Surf, Safari, and Savasana in Sri Lanka

When I stepped out of Colombo airport around 11pm, it was humid and rainy, and I was exhausted after traveling 8 hours from Bali. I was happy to collapse into a van and start the 4 hour drive to the Southern Province… one final leg of the journey left! Jasper House was truly the perfect spot to get to know Sri Lanka for the first time. It is a sheltered paradise that sits on the quiet end at the southern point of the bay. A dusty road takes you to the beach, just a short walk away. In other words, it’s the perfect location for a little surf, yoga, and wellness haven. I arrived around 3:30 am after the driver got lost multiple times trying to navigate the narrow roads that were meant for tuk tuks and scooters. When I finally stepped into my room, I just dropped all of my bags on the floor and crawled through the mosquito netting of my bed to fall asleep blissfully to the soft pattering of rain. I woke up a few hours later to sun rays hitting my face, and I rose out of bed feeling refreshed despite the lack of sleep, excited, and ready to explore…

I loved the open air concept in the rooms at the Jasper House. It made me feel constantly immersed in nature as I showered, slept, or just relaxed by the ledge. Watching the monkeys jump around and play with each other in the palm trees always made me giggle, and it was a beautiful sight to spot a peacock or two out on the grass fanning out its colorful feathers.

Loved these cute little mouse-y coconuts! The perfect post-surf or yoga hydration was always waiting for me up in the rooftop restaurant.

Like any other surfer, I’m always on the look-out for the perfect wave. For me, it’s waist to head high, long, glassy, with good shape, in a beautiful backdrop, warm water… and I found it in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Multiple times. Welcome to Hiriketiya, home of the perfect wave.

I alternated surfing my longboard and shortboard just to switch things up every once in a while. This particular session was special because the waves were SO much fun that evening and was enjoyed amongst new friends that I had made, including Lia Turiano, who photographed my session from golden hour until it was almost too dark to see where to paddle in. Ahh, good times. 

The sunsets in Sri Lanka are amongst the best, if not the best that I’ve ever seen in my life. Enjoyed right from the warm ocean, there’s no better way to end another day in paradise.

After thoroughly enjoying my time at Jasper House , I took a 20 minute tuk tuk ride over to nearby Talalla to experience its sister hotel, Talalla Retreat. I found new respect for tuk tuks after loading up all my baggage- a 9,6′ surfboard bag, suitcase, weekender bag, my mom’s suitcase… and on top of it all, we were able to sit in the backseat comfortably. These little colorful guys are definitely a lot bigger and stronger than they look!

After checking in to my room at Talalla Retreat, I went about exploring the resort grounds. After staying in a cozy 3-story house over at Jasper, Talalla Retreat seemed huge to me with its many guest rooms, restaurant, multiple chalets, and of course the large sandy beach out front!

Being in Sri Lanka, I had to take advantage of the delicious and aromatic ceylon tea. I drank tea 3 times a day- my personal favorite is black tea with a little bit of creamer or milk… paired with some delicious cakes and fruits of course!

I experienced a handful of tuk tuk rides during my time in Sri Lanka, and loved every second of it. Several times, I strapped my 9,2′ longboard to the top to go to several different surf spots. Mirissa was a personal favorite of mine- it was pretty much identical to Hiri except that it was a right-breaking wave, not a left. I met up with photographer Lachlan Dempsey one early morning and absolutely scored… all before breakfast!

Besides surfing and yoga, (which I could honestly never get tired of) there was still a lot of other exploring to do. I had heard so much about the infamous Sri Lankan trains and told myself that I couldn’t leave Sri Lanka without experiencing it for myself. The short one hour train ride from Ella to Haputale was exactly what I had envisioned, and more. To say that it was magical would be an understatement. I rode through green mountains and streams and tea plantations… all with a wondrous look of awe on my face at the absolute natural and wild beauty of the country. Next time, I’ll have to do the 6 hour ride from Ella to Kandy!

I had never experienced a safari before, or seen an elephant in the wild, so doing a jeep safari at Udawalawe National Park was a personal trip highlight of mine. Although it was raining and I got plenty of mud on my pants, I had an absolute blast- seeing multiple herds of elephants, water buffalo, huge lizards, bald eagles, kingfishers, and peacocks- just to name a few.

From the delicious tea, colorful tuk tuk rides, scenic trains through the countryside, and perfect waves, Sri Lanka was one of those places that will stay in my heart forever and will keep me going back there over and over again. Just counting down the days until my next trip to the other side of the world.