Day 14-15 – Udawalawe National Park and Mirissa Beach

For my final full weekend in Sri Lanka I focused on two things I really wanted to see while here – elephants and the beaches. Luckily for me the south coast beaches aren’t too far from Colombo, and from there it is easy enough to get to Udawalawe National Park.

In order to see both, I headed down to Mirissa after work on Friday, where I stayed at a local hotel right on the beach. From there it was easy to take a day trip to Udawalawe National Park on Saturday. This trip was a bit of a splurge in terms of my budget for Sri Lanka, but it was worth every penny to see wild elephants in their natural, protected habitat. I had a terrific guide and we were even able to see a seven-day-old baby elephant!

Also special about this trip is that the organization I am working with here in Sri Lanka (MAS Intimates) is working to help rehabilitate and protect this park as part of their environmental sustainability goals – which include replacing habitats in 100 times the space they occupy (largely for garment plants) by 2025. MAS is in many, many ways far ahead of the rest of us in terms of their bold goals and commitments to environmental sustainability. They have visions based on what needs to be done and they don’t accept excuses for why it isn’t possible.

Going on safari to see the wild elephants was definitely a highlight of my time here and a very special experience that will stay with me. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I am grateful to have experienced.

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Also terrific was Mirissa Beach! The south coast beaches are in a bit more of a touristy area, and Mirissa Beach is one of the more popular destinations (some beaches are better for surfing and not all are safe for swimming due to the waves and undertow), and so the beach was lively, but not crowded. Really perfect for me to swim alone, but still close to others. I had a wonderful, relaxing beach day (think soft, golden sand, swaying palms, and crashing waves), then headed back to Colombo that evening. Really a wonderful way to end my second week here.

And now it’s week 3 – my final week! They say time is elastic in Sri Lanka and it really feels that way. It somehow feels like I’ve just arrived, and yet also like I’ve been here forever – it’s amazing how quickly you settle into a new routine and get used to living in a new place.