SRI LANKA


the thought of diving 10 metres wasn’t something I was looking forward to. After a shaky start I made my way down the rope and clutched Sujith’s hand (I think I cut off his circulation) and he kindly guided me around the shipwreck of the Brennus. I eventually relaxed enough to enjoy watching the school of fish and huge eels worming their way through the wreck.


TOP: Koneswaram Temple BOTTOM: Trincomalee Credits: Shutterstock


Diverse offering But don’t be fooled into thinking all of Sri Lanka’s best bits are under the water. There’s plenty of diversity here, which makes the destination extremely inviting – untouched beaches, timeless ruins, rolling landscapes, the jungle, eight world heritage sites, and of course, kind locals. The country hasn’t had an easy ride though – it was rocked by more than 25 years of civil war and a devastating tsunami in 2004, so it has certainly overcome years of uncertainty. But over the past few years the country has started to ove forward, reected in an increase in tourism, new high-end hotels being built and improved transport infrastructure. The locals are now looking to the future with optimism, albeit a little cautiously sometimes. Traditionally, the south and west parts of the country have been the most popular tourist spots, being home to the famous Sigiriya Rock Fortress, countless white-sand


beaches and the sacred town of Kandy. But the north and east are slowly opening up, and it’s these regions I went to explore. The north was the hardest hit by


the war, causing significant hardship for the communities, environment and economy. The war is a part of Sri Lanka’s history that can’t be ignored, having only ended 10 years ago. Every Sri Lankan you meet will have been affected in some way. This was apparent during my visit to the Trincomalee district, which suffered greatly due to the conict. The area is well worth visiting.


Surrounded by wildlife, hilltops and rock formations, it’s full of local life and hardly touched by tourism. It has plenty on offer with an interesting fort and sleepy backstreets lined with pretty colonial villas. The streets are also dotted with mosques, churches and dozens of colourful Hindu temples. The grandest of them all is the oneswara Teple. ne of five temples in Sri Lanka dedicated to honouring Lord Shiva, it sits atop the Konesar Malai hill overlooking the Indian Ocean, and the dramatic Gokarna Bay. It’s been destroyed and rebuilt throughout its history, but remains extremely impressive, with its brightly coloured structure and huge gold sculpture of Shiva. Hundreds of mini cradles hang from the surrounding trees, an offering to the gods by infertile couples, in the hope of being blessed with children. While the views at the temple


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