#7 Cheap Public Transportation

It was amazing how cheap it was to commute in Sri Lanka- even much cheaper than in the Philippines! We took a lot of bus rides and paid local prices- no tourist tax here! The only challenge was asking around and making sure we got on the right bus as well as asking if they would allow us to transport our surfboards.

If you want to bring surfboards with you, make sure you bring a lot of rope or tie downs. Most buses don't have a compartment big enough to fit them. But they would let us attach the boards on the window of the back seat, provided we paid a small fee. It's also fairly easy to haggle these costs with the locals.

#6 Photographer's Paradise

There are so many awesome places, people and animals to photograph in this country! The light was also amazing when we were there- it made images much more interesting! I loved how most locals would allow me to take pictures of them and with them. I just had challenges with a few shy school girls and one person who asked us for money after I snapped a photo. Other than that, make sure you bring a camera with you and document those beautiful moments from your trip!

We biked through the ruins of Polonaruwa, Sri Lanka's splendid medieval capital that was established as the first city of the land in the 11th Century, A.D. We had rented our bikes the day before, woke up early that morning to get our $25 worth. Some of the spots were hilly and we had to go through dirt roads. But we enjoyed going around temples, palaces, dry "ponds" and ancient sculpture.

Make sure you pace yourself- you don't need to see everything. Just grab a map and mark the spots that interest you. Grab some fresh squeezed lime juice and snacks on the roadside stopovers.

After Polonaruwa, we took a bus to Sirigaya or Lion's Rock. This massive solitary rock plateau rises 1,000 foot from the surrounding plains and was the 5th century seat of power of King Kassapa. I was pretty sweaty in the blazing Sri Lankan sun as I climbed staircase after staircase. But the pain in my thighs almost disappeared as soon we reached the Lion's Paws- each was the size of a bus! The view from the top gave us a heady feeling (as well as the exhaustion). But this was definitely a highlight in our trip! Just make sure you wear comfortable shoes, put on sunblock and bring a lot of water with you.

#2 Surf

Surfing was a big part of our experience in Sri Lanka. We situated ourselves at Arugam Bay where most of the surf spots were. We had a lot of options to choose from. Beginner friendly Baby's Point was a short walk away and that's where we spent most of our surf time at. The waves would break left and a much longer right and it was easy enough to land on the shore and walk back to the lineup. 

September is a good season for surf in the Arugam Bay/Pottuvil area where we went. But Sri Lanka has so many surf breaks to choose from including Galle, Weligama and Matara Beach.

#1 The People

My main reason for visiting Sri Lanka would definitely be the people. People who have ready smiles, curious gazes and always an air of authenticity. People who would go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and offer help when needed. These were some of the most genuine and generous locals I had met. I'm grateful that I made it out there to meet them in person and experience their hospitality first hand. 

I would never forget the hospitable couple we stayed with in Kandy who took the time to give us a room upgrade when we told them we were backpackers traveling on a budget. They even made us special meals for free and gave us recommendations on places to visit in town.  

I would never forget "Sexy Baldy" Shiri who manned the roadside resto in Arugam where we often had our morning roti. He told us countless stories from the last tsunami in 2004 that hit the western coast of Sri Lanka. He even told us how he had saved a "miracle baby" that he found in the rubble. We still exchange emails from time to time.
I would never forget our tuktuk driver in Arugam Bay, Suresh who took us to a bunch of places and never expected anything more than his day's wage. The most interesting part is when he gave us a call (to the Philippines!) months after our trip to ask us if we were okay. He had heard of the floods in the Philippines while watching TV and decided to give us a call and check in on us. What a caring person!

Have I given you enough reasons to start booking flights and searching for hotels in Sri Lanka? Now is the perfect time to go! Sri Lanka is touristy enough but so many places remain true and unspoiled by commercialism.

How to Make This Trip Happen*:

Visas: Sri Lanka Immigration introduced ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) system since 2012, which makes visa application process much easier. Nowadays, you do not need to go to the local embassy. Just fill in the application online.

When you fill in the application, please make sure all the passport information is exactly the same as on your passport, otherwise the ETA you get will not be valid. ETA is issued with 6 month validity and it is valid for 2 entries. For each entry, you can stay up to 30 days. For more information, you can read here.

You are not required to print out the ETA confirmation because it is linked to your passport electronically. When you show the passport they are able to find it in the system. When there is amistake on the application, (i.e. if the passport number, date of birth, or name is wrong) it will be invalid. But other information, such as address or email, those information will not affect the validity of the ETA and it is not required information as well.

Flights: Unfortunately, Airasia no longer flies to Colombo. The cheapest way to Colombo would most probably be via Kuala Lumpur through SriLankan Airlines.

Transportation: There are a lot of affordable car for hire services that come with a driver around Sri Lanka. We opted to do it the backpacker way and commuted our way around. From the airport, there is a free shuttle service to the bus terminal. Then you can take the buses to most destinations across the country- they're cheap and convenient!

Accommodations: Most places we went to like Arugam Bay, Polonaruwa, Sirigaya and Kandy had cheap accommodations options. We normally paid between $15-$30 USD for a private room with bath good for 2 people. The best options would always be the homestays because you get to interact with the local family and pay a fraction of the usual cost.

Currency: The currency being used in Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan rupee which is currently valued at 1 USD = 130.325 LKR.

*This information is updated as of June 28, 2013.

Have you been to Sri Lanka before? Did you love it or hate it? Please share your experiences by commenting below!

Sentimental about Sri Lanka,

Sole Sister Lois

Lois has traveled extensively and has called the USA, Germany, Switzerland and the Philippines home in various stages of her life. When she's not having adventures around the globe, she can be found surfing, surfing someone's couch or giving talks, workshops and retreats. She is a certified Passion Test facilitator who believes that people can find what they love and make a living from their passions. She is the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of wearesolesisters.com.