‘I spent five days in Sri Lanka and a curry nearly broke me on day one’
“That one’s not hot”. The call goes out by our Intrepid tour guide as the array of curries lineup in front of us ready for the Sri Lankan initiation.
I don’t know if it was that the “Circle of Trust” was broken on day one, or the embarrassment of my reaction to a “mild” experience was quite un-manly… but I’ve got five days to find out what other surprises Sri Lanka will throw at me.
Sri Lanka had always been on my list. Supplied/David Whitehill
Sri Lanka has always sat quietly at the edge of my travel radar, intriguing but somehow always bumped out by its louder neighbours.
I've done India, Vietnam, Thailand but something about Sri Lanka always felt different.
Smaller, more intimate, less overwhelming.
And now, on a tailor-made trip with Intrepid Travel timed to celebrate Jetstar’s inaugural direct flight from Melbourne, I was finally here.
Food first, questions later
It didn't take long to understand that food in Sri Lanka isn't just “food”, it's a religion.
Each of the regions have their own unique flavours that bring that part of the country its own character. A common thread though is that rice and curry arrives in front of you whether you asked for it or not.
One thing I kept returning to was the legendary hopper. It’s somewhere between a crêpe and a bird's nest, cooked in a wok with a cracked egg in the centre.
The hopper is cooked in a wok with an egg in the centre. Supplied/David Whitehill
Apparently, it’s not meant for filling with curries, but I couldn’t help myself and I think I stumbled across a bit of a life hack that even the Sri Lankans were quite impressed by.
Day two, our first real day of exploring, kicked off before sunrise at the Negombo fish market. It’s a sensory ambush of colour, noise and salt air as all kinds of fish and sea life, much of which I’d never seen before, are brought in for sale.
It’s definitely chaotic, but also wonderfully real to be part of the morning trade as the locals barter, laugh, and head off from the markets with their catch. Thongs, or washable sandals, are a must though as anything else will be a total write off.
The fish market was an experience. Supplied/David Whitehill
It was then on to a coconut plantation where we learned why the locals call the coconut palm the "tree of life."
Every part of it is used, from toddy wine tapped straight from the sap, to the oil, the fibre, and the shell.
The locals skills at climbing these 10m high trees and walking on tight ropes between them is extraordinary, and the offer for us to “have a go” was not surprisingly declined by everyone in the group.
Food is a huge part of Sri Lankan life. Supplied/David Whitehill
The secret ingredient: A great guide
I’ve been reminded again on this trip just how important the tour guide is to the whole experience.
Dodan our guide was the thread that held everything together.
The group seemed to levitate off his energy, and it’s fantastic to have a living encyclopaedia with you every step of the way to bring all the activities and incredible sites to life.
It’s a really fine art between serving up everything they know, and laying up just what we need, just when we need it. Dodon was spot on every time.
A visit to a coconut plantation. Supplied/David Whitehill
4:30am wake up worth every second
On Day 3 we woke to undoubtably one of my favourite experiences. Tackling the UNESCO World Heritage listed Sigiriya, or Lion Rock.
The climb kicks off at 4.30am. It’s dark and already 34 degrees, but this is the trick to beating the heat and the crowds. I don’t think we achieved either of these, but it’s definitely the best time to start the adventure. It’s confronting and exhilarating all at the same time.
Dodan our guide was the real star of the show. Supplied/David Whitehill
The walkway zigzags up the rock face which is a mix of granite steps and steel scaffolding sticking out from the rock face.
You put a lot of trust in Sri Lanka engineering but thousands of visitors and locals have made their way to the top to see the ruins of the Royal Palace, so I’m sure I’m in safe hands.
The view once you get to the summit is extraordinary. 360° across Sri Lankan countryside, and although there’s a hive of activity up here, there’s plenty of room to have your own special moment as you watch the sunrise.
Lion Rock is a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. Supplied
Traffic here stops for no one… Except elephants
The afternoon took us to Minneriya National Park and a safari that put everything else into perspective.
During the dry season, elephants travel here from across the surrounding landscape, drawn to the water in the lake and the fresh grass exposed along its banks.
A safari in Minneriya National Park. Supplied/David Whitehill
The free roaming elephants in this part of Sri Lanka are definitely a crowd favourite as they cross the busy roads while traffic comes to a screaming halt. In Sri Lanka the locals know who's actually in charge.
Australia has kangaroos, Sri Lanka has elephants… it’s kind of a different league.
Elephants rule the roads. Supplied/David Whitehill
Where Intrepid gets it right
Our final couple of days took us to Polonnaruwa on bicycles to explore an ancient city.
Then to a local home where the grandmother demonstrated the art of dhal curry and pol sambol from scratch, and as expected, it starts with chilli.
We followed it up with a pottery-making experience in Muriya Kadawala village, watching ancient techniques that tested even the best of us trying to replicate the work of art we’d just seen displayed. The experts make it look so easy.
This is Intrepid's philosophy in action, grassroots travel that connects you to real life rather than a curated version of it.
You step out of the tourist headspace entirely. Family, food, laughter – in Sri Lanka, it’s always in that order.
A taste of local life. Supplied/David Whitehill
A quiet moment before goodbye
Our last experience slowed things down a touch before we had to head back home.
Dambulla Cave Temple is a series of caves filled with over 150 beautiful statues and paintings dedicated to Buddha, some close to 2000 years old. It's an amazing feeling just thinking about who has visited this ancient place, and how it's been used over the centuries.
Everything is so beautifully preserved, and it really does give you a quiet moment just to reflect on the eye-opening experience here in Sri Lanka.
If I had to sum it up, I think Sri Lanka is a chilled out version of India.
Dambulla Cave Temple is a series of caves, Supplied/David Whitehill
It’s still a kaleidoscope of colours and flavours for all your senses, but the whole country delivers it in a way that’s relaxed and welcoming so you’re never overwhelmed.
Is a five-day trip enough to really capture what Sri Lanka is all about, absolutely not!
But it’s given me an incredible taste of a country that’s rich in history, rich in hospitality, and rich in mouth-watering flavours that challenged all my senses - and gave me a hot new love for chilli.
David Whitehill travelled as a guest of Jetstar and Intrepid. David is a travel presenter, producer and founder of Proud Nomads. Follow him on Instagram at @davidwhitehill_travel
