COLOMBO: As year-end vacation plans roll in, familiar favourites like Bali and Thailand tend to dominate the list of would-be travel destinations. But just a few hours from Malaysia lies the beautiful and serene Sri Lanka.
The recent Cyclone Ditwah brought severe floods and landslides, affecting more than two million people.
While the aftermath has disrupted travel to some regions, FMT Lifestyle explored several destinations that did remain open, and truth be told, these regions are well worth your visit.
Here are places you should definitely consider when travelling to Sri Lanka now.
1. Sigiriya Lion Rock
About four hours from Colombo, Sigiriya Lion Rock rises sharply from the jungle, a 5th-century royal fortress and one of Sri Lanka’s most recognisable Unesco World Heritage Sites.
King Kashyapa built his palace on top of the 180-metre rock, between 477 and 495 CE.
About halfway up, you pass the lion’s paws, the last surviving part of the giant lion that once formed the gate to the palace.
At the top, you’ll find old stone pools and rainwater tanks that once supplied the entire fortress. The climb is challenging, with over 1,200 steps leading you to the summit.
If you want something easier or a little cheaper, Pidurangala Rock is nearby.
2. Dambulla Cave Temple
Just 30 minutes away from Sigiriya is the Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka’s largest and best-preserved cave-monastery and a Unesco World Heritage Site, used as a place of worship for over 2,200 years.
It sits beneath a massive overhanging rock rising about 160m. Inside are five main cave shrines.
The entire complex houses roughly 150 Buddha statues in various postures, including an impressive nearly 15m-long reclining Buddha.
To visit, you climb a stone staircase about 150 steps, but the effort is rewarded by panoramic views of the surrounding plains.
3. Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy
Seventy-percent of Sri Lanka’s population is Buddhist and Sri Dalada Maligawa is the country’s most important Buddhist shrine.
Located in the old royal palace of the Kandyan kings, it houses a canine tooth of the Buddha, which travelled through many kingdoms before arriving in Kandy in the late 1500s.
This revered pilgrimage site dates from the 17th-18th centuries (rebuilt after earlier destructions). The relic is kept in a heavily guarded inner sanctum in a golden casket, so it’s difficult to be seen by the public.
Inside the temple complex is also a museum (included with your ticket). Pro-trip: Visit the temple in July/August during the Perahera, a grand torchlit procession of drummers, dancers and elephants celebrating the relic.
4. Mirissa beach
Mirissa is a laid-back beach town on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, golden sand, swaying palms and turquoise waters.
From November through April the deep-sea waters are visited by migrating blue whales and pods of dolphins – but it is a bit of a gamble.
You gather at the dock around 6am, hop onto the boats, and spend about four hours out at sea. While there weren’t any whales the morning FMT Lifestyle was out, several dolphins did swim right up close.
As for the beach itself, the waves can get pretty high, perfect for surfers. Another attraction is the coconut tree hill, a slight incline with a view of the beach lined with towering coconut trees.
5. Local food: lamprais, hoppers, and more
Sri Lankan cuisine is perfect for the Malaysian palate. Their legendary lamprais, is a hearty banana leaf-wrapped bundle of ghee-fried rice cooked in meat stock, served with meat, curry, vegetables like eggplant, seeni sambol (onion relish) a boiled egg, all baked to perfection.
Hoppers are another must-try, often enjoyed with spicy sambol, and they come in many varieties. You’ll also find rice and curry everywhere, and the black pork curry is especially delicious.
Sri Lankans also love their snacks: look out for fish cutlets. And if you’re travelling along the coast, don’t skip the freshly grilled seafood. Pair it with a chilled king coconut, the sweeter, bright-orange cousin of coconuts.
6. Handicrafts shopping at Laksala, Colombo
Don’t leave without filling up your luggage with local handicraft! Colombo’s Laksala is the government-run handicrafts boutique perfect for souvenir hunters.
Established in 1964 by the Sri Lanka Handicrafts Board, it supports rural artisans by selling authentic textiles like cotton sarees, batik clothing, wooden and brass carvings, ceramics, gemstone jewellery and more.
Because it is state-owned, prices are fixed, and you know your purchase supports local craftsmen.
