Driving down the beautiful winding roads of Sri Lanka, there are a few stopovers which are a ritual to make. The following details will help you, “do as the locals do” the next time you visit Sri Lanka.
If your destination is towards the cooler Kandy or Nuwara Eliya cities, make a pitstop at Jinadasa’s Thalaguli and Hotel – it’s a restaurant which serves food and beverages, and they are known for their “thalaguli”, a sweetmeat made mainly of sesame seeds and treacle. The Bake House is another great stop along the journey which is a little more upscale in comparison.
Since Ceylon tea is known globally for its quality, a stop at the Mlesna Tea Center would be an interesting one as you will learn about the process of tea making. Another famous stopover is the Damro (Mackwoods) Labukale Tea Estate which is visited by many, including Prince Charles in 2013. The Lipton Seat is one more place where you can sip on hot tea while enjoying panoramic views of the mountains and lakes around.
If it is the beautiful beaches you hope to visit, heading down south is likely to be on your itinerary. The rest area on the highway has different restaurants for you to choose from. However, on the Galle Road route, Monis and Amba Sevana are stopovers made by locals.
Along the Eastern coast are places like, Gadaby Restaurant in Kaththankudi which is well known for their beef samosas. Also, Sahani Restaurant in Pottuvil is a small eatery which delivers authentic flavours.
In Jaffna, located in the windy, warm, north, having a cooling Rio Ice Cream is a one-of-a-kind experience. In the north central side of the island is a restaurant which has an interior like no other named Saruketha located in the city of Kurunegala. In addition, Big Mama in Anuradhapura is a good place to enjoy Sri Lankan cuisine.
Because of the cultural diversity within the island, the flavors change from city to city and province to province; therefore, you can enjoy your journey as much as your final destination.
Now that you are familiar with all the popular stopovers in Sri Lanka, are you aware of some of the best drives in Sri Lanka?
