“The area around Galle, and the whole southern coast, is the busiest part of Sri Lanka and a must for the tropical beach life, surfing and whale watching.” Malik Fernando, Resplendent Ceylon
Beautiful Sri Lanka, known as the Wonder of Asia, is the perfect place for a short Eid trip and we took full advantage of the UAE’s proximity to nearby paradise islands by booking a last minute three-night mini break. As the other half missed the last Sri Lankan trip (read about that here) due to work commitments we followed in the footsteps of my previous visit by heading down the Southern Expressway from Colombo to Weligama. Coconut palm fringed beaches, crashing surf and incredible sunsets pretty much sum up this area and even in low-season you can experience hours of sunshine interspersed with tropical rain showers.
Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is a country that’s experienced its fair share of conflict and natural disasters with a civil war raging for sixteen years and the 2004 tsunami that caused devastation on the southern coast. Now this land of outstanding natural beauty is rich in history and culture is a tourist hotspot that gives the country a dependable source of income. Sri Lanka caters for every traveler’s budget from backpackers to luxury boutique hotels and we enjoyed an indulgent stay in the stunning clifftop Cape Weligama, a five-star paradise that’s part of both the Resplendent Ceylon collection and the Relais & Chateaux portfolio.
The islanders are really friendly, you are guaranteed the warmest welcome with the widest smile wherever you go. Plenty of relaxation, spa treatments and traditional Sri Lankan food was the order of the day. We had a day trip to Galle Fort that’s filled with historical sites, quirky little shops and trendy cafes followed by a quick visit to Unawatuna beach and a tuk tuk tour of Weligama and Mirissa Bay. I loved Sri Lanka just as much this time as the first and now after two visits to the South coast I have the East coast as well as Central and Northern provinces on my to-do list, I can’t wait to visit tea country too. Here’s a first look at this trip in pictures….
Read more about Sri Lanka in previous posts HERE
All views are my own. Unless otherwise stated, all photos on this page © Jo Brett 2018. All rights reserved.
We travelled from Abu Dhabi to Sri Lanka with Etihad Airways. We stayed at Cape Weligama part of the Resplendent Ceylon group of boutique hotels. We used the very reliable, friendly and reasonable priced Pradeep Nirukshan of Weligama Surf Tours for our airport transfers, tours and tuk tuk rides – visit his website www.weligamasurftours.com/