An untamed mix of nature, wildlife, pilgrimage, beaches, and adventure find their home at serene Sri Lanka. The island of the orient in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is a tourist’s dream come true. Being an Indian resident, traveling to the neighboring country wasn’t that a hassle, given the fact that Sri Lanka offers visa on arrival for Indian residents.
Both Abhishek and I were super excited about the destination and started planning much in advance. A 7-day trip is what we had in mind but unfortunately, we booked our tickets just 20 days before.
I suggest you avoid all that rush for your overseas trips. Also, due to the paucity of time, we booked the trip from a leading tour operator. However, we were deeply disappointed, because the itinerary was loaded with hidden costs. In hindsight, I think we should have just booked it on our own.
As I mentioned earlier, Sri Lanka offers a visa on arrival to Indian passport holders, but one must obtain Sri Lanka ETA first that could be done online. The document one receives is valid for 90 days, and it grants a double entry and stays in Sri Lanka for up to 30 days per entry.
We went to Sri Lanka in the month of March and the weather was just perfect to explore the country. Our direct flight from Delhi to Colombo was of 4 hours and we reached early morning. The temperature at Colombo was a bit of a contrast to that of Delhi and we only loved it.
After standing in the long queues for hours we finally received the visa. Our chauffeur was waiting to take us to Habarana. Habarana is known for wildlife and safaris and is a must for nature lovers.
We checked into Sarowwa Resort and Spas. The one day staycation amidst the wild greens was fascinating. Our room could oversee the jungles and the lakes. Sipping the sweet coconut water, and teas in the veranda, we relished our evenings.
The next morning we started for Sigiriya. Sigiriya – the UNESCO declared a world heritage site. The palace is located on a huge rocky plateau 370 meters above the sea level. Since the 3rd century BC, the rocky plateau of Sigiriya served as a monastery. In the second half of the 5th-century, King Kasyapa decided to construct a royal residence here.
After his death, Sigiriya again became a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century, when it was abandoned.
Today, the site is a historical marvel that brings together landscaped gardens, fortifications, moat, frescos, and monastery.
One needs to climb several stairs to reach the top. The 200-meter granite rock stands out in the ruins with its exquisite frescos at the summit.
The entry fee to attend Sigiriya is a bit on the higher side. So one must carefully choose the destinations in the itinerary. But Sigiriya is not to be missed on the list.
