We knew that D-Day (Day of Decision Making) would come sooner or later, but like always we kept avoiding it by having “more important things to think about” – which led to us being just as late in our planning as always - somehow we always manage to leave these things to the very last minute :S
In 3 weeks we’ll have to pack our bags and leave Germany – but to where? When doing some brainstorming the other day, the idea of going to Sri Lanka came up.
The reasons to travel to Sri Lanka are many, and these four reasons were just a few that made us excited about wanting to go there…
World Class Beaches and Surfing
The thing I didn’t like about the beaches in Thailand was that the water was absolutely still, something which got very boring after some time.
Sri Lanka has the best of both worlds; paradise beaches and good surfing.
Unawatuna has been voted as one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world by Discovery Channel, and people take Sri Lanka holidays to surf at Arugam Bay, one of the top 10 surf destinations in the world.
Indulgence In Food And Tea
Often one of the main reasons I travel to a country is because of the food.
Being a vegetarian it might seem odd that I’m such a food fanatic, but for some reason it has had the opposite effect on me and has made me even more fascinated about food.
Sri Lanka is heaven when it comes to vegetarian food, which makes it another great reason to visit.
It is also one of the largest exporters of tea in the world – in other words, perfect for tea lovers like me, besides, few things are more beautiful than the sight of rolling hills with tea plantations that look like velvet.
Culture and Festivals
One of the best ways to get an insight into a country’s tradition and culture is to attend the festivals and celebrations, and there are so many festivals in Sri Lanka that it seems like the people there love to find reasons to celebrate..!
One of the biggest celebrations is the annual Perahera festival in Kandy, a Buddhist celebration with elephant parades and dances – something I would love to see!
Elephant Encounters
I’m quite cautious when it comes to elephant centers, as I know that many of them mistreat their animals, and it’s sometimes difficult to know as a visitor.
In Sri Lanka, the Asian Elephants were hunted close to extinction during the British colonial period, and are now endangered.
But the country has made many efforts to increase the elephant population, promoting eco tourism and has as many as nine national parks, seven bird sanctuaries and several conservation centers like Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.
It seems like a good place to meet these huge gentle animals without feeling guilty.
Have you been to Sri Lanka? If so, what did you think?
I went to Sri Lanka 5 years ago and loved it, especially Unawatuna!
Hey Ann, thanks for the tip, we will make sure to visit Unawatuna!
I have met lotta sri lankans on my trip to indian. I’ve observed a lot about this nation and seen some images as well. I am sure to check out it soon.
Thanks for the comment, yes Sri Lankans really seem like such friendly people, its going to be a fun adventure for us
Visited Sri Lanka last year and loved it. It’s surprisingly diverse for a small island.
Hey Claire, yeah it sounds wonderful – we are really looking for to traveling there in 3 weeks
The first photo and your last reason convinced me. It’s wonderful that the country cares so much about its nature and animals.
I agree, countries need to start realizing that caring for their animals is both good publicity and increases tourism. Nz brings in lots of money thanks to whale watching, prob much more than if they were to hunt them…
We’re in India.. so close! Unfortunately, SL isn’t on our itinerary this time around but I’d love to go for the tea!
Hope you’re enjoying India, I love that country, it’s such a crazy mix of everything! Too bad you couldn’t fit a Sri Lanka trip in, but there is always a next time.
Sri Lanka is definitely on my dream list. I LOVE elephants (and beaches.. and food.. and festivals)!
Me too, and this place has it ALL! Can’t wait to go there.
Sri Lanka is in my bucket list! To be honest it’ may be one of the destinations for my honeymoon, next year! I’ve just to wait an year more…hoping my husband to be will agree
Sri Lanka would be a perfect place for a honey moon, with both nice beaches for romance and exciting culture for some adventure. I’m sure your husband can be convinced
it’s awesome…….