Sri Lanka: Best Tips, Ideas, Must-Sees?

[TLCOhio]

Need to consider winter escapes?  From Condé Nast Traveler magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “19 Warm Places to Visit, From Chile to Sri Lanka" by Caitlin Morton with this sub-headline:  "The only ice you’ll see is in your cocktail.”

 

Here are some of the highlights: “Sri Lanka:  Average winter temperatures (measured in Colombo): High of 87 degrees, low of 74 degrees.  With countless sacred sites, boundless crystal blue waters, and picturesque jade-green tea estates, Sri Lanka offers plenty of charms to those willing to explore. Given the country’s alternating monsoon seasons, you’ll need to be strategic about which coast to visit during different times of year. Sri Lanka’s southwest coast (home to the capital city of Colombo) and Tea Country are both great spots to visit in December, as the month marks the peak of the dry season in these corners of the country.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-04-30/places-winter-nonexistent?redirectURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cntraveler.com%2Fgalleries%2F2014-04-30%2Fplaces-winter-nonexistent

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 257,252 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/

[TLCOhio]

From Travel+Leisure magazine late last month, they had this headline: “50 Best Places to Travel in 2024" with this portion of their sub-headline:  "Adventurous Travelers ”

 

Here are some of their reporting highlights as to why a high ranking for Sri Lanka: “This small South Asian island nation has big things on offer. 'You can cover a lot of ground in two weeks, with loads of variety in the landscapes, from gorgeous beaches to lush jungles to high mountains to historic cities,' said Catherine Heald, co-founder and CEO of Remote Lands, a luxury travel firm. This year, the tea company Dilmah opened two boutique stays under its Reverie brand, Kayaam House and Ahu Bay. Political unrest in 2022 took the destination off the table for many travelers, acknowledged Rachel Cooper, a South Asia travel expert at Red Savannah. But, she added, 'the new government has introduced measures to protect and encourage a positive traveler experience throughout the country.' " 

 

Full story at:

https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-places-to-go-2024-8385979

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Canada 2022/2023: Scenic visuals, details from Canada Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island).  Plus, new from Aug. 2023, exploring historic/charming Quebec City.    Visual/Info Summaries:

www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

[TLCOhio]

From Condé Nast Traveler magazine last month, they had this headline: “24 Best Places to Go in 2024” with these highlights for South & Central Sri Lanka by writer Zinara Rathnayake: “Rising from economic uncertainty, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is in the midst of a luxury and wellness boom—from its tea-filled highlands to its palm-fringed shores. In January, the Galle Literary Festival will return after a five-year hiatus, with appearances by literary figures such as Shehan Karunatilaka and Alexander McCall Smith, while Gourmet Galle, the country’s new food festival, will spotlight 12 chefs in 12 venues, ranging from beaches to paddy fields, over a 12-week period from January to March.  Inland, development of the Pekoe Trail continues. Traversing historic tea plantations, colonial estates, local villages, holy shrines, and forests brimming with biodiversity, it’s a novel way to experience Sri Lanka’s lush hill country."

 

Sound exciting and interesting?  Yes, looking forward to being there in February 2024 to explore for the first time in this unique part of the world.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-places-to-go-in-2024#intcid=_conde-nast-traveler-verso-hp-trending_80991bd1-1d14-4b9f-965a-7f9ff1e971d6_popular4-1

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 247,027 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

[Tri-cruiser]

On 6/28/2023 at 4:14 PM, Maria63 said:

In Hambantota, I would recommend the Bundala national park for wildlife spotting. It´s less crowded and more easily accessible than the more famous Yala national park. You are guaranteed to spot a lot of wild elephants, and the scenery is quite nice.

 

Frankly, I do not know why they recommend Sri Lanka as a beach destination because the beaches, though nice enough, are not comparable to those in the Caribbean or in some other Southeast Asian destinations. The hill country and the tea plantations are very beautiful though, and the tea you get to taste & buy if you visit the plantations is usually extremely good. If Silversea offers a train excursion from Colombo to Kandy and the hill country, I would suggest you do it instead of spending time in Colombo which is a very hectic city with lots of traffic. Colombo has some nice heritage sights like Galle Face with its surroundings, but getting around the town can be a hassle and you will inevitably spend a lot of time in traffic. If you have a chance to visit Nuwara Eliya, it's very beautiful too with some spectacular waterfalls. 

 

Though the distances in Sri Lanka may look short on a map, the road system is not very well developed and the traffic can be very hectic indeed, so travel by car or bus takes a lot of time. Going by train is much better and more comfortable, and the scenery is lovely too.

 

 

Hello. My husband and I are planning a shore excursion in Sri Lanka. We will be there in April. We would like to go to Cinnamon Island and then come back to town. With all we want to see, the tour operators are encouraging us to spend overnight at a hotel. We feel much safer on the boat. Do you know how far it is from the port to the gate where we would be picked up? I understand the tour operators are not allowed within the port gates. Would you happen to know when the shuttles stop operating? Thank you.

[Maria63]

On 12/18/2023 at 5:16 PM, Tri-cruiser said:

Hello. My husband and I are planning a shore excursion in Sri Lanka. We will be there in April. We would like to go to Cinnamon Island and then come back to town. With all we want to see, the tour operators are encouraging us to spend overnight at a hotel. We feel much safer on the boat. Do you know how far it is from the port to the gate where we would be picked up? I understand the tour operators are not allowed within the port gates. Would you happen to know when the shuttles stop operating? Thank you.

Sorry, I have never visited Sri Lanka on a cruise, though my DH & I have stayed there for extended periods of time during the past 20 years. If you mean Cinnamon Island on Koggala Lake in the very south, it is quite a long drive to get there and back, and the traffic in Colombo and its outskirts (if your cruise stops in Colombo and not in Hambantota) can be pretty horrendous, frankly. If you stay overnight in a reputable hotel or B&B, I can´t see that there would be any exceptional safety issues to worry about. But this is of course a very personal matter and not something someone else can decide for you. 

[Tri-cruiser]

3 hours ago, Maria63 said:

Sorry, I have never visited Sri Lanka on a cruise, though my DH & I have stayed there for extended periods of time during the past 20 years. If you mean Cinnamon Island on Koggala Lake in the very south, it is quite a long drive to get there and back, and the traffic in Colombo and its outskirts (if your cruise stops in Colombo and not in Hambantota) can be pretty horrendous, frankly. If you stay overnight in a reputable hotel or B&B, I can´t see that there would be any exceptional safety issues to worry about. But this is of course a very personal matter and not something someone else can decide for you. 

We also dock in Hambantota. Is Cinnamon Island easier to reach from Hambantota? Thank you for all of your help. I haven't been able to find much information on the location

 

 

[Maria63]

9 hours ago, Tri-cruiser said:

We also dock in Hambantota. Is Cinnamon Island easier to reach from Hambantota? Thank you for all of your help. I haven't been able to find much information on the location

 

 

I would say yes, because Hambantota is not very densly populated but the roads are still surprisingly well developed in this part of the country. There is much less traffic than if you start your trip from Colombo. However, I would advise you to discuss your plans in detail with a local tour operator and ask their opinion.

[TLCOhio]

On 12/23/2023 at 11:35 AM, Maria63 said:

I would say yes, because Hambantota is not very densly populated but the roads are still surprisingly well developed in this part of the country. There is much less traffic than if you start your trip from Colombo. However, I would advise you to discuss your plans in detail with a local tour operator and ask their opinion.

 

Appreciate this above info and follow-up about Hambantota and nearby.  Keep it coming.  Great sharing.  

 

From the London/UK Sunday Times this weekend, they had this headline: “Best holiday destinations for 2024” with one of their highlights focused on this upcoming location where we will visit in February.  

 

Among their reporting highlights for Sri Lanka: “The five-star hotels, on beaches, in paddy fields, beside rivers and close to ancient wonders, are architectural masterpieces. The dining is exquisite, the guiding expert and the experiences exclusive. You can hike the new Pekoe Trail through tea country; be shown the secrets of the Dambulla cave temples; climb Pidurangala rather than Sigiriya, or Lion Rock, because it’s hardly visited and the views are better. Then there are dawn explorations of the jungles and waterfalls of Horton Plains; and you’ll maybe travel on the train through the Hill Country.” 

 

Full story and other travel ideas/tips for 2024 at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-best-holiday-destinations-for-2024-a-month-by-month-guide-jvds5pq6s

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 109,836 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[roscoe39]

curious to know if anyone has been to Sri Lanca recently by ship if the cruise ship organised the visa for you or you did it yourself before you boarded. In the past it has been done by the ship but this year our shipping g line has been a bit confusing about who organises it.

[Wayfairers]

9 hours ago, roscoe39 said:

curious to know if anyone has been to Sri Lanca recently by ship if the cruise ship organised the visa for you or you did it yourself before you boarded. In the past it has been done by the ship but this year our shipping g line has been a bit confusing about who organises it.

In the past the shop has done it.   We have to get it on our own for Holland America World Cruise 2024. 

[SolandBud]

We visited on Celebrity Edge about a month ago. We organised our own visa via the Sri Lankan government website. We used the transit visa which was free and it worked fine.

 

Some people paid for the tourist visa which I think was $50 but based on our experience it's not necessary if you're only there, like us, for 24 hours.

[roscoe39]

10 hours ago, Wayfairers said:

In the past the shop has done it.   We have to get it on our own for Holland America World Cruise 2024. 

thanks Guys, Ive applied for a transit visa just in case, regards Roscoe

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Daily Mail this morning, they had this headline: “Every country's must-try food revealed on fascinating world map” with these highlights: “Food is often one of the most exciting parts of going on holiday, especially when it's something you can't find back home.   But what are the must-try dishes, snacks and drinks travellers need to tick off?  Every country's must-try local delicacy was established by analysing TikTok videos containing hashtags for over 2,600 delicacies in 177 countries. The number of views associated with each hashtag was tallied to produce a ranking.”

 

For the five upcoming nations we will be visiting next month, here are the most noted foods for each country from this "research" method: 

 

India: Biryani

Sri Lanks: Kottu

Thailand: Pad Thai

Malaysia: Nasi Lemak

Singapore: Laksa

 

As detailed by Wikipedia, "Kottu roti is a Sri Lankan dish consisting of chopped roti, a meat curry dish of choice (such as mutton, beef, seafood, chicken, or pork), along with scrambled egg, onions, and chillies.  A variation of the dish is found in the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, known as kothu parotta, which is made using parotta instead of roti. Kottu roti can also be found internationally in restaurants in regions containing Tamil, Sinhalese and Malayali diaspora populations."

 

Below is one of many options for how this dish might look and be served.  

 

Personally, I am big on the sauces and/or gravy that goes with and/or mixed in with the rice, meat, etc.  Will need to do more research and talking with Asian food experts.  

 

Any insights or tips for these various dishes, country food loves, your favorites, best suggestions, etc.?

 

Full story at:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-12922347/Every-countrys-try-food-revealed-fascinating-world-map-fish-chips-UK-hot-dogs-U-S-pavlova-Australia.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 73,757 views:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

[cosytoes]

You wanted to report back on our cruise with two days in Sri Lanka December 2023, thanks to the recommendations on your page we booked with Blue Lanka tours and I have to say they were amazing. Nothing was too much trouble they answered my emails promptly and put together a bespoke tour for our group including an overnight stop in Kandy, we had a fabulous guide and driver plus at a great price. Sri Lanka Tours - Sri Lanka Tailor-made Holidays | Blue Lanka Tours

[woodley]

On 10/2/2023 at 4:14 PM, chatuga said:

Has anyone used Kamvelta travels for Sri Lanka day tours. Will be in Colombo and Bantota in May 2024.

 

 

I used them last november trip to Galle and Yala. Both tours were good but the one to Galle was a lot of driving.