The Day We Befriended A Family Of Turtles
Since arriving in Sri Lanka, we had both been desperate to see turtles. It seemed every beach we rocked up at, locals would quickly inform us "no turtles here" so we continued hopping along the south coast. That was, until we arrived in Hikkaduwa where, finally, we got up and personal with the beautiful, majestic creatures of the ocean.
As soon as we arrived in the relatively quiet seaside resort of Hikkaduwa, we headed straight to the stretch of beach where a family of turtles apparently lived. On arrival we didn't have to look too far to spot three huge turtles being fed handfuls of seaweed by tourists. As a lot of the coral is dead around this stretch of beach, the turtles have smartly figured out that by befriending the visitors, they can have constantly full bellies! We had so much fun swimming around with these guys, and were able to get so close to them underwater. We returned back to this spot a few times throughout our time in Hikkaduwa, making the most of getting to know our little family of turtles.
Our turtle fix was further enhanced when we took an evening trip to a turtle hatchery. Before deciding to visit, we were both a bit unsure of where we stood with regards to the ethics of turtle hatcheries. It is estimated that only one in a thousand hatchlings will make it into adulthood, which is a worrying statistic as nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as endangered. When the hatchlings are ready to make the journey from the nest to the sea, there are huge risks they face including obstacles (such as footprints and crabs), birds, fish, and raccoons. Hatcheries supposedly increase baby turtles' chances significantly, as the hatchlings can be released into the sea in a protected fashion. However, many people suggest hatcheries are unethical, subjecting turtles to unnatural conditions in order to increase tourist attractions.
We decided to take a look for ourselves as, at the very least, the small entrance fee we paid would go towards protecting and caring for the turtles. When we first arrived, it was love at first sight as we got to sit and watch the tiniest little baby turtles swimming around their big aquarium. They were going to be released into the sea the following week, and we loved being able to spend time with the little fellas. The rest of the trip consisted of mixed feelings, as we wandered round the hatchery looking at a variety of species of turtles. Many of them were injured, either missing flippers or suffering from blindness, and it was a sad sight to see. Appearing to be in extremely small 'containers', we questioned the guys working there about why they had such little space. We did feel quite reassured when they explained they fully intended to eventually release these turtles back into the sea, but only after they had re-learnt how to swim deep. They currently stood no chance of survival out on their own, so the hatchery slowly increases the amount of water they have until they are sufficient enough to go back into the wild.
It was an eye-opening experience, and I still don't think either of us fully know where we stand on the matter. We just hope at least some of the hatchlings we met get the chance to see adulthood.
Our final stop on the coast was an incredibly beautiful place called Bentota. The beach was huge and fairly secluded, with giant waves which were great fun to leap around in (until I lost my sunglasses). We found out that the beach was one of the few run by the government, which explained why there were no bars and very few people flogging pashminas, magnets and bracelets 24/7. On our final full day in the quiet town, we noticed a stage being constructed right on the beach front. This seemed strange in such a quiet setting, but we were informed it was for a 'private Indian party' that night. As there was not much else to do, we decided to take a walk back down later that night to check out this party.
When we arrived there was a pretty decent band playing, so we settled down on the sand with a beer in hand, watching the party unfold before us. We couldn't get into the actual party as you needed a red flashing band, but we were quite happy observing from a distance. However, it wasn't long before one of the party guests came over and started chatting with us, explaining they were all employees from Dettol (the cleaning company, which is based in Delhi) here on their Christmas party! Anyway, having befriended the new guy who didn't really know anyone, we were provided with a constant stream of wine from the free bar and sat enjoying the band and fireworks from the comfort of the sand. It was a great way to bring our little tour of the south coast to an end, and of course, succeeding in crashing yet another party was definitely a highlight!
We travelled by bus back up to Negombo where, once again, it rained for the majority of the two days we spent there! It was lovely seeing all the Christmas lights and nativity scenes around the city, and we even stumbled upon a huge carol concert. On our final day in Sri Lanka we braved the local Saturday market which gave us (slightly horrifying) flashbacks to the chaos we experienced in the big cities of India, with people pushing us from every angle as they reached for new garments and shoes!!
We travelled to the airport by TukTuk that evening in the absolute pouring rain. There was, of course, one small drama en route as the engine got flooded whilst going through the huge puddles engulfing the roads. After ten minutes or so on the side of the road, the TukTuk eventually burst back into life, and we made it to the airport with ample time.
It's safe to say we have loved the last month in this beautiful country. Stunning beaches, (mostly) sunny weather, and fabulous treks - Sri Lanka has a huge amount to offer. Had we had more time, we would have loved to have ventured further into the north to experience some more of the local way of life but, after a crazy 2 months in India, the south offered the chilled out and easy-going experience we needed. We've come to love our daily fresh king coconuts, and have even become slightly better at managing the seriously spicy food.
Sri Lanka, you've been perfect!
PS - Here is the link to our favourite pictures and moments from Sri Lanka.
https://gopro.com/v/G118yr94XRPlQ
As soon as we arrived in the relatively quiet seaside resort of Hikkaduwa, we headed straight to the stretch of beach where a family of turtles apparently lived. On arrival we didn't have to look too far to spot three huge turtles being fed handfuls of seaweed by tourists. As a lot of the coral is dead around this stretch of beach, the turtles have smartly figured out that by befriending the visitors, they can have constantly full bellies! We had so much fun swimming around with these guys, and were able to get so close to them underwater. We returned back to this spot a few times throughout our time in Hikkaduwa, making the most of getting to know our little family of turtles.
We decided to take a look for ourselves as, at the very least, the small entrance fee we paid would go towards protecting and caring for the turtles. When we first arrived, it was love at first sight as we got to sit and watch the tiniest little baby turtles swimming around their big aquarium. They were going to be released into the sea the following week, and we loved being able to spend time with the little fellas. The rest of the trip consisted of mixed feelings, as we wandered round the hatchery looking at a variety of species of turtles. Many of them were injured, either missing flippers or suffering from blindness, and it was a sad sight to see. Appearing to be in extremely small 'containers', we questioned the guys working there about why they had such little space. We did feel quite reassured when they explained they fully intended to eventually release these turtles back into the sea, but only after they had re-learnt how to swim deep. They currently stood no chance of survival out on their own, so the hatchery slowly increases the amount of water they have until they are sufficient enough to go back into the wild.It was an eye-opening experience, and I still don't think either of us fully know where we stand on the matter. We just hope at least some of the hatchlings we met get the chance to see adulthood.
Our final stop on the coast was an incredibly beautiful place called Bentota. The beach was huge and fairly secluded, with giant waves which were great fun to leap around in (until I lost my sunglasses). We found out that the beach was one of the few run by the government, which explained why there were no bars and very few people flogging pashminas, magnets and bracelets 24/7. On our final full day in the quiet town, we noticed a stage being constructed right on the beach front. This seemed strange in such a quiet setting, but we were informed it was for a 'private Indian party' that night. As there was not much else to do, we decided to take a walk back down later that night to check out this party.
When we arrived there was a pretty decent band playing, so we settled down on the sand with a beer in hand, watching the party unfold before us. We couldn't get into the actual party as you needed a red flashing band, but we were quite happy observing from a distance. However, it wasn't long before one of the party guests came over and started chatting with us, explaining they were all employees from Dettol (the cleaning company, which is based in Delhi) here on their Christmas party! Anyway, having befriended the new guy who didn't really know anyone, we were provided with a constant stream of wine from the free bar and sat enjoying the band and fireworks from the comfort of the sand. It was a great way to bring our little tour of the south coast to an end, and of course, succeeding in crashing yet another party was definitely a highlight!
We travelled by bus back up to Negombo where, once again, it rained for the majority of the two days we spent there! It was lovely seeing all the Christmas lights and nativity scenes around the city, and we even stumbled upon a huge carol concert. On our final day in Sri Lanka we braved the local Saturday market which gave us (slightly horrifying) flashbacks to the chaos we experienced in the big cities of India, with people pushing us from every angle as they reached for new garments and shoes!!We travelled to the airport by TukTuk that evening in the absolute pouring rain. There was, of course, one small drama en route as the engine got flooded whilst going through the huge puddles engulfing the roads. After ten minutes or so on the side of the road, the TukTuk eventually burst back into life, and we made it to the airport with ample time.
It's safe to say we have loved the last month in this beautiful country. Stunning beaches, (mostly) sunny weather, and fabulous treks - Sri Lanka has a huge amount to offer. Had we had more time, we would have loved to have ventured further into the north to experience some more of the local way of life but, after a crazy 2 months in India, the south offered the chilled out and easy-going experience we needed. We've come to love our daily fresh king coconuts, and have even become slightly better at managing the seriously spicy food.
Sri Lanka, you've been perfect!
PS - Here is the link to our favourite pictures and moments from Sri Lanka.
https://gopro.com/v/G118yr94XRPlQ
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