If you are looking for a trip and you don't know how to decide between adventure or relaxation, sea or mountains, archaeological sites or sunny beaches, spirituality or fun, Sri Lanka is the place for you! From the sacred cities of the North to the beaches of the South, this country is able to amaze every day with a different face. The common factor that will accompany you throughout the journey is the locals: serene, welcoming, kind without being pimp, always smiling, the best memory you will carry with you.
A full itinerary should provide at least 3 days tour among the historic and sacred cities of the North (Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla). A couple of days could instead be dedicated to visiting the central part of the country, traveling from Kandy to Ella through the mountains and plantations on your own, and then concluding the journey south, perhaps with a safari in Yala National Park and a few days of relax on the beach between Mirissa and Galle, even taking a boat ride to try to spot whales during the migration.
Relying on local public transport to move between the cities is an experience that could undoubtedly have its charm, but it is certainly not the ideal solution if you have a few days and you want to see as much as possible: the distances are not excessive but trains and buses travel at a pace of man and risk making you lose whole days. Tuk tuks can be a fun diversion for short trips within cities, always bargain the price before going up.
For a ride like the one described to do in 8 10-days renting a car with driver is the best choice: at a very affordable price (about 450 € for a 10-day tour with all the stages described), you will ensure shorter journeys and all the stops and detours that may come to your mind during the route, perhaps even suggested by the driver. Our choice fell on the young Nisal, who turned out to be kind, reliable, confident and, not negligible, an excellent company.
We agreed on the entire route before leaving and gladly accepted some of his suggestions on little places that we had overlooked and which gave us a better view of the country and its wonderful people. He never complained about our requests to stop every 5 minutes to take photos, he was flawless when he had to drive for over 5 more hours to go and get his forgotten passport at the bank. He made us discover i better places to eat (the ones where no tourist had set foot!) and he told us about his country in all its facets. A valuable guide without which we would have lost many indispensable details.
Nisal he also took care of hotel reservations for us, a convenience that should not be underestimated so as not to find nasty surprises upon arrival!
For more information, you can visit the website made as a thank you by a tourist who traveled with him.
To contact him, you can write directly to his email address: nisal.jayasooriya@gmail.com
