Sri Lanka: The ultimate Far East Passover destination

A few weeks ago, a line for direct flights to Sri Lanka began operating. The island nation located between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea and south of India, has become a very popular destination among Israeli tourists especially in recent years.

So what do you need to know if you are planning a trip with your surfboard and where are the small letters? Is Sri Lanka suitable only for young people or does it also have many attractions and activities for families? To answer these questions, we consulted the expert on tourism in Sri Lanka, Naa Aryeh, on behalf of the FLYEAST tourism group, and compiled everything you need to know about the magical country, just before you book your flight tickets.

Similar to other countries in the Far East, the economy of Sri Lanka, which has 23 million people, is based on agriculture and, among other things, tourism. During the Corona period, the country suffered from severe economic difficulties and political protests as a result. The local currency is the Sri Lankan rupee whose value is NIS 0.012. Sri Lanka has 9 provinces in the country and has several different ethnic groups, the largest group of which is the Sinhalese, while the official language is Sinhalese.

How do you get there and what is the difference between the airlines?

As mentioned, direct flights using a chartered flight started recently, but there are several airlines that reach the destination, among them: Fly Dubai, Etihad, Gulf Air and Emirates. If you want to take the surfboard with you from home, you should pay attention to the differences between the companies which are very significant. The airlines in regards to transporting surfboards have different limitations such as different pricing on sizes.

So what are the surfing destinations in Sri Lanka?

Surfing on the island's beaches is possible throughout the year, but you have to pay attention to the area you want to go to. The southwest coast is recommended in the months of March to November (when the east coast is in the heart of the monsoon season), while surfing on the east coast is recommended in the months of May to September, a period when it is not advisable to spend time on the other side of the island.

On the southeast coast, the town recommended for surfing and very popular among surfers and young people is Arugam Bay. This is a beach that is considered one of the most attractive places for surfing in the world with excellent weather, good waves, surf shops, hostels, restaurants and more. The town is about 350 kilometers from the airport but since the roads in Sri Lanka are not in ideal condition, the travel time is between 7 and 8 hours. To get to Arugam Bay you have to take a taxi or coordinate in advance with a driver who can also take the surfboard.

On the other side of the southern side of the island, it is recommended, for example, to reach the town of Weligama, which in recent years has become a very popular destination among surfers from all over the world. It is about two and a half hours drive from Negombo airport and this town also has surf shops, accommodation, restaurants and shops for surfing equipment, along with a rich and fascinating local culture. Other surfing towns on the southwest side that are recommended for a surfing trip are Mirissa and Kabalana.

Not just surfing

Besides surfing, there are many attractions and activities that can also be done on a family trip to Sri Lanka: the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is suitable for a trip for the whole family and the children can also feed the elephants from a bottle. Sigiriya Rock Fortress offers a climb of 1,200 hatches where you can see murals on the way to the top and enjoy an amazing view of the landscape at the end.

It is also possible to take a tour to get to know the way of life of the locals in the Village tour in Hiriwadunna and there is also an option to taste the local food and take a boat trip to the area. Dambulla Caves (Dambulla Cave Temple) which is a beautiful complex declared as a UNESCO site where a large number of Buddha statues can be seen.

Minneriya National Park offers jeep safari tours where you can see a large number of species of elephants, birds and other animals. At the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, you can visit and see how the locals bring an offering to the Buddha.

Another interesting place is the botanical gardens (Royal Botanical Gardens Peradeniya) which contain about 5,000 different species of plants and trees. In the tea factory and plantation you can see the production processes and at the end of the visit you can taste different types of tea. Another fascinating attraction is a train ride to ELLA, to enjoy spectacular views on the way.

Another recommended trip is a trek in the Horton Plains (HORTON PLANE) of about 8 kilometers on a flat route where you can see waterfalls and reach a view point called the end of the world. It is also recommended to take a cruise on the Madu River between mangrove bushes and go to the Yala National Park, the most famous safari in Sri Lanka, where you can see elephants, tigers, wild boars and a wide variety of other animals.