During 2003, visitor numbers had increased by 25 percent, as travelers from around the world discovered the joys of the island nation, with its turquoise waters and palm-shaded, white-sand beaches.
So the waters that swept in Dec. 26 didn't wreak havoc just on the island and its people -- they also wreaked havoc on a fast-growing tourist economy, one that was starting to change people's lives for the better.
I visited Sri Lanka one month after the tsunami and was overwhelmed by what I saw and experienced. The devastation is huge, and the loss is enormous -- but so is the resilience of those who survived. Take Wisni Niranjan, a fellow I met in the once-thriving beach town of Unawatuna, on the south coast.
Amid an area of dead foliage and flattened rubble the size of 10 football fields, Wisni was building a small wooden hut. On the side, he had mounted a dive flag, and as we spoke he explained that this had been the location of a popular dive shop and school. The owner and many of his family members had been killed, and the dive complex reduced to a bit of broken concrete on the beach, but Wisni, who had been an employee, was intent on starting to rebuild -- he had found some wood, a battered sign from the shop and the flag. Now he was just trying to create something substantive to begin to fill the void left when the water receded.
It's a story heard over and over along the coasts of Sri Lanka, where travelers are most vital to the economy. As Dammika, the owner of a guesthouse in Unawatuna, explained, he's lost his father, aunt and brother, and he's also lost his living. Besides his emotional loss, he has to worry about how to feed the surviving members of his family and how to pay for the materials to repair his heavily damaged home and business. "I wish people would return, because we need them badly, and also having people enjoying our beach had become a part of our life."
But will travelers return, and should they? Ramyasiri Kumarawadu, who owned a guesthouse near the beach in Matara, a south-coast town in which hundreds died, told me: "Yes, we need travelers for our businesses, but we need them for our happiness, too. Having people from other places around us is normal; not having them here is not."
Travelers who decide to visit Sri Lanka should know that the roads serving the once-popular south and west coasts are fully open. The interior, with its famous temples and jungles, is untouched.
Getting there: From North America, most travelers will fly into the capital city of Colombo, which was not significantly affected by the tsunami, via Singapore, Hong Kong or London.
Where to stay: Although many coastal businesses are destroyed or damaged, rebuilding is proceeding quickly. There are many areas ready to welcome people now. Hikkaduwa, a town popular with divers and surfers on the west coast, is mostly open for business. The Moon Beam Hotel (011-94-41-7545-0657, doubles from $20) is one of many clean and simple guesthouses on the beach that bear no scars.
Farther south in Galle, the 16th-century Portuguese fort was protected from the water by its huge, old walls. Inside, the fort community is flourishing, and several hotels are open, including the new five-star resort, the Amangalla (011-94-41-6887-3337, doubles from $225), which is a spectacular place in restored colonial buildings dating back 400 years.
The lush green knolls of the hilly coast west of the southern beach town of Tangalla were not affected, and several fine hotels are undamaged. The Claughton (011-94-41-225-5087, doubles from $150) is a beautiful villa with sweeping views and gardens that run down to a secluded beach.
Where to eat: Many hotels have extensive eating facilities, and these are often the venues of choice for travelers. In addition, in beach towns that have mostly recovered, such as Hikkaduwa, simple, casual cafés right on the sand are back in business. Elsewhere, markets and stores are open; travelers exploring the coast will have no problems finding sustenance, and in the case of some resorts, extremely good sustenance.
For now, though the rich culture and lush landscapes can still be found there, travelers should think of a visit to Sri Lanka as a unique opportunity to support the recovery of a special place and people. Go, see, support, learn and, perhaps more important, just listen. Everyone has a story and would like a chance to share it. This is one journey that will reward visitors and hosts beyond measure.
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Ryan Ver Berkmoes has contributed to Lonely Planet's Moscow, British Columbia and New South Wales guides. "Travels with Lonely Planet" is coordinated by Global Travel Editor Don George. You can e-mail him at don.george@lonelyplanet.com. For more travel information, visit http://LonelyPlanet.com.
