Facts first. Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) has earned back its spot among the Top 50 Destinations in the World, as listed by the International Travel Agents Association. It is true that every time the island’s tourism plummets — whether due to a political crisis or natural calamity — it rises again like the proverbial phoenix. Which is just as well, because Sri Lanka is beautiful in an extraordinary way.
Lying off the southernmost tip of India in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has often been described by travel writers as a “pearl in the ocean”. Not difficult to see why. The tropical island nation is embraced by the greenish-blue waters of the Indian Ocean, the sky-blue turquoise of the Gulf of Mannar, and the swirling milky-blue, tan, and green waves of the Palk Strait — a delightful palette when viewed from the sky.
Sri Lanka holds an incredible mélange of cultural and historical gems, rich wildlife, and adventures aplenty, whether you are travelling on an exclusive tailor-made holiday or as part of a group.
“Sri Lanka is back! Come, fall in love with Sri Lanka again.” Here is my account of the three destinations covered on my trip earlier this year.
Mirissa
Situated at the southern end of the island, approximately 165 kilometres from Colombo, Mirissa is often labelled the ultimate beach destination of the island nation. A seaside town with postcard-perfect beaches, it is an excellent base for underwater adventures, surfing, and snorkelling. It is, however, most famously known as Sri Lanka’s premier whale and dolphin-watching destination.
The season for watching these magnificent marine animals runs from November to April, when relatively calm waters draw migratory whales and dolphins in large numbers. I was not banking too much on luck — Sri Lanka had been badly affected by Cyclone Ditwah in November last year, which brought heavy rains and strong winds to Mirissa and much of the island. Parts of the shoreline had been damaged and declared unsafe for tourism. Imagine my excitement, then, when the whale-watching tours reopened on the very day we arrived.
While other locations such as Kalpitiya and Trincomalee’s Pigeon Island are also popular for whale and dolphin watching, tour operators in Mirissa are noticeably better prepared for tourist services — and it shows.
We were not disappointed in the least. The sight of gentle giants swimming in the vast expanse of the ocean will remain imprinted in my memory. Equally thrilling were the pods of spinner dolphins that raced alongside our boat. Back on shore, Mirissa’s seafood proved just as memorable — simple, authentic, and irresistible, with daily catches transformed into vibrant coastal feasts bursting with Sri Lankan flavour.
Yala
From Mirissa to Yala is a journey of approximately 115 kilometres, and it is an essential stop for any nature lover. Yala is best known for its national park — the second largest in Sri Lanka — an impressive 979 square kilometres of biodiversity and home to several endemic species. It is a dream destination for birders, with some 200 recorded species, but the highlights for me were sightings of leopards and sloth bears alongside elephants and enormous crocodiles.
A water buffalo at Yala National Park
We stayed at Yala for four days and set out on full-day safaris almost every day. On some mornings, we spotted leopards along the trails on our way to the park gates — in a sense, the safari had already begun before we had properly entered the forest.
Yala National Park also hosts a diverse reptile population, and I was fortunate to spot several rare snake species while picking up some fascinating facts from our guide about a class of animals that tends to get a rather bad press.
A rare sighting of an Indian rock python
I must mention the star attraction of Yala: Gamono, an elephant of considerable renown. Search online and you will find no shortage of videos and articles devoted to this famous — or perhaps infamous — tusker of Yala National Park. Born around 1991, Gamono is a bold and notorious forager who has made a habit of stopping safari jeeps in search of food. Your guide will advise you to keep all food items securely packed and well out of sight. Despite his intimidating behaviour — which, sadly, developed as a direct result of tourists feeding him — Gamono remains a hugely popular figure.
We were “lucky” to watch him saunter past our vehicle towards a less fortunate one behind us, where he deftly thrust his trunk in to extract a bag, then another, flinging each aside in evident disgust upon finding nothing edible within.
A crocodile at Yala National Park
Unlike most Indian national parks, which close at midday, Yala remains open from 6am to 6pm — for a wildlife enthusiast, little could be more exciting than that.
COLOMBO
The capital city, Colombo is a delightful potpourri of history, culture, races, and religions — the most diverse place in the nation. The city offers a host of attractions, from ancient temples and national monuments steeped in history to sleek modern high-rises and peaceful verdant parks. We chose to take things easy, soaking in mesmerising ocean views from our beachside accommodation in a part of the city that felt distinctly reminiscent of a bygone era. The locality had such a pronounced Portuguese character that one could easily be forgiven for imagining oneself transported to a serene town somewhere in Portugal.
THE CUISINE
Forgive the epicure in me for weaving food so closely into the itinerary — but on this trip, I was more than happy to lose myself in the warm embrace of Sri Lankan hospitality and the deeply satisfying flavours of the island.
Secret spices — Sri Lanka also carries the nickname Spice Island — infuse themselves into fresh produce and daily seafood catches to produce dishes of genuine magic. Sri Lankan cuisine, I discovered, draws heavily from Tamil, French, and Portuguese influences, creating a profusion of dishes that read as a smorgasbord of the island’s rich history and zesty spirit.
Sri Lankan curries are legendary, renowned for their intense, aromatic, and fiercely spiced flavours. I savoured signature preparations rich with roasted curry powder, pandan and curry leaves, lemongrass, and thick coconut milk, enjoyed in the traditional manner with rice, roti, and hoppers — known locally as appa or aappa. The Jaffna Crab Curry was a particularly tantalising experience.
Colombo, undoubtedly the most cosmopolitan city in Sri Lanka, offers a sweeping range of cuisines drawn from many cultures. There is no wrong time to indulge in Sri Lankan food — so take the time, and do so wholeheartedly. It is an experience you will not soon forget.