Sonia Majumder

Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean and is known for its stunning green waters, balmy surf spots, friendly warm people, peacocks and delicious chai (tea).

It was winter December 2019, I decided to book a flight on impulse to Sri Lanka for three weeks. This was the second time I travelled solo, I was working remotely while travelling and went with only 7kg of luggage.Being a minimalist was something I always wanted to try and feel.

The staff at Bandaranaike International Airport & Sri Lankan Airlines were really friendly and helpful. I enjoyed small conversations while getting my passport stamped and having my meals served during the flight.

Where to stay, Things to do and What to eat:

I spend the first few days at a Drift BNB hostel in Colombo trying to figure out where I wanted to head off to in the South. Click on the link to visit their website. It is a clean place with good breakfast however if you are looking to work remotely the internet isn’t too reliable.

Sri Lanka has many beaches and places to go, so it took me a couple of days after asking around to figure out a plan. I was lucky to share a dorm with a girl who guided me. Her story was different- Her origins are Sri Lankan but she was adopted by a couple from Amsterdam and was raised there. She visits Sri Lanka often but this time around she visited the orphanages and found out she was adopted from one of them. In the evenings, we shared stories about life, relationships and food until we dozed off.

With my Lonely Planet Guide, I decided to take a train journey from Colombo fort to Hiriketiya beach– a surfers paradise. I read and saw pictures of the scenic train rides where you enjoy the greenery, palm trees and paddy fields. So I packed my bags and got ready to head down South. I asked the staff at the hostel for directions and rushed off with excitement. To my surprise, the railway/train station was very old and it was like going back in time to the colonial days. They even had different classes – first, second & third-class coaches.

Little did I know this adventure of mine, took an unexpected twist. It felt like a near-death experience. The directions given to me was wrong, I ended up going west instead of south and was on the train for 12 hours. The beginning of the train ride was super packed and the heat was getting to me. There was a lovely Sri Lankan mother with a warm smile sitting next to me and apologized for taking up too much space.

After a couple of stops, the train became less crowded and I was finally able to enjoy the scenes. Hours later, people started getting off after every stop. I asked a local on the train whether I could get down at Kandy and take grab as google maps and a couple of blogs I read showed I could but they mentioned that I wouldn’t be able to. After a long five hour journey, we ended up stopping in Kandy which was the last stop. Everyone was getting down, I asked around whether I could grab from Kandy to Hiriketiya they mentioned I couldn’t the best way was to go back to Colombo.

It was 5pm, my phone battery died and I started to panic. My mind was racing while I kept checking my Lonely Planet guidebook. I got creepy stares from a man close by on the train. I started to worry. The heat, exhaustion and unfamiliarity got to me. Out of all my trips this has been the most challenging one. Luckily after a while the train started to fill up with more people. Few locals on the train saw my distress and was kind enough to help me call the hostel I was headed to get exact directions from where I was. On the way back, there was one glitch, the train started to feel like it was going off tracks, I had a bad gut feeling about this. After a while the lights turned off, the train stopped and it was announced that there was technical difficulties. Just my luck. After six long hours, I finally made it back to the beginning in Colombo and out of the train.

Life was good.

After a couple of days of resting in the city, I decided to head back on the road again. I finally made it down south. The white sand, the clear green blue water and the salty sea made it all worth it. The first night I arrived I stayed at a hut recommended by a friend. It was owned by a local family, two sweet boys who helped the mum and dad run the place. The little boy was so polite and brought delicious tea upon arrival. The next day I wandered around and moved into a hostel two minutes away from the beach.

My days were spent waking up at 3 am as my employer was located in Sydney. After work around 3 pm, I would stroll down to the beach where the ocean was filled with surfers. I would spend my time swimming in the ocean, people-watching, reading a book, having some food and then wind down for the day by watching the sun set. A lot of the surfers were beginners out there but this one little tiny boy stood out. No matter how many times he fell down he was so persistent he kept going back into the strong waves.

This was one of best local authentic food at Hiriketiya beach for such a reasonable price. If you are looking for an all you can eat delicious buffet including rice, veggies and meat for around $3. Cafe Taprobane is the place to be, the hosts were super friendly.

The atmosphere at Verse Collective is great if you need a hostel with a co-working space and a good stable internet connection. Its such a beautiful space right in front of Dikwella’s beach. However, meals and coffee were overpriced for local food and there are hardly any good food cafes nearby, it would be a bit of a walk to get to the nearest food stops. The beach at Dikwella was quieter compared to Hiriketiya beach

The lesson learnt: Life is very similar to waves. We go into the unknown, where there will be smooth and challenging waves but if we fall we get back up and try again!