10 reasons why you should visit Sri Lanka in 2016

It has a tropical climate, golden beaches, tea plantations and wildlife-packed national parks - why Sri Lanka should be on your travel bucket list

Sri Lanka - in pictures

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Hot hotel: the new Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical and incredibly diverse island off the southern tip of India that can offer holiday makers everything from pristine sandy beaches to ancient Buddhist temples and lush green hills dotted with tea plantations to wildlife safaris. Its tourism industry suffered major setbacks from its 20 year civil war, which ended in 2009, as well as devastaion from the 2004 tsunami. But it's getting back on its feet and a slew of luxe new hotel openings are putting it back on the map. Here are 10 reasons why you should visit the 'pearl of the Indian Ocean' this year.

The climate 

Sri Lanka has a blissful tropical climate that offers winter sun to us northern hemisphere dwellers. It's also varied, so you can go from sunbathing in the dry heat of the southern beaches to the cool breezes of the Hill Country in the same holiday. But you'll need to plan your trip carefully if you want to avoid its two distinct monsoon seasons. The main south-western monsoon brings rain to the popular South West between May and September, whilst the dry season in this region runs from December to March. In the less-visited North and Eastern parts of the island, the weather is influenced by the north-eastern monsoon, which brings wind and rain between October and January, with drier weather between May and September. December to March is the most popular time to visit.

The tea trails

Lovers of a good cuppa will be in their element in Sri Lanka: the cool Hill Country is covered with tea plantations on every available slope. Opt to stay with Ceylon Tea Trails (teatrails.com), which has four luxury bunglaowes connected by walking trails through stunning tea gardens. The Ceylon area covers 2000 square kilometres and produces 300 million kg of Ceylon Tea per year - make sure you rouse yourself to climb the famed 2250m Adam's Peak holy mountain for a sunrise to remember.

Top of the lake: Ceylon Tea Trails (Picture: Sebastian Posingis)

The beaches

The beaches in the south and west are the most buzzing right now on this teardrop-shaped island. Known unofficially as the 'Sri Lankan Riviera', the beaches are a majestic golden-tan colour, fringed with swaying palm trees and backed by orchards, rice paddies and lowland tea plantations. The southern beaches around the colonial town of Galle are the most paradisical, but if you're after something a little wilder, head west. 

The hotels

There have been a spate of exciting new hotel opening in Sri Lanka, which are helping to boost it as a destination, especially for honeymooners. First up is Tri (trilanka.com), the country's first contemporary, sustainable luxury design hotel, which has 11 unique suites flanking the serene Lake Koggala. Cape Weligama (capewelligama.com), which opened in 2014, should also be on your hitlist: 39 villas occupy a lush 12-acre plot on a spectacular clifftop on the south coast, alongside an infinity pool and three excellent restaurants.

Eco-friendly: a bedroom at Tri hotel in Sri Lanka

The people

Sri Lankans are an incredibly kind, smiley and welcoming lot - travellers often return home saying they are hands down the nicest people in the world. Every man and his dog will talk to you on the street, but you won't be hassled like in nearby India.

Luxurious: a free standing bath at Cape Welligama

The shopping

In the capital Colombo - which is well worth staying a night in - you can buy label Western clothes at a discount as well as bringing home teas, spices and brightly coloured clothes. It's also a fantastic place to pick up precious gem stones.

The food

You'll go wild for the food, which has been shaped by its colourful historical and culural past. Must-eats include: curd and treacle, a dessert made using buffalo milk curd and dusted with coconut; hoppers, which are like a battered pancake, cradling everything from eggs and veggies to sweet treats; and of course, Sri Lankan curries, seafood and King coconuts.

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Its cultural heritage

Sri Lanka is jam-packed with world heritage sites that you should make time to visit if possible. These include: the Sacred City of Kandy, a famous pilgrimage site for Buddhists in the centre of the country, et on a plateau surrounded by mountains; the old fortified town of Galle, which was founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese on the southwestern tip of the island ; and the Golden Temple of Dambulla, a cave monastery with Buddhist mural paintings and 157 statues that has been a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries. In short, anyone with a historical inclination will find Sri Lanka, which was colonised by the Dutch, Portuguese and British, fascinating.

The surfing scene 

It's not just tea and traditions, Sri Lanka is slowly making a name for itself as a hot surfing destination and is touted as being like 'Bali 20 years ago'.  Head to Arugam Bay on the east coast during the summer months (April to October) for the best surf. For a more high end stay, check out the new Soul and Surf (soulandsurf.com) experience on the south coast, where you stay in lush villas and enjoy a soul-nourishing mix of surf, yoga and massage. Adrenaline junkies will also find lots of white water rafting opportunities in Kitugula, where Bridge Over the River Kwai was filmed.

Wildlife

Sri Lanka is one of the best places in Asia for seeing wildlife with an abundance of leopards, elephants and birdlife. If you want to spot leopards, head to Yala West National Park, which is six hours from Colombo and easily combined with a surfing trip to nearby Arugam Bay. If wild elephants are more your bag, try Uda Walawe National Park, which is four hours from the captial and near the tea trails.

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A brief stop at Kadugannawa

I’ve always enjoyed seeing the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner traveling past – a sleek silver train hugging the California coast as it stops at beach towns from San Diego to San Luis Obispo. However, glancing at the southbound Surfliner as I was driving home from the airport, it suddenly seemed uninteresting. Where are the people sticking their heads out the windows and hanging out the doors? How much fun would it actually be to sit on a train rather than swing wide from a doorway’s handle? Yes, one trip to Sri Lanka had ruined western trains for me forever.

I had been invited to Sri Lanka by Cinnamon Hotels, the largest hotel brand in the country and the originator of the world’s only travel blogging awards ceremony, TBCAsia, held every two years. I wasn’t nominated (they still need a Family Travel Blog category!), but I jumped at the chance to see a new country – one that had been high on my travel wish list – and also to spend a week with some of the most influential travel writers/bloggers/photographers in the world.

It was an amazing trip, and I’m now hooked on Sri Lanka – so much so that when my 8-year-old told me he wanted to go to the Maldives for his next annual trip, I immediately suggested adding a stop in Sri Lanka. That will be next year. But right now, why should you head to Sri Lanka? Here’s what I loved.

The Tea

I’m not talking about the tea that we drank, which was very good, but rather the tea planted everywhere. Cityscapes with buildings and concrete just don’t compare to hills and hills of tea, interrupted occasionally by colorfully-dressed women picking the tea. Absolutely stunning!

Tea near Matale

At Mackwoods Tea Centre in Nuwara Eliya

Tea outside Kandy

The Hiking

What’s even better than seeing tea everywhere? Hiking through hills of tea! Every chance I got I was running up mountains, exploring tucked-away valleys and otherwise enjoying the nature. The best hiking was in the Knuckles Mountain Range, but there are places even right outside of Kandy that are gorgeous and worthwhile. Plus there are waterfalls everywhere.

Hiking in the Knuckles Mountain Range

Knuckles Mountain Range overlook. I don’t recommend going out to the edge!

We hiked into this perfect little valley to the village of Maddeala.

The Culture

I loved the people, sites and temples. Sri Lanka has been influenced by many cultures but is unique – overwhelmingly Buddhist but utterly inclusive with some of the warmest people I’ve met anywhere. I’ve seen a lot of mediocre cultural shows around the world, showcasing interesting history and culture but too touristy to be able to be fully appreciated. The shows and dances I saw in Sri Lanka seemed more authentic – maybe because the country is still largely off the tourist radar – but hopefully they stay like that.

At the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy

Fire eating in Kandy

A Sri Lankan dance at Nuga Gama (Cinnamon Grand Hotel) in Colombo

The Trains

I had always heard that taking a train trip in Sri Lanka was a special experience, and I now understand why. The first journey we took, from Colombo to Kandy, was fun. We were in second class (a must), and able to stick our heads out the windows and hang from the doors while watching the countryside and stations fly by. But when I posted on Instagram about that ride, commenters all said the same thing: head south from Kandy and it’s even better. So I did. And they were right.

The ride south was amazing – I would put it in my top five travel experiences ever, from 80+ countries. It was about the scenery, with green and yellow-leafed tea bushes stretching across mountains and valleys as far as you can see. It was about the sliced mango with chili powder sold on the train – now one of my favorite things. It was about the exhilaration of sitting in the doorways, and hanging out of the doorways. It was about the people outside of the train, going about their lives. And it was about the people inside the train, all bound by the magic of the journey.

The train ride between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya

Watching the scenery pass by. Don’t try this in Europe or the US!

Seen from the train. Volleyball is the national sport of Sri Lanka.

It’s Kid-Friendly

There were four children in my small group in central Sri Lanka. I hadn’t thought about bringing my kids along, but I loved watching these kids interacting with the people and soaking in the culture and the nature. It seemed like they genuinely enjoyed the hiking, the performances and the trains. There was even a pasta station at our hotel for pickier eaters. I wouldn’t hesitate to take my kids next time.

Studying how tea is made – at the Mackwoods Tea Centre

Exploring at Mackwoods

Inside the SriLankan Airlines flight simulator – amazingly cool for kids and adults alike.

Places I Want to Go Next Time

Other than a day in Colombo, I stayed to the central part of the island – it’s much easier to travel deeper when you’re not trying to see everything in a week. I’d love to go back to Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and the Knuckles Mountains next time, but I also want to see Adam’s Peak, Sigiriya, Galle, the Dambulla Cave Temples and Minneriya and Yala National Parks.

Watching the sunrise in the hills outside Kandy

Where I Stayed

Cinnamon Citadel Kandy was a perfect base for everything I did in central Sri Lanka. My room was great, and from a family-travel perspective I appreciated that they could easily combine rooms for families of 4, 5 or 6. The food was excellent – in the main restaurant, at Café C and by the pool one morning when three of us were treated to a champagne breakfast.

The early-morning view from the breakfast patio

At the Cinnamon Citadel Kandy

A champagne breakfast over the river

In Colombo I stayed one night at the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo. The service, room, view and breakfast were all excellent.

The view from my room at the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo

How to Get There

I had a complicated itinerary since I was attending a conference in Minnesota just before my trip: LA-Minneapolis-DC-Paris-Colombo-Frankfurt-LA. Most flights into the country are on SriLankan Airlines. I was in business class and slept well. Entertainment and food options were good too.

Crossing the Mahaweli River near the Cinnamon Citadel Kandy

Best Time to Visit

Sri Lanka isn’t a large country, but it’s large enough to have two different monsoon seasons. The best time to visit the west/south/central regions is December through March. The best time to visit the north/east is May through September. Having said that, I was in Kandy and the surrounding area in early June and the weather was excellent, with just a few late afternoon rainstorms coming through. Peak tourist season is December through mid-April so, as always, right before or after that could give you good weather and fewer crowds – not that Sri Lanka really gets crowded.