This day was dedicated to a Colombo city tour. The main attractions were Galle Face Beach, which is especially beautiful in the evening, Lotus Tower, Independence Square, and the National Museum, among others. After exploring the city all day, we boarded the night train to Trincomalee. We had already reserved our tickets for the train the previous day upon arrival in Colombo.

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Must visit attractions

The night train departed at 9 PM, and we reached Trincomalee at 6 AM. The city is well-organized, very affordable, and popular for its blue waters. Its beaches are often referred to as the “poor man’s Pattaya.” We found a hotel near the beach after arriving. Exhausted from the night journey, we slept until 11 AM. After the Friday prayers at a nearby mosque, we visited Uppuveli and Nilaveli beaches. Unfortunately, heavy rain at Nilaveli ruined our plans for the day. What stood out about Trincomalee was the abundance of peacocks, deer, and monkeys on the streets, reminiscent of how cats and dogs roam in our country.

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We started the day early, visiting Fort Frederick, a Portuguese-built fort atop a seaside hill offering stunning views of the city and ocean. The fort also has a large Hindu temple at its peak. After the fort visit, we took a bus to Kandy. Although we planned a stop at Sigiriya to see Lion Rock and Dambulla, delays at Fort Frederick forced us to skip it. Kandy is a hill station city, and its main attraction is Kandy Lake. The main city can be explored within two hours on foot.

Must visit attractions

We spent the entire day on a train journey, which is considered one of the world’s most scenic routes – the Kandy to Nuwara Eliya railway. For mountain lovers like me, the journey through the hilly terrain was breathtaking. Instead of staying in Nuwara Eliya, we decided to continue to Ella. Online research suggested Ella was more beautiful. After arriving in Ella at night, we explored the serene village and then rested.

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Must visit attractions

Early in the morning, we set out to explore Ella. Highlights included the Nine Arches Railway Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, Ella Rock, and several waterfalls. By 11 AM, we took a bus to Galle, which turned out to be quite a tragic experience. The route from Ella to Hambantota is filled with forests, while the road from Hambantota to Galle via Matara and Mirissa runs along the blue ocean, offering dreamy views. Ideally, one could stay a night each in Nuwara Eliya and Ella for the best experience, but due to time constraints, we skipped Nuwara Eliya.

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Upon reaching Galle the previous night, we faced challenges as Galle is one of the most expensive cities in Sri Lanka, with higher costs for accommodation, transport, and food. The next morning, heavy rain disrupted our plans to explore the city and relax at Hikkaduwa Beach. Eventually, we visited Galle Fort, the city’s main attraction, located next to the Galle International Cricket Stadium. The Portuguese-built old fort city has a European vibe. After some shopping in the main city, we took an AC bus to Colombo via the scenic Galle-Colombo highway, a marine drive.

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Must visit attractions

With no plans for the day, we caught an early morning AC bus to the airport. After completing formalities and browsing duty-free shops, we boarded our 9:25 AM SriLankan Airlines flight to Dhaka. After a 4-hour flight, we arrived in Dhaka, marking the end of our Sri Lanka trip.

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