Don’t eat, feast. Drag strings of hoppers through luscious curries and fill up on deep-fried Lankan snacks, filled with potatoes and dotted with fresh prawns as the sun sets. Learn that rice and curry almost always means at least seven smaller accompanying dishes, including a whole variety of sambols—flavour-packed side dishes that put chutneys to shame. Like the dals of India, you can bet no two are the same. Wash it all down with a hyper-sweet King Coconut.
Don’t look passively, learn. Two minutes behind a single tuk-tuk on the streets of Colombo or Galle will impart infinite wisdom. “Your ego will destroy your talent” read some; “Keep calm and be happy with your balls,” read others. Noted.
Forget full sentences, acronyms are the new way of life. Meet the new breed of Sri Lankans paving new ways in a post-war world, throwing golden terms like “He’s L.T.P” —lost the plot—around like loose change.
Despite being a stone’s throw away from our Southern-most tip, Sri Lanka, to most, remains an enigma. But as the balms of time work its magic on a country still recovering from a brutal civil war that only ended in 2009, tourism is at an all-time high again; while more and more Indians are realising what an ideal island paradise it really is. Some are even making it their home.
If you spend even a tiny bit of time on instagram, you already know Paloma Monnappa. Well on her way to full-fledged social media celebrity (she has fans who have literally titled her the “island queen”) the model-surfer-DJ is a full-time traveler who splits her time equally between India and Sri Lanka, even as she finds time to debut in Malayali films opposite Dulquer Salmaan, host travel shows on Discovery Channel, and act in indie music videos and TV commercials. She makes it look pretty damn easy but considering every day seems to demand different destinations, we’re exhausted just trying to keep up. Even more generously though, she consistently introduces her followers to Sri Lanka’s best-kept secrets in a way no tour company could ever match. As a result, she’s constantly hounded for tips when people travel there so we decided to take it a step further and make things official.
Without further ado, we got her insider’s guide to exactly how she would spend 10 days in the beautiful island country. You’d better believe this is the only way you want to do it.
[The guide below has been written by Paloma Monnappa herself and has only been edited for length and clarity.]
Stay
Stay at the super hip Drift BnB or Moss located in central Colombo. I would only suggest staying in Colombo if you have enough travel time and if you wish to check out the restaurant culture.
Eat
If you’re into Japanese food you cannot miss Nihonbashi owned by Sri Lanka’s most successful restaurateur and chef, Dharshan Munidasa. There’s also Ministry of Crab, owned by the same chef, both of which are on Asia’s 50 best restaurants. My favourite Sri Lankan seafood restaurant is Lagoon at the Cinnamon Grand hotel. They have an amazing selection of freshly caught seafood and you can select whatever you like from the display and decide how you want it to be cooked.
If you’re craving some homely Italian food I would suggest Dolce Italia. I love their grilled tuna and homemade pasta. They also have a nice selection of savoury items.
Shopping
For souvenir shopping, I would recommend Barefoot; their garden cafe which, is part of the store and has a lovely ambience. If you’re into home decor, I would highly recommend Paradise Road.
Take a taxi or bus straight to Galle (2 hour journey).
Do
Go for a sunset stroll to the Dutch Fort where you can also do some shopping. Exotic Roots, Barefoot, Salt & Stick No Bills are stores to look out for. In the fort you will also find a variety of restaurants. Enjoy dinner at Fort Printers, high tea at Ammangalla, or café style dining at Pedler’s Inn. Cafe Ceylon in Ahangama is also worth checking out, along with Heritage Cafe & Bistro for a diverse International Asian menu. Think: artisan pizza made from scratch, pasta made daily, hand-crafted cakes, pastries and bread made fresh daily in their bakery. Hoppa delivers a Sri Lankan street food favourite in a cosy setting at the Galle fort. Love Gelato for artisanal ice cream that’s made fresh daily using local & natural ingredients. Good Story Cafe in Weligama has amazing all day breakfast choices, delicious pastries, including Russian specialities. The bagels and the Russian Napoleon are my favourite.
Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or pro surfer there’s plenty of spots to choose from in the south. I usually surf at Ahangama, Dewata and Welligama. Other beaches to check out are Mirissa, Midigama and Jungle Beach. Ahikava in Dewata and Boardwise in Unawatuna offer great surf lessons and guiding.
Spend the day at Good Story in Welligama, you can also take surf lessons here.
Surf/Spend the day at Timeless Villa in Ahangama.
Do
Go check out the new breakfast menu at Koha Surf Lounge in Unawatuna. You can also do some street shopping here and spend the day on the beach. Unawatuna is a fishing village that over the years has developed into a popular holiday destination. La Boheme for beautiful wood fired Italian Pizza with a French touch and Hajime Sushi as it features a daily harvest from the Indian Ocean & locally sourced produce. Enjoy small plates, sushi & wood fired Yakitori. For Sri Lankan inspired tapas by the beach, check out Toddy.
Pro Tip: Make sure you don’t go there during Poya (Full Moon) as every full moon is a holiday in Sri Lanka and the beach gets really crowded.
Stay
I recommend staying at Secret Garden - it is an oasis within the lively coastal village of Unawatuna, just opposite the beach. It boasts a 19th century Dutch Sri Lankan colonial villa with bungalows and suites and a 4000 Sqm tropical garden. The name couldn’t be more apt! In the middle of the garden rests a large dome, offering daily yoga classes & an on-call Ayurvedic therapist for massage and wellness therapy as well as free space for dance, meditation and music. It is one of the most peaceful and relaxing places to stay in busy Unawatuna.
Eat
For seafood and feet-in-the sand dining, try out Thaproban or King Fisher in Unawatuna. Paradise Garden if you’re looking for a place that serves up delicious Italian fare (definitely order the Carbonara).
Stay
Get your Eco waterfall experience at either Samadhi Centre in Kandy or Galapita Rocks in Buttala. Samadhi is meditation paradise, dotted with lotus ponds and carp tanks. There are also breath-taking views of the Knuckles mountains from this spot!
The rustic charm of Samadhi makes it unique. Full of old world antique decor and multi style artwork, every nook seems to hold a little surprise or treasure. The owner Waruna is an antique collector himself. The place throws you into another time zone and makes you feel as though you are entering a different world surrounded by pristine nature such as waterfalls, hills, exotic birds and lush foliage. Samadhi offers Ayurvedic treatments, hiking and fun outdoor adventures, yoga and meditation and alluring honeymoon suites. The food is mostly grown on the property so it’s as fresh and healthy as it is delicious. Vegetarians especially would love the food. My favourite part about Samadhi is the walk to the waterfall in the forest nearby.
The other great option, Galapita Rocks, is one of the most rare and magical eco lodges on the island. I love the rustic architecture and secluded open air rooms in the wild. It’s the perfect place for lovers. Their Sri Lankan food is also delicious and you can go tubing down the river under the canopy shade of the trees.
Drive back to Colombo.
For those who’d prefer to do a little mixing and matching, Paloma’s also left us a breadcrumb trail of a few other places she loves to stay and eat at. Fill up her itinerary with some of these suggestions, or work the ones you like into your own.
EAT: Noodle Bar at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel (Colombo) | Cafe Japan for homestyle Japanese | August for great Lebanese food | Salty Swamis, Hikkaduwa
STAY: White Monkey (Haputale) - “Great for backpackers.” | Dots Surf Cafe and Hostel (Hiriketiya) - “Perfect for both backpackers and others, plus there’s a beautiful rock pool by the side of the cove-beach you should check out.”
SHOP: Dilly & Carlo
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