Monthly Archives: July 2020

Destinations

The best national parks and reserves in Sri Lanka

Everyone who visits Sri Lanka dreams of seeing a leopard, but there is so much more to the island’s parks, rainforests and bird sanctuaries. The best way to explore them is to plan – while hiring a guide and a jeep on the day is fine, there are many passionate, knowledgeable guides and budget-friendly tours online.

Wilpattu National Park: jeep safari

Around four hours’ drive from Colombo, Wilpattu National Park is quieter than Yala and many say it is a better experience.  Closed for 25 years during the war, the park was swept for landmines before it reopened in 2010. Dozens of shallow villus filled with rainwater entice elephants, leopards, sloth bears, deer and buffalo. Buy a ticket in advance from the Department of Wildlife Conservation website.
Entry: approx. $25 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $30-100 per person.
When to go: May to October

Leopard in Wilpattu National Park

 

Yala National Park: jeep safari

Sri Lanka’s most famous national park has been criticised recently for the number of jeeps allowed inside. To get a sense of the problem, on an average day there might be 95 jeeps in Wilpattu, but around 500 in Yala. There are things you can do, such as avoiding weekends, and there are jeep sharing groups on Facebook. The former colonial hunting ground is still the best place to see wildlife in Sri Lanka, especially if you want to see the island’s large mammals. Places to stay nearby include the popular Wild Coast Tented Lodge.
Entry: approx. $25 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $40-110 per person.
When to go: May to October

Yala National Park

Bundala National Park: jeep safari, birdwatching

Bundala is home to all of Sri Lanka’s large mammals but is better known as a refuge for migratory birds. A mixture of wetland, scrubland, saltmarsh and dunes with a beautiful untouched coastline, visiting Bundala is a very different experience from a trip to Yala or Wilpattu. The most important birds present in the park are the globally threatened Lesser Adjutant and the Black-Necked Stork. Get there in around three hours from Galle or Unawatuna.
Entry: approx. $15 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $20-90 per person. 
When to go: November to February

Black-necked Stork

Horton Plains National Park: hiking

You don’t need to go on safari to see the island’s wildlife. Horton Plains, a vast plateau of grassland, cloud forest, meandering rivers and waterfalls has plenty, including elk, sambar deer, loris, monkeys and giant squirrels. Even rarely-seen leopards lurk in the grasslands here. Horton Plains can get busy with tourists who come to see the view from World’s End, a cliff with a 4000 ft drop. Do some planning so you can get off the main tourist trail, and take a knowledgeable guide with you. 
Entry: approx. $15 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $30-50 per person.
When to go: December to April

Horton Plains National Park

Kumana National Park (Yala East): jeep safari

At the eastern corner of Yala, Kumana National Park is a good choice if you want to avoid the crowds. A great place for birdwatching, Kumana’s mangrove swamps and lagoons attract migratory birds such as the pintail snipe which flies thousands of miles from Siberia. There are also herons, pelicans, spoonbills and rare species like the Glossy Ibis and Black-Necked Stork. Kumana is home to all the same mammals as Yala, but as it is a wilder environment, they might not be so easy to spot. 
Entry: approx. $15 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $35-80 per person.
When to go: May to October

The rare Glossy Ibis

Udawalawe National Park: jeep safari

With a 500-strong herd, Udawalawe is one of the best places on the island to see elephants. At the center of the park is the peaceful Uda Walawe reservoir which attracts all manner of wildlife from crocodiles to water buffalo. Unfortunately, this park is starting to get as busy as Yala during peak times. Nextdoor is the Elephant Transit Home, where orphaned elephant calves are cared for. It is an inspiring place and well worth a visit. 
Entry: approx. $25 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $40-100 per person
When to go: May to October

The Elephant Transit Home at Udawalawe National Park

Sinharaja Forest Reserve: hiking

Most of Sri Lanka’s primary rainforest has disappeared, but one patch remains – the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, in the Southern Lowlands. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this ancient forest has 40-meter-tall trees, waterfalls and pools to swim in, and an array of exotic plants, birds, butterflies and reptiles. Hiking is permitted with a guide: you can find one at the entrance or book a private excursion in advance. Get there in around three hours from Galle or the beach resorts of the South Coast.
Private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $50-200 per person.
When to go: August/September to March/April

Green Vine Snake in Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary: birdwatching

Kalametiya is a popular bird sanctuary around two hours’ drive from Galle and the southern beach resorts. A vast expanse of tropical wetland, it is home to migratory and water birds including several rare species. Book a tour in advance and spend a relaxing few hours floating through the lagoons and mangrove swamps on a customised birdwatching boat.
Excursion with guide (local pick-up) $28-35 per person.
When to go: November to February

Sri Lankan Grey Heron

Gal Oya National Park: jeep safari, boat safari

Gal Oya is a beautiful park that most tourists have never heard of which means you can spend a day here without seeing another jeep. Safaris often include a boat trip on the reservoir, where you might see the park’s famous swimming elephants crossing to the islands in search of food. All Sri Lanka’s large mammals live in Gal Oya, although because the environment is wilder, they may be harder to spot. The park is a few hours’ drive from Tea Country or Arugam Bay and the Gal Oya Lodge is a good place to stay locally.
Entry: approx. $15 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $30-95.
When to go: April to September

Gal Oya National Park

Wasgamuwa National Park: jeep safari, volunteering

Wasgamuwa is one of the quieter national parks and ideal if you want a less crowded experience. All the large mammals have been spotted here, and the park is also home to the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, an award-winning non-profit that runs volunteer programs. Like many of the national parks in Sri Lanka, Wasgamuwa permits tourists to stay overnight within its boundaries, either in a tent or one of the park’s few bungalows. Get there in three hours from Kandy.
Entry: approx. $15 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $35-80 per person.
When to go: May to October

Sloth Bear at Wasgamuwa National Park

Chundikkulam National Park: birdwatching

Not many people know that one of Sri Lanka’s oldest national parks is located in the far north of the country. Chundikkulam National Park can be found on the North East coast in an area untouched by development. Made a bird sanctuary in 1938, the park closed when the war began. In 2015 it reopened as a national park. In the winter, Chundikkulam can be filled with migratory birds including Greater Flamingos. Visit on a day trip from Jaffna.
Entry: approx. $15 per person, private excursion with guide (local pick-up) $20-90.
When to go: September to March

Greater Flamingos

Travel Accessories

The best noise cancelling headphones for travelers

Active noise cancelling technology was developed for military pilots’ headsets in the seventies and eighties. It works by producing a sound wave which neutralizes the unwanted noise. Today, it is a feature of many of the best headphones you can buy in the shops. 
Top-of-the-range noise cancelling headphones are ground-breaking; try a pair on, and you’ll be amazed. But they are not cheap. Budget models don’t reduce noise quite so much, and you might be left wishing you had spent more. Whether you can afford to splurge or are sticking to a budget, we’ve selected some of the best buys.

Sony WH-1000XM3

What Hi-Fi magazine described the Sony WH-1000XM3 as “as close to the perfect pair of noise cancelling headphones as it’s currently possible to find.” The noise cancelling function is outstanding, and listening to music is unadulterated joy. Controlled by touch, with only two buttons, they are beautifully simple to use.

These headphones can be used with with Bluetooth 4.2, and come with an adapter for in-flight entertainment systems. Noise cancelling can be optimized when the cabin pressure changes.
Battery life is 30 hours, and ten minutes of charge gives you five hours of power – fantastic for long journeys. They fold to fit into a small case, taking up very little space. The closed earcups avoid pressure on your ears, keeping you cool. You won’t want to take them off.

Buy them: Sony WH-1000XM3 $278

Bose 700

Bose was one of the pioneers of noise cancelling headphones, designing them for the pilots of the record-breaking Voyager flight in the eighties. They also made the first pair sold to consumers.
Noise cancellation shuts out conversations nearby as well as background noise, and with 11 different levels, you can let in as little or as much sound as you like. Sound quality is so clear it will make you want to get up and dance.

Travelers will love Bose AR, a series of apps that allow you to tune in to hear directions or find places of interest nearby. You can even listen to reviews of the restaurant you’re standing in front of.
Of all the headphones in this list these are the most stylish. The headband is thin and adjusted via an ingenious sliding mechanism. They look great, but perhaps a little too great for a rough and ready backpacking lifestyle.

Buy them: Bose 700 $349

Jabra Elite 85h

Danish brand Jabra launched their Elite 85h headphones in 2019. The noise control works perfectly and can be customized in the Jabra Sound+ app, and the Smart Sound system adapts to your surroundings, which is perfect if you’re on the move. Another stand-out feature is the extraordinary battery life. They can last up to 36 hours, which is ideal if you are taking a lengthy trip.

The Jabra Elite 85h feel tighter on your head than either the Sony or the Bose and are perhaps a little clunkier overall, but the difference is marginal. And, the smooth fabric coating feels softer to the touch than hard plastic. With a water-resistant fabric coating, these headphones feel like they could withstand some wear and tear and their warranty guards against rain and dust. A well-made, well-designed product.

Buy them: Jabra Elite 85h $249.99

Sennheiser HD 4.50
Award-winning German company Sennheiser has developed its own active noise canceling technology called NoiseGard. Although effective, it’s not quite in the same league as the tech in the Sony WH-1000XM3 or the Bose 700. But the sound quality is clean and bright and can be customized in the accompanying Captune app.

While the design of the HD 4.50 is quite straightforward, they are small when folded in on themselves and come in a soft travel pouch rather than a hard case, making them easier to pack. Weighing only 238 grams, they are one of the lightest sets of headphones on this list. They have 19 hours of battery life with noise cancelling on. High-quality headphones at a very reasonable price.

Buy them: Sennheiser HD 4.5 $149.98

JBL Tune 600BTNC

American company JBL is famous for making loudspeakers, but has also designed several high-quality sets of headphones. The Tune 600BTNC are inexpensive as far as noise-cancelling headphones go, which means neither the sound quality nor the active noise-cancellation are as good as on more expensive versions. JBL makes a point of mentioning how good the bass sound is – so if you’re a wannabe DJ who loves their hip hop or electronica, these could be the headphones for you.

What makes these headphones attractive to travelers is their weight. At 173 grams, they’re the lightest on this list. However, there isn’t a carry case or pouch, so they may get damaged unless you purchase one. Battery life is 12 hours if you’re using Bluetooth or noise cancelling, so you won’t be able to wear them the whole time on a long flight. They are lighter to wear than some of the other models, and for the fashion-conscious, they come in pink, blue and white.

Buy them: JBL Tune 600BTNC $59.95

Sony WH-CH700N

Sony has cracked active noise cancelling. On these headphones, the noise cancellation function is fantastic – background noise and conversations nearby can be almost completely shut out. The sound quality is also excellent for headphones at such a low price.
The Artificial Intelligence Noise Cancellation (AINC) feature uses AI to optimize itself at the push of a button, perfect if you’re en route through a changing environment such as an airport, as you don’t need to keep readjusting them.

Lightweight and comfortable, they swivel flat for easy storage and can be neatly tucked into an aircraft seat pocket.  With a long battery life too, these are an excellent choice for travelers. And while they lack the design credentials of the top models, they are well made and comfortable to wear.

Buy them: Sony WH-CH700N $179.95

The verdict

The top of the range headphones by Sony and Bose transform the experience of listening to music – and of being out in the world. But, for traveling, our top pick is the Jabra Elite 85h. The water-resistant coating is an innovative feature and means you won’t be worrying about damaging them all the time. The battery life is good, as are the sound quality and noise cancelling function.
The Sony WH-CH700N are another great choice. Sony doesn’t compromise on either noise control or audio quality with these headphones. They are light and comfortable to wear and, importantly, won’t bankrupt you!