Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Island off the southern tip of India, in the northern Indian Ocean
Planning: Here's how I plan a trip for our family of 9. Sometimes it's almost as much fun as the trip!
Sri Lanka looks like a small island, but it has a lot of variety - jungles, beaches, safari, tea plantations. And getting from one place to the next will take longer than it should - lots of traffic. Available: taxis, train, tuk tuk, driver.
Brief history about Sri Lanka - for kids. More geology and government facts here. Looks safe enough!
Timeframe: January? 10 days? Weather looks good. Best time to visit is between November and January.
| Climate data for Galle | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25 (77) | 26 (79) | 27 (81) | 27 (81) | 27 (81) | 27 (81) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 25 (77) | 26 (79) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 102 (4.02) | 86 (3.39) | 117 (4.61) | 241 (9.49) | 297 (11.69) | 206 (8.11) | 165 (6.5) | 155 (6.1) | 213 (8.39) | 340 (13.39) | 302 (11.89) | 178 (7.01) | 2,403 (94.61) |
Towns: Beach for sure, safari? elephants? ancient sites? must be fun for kids!!!
Colombo (airport, capital city)
Kandy (hiking, tea plantation)
Yala (wild animals, jungle, beach)
Galle (fort, beach)
After searching the web for info about Sri Lanka, it became apparent to me that traveling the whole country in 10-12 days may not be the best option. Travel is not as easy/reliable/hassle-free as in other countries. So I chose to stick with the southern part of the island because ... well, the plane lands in Colombo on the southwest side of the island at the Bandaranaike International Airport.
I am not a fan of having someone else plan my vacations because I usually know what "we" want and because those services are usually quite pricey. But here is a good overview of what Sri Lanka has to offer - Lightfoottravel.com
Colombo - capital of Sri Lanka
West Coast towns look fun. Colombo, Galle
Turtles, whales, colonial forts, Cinnamon Island.
Great beaches in Galle
Galle Fort
Tea Plantation towns - Nuwara Eliya
Kandy - tea plantations,
Temple of the Tooth (Buddha's tooth)
Yala National Park - wild animals!
You can even stay in chalets in the jungle or on the beach - southeast side of the island Chaaya Wild
Transportation:
Rail - super cheap - very "local" - lots of culture! Here's a guide to "train travel in Sri Lanka for beginners"!
Here's some more train info - sounds adventurous to say the least!
Colombo to Kandy
Colombo to Galle
but not Galle to Kandy
no train to Yalla
If you'd rather not have so much "culture", there is a train available with plush seats and air condition - expo rail
Accommodations:
Beach House - southern Sri Lanka - the beaches look great, a chef and housekeeper are included - what else could I ask for? The agent has even called and emailed me asking for more details in finding the perfect house for us.
Here are some more homes in Galle on flipkey.com.
Mountains -Kandy - tea plantations: some are family friendly and some look more like couple-only. Here are a few homes on flipkey.com
Activities:
Trekking with kids is an awesome experience. Sri Lanka Trekking Team says they are happy to host our family! Can't wait!
Knuckles Mountain Range world heritage site (UNESCO) - Adam's Peak looks like an awesome hike!
Food:
Food hygiene is not as strict as other countries - if you can't cook or peel it, don't eat it (salads).
Street foods (short eats) - probably have been handled by lots of hands
Rice
Fiery Curry - can be really spicy
Sweet caramelized onions
Dishes with coconut milk
OK to eat with fingers
Seafood, meats, vegetables
Fruit
Short eats - snacks
Tea - bland, served with milk and sugar
Coffee - somewhat better than the tea
Alcohol - Lagers
Best to drink Bottled Water
Health:
Sun screen important
Regular vaccines
Mosquito-borne diseases are possible, so take precautions
English-speaking doctors available
Many thanks to Lakdasun.org and Villa-Finder.com for the images and info about the natural beauty of Sri Lanka. Can't wait to visit and take my own fabulous photos!
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