The Paradise Island: Sri Lanka

In between freelance work, drafting the scope of work and plans for prospective projects and most importantly attending a marathon of weddings of all close friends/cousins in 2016, I did not end up updating my blog for a while. However better late than never, so here I am.

Also let me take this opportunity to wish all of you a happy and healthy 2017, a year where you may discover and relish new experiences!

So when you want to plan and enjoy a holiday, but have a few preconditions what can be your best option that you can explore and not regret! My husband and I had to attend a wedding in the beautiful beach town of Kovalam in Kerala towards the end of August, 2016. We wanted to take a holiday after that, but one for not more than a week. 

So we actually did not have to travel too far, to a small country filled with pristine beaches, scenic towns, enthralling wild-life/conservation sanctuaries, rich heritage & culture, delectable local cuisine and the warmest locals. Yes I am talking about Sri Lanka, popularly known as the paradise island.

You can fly on Srilankan Airlines or Jet Airways as they seem to have the maximum frequency of flights to Colombo from several Indian cities. 

Sri Lanka: The Paradise Island

Galle

We landed in Colombo from Trivandrum, but drove straight to the gorgeous Dutch Colonial town of Galle and we stayed at this charming resort - the Jetwing Lighthouse, Luxury Hotel Galle  for 3 nights.

The Terrace at the hotel

It had the best sea view and you should not miss the sunset over the beach from the terrace while sipping on a cocktail and munching some crispy sea food. 

Lemon Prawns by the sea

Galle is an easy, two hour-long drive from Colombo. It’s well worth a visit, to see its 17th-century fort (and UNESCO World Heritage site), colourful bylanes and vintage cars, pretty shops and a series of eateries. Next door to the fort is an international cricket stadium with the sea by its side. 

The old Dutch Fort

Just about 40 minutes from Galle is Unawatuna, a hippy-chic, colourful and well maintained beach. Ideal for a day trip to enjoy the sunshine, a swim in the ocean, read an amazing book while drinking some beer with local fish! We spent 3 memorable days around Galle and had a great time!

The Unawatuna Beach

Bentota 

After Galle we spent one day at Bentota at the Vivanta by Taj. The property is beautiful and very well planned. We devoured a traditional Sri Lankan lunch which though a little spicy, was extremely delicious. On the way to Bentota we stopped by the Kosgoda turtle hatchery where we patted some oldies and also adored the babies on our palms.  We also learnt about Sri Lanka's pioneering sea turtle conservation project and how the village of Kosgoda in particular is a prime turtle nesting site. It was both informative and fun.

The view from The Taj Vivanta at Bentota

The Traditional Sri Lankan Thali

Kisses from baby turtles at Kosgoda

 Colombo

After visiting these beach towns, we finally reached Colombo. The city has two exquisite museums namely The National and Dutch period museum. You can indulge in all the local shopping from Odel - a high-profile department store that combines international and top local brands with both an ethnic and contemporary display.   It's always crowded with both visitors and the locals. We stayed at a hotel called - The Steuart by Citrus very close to the popular old dutch hospital area.

Last but not the least you just cannot miss a meal at the Ministry of Crab . It is a very reputed sea food joint amongst the local elite and foreigners. Thus an online advance booking is recommended. 

Famous cricketers, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara along with celebrity chef Dharshan Munidase decided to create Ministry of Crab as a celebration of Sri Lanka’s seafood, particularly of her wonderfully sweet and succulent crabs.

It was by far the best sea food I ever tasted till date! The Japanese rice coupled with a plate of chilly garlic crab and some butter soy prawns was absolutely lip-smacking.

Chilly Garlic Crab

This sums up our wonderful trip to Sri Lanka. I strongly recommend this as an option for a great holiday. Though we visited the above, Sri Lanka is also well known for its romantic landscapes, flanked by rising mountains, lush green forests, sprawling tea gardens and gushing waterfalls.  Travelling further north the landscape changes completely, North of Sri Lanka is a world apart from the rest of country. The colorful Hindu temples replace the white pagodas. So Sri Lanka has bits of so much weaved into one marvellous island. 

Till we meet again, don't take too long to tick this off your bucket list.

Love

Debarati