e7m
🌿 How It All Started
Sri Lanka wasn't in the plans. I booked the tickets spontaneously — simply because they cost around 42,000 rubles round-trip, and a visa is processed online for 35 USD (about 3,115 rubles) in 20 minutes. I flew into Colombo late at night, got into the first tuk-tuk I found and drove to the hostel. The driver didn't know the streets, I didn't know the language. We drove around the city for about forty minutes. This was my first encounter with the island — chaotic, noisy, and somehow joyful.
The next day I headed to the mountainous region of Ella. The train to Ella is a legendary route through tea plantations. A ticket costs about 178 rubles in third class — and it's the best view from a window I've ever seen. I sat right in the doorway, legs dangling outside, green hills and fog all around.
⚡ The Moment That Changed the Route
On the third day I decided to rent a scooter and drive to a waterfall in the jungle. The navigator led me onto a dirt road, which turned into a trail after a kilometer. The scooter got stuck in red clay, my phone was down to 3%. I stood in the middle of the forest, unknown birds screaming around me.
«A local old man walked by with a machete. He looked at me, at the scooter, smirked and silently helped me push it back onto the road. He didn't take a single rupee. He just turned around and walked back into the jungle.»
After that, I stopped making rigid plans. The next few days — I just went wherever seemed interesting. I found a tea factory where for 890 rubles they gave a tour with a tasting of five types of tea. I accidentally stumbled upon a local festival with drums and elephants.
☕ What Stayed in Memory
Sri Lanka surprises you not with attractions — there are plenty of them here, but that's not it. It surprises you with the pace. No one is in a hurry to go anywhere, but everything somehow happens. Food at street cafes costs 200–350 rubles for a full plate of curry with rice. A night in a guesthouse — from 1,400 rubles. The island is cheaper than it seems if you don't get stuck in tourist restaurants.
The main thing I remembered: sunrise on Sigiriya Rock. Climb at 5 am, ticket 4,450 rubles — expensive by local standards, but the view of the jungle in morning fog is absolutely worth it.
- Cash is essential. MIR cards don't work in Sri Lanka. Exchange rubles for dollars in advance at home, then exchange dollars for rupees (LKR) at exchange offices on the island — the rate is better than at the airport.
- Train is the best transport. First-class tickets with reservations cost about 890 rubles — book 2–3 days in advance on the Sri Lanka Railways website, otherwise you'll be standing.
- Season matters. The western and southern coasts are dry from November to April, the eastern — from May to September. If you're traveling in the off-season — bring a raincoat, not an umbrella.
- Connection without roaming. Buy an eSIM in advance — for example, on e7m.ru from 197 rubles, activates before boarding the plane, internet works from the first minutes after arrival.