Sri Lanka: The Isles of Smiles

 

A Slow Unfolding of Sri Lanka : 27 January – 4 February 2026

Day 1 | Delhi to Colombo – The First Breath of the Island

Every journey begins long before the flight takes off. Ours began in the quiet hours of the morning, when Delhi was still yawning. As Sri Lankan Airlines lifted us into the sky, there was a subtle shift from urgency to more towards surrender. I have undertaken many journeys before. Again, this time, too, I was not sure if peace and surrender could ever be achieved.

Colombo welcomed us with warmth. Ranjith, our guide, was there with his team and garlands. Palms swayed lazily, the air carried a salt-kissed softness and time(mind) immediately seemed to loosen its grip. The drive to the hotel was smooth. The city was clean, the skies were blue and the AQI was teasingly friendly. The rest of the day was intentionally left unplanned which was a wise decision. Travel, like meditation, needs space. We rested, observed and let Sri Lanka gently introduce herself. Towards the evening I went to the nearby sea front. A railway line ran close to the sea and the sunset offered just the scene my camera hungered for. Took a few clicks to set the ball rolling.

That night, over dinner, the unspoken realisation surfaced that this journey would not be rushed.

Day 2 | Colombo – A City of Layers

Someone wisely said that Colombo is not a city you “see”; it is a city you peel. Our city tour revealed layers of colonial echoes standing beside modern glass, Buddhist calm coexisting with urban hustle. The National Museum whispered stories of kings and conquests. The Old and New Parliament buildings spoke of continuity and change. Beira Lake shimmered quietly, as if unconcerned with human ambition. Markets, malls, offices followed - all full of familiarity. Yet what stayed with me wasn’t this; it was watching locals move through their day with an ease we often forget. By evening, Colombo felt less like a capital city and more like a gentle threshold as if preparing us for what lay ahead.

Two things stand out in memory. One was the colourful archway tunnel which joins the 7th floor lobby with the restaurant in Sofia Hotel. It seemed a visual delight and gave a feel from Egyptian times. Second, was the roof top view with a swimming pool. I made it a point to do a few lengths just before departure, after savouring down many calories of dessert the previous night.

Day 3 | Colombo to Dambulla – Elephants, Stone and Stillness

The road north carried us inward both geographically and spiritually. Our stop at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was deeply moving. Watching elephants bathe in the river, unselfconscious and present, was a quiet lesson. No hurry. No performance. No worries. Just life as it is. One couldn’t help but wonder at the effort and steps someone must have taken to setup such a facility. Clicking elephants is a treat. Their family bonding is worth capturing. Here in this orphanage they find a reason to be who they are once again.

The walk back to the bus was tiring and hot. We found comfort in coconut water and malai. Later, a cup of coffee set us good.

By evening, we reached Dambulla. The Golden Cave Temple was not merely a site but it was an experience. Perched up in the hills, Carved into rock, filled with centuries-old Buddha statues, painted ceilings and sacred stillness, it felt as though time had respectfully stepped aside. It was a small challenge to climb the steep steps up to the caves. Many had declined. But faith can climb mountains and this was just a hill. Inside the hill caves, I witnessed some timeless beauty of hand carved statues and paintings. Work so intricate that I was wondering how must the artist have carried the paint and brush to the ceiling. Just then I was reminded that faith surely can climb mountains.

That night, sleep came easily, like the mind had finally exhaled.

Day 4 | Dambulla to Kandy – Spices and Sacred Rhythm

Morning carried the scent of earth and anticipation. En route to Kandy, we visited a spice garden at Matale. Pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric. Each spice told a story of trade, healing and ancient tradition. Sri Lanka truly earns its title as the Land of Spices.

Kandy welcomed us with grace. Nestled among hills, it felt like a city that listens before it speaks. At the Temple of the Tooth Relic, devotion was not noisy. The devotees quietly sat down chanting their beads. While we were a bit early and found the main portals closed, we savoured the feeling of peace and tranquil. Whether one believes or not becomes irrelevant here; the atmosphere itself humbles you.

Before boarding the bus I clicked the Kany lake anf Queens Hotel. The evening cultural show of dancers, drummers, fire-walkers was raw energy disciplined by tradition. Art in its purest form; embodied, inherited and alive. What unfolded at the Oak-Ray Kandyan Dance performance  was a living invocation of Sri Lanka’s soul. From the sacred call of the conch and the ceremonial thunder of the Magul Bera to the refined grace of Pooja and Mayura dances, each movement felt like an offering  to the gods, to nature, to history itself. The rhythms spoke of warriors marching to battle, village maidens celebrating life, demons being confronted and tamed and devotion expressed through fire and faith. The crescendo of drums, dance and fire-walking reminded me that these traditions are not entertainment alone; they are ancient stories carried in muscle memory, belief and breath. All a timeless dialogue between humans, the elements and the divine.

Day 5 | Kandy to Nuwara Eliya – From Kingdom to Clouds

Our journey then climbed into the hills. At Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple, Ramboda. The Hanuman Temple is perched in the middle of  hills surrounded by lakes and vegetation. This stop was a pause and a reminder of the Ramayana trail woven across Lanka. Some say, its the place where armies camped - after Shri Hanuman had done the initial recce. For me, Hanumanji has a very special reverence. Two times he has pulled me out from the claws of sure death and on numerous occasions he has steadied my sinking boat.

Soon, mist wrapped the road. Tea plantations rolled endlessly like green poetry. Ramboda Falls thundered down in two graceful tiers, reminding us that nature doesn’t need an audience.

A visit to a tea factory completed the circle, from leaf to cup. Sipping fresh Ceylon tea amidst the plantations felt like drinking the landscape itself. We purchased all kinds of Tea and coffee. I am sure we are gonna love them back home.

By the time we reached Nuwara Eliya, we were in another world.

Day 6 | Nuwara Eliya – Little England, Big Calm

Perched high above sea level, Nuwara Eliya doesn’t shout its beauty, instead it murmurs it. Cool air, colonial bungalows, red-brick buildings, manicured gardens; it all felt strangely familiar yet distant. Gregory Lake became our slow afternoon companion. Some walked, some boated, some simply sat and watched clouds drift across water. Amidst all this beauty I was hit by an arrogant local driving his niche car. Without warning he just came and hit me from behind as we alighted from the bus at the Lake park. I was caught in a dilemma. Whether to react or to respond. My years of meditation guided me to act wisely with poise. I bore the pain and injury and walked off limping. I wonder if that was wise or some would say foolish. I surely did avoid a sure shot confrontation between our group and the locals. We may have made Twitter headlines, "Indian Veteran tourists create chaos in Sri Lanka". It is still hurting but I have the comfort of having chosen to forgive and forget.

The visit to the Sita Mata Temple was also a great pilgrimage. It is believed that this area is where Ashok Vatika exited then. I paid my obeisance to the Iron Lady, Sita who had to bear so much in one life - and that too a divine one. 

This was a day of unlearning urgency. Of remembering how leisure used to feel, always unapologetic and restorative.

Day 7 | Nuwara Eliya to Bentota – Hills Give Way to the Sea

The drive to Bentota was long, but transformation always is.

Green hills gradually flattened, humidity returned and suddenly the ocean appeared. Bentota greeted us with golden sand and open horizons. The shift was profound, from inward stillness to outward relaxation. An all-inclusive stay meant time loosened its rules. Meals, walks, waves, conversations, dance and music. Everything flowed without effort. The sea does that to you; it dissolves edges.

The Madu River boat ride was an experience in itself. We all sat in a huge boat and sailed along the mangroves and isles around.  The Madu River boat ride was a gift. Mangroves, birds, quiet islands, cinnamon scents, even a MISSED fish foot massage; nature and culture coexisted effortlessly here.

The visit to the Turtle hatchery was very interesting, too. We saw many varieties of sharks and turtles. 

At the Turtle Hatchery, tiny lives struggled to survive before beng left toward the sea. A humbling reminder that survival often begins in vulnerability.

Day 8 | Bentota, Galle & Blue Stones Factory

The day unfolded like a well-written chapter. At Galle Fort, cobbled streets carried Dutch, Portuguese and British memories. Ramparts opened to dramatic ocean views and every corner felt like a postcard that had grown old gracefully.

At the Blue Stones Factory, I experienced both awe and perspiration. Awe at the skill and uniqueness of the art and perspiration on my card swipe speed!

We returned to Bentota full, not just from food, but from experiences. The evening was at the pool, beach and the mystical ABBA night where the local troupe sang Hotel California and a bunch of ABBA songs. This was followed by late night dancing to live band and then we hit the sack.

Day 9 | Bentota to Colombo to Delhi – Carrying the Island Home

Departure days are always reflective. As we drove back to Colombo Airport, Sri Lanka passed by quietly, its palms, villages, faces, roads. Flying back to Delhi, one thought lingered all along, that Sri Lanka didn't overwhelm me. It still seeps into me.

Epilogue

I made new friends, picked up new stories of new experiences, met up with local tradition, culture and cuisine. I take back only ONE EXPEIRENCE - we are all same souls, all seeking happiness and all loving to share their beings.

This was not just an 8-night journey across cities and landscapes. It was a movement; from noise to nuance, from seeing to sensing. The Island of Smiles doesn’t demand your attention. It earns your affection. And long after the trip ends, something within continues to smile very softly, steadily, like Sri Lanka itself.

I will surely return.