Why Now Is the Best Time To Visit Sri Lanka – Having been on the road now for nearly a year, the two of us have visited a wide variety of different countries. We have grown to love something special and unique about each one, however, Sri Lanka will always stand out as one of our favourite destinations thus far.
Sri Lanka
One small island, with so much to offer. A country made up of some of the most diverse landscapes and climates, friendliest people, and tastiest curries we have ever eaten. There is so much to see and do in this beautiful place. We spent an entire month in Sri Lanka and even still, barely scratched the surface.
In this blog post we will elaborate on our love for this incredible country, as well as give you some insight as to why NOW is the best time to visit.
Why We Love It
People
Our first impression of any country, is generally the people. Are they welcoming and friendly? Despite having arrived just weeks following a horrendous terrorist attack, the people of Sri Lanka were by far the friendliest we have met yet! It was astonishing for us to witness their excitement when we mentioned that we would be staying an entire month in their home country. The sense of pride they had to tell us why they loved their country so much was amazing. Always helpful and respectful, we could not rave more about the people of Sri Lanka.
Ease of Travel
Although Sri Lanka is a small country, this works heavily in their favour. Being small, it is so easy to navigate and travel around. You don’t have to worry about losing entire days traveling from A to B. Most places are just a few hours train, or car ride away. Thus, you are able to easily see the majority of the country in just a few weeks!
Variety
Most countries are known for something in particular, be that nature, beaches, or city life. What is so fantastic about Sri Lanka is the diverse climate and atmosphere throughout the country. One day you could be soaking up the sun down south in Unawatuna and the next you could be riding in a jeep on your very first wild safari! In Sri Lanka you are able to have it all. City life in Colombo, the beaches down South, wild animals and safaris in one of the many national parks, plucking tea in the hills of Nuwara Eliya, brushing up on your history in Sigiriya, or hiking in Ella, there is so much to see and do.
Affordability
Sri Lanka is extremely affordable for travellers. The average cost per day for backpackers is roughly $25-$30 dollars a day for food, transport, activities and accommodation! Our train ride from Colombo to Galle only costed us $1USD each! The food, the drinks, the hotels are all extremely fair priced which makes for a great trip all around!
Sri Lanka Post Terrorist Attack
For those of you who don’t know, Sri Lanka was victim to a horrendous terrorist attack on Easter Sunday of this year 2019. With nearly 300 people killed and 500 injured, the Easter Sunday bombings were a shock to the country’s core. Everyone and we mean EVERYONE was affected. Immediately, tourism crashed and people began cancelling their plans to visit. As a result, the people have struggled to come back financially. During our stay, we saw first hand this tragic attack had on the people of Sri Lanka and we wanted to do everything in our power to help. Slowly, but surely we are seeing the entire country come back from this horrific event, hopefully better and stronger than ever.
Why Now Is the Best Time To Visit Sri Lanka
Things are Cheaper
If things were cheaper before, they are even cheaper now. With such a decline in tourism, businesses have significantly lowered their prices. Dining out, and accommodation costs have nearly dropped in half making now an even better time to visit!
No Visa Needed
As of recently, the Sri Lankan government has actually announced that they are now allowing citizens of certain countries to visit visa free for up to 6 months! This is huge for travellers and a big money saver as well.
Airline tickets are cheaper
Even the airlines have started to lower their flight prices to and from Sri Lanka. With airfare as one of the top fees for most travellers, this should no longer be an issue.
Support the People
After spending a full month in Sri Lanka, we had the chance to see first hand the effect these bombings had on the families and citizens. Tourism has dropped significantly, forcing many to close shop. Many of these people support families and entire communities through the revenue they gain from tourism. It broke our hearts to see them struggle and we did absolutely everything we could to help while we were there.
We have said this before and we will continue to say it again, Sri Lanka is safe. Please do not let the past events frighten you from visiting. If you think of it big picture, these horrible acts of violence happen everywhere. When there is a mass shooting in America, people don’t cancel their travel plans. When there were the attacks in London, people didn’t cancel their travel plans. What about France on Bastille day in 2016? People didn’t cancel their travel plans. The point is, that people still continued their travels in these areas, despite these horrific events, so why should it be any different for Sri Lanka?
Less Touristy
Right now there are very few tourists in Sri Lanka, thus you are able to experience popular monuments and sights all on your own! This is especially great for those taking travel photos! You won’t have to worry about having hundreds of people in your shot!
This Is Why Now Is the Best Time To Visit Sri Lanka
We hope that this blog post could give you some helpful insight as to why now is the best time to visit the beautiful country of Sri Lanka. We know we will be back soon to see even more of this incredible place again!
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