Skipping the usual popular island hotspots of Philippines like Cebu and Boracay, we took a little detour and went a little further out to a less known but equally beautiful part of the country – the pretty little island of Coron.

Welcome to Coron, a pristine little island made of turquoise clear waters and intricate limestone cliffs.

Jac and I flew over from Singapore to Coron via their local carrier Cebu Pacific Airlines, and arrived safely at Francisco B. Reyes Airport, the official Coron Airport, formerly known as Busuanga Airport.

The view of Coron from the window seat on our Cebu Pacific Airlines Propeller plane.

One can fly into Coron and transit via Cebu or Manila Airport, depending on whether you want to do a stopover and stay 1-2 days in those cities. If not, I would recommend to transit via Manila to avoid the longer layover at the airport. The domestic flight into Coron is quite a fun experience as we took a small propeller plane instead of the usual winged one. Despite some slight wind, the flight was a very stable one and the view when coming into Coron was quite breathtaking.

After the half day of rest in our hotel and exploring the town, we booked ourselves a full day island-hopping excursion/ tour the next day to visit some of the popular iconic parts of Coron. There were many to choose from, but excursions to the lakes of Coron are definitely the #1 must do. Here’s a little activity checklist of the best of Coron for your consideration:

1. Breathtaking limestone rocks of Coron Island

The pretty turquoise colour of the water right under the limestone rock of Coron, stunningly beautiful

Rich in flora and fauna, these pretty limestone rocks of Coron with crystal water just beneath it is a real marvel. As the boat turns into the narrow lagoon, you can see the glowing hues of turquoise the water, the sight of it looked so pristine and magical.

 2. Long Boat Cruises and Sun Tan

Our boat resting at the Kayangan lake docking point

If you are one of those who loves the sea breeze, then taking one of these excursions are a must-do. Get some much-needed sun, and whenever you get the chance, snap some beautiful images at the head of the boat and jump off it into the water after which.

 To read more about other destinations in Philippines like adventure sports in Bicol or mountain climbing in Grand Cordillera.

3. Lagoons, Lakes and more Luminous Lakes

Coron is made up of multiple stunning hidden lakes which we got to visit during our island-hopping excursion. The limestone rock in Coron with the turquoise waters just makes it so beautiful to behold.

The iconic Kayangan Lake lookout point at Coron

Island-hopping at these lakes consist of a lot of snorkeling, so one is recommended to bring your own snorkeling gear when you embark on these tours, as you would need to pay extra for snorkel and fins respectively as it is not included in the package.

Lakes you will visit:

• Twin Lagoons

The last pit stop of the excursions, this is one of my favourite as you get to do a little adventure. We were lined up in a row with our life jackets on and dragged gently through a narrow low hanging cave into the lagoon.

• Kayangan Lake

The most iconic lake of Coron, which is always featured in tourist magazine and all, this warm enclosed lake has a walkway surrounding it for guests to walkabout. It is also best admired from the high lookout point when you trek up to enter the lake at the other side.

Loving the lakes. Lake hopping all day long..each getting better than the next!

Snorkeling Spots:

• Siete Pecados Marine Park
• Malwawey Reef
• Skeleton Wreck
• Coral Garden

• Beach 91 ( local beach that does not have any charges to utilize)
• CYC Beach

All the boats will stop here for a sumptuous lunch with a roving guitarist serenading us with songs.

4. Explore underwater wrecks in Coron via snorkeling and diving

Breezing past stretches of cliffs of limestone rocks – beneath these waters one can do snorkeling and diving in Palawan

WRECKS..so many of them in this part of Philippines.

One of the most iconic one is the shipwreck of Lusong gunboat, situated nearby Coral Garden. It was one of the pit stops during the island hopping. Most of the other underwater wrecks in Coron require you to have a dive license as they are much deeper and cannot be so visible from the water surface.

Snorkeling and diving in Palawan is something all outdoor and diving enthusiasts shouldn’t miss. Other wreck spots that I didn’t have time to check out:

• 35 metres length Tangat Gunboat or U-Boat Hunter

5. Hot Springs in the Philippines??

Come here and indulge in the lovely Maquinit Hot Springs in Coron

Long day of island-hopping or aching from too much snorkeling? Visit the Maquinit Hot Springs and relieve all the stress in your muscles and shoulders. The temperature of the water isn’t too warm and the smell is still quite tolerable compared to some of the other hot springs I have visited.

Recommendation: Come earlier at 5+ so that you can avoid the crazy crowds and catch the beautiful sunset just over the lake.

The view of the lake and sunset at the hot springs

Other outdoor adventure tours one can do in Coron:

1. Trek to Mt Tapyas
2. Dig your feet into the white sandy beaches of  Malcapuya Island/ Banana Island
3. Culion – a previously known leper colony ( wish I had the chance to go there to learn about the history of what happened in the past)

Hence concluding the outdoor adventure tours on the magical island of Coron with its enchanting lakes, wrecks, and the sunshine. I hope to be back one day to explore all the mysterious wrecks and learn about the history.

Old school wooden bridge with the best view of the sunset from Maquinit Hot Springs

To read more about other destinations in Philippines like adventure sports in Bicol or mountain climbing in Grand Corderilla.

This Coron destination trip is in partnership with Cebu Pacific Airlines. For deals and flight timings to Coron Busuanga Airport, click here.

Continuation from Black Sea Region of Turkey – What’s the Enchantment? Part 1

4. Amasya – The Glowing Mountain Rock Tombs

Stunning lookout point of the black sea region at the top of the Boztepe hill at Amasya, 550m above sea level – Nestled in The Black Sea Region of Turkey

Amasya is a beautiful little valley town with the splendid view of the rock mountain. It is a picturesque town with the  old Ottoman houses along the river and the tombs of the Pontus kings carved into the cliffs overhead, lighted up into multi colours at night. This sight is indeed a must-see in the day time and night.

Night light up at Amasya of the old ottoman houses- Black Sea Region of Turkey

Night light up at Amasya – Black Sea Region of Turkey Amasya has tones of things to sight see, and it will be good to get hold of a driver to bring you around. Some of the places require a bit more of a climb, especially the lookout point right at the top of Amasya. But it is a not-to-be-missed look out point and our whole entourage couldn’t help stealing a hundred photos up there with the grassy patches, stone castle walls and vivid blue sky.

Welcome to Amasya the pretty town with mountain rock tombs carvings and statues

Other things not to be missed in Amasya:

• Green River Walking Tour with hike up to Mountain rock tombs, statues of very first world famous historian Strabon
• Ferhat & Sirin Tunnel and Love Museum – check out the mummies here!
• Sultan Beyazıt II Camii (1486)- Amasya’s largest külliye (mosque complex)
• Magical Eco chamber – interesting echo effect like you are using a mike!
• Octagonal Madrasah – A Quran memorizing and reciting school (Hafiz School) since 1235
• Bimarhane – Previously a mental treatment hospital during old Turkish time; today it is a music school and museum

Old ottoman houses

The view of the old Ottoman Houses, mountain rock tombs and the bridge and river

4. Samsun

Our last but not least stop -the town of Samsun. The name ‘Samsun’ comes from its former Greek name Amisos (Αμισός). Some have claimed that Noah’s ark/ Moses’s staff were spotted here a long time ago.

Things to do here range from shopping to nice walks at parks. The are trams, buses and taxis here so it is possible to get around on your own, though slightly challenging due to the language barrier ( most of the locals don’t speak English)

Some places to visit in Samsun:

• Cumhuriyet Meydani (Republic Square)
• Ataturk Bulvari for Shopping
• Amisos Hill has a mix of lovely sea views, Hellanistic era tombs, and nice cafes to chill at. From the city centre, you can take number 1 (red) dolmus west to its final stop or tram to Baruthane: then walk up the hill. Another alternative is to take the cable car from Batı Park

( I would recommend to talk to a local beforehand before coming here on your own)

Going towards Samsun with the sunset – Goodbye Black Sea Region of Turkey

Going towards Samsun with the sunset in the distance. All in all, it has been an absolutely amazing trip to explore this less explored region of black sea. Such lush greenery, rich stories and warm Turkish hospitality just makes one sad at the thought of leaving it all behind. Till the next time I visit the black sea region of Turkey.

Simdilik güle güle!

The lone poppy of Turkey – visit the black sea region of Turkey

How to visit the Black Sea Region:

I flew with Turkish Airlines from Istanbul on a one-hour domestic flight to Hopa, though you would actually be landing at Batumi Airport ( in the Georgia Airspace). There will be a shuttle bus to bring you back into the Turkish Border into Hopa. The round-trip fare from Singapore to Hopa via Istanbul costs less than making separate bookings for the international and domestic sectors. Getting around the black sea region would be slightly challenging if you do not speak turkish, so it will be advisable to get a driver with a guide via some reputable travel agents to bring you to the respective attractions and accommodation.

TRAVEL TIPS • As Turkish Airlines has a transit/ stopover in Istanbul on its outgoing and returning flights, make it a point to explore Istanbul for a few days before and after visiting the black sea region.

Not the Red Sea, not the Dead Sea,  but the Black Sea…

The Black Sea Region of Turkey – for all the mystery and enchantment in its name, is one of the 7 regions of Turkey, and possibly one of its more untouched parts that few from Asia Pacific has explored.

The Black Sea Region – What’s the mystery behind this alluring part of Turkey?

Turkey has always been regarded a captivating destination for people all around the globe, whether it is for its iconic hot air balloon scenic rides in Cappadocia, salt lakes or rich religious/ historical places like Ephesus, Troy and Amazon.

However just further northeast of Turkey fringing the borders of Georgia is a barely touched but very beautiful part of Turkey – named ‘The Black Sea Region’.

Why called ‘Black Sea’?

It got its name from the distinctively darker colours of the water, due to the colder sea water temperature found in this part of Turkey. This region is also often set in a foggy cloudy atmosphere given it has rain 9 out of 12 months of the year, hence gives it its mysterious allure and mood.

Zil Kale on a hill in Rize – Found in the Black Sea Region of Turkey

You can enter the Black Sea Region via a couple of ways. But the route we took was:

Istanbul Airport –> Hopa (INTERESTING FACT: Arrive at Batumi Airport at Georgia Border with a 15-20 minutes shuttle to bring us back to Turkey Border) –> Rize –> Giresun –> Amasya –> Samsun Airport –> Back to Istanbul

So here’s a bird’s eye view on what are the best sights in the Black Sea Region and why it is a beautiful part of Turkey definitely worth its exploring.

The 5 Best of the Black Sea Region of Turkey:

1. Hop into Hopa

All landed safely in Batumi Airport via Turkish Airlines. Smooth and comfortable 1+ hour ride.

We had a relaxing and smooth 1+ hour flight on Turkish Airlines into… Batumi Airport. Interesting fact – while our domestic flight destination is Hopa, we were actually touching down in Batumi, which is Georgia, another country altogether. Turkish Airlines is just using their airspace/ grounds to land the aircraft, and when we disembark, there will be 2 signs spotted– one indicating ‘HOPA’ and the other ‘BATUMI’. Once we walk into the HOPA gate, we will basically just have to take a bus/ shuttle which will bring us on a 15-20 minutes coastal route till we reach the Turkish Border of Hopa.

2. The origins of Crazy Honey – Rize/ Ayder Yaylasi

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Rize is the tea-land of the black sea region.

It has plenty of tall lush forests and trees of green gold and brown, homes of the black hives where the bees cultivate their precious honey – and sold as Anzer Honey in the stores. This little town set in the Ayder Plateau, also known as ‘honey forest’ is also popular for fishing, hot/ cold crystal clear springs and having tea gardens that sells organic black tea.

ONE trademark of Rize is its long winding fast moving waters, where the current and fast moving waters make it a perfect draw factor/ iconic destination in Turkey for whitewater rafting in the months of Jun – Aug. It’s such a waste that we weren’t there in the right season to experience this thrilling adventurous activity.

Staying in the lovely cosy cabin of Ayder Doga Resort in Ayder Yaylasi

Things to see in Rize:

• Zil Kale Castle or ‘Kalesi’

Pretty iconic preserved castle in Rize to visit. Walking on the edges of Zil Kale is not advisable, but the stunning view from there is – breathtaking sight.

• Kackar Mountains

These snow capped mountains are perfect for heli-ski in winter, and some good hiking in summer (months of June – Aug). This iconic mountain range attracts a lot of avid European skiers and snowboarders to Turkey just to conquer its slopes.

On the way departing from Rize towards Giresun, we went pass Trabzon and stopped at a stunning lookout point.

Uzungöl or ‘Long Lake’, the lakeside mosque and forested mountains that some call ‘The Switzerland of Turkey’. So idyllic

3. Oh Pretty Town of Giresun

The view of Giresun city from their highest look out point at Giresun Castle, or ‘Kalesi’

The locals here have claimed proudly that some of the best cherries in Europe and hazelnuts in the World come from none other than Giresun. One interesting thing about this city with its 400K population is Kuskoy – ‘Bird village’ in Turkish. In here, you can watch how the locals learn to communicate with each other with bird sounds, whistles and tunes, NOT words. They even have a school to teach people how to ‘speak’ it. It is so fascinating!

We had the privilege to take a stroll around the old housing area of the locals followed by a cruise around the coast of Giresun with Altin Post ferry. The little ferry visit to Giresun island was absolutely beautiful, with great weather that day and the sea gulls flying alongside the ferry. We got to Giresun little island, or what I like to call it ‘The Seagull Haven’ about 30 minutes later. This 4-hectare little island has some amazing old stone ruins which used to be monasteries and some really rich flora and fauna. The stunning sea breeze and foamy waters alongside the beautiful coastal cliffs with seagulls flying in the wind and nesting just made it so magical and untouched. I later found out this little island is ironically the ‘biggest’ island in the Black Sea Region of Turkey.

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I could not bear to say goodbye to those seagulls and the beautiful coastal cliffs.

Some little trails to explore on the island is Hamza Stone, Monastery Ruins and Firin Oven.  The origins on this island use to comprise of  a stone temple, fortifications and ramparts, and two wine or oil presses. The now roofless stone temple was in the ancient times attributed to the fearless Amazons who held religious rituals on these cliffs.

Other parts of Giresun that I would love to visit and explore the history more of if I had more time:

• Cave churches
• Amazon Women – Women Warriors

 –> Read on to Black Sea Region in Turkey –  What’s the Enchantment? Part 2 (Amasya/ Samsun)

Rock climbing is surging in Singapore. As of May 2017, it seems that our tiny island city has about at least 10 rock climbing and bouldering gyms, a lot more compared to what was available just a good 3 years ago when I first started.

Great pleasure and fulfillment derived from climbing

And it is not surprising – it is to cater to the growing demand and interest in climbing as a recreational sport, from 20,000 about 6 years ago to 50,000+ till date, according to the Singapore Mountaineering Federation (SMF).

With the influx of climbing available, rock climbing gyms are also aware of the necessary precautions needed to ensure the safety of their climbers, from young toddlers to beginner climbers just coming to give this activity a go.

But one trend we see growing is – more kids starting rock climbing. And why is it so?

Perhaps we should dive deeper into why this is a perfect activity for the inactive ipad addicted Singaporean kid these days.

Benefits of Rock Climbing for Kids and Adults:

1. Work that Body + Brain

Mental challenges push the kids to think and overcome their fear by aiming for the next tile. Photo credited to rockclimbinggym.net

Rock climbing is one of the most holistic sports/ activities you can find around Singapore. Being such a good workout, it engages not just the limbs movements, stronger core as well as..sharper brain development as you have to think and work your way up the rock wall.

2. Rid the gadgets, get active

Rock Climbing for Kids – Trying out the bouldering wall. Photo credited to inflatablestartup.com

Playground for the monkey within all of us. Have we forgotten how we use to be fearless and curious as kids. Well, the best way to enhance that part of your child but pulling him/ her away from their iPad videos, Pokemon Go, and get that young body moving. If they ain’t moving when they are young, what would they be like when they hit your age?!

Climbing Playground. Photo credited to Fractus Learning

Where are the Climbing gyms in Singapore?

3. Mental Growth and determination

Climbing trains the mental capacity, best nurtured when young. I wish I could have started when I am much smaller.

Rock climbing for kids to train their perseverance. Photo credited to New Jersey Family

YES..Everyone needs to train this aspect of their mind, and it should start young! Mental capacity/ strength is very helpful to overcome many challenges/ mental blocks as you get older. While you climb, you are forced to focus and clear all distractions from your head to reach your next step. So forget those tuition classes, bring them out to scale some rocks too.

And once they grow older, they can decide if they want to explore the great outdoors and bring climbing to a whole new level beyond what we envision ourselves to do when we were young.

Moving from indoor rock climbing to outdoor climbing when you get older. To read more about the best climbing gyms in Singapore to start the fun, click here.

Here’s me attempting a post that may be a surprise to some..I do not solo travel.

And, neither am I an advocate for it.

Aside from the many posts I have done featuring me alone in my photos, it is actually, mostly un-solo. I travel approximately 8-10+ holidays a year if I am lucky, but I haven’t planned/ gone on a single solo trip so far. I can count with 1 hand the handful of trips that I had a couple of days solo on my own:

• Canada ( 5 days out of 30+)
• India ( 1 days out of 10)
• Tokyo ( 1 day out of 10)

  

  

  

  
  

Yes, that’s about it. And there are reasons why I prefer it that way.

No doubt solo travel is growing. There has been an increasing trend of female solo travelers across the globe, and I have met many many such travelers during my voyages and travels. Indeed, there is much pleasure from getting to plan your getaways to your preference –  type of attractions, places to stay base on budget/ how much time to spend in a particular place, not to mention the immense amount of people you meet in 1 trip when you solo travel. For my Canada trip alone, despite me only spending less than 6 days in my 23 days trip without a friend by my side, I had made up to 30 over new friends from all over the world over those few days, and some of them I still keep in touch till now.

However having said that, I guess it’s time I jump into why despite such great experiences, I am still not a fan of solo travel, or traveling solo, and here are some reasons why:

5 REASONS WHY SOLO TRAVEL ISN’T FOR EVERYONE

1. Experiences are best enjoyed with friends

I love immersing in the places I go and being overwhelmed by the scenery or bustling energy of a destination/ ciry. Yes, while traveling solo can give you full autonomy to go to places you might find difficult to convince a friend to go, but the pleasure derived from that moment of seeing something spectacular and you stare and squeal in sheer delight with the person next to you, its priceless.

Be it at the top of a ski slope in Japan before you speed down, or witnessing an awesome mountain top sunset in the Philippines, it’s nice to have a friend/ buddy next to you to share that immense joy/ excitement. There is something extremely infectious about that shared moment or memory when you look back on it.

Going crazy on top the jeepney on the way down the rolling hills

2. Better to be safer than safe

Safety is something on a higher yet somewhat reduced priority these days. With travel being so much more accessible and many more countries being more ‘tourist-friendly’ for solo-travelers ( mind you, friends traveling in India and South Africa alone), it has triggered a lot of travelers to visit the more off the beaten track places in the globe. However, there is a difference between being aware/ mindful of the danger in the places you go and negligent of danger that you might bring yourself.

Solo travel, despite making some acquaintances or friends along the road that you spend a day or more with, it will still have you covering quite a fairf segments of your travel – on your own. And doing so, it will put you in a bit more risk versus traveling with another friend where you can look out for each other’s blind spots.

Eg. Doing road trips in South Africa where car theft is a common occurrence. Or squeezing through the bustling streets of India knowing that you have a friend watching your back/ or front, as you immerse in the surroundings. Hitch-hiking in Europe in pairs might also at least ‘help’ – when it is 2 in a car versus 1 driver ( not sure how exactly, but at least you know there is someone who is as serious about getting home in one piece as you. Seriously, try to avoid this unless you are really on a really tight budget.

6 friends glamping in South Africa with a 3 car convoy.

Danger?

Rock climbing or hiking expeditions overseas are also another type of trips you wouldn’t want to risk your safety on a line/ rope with people who you aren’t familiar with/ barely know. So it’s always ideal/ better to go with friends or buddies who are dependable and regard your life as high as theirs.

Rock Climbing with people who you trust. this shot was taken in Taiwan Long Dong, a trip with 6 friends.

Hence, its always good to have someone in your trip having your back. Having said that, I have traveled with some people who have made us more receptive to attracting danger than being on my own 😉 So, do make some discretion what friend to invite on for a slightly more ‘dangerous” holiday.

Dangerous holidays ? Find out some tips on what to take note when going on one.

3. Shared Planning and Decision Making

In my opinion, this is one of the best things one could have when it comes to travel, as I hate having to do all the work and planning in a trip during crunch time. Yes, when you plan the full itinerary yourself, you get to see and to do everything you want, but when trouble comes, sometimes you just want a nice traveling buddy who can help you book a train ticket while you dash to figure out the timings of your hotel shuttle bus. 2 minds can work pretty efficiently, vs just one person who is stuck with worrying about check out and chasing after the shuttle bus at the same time.

Examples of where this +1 resource will come in useful is eg. Europe backpacking trips, bustling cities like Tokyo and Bangkok.

4. Costs Savings

The most practical reason to not travel solo is – shared costs. And I am talking specifically with regards to road trips and campervan-ing trips, where your vehicle rental costs is going to be fixed, regardless of the number of passengers.

Places like New Zealand/ Australia/ Iceland and Scotland are destinations where they are best enjoyed by doing a road trip. For such trips, go with pals or friends who you know is unlikely to be a crazy kidnapper disguised as a fellow traveler.

Get a car with a driver to get around sri lanka is the best option

5. Instagram Buddy 

These days, everybody wants an ‘instagram boyfriend’ 😉 #whynot

Okay jokes aside, it is really quite helpful if you have another friend with you to entrust your camera to – to take great holiday shots for you.

Jump shots with friends capturing photos

Selfies with friends on the rock

Solo travel just makes it too difficult and risky to pass your camera about. Especially so for a person like me who like shots of me taken a distance away from the camera – as a smaller subject in the backdrop, like the examples below.

Hence, I don’t think one would be too thrilled to turn around and see your new-found-friend-aka-new-found-friend-aka-stranger-aka-now-thief scurrying away with your camera.

An amazing shot like this at Mount Rinjani Indonesia was captured by Zac who climbed a tree to take it for us. How many strangers or even friends would do that??

So this concludes my little post about why solo travel isn’t for everyone, and some of the limitations of solo travel or traveling solo. No doubt solo traveling works once a while when you just want some serious personal time to yourself and do some kind of project ( sit by the streets and sketch/ paint the effiel tower). Other than that, I won’t advocate for everyone to jump on the bandwagon straight away unless you have a kind of idea what you are going to experience, as there are a lot of factors that needs to be considered before making that trip – solo.

Share with me your thoughts about this?

To read about my ‘partially’ solo trip in Canada, click to find out more.

Lush green terraces of tea plantations, bustling chaotic streets of traffic, singing sri lankans as they clamber up Adam’s peak, these are just some of the vivid memories I have of the rugged green country of Sri Lanka.

Get a car and driver to get around sri lanka is the best option

Ely and I made a trip up to Sri Lanka over christmas and new year’s, spreading across 10days to cover the following route:

Sigiriya ( 2 Night)  >>Kandy (1 Night) >> Nuwara Eliya (3 Nights)>> Galle (1 Night)>> Hikkaduwa ( 2 Nights)

Sri Lanka had open up more in the past 10 years, and have been receiving a surge of tourist arrivals. Some of these places that are visited are rather accessible and maintained well, making it a bit safer as well. So here’s listing some of the fun and adventurous activities to immerse in during your time there:

Top 9 fun and adventurous activities one can embark on in Sri Lanka:

1. Crazy crowded but scenic train rides from Kandy –> Nuwara Eliya/ Elle

Crazy train rides with scenic views from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya/ Elle.

2. Hiking and Trekking at the best Nature Spots

Climbed Adam’s Peak and witnessed the sunrise view from the temple top. Did I mention I climbed it with a sprain ankle.

One of the trademark beauty of Sri Lanka is its lush greenery. We got to enjoy a lot of it by visiting the 2 UNESCO World heritage sites – Horton’s Plains and Adam’s Peak.

Come prepared with good waterproof clothing and proper hiking boots. Though both places are relatively easy to walk without too much scrambling on loose rock/ jagged edges, but the weather here proves volatile, so the ground will be slippery if there is rain or morning dew gathered. Also, Adam’s peak is quite dark while hiking up at night and I actually injured my ankle stepping into a porthole ( how unexciting). So I would recommend one to be ready with proper hiking boots all the time.

Adam’s Peak hike

Head off to Adam’s Peak starting ground as early as 11pm might be a bit extreme, depending on your speed of staircase climb up the mountain. Most fit people will take 2-3 hours to get up to the top.

There are plenty of rest points in between to get chips, hot drinks and some sri lanka street snacks.

Enjoy hiking? Find out the other hiking/ climbing spots in Asia

Horton’s Plains

Definitely a must visit for those who love nature and scenic walks. Though the ride and entry in the park costs us as much as US$90 (which is a bit insane for a natural scenic place like that), it was nonetheless a very beautiful and relaxing trail with the cool fog following us around.

Going past the iconic World’s End before ending up on these orangy fields of horton’s plains

If you managed to break away from the noisy groups, you might have a higher chance bumping into animals like sambar deer. It was an absolutely astonishing sight to see it running across the walkway.

Sigiriya Rock World Heritage Site

Sigiriya Rock aka ‘Lion Rock’

A unique shaped piece of rock with no other high elements around it, this UNESCO world heritage site is truly surreal to look at, and turns out to be quite a relaxing climb as well. Its mostly stairway all the way up, with handbars to grip also. Very friendly for younger ones to less fit folks as well.

3. Tea, Spices and everything nice

The trademark of Sri Lanka is also none other than their – black tea. Once you enter the zones of Nuwara Eliya, the temperatures here at night drops and you immediately feel the need to whip out your warm jackets and long pants to replace the t-shirt and shorts from Kandy. The cool air was quite lovely in the day though, hence making it such a conducive climate for tea to grow.

Lush vivd yellowish green tea plantations at Nuwara Eliya. Ely and I stole a quick photo with these lovely local tea pickers

Ely going down the trails of the tea plantations. We had 2 boys following us around during that trail.

4. Visiting historical monuments of Ceylon

Exploring the Polonnaruwa Ancient City by foot

The country of Sri Lanka, on top of its scenic nature routes, is also very rich in history, religious roots and culture. We visited a couple of the really beautifully preserved heritage sites, and I would strongly recommend them for your consideration.

Polonnaruwa Ancient city

I have forgotten the name of this animal, but it is of certain significance as it is commonly seen at the entrance of a lot of these old ruins

We got around Polonnaruwa Ancient city by foot and renting a bicycle at one of the main entrances, which speeds up the time needed to get around. It costs about US$12 to rent a bicycle for 2-3 hours.

Enter the Grand Cave temple of Sri Lanka – Golden Temple of Dambulla

Not named a UNESCO world heritage centre for nothing, this iconic massive temple houses hundreds of buddha statues, and the paintings on the walls have been preciously restored and redone.

Indiana Jones Edition: Temple of the Tooth at Sri Dalada Maligawa

This place houses the sacred tooth relic that hundreds of people flock here yearly to receive blessings

Walk the old fort of Galle by the coast

Walking along the old fort of Galle

Enjoying reading about Sri Lanka. Visit another popular destination in the area – Mauritius