I just returned from my last visit to Sri Lanka with my wife. A tropical island with a rich ancient history, beautiful beaches, stunning golden temples and, of course, cricket lovers. We booked our flight tickets online on GUSTO TRAVELS. Colombo been the second home for us, we were very much excited to visit again.
Unlike my previous visits to this beautiful country, this time, I wanted to share what I explore through my GUSTO TRAVELS BLOG.
We landed around 2300hrs, took a cab to Colombo for Rs 2750.00. Prices depend on the location where you want to go. Though Sri Lanka is connected with a good public transportation system, it's always better to hire a taxi. The advantage of hiring a taxi for your tour in Sri Lanka is, being able to stop anywhere and explore or have a light meal conveniently, without waiting for another public local buses which most of the time is fully packed.
WHERE TO STAY IN SRI LANKA
There are numerous places to chose from, guest houses, apartments to five-star hotels like CINNAMON GRAND COLOMBO CINNAMON LAKE SIDE or HILTON COLOMBO. If you are on a budget tour, you can choose to stay a normal guest house which will cost you about $10 to $15 per day.
WHERE TO EAT
There are different types of restaurants which serve both local and western foods at an affordable cost. The restaurants and cafes that line across the street and the beaches cater to international tastes. If you are a seafood lover, it's widely and cheaply available at coastal areas. You can expect to dine on lobster, crab, and devilled jumbo prawns at many of the restaurants fringing the beach. Those of you who stay in hotels like Cinnamon Grand, they have their own restaurants and other food outlets within their premises. I personally like their LAGOON Restaurant, where you chose your seafood from the huge display and your chef will cook it however you want right in front of you.
TRY ONE OF THE LOCAL DISHES BEFORE YOU LEAVE
A good meal is something that stimulates all your senses. It is the amalgamation of how it smells, look, taste and touch that combine together to create a really a memorable eating experience of all time. Maybe that is the reason why Sri Lankans eat with their hand. When eating food with your hands, you become more aware of the feel and heat of your food.
In Sri Lanka, meals are nicely garnished, colorful and visually appealing. The smell has lingering aromas of rich spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and curry leaves, and the taste is robust and contrasting in flavor. When you add the final sense, TOUCH, to this mix, you get a totally unique eating experience.
During this trip, I ate their unique rice and curry twice. Rice and curry are their staple dish that incorporates almost all the essential flavors that make up Sri Lankan cuisine. Sri Lankan eats rice and curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Therefore, it's not hard to find it. It is available and sold all the local cafes. Simply walk out to the street you will find many local cafes which serve the best and cheapest rice and curry.
Try before you depart. Have fun and enjoy.
Martin Wynn
