Sri Lanka - Oh Que Linda

Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful countries. With over 70% of the population being buddhist, there is an overwhelming sense of calm sweeping through the air.

I travelled to Sri Lanka alone and it was safe and seamless. Flying into the Colombo airport was easy for me, as I was coming from Muscat. Upon arrival, I stopped by the ATM for some Rupees and picked up a SIM card from Dialog which were conveniently located before you exit the airport.

I primarily used the app “PickMe” (Sri Lanka’s version of Uber) to drive between destinations. You can book a car for further distances or a tuk-tuk for shorter distances.

My first stop was Weligama – a hippy surfing village that lived up to its reputation.

Surfers scattered sunrise to sundown, there was an amazing energy to the town. Filled with vegan restaurants, yoga shalas and hipsters – I was at home!

I stayed at a bed and breakfast called “Basecamp” where a DELICIOUS breakfast was served every morning (fresh juice, smoothies, vegan and vegetarian options) and yoga was offered twice a day. Not only was it right on the beach, but the staff and the people that stayed there were open, warm, and inviting which was ideal for me, as a solo travel.

One of the couples staying at Basecamp even offered an impromptu AcroYoga class after breakfast – it was so much fun to learn how to fly!

After spending 4 days in Weligama, I decided to drive up to Kandi because as much as I love being by the ocean, I love hiking even more! I found a scenic bed and breakfast high in the mountains that offered yoga and panoramic views of the area. Driving there took quite some time from Weligama (5 hrs) but it was completely worth it!

Unfortunately, I only had 1 day in Kandi, and for some of the more lengthy hikes, you needed a guide. Since I hike pretty fast, I decided my time would be better spent exploring some of the trails I found on Wikiloc that left from where I was staying. I loosely followed a trail near the area, hiked all day, stumbled upon a buddhist temple, rice paddies, and monkeys! I was so glad I forged my own path.

At no point did I feel like I was a tourist – this was one of the most authentic experiences, and after learning from another couple who had gone to Nuwara Eliya how touristy the park was, I was so happy I decided to explore the Knuckles Mountains instead.

My next stop was for Kite Surfing. Sri Lanka has a unique area in the Northwest of the island called Kalpitiya. The destination is ideal for beginners, as there is a bay that receives 15-25 knots depending on the season. I only had 3 full days to kite, and only 2 with wind, so I was able to stand on my board, but would definitely recommend a week (at least) if you’re a complete beginner.

The town itself is very rustic and probably the least scenic/ideal place to vacation, but seeing as most people go there to kitesurf, you’ll likely just hang around with the people from the kitesurfing school.