Tips for taking on Adam’s Peak

Adam’s Peak, also known as Sri Pada or Samanala Kanda [Butterfly mountain] is a tall mountain in the hill country in Sri Lanka. The mountain is called Sri Pada [sacred footprint] because there is a shape of a 5 ft footprint at the summit. Buddhists believe that it is the footprint of Lord Buddha, Hindu’s believe that it is the footprint of God Shiva and Christians and Islamists believe that it is that of Adam. There is a shrine at the summit to the Buddhist Deity ‘Saman’, who is charged with protecting the mountain.

Every year, thousands of devotees of all ages, sizes and physical capabilities climb to the top on foot to worship the footprint during the season, which starts on the full moon poya day in December and ends on the full moon ‘wesak’ poya day in May. It is possible to climb the mountain during the off season as well, but it is slightly more difficult due to rain, strong winds and mist. Also, the pathway is only lit up during the season time.

This was my first time climbing Adam’s Peak, which is unusual for me, having traveled all around Sri Lanka since I was a kid. It was the one place that I hadn’t got a chance to see yet. I’ve been talking about going for the last two years and finally, I added it to this year’s list of New Year’s resolutions! Here are a few tips from my experience to help you with your Adam’s Peak Adventure!

Tip 1 – DO NOT GO ON WEEKENDS!!!

Don’t do it, just don’t! Before we went, everyone told us not to go on a weekend, especially Saturdays because of the crowd. But we went anyway. We were informed that it would take 7 hours to climb to the top with a crowd. So we timed it and started the ascent at 11 PM so that we would make it to the summit to see the sunrise at 6 AM. But, the particular Saturday that we chose, was so overcrowded that it took us 10 and a half hours!!!! The last 500 meters took us about 4 hours. We were squashed into a stagnant crowd and ascended one step every 10-15 minutes. The last bit was more of a mental challenge than physical! So the best time to go is during the season, but on a weekday.

The crazy crowd!

Tip 2 – The Route

There are 6 trails to climb the mountain. The Hatton-Nallathanniya trail is around 5 KMs shorter than the others, but it is also the steepest, with over 5000 steps. It is also the most crowded route. The second most popular is the Ratnapura-Palabaddala trail.

 

The trails...

Tip 3 – Take a Jacket

It gets quite chilly at Adam’s Peak, especially at the summit, so yoga pants, a tshirt and a jacket/hoddie is the best combination.

Tip 4 – You have to see the sunrise!

Talk to the locals in the area and find out what time is best for you to start the climb on that day. We planned for 7 and it took us 10.5, so we weren’t at the summit for sunrise, but we were lucky enough to get a good view of it from where we were.

Worth it for this view!

Just before sunrise!

There isnt anything like it!

Tip 5 – Try the Beli Mal Tea

All along the way there are rest stops selling refreshments. You should have some Beli Mal Tea with a piece of hakuru [jaggery]. It’s a refreshing warm drink made from the bael flower. Promise me you’ll try it?!

Time for a break

A sign that says 'Lets drink Beli mal'

Tip 6 - Partake in the rituals

There are several rituals that the devotees undertake while going up. There’s no harm in joining them and getting the most out of your Adam’s Peak experience. Join them in the religious kavi [poems] and chants, light incense sticks and thread a needle through a pack of herbs at the ‘Indikatu pahana’ [Needle lamp] and string it along the pathway up. This was done in the olden days to show the path to the top so that no one would get lost. Similar to Hansel leaving a trail of breadcrumbs! You should also ring the bell at the summit. The number of times you ring the bell signifies how many times you’ve climbed Adam’s Peak. While we were there, one lady rang it 12 times!

Light incense sticks 

Threading the needing through the bag of herbs

...And string it along the path.

Ringing the bell at the summit

Tip 7 – Power through

You’re going to want to turn back at some point. I know I did. The last 500 meters was the most challenging, and I thought about quitting and turning back every 5 minutes. But you shouldn’t!  I powered through and I’m so glad I did. I felt accomplished and I was lucky enough to watch the sunrise…

Tip 8 – You can do it!

If you think you’re too old or unfit to climb Adam’s Peak, you’re wrong. If I can do it, and if devotees well over the age of 70 can do it, then so can you. It’s not a race. You could take your time, take breaks and do it at your own pace. It is not an impossible thing to do if you are willing!

Do it for this view!

Tip 9 – Get a foot massage on the way down!

One the way down, you could get a Siddhalepa herbal foot massage. It is perfect because at this point your legs will feel like blubber and your feet would be so tired after hours of going up and walking down.  

The best spots to watch the Sunrise and Sunset in Sri Lanka

It’s been super rainy the last few months in Sri Lanka, so I decided to dedicate this post to the sun! It’s not often that one interrupts their busy schedule to appreciate a good sunrise or sunset…  but when the stars align and you are at the right place at the right time, a bright and colourful sunset is a captivating moment.

Here are a few spots around the Sri Lanka where you have the chance to witness an exceptional rise or setting of the sun. Don’t forget to add these to your travel bucket list!

Adam’s Peak

Adam’s Peak, also known as ‘Samanala Kanda’ [butterfly mountain] is a mountain that is known for the ‘Sri Pada’, the sacred footprint. The climb is most often done in the night time to avoid the midday heat. You would start at around 10 PM so that you reach the top in time to get a cloud’s view of the sunrise which is nothing short of breath-taking. Check out this time lapse video and imagine how it’d be to see it first-hand…!

Sigiriya

The view from the top of Sigiriya Rock, where King Kassapa built his fortress is gorgeous enough as it is… add an amazing sunset and you’ve got perfection!

View of the sunset from on top of Sigiriya Rock

Jaffna

You don’t need great seas and mountains to make a beautiful sunset… watching it go down over Palmyra palms is more than satisfying…

The sun setting over Palmyra Palms

Galle Face

Galle Face in Colombo is a popular place for the romantics to cuddle up and watch the sun set over the horizon. Whether is it from the terrace at Galle Face Hotel, on the pier at Galle Face Green or from the steps of the Buck Light House, everyone shares the same remarkable view…!

Watching the sunset from the Galle Face Green Pier...

Arugambay

Arugambay, one of the best beaches for surfing in the world is a good spot to watch the sunrise as well. Although you need to wake up early to see it, you won’t be alone because the surfers rise early to catch the best waves at dawn.

An Abay Sunrise!

Galle Fort

The Fort, an enchanting attraction in Galle, with its heavily Dutch influenced architecture takes you back in time to when the country was under the Dutch rule. Watching the sunset from the top of the Ramparts it a definite ‘must-do’.

Sunset from the Ramparts

Trincomale and Passikudah

The East Coast Beaches are among the best places to watch the sun rise while swimming in the sea…

Sunrise over the infinite pool at Maalu Maalu Resort in Passikudah

Marine Drive and Mount Lavinia Beach

These two options on the West Coast are perfect for the sunsets too!

Mount Lavinia Hote and the sunset

Ella Gap

Ella gap is a very picturesque sight… Adding a Sunrise into the mix makes it a thousand times better…!

Sunrise over Ella Gap

4 Day Weekend

I’ve said this before, and this wouldn’t be the last time; I love being in the tourism industry because I get to travel and experience a variety of things all the time. A few weeks ago, I had to check out some hotels down south and on the East Coast. So I planned a four day weekend where I would travel along the south coast, cut across to the east coast and end up in the jungle. 

Ever since the Southern Expressway opened up, I haven’t been taking the coastal route down south because it takes 3 times as long to get to Galle. But I do miss the old road, which is much more scenic and interesting. Day one on my four day weekend wasn’t too exciting because I had a lot of hotels, villas and bungalows to inspect along the way. Some were horrible, some were mediocre and some were very interesting because of their great locations, unusual architecture and unique interior. I find that most of the beach hotels and villas that I visit have a very similar design and theme. That is why I love it when I find ones that are a complete contrast to the norm.  I also got to see some nice private beaches that day. One of those that stood out was the beach in front of Villa Maggona [a very comfortable and private villa with great staff]. It was a wide stretch of beach and there were no other people to be seen. It was the kind of beach you see pictures of in glossy travel magazines.

The Beach front at Villa Maggona

The poolside at Roman Lake

Roman Beach poolside in Hikkaduwa

The bar at Roman Beach

The living area at Tamarind Hill

The bar at Tamarind Hill

Day two of my 4 day weekend was far more interesting. We drove from Tissamaharama to Arugambay via Monaragala. The road was amazing. It’s one of my favourite drives in Sri Lanka. There were hardly any other vehicles on the road and the lush jungle on either side made us feel as if we were on safari! We even got to stop and watch an elephant that was peacefully having his breakfast on the side of the road. Although it had been a rainy couple of days the sky was a bright blue with fluffy white clouds scattered across it. 

The empty road and the crisp blue sky

The elephant we saw on the way

A very scenic route

Another interesting feature on this stretch of road is the migration of butterflies towards Adam’s Peak. This occurs at the start of the Adam’s Peak pilgrimage season which goes on from December to May. This mountain, the tallest in Sri Lanka is also known as Samanala Kanda [Butterfly Mountain] because of the thousands of butterflies that make their way towards it during the season. On our drive to Arugambay, we saw hundreds of butterflies crossing the road and flitting towards the hill country as well as dozens of small birds waiting on the other side of the road to swoop down and grab a quick and easy butterfly snack.

We got to Arugambay in time for lunch at one of the small restaurants on the ‘A-bay Stretch’, a small surfing village version of the Vegas Stretch! It is a little known fact that Arugambay is one of the world’s top 10 surf spots. It is a gem, hidden away from the spotlight with an amazing beach and great surf vibe. The surf season starts at around June and goes on till around the end of September. This is the best time to be there as the small town is alive and buzzing with surfing enthusiasts from all over the world. Alternatively, if you visit during the off-season, you would find a quiet town that waits with baited breath, counting down the days till the season comes around again. There would still be plenty to see however because the area is also popular for wildlife and bird watching. Unfortunately our afternoon on the beach was dampened because of the rain and we couldn’t even take a dip in the sea.

A-bay Beach

A surf shop and our lunch spot on the stretch

A few surfers were still around even though the season was over

The next day, we had delicious hot paratas for breakfast and a tea made with condensed milk at a small restaurant on the side of the road called Makkal Hotel [not really a hotel!] in Pottuvil and made our way back towards Tissa.

The guy who made our tea and the parata guy at Makkal Hotel

The front view of our breakfast stop and our yummy breakfast

Which way to Monaragala again?!

After checking out a few more hotels in the area, we made our way towards Yala National Park and got into the Kulu Safaris Jeep that took us to our luxury campsite inside the park. The weather wasn’t that great when we were on safari that afternoon and even though we got thoroughly soaked, we didn’t give up and head back to camp. Instead we soldiered on; keeping an eye out for whatever animal that would cross our path. I was hoping to see a sloth bear, because I have not encountered one in years. But we seemed to be out of luck as all we saw that day were a few elephants, wild boars, buffalo, some birds and leopard pad marks.

The pool at Chaaya Wild, Yala

The view from a cabin at Chaaya Wild

Our Kulu Safaris camp site

Lunch, luxury camping style!

Leopard pad marks

Baby, it's a wild world

I wasn’t disappointed though, because the campsite, the food and being in the wild made up for what I missed out on while on safari. Just being outdoors is enough to get me excited and think about how it really is a wild world out there….