229 274
SRI LANKA
229
January15
Getting there
Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Sri Lankan Airlines fly direct from
Singapore to the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo.
Recommendations
Sri Sharavi Beach Villas & Spa: srisharavibeachvillas.com
Sea Turtle Farm and Hatchery: seaturtlefarm.org
Udawalawe National Park: udawalawenationalpark.com
The safari
Another great experience is a trip to one
of Sri Lanka’s national parks. If you’re
interested in wildlife, this is a must. We
visited Udawalawe National Park, rather
than the better-known Yala National
Park, which was closed because of
drought. And what an experience it was.
After a three-and-a-half-hour journey
from the resort, we were ushered to a
very comfortable private jeep for the
three-hour safari. Within minutes the
heavens opened and we were caught in
a thunderstorm and torrential downpour.
The guide hastily closed the jeep’s
plastic blinds while the driver kept
navigating through the difficult terrain,
now a slippery morass. Needless to
say, we couldn’t see a thing, and I had
to keep reminding the kids (and myself!)
that a safari is like a box of chocolate:
you never know what you’re going to get.
Our luck turned, however, and after
an hour or so of rain, we came across a
giant elephant strutting across the path.
More animal sightings soon followed:
peacocks, several birds of prey, a fox,
herds of deer, buffaloes soaking in
mud puddles, and a group of cheeky
monkeys. As the sun began to set,
our driver made one last stop next to
a watering hole where we saw a baby
elephant being surrounded by the herd
for protection – very sweet. Watching
them behave in their natural setting was
amazing, and my daughter couldn’t stop
taking pictures.
Back at the resort, chef Dilan had
prepared a fantastic dinner of local
delights that we enjoyed on our verandah
to the sound of waves crashing on the
shore. It was a great way to round off an
amazing trip to Sri Lanka that created
unforgettable memories for the family.
Exploring the historical fort at Galle
If you love
turtles or
conservation,
the sea
turtle farm at
Habaradura is
a must-see.
Spotting
a family of
elephants was
the highlight
of our safari
at Udawalawe
National Park
My
daughter
enjoys
getting up-
close and
personal
with a
python
The snake
farm run by an
Ayurvedic doctor
is not for the
faint-hearted