With the ongoing pandemic, everyone’s mind is plagued with the same question: When will it end? We are all hoping the answer would be sooner rather than later. For all of us travel enthusiasts, this is an especially persistent question as wandering souls don’t do well with being cooped up in a house all day.
Brunch spoke to a few travel influencers who shared five underrated places that are a must visit after the pandemic. Instead of using this time at home to despair, why not be productive and plan out your next vacation? The anticipation is bound to make it all the more exciting when you do finally set foot in these breathtaking areas.
Knuckles Mountain Range
Chathuranga Kahawatte, the husband of the husband-wife duo that runs the famous Instagram travel blog @i_travel_wife_sleep, explained that when most people think of Knuckles, what immediately springs into their head is either hiking or camping. He told us that there is so much more you can do at this mountain range. “When people talk about Knuckles, they think you need to go on an off-trek vehicle and hike so many kilometres and camp because there are no proper places to stay,” he said, adding that Knuckles is a very beautiful place, but is often misunderstood.
He informed us that Knuckles has so many easy-access waterfalls where you can park for a few minutes and enjoy it; right by the side of the road, there are waterfalls by the names
Huluganga Ella Waterfall and Saree Ella Waterfall. In addition to this, there are other waterfalls that are a five to 10-minute walking distance away. “Knuckles even has glamping (glamour camping) experiences nowadays, which reduces a lot of hassle for those who don’t like having proper accommodation. There are businesses who have set up the camping site in such a way, where you can reach the site via a vehicle.” He also highlighted that the skies in Knuckles are so clear that you’d never get to experience it in Colombo. “You don’t need to hike to see it, just look up,” he said.
Ratnapura
Another place Chathuranga Kahawatte listed was Ratnapura, explaining that many people only view it as a transit city for everyone on their way to Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Adams Peak, and Ella. He commented that this is not the case, and Ratnapura has many beautiful areas to explore like the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
This area too has many easy-access waterfalls like Bopath Ella, Kirindi Ella, Rajanawa Ella, Manan Ella, Marakkala Ella, and Dehena Ella. “It is actually famous for being the district with the most waterfalls!”
Ratnapura is also known as the city of gems, so one can find many gem mines in the area. “Not many people bother to explore gem mines, but these are very beautiful places,” he added, and who knows; maybe you’ll get lucky and find yourself a gem!
Aside from this, there are also beautifully designed temples and churches, all with an interesting backstory to them, he stated, adding that a true traveller would be overwhelmed by the endless possibilities that Ratnapura holds.
Instagram: @i_travel_wife_sleep
Ridigama National Park
Tour Executive Supun Hansaka Karunaratne informed us that the Ridigama National Park is the first-ever safari park that is located in Hambantota.
When a tourist or local visits this national park, they are given the opportunity to go very close to the animals. “If there are any newborn cubs, you are even allowed to pet them!” he exclaimed. He also added that the ticket to visit this park is relatively cheap and entirely worth it as the safari lasts three hours.
The park features an extensive range of animals that have been imported down from Africa, so you are bound to see a few that you haven’t been able to at the local zoo. “There are 22 species that have been divided and spread out across four zones: One will find the carnivorous animals in two zones and the herbivores in two zones.” He confidently stated that this is one of the best experiences that he would suggest a tourist or local to consider after the pandemic, and reconnect with nature.
Instagram: @travel_with_suppa
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Etipola Kanda
National tour guide, lecturer, and Berunda.lk CEO Hiran Samarasekara commented that this mountain, located in the Central Province, has the most breathtaking view. “Although it takes about three hours to climb to the top, once you get up there, it’s totally worth it! You can see the Central Hills, Brandygala top peak, Etipola peak, Wiltshire range, Mukulussa range, Yakuraga range, and also the Dumbara range.” The hike up there is also an interesting one, although it is very easy to get lost, he added. “We got lost many times, but that is what made the experience so memorable and fun.” He also mentioned that it was better to take a guide with you (or stick to the foot paths) if you are going to the higher peak as there are traps (Wedi lanu and Madu) made to hunt animals and hunters roam around in the night. There is also the potential threat of getting shot at if you couldn’t get down before sunset.
Talking about what you have to watch out for, he explained that the area has only a few leeches as the area is dry, but there may be hundreds of them in the rainy season so he advised us to take the necessary precautions. Be aware there are wild boars and “debaru” in the vicinity as well. “Other than that, the mountain is a great choice to hike.”
Kudagala
This is another one of Samarasekara’s recommendations. Kudagala, also known as “Punchi Sigiriya”, is a rock formation located in Dehiattakandiya close to another huge rocky outcrop which has some resemblance to Sigiriya. He told us that the caves on this rock formation have been adobes to the meditating Buddhist monks since the pre-Christian era. Even today, the site serves as a forest hermitage for a few meditating bhikkus. This site is also referred to as “Kudagala Arannya” or “Kudagala Rajamaha Viharaya”.
Explaining how one can locate the place, Samarasekara commented: “To reach the site, travel 3.7 km towards Aralaganwila from Dehiattakandiya and turn right from the Aluthkade Junction. Another seven kilometres along narrow interior roads will bring you to the foothills of the Kudagala ‘Punchi Sigiriya’ archaeological site.” The reason why this site is so beautiful is the frecos the walls are adorned with, although over the years, this beautiful art has faded leaving behind just an outline, so adventurers can only wonder how beautiful these walls would have looked decades ago.
Instagram: @travelwithhiran
