How to get to Sri Lanka and what to do during your visit – allow the voyager in you to take over
Sri Lanka - the land of many wonders, located in the Indian Ocean and home to a vibrant culture that will begin growing on you no sooner you arrive. With a host of pleasing pursuits that wound entice and enthral both the laidback vacationer and adventure-savvy traveller, the island is a sought-after tourist destination and detailed below is a guide on how to make the most of your visit.
Reaching Sri Lanka
One’s sole point of entry into Sri Lanka will be through the Bandaranaike International Airport in Kayunayake. Prior to this, a suitable visa will have to be obtained aside from having a valid passport. Prospective visitors must first apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) online via the Department of Immigration & Emigration. Although, do note that if you happen to be a citizen of the Maldives, Seychelles or Singapore, then you will not be required to have an ETA before landing in the island nation. With regards to transportation from the Airport, either the bus or a taxi can be hailed in order to reach your preferred destination or mode of accommodation for that matter.
Hire a tour company
By all means, travelling on your own terms and leaving no room for being dictated to is a practice that would suit many visitors. However, should this be your first time in the country, then it would make better sense to partner a tour operator who will ensure that you are in capable hands from start to finish. While you will be educated on what to do and what not to do, vacationers can look forward to being treated to chauffeur-driven comfort and knowledgeable guides regardless of where you end up spending the majority of your time. For instance, the services of Walkers Tours can be availed of ahead of organising Sri Lanka tours that will make for happier vacationing and fonder memories.
Visit the archaeologically rich towns of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa
Having functioned as among the ancient kingdoms that rose to prominence during yesteryear, the areas of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa ought to be experienced which chronicle Sri Lanka’s history outstandingly well. From the sacred site of the Sri Maya Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to the Parakrama Samudraya in Polonnaruwa, one’s appetite for adventuring will be whetted in every sense of the phrase. The farther you venture the more history you will learn of given that these cities are drenched in cultural edifices that include temples, reservoirs and ruins of age-old kingdoms.
Take the train to the central highlands
Iconic Train Experience from Kandy to Ella | Image via pexels
Get your tickets from the Colombo Fort Railway Station and commence journeying to cooler climes and regions laden with lush greenery that will evoke a deep longing to be wrapped in nature’s sweet embrace. Kandy and its numerous sites including the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and the Udawattakele Sanctuary cannot be ignored. Neither can the strawberry farms, tea estates, lakes & waterfalls that encompass Nuwara Eliya. Also, you may elevate your stay by going ziplining in the town of Ella as part of the Flying Ravana zipline that will have you moving over tea bushes and gorges with sprawling views of towering mountains in the distance.
Hit the beaches that line the southern coast
Whether you want to bask in the glory of unspoiled beaches, work on your tan from morning till evening or don your fins en route to exploring every inch of the ocean floor and its inhabitants, Sri Lanka’s Down South region will complement your every fancy. With a host of top-notch hotels, resorts and guesthouses to avail of, one will have every reason to truly capture the very essence of this part of the Emerald Isle.
Explore Colombo
Cloaked in a cosmopolitan vibe that will be yours to indulge in no matter where you end up visiting, Colombo’s numerous appeals will surely serve as some of the best times that you will have in Sri Lanka. From fancy, high-end shopping malls and 5-star hotels that look out across Galle Face Green, the street vendors whose stalls can be found strewn throughout the city serving favourites such as kottu roti and flavourful burgers to the hustle and bustle of Pettah which is the nucleus of public transportation; Colombo too retains pride of place when it comes to discovering the very best of the island nation.
