A country of tea, temples and trails- Srilanka had always been on my bucketlist and once I was there, I loved the country so much so that I visited the place twice – once solo and second time with my husband. Although, the itinerary for both the trips were similar, I would be sharing the later because it was planned better due to the prior experience.
Srilanka has a plethora of different landscapes to explore ranging from beaches to mountains, from temples to wildlife and from lagoons to rivers. We, however, decided to explore the west coast of Srilanka concentrating mostly on the beaches and excluded the temple town of KANDY and the hills of Nuwara Eliya which I had covered in my last trip.
Srilanka has everything to love – warm and friendly people, delectable cuisine and a tropical climate. Moreover, it is the most suitable destination for both budget friendly travelers and those who are looking for a more extravagant one!
Day 1 (Kalutara) :
It is fairly easy to get to Srilanka from India. Sri Lankan Airlines fly direct from almost all the metro towns of India to Colombo from around INR 13000 return.The shortest journey takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes from the New Delhi Airport to the Bandarnaike International Airport(airport code-CMB) in Colombo.
There are good local taxi operators in Colombo offering both the pick and drop as well as tour packages for transport, Accommodation and activities such as wild life safaris, whale watching, bird watching, white water rafting and much more at reasonable rates. We would suggest pre booking these services in advance. We had booked ourselves with this particular operator called Sanki leisure for their taxi service for our entire stay that would include airport transfers, transfer between cities and sightseeing for the entire 5 days. The whole plan costed us somewhere around 345 USD which is roughly around 23000 Rs.
A very friendly and english speaking chauffer named Chaminda was assigned to us 4 days before our trip. He reached early to pick us at the airport at 1.25 pm. We dropped us at this beautiful resort in Kalatura that we were staying called The Tangerine Beach Hotel. It is a grand beachfront hotel overlooking the Laccadive Sea consisting of numerous amenities include a garden, beach access, and an outdoor pool with a swim-up bar, plus an Ayurvedic spa, a beauty salon and sports courts. It cost us Rs 7000 per night plus GST including breakfast which was quite reasonable.
We had only a single day to spend at Kalutara. Hence, after a quick lunch and shower, we went for a walk at the beach just outside the resort. Kalutara is popular among the travelers for its lavish resorts and secluded beaches. We had decided to spend only one night in Kalutara just to enjoy some peaceful beach time in each other’s company and to gorge on some delicious food and drinks in its huge resort before the exploration began!
At night,we enjoyed a couple of drinks at the hotel’s inhouse restaurant with the inhouse live band playing and guests swaying to their songs.
Day 2(Bentota):
The second day was dedicated to exploring the beautiful town of Bentota. Bentota is just half an hour away from Kalutara and you could plan your trip in such a way that you can return back to your accommodation in Kalutara after a day trip in Bentota just like we did. You could also stay in a more accessible area close to the local markets at Bentota. Bentota also offers some lovely private villas for larger groups overlooking the river.
So, after some light breakfast, we left off for Bentota in our taxi. The breakfast at our hotel was outstanding- they served Srilankan specialities including egg hopper,milk rice, string hoppers and kotu rotis. All these delicacies are a must try if you are in Srilanka.Our first destination was the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project, which is very well structured turtle hatchery. The hatchery program is designed to maximise the number of hatchlings reaching the sea and surviving through the critical stages of their early life. It gives you to experience watching different varieties of turtles and also holding them in your hand which is an activity worth experiencing. The hatchery is operational from 9 am to 5 pm and the entry fee is around Rs 2000 per person.
With faces full of joy and happiness, we proceeded to have lunch. Chaminda (our driver) suggested that we try this local restaurant called Amal Villa restaurant and bar and it proved to be a delight. This restaurant is almost on the beach and serves fresh catch (seafood).
The food was delicious and the local band playing there walked upto every table and played the songs the guests requested!! This is one advantage of having a local guide or interacting with localites – They guide you to the best places! After lunch,we spent sometime on the beach before moving to our next destination, the spice garden at Bentota.
Before moving to the spice garden, we took a halt at the local fruit market to buy some fresh oranges and bananas. Tropical countries offer some of the juiciest and sweetest fruits you must have ever had. We then headed to a local spice garden for a spice tour and an ayurvedic massage before heading back to our hotel. There are a lot many spice gardens in Srilanka and you could choose any based on your driver’s/local guide’s recommendations.
After reaching the hotel, we took some rest and then headed off to explore Kalutara streets.
There was a cute restaurant called “Green lobster” which attracted us and we headed straight to the restaurant to enjoy some fresh seafood right off their platter. It was enjoyable experience not so much for my husband but me for sure!
Day 3 (Hikkaduwa-Galle):
This was also going to be a long day since we had quite a number of activities planned. We were staying at Hikkaduwa on this day. After checking out of the hotel, we headed straight for the Madu River safari in Balapitaya. This place was one hour from Kalutara and on the way to Hikkaduwa. Hikkaduwa was only half an hour from Balapitaya to the south.
This is a must have experience when you are around the southern coast. It includes visit to a very old Budhist temple, mangrove tour, Cinnamon Island and fish spa therapy. It is a 2 hour boat ride operational from 6 am to 5 pm and cost us around 2000 per person. The boat ride was not only appealing but also tranquilizing!
By 11 am, we were free and we asked the driver to take us to our hotel in Hikkaduwa named the Pearl Island Beach Hotel. The hotel cost us 3500 Rs per night.
The road from to Hikkaduwa was so beautiful that we couldnot stop ourselves from taking a break and clicking some pictures on the way. We reached our hotel by 12 pm and checked in. The hotel is run by an old couple and is not as fancy as the other resorts in the area but it is located in Thiranagama directly on one of the most beautiful beaches of Hikkaduwa. The rooms are average but the view of the sea and the friendliness of the staff more than compensate for it. We were very hungry by then and we decided to explore the area around for a place to eat with a good view. The Galle road is lined with beachside cafes and restaurants and we decide to try our luck at the spunky monkey’s which proved to be a good find.
After lunch, we decided to visit the Galle Fort area in the evening. Galle was only 30 minutes from our hotel and we reached there before the sunset. This area is the best place to enjoy a beautiful sunset. Stone sea walls encircle car-free streets with architecture reflecting Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. Galle Lighthouse stands on the fort’s southeast tip as is also one of their major attractions! In the evening, we decided to Walk through the cobbled streets of Fort Galle only to stumble upon fashionable boutiques and antique shops and hip restaurants and cafes often housed within old houses with porticos. The area was even more decked up considering it was the 23rd of December. We had dinner at one of these cafes before deciding to go back to our hotel.
Day 4 (Mirissa, Unawatuna):
This was our last day at Srilanka and we had already prebooked the whale watching tour in Mirissa. Mirissa is the best place for whale and also dolphin watching tour in Sri Lanka. The tour starts at around 7 am in the morning and the duration is in between 4-6 hours depending on whale sighting. The cost is 3000 per person for the big boats and goes higher for the smaller ones including breakfast. We had booked the big boat which accommodates close to 30 people.
We got up early and set out for Mirissa at 5.30 in the morning to reach in time for the boat as it takes close to 1 hour 30 minutes to reach Mirissa from Hikkaduwa. They offered us sandwiches, coffee and tea and water in small packets for breakfast. We were fortunate to spot 2 whales and numerous dolphins. The tour can however be quite exhausting and is not recommended for people with sea sickness. On the way back,we asked the driver to take us to the Utawatuna beach which is midway between Hikkaduwa and Mirissa. It was almost 4 pm and we were very tired and hungry by then . We sat by the beachside shack gobbling down food and gulping down chilled beer. Unawatuna beach is a heaven for beach bums. With fancy restaurants, bars, shacks, beach properties and fun water sports, it is the perfect spot to unwind and relax. The next two hours were spent sitting there gazing at the waves before we headed back to our hotel.
It was the 24th Dec eve and we had decided to head to one of the fancy restaurants for a Christmas eve dinner on the Galle road but we were so tired,as soon as we reached our room we fell asleep only to get up at 10.30 pm. Hence,we just decided to order some beer and snacks and relax on the beach chairs in our own hotel.
Day 5( Return to Colombo):
We got up early and took a stroll by the beach before enjoying our last breakfast in Srilanka.
We then checked out of our cute little hotel and headed back to the airport with beautiful memories and a promise to return soon!
The Benjabi Recommendation:
- Make sure you sample the traditional Sri Lankan breakfast, we’re big fans!
- Galle is a must visit. It actually feels like a European city, which is what made us fall in love with this place!
The Benjabi Affair 