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SRI LANKAN TIPS

 

Culture

Sri Lanka is a country mainly divided in two cultures, the Tamils and the Sinalis. They both have a different language, Sinalis represent the largest proportion of the population. If you head north though, you will find a majority of Tamils. It can be a bit tricky when you are trying to learn basic words as you're never sure what language your interlocutor speaks. 

 

Transport 

Getting around Sri Lanka can sometimes be a little tricky. It can be hard purchasing 2nd or 1st class tickets from the counter as they've got a limited amount allocated to foreign travellers. Third class traveling isn't impossible, it can just become very uncomfortable, especially if you're traveling with a big backpack. Often the trains are jam packed and will sometimes stop because of fatal accidents on the tracks. If you can, try purchasing tickets directly with the hostel/hotel you're staying with. This is what we did and it was perfect!

 

If there's a group of you traveling the other best alternative would be to hire a driver. It's a good way to ensure great flexibility in your traveling. This also means you don't have to carry your backpack around either. The best way to find one is to look around or ask any friends that might have visited Sri Lanka for any recommendations. Be sure to negotiate your rate though! 

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Third option, get on the local buses. Be careful though, if you're traveling with luggage it's best to hop on the buses early in the morning to ensure yourself enough space! 

 

Food 

Unsurprisingly, Sri Lanka's favourite meal is 'le curry'. You can get it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If your experience of curries is limited to the western world, be prepared to be delighted with this one! Most of them are suitable for any kind of fussy eaters: vegan, veggies, pescaparian & chicken lovers. I personally never been the biggest fan of curries but by the end of our trip I found myself craving it! The main dishes consists of: Dahl (lentil curry), sambal (onion & cocunut), papadom (thin and crispy crackers) and rice. If you can try the banana curry as well! 

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In the morning you can also treat yourselves to delicious egg hoppers. It's a local's favourites made of egg and a thin layered crepes topped up with some freshly ground pepper, a real threat for your tastebuds! You can find it at almost any local street vendors!

Cows are sacred there so if you're a lover of the leather maker this is not the country for you. If you really can't help restrain yourself from a dirty burger you can easily find them, at a cost, in a western eatery. 

 

Weather

The best time to visit Sri Lanka is between June and September. 

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We were there during January which wasn't bad either I would just not recommend heading to the east coast as it's dead. All the little vibrant surf hubs become ghost towns. The south of the country remains sunny so stick to that part of the country. You can also visit the centre part of the island all here round, a bit of clouds don't make the tea plantations any less spectacular. 

 

Highlights 

 

Adams peak,

this symbolic mountain is believed to be the first place where Adam landed when he stepped foot on earth. The best way to get up the 5000 steps peak is by waking up at 2am in order to check out the stunning sunrise. Be prepared to be challenged, I've hiked many times before but being dictated by uneven steps will simply kill your legs! Make sure to hydrate and stretch, obvs... 

 

Tea plantations, 

We'll happily drink tea but seeing how it's made is another story. Sri Lanka is one of the first tea producer in the world, Ceylon being their trademark. The hot drink there is delicious & I highly recommend visiting a plantation as well to learn a bit more sip by sip... 

 

Galle, 

This lovely old town is a must see. There's plenty of little shops, cafes, breweries and stunning beaches. The water there is transparent and the sand is thin and gold! A couple of days should be plenty to explore the old country's capital.