Sure Travel Journey Vol 4.3 Winter 2018 | Page 27

few days to soak up the beauty and serenity
of the highlands.
I hop off just short of Badulla, the end
of the line, for a few days in and around
the town of Ella. While the tourist boom
has transformed what was once a sleepy
mountain village, it’s easy to escape the
backpacker crowds. Just 10 minutes’ walk
from the centre, my family-run guesthouse
is surrounded by serene tea plantations
and I spend a happy few days exploring the
surrounding hillsides and discovering the ins
and outs of tea production.
But I’m also here to ride downhill. The
train ride back from Ella is amongst the
most spectacular in Asia. Leaving in the
early morning, it’s an exhilarating six-hour
journey to the city of Kandy, with endless
switchbacks and mountain passes dishing
up panoramic views of tea plantations and
indigenous forest. Along the way a chatty
office worker introduces me to dhal vade,
the staple train snack of fried dhal, and I fall
in with a crowd of friendly locals eager to
talk cricket with a South African abroad.
I step off at Kandy for a few days in and
around the island’s cultural capital. While the
Temple of the Tooth and Kandy Lake draw
most visitors here, I’m interested in what’s to
the north. (continued on the following page)
Q BEFORE YOU GO:
VISAS: South African passport
holders need a visa to visit Sri Lanka.
These can be bought on arrival, but
it’s quicker to apply for an Electronic
Travel Authorisation ($35) online
before you leave, at www.eta.gov.lk.
MONEY: Sri Lanka Rupee.
ZAR1:LKR13. ATMs are widely
available and credit cards are
accepted at large hotels and
tourist-oriented restaurants.
HEALTH: While Sri Lanka has been
malaria-free since 2016, mosquitoes
are still responsible for Dengue fever,
with the last outbreak in July 2017.
Take the usual precautions to protect
against mozzies.
BOOK IT: Let your Sure Travel agent
take all the hassle so you need only
take the trip to Sri Lanka. We can
tailor-make any itinerary to suit your
needs. Visit www.suretravel.co.za
to find your nearest agency, or call
0861 47 48 49.
© ANDRUSHKO/ADOBESTOCK
©ALADDIN/SHUTTERSTOCK
The train ride back from Ella is amongst the most
spectacular in Asia, dishing up panoramic views of
tea plantations and indigenous forest