Lonely Planet Sri Lanka (Travel Guide)

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Toddy is a lightly alcoholic drink made from the sap of palm trees. Fresh toddy is sweet and has a sharp wine-like taste. You can find three types of toddy across the country: one made from coconut palms, one made from kitul palms, and a third made from palmyra palms. The latter is most popular in northern Sri Lanka, where palmyra palms dominate the landscape.

You can hire a car or a motorbike in Sri Lanka if you have an International Driving Permit, however it’s not a common choice for travelers. High traffic in cities and poor road quality in regional and rural areas mean it is safer for travelers to rely on public transport and local drivers, unless they are extremely confident and capable. If you are considering driving or hiring a motorbike, we’d recommend you do this in less traffic-dense areas. Weather conditions can slow road travel For the most part, Sri Lankans are socially conservative and deeply religious. Swimwear is fine for the beach, but not when wandering about town. Going nude or topless is not permitted on any Sri Lankan beaches. 10. Avoid public affection and disruptive behaviorThe monsoon season is also a great time to explore the country’s east coast with sandy beaches, a vibrant surf scene, and abundant wildlife. The period between June and August offers world-class conditions for kitesurfing in Kalpitiya. Things get quiet during the shoulder season in October and November, but you’ll be able to find cheaper accommodation options when the south coast slowly opens up. Take the airport bus For a better and more conscientious safari experience, head to Wilpattu National Park in the northwest of the island and book with a responsible operator like Leopard Trails. Their guides don't chase after possible sightings, but they do turn off their vehicle engines near animals. They will also whisper near any sighting so as not to disturb the animals. As well as leopards, the park is also home to Asian elephants, sloth bears, and bark deer all in their natural habitats. Ride-hailing apps only work in Colombo and Kandy, but they are the most practical way to travel within the two cities while saving money. You have the option to book bikes, tuk-tuks, basic cars, and luxury vehicles. Kalpitiya is a 35km (22-mile) peninsula that juts out from the northwest coast near Puttalam. Firs flank a beach that extends almost uninterrupted to the very tip of the peninsula, where there’s a ruined Dutch Fort. To the east lies the vast Puttalam Lagoon, where the dancing sails of kite-surfers color the skies during the windier, off-season months of May to September. Mawella

Some train trips are so scenic, they’re an activity in themselves. The six-hour ride from Kandy to Ella, which weaves through seemingly endless tea fields, is right up there among the world’s best train routes. A recently renovated route from Colombo to the historical city of Galle conversely runs on the edge of the west coast, offering mesmeric views of the Indian Ocean. While elephants are the main attraction, Kumana is also a bird lover's paradise; keen birders might spot 100 species in one day. And, with an estimated 40 leopards roaming around, this park offers a very real chance of spotting Sri Lanka's most famous predator without being surrounded by other jeeps. Where to try it: Visit roadside hopper stalls for an inexpensive Sri Lankan meal. For a gourmet experience, reserve a table at the fine-dining Palmyrah Restaurant in the Renuka City Hotel. Devour string hoppers with curryYou’ll leave the gleaming white dagobas (stupas) behind at Anuradhapura, and in their place multi-hued kovils (temples) start to color the countryside as you steam into Sri Lanka’s Hindu north. You'll also leave behind Sri Lanka's major tourist crowds, as international visitors short on time tend to skip the splendors of the island's northern coast.

While Sri Lanka's elephant orphanages have a mixed reputation, there are a few ethical operators close to Uda Walawe, in case you haven’t quite had your fill of cute jumbo toddlers. Start with the Elephant Transit Home, supported by the Born Free Foundation. Sri Lanka Railways runs the nation's trains, including services on the spectacular Main Line, which slices east from Colombo through the island’s highest mountains, cloud forests and tea estates. It’s a stunning journey and hugely popular with tourists and locals alike, particularly the section between Kandy and Ella. It’s possible to make bookings 30 days in advance for reserved first- and second-class seats and berths, as well as for the observation saloon carriages. Demand often outstrips seat supply during high season (December to April), so plan ahead if you can.

Village buffalo curd: Sri Lanka’s go-to dessert, traditional village buffalo curd comes in clay pots and is traditionally topped with sweet, earthy kithul palm treacle. Goodfolks in Colombo sells kithul palm treacle in bottles.