When in Rome, live as the Romans do; when elsewhere, live as they live elsewhere. – Saint Ambrose
Travelling is no longer limited to sightseeing off a guide book or a Google search. In fact, in order to get the true essence of travelling, it is essential to get out there and experience the true village life the way locals would.
A village tour in Sri Lanka may start with a cycle ride. Going beyond the beautifully lit Colombo skyline, you will find yourself passing the countryside gravel paths while being gifted with a view of the lush green paddy fields on either sides or a Chena cultivation* laden with crops, lakes or mini water streams. Because a village trek would ideally begin at the start of the day, you will also be able to see fellow villagers on foot or on bicycle greeting you with a tender smile and a slight bow of the head saying “Ayubowan”. If this is the first time you are visiting Sri Lanka, here are a few phrases that would be useful for your adventure. Sometimes, (if you are lucky!) the greeting would accompany with a cup of plain tea and a piece of jaggery, once you stop paddling. The villagers may also offer you a dish of “halapa”, a traditional Sri Lankan sweet.
Your next mode of transportation will be either a bullock cart ride or a boat ride or maybe the both. The cart journey is amazing and the slow movements of the bullock will give you enough space to breathe in and commit to memory the view of the village. The cart will stop at a few village industries including pottery, weaving, blacksmith and the village carpenter. The cart might also make a stop at a dancing or music class, where sometimes you will also get a chance to dance along or sing along with the villagers.
Your lunch time might be accompanied with a cookery demonstration at a local house, where a female (or many females) of one of the neighbouring houses will serve you some authentic Sri Lankan curries followed by desserts including a pot of curd with treacle, sau dodol or a piece of tropical fruit such as papaya, guava, pine apple, cashew, rambutan or mango.
If time permits and you don’t get too drowsy post lunch, why not pay a visit to the local farm and familiarise yourself with the daily activities of local farmers, which will also be a memorable experience in your travel diary.
Where to trek from?
So how does one get about a village trek? Some of the most popular destinations include the Hiriwaduna village trek in Habarana, Sigiriya and the Panama village tour that can be accessed if you stay overnight at some of our key properties including:
* Chena cultivation – A traditional agriculture practice in Sri Lanka
