Exploring the Wonders of Sri Lanka: A Journey Through Time and Nature

I’m Lara. I am a fine art travel photographer living in Slovakia. I am spending a lot of time traveling.

I’ve visited more than 53 countries and 300+ cities. My life is a constant movement. I am inspired by new places in their beauty, features, and uniqueness.

My great passion is to share my vision with the others, to showcase the variety of the world, full of color, depth and emotions. It’s not only the nature, but also unique human creations from antiquity to modern times. You can learn more at larairis.com

Many years ago, after visiting India, I imagined that Sri Lanka would be something similar, and that everything there would be roughly the same.

As it turned out, these countries have almost nothing in common. The cuisine is different, although curry is everywhere (just a different taste), the traffic is calmer, and people don’t rush at you to touch you as if you were some exotic novelty. Women don’t wear saris, they don’t drink masala tea, and in fact, in the country of tea, this beverage is not popular at all. There are also almost no beautiful temples like in India. Sleeping peacefully wasn’t always possible either. No matter where you were, whether in the city or the mountains, at 5 a.m., the chanting from a nearby temple would blast across the area. This “delight” lasted for about 30 minutes, and then it would go silent. So we couldn’t do without earplugs.

My husband absolutely disliked Sri Lanka. He said everything was expensive, tasteless, and not worth the money spent.

Nevertheless, the country has its own advantages that are worth mentioning. First and foremost, of course, is the ocean! It’s magnificent. The beaches are vast and seemingly endless, with warm water that our child couldn’t get enough of. And, of course, just the way I like it.

In terms of architecture, as I mentioned earlier, Sri Lanka didn’t impress me at all. There are many Buddha statues everywhere and various temples, but nothing extraordinary. It might be interesting for those who have never seen anything like it before. However, the nature is a true wonder.

The rich world of flora and fauna is incredible. We visited two national parks, Yala and Bundala (address: Weligatta, Bundala 82004, Sri Lanka). Although they are relatively small, we saw numerous animals: elephants, jackals, buffalo, spotted deer… and we were even lucky enough to spot a leopard!

Bundala Park is mainly visited for birdwatching: pelicans, fish eagles, colorful storks, and more. However, what impressed me the most were the flying foxes that live in the trees. They have wings like bats, but with a larger wingspan, and their faces are cute, fox-like. And just like India, Sri Lanka is teeming with monkeys and peacocks. They’re everywhere and in such numbers that you eventually stop being surprised by them.

Of course, we couldn’t miss visiting the tea plantations. There are many throughout the country. We chose the highland region of Nuwara Eliya. Watching how premium tea is produced and in what conditions is an entirely unique experience. But the tea is top-notch. This kind of tea never makes it to our countries. Usually, only old stock is sold (the shelf life of tea is typically 1 year). Surprisingly, even the tea in bags in Sri Lanka is of higher quality than what we have.

There’s not much to do in Colombo. There are a couple of temples worth visiting, but that’s about it.

I highly recommend Kandy. It’s a charming city around a picturesque lake, filled with the sounds of countless birds. Here, we also visited the famous temple that houses the Tooth Relic of the Buddha.

Nearby Kandy is the very beautiful Peradeniya Botanical Garden (address: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kandy – Colombo Rd, Kandy 20400, Sri Lanka), featuring a variety of exotic plants, a palm avenue, and more.

Additionally, there are two fascinating temples: Ranawana Purana Rajamaha with its enormous Buddha statue and Nelligala Buddhist Temple, which offers stunning views from the top.

Horton Plains National Park features several hiking trails, and no matter which one you choose, it will invariably pass by a beautiful waterfall.

One of the most picturesque waterfalls, in my opinion, is Ravana Falls. It is quite large and located near the tourist town of Ella. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also teeming with monkeys that beg for food.

Not far from Ella, there is an interesting nine-arch bridge that is frequently visited by tourists. Be cautious during wet weather. We ended up picking up leeches without noticing.

I really enjoyed Lake Tissa with its trees, grazing buffalo, and the flying foxes hanging from the trees.

Unawatuna is a resort town, perfect for a beach getaway. Nearby, you’ll find the historic city of Galle, which is also worth a visit for a pleasant stroll.

Photos: www.larairis.com