For a couple of months, there was so much happening at work that I was keeping too busy and hardly had any time for myself. It is due to times like these that life becomes a bit monotonous and we start looking for some fun. I badly needed some time out to rejuvenate my mind and body, and it was then my friend aka my guide aka my partner in crime stepped in and suggested that we take the much needed break!
After brainstorming and researching for a while, we finalized Sri Lanka as our holiday destination since the flights were cheap and the little that we knew about the country made it seem like an ideal place for the two of us. During the ongoing research, we stumbled upon TravelTriangle who made our dream of going to Sri Lanka come true. They managed all the trip planning and booking so efficiently that we didn’t have to do anything, but pack our bags and wait for exploring the best places to visit in Sri Lanka on a friends trip!
Trip Type: 6 Days 5 Nights friends trip
Cost: INR 45,296
Inclusions: All the accommodation, breakfast and dinner, transfers from and to the airport, sightseeing, an English speaking driver, a local sim card, free medical coverage, GST, and other taxes.
Exclusions: Airfare, personal expenses, lunch, and anything not mentioned in the inclusions.
About Sri Lanka & Its People
25 Best Places To Visit In Kandy In 2022 – Sri Lanka’s Spiritual Capital
An island located in the Indian Ocean, just south of India, Sri Lanka is a paradise for travelers who love chilling under the sun and at the sea. The country has beautiful cities and attractions, each with its own charm for every type of traveler. And as far as the Sri Lankan people are concerned, they are genuinely warm, very welcoming and just downright nice!
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These Places To Visit In Sri Lanka On A Friends Trip Made Our Holiday Memorable!
Day 1 and 2: Kandy Lake and Peradeniya Botanical Garden
Upon our arrival in Colombo, we decided to kick-start our holiday with Kandy, the next beautiful and the biggest city after Colombo which was placed at the top of our itinerary. We were received by our driver at the airport who took us to our hotel in Kandy, where we relaxed for a while before heading out for sightseeing.
On the second day, we decided to visit the Kandy Lake. Most part of the city is dominated by it, and it is so charming & peaceful that it became our favorite part of the city. Both of us had a pleasant stroll around the lake, where it was also surrounded by a busy road on its southern edge. Such busy cities have always provided me with the peace I am on a lookout for, maybe because I am not a part of that chaos & rush, and that feeling makes me glad. While we were at the lake, we spent most of our time strolling around it and feeding the ducks, where a lot of local vendors also tried to rip us by selling popcorn for feeding the ducks.
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As per our Sri Lanka trip itinerary, the next place that we had to visit was the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, but we had to skip it since we were not wearing the clothes that covered our legs and shoulders completely, and it was an important instruction for the visitors. So, we decided to not go to the temple, and instead wander around in the city & explore it at our own pace.
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Just outside of Kandy, a lovely Peradeniya Botanical Garden is located, which was once reserved exclusively for the Kandyan Royalty. Since it is open today to the public, and is one of the largest botanical gardens in Sri Lanka, we decided to visit it. A beautiful collection of orchids, cannonball trees, coconut palm trees, a spice garden, giant bamboo, rubber trees, as well as a stately avenue of royal palms can be found here in abundance, and it’s a sight absolutely worth witnessing!
Day 3 and 4: Bentota Beaches and Tea Garden
After two days of sightseeing in Kandy, we finally decided to head the one of the most amazing places to visit in Sri Lanka on a friends trip, for which we had actually come here. We left for the ‘three S’ in Bentota – the sun, sand, and the sea and were too excited too kick off sandals and walk barefoot on the warm sand.
Actually walking on the beach and chilling nearby felt heavenly, especially after we had escaped the winters in Delhi. Both of us decided to ditch the sightseeing plan in Bentota and spend our time listening to the beach waves. Bentota has some of the best and most beautiful beaches in the whole of Sri Lanka like the Moragalla Beach (just where the Bentota Ganga river meets the ocean) and Ventura Beach. They are more informally referred to simply as Bentota Beach, and together they make a very long stretch of fine white sand. Visiting here felt like a bliss and the much needed break, which I was looking for.
Our Enchanting Trip To Sri Lanka Was The Perfect First Time International Vacation
The sandy strip of Bentota Beach that runs parallel to the Bentota Lagoon (or Bentota Ganga) is nicknamed as Paradise Island as it is like a long narrow peninsula out in the ocean. In my opinion, it is a well-deserved name that describes the true beauty of the place.
Day 5 and 6: Gem Museum and Odeon Mall in Colombo
On the fifth day of our Sri Lanka trip, we left for Colombo. On our way to the city, just outside of Bentota, we came across an Ayurveda Garden. Both my friend and I decided to stop here for a visit and take a tour of the garden. From our entry to the whole guided tour, everything was free and we did not pay anything at all.
The head gardener and the trained Ayurvedic doctor showed us the lush green garden and explained everything about the different herbs and spices that they grow and use in the Ayurveda medicine and treatment.
Sri Lanka Travel Tips: 21 Dos And Don’ts For A Memorable Vacation In 2022
After the garden, we resumed our journey back to Colombo and visited the famous Gem Museum and the Odeon Mall for shopping. We spent a good time here, post which we headed to our hotel where we faced a little issue related to the location of the room, and had to move to another accommodation. The rest of the evening was spent moving between the properties and settling down so we had to call it a day.
On the final day of our holiday in Sri Lanka, we got up early, packed our bags, and checked out around 10 in the morning so that we could head to the airport for our journey back home.
Needless to say, our experience with TravelTriangle was impeccable. Mr. Mahesh, who was our guide and driver gave us excellent advices wherever possible, and made our first visit to the country homelike.
About Sri Lanka’s Food
44 Soul Satisfying Things To Do In Sri Lanka In 2022 For Travelers Of All Types
The food in Sri Lanka is out of this world. Irrespective of which place you go, you’ll find delicious food, often seafood pulled straight from the Indian Ocean and curries made with the freshest natural ingredients and accompanied by rice of course. Even if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, the country would not disappoint you as you’ll have no shortage of choices since I found my favourites too – potato curry, garlic curry, and dal.
High Points Of Our Sri Lanka Trip:
- Witnessing the night view of Kandy was the best end of the first day that we could’ve hoped for
- The resort at Bentota and the beaches were amazing
Low Points Of Our Sri Lanka Trip:
- The only low point during our trip was the hotel in Colombo. Since the room had a live railway track near it, we didn’t find it too comfortable for relaxing. So, we had to a bit of hotel hopping in the city until we finally found an alternative place to stay.
Tips For Future Travelers
- Kandy is a beautiful city with a more gorgeous lake. So, make sure you include the Kandy Lake in your itinerary.
- If you’re a beach lover, don’t forget to visit the beaches in Bentota. They are incredibly beautiful.
- Sri Lanka is a great place to shop souvenirs. You can visit the local shops or malls like Odeon in Colombo to buy a few things for yourself and your loved ones.
- Carry a lot of cash since there are few places in the country that accept payments via credit or debit cards.
- Carry a sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
- If you plan to visit the temples in Sri Lanka, make sure you’re decently dressed and your clothes are covering your arms and legs.
- Before paying for the entry tickets at certain attractions, do check with the staff if there are specific ticket prices for your country as mentioned in their SAARC regulation.
The overall experience of our friends trip to Sri Lanka with TravelTriangle was so kick-ass that I would love to plan my other holidays with them again. Even our agent Leisure Tours International Ltd. was so good that they supported us at every stage of our trip and helped us have the most memorable trip of our lives!
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A writer at heart with the soul of a traveler is pretty much who she is. Besides, she also loves treating her taste buds to different cuisines, binge-watching almost all sorts of series and movies, and indulging in new experiences every now and then. Also, languages and cultures fascinate her to a great extent, which is why currently she is brushing up her Spanish.
