Landing Softly in Sri Lanka

Toronto to Colombo is a long haul—about 14,000 kilometres—and it shows. Two flights, a stop in Abu Dhabi, and more than 20 hours later, we arrive in Sri Lanka with our internal clocks completely upside down. It’s bedtime here, morning in Toronto, and the temperature has flipped from –26°C to +26°C. That kind of transition deserves respect.

I know some travellers like to land and hit the ground running. That’s never been my approach, especially on a trip like this. For me, the first few days are about adjusting—physically and mentally—before diving in to all the activities we have planned.

So we began in Negombo, a seaside town outside of Colombo, staying at Jetwing Lagoon Wellness, a serene resort set on a narrow strip of land between lagoon and sea. It’s the perfect place to pause: a well-equipped gym, a vast pool, excellent food, and an outstanding spa. Our days are deliberately simple—sleeping, moving, eating well—and for me, easing into Sri Lanka with a couple of Ayurvedic treatments I first came to appreciate in India. The holistic philosophy, the pace, the care—it all feels exactly right.

This morning we walked several kilometres along the ocean-facing beach, barely scratching the surface of its length. I met a fisherman, and we saw a couple of families cautiously playing on the fringes of water and sand, trying to enjoy the sea. It’s not a swimming beach—the waves crash hard and the drop-off is steep—but it’s undeniably beautiful. Powerful. A place to observe, not conquer.

I’ve also learned a great Sinhalese expression: “Ayubowan”.  It essentially means: “May you have a long life”.  You say it as a greeting, hands folded with a quick bow (like “Namaste”).  It’s used for all kinds of things – hi, hello, how are you and more.  What a great all purpose expression, and I can certainly appreciate the sentiment.

And that feels like the right way to begin.