Sri Lanka Blog – Sri Lanka For 91 Days

For 91 Days in Sri Lanka – The E-Book

We've gathered together all of the articles and over 250 photographs from our three-month adventure in Sri Lanka into an E-Book for your Kindle or E-Reader. Carry all of our Sri Lankan experiences along with you in this portable format. The book includes a comprehensive index, which makes navigation a cinch, and features all our anecdotes, advice and the best full-color images from our months in Sri Lanka. We had an unforgettable time in this beautiful and occasionally frustrating island nation, and hope our experiences can help enrich your own visit there.

Good Night, Sri Lanka

From the taxi's windows, we watched the Colombo night blur by. The few cars which remained on the highway had none of the breakneck urgency which normally characterizes Sri Lankan traffic. And though the unbroken chain of shops and restaurants still had their neon lights blazing, there weren't many people on the sidewalks. It was 10pm, and we'd rarely seen the island in a deeper state of rest. We were headed to the airport, and putting Colombo to sleep.

Tap that Toddy

We had seen toddy tappers at work a few times, high up in the palm trees around Jaffna and Trincomalee, collecting the liquid of coconut flowers into plastic jugs. The toddy can later can be distilled into arrack, but is one of the country's favorite drinks even in its unprocessed state. And for nearly three months, we had traveled throughout Sri Lanka without ever trying it. We were being derelict!

The Rocky Southern Coast of Sri Lanka

An unbroken string of tiny towns and hotels stretches out to the east of Galle. The busy road which hugs the coastline passes through Unawatuna, Dalawela, Thalpe, Habaraduwa, Midigama, one right after the other; each offering tourists an insane number of places to stay and things to do.

Unawatuna

On our way to the beach village of Unawatuna, just a few kilometers up the coast from Galle, we saw a sign that read "Unawatuna: Tourist Paradise!" Which just goes to prove what we've been saying all along -- Sri Lankans have a hilarious and darkly ironic sense of humor! Unawatuna, paradise for tourists. Ha! That's a good one.

A Sea Turtle Excursion at Rekawa Beach

Sri Lanka has the extraordinary privilege of welcoming five of the world's seven species of sea turtle to its shores. The turtles, who travel around the world and across entire oceans, somehow know to return to their natal beaches when the time comes to reproduce. At night, they emerge from the ocean and lay their eggs in the sand. At Rekawa Beach, the Turtle Conservation Project keeps a watchful eye over the eggs and provides tourists a rare opportunity to see the giant creatures clamber onto land.

The Bizarre Landscape of Ussangoda

East of Tangalla, a barren landscape sits in the middle of an otherwise heavily forested area. Dark red soil and an utter lack of trees are the hallmarks of Ussangoda, a region thought to have been hit by an ancient meteor. It's hard to imagine another explanation for this strange anomaly of nature.

A Death-Defying Journey to Habarana

During our stay in Polonnaruwa, the owner of our guesthouse had arranged a trip to the Eco-Park of Habarana. We'd heard good things from other travelers, and were anxiously awaiting our afternoon hour of departure. But we ought to have been looking forward to the trip with apprehension, instead of excitement.

The Ruins of Polonnaruwa, Part II

Exhausted from a morning spent exploring Polonnaruwa's massive archaeological site, we sat down for a much-needed break. I leafed through our guide book, and took a big gulp. We had already seen a lot, but weren't even midway through. And the ruins which remained threatened to be even more amazing.

The Beach at Nilaveli

Nilaveli Beach, about fifteen kilometers north of Trinco, was once one of eastern Sri Lanka's favorite destinations. But then the twin catastrophes of Civil War and tsunami came along. The devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami left 35,000 Sri Lankans dead and displaced a further half million, mostly along the eastern coast. Nilaveli has spent the last few years in recovery mode and, if our short visit was any indication, it's ready to welcome visitors back.