Sri Lanka is a tiny, teardrop-shaped island within the Indian Ocean which is, fairly merely, one of the lovely locations on earth. Don’t consider us? Nicely, The New York Instances rated Sri Lanka number one in its record of the highest 10 locations to go to on the planet again in 2010 Whereas in 2023, Sri Lanka was rated among the many prime 10 most instagrammable locations on the planet by EnjoyTravel.
And top-of-the-line methods to discover this lovely nation is on a bicycle, because it means that you can take in the sights and sounds slowly and at your personal tempo. Even in the event you’re not an energetic bicycle owner, it’s potential to seek out a number of bike excursions operators that let you do leisurely bike journeys the place you bike for a number of hours every day after which do different enjoyable stuff for the remainder of the day.
Listed here are three explanation why a Sri Lanka bike tour is one of the simplest ways to discover this emerald island:
1. Gorgeous Pure Magnificence
Stunning seashores, lush inexperienced forests and mile-upon-beautiful-mile of tea plantations, all these make a Sri Lanka bike tour a must-do for any biking lover. Tea plantations, in truth, are a particular characteristic of any journey to Sri Lanka as they evoke a quaint colonial appeal that’s exhausting to not fall in love with. And Sri Lankan not solely appears to be like lovely, it tastes scrumptious too. Sri Lanka is likely one of the largest exporters of tea on the planet, and when in Sri Lanka, you may be certain of savoring a few of the finest tea you’ve ever had in your life.
2. The Wildlife
Sri Lanka is dwelling to a number of endangered species of animals and birds. However maybe the animal that most individuals like to encounter in Sri Lanka is the elephant. Sri Lanka is likely one of the few locations on earth the place you possibly can merely experience previous herds of elephants as they graze peacefully within the meadows.
Whale watching is one other wildlife exercise that’s fashionable in Sri Lanka. There are a number of tour operators that take vacationers to the ocean from the place they’ll watch blue whales, dolphins and different massive aquatic animals in frolicking within the blue waters of the Indian Ocean.
3. Nice Biking Infrastructure
Sri Lanka has well-developed infrastructure and welcoming locals, that means cyclists can anticipate good-quality roads with little site visitors within the countryside together with world-class hospitality
It can be one of many most secure locations to journey to. Worldpackers rated Sri Lanka among the many prime 13 most secure nations on the planet to journey to. Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, was ranked by Der Normal because the second most secure metropolis on the planet for solo girls vacationers.
That are the Greatest Locations to Cycle in Sri Lanka?
With vibrant cities, lovely seashores, dense forests, and historical Buddhist ruins, Sri Lanka has each form of terrain to please the discerning traveler. That mentioned, listed here are a few of the finest locations for biking in Sri Lanka:
1. The Cultural Triangle
Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle is technically not a triangle, it’s a pentagon, as it’s a set of 5 historical websites which are UNESCO World Heritage Websites. These websites are Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla Caves, and Kandy. However since calling it the pentagon would sound a little bit spooky, of us simply name it the cultural triangle.
Whereas on the cultural triangle, put together to be swept off your toes by its historical past and awe-inspiring magnificence. Anuradhapura is likely one of the oldest frequently inhabited cities on earth that was first established within the fifth century BC.
The bike experience from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa is sprinkled with magnificent historical ruins, Buddhist temples and historical archaeological websites. The spectacular Sigiriya rock fortress in Dambulla is an enormous column of granite rising a sheer 590 ft above the encircling forest-covered plains which is, fairly merely, breathtaking. Sigiriya additionally has lovely frescoes masking its rocks relationship all the way in which again to 480 AD.
2. The Central Highlands
The central highlands of Sri Lanka is an unlimited plateau adorned by a variety of mountains that attain as excessive as 2500m (8200 ft) above the ocean stage. This mix of excessive elevation and a tropical local weather characterised by excessive rainfall offers this area a singular local weather and ecology discovered at few different locations on earth.
In truth, the whole area is acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Web site due to the very excessive variety of endemic species of natural world it harbors. These embody the very lovely purple-faced leaf monkey which you might be more likely to spot in the event you go a little bit off the crushed observe right here.
Additionally, most of Sri Lanka’s tea is grown on this area, so while you’re touring right here, be sure that to spend no less than a few nights at a tea plantation resort. To these accustomed to Asia, this a part of Sri Lanka might remind them of southern India, particularly Kerala, as India grows a whole lot of tea as nicely. Should you’ve ever been on an India bicycle tour, you’ll know what we imply.
Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Ella are the primary vacationer locations on this area.
3. Wilpattu and Yala Nationwide Parks
Sri Lanka has over 26 nationwide parks to deal with its outstanding wildlife. Nonetheless, out of those, two nationwide parks that stand out for guests are the Wilpattu and the Yala nationwide parks.
Wilpattu is the biggest nationwide park in Sri Lanka and is known for the 106 lakes unfold out throughout its huge space and for being a house to the Sri Lankan leopard.
The Yala nationwide park alternatively is probably the most visited nationwide park in Sri Lanka. Situated in southern Sri Lanka on the fringe of the Indian Ocean, the park is a vital habitat for the Sri Lankan elephant and several other aquatic birds.
4. The Coast
Sri Lanka has an extended and delightful shoreline on the Indian Ocean, and strung out alongside its coast like a necklace of pearls are a few of the most lovely seashores on the planet. And fortunately, most of those seashores have nonetheless not been overrun by vacationers just like the seashores in Europe or in Thailand. Be certain to take a look at the Mirissa, Bentota, and Unawatuna seashores.
Sri Lankan cities akin to Colombo, Galle, and Negombo are additionally situated alongside the coast and have a vibrant nightlife together with nice meals.
Closing Ideas
Sri Lanka is a tropical paradise that gives a fantastic option to these in search of a substitute for the extra crowded Asian vacationer hubs akin to Thailand or Bali. It’s additionally considerably inexpensive than each Thailand and Bali.
And we consider a Sri Lanka bike tour is likely one of the finest methods to discover this lovely nation. Should you’re in search of bike tour operator, we recommend testing Art of Bicycle Trips. Their itineraries are aimed toward leisure cyclists with a deal with cultural and culinary actions.
So what are you ready for? Hop onto a motorbike and pedal away into the sands and sunsets of Sri Lanka.