*With peace, parts of Sri Lanka that were off limits or almost off limits for decades are opening up to visitors, who will be warmly welcomed. Start at Kalpitiya, the main town on the long finger of land that just up into the Indian Ocean. The beaches here are just OK but the kite surfing and reef diving are spectacular. Hook your way around north to Wilpatthu National Park. This treasure was closed for years during the war but is now returning to life. It has all of Sri Lanka's iconic animals and is very quiet.
*Next explore another spit of Sri Lanka extending in to the sea Mannar is technically an island but feels like a peninsula. It has white beaches, wild donkeys and incredible beauty. The remote town of Talaimannar feels like the end of the world. Here a chain of reef and islets almost from a land bridge to India.
*Hook around again to the Jaffna peninsula. Jaffna bears scars of the war, which still seems like a recent memory here. But the rich Tamil culture is returning and charming temples on shady backstreets await exploration.
*Roads closed for years have reopened and you can visit Keerimalai spring, a sacred site with legendary bathing pools. It's close to the Naguleswaram Shiva Kovil, which traces its past to the 6th century BC.
*Your next destination is Point Prdro, which is still shaking off the 2004 tsunami but holds onto traces of a colonial past.There is a long swath of the whitest beach you can imagine here.
*Jaffna has nearby islands well worth exploring for their sheer minimalistic beauty.There's actual sights on Nainativu, which you reach via increasingly unsubstantial causeway and a ferry. Buddhist and Hindu temples draw the pious to this tiny speck of sand.
*Another ferry ride which is half the fun takes you the 10km to Neduntivu, which some still call by its Old Dutch moniker Delft. It's a windswept place beyond the end of the road and wild ponies roam seemingly deserted streets.
No comments:
Post a Comment