Ayubowan Sri Lanka!

Birthdays are special and I have always been excited about mine since childhood, after all, it comes once a year when I pamper myself with best things in the world. This birthday I gifted myself a getaway to Sri Lanka. It was easy to fix on Sri Lanka as my brother had recently moved to Colombo.

Cool drip

Traveling to Sri Lanka is absolutely hassle-free and cost effective with low airfare and visa easily available. A spontaneous traveler like me doesn’t need an itinerary; however, there are lots of us who like to plan their getaways.

I booked my flight from Hyderabad to Colombo via Chennai with a layover of 2 hours. I landed in Colombo at half-past one in the morning. Immigration was a kid stuff and I reached my abode in Colombo by the time clock struck thrice. You don’t have to worry about jet lag as India and Sri Lanka falls in the same time zone. But care for a beauty sleep when you have an action packed next 5 days.

Day 1: Mornings be like this facing the calm sea while the taste of coffee tickle your taste buds and caffeine stimulates your brain. I spent the first day in Colombo exploring the famous White & Co. café at the marine drive, local grocery store, admiring the Old Dutch hospital and finally dining out at the Bavarian which serves a variety of German delicacies.

Prawn rice curry

Yummy lobsters

Lighthouse at the Galle Fort

Day 2 of my stay which was also my birthday, we (my brother & I) hired a taxi to Galle Fort which is approximately 2 and a half hour drive from Colombo. You can also book a train or opt for a bus drive depending upon your convenience and budget. We reached Galle in the afternoon and headed for our resort at the Galle fort. Try staying at the Galle Fort; it’s a bit expensive but worth every penny. However, you can also find a cost-effective stay around the Galle Fort. Surprisingly the weather was very kind during my visit and it was cloudy most of the times. After checking in the resort we went for a walk around the Galle Fort.

Galle Fort, in the bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka was first built by Portuguese and later entrenched by the Dutch is a unique example of European architecture. The walk around the Galle Fort was very refreshing with cool breeze caressing my skin. Galle Fort has some really famous restaurants that serve authentic Sri Lankan cuisine. We stopped for lunch at the Pedlar’s Inn and gorged on authentic mouthwatering Sri Lankan cuisine.

Day 3, we started for Mirissa which is an hour drive from the Galle fort. You can either book a taxi or a tuk-tuk based on your convenience. Once we reached Mirissa harbor we headed for the office of Raja & Whales which is quite famous and easily spotted. At Raja & Whales, you can book the whale watching tour either online or pay on arrival. The services at Raja & Whales are truly remarkable while waiting for the whales to surface you can enjoy breakfast and lunch which is included in the ticket cost. We got into the boat and were greeted by a breathtaking view of Indian Ocean. Refreshed by the spellbound view we waited for the blue whales to surface. After an hour of starting the journey, a pod of dolphins was spotted swimming along the boat. The diving blue whales are a sight to behold. Once the blue whale dives back into the ocean they take approximately 20-30 minutes to resurface for air. The giant blue whales are easily differentiated from other whales when they lift their trademark tail flukes while they dive deep into the ocean.

Mirissa beach harbor

After whale watching, we explored the Mirissa beach that welcomed us with its turquoise blue waves. Enjoy the breathtaking sandy beach with a chilled beer or playing in the waves. From Mirissa we took a bus to Colombo which was approximately 3-4 hour drive. I went to bed early as next day I was traveling to Kandy on my own.

View of Kandy city from the Big Buddha statue

Day 4, I took a bus at 7 am from Colombo bus station to Kandy; it’s a 4-hour drive and I reached Kandy by 11. Kandy is a quaint city in Sri Lanka famous for tea plantations. Kandy is also home to various Buddhist temples; the temple of the Tooth being one of the significant temples. I started my day in Kandy with a walk around the Kandy Lake followed by the Temple of the Tooth. I further explored the Geregama tea factory and a spice garden but my moment of the day was a mesmerizing view of Kandy city from the Bahirawakanda Temple. The temples have some entry fees, just for information. After spending a day in Kandy, I reached Colombo at night.

The White Buddha statue

The Tooth Temple

Day 5, I started my day with cool drip and my favorite pancakes. I left for the airport with incredible experience and a resolve to visit the island again.

My favorite strawberry pancake

Unfortunately, I don’t have cool pics of me from Sri Lanka because brothers can never be a good photographer to their sisters. I was constantly reminded that we are travelers so pictures were not needed, anyway. It was fun exploring the serene island but on a personal front I first time traveled with my brother. Amid school and college, we grow us so soon that we hardly get time to spend time with our siblings. Traveling and exploring a new destination with my brother has just made the bond a bit stronger than before which adds so much value to a lifelong relationship. Some relationships don’t need words to express because gestures are enough to show love and care.  

My brother has the coolest sister :)

                                                                                                                                             Ayubowan Sri Lanka!