Sri Lanka is an amazing country and I loved being there and wish I could have stayed longer. From beautiful beaches to breathtaking mountain views, delicious food and friendly locals, it really is a wonderful country and my time there went by way too fast.
My flight from Malaysia to Sri Lanka was an evening flight and since I was arriving so late I arranged through my hostel for a taxi to pick me up. Luckily the pick up from the airport was super quick and easy and before I knew it I was at my hostel. When I arrived at my hostel I found the hostel worker, Charu, to be very friendly. As I checked in I found that another girl, Gillian, who had been on the same flight as me was checking in as well. Charu, Gillian and I ended up talking for a little while before going to bed. The next morning I got up early and started making plans for where in Sri Lanka I was going to go that day. I was originally planning to go to the mountains but after talking with Gillian I found out that she had been told that it was almost monsoon season in the southern part of Sri Lanka and that it would be better to go to the south now than to wait, so at the last minute I changed my plans and decided that I would instead head to the southern coastal town of Mirissa. Charu was very helpful in telling me how to get there and he took both Gillian, who was also heading south, and I to the street where he helped us get on the correct bus. The bus ride was super easy. It was a small bus that thankfully had air conditioning. I rode that bus to the end of the line and then switched to a local bus. Once at the final stop of my first bus ride, a woman on my bus was so friendly and helpful and before I could ask for help she asked if I needed help and then pointed me to where I had to go for my next bus. The local buses in Sri Lanka are big colorful buses with no air conditioning and are always blasting music. It is quite an adventure as the drivers drive very fast and make quick stops. Once I got on my second bus I had no problem getting to my hostel. I was staying at a hostel that was located right on the beach and my room had an amazing ocean view. I put my bags down and enjoyed the view for a while before finally heading out towards the main part of town in search of dinner. Since it was no longer peak season for the area, a lot of the restaurants were closed but I ended up finding a place and ordered Kottu, a Sri Lankan dish made of cut up roti, vegetables, and in my dish I ordered chicken. It was super delicious and they made it with a high spice level which made it even better.
On my first day in Mirissa, I ended up spending most of my day at my hostel. Since my hostel was right on the beach I didn’t have to leave to enjoy the view and listen to the waves. It was so nice just relaxing by the water. In the afternoon I walked into town and wandered around the small town before getting dinner and heading back to my hostel. The next day, I got on a local bus and headed to Galle, a town an hour away by bus. Once in Galle I walked around and found a place to stop for lunch and had local Sri Lankan food. After lunch I explored the town. In Galle there is an old Portuguese fort with breathtaking views from the fort walls. Within the old fortress there is a lighthouse and old Portuguese style houses. It was such a nice area to walk around. After sweating in the intense heat and bright sun I started to head back towards the bus station and along the way found a park with a bench in a shaded area. There I simply enjoyed the weather, in the shade, and people watching after which I finally headed back to the bus station and made my way back to Mirissa. It was a really fun day and I enjoyed being able to explore another nearby town. The local buses that run all the time were very convenient and easy to use, and were also really cheap to ride which made going to another nearby town such an easy day trip.
On my last day in Mirissa I again caught the local bus and headed to Weligama, another nearby town only 20 minutes away. Once in Weligama I walked around the town for a little bit before heading to the beach. The beach was flat and stretched on for miles. I walked along the beach for a while before finding a nice quiet empty shaded beach chair to lounge in and enjoy the surroundings. After hanging out at the beach for some time I walked to a nearby supermarket to get a small lunch and then went back to my beach chair to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Once I decided I was done resting at the beach I started walking back along the beach in the direction of my hostel. Since I wasn’t able to walk the whole way back, I walked for a half hour before heading back to the main road to get on a local bus to take me back the rest of the way. The sunset that night from the beach near my hostel was breathtaking. It felt like such a magical moment walking along the beach alone watching the sunset, listening to the waves, and just enjoying the magic and beauty of Sri Lanka. In the short time that I had been there, I had already fallen in love with the country. Later that night I saw a text in a big Sri Lanka backpackers WhatsApp group text asking if anyone was going to Ella the next day. I was planning to go to Ella so I responded and was able to join two others in getting a taxi there instead of taking the local bus which would have taken hours longer.
The next morning I had a slow and relaxed morning at my hostel before I was picked up by the taxi at noon. I was sharing the taxi with two super nice women from Slovakia who I’d connected with through the WhatsApp group. Along the way to Ella I saw signs along the road warning people to be aware of peacocks as well as an elephant crossing sign. It was fun to see such different signs. I did spot a few peacocks along the side of the road, although their feathers weren’t open. Sadly I didn’t see any elephants. Once in Ella I made it to my next hostel and checked in. Not long after checking in another group of travelers checked into the same room as me and we all talked for a while. That evening I wandered around the town looking for a place to eat. The next morning, while at my hostel’s breakfast, I met Stef and Shai, two other travelers, and the three of us made plans to explore the area together. Our plan for the day was to hike to Little Adam’s Peak, a mountain viewpoint just outside of town. Most of the hike to Little Adam’s Peak was pretty easy with a gradual incline and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and tea fields along the way, however the last fifteen minutes were the hardest as it was straight up a lot of steps in the hot midday sun. Once we finally reached the top, the view was breathtaking. The view of the lush green mountains all around and the valleys below definitely made the sweat and hard work of getting there worth the effort. While at the top we all took turns taking a bunch of photos of each other and the views. Our timing was great because for most of our time at the top it was just us and it wasn’t until right before we were heading down that a large group came up. After the hike we headed back to our hostel where Stef and I rested for a little bit before getting a tuk tuk with another girl from our hostel to a waterfall just outside of town. The waterfall was right off the main road and was luckily easy to get to. It was a large waterfall and even while standing on the street you could see up the mountain where the waterfall started. It was a fun afternoon activity before heading back to get ready for the evening’s activity, a cooking class in town, which I’d planned that morning with seven others from my hostel.
Doing a cooking class with a big group from my hostel was a lot of fun. Since we were such a big group they made a special class later in the evening just for us. During the cooking class we made eggplant sambal, lentil curry, pumpkin curry, mango curry, beetroot curry, bean curry, coconut sambal, and coconut roti. All of the dishes were absolutely delicious. While they were all made with almost the exact same spices, they all tasted different and unique. It was so cool to see and taste how even using the same spices you could get such different curries. In addition to making the curries and eggplant sambal we also made coconut sambal and coconut roti which involved both learning how to open a coconut, which I was successfully able to open on my very first try, as well as how to shave out the inside meat. Using a special tool to shave the coconut meat out was a lot harder than it looked. Once we finished we were shown how to make coconut milk and coconut cream. After making all of the different dishes we were able to dish up and try them all. My favorites were the lentil curry and pumpkin curry which were both so delicious, especially when eaten with rice and coconut roti. It was such a fun evening learning how to make different Sri Lankan foods and being with a fun group of people from my hostel.
After the cooking class we all headed back to the hostel and right to bed since all of us, plus four others, were getting up super early the next morning for a sunrise hike to Ella Rock. The next morning everyone in my room and I were all up before 4:00 am to get ready for the hike and we met the others outside the hostel for the 4:15 am pickup we scheduled the night before. Unfortunately one of the vans was running late so we didn’t end up leaving until closer to 4:30 am. The vans drove us to the drop off point for the Ella Rock hike. When we were dropped off it was still pitch black out and we needed to use flashlights to see. Since the two vans left at different times we were split up doing the hike and met back up at the top. The first part of the hike was walking along the train tracks before we eventually started heading up the mountain. Three people in my group had hiking maps downloaded and were leading the way; two were using one app while the third was using a different app. Right after we went up from the train tracks there was some debate and confusion as to which route to take. I just followed along. We ended up getting lost multiple times along the way and having to backtrack to try different routes. Fortunately, after a lot of confusion and getting help from a local who appeared out of the darkness we finally made our way to the right path. The last stretch of the hike was by far the most difficult as it was straight up the mountain climbing up rocks and roots. It was definitely an advanced hike but I was able to make it to the top and I enjoyed being with a great group of girls. Since the vans left late and we got lost a few times we unfortunately didn’t make it to the top before sunrise but the views were still beautiful and it was so nice being some of the only people at the top. After enjoying the views and resting for a while we started heading back down the mountain.
On the way down the mountain, the part we’d found the most difficult going up was even more difficult going down because it was so steep and there were large rocks and since it had rained a few hours earlier there was some mud and the rocks were slippery with muddy shoes. At one point there was a really large smooth rock that I had to walk across and down and even though I was being super careful and slow I still managed to fall backwards. I landed super hard on my left elbow and wrist and to say it hurt would be an understatement. Fortunately I didn’t break anything, which was a fear of the whole group right away because of how hard I landed directly on my elbow. After making it down that difficult stretch we found some benches and rested for a little while to try and wait for the other van group who left a little after us and so I could rest a minute after my fall. We waited around for a little while but hadn’t seen the other group so we decided to keep going. Along the way down I was very glad that we had gone early since even though it was still early morning the sun was already really hot and with that heat it would have made the hike even harder. On the next stretch of downward hiking there were a lot of tree roots and unfortunately I managed to catch my foot on one and I fell again; this time I fell forward and again landed on my left side. My shin smashed into the roots and I once again landed hard on my left wrist. It was not fun and I was in even more pain and was more banged and bruised. Since I had no choice but to continue on, I took a second to gain my composure and waited until the initial shock and shaking passed and then continued forward before falling once again. This time I slipped on the mud and landed on my butt but this time I didn’t hurt anything other than my ego. Luckily that was my last fall going down the mountain and other than being in pain, the rest of the hike back down was easier. Once we finally got back to the hostel I was very ready for a shower since I was not only sweaty from the hike but I was also dirty from all of my falls. When examining my injuries I was able to not only clearly see exactly where my shin smashed into the tree root but also all the other bruises and swelling along basically my entire left side. After getting cleaned up I headed out for the hostel breakfast with the others and then we hung out at the hostel and relaxed for a while. Later in the morning five of us headed out to a pool club that was on the way to Little Adam’s Peak. We decided that after going for the long morning hike we wanted and deserved a nice relaxing afternoon. We spent a few hours at the pool club relaxing in the water and warm sun and enjoying the view. The pool was an infinity pool that overlooked the mountains and it was a perfect place to rest and rewind after a tiring morning. Once our time was up we headed back into town for a late lunch/early dinner and then had a relaxing rest of the evening.
On my final day in Ella, the five of us who went to the pool club together the day before all did another morning hike, this time not as early, to the famous Nine Arches Bridge. Getting there was an easy hike, especially compared to the other two hikes from the days prior. Once there we had some time to find a nice view of the bridge and we waited for the train to come and we were able to get photos of the train passing over the bridge. After the train passed, we headed down to the bridge to get more photos and to walk across the bridge. It was a lovely view of both the bridge and surrounding nature. After getting lots of photos and exploring we headed back to town. Once back in town the group of us went out for brunch before three of our group had to leave. It was a fun ending to our short time together. Later that afternoon I had plans to go with someone else from my hostel to a local tea plantation, unfortunately our plans had to change as it started to torrential downpour and I ended up spending the rest of my afternoon hanging out with others at my hostel. When there was a short break in the rain I headed out to the train station to get my ticket for the next day. After a very active, busy few days it was nice having some forced rest time due to the rain and it was also nice being able to sit outside in a covered area and listen to the rain.
My time in Ella went by so fast and I had such a great time there and before I knew it it was time to head out. There is a famous train ride in Sri Lanka that goes between Ella and Kandy that has not only breathtaking views but you can also hang out of the train. After seeing a lot of photos online from this route I couldn’t pass up going on the train. The photos I saw online did not do it justice. The views along the way were absolutely stunning and it was so fun and exhilarating being able to hang out of a moving train. It was such a fun adventure with amazing views along the way. Before leaving I had no idea how long the train ride would be; the first few hours of the journey were a lot of fun, but then it kept going with no end in sight. In total it ended up being about an eight hour ride. Once I arrived in Kandy I found it was a busy and chaotic town. Luckily my hostel wasn’t too far away or up a mountain, so I was easily able to walk from my train station and along the way I was able to see some of the town. After getting to my hostel and relaxing for a little while it started to rain. Once the rain passed I headed out in search of a restaurant. Before I left my hostel I found some nearby restaurant options on Google Maps and the place I ended up going to turned out to be very local since not only were they confused when I came in but they also didn’t have any menus. After getting an idea of some dish choices I ordered and my meal was a surprise. It ended up being really good. I still don’t fully know what I had other than one of the curry type dishes was chicken and had some potatoes and the other was chicken and I don’t know what else. Once I finished dinner I headed back to my hostel and made plans for the next day. Since I only had two days left in Sri Lanka I decided to head back to Columbo since I also had to do laundry and I needed to be in one place long enough to get my laundry done.
The next morning I took a late morning train and headed to Colombo. Luckily the train ride from Kandy to Colombo was a lot shorter than the one the day before. Once in Colombo I headed back to the hostel I had stayed at when I first arrived in Sri Lanka. I again saw Charu and talked with him for a while and told him about where all I visited before I had to head out in search of a place to do laundry. After finding a laundry I brought my clothes in and then I headed out for a late lunch and I walked along the water on my way back to my hostel. That evening I joined two other girls and we walked out to the water to watch the sunset. It was a nice end to the day. My final day in Sri Lanka was pretty uneventful, I spent most of my day at my hostel getting some planning and writing done before that afternoon going out to pick up my clothes. My flight out wasn’t until 3:30 am so I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at my hostel being productive and talking with Charu. It was an uneventful but nice ending to my time in Sri Lanka.
My time in Sri Lanka went by way too fast and I was sad that I only had planned eleven full days there. If I had the time and I didn’t have to be in a city on a set date I could have easily spent another few weeks in Sri Lanka. Before I went I didn’t know much about the country and it hadn’t even been on my radar of places to visit until a friend had mentioned wanting to go there a few months prior. I am beyond glad that I decided to go. I absolutely fell in love with the country, from the nature, the people, and the food, everything was amazing and it is one of my absolute favorite countries I have traveled to. There is no question that I will go back again someday as there is still so much more for me to see and do.
“Nobody can discover the world for somebody else. Only when we discover it for ourselves does it become common ground and a common bond and we cease to be alone.”
- Wendell Berry
Yet another country to add to my bucket list!