Sri Lanka safaris and holiday tours … an incredible travel location that we will focus in this post. Mirissa, in the south and close to the Dutch fort and port city of Galle, is studded with luxury villas and great food. It’s probably the most developed for whale watching tourism, following a media blitz in May 2008 that it was the best for blue whale. The encounter rate is on average over 80% in the months from December to March. Kalpitiya, a peninsula in the north-west, is famous for its dolphins and periodic visits by super-pods of sperm whales, the largest gatherings in the world accessible to tourists. The peninsula is also close to Wilpattu National Park, and the Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary is great for snorkelling. Trincomalee, in the north-east has a submarine canyon cutting in close to shore. Blue whales are sometimes seen from the pool-side of resorts and Swami Rock is the best shore-based location for views of blue whales.
Udawalawe National Park: is far less crowded than Yala, which completely changes the experience, making Udawalawe a more satisfying safari. When we were there, we barely saw more than one or two jeeps. Whenever we spotted animals, we were by ourselves and felt so immersed and captivated by the moment. At one point, a small group of elephants with 2 babies crossed the path just in front of our jeep. They were so close, we could almost touch them. They stayed there for around 20 minutes, just eating and socialising with each other. This was one of the most magical moments of our safari at Udawalawe.
It is easy to get lost in the cobblestoned alleyways and streets within Galle Fort. Today the area is full of modern restaurants, hotels, clothing, and souvenir shops. Meanwhile, snake charmers and buskers line the seawall. However, the fort was not always such a cosmopolitan spot. A basic fort was constructed by the Portuguese when they made their first landing to the island in 1505. When the Dutch eventually seized control of Galle, they made a number of improvements; including the enormous sea wall that still lines the fort. Galle Fort is an excellent example of what the synthesis between European and Asian architecture looks like. Yala National Park is made up of spellbinding vistas and a true abundance of Sri Lankan wildlife. It has the highest density of leopards in the world, so chances of seeing them are very high. Although leopards are the main attraction here, they are followed closely by elephants, sloth bears and crocodiles. The park is divided into five blocks; some of which were zoned to hunters until Yala became a national park in 1938. Ensure you make time to visit the very informative visitor center at the entrance of the park for insightful displays about the area. Find more details Sri Lanka Tailor Made Tour Packages.
There are plenty of places around the world that have become viral travel hotspots overnight. A few popular Instagrammers or vloggers blow a place up and all of a sudden it becomes a must-do activity while you visit a region. The palm tree rope swing at Dalawella Beach is a prime example of a social media hotspot. Having said that it’s an awesome spot for a fun afternoon or a sunset and chill place to hang out whether you intend on getting that ‘Instagrammable’ travel shot or not. The location of the swing is on Dalawella Beach, which is in the south of Sri Lanka near the popular town of Unawatuna. It takes about two hours to get to Dalawella Beach by train from Colombo and will cost a couple of bucks for the ticket. Once you are at Dalawella Beach the exact location is actually in front of a guesthouse called Dream Cabana.