Sri Lanka

After hearing so many good things about Sri Lanka, I was excited to finally see it for myself. I started in the southwest, in the historic coastal city of Galle, wandering through its beautifully preserved colonial fort overlooking the Indian Ocean.

From Galle, I squeezed into a crowded four-hour minibus to Colombo, the country’s biggest city. At 6’3”, the ride wasn’t exactly comfortable, but the coastline views along the way made up for it. Colombo itself struck a good balance: busy, but never overwhelming, with a mix of modern buildings, colonial architecture, and lively markets. While there, I met up with Avin, a university student who’d reached out after seeing my travels on Instagram. He spent some time showing me around his hometown while teaching me about Sri Lanka’s history, politics, and culture. I really enjoyed spending time with someone my age who shared such a genuine curiosity about the world. Our conversations ranged from geopolitics and travel to life in Sri Lanka, and it made the experience far more meaningful than simply sightseeing on my own.

From Colombo, I headed inland to Kandy, a city known for its cultural and religious significance and a noticeably slower pace. But the real highlight came the next day at Sigiriya, an enormous rock fortress rising nearly 200 meters out of the surrounding jungle. After climbing to the summit and taking in the views, I capped off my time in the country with a safari through a nearby national park, where I got lucky enough to spot wild elephants roaming free. Sri Lanka exceeded my already high expectations: friendly people, deep history, stunning landscapes, and more diversity than seemed possible for such a small island.