A Letter From Asia: Sri Lanka

2318

Ayubowan!

Traveling in Sri Lanka is like coming home. Three generations of my family have a deep personal connection with the Pearl of the Indian Ocean: love stories which spanned continents, the births of children, and friendships which have lasted decades. This fall, I have returned for the first time since my teens. It’s a family holiday, but now my brother, his partner, and I are approaching middle age, and our parents – thankfully still with us and no less adventurous – are old enough to appreciate a slower, more comfortable journey in a country which has shaped us all in so many ways.

There are three places I particularly want to tell you about, because they epitomize what is special about this beautiful island. First on my list is Thamaravila, a luxury tented game lodge in the Wilpattu National Park. Wilpattu is the largest protected area in the country, and as it was closed to the public for 16 years during Sri Lanka’s civil war, the lack of human interference has given the flora and fauna a chance to thrive. I came here to see Wilpattu’s world renowned leopard population, but was just as enthralled by the sight of elephants, water buffalo, and deer, plus countless species of birds.

Kandy, I would say, is the cultural heart of Sri Lanka, and hence is my second pick for this letter. This is where my mother spent her formative years, in a colonial bungalow not far from the lake; but where you (and I) want to stay is the Grand Serendib Hotel. It is close to the famous Temple of the Tooth, named after a relic of the Buddha, and there are remarkable views from the rooftop. This is the ideal base for sightseeing – the Royal Botanical Gardens with its world famous orchid collection, the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, and the Bahirawakanda Temple amongst the top locations – but I also recommend scheduling dinner in the hotel’s Grand Sky Lounge. It’s romantic, even when your dates are your younger sibling and parents!

Kandy, which was the capital of the historic Kingdom of Kandy from the 15th to the 19th centuries, is idyllic and fascinating in equal measure, whatever time of the year you want to visit. But if you are able to choose when to come, nothing beats the Kandy Esala Perahera, also known as the Festival of the Tooth, which takes place annually in July or August. The exact dates are dictated by the lunar calendar. The festival’s nightly parades are dramatically lit with thousands of fairy lights, the dancers’ bells tinkling, and the sacred casket is carried solemnly on the back of a ceremonial elephant. I like to imagine my grandparents standing on the same street almost 70 years ago, watching a very similar spectacle. Perhaps one day my goddaughter will witness it too.

For me, Sri Lanka – Ceylon – is synonymous with tea, and every morning starts with a generously large pot brewed from loose leaves. It is only right, then, that my third recommendation to you is W15 Lake Gregory in the middle of Nuwara Eliya, the island’s most famous tea growing region. The hotel has a sublime setting overlooking both the lake and Galway Land National Park. The architecture and decor is reminiscent of the tea planters bungalows in which my grandpa once lived, and if you are interested in tea, there are plenty of experiences to immerse yourself in and learn about this all important plant.

How about a picnic in a tea garden, or a tour of the Pedro Tea Factory? And of course, you must do a tea tasting, where you will learn how to identify a first flush from a second flush, and why green tea and black tea taste so different, despite coming from the very same plant. A packet of tea is a lightweight and inexpensive souvenir or gift, and it is easily transported back home. What is more, when you brew those leaves months from now and sit quietly sipping from your cup, you’ll be transported in your mind to Serendib, with all the memories of relaxing on this heavenly isle.