Hello friends! Here's the deal. My husband and I have three weeks in February to go on an adventure together and we cannot seem to decide where to go. We have it narrowed down to either Sri Lanka or the Philippines. Our largest interests are: beaches, snorkelling, hiking, wildlife, friendly locals and hidden gems/beautiful secluded places. We are terrible at languages so are uneasy about the language barrier but we are told it isn't too bad in either country. We also have safety concerns and neither of us like big crowds of tourists but understand that they are sometimes unavoidabl. I am a more experienced traveled than he is and we are hoping to do our own thing backpacking without relying on travel companies much. Thoughts?
2
koizi
Great question! I laugh because we have previously been to the Philippines (with a 2 year old in tow) and have a family holiday in Sri Lanka planned for Jan '17. So I'd recommend both! Ha!
3
getyoung
I have never been to Philippines but I'd think it cost less to travel there than in Sri Lanka which is quite expensive compare to India and Southeast Asia--though still very cheap by Canadian/EU standard.
If airfare to Sri Lanka is closed Manila then I'd go to Sri Lanka since it may not be that cheap again given the distance. Feb is a great month there and it wasn't crowded when I was there. Some businesses feel a bit sleezy (milking tourists as much as possible and very little customer service in return) but the people are very warm and friendly, reminding me of Myanmar. The country is quite developed (GDP per person is similar to Mainland China) , infrastructure quite good.
Beaches are great--and I am a beach person. SL is the place to learn to surf if you ever want to learn.
English is likely more spoken in PL and in SL, but you shouldn't have problem getting around. Beside, a little struggle (with the language) is part of the fun in traveling to foreign places.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/youngadventure/albums/72157666257955621
5
edneil_lonelyplanet
Hello Jenniguess,
I know this inquiry is 6 months old already. But just in case someone else got stuck on this thread, I'd like to share my personal experience from our family trip in Ilocos Province, Philippines. I've never been to Sri Lanka that's why I cannot compare which of the 2 is better. I just hope my post below would help you convince how beautiful it is in the Philippines. :) 3 days in Ilocos is not enough. How much more for other provinces? Philippines is an archipelago and it still has a lot to offer...
Visit my personal blog below documenting our trip in ILocos:
http://www.faithcapsule.com/get-lost-in-ilocos-a-3-day-tour-of-the-past/
6
Thorn Tree
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