Slow down in Sri Lanka: a leisurely tour of the north

If you are looking for a Sri Lanka Travel Guide to help you slow down in Sri Lanka and enjoy a leisurely tour of the north, you should read my experience. In my experience, most tourists who come to Sri Lanka choose to make a cross-country road trip, eager to see everything but ultimately spending most of their time in the vehicle. Contrary to popular belief, I narrowed my attention to the north of Sri Lanka on my most recent vacation. Hurrying over the whole island allowed me to see more than I would have otherwise. I booked my trip with My Way Travel, a local agency specializing in customized tours of Sri Lanka. They helped me plan a perfect itinerary that suited my preferences and budget.

Getting to know my guides, attentively watching for animals, and exploring valuable regions few other travelers reach were all possible because of enough time. The island's northern part is perfect for this leisurely, inquisitive exploration; the scenery may not be picture-perfect, but you may discover secluded temples, timid leopards, and a vibrant Tamil culture.

Wilpattu National Park

I flew into Colombo and then drove north for a few hours to reach Wilpattu National Park. Wilpattu is less likely to have other tourists and more likely to have a swarm of monkeys than the parks in southern Sri Lanka, where you could find groups of jeeps. At its center is a string of 'wills,' or natural lakes, which inspire the park's name.

Red dirt, salt grass meadows, and thick monsoon forests make up the park; driving through particular sections of the forest, it seems like you're in a tunnel due to the abundance of foliage. The guides routinely glance up at the monkeys from high branches to monitor their behaviour; they're usually the first to detect a leopard in this park since the trees are much higher than in others.

The safari experience starts after a lengthy drive from the park gate, but the varied landscape offers much to see on the way. Although most tourists only have time for a single jeep excursion, my ranger recommended we explore the area the whole day.

While my ranger and I were having lunch by a lake, we settled down to see the many animals that come to the water's edge for a drink. Storks, cormorants, and other waterside birds thrive on the white sand beaches, and we even witnessed a fish eagle swoop down for prey. In the vicinity, a few little rat snakes were enjoying some sunbathing.

As the park was about to shut, we felt that the whole day had been building to our big sighting of a leopard. We arrived at a grassy plain, and a female leopard strolled out in front of us, allowing us plenty of opportunity to take pictures.

Where to stay in Wilpattu National Park

Compared to other national parks, you won't find a cluster of safari lodges around Wilpattu National Park in Sri Lanka. Although several nearby hotels exist, I spent two nights at Leopard Trails, a tented camp in the park's buffer zone.

Even though you won't have air conditioning, the tents are well-appointed with a double bed, vanity, and an en suite bathroom with a strong shower. You're in the middle of nature, with monkeys and chirping all around you, but the guides sold it for me.

One of my guides, Indika, was born into a family of park rangers and has a lifelong passion for touring national parks. The other guides looked up to him because of his extraordinary wisdom. The second person in the vehicle, Arran, was interesting; he was born to a British mother and spent his childhood in Surrey before returning to Sri Lanka to become a tour guide.

My guides were about to go on an exchange program to learn from rangers in South Africa, thanks to Leopard Trails' connection with South African national parks.

Anuradhapura

One common sight on the primary route through Anuradhapura is a long queue of coaches, the occupants of which had stepped off for a brief inspection before continuing their journey. Tourists often disregard it, although it is older than Cambodia's Angkor Wat complex and more extensive than Thailand's Ayutthaya, and it was previously the capital of Sri Lanka. Investigating everything takes a good chunk of time, but the effort is well worth it because the remnants spread across 7,000 sq km (2,702 sq miles).

Anuradhapura, founded by King Pandukabhaya in 500 BC, became one of Asia's major towns in a short amount of time. The inhabitants continually populated it until the second capital of Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa, was established in the 11th century. It is too big to explore on foot, so my guide, Terence, and I drove between the dagobas (dome-shaped temples) and decaying monasteries. Bicycles are also available for rent.

The site's eclectic mix of architecture documents Sri Lanka's stylistic and inventive advances due to its 1,000-year history of human habitation. The first hospital in the world may have been erected, together with dagobas so massive that not even the pyramids at Giza could compare in size. At the entryway of several of the crumbling buildings, you can see an intricately carved semicircle of stone called a moonstone, which stands for Samsara, the cycle of life and death. It attests to the expertise of the ancient civilization that once resided here.

The fact that Anuradhapura is still a place of active prayer for the Buddhist faith—and the monks have well maintained many of the dagobas—is, in my opinion, the greatest attraction. As you go around the temple grounds, you'll see colourful flower offerings, joyful blessing rituals, and families enjoying picnics.

Where to stay near Anuradhapura

Fewer accommodations are available outside of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle. Fortunately, Ulagalla was entertaining. Surrounding a 150-year-old house are twenty individual villas, including a plunge pool overlooking the nearby paddy fields. If you want to spend a few days here, you may go on guided nature excursions and bike rides around the town.

Jaffna

The Sinhalese and the Tamil waged more than 25 years of civil war because of ethnic conflicts between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamil. Although the fighting has ended, the city of Jaffna, which is home to the Tamil Tigers, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is still struggling to get back on its feet.

That shouldn't deter you for three reasons. Your spending here will only help a region's already reeling economy. Second, it's culturally distinct from anything else. As a third point, you may be the sole tourist in this part of Sri Lanka, as in many other areas.

From towering coconut plantations to short, verdant tobacco fields, the terrain leveled off as my chauffeur guide and I traveled north to Jaffna. At Elephant Pass, you'll find the most important Civil War memorials that dot the route. Just beyond the most prominent monument is the homemade tank into which Sri Lankan soldier Gamini Kularatne dove, armed with two hand grenades. This action detonated the tank, preventing the LTTE from storming the Elephant Pass Army Garrison. A short video depicting the conflict in more detail plays at neighboring information points at regular intervals.

Another guide, Mohan, joined us when we reached Jaffna. Although Terence continued working as a driver, he had never had the opportunity to familiarize himself with Jaffna, as did other Sri Lankan guides. Since English was a common language for Mohan and Terrence—Tamil and Sinhalese, respectively—I could listen to them compare and contrast their perspectives on the war from both sides.

Jaffna Fort, a Dutch fortification with solid walls of grey stone, was our first destination. The broad, level battlements go down to the murky moat waters, and you may stroll over them. The Dutch repaired the civil war stronghold with their financing, but there is still a lot of debris and destroyed structures.

It was worth pausing to see the Jaffna Library. It was one of the largest libraries in Asia until an enraged mob set it on fire during the war, and a picture of its charred remains appeared in newspapers throughout the globe. The workers repaired it, and now it stands behind well-tended gardens and a topiary. At certain times, you may also go there.

If I wanted to see something livelier, Mohan was also keen to take me to the Hindu temple of Nallur. We joined a line of people making their way inside, seeing ladies in vibrant saris of yellow, turquoise, and fuchsia and men in slacks (a respectful gesture that requires them to remove their shirts). Mohan invited me to partake in his puja or devotion at the preceding prayer ritual.

The event began with a symphony of music filling the temple and the sound of crashing drums. Observing a specific sequence, devotees must burn incense and candles at each temple's statues. The energy level is over the roof as worshippers rush to pay their respects to the deities in the allotted time. After that, you may explore the temple and marvel at the intricate paintings and miniatures that decorate every surface. The ritual repeats at specific intervals throughout the day.

Kayts village

Several small islands and islets are at the very point of the Jaffna Peninsula. A peninsular road connects Velanai Island to the mainland; the island is often referred to as Kyats Island after its major settlement.

As we made our way from the mainland down the causeway, we saw flamingos feeding by submerging their beaks in the shallow water. Watch for migrating birds, including ducks, waders, and terns, as you go down the shore.

The island has no hotels, so I spent the day just exploring the streets flanked by crumbling Dutch colonial buildings. After leaving their houses in ruins, many Tamil families emigrated to India or Canada during the conflict. Many of them never came back. Adjacent to a well-maintained turquoise family home stood a house of vivid blue, with creepers poking out of the windows.

Interspersed among the rubble, the community is reassembling, and toddy bars, Hindu temples of many hues, and churches of brilliant yellow stand out.

Where to stay in Jaffna

Although there aren't a few places to stay in Jaffna, I recommend the brand-new Jetwing Jaffna. Despite its angular shape on the skyline, the clean and comfy accommodations were a pleasant surprise. Indulge in the town's best seafood and a fiery red crab curry at this rooftop bar, which has a stunning view of the Jaffna Peninsula.

Onward from Jaffna

Now departing from Jaffna Central Railway Station, you may board the Queen of Jaffna for a direct southbound journey to Colombo, covering 400 kilometers (250 miles). The conflict destroyed the railway rails, but in 2014, after 24 years of being out of commission, the line reopened to combined celebrations in Jaffna and Colombo. Jaffna hopes this relaxing six-hour train ride would provide the economic boost necessary to continue rebuilding.

Sri Lanka's northern coast

Traveling to the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka is also easily doable from Jaffna.

The city of Trincomalee winds its way around one of the world's biggest natural harbors, about an hour's journey south of Jaffna. The Sri Lankan military personnel overseeing the city stand guard with monks from the Gokarna Temple, built around Fort Frederick. You may enjoy the breathtaking view of the beach below while welcoming visitors.

Long lengths of beach bordered by vegetation await you north of the city as the shoreline veers into rural areas. Jungle Beach was the perfect place for me to stay. The hotel staff discreetly tucked away each wooden cottage so that you could hardly tell there was a hotel from the beach. I spent my days snorkeling, watching whales, and riding my bike, so it's a beach vacation for the restless.

You may reach Passikudah from Jaffna after a six-hour trip. The journey ends in some of Sri Lanka's most beautiful and extensive beaches after a long day of driving on new, level roads. Defiantly placid seas characterize this country, which is known for its somewhat rocky and exposed waters (nothing south of Sri Lanka till you reach Antarctica).

When you want to relax and unwind on a beach or by the pool, Passikudah is the way to go. The 46-room Uga Bay resort is a refined example of Sri Lankan traditional architecture, with its teak beams and straight lines. The builders located Maalu Maalu, a more family-friendly hotel modeled like a waadiya (traditional fishing hamlet), next door.