11 days in Sri Lanka are days when Ms. Nguyen An (30 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) feels like returning to her familiar old place but also enjoying a new and interesting atmosphere on the island located in South Asia.
Surprised by legendary landscapes
Sri Lanka is a trip that suddenly arose in the mind of a female tourist's friend for a long holiday. Not preparing much, after asking a friend's experience and booking a driver first, Ms. An's group happily "took the road".
If you are a Buddhist convert, Ms. An suggests that visitors can visit the temple system in Anuradhapura city. This place was the center of power of Sri Lanka from the 4th to 11th centuries.
Anuradhapura was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage in 1982. This city has many towers and Buddha statues, as well as historical relics that demonstrate a period of brilliant Buddhist development such as: Ruwanwelisaya Great Tower, Thuparama ancient temple, Mihintale sacred mountain...
The ancient capital of Polonnaruwa, 104km from Anuradhapura, is also one of the important places of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. While Anuradhapura is considered the cradle of Buddhism in this country, Polonnaruwa is where Buddhism flourished in the Middle Ages (112th century), standing out for its developed statuary art and architecture.
Impressive Buddhist relics in the ancient capital of Polonnaruwa include: Stone pagoda
Gal Vihara, Rankot Vihara Tower, the palace of King Nissanka Malla, the statue of King Parakramabahu I, Topa Wewa Lake, Polonnaruwa Archaeological Museum...
In the first 2 days of the trip, Ms. An and her friends spent all their time visiting the ancient capital of Sri Lanka. In the following days, the schedule of the group of Vietnamese tourists is to explore nature with unique outdoor activities.
December to April of the following year is the best time to travel to the southern coast of Sri Lanka. I love the sea here more than Almafi, Italy or Costa de Brava, Spain. In Sri Lanka, there is no shortage of adventure games or relaxation activities like in Bali, Indonesia and fresh seafood is caught, said Ms. An.
According to her, families with young children will definitely love the nature in Sri Lanka because this country has many safari, national parks as well as many exploration activities with animals.
The female tourist recounted: The most memorable moment of the trip was definitely when I swam with turtles at Turtle Beach in Hikkaduwa. The sea water is clear, the sand is soft and smooth. However, because I swam near the turtle feeding area and didn't notice the lettuce right next to me, I got tickled by turtles. At first, the wound was bleeding, but after 2 hours, I felt fine and did not need to go to the hospital. It was a unique experience anyway.
An experience day in Galle, a coastal town, is also a memorable day. This place has architectural works from the 16th century, ancient religious sites, large castles, classic hotels, and long-standing shops next to the clear blue beach.
Tourism services are not yet complete
The train from Kandy to Ella is known as the most beautiful train in Sri Lanka and is famous worldwide for its majestic mountain and forest scenery along the 100km journey. However, not every customer is lucky enough to buy a train ticket to enjoy this "rich" beauty.
Unable to buy a train ticket from Kandy to Ella, Ms. An's group chose to buy a steam train ticket. Although there was no air conditioning on the train, because of the cool weather, Ms. An assessed this experience as still "worth the money".
Ms. An said: The local train from Galle to the capital Colombo is an ardly-known experience. The scenery on both sides of the road running along the coast is very beautiful, but it takes 3 hours without air conditioning. In addition, I have to fight for another place, slow is loss (laughs).
If traveling by steam train, visitors should only carry small suitcases because their luggage must be stored on their heads like in the airship compartment. Fortunately for us, the driver of tuk tuk in Galle, because he was happy, took the train to Colombo to play with us, helping him carry his luggage."
According to the Vietnamese female tourist, most hotels also do not have air conditioners and hot air balloons; therefore, before the trip, tourists must check the hotel carefully. Regarding travel, tourists should find reputable drivers to travel long distances. Ms. An commented that drivers in Sri Lanka are quitereckless, often hanging goat heads and selling dog meat.
However, concluding after the long trip, the female tourist still believes that this is a country worth traveling to with special experiences for her family. Although this small island nation is not a famous and developed country for tourism, Sri Lanka is still the "pearl of the Indian Ocean" with its wild, mysterious and somewhat spiritual beauty with the traces of ancient Buddhist culture.
