It never crossed my mind that we would go to Sri Lanka for our honeymoon. The original plan was Russia, and we had booked all the flights, hotels, and even some restaurants we intended to visit. So, we were shocked when my visa was denied just five days before the wedding. What a disaster! What was I supposed to do and where were we supposed to go?!
After a few calls with travel agencies, we discovered that Sri Lanka was open to visitors from all countries (provided you had received both vaccinations), so we booked a 13-day package with a travel agency visiting five cities in Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful green countries we have ever visited! In this blog, I will tell you (as usual) where we went, what we saw, what we ate, and all those wonderful things!
12 Days in Sri Lanka: What to Do, Where to Sleep, and What to Eat?
First Things First: Logistics
- Visa: You can obtain an electronic visa from [this link], and it was issued within just an hour of application!
- Flights: There are several flights from Amman to Colombo. We chose Qatar Airways because the flight was relatively long (10 hours with a transit). Qatar Airways was fantastic, the planes were new, and Doha Airport is stunning!
- Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee. The conversion you can use is every 1,000 Sri Lankan Rupees = 5 US Dollars.
- Transportation: Driving in Sri Lanka is quite challenging because, firstly, they drive on the left side and secondly, the road is full of buses, cars, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks, with everyone overtaking each other. It’s best to book a tour guide or a driver for the entire trip, as driving can be dangerous if you’re not from the area. In Colombo, you can use the abundant tuk-tuks available in every street!
- Booking Method: We traveled with a travel agency called Golden Horses Tourism. The agency provides you with a tour guide, who also arranges transport for you throughout your stay, along with flight and hotel bookings, and organizes excursions if you like.
First City: Tangalle
- Accommodation: Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort
One of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever stayed in! The resort is vast and has a quiet beach away from the city’s noise. The facilities are luxurious, and the pool is enormous and overlooks the ocean. The hotel has several restaurants including a Sri Lankan, an Indian, an Italian, and a Japanese restaurant, as well as special food experiences for hotel guests who want something different!
When we arrived at the resort, we found out that the travel agency had booked us a villa with a private pool, also overlooking the ocean. One of the best places to stay in Sri Lanka, and if you can book it, you must not miss the experience!
In Tangalle, we had the opportunity to dine with a Sri Lankan family and enjoy local food prepared by a homemaker! Sri Lankan food is very delicious, and from what I’ve heard from several people who have traveled to Sri Lanka, most tour guides can arrange such dinners with skilled local cooks they know! There was a massive amount of food, and we only paid 15 dollars for three people, knowing that the food could easily have served two more!
Second City: Galle
Galle is about an hour’s drive from Tangalle and is directly on the coast, making it a suitable day trip from the Tangalle resort. Galle has been under the control of the British, Portuguese, and Dutch, which is reflected in the city’s architecture.
A must-visit place in Galle is the Galle Dutch Fort, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fort contains several archaeological sites, including:
- The British hospital, now turned into a complex of restaurants overlooking the sea
- The clock tower in Galle Fort
- The ancient gate
- The Dutch church
- The old town
- The fort walls
- The lighthouse
After strolling through the ancient fort and enjoying some delicious food and ice cream, you can head to a beach along the way back to Tangalle called Hiriketiya Beach. The sand there is golden, and the waves are high, making it a perfect place to learn surfing. You can rent a surfboard from the kiosk on the beach, along with sipping fresh coconut juice, while enjoying the magnificent scenery!
Third City: Hambantota
Hambantota is famous for Yala National Park. The journey takes about two hours from Tangalle, but the road is very entertaining, surrounded by forests and unusual trees! You absolutely should not miss the safari in Yala National Park. The tour lasts 3-4 hours where you will see elephants, peacocks, buffalos, leopards, eagles, crocodiles, deer, and many other unique and beautiful animals.
The great thing about the safari is that unlike a zoo, you are in an open space (on a jeep) while the animals live their natural lives in the wild.
After the trip, we returned early to the resort in Tangalle because we had a long travel day ahead of us!
Fourth City: Ella
We woke up early from Tangalle to head to Ella and then on to Nuwara Eliya… but more about Nuwara Eliya later!
Ella is about a 3-hour drive from Tangalle and is known for its numerous waterfalls. Places to visit in Ella include:
- Ravana Falls
- The Nine Arches Bridge
- Chill Café for great food
Fifth City: Nuwara Eliya
- Accommodation: Heritance Tea Factory
From Ella, we headed to Nuwara Eliya. A note before I continue: Nuwara Eliya is located at an altitude of 1,890 meters above sea level, which can sometimes cause altitude sickness. You can avoid this by getting out of the car for 15 minutes every hour on the way to Nuwara Eliya.
Nuwara Eliya is famous for its stunning nature and is the tea capital of Sri Lanka, located in the central part of the country. The hotel we stayed at in Nuwara Eliya is called “Heritance Tea Factory,” and it was built in the 19th century. If you’ve watched the series “The Crown,” you would feel like you’re in an episode with Queen Elizabeth. But I’ll leave you with the view of breakfast amongst rolling hills and green slopes.
Note: The hotel is 45 minutes from the town center, and in my opinion, the area does not need more than a day.
Another beautiful spot in Nuwara Eliya is Gregory Lake, an artificial lake created during the British era in Sri Lanka. The lake resembles the stunning lakes of Switzerland, surrounded by green grass and colorful flowers.
After wandering around Gregory Lake, we headed to a large tea factory called Labookellie Tea Lounge Damro, where we had the chance to taste fresh tea, pick tea leaves, learn about the stages of tea production in Sri Lanka, and even buy some directly from the factory.
Sixth City: Kandy
- Accommodation: Earl’s Regency Hotel
Kandy is a city in central Sri Lanka surrounded by green mountains and large rivers. The hotel we stayed at is called “Earl’s Regency.” It is beautiful, but next time I might book an Airbnb in the same city for a lower price and better views.
One of the most beautiful activities you can do in Kandy is visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, which features over 4,000 species of plants, and you can spend an entire day in the garden without getting bored! If you love unique flowers and exotic plants like I do, I recommend bringing sandwiches and drinks and spending a full day there for a lovely picnic!
Entry to the garden: 1,500 Sri Lankan Rupees
Some delicious restaurants we ate at in Kandy include:
- Balaji Dosai – Very delicious vegetarian food.
- Hideout Lounge – Good food and a very nice atmosphere, especially at night.
- Café Kandyana – A cute little café overlooking a river.
Seventh City: Kandalama
- Accommodation: Heritance Kandalama
The journey from Kandy to Kandalama was filled with enchanting views of lakes, rivers, and dense forests. Kandalama is a small village containing two UNESCO World Heritage sites, the first being the Dambulla Cave Temple from the first century BC and the second being Sigiriya Rock from the fifth century AD.
The hotel we stayed at is called Heritance Kandalama, designed to look like it is part of nature. This hotel is one of the most distinctive places we stayed at because it pays special attention to the environment and wildlife. You can see monkeys every morning from your room’s balcony!
Just a note: The hotel is in a remote area, and it’s very special with breathtaking natural views! However, the atmosphere here is different since it’s located in the forests, with lizards on the walls of the rooms purposely to help eliminate insects. If you’re afraid of lizards, I wouldn’t recommend staying at this hotel. But if you don’t mind, staying here is a truly unique experience!
Eighth City: Sigiriya
For lovers of historical places and climbing, Sigiriya Rock (or Lion’s Rock) is a must-visit in Sri Lanka. King Kashyapa built his palace on this rock in the fifth century, which features terraces, water pools, and colorful frescoes over 1,500 years old!
You can climb the rock, which takes about an hour to reach the top, but the panoramic view from above is surreal, especially because you feel like you’re soaring above all the surrounding mountains! If you get the chance to be in nearby areas, don’t miss this trip!
Ninth City: Colombo
- Accommodation: Movenpick Colombo
This was the last city we visited during our trip, and as they say: it ended on a sweet note! I personally enjoyed Colombo a lot, and I felt I could have stayed there more than three days! The hotel we booked was Movenpick Colombo, which was simply fantastic, from the room, to the outdoor pool on the 24th floor, to the delicious breakfast, and the exceptional service. Truly, it was one of the best hotels we stayed at in Sri Lanka.
Like I mentioned, we had three days in the capital, Colombo, and during those three days, we visited numerous places and did amazing things, such as:
- Massage at a famous spa in Colombo called Spa Ceylon. The prices for massages are reasonable, ranging from 6,000 to 12,000 rupees (20 to 40 US dollars).
- Eating massive Sri Lankan crabs from the famous Ministry of Crab restaurant. Honestly, it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life!
- Buying artwork from the Green Path area, which is next to a large public park where artists gather and paint, selling their artworks every day!
- Visiting historical and Hindu religious sites like the colorful Sri Kailawasanathan Temple and Independence Square.
- Enjoying the nightlife at King of the Mambo restaurant right on the beach. The food is great, reasonably priced, and the atmosphere is very nice!
- Riding tuk-tuks to get from place to place.
- Breakfast at Café Kumbuk. The interior and exterior design of the café is beautiful, and the food is excellent in taste and presentation!
- Trying Sri Lankan food at the famous Sri Vihar restaurant.
- Visiting the lovely Gallery Café.
- Shopping in local shops and malls in the area!
Traveling to Sri Lanka was beyond our expectations, but I am so happy that circumstances allowed us to spend 13 days there; it was a journey of a lifetime, and the adventures we experienced will stay with us forever!
