Following trails through tea country, ancient citadels and coastal havens, Jane Wilson journeys into Sri Lanka’s hidden corners — a world where the unexpected becomes unforgettable…
The rickety jeep stopped. There was silence until a spray of sand showered the bushes sending a signal that we were close. Branches parted, crackled and snapped. A heavy thud could be heard, repetitively, slow and heavy. Leathery, wrinkled and grey, an elephant’s trunk came into view, uncurling like a party blower. Majestically, a mother and baby strolled before us, taking control of the imaginary pedestrian crossing, bringing over-zealous tourists, balancing on jeep roofs, to a stand-still, in awe.
Sri Lankan elephants are protected under Sri Lankan law. They have held a special position for thousands of years. Four to five thousand still live on the island, and some 180 domesticated elephants are in private households or temples. For Buddhists and Hindus, they are godlike. They attend religious, royal and celebrity ceremonies as guests of honour, adorned and adored, they feature prominently in traditional arts and crafts.
They are inseparable from Sri Lankan culture. As residents of the country, we saw them in Hurulu Eco Park in Habarana, nonchantly treading the pavements in the villages as pedestrians. They were in Yala National Park where we were hoping to spot a leopard – without success – but saw crocodiles wallowing in shallow waters, and many of the 215 species of birds. Such immersive adventures are tenfold in this tear-shaped island in the Indian Ocean.
The award-winning Pekoe Trail has breathed new life into rural communities, connecting them to new pathways less travelled. This non-profit initiative is made up of a 22-day hike, and features various sections, concluding with the highest, at 2,000m above sea level, between Kandapola to Pedro Tea Estate in Nuwara Eliya, adjacent to the country’s highest mountain, Pidurathalagala. Slopes undulate like neat folds of green corduroy, blanketing the surfaces, in between tiny villages with families going about their daily routines, tuk-tuks zipping past.
At times we became silhouettes engulfed in the mist – mysterious and esoteric. When the clouds lifted, we saw them toiling in the tea plantations; their heads covered, framing their faces, protecting them from the glare of the sun, hot and unforgiving. But still they smiled at us strangers, with a tiredness that stretched from their ladened wicker baskets on their backs to their lined faces.
There were occasions when time seemed to slow. Cloaked in tangerine, a monk led a meditation session, cocooned inside a cave, the atmosphere revered and spiritual, the silence deafening. The destination of Rideegama offers meditation, spiritual tours and eco trails. The 1200 step climb to the top of Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress and a UNESCO heritage site, was slow-going but you’re rewarded at the top with views to take home. Upping the tempo, the Sri Lankan dance class had a different effect. With drums beating, all ages were dressed in finery, silver jewels jingling and head dresses swaying, faces lit with joy.
Travelling further afield brought unique finds. Kandy, once the capital when it was known as Ceylon, sits on the shores of the lake overlooked by the famous Temple of the Tooth which is the most treasured Buddhist site in the country. It houses the famous relic of the Buddha’s tooth which was transported to Sri Lanka from India in the fourth century.
Nuwara Eliya, set in the hill country of the Central Province, is a region referred to as Little England, where its high-altitude temperature drops and benefits the patchwork of tea estates and quaint towns. And on the southwest coast, Galle Fort, a fortified old city founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century, buzzes with art and history, a magnet for tourists.
On the east coast, once the area of unrest, there is now peace and native beauty where villagers maintain skills and practices handed down from generations. Within this area the Sun Siyam Pasikudah resort has introduced boutique-style Sri Lankan hospitality offering 34 spacious one-and two-bedroom garden and beach pavilions.
The property blends seamlessly into the environment and, inside and out, individual features and furnishings have a story to tell, created from discarded timber and ingeniously made into rustic signature creations – tables of all types carved by the staff, lampshades created from unused wood shavings, ropes twisted to hang wooden swings at the bar and even a ‘floating lounge’, which sits in the ocean with a mini manually-operated catamaran providing access from the beach for special occasions and star-gazing.
The hotel seems to enfold its guests into the heartbeat of the 5.5-acre space under the shade of coconut palms, dotted with hammocks, loungers and bean bags, where soft background music doesn’t interfere with the sound of the waves. The hotel has a number of places to dine and a stunning wine cellar with 900 bottles to enjoy, whether fine dining or at a table sunken in the sand, beachside.
It’s also a place to learn new skills, too, discovering the flavours of Sri Lankan cuisine in the chef’s cookery classes, or coconut-leaf thatching and weaving with the gardeners. Excursions by tuk-tuk include visits to the fishing harbour and the village of Kalkuda, where a stroll through the vegetable market brings an introduction to Azeez, its longest-standing trader of 45 years, whose grocery store overflows with dried goods. The journey continues past a Hindu temple and women cycling gracefully by with branches balanced across their frames, before arriving at a local pottery shed — a chance to watch, and join in, the ancient craft of clay.
Sri Lanka is a country of contrasts. Spend time here and you are immediately immersed in its culture. Following roads less travelled is not a cliché here; authentic traditions came to life in bumpy rides on bull carts through rural countryside led by a driver with a one-tooth grin, or a canoe trip up-river while learning to make a hat from leaves, and especially the image of the rice picker with the smiling eyes and the elephant’s triumphant and unexpected entrance. These are the precious experiences of travel. These will always be remembered, maybe over a cup of Ceylon tea.
Ssh…there’s a rustle in the trees, could it be an elephant?
To start your Sri Lankan adventure, visit the official tourism website at Visit Sri Lanka Tourism.
For more information about Sun Siyam Pasikudah, including details of experiences, the destination, and offers, please visit www.sunsiyam.com. Jetwing Hotels has a wide range of hotels and villas throughout Sri Lanka.
SriLankan Airlines flies daily from London Heathrow direct to Colombo, providing connections to its global route network of 117 destinations in 59 countrie. It is a member of the oneworld airline alliance. For more information, visit www.srilankan.com.
