Sri Lanka is suitable not only for a beach vacation: here you can go to the tracks in the mountains and arrange hiking on tea plantations, explore ancient temples, strengthen health on Ayurvedic procedures and observe a rich local flora and fauna. We share ideas for an unforgettable trip to the island.
How to get
Direct flights from Moscow to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, are operated by Aeroflot Airlines-on Thursday and Sunday there, Monday and Friday back. Travel time is 9-10 hours. Prices start from 60,000 rubles* in one direction (for a ticket with luggage).
Flights with one or two transfers from Qatar Airways, Gulf Air Emirates, Flydubai, Srilankan Airlines will be more budgetary. Such tickets cost from 34,000 rubles* one way.
Entrance rules
Citizens of Russia can apply for free for 30 days upon arrival at Sri Lanka Airport.
Where to stop
From November to May on the southern coast – from Benthot to Tangala – the dry season. Most options for housing in Mirissa, Veligam and Hikkaduva. From May to October, due to the beginning of the Musson season, tourists move to the northeastern coast in Arug Bay.
There are different types of housing: from rooms in houses with local residents to boutique hotels and villas. Prices start from 400-500 rubles per day for the easiest option. When booking, pay attention to the presence of air conditioning or fan, as well as a mosquito grid above the beds.
They picked up several hotels on the south coast.
Weligama Bay Eco Villa (estimate 8.2) is a guest house in which you will have your own room 50 m from the ocean for 800 rubles*. There is a bathroom in the room, there is also a common kitchen and a terrace, and next to the hotel there is a restaurant with delicious kitchen and breakfast.
Moonlit Bay Weligama (Estimated 8.8) – a hotel in a couple of minutes walk from the ocean. For 1 210 rubles* per day, you can rent a spacious standard room with a sea view, but without air conditioning. A pleasant bonus is a hearty Lanka breakfast from a friendly mistress.
Onilwe Resort Weligama (Assessment 9.0) – a hotel built around a tree. The site is more like a jungle, so you will be neighbors with a peacock, chipmunks and other animals and birds. Suitable for a secluded rest. On foot to the beach 15 minutes. The standard number with air conditioning and breakfast costs 1,400 rubles* per day.
Sky Mountain (Assessment 9.5) – a hotel like “Bed and breakfast” with responsive owners in a picturesque quiet place between Midigam and Veligama. The night in a standard room with a fan and breakfast will cost 1,600 rubles*.
Weligama Ocean Breeze (9.0 rating) – a three -star hotel with a pool in Veligam. Nearby is a great surfing beach that is suitable for beginners. A double room with air conditioning costs 5,695 rubles* per day.
What to do
Typically, tourists come to Sri Lanka in the winter to bask on the beaches. But these are not the only classes on the Lanka coast – they can be diluted with outdoor activities and a photo hunt for the local fauna.
Go to Safari
In the Yala National Park, observe the life of elephants, monkeys, peacocks, water buffers, crocodiles and even rare Ceylon leopards in a natural habitat. In order to see the latter exactly, it is better to come to Safari to the park with an overnight stay – this will work out away from the jeeps, which often scare away cats.
If you go for one day, you can choose a morning or evening round that lasts half a day. If you plan a trip from the southern coast, more than half the time will go on the road. A seven -hour tour with a road costs about $ 35 (2,600 rubles) per person.
Rise to the peak of Adam
The peak of Adam for Buddhists is of great religious significance: it is believed that on the top of the plateau there is an imprint of the foot of the Buddha, which pilgrims from all over the world strive to bow. For tourists, the rise here is an opportunity to see a beautiful dawn and get the experience of climbing with monks and local residents.
It is better to start the rise to the peak of Adam at two to three in the morning to get to the top to sunrise. About 5,000 concrete steps with a set of 1,000 m will have to overcome about 5,000 concrete steps, this will take about three hours. Warm things will definitely come in handy, since it is cool and windy at the top. Also, tents with tea and food are often found along the way, so you can go lightly and stop in such places for a halt.
Visit tea plantation
Previously, Sri Lanka was called Ceylon, and now she is one of the leading manufacturers of high-quality tea in the world. There are many plantations on the island, where visitors can familiarize themselves with the process of growing, collecting and processing tea leaves. The most famous tea region is Nuvara Eliya.
Popular factories – Halpe Tea, Glenloch Tea Factory and Bluefield Tea Gardens. There you can take a walk around the plantations, look at tea collectors and visit the production workshops to find out about the processing process of leaves. There we also recommend signing up for tasting and buy a drink directly from the manufacturer.
See whales
A warm Indian ocean off the southern coast of Sri Lanka is a place where blue whales come from December to April annually during migration. Almost every day, observation cruises in these incredible creatures start from the myrissa, prices start at 65 US dollars (5,000 rubles). Of course, there is a chance not to see whales, but the organizers promise that you can “catch” the braids and flocks of dolphins that will accompany the boat throughout the “hunting”.
Swim with sea turtles
This can be done on two southern beaches – Hikkaduva and Polhen. You won’t have to swim far: animals are found right by the shore, and to see them, only a good mask and a tube will need.
Also on the beaches on the southwestern coast you can visit the turtle of the incubator. Eggs of these animals are in great demand among poachers, so masonry is carefully guarded. When the kids are hatched, they are released into the ocean. This is a bewitching sight that the whole district comes to see: dozens of turtles run to the water and disappear with a tidal wave.
Fascinated by the colonial streets of Galle
In the Galle fortified city, you will see the eccentric mixture of Portuguese, Dutch and British architecture. At the same time, there will be spa centers, luxurious hotels, souvenir shops, cafe-milled and jewelry boutiques inside the old areas. Come in the morning to see how the streets of Galle in Lalaniki wake up slowly. Try a hearty breakfast in the oldest National Tea Rooms cafe, drink local coffee in Dumplings Cafe, buy as a gift with postcards and retro placades in the Stick No Bills store. Take a walk along the fort, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and observe the sunset at the lighthouse.
Ride by train
A journey on Lankan trains, slowly moving through the jungle through the fields and tea plantations, will restore you to the past and give beautiful views from the window, and also immerse the local residents into the daily life of local residents. We talked about the four most picturesque railway routes of the country in this article.
See the miracle citadel on an extinct volcano
At the top of the 170-meter table cliff in the city of Sigiria in the center of the island is the ancient fortress of the same name, also known as the lion’s rock, or the rock of Sigiria. Locals call it the eighth miracle of light. Previously, Buddhist monks lived at its top, and then in the 5th century King Kashyap built an impregnable fortress here. To this day, only ruins have survived from the former greatness. So, the initially cut staircase leading to the top of the cliff passed through the mouth of a brick lion. Now only his paws have survived. The entrance ticket costs $ 30 (2,200 rubles).
Relax on Ayurvedic massage
Ayurvedic massage combines both massage and oil therapy. The procedure helps restore the body, relax the body, improve blood circulation and general health. Finding a spa is not difficult, in almost every city there are several places to choose from. Prices for an hour -long massage start from 1,000 rubles.
*Prices are relevant at the time of publication.
For a convenient and profitable ordering of hotels, use the Onetwotrip service.
