Sri Lanka is often described by travellers as “India-light”. It is far more compact, with many of the highlights possible to cover in a week; it has a similar culture in many ways; similar type of experiences on offer, such as tropical beaches, old forts, tea plantations etc; and it is generally a bit less hectic than the madness of a busy India. But, if looking at the flip side, it also doesn’t really offer anything that India doesn’t. So, if you have experience of India, you may find Sri Lanka chilled, pretty, nice to get around, but without necessarily the wow factor. The exception to this though is the Tea Country and the spectacular train ride through it
I’ve listed below the classic, compact 1 week itinerary for some of the highlights and a few high level tips to help you get the most out of the trip:
- Time of year – the experience of Sri Lanka varies dramatically by season. Basically, December to March / April is the best time for this itinerary as it is dry (and nicely cooler) season in the south coast and Hill Country. April to September is best for the north of the country and the Ancient Sites, again because it is drier
- Prioritise time in the Tea Country – the beaches in the south are lovely, Galle is nice for an afternoon, and its worth dedicating half a day to try and see a Blue Whale in Mirissa, but the highlight is the Tea Country for not just the tea estates, but also the hiking and pretty “Old English” feel towns
- Book your trains in advance – you DO NOT want to be standing. I’ve read in a few guide books that it doesn’t really matter if you stand – I think that’s ok for a hour or so, but for longer it really isn’t fun. It’s Sri Lanka – 2nd and 3rd class unreserved will have people crammed in to the point that you can’t sit on the floor and need to stand. Tickets become available 30 days in advance and are super cheap (US$7 for first class just about everywhere), so jump on the train website (really not as bad as people whinge about) or, if left it late, buy at the stations (only the large stations such as Colombo, Kandy and Nanuoya sell reserved seating tickets)
- You’ll want a driver for parts of the trip – some parts of the journey you cannot take a train, such as from Galle up to the Tea Country, and some parts you’ll want a driver to take you around the immediate sites, such as the tea factories and estates. Considering you only have a week, and potentially can share the cost among multiple people, it’s just easier to get a driver for the day. They’re typically US$50 for the day and it also has the benefit of being able to speak in detail with a local as they proudly show you their country. I rented Siri (+94 77 779 8962) for my drive from Mirissa to Ella, who was very knowledgeable; and Yoga (+94 75 165 0205) for around Nuwara Eliya. I’d recommend both
- I wish I’d . . . visited the Uda Walaw National Park. Would have been great to see more of the wildlife, and it fits perfectly into the route
- For more details on each of the experiences, see the detailed travel entries for:
Nestled up in the middle of Sri Lanka’s Tea Country, Nuwara Eliya was one of the old colonial centres for the tea industry and, with the combo of old quaint buildings, race course, golf courses and, well bloody drizzly bleak weather, is affectionally known as “Little England”. As an Englishman I can confirm I felt right at home!
The wandering around the town is nice, as you get to places like the old post office, police station and hotels straight out of a Charles Dickens novel, but it is the surrounding Tea Estates that are the highlight
Top Tips:
1. The drive from Nuwara Eliya to Talawakelle / St Claire Tea Centre is the prettiest for views – its hard to go wrong with the surrounding countryside as it’s all gorgeous, but this is the pick of the bunch. Also, the drive from St Talawakelle to Tawalantenne is dramatic, but super windy and a bit nauseating. For a driver, I went with Yoga (+94 75 165 0205) who was great and charged around US$50 a day
2. Stay in one of the colonial hotels – it will give you the full “Little England” / Old Colonial feel. The Grand Hotel is best for this in the centre; Ferncliff Bungalow for something in the centre that is far quieter but still quintessentially English; and the Amaya Langdale / Oliphant Villa for luxury 20mins or so from the centre
3. Visit one of the Tea Factories – the Damro Labookellie Tea Factory is good for learning about the tea. The Heritance Tea Factory for more style
4. Have High Tea in the Heritance Tea Factory – beautifully restored old Tea Factory that is now a hotel providing luxurious afternoon tea from 3pm onwards
5. The parks are ok for an hour or so – Victoria Park is nice enough to walk through for 30mins, and so is the nearby Galway Land National Park, but have low expectations (highlights are the colonial buildings and tea estates)
6. Wrap up – it gets cold! The don’t call it Little England for nothing – expect drizzle and cold evenings in the winter!
This is the highlight of Sri Lanka. Sitting with the window open as you watch the old train slowly snake its way through hours and hours of beautiful tea plantations that sit within the most dramatic part of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. You’ll spend the first couple of hours gawping and what feels like endlessly taking photos, and then, after a while, just relaxing and soaking up the peaceful nature of the place, with its quiet towns and tea plantation workers slowly getting on with their day
A few tips to help you get the most out of the trip:
1. What is the route? There is only one train line that goes from Kandy to Badulla, via roughly 20 small/medium stations, but the main ones being Hatton (for Adam’s Peak), Nanuoya (for Nuwara Eliya aka “Little England), Haputale and Ella. The whole route end to end takes 7.5 hours, with just about all of it beautiful except for the section within 1 hour of Kandy, so it doesn’t really matter which section you do – I went from Ella to Nuwara Eliya and then Nuwara Eliya to Kandy and both routes were fab. For a really good breakdown of what to expect, try seat61’s Sri Lanka section (link – https://www.seat61.com/SriLanka.htm#colombo-to-kandy-hatton-nanuoya-badulla-by-train)
2. Make sure you stay in one of the hill towns along the route – its one thing taking the train through the plantations, its another being able to visit and learn about how they make the tea, which you can do in the various “factories” next to the towns. Plus, the surrounding country side of the hillstowns is often beautiful (such as Ella – see a detailed review here – The Hill Country Village of Ella) or just really interesting (such as the “Little England” experience of Nuwara Eliya – see the detailed review here – Staying in Nuwara Eliya’s “Little England”)
3. Book ahead a reserved seat – you DO NOT want to be standing. I’ve read in a few guide books that it doesn’t really matter if you stand – I think that’s ok for a hour or so, but for longer it really isn’t fun. It’s Sri Lanka – 2nd and 3rd class unreserved will have people crammed in to the point that you can’t sit on the floor and need to stand, and you’ll generally have less personal space than you’ll be used to, with locals having significantly better shoving skills than you to get any available seats. Tickets become available 30 days in advance and are super cheap (US$7 for first class), so jump on the train website (really not as bad as people whinge about) or buy at the stations (only the large stations such as Colombo, Kandy and Nanuoya sell reserved seating tickets. You’ll need your passport)
4. Open the window / stand next to an open door for a bit – it just adds so much more to the journey. If next to a window and can open it great. If not, the sections between the trains tend to have the door open so you can look from there. The locals tend to be super accommodating, so if one is already stood at the door, they’ll tend to either welcoming you standing their with them, or move out the way for your 10mins or so
Oman is a cracking country for a 5 day trip. It has that wonderful Middle East vibe without the extreme restrictions of the likes of Saudi or Iran, the extreme opulence of the UAE and Qatar, and without the crowds of Egypt and Jordan. To add to the mix, it has a surprisingly diverse offering – world class mountains, vast red deserts, gorge and canyon exploring, and all with the capital Muscat acting as a hub to launch yourself on these adventures
Its only real downsides are that it tends to be expensive; doesn’t have the well trodden traveller path (so you need to do a lot on your own); and, outside of the Hajar Mountains which are sensational, doesn’t have so many of the world class attractions you’ll find in other parts of the Middle East. That being said, the below itinerary was cracking fun
Top tips:
- #1 Prioritise the following 3 things (in order) – 4WD in the Hajar Mountains (including the forts of Nizwa and Bahla as they are en route); Hiking and swimming Wadi Shab; Staying in the red desert of Sharqiya Sands. Muscat only needs a day max and you’ll naturally find this time as you’ll fly in and out of there
- #2 Five days is enough, but with little chill out time – the 3 highlights above are all within 2 hours drive of Muscat and typically only need 0.5 days (Wadi Shab), 1 day (Sharqiya Sands) and 1.5 days (the mountains). Two ways of looking at it:
- If full of energy and trying to get the most out of the 5 days – the itinerary below is very doable and, if slightly impatient, you’ll find that you’ll be done with the places quite quickly (eg you really don’t need more than the morning in Wadi Shab and overnight in the desert). You could even choose between Jebel Shams and the 4WD mountain road to make this a 4 day trip
- If want more of a chill out – either make it a week, or chose between either Jebel Shams (famous) or the 4WD mountain road (spectacular, adventure
- #3 Oman is expensive – it’s quite a shock when you see that the exchange rate is 3US$ to the Omani Rial . . . as in, the other way around!! Everything is more expensive than you’ll likely be used to, so it pays to scan for in particular cheap accommodation and a decent deal on the 4WD
- #4 Driving – you need a car if not on a tour, as public transport is pretty poor. Broadly the deals started at around US$35 / day for a basic rental car, and around 2/2.5 times that for a 4WD – so it may actually make sense to take the 2WD for certain parts and change for 4WD when needed, which is what I did. As always, have a scan on RentalCar to see what the rates look like.
- What about a 4WD? The 4WD makes a lot of the trip easier as you can easily drive up to Jebel Shams, drive to your desert camp in Sharqiya Sands) and is an absolute must for the drive across the mountains via Hatt. That being said, the drive up to Jebel Shams is very doable in a 2WD (no restrictions); you can easily get the Desert Camp to pick you up from the town of Al Wasil or any pre-arranged meeting spot on the main road; and the drive across the mountain road via Hatt can be optional if you’re not up for the nerve jangling. Be sure as well to check that it is a genuine 4WD, rather than a 2WD SUV (which the second rental company were not clear on)
- #5 How to behave / what to wear – Oman felt very much on the chilled out end of the Middle East spectrum, and used to western tourists. Whilst its always better to dress a bit more like a local (they find it odd, for example, that we wear shorts at all), for the itinerary below, there were no places where you would feel uncomfortable wearing clothes showing knees / shoulders
- #6 – for greater detail on individual parts of this trip, see the following travel entries:
Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) is the second highest point in Oman and is famous for its otherworldly feel as you rise far above the main Omani valley floors up to the large Saiq plateau 2000m /6560ft above sea level. The experience itself is all about talking short walks through the small gorgeous mountain villages that are connected by the UNESCO World Heritage listed irrigation systems; looking down into the seriously impressive, yet also abundant, canyons; and generally gawping out the window as the stunning mountain scenery passes by. Very much worth the day trip from Muscat
That being said, if you only have a day or two from Muscat to explore the Hajar Mountains, I would prioritise this just behind the very similar drive up to nearby Jebel Shams (see travel entry here – Walking Jebel Sham’s Wadi Ghul canyon). Or, if looking for more of an adventure, the sensational 4WD drive to cross the Hajar mountains via Hatt (see travel entry here – )
Top tips:
#1 Do you need a 4WD – yes. Whilst there is very little need for an actual 4WD, there is a police check point at the start of the drive up to the plateau that checks you have a 4WD. The reason is not because of the road quality (we only drove on paved roads), but because of the long descent down from the plateau and the need to be able to manually change into a lower gear to avoid brakes overheating (yes, I get that you don’t need a 4WD for that, but I doubt you want to argue with the Omani Police)
#2 Be sure to walk part of the Village Trail Hike (W18b). The 4km hike goes between the small mountain villages of Al Aqor and Seeq, but if you don’t want such a long walk (there and back), there is a short gorgeous walk that starts at the official start of the walk (look for “Terraced Fields Viewpoint” or “Dieter’s Point”) and lets you walk through the terraces to the small village of Al-Ain. The walk has amazing views through the canyon, lets you see the irrigation channels and the ornate villages themselves. If you find yourself thinking non of this is clear in the signposting . . . you are not alone. But once you get to the start point (a car park) it is very straightforward
#3 Have lunch at the fabulous Alila Jabal Akhdar – staying at this hotel with its insane views across the nearby canyon will set you back min US$500 / night. Instead, go for lunch which is fairly reasonable (US$40 / head) which will also let you have a wander round
#4 How much time do you need? Its a full day trip from Muscat, with total driving time around 5-6 hours and a total distance of 400km / 250miles. With the walk to the mountain villages, stopping for photos and having lunch you’re looking at around 10 hours or so
The Hajar Mountains, with their spectacular peaks, hidden hill towns, mini luscious oases and dramatic canyons are some of the most striking mountains in the world and by far the highlight of Oman. Most people visit the forts of Bahla, the Wadi Ghul canyon and drive up to the plateau of Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest mountain – and these really worth doing. But for a truly world-class experience, rent a 4WD and drive the mountain road from Bahla to Rustaq via Hatt. The number of fellow tourists drop off dramatically, the valleys and peaks become more dramatic, the hill towns and oases are significantly more remote and untouched, and above all you’ll have a great feeling of adventure. It’s not for the faint hearted though – the road is challenging, with the majority of your time spent on dirt roads, the drops off the side can be a little terrifying, and at times you will feel a bit isolated with no other drivers around you. But, considering the ease at which you can experience this (easily be done in a day from Muscat and 4WD rentals are easy to rent), this should be right at the top of your list for Oman
Top tips:
- Is the route hard to follow – no. I’ve seen plenty of blogs that make it seem easy to get lost. It really isn’t. I’ve listed below the route to demonstrate some of the things you can expect to see, but you can just plug it into google maps and you’ll have no problems. Even without google maps, its basically a direct road except for 2 forks that are clearly signposted
- Do you need a 4×4 – absolutely. Contrary to many things written about the Jebel Shams ascent, I think you can easily get up Jebel Shams without a 4WD. But you absolutely cannot do this mountain route without a 4WD – that would be dangerous
- Is it dangerous – as long as you (i) have a 4WD; (ii) don’t drive in the rain or when the road is very wet; (iii) don’t be reckless; (iv) use a bit of common sense when other cars are passing, this is not dangerous. That being said, it is challenging and at times nerve wracking just because of the steep sides
- How much time does it take – it took me 3 hours for the drive, including stopping just about every 10mins for photos. I think if you wanted to stop in some of the villages, add on an extra hour on. If you are driving from Muscat, it’s around 1.5hours to Rustaq and around 2hours to Bahla. So, all in from Muscat you’re looking at a 6.5-7.5 hour day
- The obvious stuff – your chances of something going wrong are low, but it always makes sense to prep correctly – reduce the pressure in your tires by around 20% for the offroading; make sure you have enough fuel (there are no petrol stations); make sure you have a spare tire and know roughly how to replace it; bring water in case for whatever reason you do get stuck. Whilst it is quite isolated at times, I saw around 30 other vehicles on my trip (locals and tourists) so you will have support if you run into problems (in fact it will be in their interest to help you if you are blocking the road!)
Most people visit El Nido for the stunning Bacuit Archipelago, or for the sensational boat trips through the island chains to Coron. These are for sure amazing, but another option is to rent a moped and ride the loop around the El Nido peninsular for something that is a little simpler, cheaper and quieter . There’s something just so fun and adventurous about leaving the busy touristy town and resorts of El Nido Town and within less than 20mins be in what feels like a different world of super quiet roads, real Philippino villages with no tourist facilities, world-class near empty beaches and views that make you gobsmacked so few people visit here. Really worth it
Top tips:
- The route is simple – there is a very clear circular route that follows around the peninsular’s edge and then cuts back across the interior on the TayTay-El Nido National Highway (don’t let the name fool you – it’s a single lane road barely wide enough to drive a truck on). You’ll only leave this main circuit route for 5-10mins at a time for certain beaches
- Renting is super easy – can do so just about anywhere in or around El Nido, don’t need a license and won’t pay more than 700 pesos / US$12 for the day’s rental (500 pesos) plus petrol. Just rock up and you’ll have be leaving on the moped within 10mins max
- Driving tips – this is South East Asia with different road rules and dogs / pigs / whatever darting onto the road. But these obstacles are generally only in the towns and, as long as apply a bit of common sense, the danger is very limited. Think of it the same as picking up a push bike
- Quality of road – the road is absolutely fine except for around 3km of non paved road in the interior crossing and maybe half of the detour routes to the north west beaches. For these sections you’ll get bumpy non concrete roads, or a bit muddy
- Places on the route you must stop at:
- The beaches in the north west – Nacoan Beach is the famous one (voted world’s best beach) and with great beach clubs along it. But if looking for the quiet vibe, go for Duli Beach just past it. Just as nice and with only one small beach surfing shack
- Views down across the east coast – you’ll see these at various places on the route
- If looking for place on the remote east side for lunch, Ursula Beach Club was nice and not many other options. You access it by driving along the beach which is also fun
- Ille Cave is really worth it – get a guide to enter
The islands in the north of Palawan between El Nido are some of the most stereotypically idyllic tropical beach paradises you can imagine – hundreds of islands surrounded by perfect white sand, gorgeous clear turquoise water, tropical reefs, and only occasionally sprinkled with tiny villages along the shoreline. Whilst there are many places around the world, and even in the Philippines, that can offer trips through very similar settings, it is the ease of access to these trips (multiple trips leave every day), reasonable price (think less than US$1k for 6 days vs minimum x4 for an equivalent liveaboard), and focus on interacting respectfully (and genuinely) with the local communities that makes the Palawan experience stand out. A must if visiting Palawan . . . and almost a must if visiting the Philippines
Top tips:
- Go with Tao Philippines. Whilst there are around 10 companies offering these type of trips, Tao are the pioneers, have the scale, and everyone I’ve spoken to has raved about them. Put it this way – I can see they consistently have 9+/10 ratings
- Expect it to be fairly basic. The Tao Philippines site gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect and tries to manage the expectation (www.taophilippines.com) – basically don’t come if you’re a princess, but in summary:
- The boat – you’re on a large Philippine-style bangka boat for the day – plenty of areas to lounge around on. Nothing private. Up to 25 on the boat (we had 24 and didn’t at all feel crowded at any stage)
- Sleeping – you sleep in village bamboo huts by night. Think a 3m / 3m (10ft x 10ft) bamboo platform on stilts, with a roof covering by two bamboo sides leaving an entrance and exit either end, a thin single mattress surrounded by mosquito nets. Goes without saying – no aircon
- Food – surprisingly good
- Showers – cold water, shared bathrooms
- Electronics – half the evening stops have charging (helps to bring a powerbank), none have wifi, cell coverage is patchy depending on network
- Expect a backpacker vibe. For anyone who has travelled through South East Asia, you know what I mean. Chilled out, not expecting 5 star (or 3 or 4 star!), probably doing this as part of a bigger trip, respectful, up for fun. Age is only one of many factors that reflect the vibe, but typically the age range is 18-45
- What do you do? Expect a lot of sailing through tropical paradise, snorkelling, chilling out on distant beaches or beaches you’ll be sleeping on
- November was PERFECT. Not too hot, very little rain, very few mosquitos, and fewer fellow tourists at this time of year
- 3 days / 2 nights or 6 days / 5 nights? It completely depends on your appetite for chill, how much time you have and which route you are doing. I booked 3 days / 2 nights (from Coron to El Nido), knowing I could change my mind and extend on the 3rd day, which I didn’t do. After meeting up with my group on their 6th and final night, and after discussing with many who have also done the 6 days, I would summarise as:
- 3 days / 2 nights – I left thinking I’d had a wonderful time, fantastic group and it was one of the highlights of the Philippines. I’d “done it” and didn’t need another 3 days of the same tropical island experience, and was able to use the remaining 3 days for scuba diving in the same islands, sleep in a nice hotel (it feels soooo good after sleeping a little rough) and generally explore other areas
- 6 days / 5 nights – you get the full chill experience, get to stay at “The Farm” (which was the best place to stay) and experience the highlight of the trip which was the final day in the Bacuit Archipelago
- If going El Nido to Coron, go for the 3 days / 2 nights. If Coron to El Nido, go for the 6 days / 5 nights
Andalucia is the jewel in the crown of Spain. There are various stella attractions that help this region claim that title – the Alhambra, Seville, Cordoba, the striking pueblos blancos (white towns), the flamenco dancing, the Sherry Triangle. There are also natural spots that are worth the trip alone, such as the beaches of Tarifa, the mountains of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema and the coastline of Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar. But it is the unique historical blend of Christian Spain and Moorish Al-Andalus that gives Andalucia the magic touch and makes it the must visit region of Spain
The itinerary below will give you the highlights and try to minimise the driving by having Cordoba and Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar as optional
I’ve listed tips below, but high level – the standout attractions are the drive through the achingly beautiful white towns of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema, Seville’s Old Town with its Cathedral and Palace, and staying overnight in the sensational Vejer de la Fontera
Ronda is all about the dramatic gorge and how the pretty white old town, complete with one of Spain’s oldest bull rings and sensational bridge, is built impossibly around it. Certainly worth the day trip from the likes of Seville and Malaga as the surrounding scenery is just gorgeous and, despite it being really busy with fellow day tourists, has enough to see to not make it feel overly crowded
Top tip #1 – if have a car, focus instead on the drive through nearby Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema. Ronda is beautiful, for sure, but it is just one of many stunning white hilltop towns in this part of Andalucia. Instead of spending 1-2 days in Ronda, enjoy it as part of a driving route from Ronda to Arcos de la Fontera. The most beautiful part of Spain, one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen in all of Europe and with far less tourists than in Ronda. See the full travel entry here –Driving through the White Towns of Parque Natural Sierra Grazalema
Tip #2 – walk through the valley to the west of Ronda as part of a circular route that gives you great views of the Bridge. Its a fairly simple route that you can start from anywhere, is around 6km / 3.75miles so takes only about 1.5 hours with only one moderately steep part, gives the best views of the gorge and allows you to wander through the vineyards for a very different feel. Use google maps – start at the bridge- then walk through the pretty Old Town to Mirador del Viento for amazing views – then to Mirador La Hoya del Tajo for further great views – then walk through the vineyards to Mirador de los Pinos – then all the way along the ridge to the views from Hotel Catalonia Reina – and then back to the central area with the bridge
Tip #3 – or something more unusual, try the Bodega Garcia Hidalgo vineyard. Only 5km from town, run by a local family and about as genuine a vineyard tour you can get
Tip #4 – where to stay. We stayed at the Hotel Catalonia Reina which has sensational views of the nearby mountains and valleys from its wide garden balcony, but is a bit overpriced for the rooms you get. I don’t think it really matters where you stay as everything is so close in Ronda
Tip #5 – where to eat. La Abaceria Ronda did great tapas. For drinks, give the Hotel Catalonia Reina’s outside area a go for great views and not rammed
