By So yeah, I gotta tell you about my trip to Sri Lanka last year. Total mess. Thought I snagged a cheap flight deal in August, felt like a genius. Big mistake. Biggest mistake ever.
What Actually Happened When I Landed
Got off the plane in Colombo, boom. Instant wall of wet heat. Felt like walking into a sauna fully clothed. Sweat started pouring down my back before I even reached immigration. Luggage felt like it gained ten kilos just from the humidity.
Took a tuk-tuk to my guesthouse. Driver kept wiping his forehead, grumbling about the roads. Halfway there, the sky just opened up. I’m talking monsoon-level downpour. Streets turned into rivers in minutes. My backpack got soaked right through sitting beside me in that tiny tuk-tuk. Fun times.
The Mess on the Roads
Next day, tried heading south towards the beaches everyone raves about. Train cancelled. Total washout, tracks underwater apparently. Okay, bus then. That “journey” took over eight painful hours for what should’ve been four. Here’s why:
- Massive flooding: Whole sections of road just gone, vanished under brown water. Detours everywhere.
- Landslides: Yeah, real landslides blocking major routes near the hills. Saw huge piles of mud and rocks pushed off the road.
- Insane traffic chaos: Bumper-to-bumper with everyone else trying to find a way through. Horns blasting constantly.
Arrived at the beach town exhausted, soaked, and late. Guesthouse owner shook his head. “Very bad time, sir,” he said. Understatement.
The Beach Disaster
Dreamed of sunny beach days? Forget it. The “beach” was basically non-existent. High tides and rough waves chewed up the sand big time. Water was this murky brown colour, full of debris washing up. Forget swimming safely. Saw local guys trying to secure boats. Sky was grey, gloomy every day. Constant drizzle or heavier rain.
Leaving the Worst Part for Last
Tried to salvage things with a trip to the hill country, Nuwara Eliya. Mistake number two. The rain followed us up. The famous tea plantations? Yeah, hard to appreciate them through the thick fog and constant mist. Walking paths were pure mudslides. And the leeches… oh god, the leeches. Tiny little bloodsuckers everywhere on wet leaves and paths. Had to stop constantly to pick them off my shoes and pants. Spent more time doing that than sightseeing.
The Brutal Reality Check
Basically trashed my entire planned itinerary. Didn’t get to climb Sigiriya rock like I wanted – closed due to dangerous conditions. Missed the Yala safari I booked ages in advance – park shut down because roads were flooded and animals scattered. Wasted so much money on pre-booked stuff I couldn’t use. Worse, spent extra cash on tuk-tuks doing pointless loops around flooded towns trying to find something open.
Talked to locals later. Got the real scoop. Main monsoon seasons are brutal:
- Southwest Coast (Beaches): Torrential downpours May to September. Just avoid it.
- East Coast: Gets hammered roughly November to March.
So yeah. My August trip landed me perfectly in the middle of peak misery on the southwest coast. Lesson learned the hard, soggy way.
Final Advice? Just Don’t.
Seriously, do not even think about visiting Sri Lanka during those months unless your idea of a holiday involves swimming through mudslides and dodging leeches. That “cheap” flight cost me way more in frustration, lost bookings, and soggy socks than any savings were worth. Wait for the dry seasons. Your trip – and your sanity – will thank you.
