on our journey to Sigiriya, we came across the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, where visitors can see many elephants, bathe them, and feed them. We arrived quite late, around 4 PM, and since the place closes at 5 PM, we weren’t able to participate in any activities. Instead, we strolled around and then left for Sigiriya.

About 30 minutes before reaching Sigiriya, we passed through the city of Dambulla, where we planned to visit again tomorrow on our return to Kandy. Sigiriya was a small town, and based on our lunch experience, we anticipated that finding a decent dinner would be a challenge. Therefore, we stopped at a Pizza Hut in Dambulla and had some cheesy pizzas for dinner. We had booked a nice homestay-style Airbnb in Sigiriya, where we spent the night.

On a scale of -5 to +5, I would give private full-time car from Olanka Travels a +4.5, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage a +0.

26th Dec, Sunday

We started the day early to trek to Lion’s Rock in Sigiriya, a one-of-a-kind structure and the most famous tourist destination in Sri Lanka. Once a fortress perched atop a giant rock, it offers stunning views. Our Airbnb hosts prepared a delicious vegetarian English & South Indian style breakfast for us before we left for Sigiriya.

The Sigiriya site features a vast complex before the hike begins, filled with old trees, gardens, and water bodies. It’s beautiful The hike to the top is not particularly difficult and takes about an hour. While there are parts that can feel steep, anyone who can walk 5 km should be able to ascend it. The summit is flat, adorned with ancient ruins and well-preserved centuries-old paintings.

After descending, we headed to Dambulla, which is known for its famous cave with huge sleeping Buddha statues. Surprisingly, reaching this place felt more tiring than climbing Sigiriya due to the numerous stairs. While the view at the top was decent, it wasn’t exceptional.

We continued to Kandy, stopping for lunch along the way. When we arrived in Kandy around sunset, we discovered that our Airbnb booking was fraudulent. Here’s what happened: while the property existed and matched its listing on the app, an ex-employee had falsely listed it on Airbnb. Whenever he received a booking, he would make a physical entry in the hotel’s reservation system at a lower price to profit from the difference. The booking was set to auto-accept, meaning the host did not need to confirm guests and would accept anyone who blocked it.

When we reached the property, we were shocked to find no booking in our name. After showing the hotel staff the Airbnb reservation, they informed us that they weren’t even listed on the app. We then showed them the details of the host, and they explained that he had recently left his position. To make matters worse, the property was fully booked, and we couldn’t make a walk-in reservation.

It was almost dark, and we had nowhere to stay. We filed a complaint with Airbnb, and they refunded our money. We contacted Mayanthi from Olanka Travels, who promptly booked us four rooms at the Mahaweli Reach hotel—a grand hotel. By the time we arrived, it was dark. After settling in, we got ready and headed to a nice hookah (shisha) place called Shisha Lounge by COCOBA. Fortunately, there was a lively party with many young people and live music, and we had a great time.

On a scale of -5 to +5, I would give the Sigiriya Lion’s Rock a +2.5, the Dambulla Caves a +0.5, the Mahaweli Reach Hotel a +2 and the Shisha Lounge by COCOBA a +3.

27th Dec, Monday

We decided to spend the first half of the day in the hotel, relaxing by the pool. After enjoying the complimentary buffet breakfast, which again was not great for vegetarians, we headed to the Kitulgala River Rafting Point. Kitulgala features mostly level 2 rapids, with three level 3 rapids, and it was a two-hour drive from Kandy—almost en route to Adam’s Peak, so it wasn’t a significant deviation.

Upon reaching the spot, we booked the experience for all eight of us. There was availability, but there aren’t many service providers, so we were lucky to find free slots. They provided us with gear according to our sizes and then took us to the starting point in a jeep, as is customary before rafting experiences. We received oars, helmets, and life jackets before the activity began, along with basic instructions on maneuvering and safety.

There were no other activities happening around us on the river—no fishing, boating, or even river rafting. There are no settlements along that stretch of the river, so you won’t see any houses or shops.

Our tour guide was very energetic and full of positive enthusiasm. The river had a decent flow, and the three big rapids were the highlights of the experience, one of which had a sudden deep fall. Overall, the experience was exhilarating. After the rapids, we were allowed to jump into the water and swim around while wearing life jackets. The activity lasted about 1.5 hours from start to finish. We reached the point downstream where we had arrived with our car and where we made the booking earlier. Afterward, we enjoyed lunch at a restaurant next door before heading to Adam’s Peak.

Adam’s Peak is not just a hike; it is a significant Buddhist religious site. There were no good hotels or Airbnbs near Adam’s Peak, so we had to book accommodation in Laxapana, which is about 30 km or a 1.5-hour drive from the base of Adam’s Peak. The drive from Kandy to Laxapana took approximately 2.5 hours.

We reached the house post-sunset and were greeted by an elderly couple who were the caretakers of the property. They cooked us dinner, and we decided to nap for a few hours, as we needed to get up at 12:30 AM to start the hike around 2:00 AM.

On a scale of -5 to +5, I would rate the Kitulgala River Rafting experience a +2.5.

28th Dec, Tuesday

It was 2:00 AM, and we were at the base of Adam’s Peak. It was quite cold already, and we expected it to get colder as we climbed higher. Three of our friends decided not to join us due to their fitness self-realizations. The hike to Adam’s Peak is no joke; it’s a long, arduous trek that takes hours. The entire path is stepped with stairs, which also eliminates the risk of getting lost, as there is only one paved way.

We wore workout tees and pants/shorts layered with jackets. Some of us bought extremely cheap ear masks and monkey caps for added protection against the cold. It was quite chilly, but we reassured ourselves that as we kept walking, our bodies would warm up—and, of course, that happened. Blogs online suggested it would take about 4-5 hours to reach the top and 2-3 hours to return. Remarkably, all five of us made it to the top in about 2 hours. It wasn’t easy, but we were not unfit either. There are 2-3 washroom stops along the way, as well as two places where you can get hot food, packaged snacks, and water. Hats off to the people who carry this inventory to such heights!

Adam’s Peak is also known as Sri Pada, loosely translated to “Holy Feet.” Buddhists believe that Buddha stepped there, leading to the establishment of a holy site revering his feet. At the top, there’s a small temple resembling a Hindu temple in India, with people queuing to see the feet idol and priests assisting in the process. No prizes for guessing that the feet are said to be made of gold. It’s a charming little temple that takes a maximum of 30 minutes to visit.

We reached the top by 4:00 AM and visited the temple by 4:15 AM while it was still dark. All the blogs mentioned that the sunrise from the top is extraordinary, so we decided to find a spot and sit there. It was three times colder at the top, primarily because we had stopped hiking and were resting. The sunrise also holds religious significance for believers, so many people wait there for dawn. While we weren’t believers, we certainly felt the cold. After 15 minutes, we decided to forego the sunrise and started heading down. The trek down was a breeze and felt incredibly easy. Around 5:00-5:30 AM, we finally caught sight of the sunrise, and yes, it was extraordinary. We didn’t realize it, but it took us 5 hours to come down. Though descending was easy, it felt like the path was never-ending.

We arrived back at the base around 9:30-10:00 AM. Our driver, Shalom the Great, was waiting for us, and we headed back to our Airbnb in Laxapana. We requested a late check-out and slept until 2:00 PM before heading to our next destination—Tissamaharama (Yala). This was a long drive of about 6.5 hours.

The road was hilly but well-maintained. We reached Tissamaharama at around 9:00 PM, quite famished. Knowing it was a small place and that vegetarian food would be an issue, we consulted our Airbnb host and headed directly to a pizza joint. We had low expectations, but beggars can’t be choosers, so we ordered four pizzas and a few beverages to take back to our stay.

It turned out to be one of the best Airbnbs I have ever stayed in. The property had a compound as large as a football field, with a huge ‘open’ bungalow in the middle. It literally had no walls, just pillars. There were two rooms, a kitchen, dining, and seating downstairs, as well as a large ‘open’ common room with six beds complete with mosquito nets and floor fans. It’s called ‘Private Villa bordering Yala National Park‘ by Sabirah.

The pizzas turned out to be really great. We played a few card games and called it a night.

On a scale of -5 to +5, I would give Adam’s Peak Trek a +2.5 & the Private Villa bordering Yala National Park by Sabirah a +3.5.

29th Dec, Wednesday

The Airbnb host had arranged a private safari for us, and we were picked up in the early hours of dawn in an open jeep. We entered Yala National Park, the largest national park in Sri Lanka, renowned for its elephants and leopards.

We had planned for a three-hour drive, but all we saw were peacocks, a mongoose & a wild boar. It was the worst safari experience ever. While it’s true that three hours with a single drive isn’t ideal for wildlife viewing, we had been luckier in other places with shorter visits, so why set the bar lower this time? Additionally, if you check the list of animals that can be spotted in Yala, the leopard is the only one truly worthy of a safari, and they are extremely rare to see. I would recommend everyone to skip Yala; our Airbnb was ten times better than this national park.

We returned to our place around 9:30 AM, feeling disappointed. We decided to use the pool instead, which turned out to be a lot of fun.

Afterward, we headed toward the Southern Sri Lankan coast. The drive to Mirissa was short, and the beaches along the coast were stunning. We decided to take a beginner surf class, which lasted an hour at Weligama beach. Weligama is adjacent to Mirissa, just a 15-minute auto-rickshaw ride away. It was the best decision we made. Weligama had the perfect wave size, the water temperature was ideal, the instructors were good and patient, and all of us managed to ride the waves. It was an hour I wish would never end.

I must take a moment to mention that Weligama beach is the hottest (sexiest) beach I have ever visited in my life. And trust me, while writing this blog, I’ve been to over 20 European countries, South Africa, Bali, Turkey, Thailand, and many more places. All eight of us were mesmerized by both the men and women on that beach. “Hot” doesn’t even begin to describe them. They had well-built bodies and were wearing the right beach attire. Some were surfing, others playing beach volleyball, or simply sunbathing. And they weren’t just a few; there were many. Don’t get confused; they weren’t Sri Lankans—they were white tourists, likely visiting from Australia, Russia, or elsewhere. There’s a Marriott hotel right at Weligama beach, and most of them seemed to be staying there. Be sure to make your reservations in advance.

After this fantastic surfing lesson, we headed to Unawatuna, another short drive away, where we had booked our Airbnb. It was a fully-furnished 4 BHK apartment with a washing machine, and we would be staying here for two nights. We reached in the evening and decided to go out for dinner. We enjoyed our meal, chatted, and then went to sleep.

On a scale of -5 to +5, I would give Yala National Park a -4 & the Weligama Beach a +5.

30th Dec, Thursday

It was a free day, with no bookings or next destination to consider. We had read a lot about Hikkaduwa and Bentota beaches online, and after having a great surfing day the previous evening, we decided to head to Bentota to surf and relax at the beach.

We started the day with a mangrove boat tour in the Bentota backwaters—a short activity lasting about 60 minutes. The tour began with a ride through the meandering mangrove waters, which provided a decent sight. The mangroves weren’t particularly dense, so the guides took us through narrow passages to give the illusion of density. From the mangroves, we were taken to a small village that has been cultivating cinnamon for ages. They provided us with an informative session on how cinnamon is grown there and the quality of their products. Some of us purchased cinnamon souvenirs from the village. Afterward, we visited a natural fish pedicure pond, concluding our mangrove forest experience.

Next, we headed to Bentota beach. Like all the other beaches in the country, Bentota featured a sandy shore that was well-maintained. The beach was less crowded compared to Weligama and Mirissa, and the majority of tourists seemed to be domestic visitors, unlike those at the Southern beaches. A significant portion of the domestic crowd came from Muslim communities. You could see large families with many children, with the women wearing burkinis while enjoying the water. In contrast to Weligama, where people were playing volleyball or surfing in swimsuits, here we saw families splashing each other in the water in their burkinis. My biases led me to feel that the crowd was not to my taste.

We rented a few surfboards at Bentota, feeling confident after our successful surfing attempts the previous day. Opting not to hire an instructor, we decided to try surfing on our own. Unfortunately, it was a complete flop. We struggled to time the waves, and they were not as gentle as those at Weligama. We ended up exhausted, having not surfed at all.

Next, we decided to get a Sri Lankan-style massage. We inquired at several places, but all were fully booked. Disappointed, we simply headed for lunch at a spot on our way to Hikkaduwa. After lunch, we reached Hikkaduwa and finally found a place that could accommodate all eight of us for massages. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the worst massage we had ever received. The therapists were elderly (60+) and provided very gentle massages; we couldn’t even ask them to use more pressure. Their training also seemed inadequate. We finished the day with dinner at a beach restaurant in Hikkaduwa, then headed back to our accommodation in Unawatuna after a rather disappointing day.

On a scale of -5 to +5, I would give the mangrove boat tour a -1, the Bentota Beach a -3, and the Hikkaduwa Sri Lankan Style Massage a -4.5.

31st December, Friday

We checked out of our Airbnb and had previously called a scuba diving center to book a slot for a beginner dive for eight people on the morning of the 31st. We arrived at the dive center near Bentota around 10 AM. After some basic instructions from the instructor, which lasted about 30 minutes, we boarded a ferry that took us into the ocean.

We were instructed to jump into the water backward from the edge of the boat. Each guide was assigned to two people. The dive lasted about 20 minutes. While the marine life was not impressive—mostly just a few fish and a lot of dead coral—this was the first dive for some of us and maybe the second for others. Overall, we all had a good diving experience.

After the dive, we headed to Colombo and checked into the Marino Beach Hotel. This was our first time seeing Colombo, as we had gone directly to Sigiriya from the airport. Colombo is divided into zones, with the lower numbers being more desirable. We were in Colombo 7 and explored the nearby areas as well. This part of the city reminded me of Manhattan or Shanghai, with shorter high-rises. The roads, traffic management, rush hour activity, cleanliness, and pedestrian walkways were impressive and deserved applause for being so well maintained.

We then headed to the One Galle Face Mall, located in one of the most expensive real estate areas in the country. The mall was sizable, and we took the opportunity to shop for souvenirs to take home. Once we returned to our hotel, we got ready for our New Year’s Eve (NYE) party, which was held on the rooftop of another high-rise hotel. We had two other groups of friends in town at the same time, so it was decided that the eight of us would join them (six from one group and six from another), making a total of 20 people.

The NYE party was decent; people got a bit too drunk but danced and ate until 1 AM. We were exhausted by the end of the night and crashed into our hotel beds.

On a scale of -5 to +5, I would give Scuba Diving near Bentota a +1, the Colombo City a +4, the Marino Beach Hotel a +1.5, the One Galle Face Mall a +0.5 and the NYE Party a +1.5.

1st Jan, Saturday

We woke up late and headed out for breakfast. After checking out, we decided to go on a city tour in our car. The entire city was exceptionally clean, and the public spaces were well-maintained, unlike anywhere else in India. Our driver took us to important buildings, squares, parks, and monuments during a fun 45-minute ride.

From there, we headed to BALLY’S Casino, which was touted as the best in the city. To our surprise, it was filled with Indians; we hadn’t seen many Indians anywhere else in the country until this point. The casino reversed that trend, with Indian uncles flaunting thick wads of cash and having a great time—and so did we. Entry was free, along with an open buffet. Drinks were complimentary if you were active at the tables.

I dislike losing money while gambling, so I don’t gamble casually. On trips, I set aside a certain amount of money as my “entry charge” for the casino and only play until I either exhaust it or, hopefully, multiply it. It’s also enjoyable to sit alongside friends and watch them play, especially when they are winning. We all had a fantastic time.

We had a night flight back to India. Our cab driver dropped us off at the airport, and we flew out.

On a scale of -5 to +5, I would give BALLY’s Casino a +3.5.