Travel to Sri Lanka
If it is your like long dream to travel to Sri Lanka, and you finally decided to go, well you are in a for a treat. Sri Lanka is about the size of West Virginia, but it proudly owns seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These places have emerged as the hub for tourists 
from across the globe fascinating them at the very first glimpse of their beauty and mystery. I have to admit that when I decided to travel to Sri Lanka, I was drawn by the raw beauty of Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin situated in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka.
Travel to Sri Lanka…
I arrived early on a Thursday morning at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. Instead of taking a taxi (costs about USD20), I took a free bus transfer for a tuk tuk ride at the bus station for 1,000 rupee (about USD9) to my hostel, which is a private accommodation located at Colombo 10 (the city is divided into 15 numbered areas).
After checking in, I took a bus ride to Pettah market, a place to go shopping for all kinds of things. It seemed that each street has its own specialty; it kind of reminds me of the French Quarter in Hanoi.
The next day, I departed early for the bus (private) to Dambulla. The ride was three and a half hours (costs 280 rupee or USD2.50). The town is pretty decent. After a meal of Sri Lankan rice and curry at Benthota Bake House, I head to Dambulla’s Rock Temple, one of the seven World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. I purchased the ticket from a lady sitting in a tiny room with minimal lighting and bare furnishing. The walk up the temple was pretty slippery (it had rained earlier) with occasional steps in certain places and sloping rock face.
Shoes are not allowed in as you enter the temple, and I was asked to leave them to an attendant for a 25 rupee fee. “I can put the shoes in my bag” I said. But no, it’s disrespectful to bring the shoes in with you. I don’t think so! Nevertheless, the caves are gorgeous with endless paintings from wall to wall, and the ceiling as well. History suggests that the place was used as a place of worship when King Valagamba was driven out of Anuradhapura, and he carved the place into rock temples after he regained his throne. As I walked my way down, it rained again. I took a tuk tuk to Sigiriya (700 rupee) for my stay at Sigiriya Holiday Inn.
It rained again early next morning, but luckily it stopped before I headed out. I had booked a tuk tuk for the entire day for 2,800 rupee. The driver took me to Sigiriya first. It took us about 45 minutes. The day was nice, though it was wet and muddy. As I entered the site, I could see the ancient rock fortress stood majestically from afar. I was mesmerized as I walked toward the rock. It took me an hour to reach the Lion’s Paw, a reminder to devotees ascending the rock that Buddha was Sakya-Simba and his spoken words were as powerful as the sound of a lion’s roar. Reaching the top means clambering up across a series of grooves cut into the rock with the handrail as an assistance.
What’s left today is just a foundation, and as I gazed across the surrounding jungle, it’s just a reminder of the Buddhist monks probably did over 1,500 years ago.
The rain started to come down again as I was on my way to Polonnawura. It was a long 2 1/2 hour drive. Luckily, the rain stopped when I got there. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned Archeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom’s first rulers. You need to spend at least 5 to 6 hours in Polonnawura.
Unfortunately, I was not able to do so, and with the rain coming and going, I had to practically run in and out from one site to another. The Royal Palace, Watadage, Alahana Pirivena Complex, Rankot Vihara, and Lankatilaka are just some of the sights worth spending your time there. The heavy downpour and the night sky had made it impossible for me to stay any longer in Polonnaruwa . I was lucky that I had a wonderful driver who knew where he was going.
When I awoke in the morning, I discovered my overrun with bugs! This is one of the few down-side to my travel to Sri Lanka. I decided to go back to Colombo It didn’t take long to find a nice hotel to stay at. I spent my last day in Colombo walking around Pettah. This time I had more time to surround myself with the hustling and bustling of the heartbeat of the city.
I came to Colombo because I had wanted to see Sigiriya. Now that I left the country, I can’t help but remember Sigiriya, and Dambulla, Polonnawura, Colombo, especially its friendly people. Definitely, a place worth visiting again and again. That is my travel to Sri Lanka tale.
Travel to Sri Lanka
