Sri Lanka Travel Diary
Sri Lanka
I usually plan everything. This time I just went. Pink sunsets, fresh octopus speared from the water by my host, a Red Bull surf competition party on the beach at midnight, and the firm intention to go back properly.
Red Bull Ride My Wave · Hikkaduwa
Sri Lanka · 2016
"The host asked what we would like for lunch. We said fresh octopus. He walked into the water with a spear and came back with lunch in minutes. This was before I saw the octopus documentary."
Usually I get very involved in the planning. This was one trip I was just going to go with the flow with my friends. It was not meant to be a discovery trip so much as a relaxing getaway from the hustle and bustle that is life in Dubai. We stayed in a beautiful family-run bed and breakfast right on the beach, the kind of place where the host asks you what you would like for lunch, and when you say fresh octopus, he walks into the water with a spear and comes back with lunch in minutes. This was, I should mention, before I watched the octopus documentary. I choose not to think about this too hard.
Pink sunsets. Delicious food. A random and genuinely fun party for the Red Bull surfing competition on a super nice beach at midnight, wrapped in whatever mylar blanket was to hand, which is exactly the kind of thing that happens when you stop planning and start going. I got rather sick and spent a fair portion of the trip passed out sleeping, which was, in its own way, also what I needed. I loved it. I cannot wait to go back, and next time I will be ready to actually explore.
The south coast of Sri Lanka moves differently from most places. The southern coast beaches around Talpe, Galle, Mirissa and Weligama have a quality of light and a texture of water that I have not found anywhere else. The reef at Wijaya Beach in Talpe forms a natural sea swimming pool where the water is so clear you can see different fish without a snorkel just by walking out to the reef. The stilt fishermen at Koggala are a National Geographic image come to life, which sounds like a cliche until you are actually standing there watching them. It is not a cliche. It is extraordinary.
"I managed to go to a Red Bull party on a super nice beach and that was fun but did not stay long as I was unwell. I loved it though and I cannot wait to go back."
Leila Antakly · Email to Siddarth, December 2016Galle Fort is the kind of historic site that earns the visit without requiring an explanation. A 17th-century walled city with Dutch colonial buildings, boutique shops and coastal views, it rewards an evening stroll when the light is right and the heat has softened. The restaurants inside the fort, Fortaleza with its secluded courtyard and solid wine list, Fort Printers with its good lunch menu, are both worth building a meal around. And stopping at the Amangalla for an evening gin and tonic is not optional: the property is among the most beautiful I have encountered anywhere.
The first-timer's guide to Galle Fort from Bon Traveler is excellent if you want to go deeper. Hiriketiya is worth the extra travel time. The Kandy to Ella train is, by all accounts I have since heard, one of the great rail journeys in the world. I have added it to the list for next time. The list is long. I am not sorry.
Bungalows set in the tea estate hills. One of Sri Lanka's most romantic and remote experiences.
Inside the fort. The most beautiful property. At minimum, stop for an evening G&T.
Yoga eco retreat. Off-grid, no electricity, surrounded by jungle. The real reset.
Perched above the bay. Exceptional views. One of the south coast's finest hotels.
Modern kitsch boutique hotel. Characterful and personal. Highly recommended.
I had no idea they had an Aman on the south coast. They do. It is everything you would expect.
The place to go for swimming. A reef forms a natural sea pool: clear, calm, safe. Walk to the reef and see fish without a snorkel. Bar right on the beach. wijayabeach.com
Dutch colonial buildings, boutique shops, coastal views. Worth visiting in the evening for a stroll. Best light after 5pm. Allow two to three hours.
Best place for surf lessons and board rental on the south coast. Mirissa and Arugam Bay are also exceptional for those who already know what they are doing.
Secluded courtyard cafe with a good wine list. Laid back for lunch, romantic in the evening. Solid food reputation. fortaleza.lk
I was obsessed. A delicious dinner at Tamarind Hill hotel outside Galle Fort remains one of my favourite meals. Also Poonies Kitchen for a more casual experience.
The fishermen who fish from a stilt in the ocean. A National Geographic image come to life. It sounds like a cliche until you are standing there. It is not a cliche.
One of the great rail journeys in the world, through the tea estate hills. On the list for next time.
Two of Sri Lanka's finest national parks. Yala for leopards on the south coast. Kaudulla for elephant gatherings in the north centre. Both exceptional.
Another go-with-the-flow trip to the Indian subcontinent: North Goa, Siolim House, and the paddy fields.
Another island that rewards the visitor who goes before the crowds arrive. A travel essay about Pantelleria.
An independent platform dedicated to artists, musicians, photographers, designers, and thinkers at every stage. Every interview is selected for depth, not reach.
✦ Explore all our travel essays →"I loved it though and I cannot wait to go back. Next time, for the proper exploring."
More travel writing and personal essays from Leila Antakly on Substack.
Read on Substack ↗A visual diary of an incredible adventure to Sri Lanka with friends.
