Our adventure began at Katunayake, a gorgeous lagoon about 5 km from the airport.
It was the meeting point for the group, who were arriving at various times through the day. We made a short trip to Colombo, the capital city, had a stunning meal at the Ceylon Curry Club followed by a beer at the Galle Face hotel. Colombo is a capital city caught in transition- brand new skyscrapers are juxtaposed on colonial architecture , the old crowded city a sharp contrast with the manicured affluence of the Marina. Lots of new infrastructure that’s in various stages of completion.
Our motley crew comprised of an interesting bunch of people who had come together for this inaugural/recce ride of Sri Lanka. 76 year old Jon from UK was with us for his third motorcycle tour-he deserves a separate blog post. Bruce and Pierre were brothers in law who were based in Dubai and had rekindled their love of motorcycling after almost 2 decades. Manavi was based in Paris, had started learning how to ride a motorcycle 6 months ago in Ladakh and this was her second motorcycle tour. Sonia was a friend who had signed up as a pillion and this was her third (Kashmir and Ladakh) trip with us. Hashim, the founder of Karma Yatri motorcycle tours, my older brother Bala and I have been riding together for the last 25 years. We all knew each other, in some way and for different intervals of time. But the layers of banter were flowing effortlessly, with everyone having some level of familiarity with jokes that were being shared. The stories were similar- just a different terrain and a different group of people on the ride. Everyone was super easy going and we knew it was going to be an absolutely fun week ahead of us.
A golden sunset greeted us as we sat down to a meal of the most delicious local seafood we were to experience through the trip. Not to say that the other places were bad, but Hush Lagoon 30 just hit the spot- with its authentic local preparations. The tempered cuttlefish with its fresh spicy notes just begged you to consume copious amounts of the local Lion larger. Old friends were making new friends, but the night closed early- our ride began the following day.
Our support crew was scheduled to arrive by 9 am, and in anticipation of the days riding, the group had assembled sharp on time and were in animated conversation when they arrived.
A purple colored afro and an ear-ear grin was the first glimpse of Roma- a vision that would not change throughout the trip. Closely following, was the blond Nuwanta, who spoke little English, but made up with his boisterous laughter and affable behavior. Together they became such an integral part of our adventure, and through their behavior, they gave us a glimpse into the basic demeanor of the Sri Lankan people, who were consistently friendly, kind, gentle and extremely hospitable. If ever a people matched the beauty of the landscape, I believe Sri Lanka is right up there.
We were loaded onto a mini bus and our luggage packed into the support Jeep (a gorgeous vintage Mitsubishi Jeep) and made a 15 min trip to the garage where we finally met our two wheeled companions.
That funny moment, when the group is selecting their motorcycles.
While there is an assumed indifference to the motorcycle one gets, the eye is furtively scanning the fleet, hoping to catch some sign that clearly calls out- “you’re mine”
Introductions made, we got off to a hurried start on the first leg our journey, and right from the first KM’s it was clear that Sri Lanka is called “The Jewel of the Indian Ocean” for obvious reasons. Small country roads take you smack bang into the middle of lush paddy and coconut groves, when only 5 minutes before you were in the middle of a chaotic suburb. Ever changing shades of green, with a clear blue in the backdrop, we were going inland and beginning to climb. We crossed the historic city of Dambulla, but instead of ancient history we took the road towards natural beauty, riding along a pristine lake and then into a series of off-road trails that criss-cross small villages, large tracts of cultivated paddy and the ever-telling electric fences, that create a notional boundary with the forests that teem with wild elephants. We then rode onwards towards Riverstone, deep within the Knuckles mountains- a distinct geographical feature in Sri Lanka that may be one of the highlights of motorcycling in Sri Lanka. Stunning stretches of tarmac, low traffic and a road with so many twists and sweeping bends, it was just the perfect end to a brilliant day. The temperature in Knuckles was an amazingly pleasant 20 Deg C
We woke to birdsong and a gorgeous sunrise, the air laden with promise of another spectacular riding day. A simple breakfast that was served brilliantly set the tone for the day ahead.
We started the ride on a road that went through an enchanted forest, the immensity of trees and the thick undergrowth meant that you were riding on roads of dappled gold. Light shafts seemed like celestial spotlights that were placed to enhance the drama of the landscape. We rode along a huge water-body on brand new asphalt that was twisting like a sine curve, crossed small towns and quaint villages and traversed huge tracts of paddy(clearly it’s a rice eating country). We stopped for lunch at a local shop and sampled the various types of street food and snacks that are common across Sri Lanka. We then rode onwards and diverted towards a superb stretch of tarmac, where we couldn’t help but open up the bikes, and found a rhythm where all 8 motorcycles were riding in unison- a sort of motorcycle ballet that happens when riding as a group, especially accentuated on winding roads where the bikes seem more bunched than they actually are and the riders look like they are dancing to a choreography as they bend in and out of the twisting curves.
After our chai break, we immediately begin to climb.
The temperature dipped with every switchback and we could see high mountains and wisps of fog that were like an invitation to a place of stunning beauty and majestic views. We were entering the tea country at Nuwara Eliya and the landscape had completely transformed. Hills covered in the lush homogenous green of Tea gardens interspersed with forests of Eucalyptus and Blue gum. There is a distinct stamp of colonialism with charming bungalows and manicured gardens, names that could belong to the English countryside and club houses that still insisted on Dinner Jackets. Tea plantations and colonialism go fairly hand in hand and to celebrate their pioneering spirit, we finished the night with a session of Gin Tonic.
Our 3rd riding day might be my highlight of the motorcycle tour. It was absolutely stunning, had the perfect mix of terrain, temperature and landscape transitions. We rode on small country roads, through meadows and forests, into the Horton Plains NP, saw a huge Stag Sambhar deer, had amazing conversations with other travelers, rode through a thick fog, then into sunlight, through forests of Pine followed by tea plantations, followed by forest of Eucalyptus and a type of tree that I hadn’t seen before. The roads had low traffic and the asphalt was unbroken, we were constantly descending and ascending which just made for some really fun riding into the bustling, tourist town of Ella.
Our hotel was in a quiet part of town that overlooked a lush forest. A short breather and we gathered for a night out in the town. We were scanning the many restaurants (many of them looked inviting) but then we heard some live music and it just drew the whole group in. It was a superbly fun night with great music, cold beers and stunning food. The Red beef curry and the mutton stew, served with the local bread was an absolute delight.
Sri Lanka continues to unravel itself with no end of National parks, historical sites, protected forests, rubber and areca plantations signifying the increase in altitude and the Tea a constant reminder that the twisties are not far away. The roads are in great condition and the sense of traffic (barring the legendary Tuk Tuks and the private buses) is fairly gentle and people follow rules (unlike rural India). The landscape is very agrarian and allows us to take country roads that form the perfect back drop to this Tropical Island adventure. As we descend towards the Southern tip of the Island, we enter the fringes of Yalla NP and have our first encounter with Elephants. The first, a juvenile makes us a little cautious since they can be unpredictable, but the next sight was one I can never forget.
On a straight stretch of tarmac, our group of 8 motorcycles riding single file, when a speck appears in the horizon and as we ride closer, reveals itself to be a large matriarch and marveling at this gentle giant, we ride past her as she knowingly moves a little to the side and allows our group to pass under her benevolent blessing.
Riding up along the Western coast of Sri Lanka is little bit of a mixed bag. While it has undoubtedly some of the most stunning beaches and a great deal of history and culture, it is also one of the largest tourist hubs of Sri Lanka. Lots of hotels and restaurants and bars dot the landscape and the roads are filled with the rental Tuk Tuk’s that many Western tourists tend to favor.
This is just the start of many new adventures in this island nation. The people, the routes, the hospitality, the history and ancient culture, the food, the hotels- its just got all the elements for many epic motorcycle adventures.
We are back in Sri Lanka doing a slightly modified tour that starts in December 2025. Check out the details of Motorcycle Tours in Sri Lanka on our Serendipity in Serendip- Sri Lanka explorer tour.
