Hello all! We are back on the actual road for a rapid tour around Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was one of the original destinations on our year abroad list, fitting the “hard to get to from Seattle” category perfectly. To get hypothetically better weather for our visit, we chose to do Malaysia first and then backtracked East to the island. My eye twitched a little bit with the non-optimal route, but flight times and prices weren’t too bad so I let it go.
What we didn’t know was that a week after our visit, a cyclone would hit Sri Lanka, killing over 350 people and change the very landscape of places we had just visited. A tragedy on its own, we felt far more impacted seeing the places and people we had just met affected by the storm. Our Sri Lankan driver’s home was flooded and his car under water, the train we had ridden in through the mountains was closed indefinitely and a restaurant we had eaten in was literally gone, washed off the side of a hill. Natural disasters happen all over the world with devastating loss of human life but it hits especially hard when it’s somewhere near and dear. If you’d like to help, please consider donating to the Sri Lanka Red Cross at https://www.redcross.lk.
Where Are We?
For the next three weeks, our journey takes us to Sri Lanka, a large island nation off the southern coast of India. Before this trip I was guilty of assuming Sri Lanka would be just an “India lite” but what we found was a distinct culture, cuisine and people that corrected our view. Our travels across the island involved a two week, circular highlights tour followed by a stationary week on a white sand beach. For those looking to travel to Sri Lanka, here was our itinerary, but read the whole blog because I have thoughts: Negombo (2n) -> Dambulla(2n) -> Kandy (1n) -> Nuwara Eliya (2n) -> Ella (4n) -> Tangalle (7n).
Our journey in Sri Lanka started with meeting our driver for the next few weeks at the airport, Roshan. I cannot recommend enough getting a driver in Sri Lanka as the sights are dispersed and the driving conditions being, let’s say rustic. The drivers, though, are much more than that, being certified tour guides for the country. Roshan didn’t just get us places, he went in with us, helped buy tickets, carried crying children and taught us about historical sights and Sri Lankan daily life. The best perk was after half a year of daily decisions on what to do or where to eat we had someone who when we said “hungry” brought us to delicious, local (always with great veggie options for Madeline) restaurants with no further input from us. I’ll praise Roshan more later in this post, but if you’re going and want a driver his company is True Lanka Tours.
Back to our tour loop, we started the journey in Negombo for a few days of recovery after our flight from Malaysia. Being Roshan’s hometown, he took us around to see the local markets (a Devereaux family favorite), and the massive fields of drying fish on the beach, a major export of the region. We got our first delicious tastes of Sri Lankan food, which while using many of the same ingredients as southern Indian cuisine, uses them in a fresher state (example: fresh curry leaves in everything vs dried powders). Overall we liked seeing the local life but would have been okay spending a single night here versus two. We also completely skipped the capital, Colombo, which is another common first stop next to the airport.
On the third day we drove north to the Dambulla/Sigiriya area, known for temples, ancient palaces and wildlife parks. The Buddhist Dambulla Cave Temple and Sigiriya Lions Rock sights were definitely worth the hype but involved a good amount of stairs and carrying of children. Generally when traveling to a region we can get “templed out” where it feels like every palace or church you see starts to look the same. In Sri Lanka, each site was beautifully different. Many of the locations blended natural and manmade features in intuitive ways that left us awestruck each time.
While we didn’t initially plan to go on another safari this year, when someone offers to show you a herd of wild elephants for a reasonable price you have to say yes. There is a trio of National Parks in the Dambulla area and word was passed along that the main herd was in Kaudulla National Park so off we went in a roided out Jeep Wrangler to find them. We went out late in the afternoon and were treated to +30 Asian elephants all grazing by a lake at sunset. Being that the park’s gates closed at sunset our driver set a sporty pace over the bumpy roads to squeak out 5 minutes after the technical closure time. The kids loved the open Jeep and wind in their faces as we cruised back to our hotel, well after bedtime.
Our initial plan was to spend three days in Dambulla and then drive to Nuwara Eliya in a single day since Google Maps said it was a long but manageable 4.5 hours. Roshan informed us that it would be at least 6, if not 7 based on the condition of the actual roads and traffic so at the last minute we changed our plans (GASP!) and booked a single night in Kandy. Doing so split up the drive, let us see Sri Dalda Maligawa (where Buddha’s sacred tooth is kept, like actual tooth) and find a screaming last minute deal on a swanky 5 star hotel for a night.
The next day we went on a spectacularly scenic drive, passing countless waterfalls and sweeping views of tea bush fields that covered entire mountain sides. Sri Lanka is the 4th largest tea producer in the world and chances are you’ve had it if you’ve ever had anything Lipton or seen the word “Ceylon” on the packaging. Being tea lovers, we couldn’t wait to stop at several of the plantations along the way and were not disappointed. Nuwara Eliya was built around the British tea industry and had beautiful hotels, gardens and a bonus crop for Madeline, lots of strawberries. The town of Nuwara Eliya itself was our favorite of the trip and we wish we would have stayed longer than than two nights.
From here we caught the famous train to Ella, a must-see route that goes through the central mountains over stone bridges and through rural areas of the country. The doors on the train are left open to the outside, so hanging out the side for a picture is a top thing to do. Unfortunately our train journey was both fogged in and the local food/water finally broke through my iron stomach to put me down for the count. Kudos to Madeline for keeping two kids entertained on a delayed train for four hours while I curled in a ball on the seat.
Arriving in Ella, we were greeted by an overly touristy town (“Is this Bali??”), focused on nightclubs and photographing people on oversized swings in flowing dresses. This town has definitely been “discovered” but there are some great hikes and views if you get a just outside of town. I would highly recommend going to see the Bandarawela Monastery at the top of a mountain, just not in the pouring rain. We spent four nights here in a lovely homestay where we ate breakfast overlooking the mist roll in from the mountains each morning.
Deciding on our final stop of the trip took the longest. We knew we wanted to spend a week just beaching it somewhere on Sri Lanka’s south coast but were overwhelmed by the number of cities and accommodations available for us to pick from. The hardest part was finding a toddler friendly beach, one where they could play in shallow water without large waves. While there are miles and miles of beautiful white sand beaches in Sri Lanka, finding one without crashing waves was challenging. Ultimately we did find the perfect place near Tangalle at Mangrove Beach Chalets, with cabanas on the beach and some surf break rocks that created great pools for the kids to play in.
For a week, we all just slowed down (partially driven by the lack of internet access) and enjoyed great weather and food at the onsite beach bar, where we happily ate breakfast, lunch and dinner. We even had our regular table that the kids would complain, rather loudly, when someone else sat at it. We got in to a very relaxing routine where Madeline and I would each split the morning between doing our own thing and playing with the kids. It was a win for both parents and kids alike, as Madeline and I were far more engaged building sand castles and “wave-bashing”, knowing we had some me time coming up after. After 7 days of bliss we sadly said goodbye to our sanctuary and headed to the airport to continue along our journey.
Favorite Experiences
Places
Here were some of our favorite activities from the trip! I put these on a map at the end of the blog along with our accommodations if you want links and more information.
- Sigiriya Rock – Sigiriya or the Lion Rock was a fortress/palace built around 500 C.E. by the King of Sri Lanka and then used as a Buddhist Monastery in to the 16th century. The hike up the rock is an adventure complete with lots of signs for staying quiet to avoid getting attacked by killer wasps, not terrifying at all with two rather loud toddlers. We made it without wasp attack and were treated to some impressive ruins complete with the original royal swimming pool and 360 degree views of the dense jungle surrounding it.
- Dambulla Cave Temple – The cave temple is the largest and best preserved in Sri Lanka, dating back to the 1st century BCE. The site is up a stairway where you pass vendors selling beautifully crafted fresh flower patterns to leave as offerings. There are multiple caves, each filled with statues to Buddha gilded in gold with +1000 year old paints above it. Definitely worth the visit.
- Tea Plantations – In the Sri Lankan highlands there are tons of tea plantations and tea houses. Madeline and I both love tea, so we were excited to visit at least a few of them. At Bluefield Tea Factory we picked our own tea leaves in the fields and then did a tasting of the various grades of tea, each representing a slightly different size, oxidation and thus flavor profile of tea leaf. At Labookellie Tea Factory we walked through the factory with a guide who showed us from bush-to-cup the process of making Tea. We learned that Sri Lankan tea quality is due to it being hand picked and wood dried, even to this day. Both were worth it, though if have to choose one, we liked Labookellie for the (slightly) less touristic feel.
- Tangalle Beach – Tangalle Beach is idyllic in its palm trees, white sand and spare crowds due to its long shore line. There were tons of shells to find, water to play in and hermit crabs to find scuttling along. We enjoyed walking along the beach and stopping by the restaurant shacks for fresh fish and curry each day.
Food
Food in Sri Lanka was expectedly delicious and very vegetarian friendly. It was also spicy! Touristy restaurants know how to hold the spice but a local restaurant will say “not spicy” and we’d still be guzzling water.
Cuisine:
- Curry and Rice – The local menus don’t look diverse, with the generic “Curry & Rice” being on the top of every menu, but each location’s take on what those “curries” are was unique and delicious. As someone who suffers from menu paralysis because I want to try it all, the curry and rice order became my staple, receiving a surprise mix of perfectly spices vegetarian sides and a main fish or chicken curry over a bed of the fluffiest rice.
- Kottu – Chopped up roti with mixed shredded vegetables, a great vegetarian staple.
- Coconut Roti and Dahl – a thick pancake made out of coconut and flour served with yellow Dahl (lentil curry). It was a common homestay breakfast with varying levels of spice. Breakfast also usually had local fruit, omelets and for some reason, always our own whole loaf of generic white bread.
- Coconut Pancakes – These were really a rolled up crepe with shredded brown sugar fresh coconut on the inside. Absolutely delicious.
- Mangos, Red Bananas, and Yellow Coconuts – Fresh produce stands were everywhere and full of beautiful food. Unique Sri Lankan ones were several varieties of mangos, red bananas (sweet!), and yellow coconuts which are meant for drinking the coconut water. One day Emmett ate 8 bananas! Mae always gave hers to him since he liked them so much.
- Lassi – Drinking yogurt that comes in many flavors. Fresh mango was the kids favorite!
- High Tea – In Nuwara Eliya, due to the British influence, there are plenty of high tea options where you get the cute little bites of sandwiches and dessert alongside a teapot of local tea.
Restaurants:
- Hela Bojun Hala – Nuwara Eliya – This co-op in Nuwara Eliya was really cool in that it provided a free kitchen and vending space to Sri Lankan women looking to sell their food. The dishes were cheap, vegetarian and delicious, with the bonus of supporting a good cause.
- Chill Ramboda, Kandy – A tourist stop for sure, but had the most amazing balcony overlooking a valley of waterfalls. It is a great stop between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya and the kids got to use permanent markers to write their names on the tables which was exhilarating for them to break that cardinal family rule. Unfortunately, this restaurant was severely damaged in the recent flooding so hoping they are able to rebuild it!
- Beach Bar, Tangalle– Staying and eating at the same restaurant for seven days sounds boring but each meal we had there was fresh and delicious. The kids loved their afternoon mango lassis with fresh cut fruit and the seafood was always to notch. The views of the beach and ability to charge it to the room also made it very easy to have a beer, or two. As the only place with internet on the property, Madeline and I spent a lot of time here working on our computers while listening to the waves.
- Ella Spice Garden – It wouldn’t be a family trip without a cooking class! We did the Ella Spice Garden one, in Ella of course, which included a tour of a garden with all of the spices we would soon use in cooking. We made fresh coconut milk, learned the shaping techniques for roti and the kids got to stir some very hot pots of curry with careful adult guidance.
Family Moments
- Roshan, Our Driver – It sounds cliche, but Roshan became a part of our family for our short time together in Sri Lanka. He expertly drove us around and patiently stopped for every photo or “I need to go potty!” shouted from the back seats. He carried our kids up literal mountains, showed us some truly hidden gems and answered our many, many questions about Sri Lanka and his family. Our kids haven’t gotten in a van since Sri Lanka without asking when we will see Roshan again.
- Squirrel Death – Sri Lanka has a native giant gray squirrel that is elusive and rare to see. Eagle eyed Roshan spotted one during our drive and pulled over to watch just as the squirrel made the poor decision to jump on to an electrical line and literally light on fire before falling to the ground. We confirmed that the squirrel had gone to that big oak tree in the sky and fielded a barrage of questions from the kids about what they had just seen. It would remain inside joke for the rest of the trip.
- Rainy Day in Ella – During our stay in Ella the weather wasn’t great and after being cooped up for a day, we decided to risk it and go see the Bandarawela Buddhist Monastery. The drive up was a narrow mountain road and the rain held off, that is, until we reached the temple when it started dumping buckets. Barefoot (required for temples) and with umbrellas overwhelmed by the quantity of water, we ventured around a beautiful temple before heading back thoroughly soaked for a late dinner. Apparently when there are heavy rains, a particular breed of moth emerges for like~8 hours to mate and then die so every building with a light was swarming with thousands of moths, making dinner a harrowing experience. To cap it off, Madeline’s shoe was mysteriously red with blood after our short walk home. Upon closer inspection we found two wiggling leaches in her shoe and now understand why they used them in medieval times for bloodletting.
- Per Emmett (2.5 Yr Old): Favorite moment was “cars” – Elaborating on this, Emmett’s favorite memory was playing with his cars on the beach in Tangalle. We would build a village of houses complete with garages (aka tunnels in the sand) and drive to the race track or farmers market.
- Per Mae (5 Yr Old): Favorite moment was “Flowers from Roshan” – After noticing Mae’s liking for tropical flowers, every morning Roshan would pick fresh flowers for the kids before our pick up. Apparently there are a lot of different species in Sri Lanka, because he never brought the same ones twice. Mae would then put flowers in her hair or play “flower family” in the back of the car on our drive.
Tips & Lessons Learned
This is where we put all of the things we learned along the way about traveling in the region as well as traveling with toddlers. Get ready, we have a lot for Sri Lanka.
About Sri Lanka:
- Get a Driver – Sri Lanka can really only be seen with a car and has some longer +3 hour drives between the best destinations. While there are some well maintained highways, 95% of the driving was on small, potholed roads with barely enough room for two cars and tons of mopeds/tuk-tuks driving slowly along the edges. We paid $75 a day for our personal driver with a large van and it was worth every penny to not half to worry about planning the route or dealing with the stress of driving.
- Kid Interactions – Everyone in Sri Lanka was friendly and loved the kids, often coming up to them to say “hello baby!”. They would also touch the kids, particularly on the head or face in a loving way but it was a little overwhelming for our kiddos. We had some talks about how to say “no thank you” but after a few days of it they started hiding their faces against us when new people approached.
- Cash & ATMs – Sri Lanka is a cash first country, including the accommodations. There are lots of ATMs, but my success rate was 50% with them, so make sure to have a reserve set aside. Also, USD are generally accepted, but only in mint condition. Multiple times my “dirty” or creased USD were rejected since they wouldn’t be able to exchange them at their Sri Lankan banks.
- The Train to Ella – This is a must do when traveling to Sri Lanka, but a few notes when you are looking to book it. First, expect the trains to be late with them getting later and later as the day progresses. Our 1pm train was delayed 2 hours and 1-4hours is fairly common for delays, worse if it rains. Second, for train tickets we got the more expensive 1st class reserved ($20 instead of $15 per person), in order to have air conditioning since we were worried about being on a hot, sweaty train. It turns out it actually gets pretty chilly up in the highlands, so the AC wasn’t necessary. First class windows also didn’t open which is one of the reasons to take the trains in Sri Lanka. Also “reserved” seats means they just give you a numbered seat when you get there in sequential order, but not necessarily next to each other. Our family of 4 was split up as 1-2-1, which made it tricky with kids.
About Traveling with Toddlers:
- Kids Car Activities – Another set of long drives and the insuring entertainment of children. The Yotos were again worth their wait in gold, both as a distraction and a way to hypnotize them in to sleep with the right songs. Some new sticker books and drawing pads also helped pass the time for us.
- Solo Time – Madeline and I really love spending time with our children and each other, but this year traveling together has ironically left us less solo time for our hobbies, exercise and even showering. We struck a good balance at the end of our time in Sri Lanka, each taking a 2 hour shift with the kids while the other went on their merry way. It really was a win-win with the kids getting more direct attention and play since the parent knew they had a break coming soon.
- Be Flexible – Touring around a country at this pace is hard on little kids. You can’t expect them to be calm and well behaved at every meal if you eat out 3x a day. Luckily, Roshan was great and would let us lead on timing and what we needed for the kids. Sometimes that meant requesting a quick meal or to-go meal and sometimes that meant canceling on a planned activity or moving it to another time. YOU know your kids best so don’t be afraid to mix it up! Madeline literally had to take the kids back to the hotel room to get the wiggles out in the middle of a farm tour.
Closing
Sri Lanka was a destination that exceeded our expectations and got us out of our traveling comfort zone. It was an exhausting couple of weeks, changing hotels every few nights, but finishing with a week of staying put on a beach gave us the “vacation from a vacation” that we needed. Now on to meet up with family in South Korea!
