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  1. #1
    Thailand Expat
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    The next holiday hotspot ... is Sri Lanka the new Bali?



    IT’S a small island off the south coast of India and it’s being touted as the new Bali. So what is it about Sri Lanka that has travellers sitting up and taking notice?

    We spoke to Australian photographer, Lincoln Jubb, who recently returned from a trip to Sri Lanka, about why he thinks this place is so special.


    Why I chose Sri Lanka
    I went to Sri Lanka in December last year with my girlfriend. We went during the on season, exploring Negombo and Hikkaduwa on the southwest coast, Galle, Unawatuna and Mirissa on the south coast and then up to Ella for a few nights.


    We finished our trip on the east coast during the off season at Yala National Park for a safari. I was originally inspired to go because my parents went to Sri Lanka back in 1982 when they were the same age as my partner and I.

    My Dad being an avid surfer showed me photos of uncrowded waves and spoke of the whole simplicity of the place.

    My partner and I have clocked up 15 trips to Bali between us and decided we needed a new adventure where there were waves, sun and amazing food without all the bulls&#t of Bali.

    I had some friends come back from Sri Lanka who kind of roughed it and didn’t overly enjoy their trip so I made sure I did some research into places I wanted to stay and visit.

    We booked some amazing accommodation and stayed at some really beautiful places.
    The quality of waves are definitely better in Bali but in saying that the waves are less crowded in Sri Lanka and if you go off the beaten track during the right seasons you will score.

    I have heard people refer to Sri Lanka as Bali in the 80s. It’s definitely backwards.

    The capital city Colombo is dirty and crowded and the shopping isn’t great but once you hit the southern province you come across these amazing pristine, uncrowded beaches littered with palm trees that look like something straight from a postcard.

    The beaches of Bali just don’t compare. I find Bali over crowded, dirty and overly westernised whereas Sri Lanka hasn’t been butchered by western culture. Yet. (I didn’t see a single McDonald’s the whole trip).

    However Sri Lanka is expanding and becoming more of a place for tourists. Places like Unawatuna are massive tourist attractions with beach parties and nice restaurants on the beach.



    On the other hand you can go up into the mountains and not see a westerner for days, it’s nice.Get up close to its amazing wildlife.I think Bali has become accustomed to the bogan Aussie tourist yet in my whole three week trip to Sri Lanka I think I met only three other Australians.

    The people are amazing and so so beautiful. You walk down the streets past the front of the stalls and you think you are about to get hassled like you do in Bali but the locals just smile at you and say hello.



    No pressure to buy anything from anyone. Everybody was so friendly and so hospitable. The service is amazing everywhere you go. One of my favourite things about the trip, besides the food, was how beautiful the people were.

    I think the thing that surprised me the most was how much I enjoyed the place and how big the country actually is. Three weeks was definitely not enough.
    My sister and her partner just got back after seven weeks and still only explored the mountains and south coast.

    I got some great waves but not amazing waves so I definitely want to go back again soon and surf some other areas.

    It’s affordable
    I’d say its definitely cheap. We stayed in some nice places but it was affordable. In terms of accommodation you get what you pay for. I’d suggest you do your research.

    The food on the other hand is so cheap and delicious. We were having the freshest seafood and delicious curries for nothing. You can walk down the street and have the best curry you will have in your life for $1. Alcohol and shopping are also cheap.

    Is it safe?
    The most dangerous thing in Sri Lanka are the buses. We almost got hit by a bus on multiple occasions. Driving over there is scary — I’d definitely hire a driver as there are no road rules.

    We saw numerous accidents and many local people die each year getting hit by buses. I can’t stress enough how crazy the bus drivers are!

    Other than that it is super safe. We didn't have any real incidents or run ins with anyone.

    Lincoln is a Sydney based photographer, an avid surfer and explorer.
    The next holiday hotspot ... is Sri Lanka the new Bali? | News.com.au

  2. #2
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    wait till they "discover" Madagascar

  3. #3
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    Actually, just back from a 6 day trip to Sri Lanka today. Can vouch for all of the above. I did a tour of the cultural areas in the centre of the country for 3 days then down to the beach of Mirissa for a few days of surfing. Observations as follows:

    - Road system is poor apart from a new 2 lane highway running from Colombo to the south west coast. The secondary roads are clogged with all forms or vehicles and the driving is crazy, a driver and a car/van is a must.

    - At the temples was met with bus loads of tourist from Europe and China so already starting to get busy.

    - At the Mirissa beach the mood was similar to a Thai beach with lots of beach bars blaring out Reggae and a lot of tourists. Also noticed a few signs in Russian. However driving up the coast there were some beautiful unspoiled beaches still to be found.

    - In terms of prices, I would say food and drink on a par with Thailand, while accommodation wise you would be getting a little but less for the equivalent amount in Thailand.

    In general still relatively untouched and unspoiled, but don't expect it to stay that way forever. Already at some of the beaches we passed there were multi-storey hotel monstrosities going up so change is in the air.

  4. #4
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    A friend from UK has been looking at retirement property/land out there for the last 3 years.
    Tells me the place and the people are both beautiful and the property/land prices very reasonable. (Not sure about ownership rules though).

  5. #5
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    Interesting posts.....sounds like something I may need to investigate further

  6. #6
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    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
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    I lived there 77-79; sounds about the same.

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat VocalNeal's Avatar
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    Sri Lanka has been there for a while as has Madagasgar. It takes the infrastructure or someone offering similar prices to attract mainly Australians.

    Quote Originally Posted by chassamui View Post
    A friend from UK has been looking at retirement property/land out there for the last 3 years.
    Tells me the place and the people are both beautiful and the property/land prices very reasonable. (Not sure about ownership rules though).
    Wouldn't one want to develop a group of friends before retiring somewhere? Be a bit dull living in paradise with no mates? If one is into such stuff wouldn't that be part of the retirement "planning" aspect.
    Better to think inside the pub, than outside the box?
    I apologize if any offence was caused. unless it was intended.
    You people, you think I know feck nothing; I tell you: I know feck all
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  8. #8
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick
    wait till they "discover" Madagascar
    It really is a load of tosh, isn't it.

    Bali is a convenient hop from Australia.

    Sri Lanka isn't.

    Therefore Sri Lanka = The new Bali = travel media generated nonsense.

    For me Sri Lanka is way nicer than Bali.

    The article seems to me to be a roundabout way of saying that it probably won't be for much longer.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by VocalNeal
    Wouldn't one want to develop a group of friends before retiring somewhere? Be a bit dull living in paradise with no mates? If one is into such stuff wouldn't that be part of the retirement "planning" aspect.
    Couldn't agree more VN. He has friends who live there already and has other family members who share his ambitions. He's a bit of a mongrel anyway as he was born and partially educated in Singapore of English parents.
    He was a bit put off when a Russian woman tried to pick hime up while he was out walking with his wife. She turned out to be a Major in the Russian army. Bloody Russians get everywhere.

    I suppose it's like any growing expat community in the developing world
    Heart of Gold and a Knob of butter.

  10. #10
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    Was there in 1973. Hikkaduwa Beach was wonderful; however it was subject to the Tsunami in 2003. Seems it is totally repaired? It's a long hau;l, multiple flight from YVR, so think I'll continue going to Pattaya. Golf is just too convenient in Patts.

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