Traveling Sri Lanka in a Three-Wheeled Glorified Lawnmower

Traveling Sri Lanka in a Three-Wheeled Glorified Lawnmower

Exhaustion was setting in. We paid our bill, thanked the staff, and stepped into the fresh night air. The rain had finally stopped. However, we’d just finished an awkward conversation with the owner of a roadside café.

It was a familiar situation. You ask a question and receive blank stares. Then comes a head wobble you can’t decide is a yes or a no. They shift their eyes uncomfortably. Finally, they dismiss your request in broken English. You want to protest and explain, but you know it’s no use. So, with a smile and a friendly ‘estuti’, we abandoned our idea.

Where were we going to sleep tonight? We asked to camp in the large open area next to their restaurant. For reasons unknown to us, they said no. The situation forced us to continue our hunt. We loaded up our backpacks and our little yellow tent. We pushed the little red button and fired up the engine.

Adventure is what we had sought. But sometimes, at the end of a long day, all you want is a safe bed. That wasn’t an option for us. We had to prove that we could make this work for two weeks. Surrender was not an option.

A Shot in the Dark

We turned off the main highway and onto some back roads. We were searching for a small Buddhist monastery we had spotted on the map. We hoped to find more accommodating faces there. Our fatigue made it hard to stay positive and fight the doubt in our minds. It was literally a shot in the dark.

As we continued, I noticed how quiet the night had become. The only sound was the wind whistling in my ears. That, and the soft purr of our three-wheeled tuk-tuk propelling us into the unknown.

That’s right, I said tuk-tuk.

The Spark of an Idea

Throughout my last seven years of travel, I’ve met many intrepid souls. They traveled in truly unique ways. I met people on bikes, in vans, and on motorcycles. Their stories made my trips by plane, train, and bus seem quite mundane. As a true adrenaline junkie, I knew I needed more.

I craved the feeling of wind in my hair, created by my own movement and on my own terms. I dreamed of visiting random spots on the map not found in any guidebook. I longed for the freedom to turn down roads simply because they held a secret. In short, I wanted complete and utter freedom.

This idea stayed in the back of my mind, resting but alert. It felt like a predator in long grass eyeing its prey. I was patiently waiting for the right moment to pounce on the adventure that was rightfully mine. Fortunately, I wouldn’t have to wait long.

What is a Tuk-Tuk?

The tuk-tuk, also called a rickshaw or three-wheeler, is a unique cultural beast. It’s heavily prevalent in Southeast Asia. Its awkward design seems to defy the laws of physics. It’s a cross between a compact car, a small motorcycle, and a hand-drawn cart. Arguably, the tuk-tuk doesn’t excel in any single area compared to those machines.

But that is what makes it so special. That’s where the magic comes from. These zany contraptions capture the imagination of western travelers. They zip around the streets with flashy decor and comical English sayings on the back. For me, one visit to Thailand was all it took.

As travelers, we often try to understand the world. I soon realized this was the perfect vehicle to unlock the region. The seed was planted. I knew that one day I would return to Southeast Asia. I would claim my mighty steed and gallop across the land. Now, it was just a matter of figuring out the details.

Figuring Out the Details

The phrase “Take the path less travelled” makes for a great bumper sticker. However, it doesn’t prepare you for the frustration of figuring out the details. I returned to the Indian subcontinent, where tuk-tuks are a vibrant part of society. But there was little information on how to buy or rent one without a driver.

On top of that, several things created an overwhelming hurdle. I had limited time, faced vast distances, and dealt with incredible traffic. I started to think the prize would elude me once more.

An Unexpected Opportunity in Sri Lanka

Then, we had an unexpected schedule change. My beautiful Argentinian girlfriend was a key reason I had returned to India. She had already been traveling for three months, which meant her visa was nearly up. We would need to exit the country and re-enter.

We opened a map and looked at our options. That’s when we spotted it: Sri Lanka, the pearl of Asia. We didn’t know much about this little island nation. But everything we had heard was positive. It had incredible beaches, lush tea plantations, and wild elephants. What more could one ask for? Oh yeah… a tuk-tuk!

The Search for a Tuktuk

I have always been a big fan of doing things independently. I try to avoid organized tours and middlemen who are just overpriced stepping stones. That being said, some really do earn their keep. I have also learned the value of my time. For example, you don’t want your pride to waste a week of a three-week visa trying to find a rental.

Renting from a random person on the street also leads to uncertainty. Can I legally drive a three-wheeler in Sri Lanka? Will the insurance cover me in an accident? What if it breaks down in a jungle filled with leopards? Fortunately, a quick Google search led me to an organization that handled everything. They even did it with a social cause in mind.

A Company with a Social Mission

TukTukRental.com helps travelers get behind the handlebars of an authentic tuk-tuk. It allows you to drive yourself around Sri Lanka in true local style. Behind this simple business model, however, is an impressive social mission. The company redirects a tiny portion of tourism dollars toward those in society who really need it.

The company achieves this in two ways. First, instead of owning a fleet, they source vehicles from local tuk-tuk owners. These owners are among the poorest in Sri Lanka. The company pays them up to five times the market rate for the loan of their vehicle. Second, they encourage travelers to ‘get off the beaten path’. As a result, customers spend more money in small villages instead of established tourist hotspots.

Meeting Our Knight and His Steed

After booking online, the company matched us with a local tuk-tuk owner. Krishantha was our knight, and his jet-black tuk-tuk would become our steed. Krishantha and I are a similar age. He grew up in southern Colombo, while I grew up in Boise, Idaho. Although our lives are worlds apart, his cheeky smile tells me we would have been great friends as kids.

For the next two weeks, Krishantha had to place great trust in me. We would be commandeering his prize asset and livelihood. Relative to average incomes, his tuk-tuk is more valuable to him than the average American home. TukTukRental.com arranged insurance and licenses behind the scenes. Still, the exchange was an incredibly special moment. Both parties would gain in different but significant ways.

And now we had it. Our black stallion, our Dark Knight, was ours. The door to all the possibilities in Sri Lanka swung open.

Unpredictable Adventures

“The secret of adventure, then, is not to carefully seek it out but to travel in such a way that it finds you… Open yourself up to unpredictability.” -Vagabonding by Rolf Potts

To have unique experiences, travelers must approach destinations in unique ways. Our first night in the tuk-tuk validated that we had done just that. We never found the monastery because the night was too dark and the vegetation too thick. So, we went with the next best option: knocking on doors.

The people in the first house hid inside. However, the second door revealed a man, his wife, his son, and his son’s friends. They were shocked and confused to see two westerners in a tuk-tuk asking to sleep in their yard. The son and his friends were skeptical. His request to see my passport even took me aback. The roles were reversed, as locals are not typically suspicious of tourists.

An Unforgettable Welcome

As we talked, I could see their defenses slowly dissolving. They finally gave us permission to camp. But then, the father had a better idea. Why don’t we sleep inside? The invitation escalated quickly. Soon, we were in their living room sharing durian fruit and happy conversation. Neighbors and relatives randomly popped in, which seemed no coincidence.

A hand drum appeared, and we all took turns singing. Then, our Sri Lankan guests requested we all sing one song together. The choice was ‘Baby’ by Justin Bieber. Throughout this exchange, the father danced like a madman in the middle of the room. We were clapping and cheering when his son leaned in close and said, “I’ve never seen my father so happy.”

More Than Just One Memory

Fortunately, our adventure didn’t peak there. We spent one night watching WWE wrestling with a progressive, tobacco-chewing monk. In Ella, we woke up camped next to two cobras and a clothed monkey named Michael. Two bull elephants even chased us on a safari in Udawalawe. The tuk-tuk allowed us to scour the coast for beautiful, secluded camping spots. The ‘Pearl of Asia’ was our oyster.

Connecting Like a Local

The Dark Knight truly unlocked some unknown potential. It wasn’t just about skipping bus transfers or never carrying our backpacks. It opened the greatest travel door: the potential to be like a local. I felt people treated us differently because we were in the tuk-tuk. We were driving at street level, not trapped in an air-conditioned bus. We could interact with the real, beautiful culture around us.

Locals in cities and the country would smile and wave when they saw us. I felt much more connected to these people. We were driving the same vehicle as those with lower incomes. It’s a feeling that is hard to describe. You really have to experience the magic yourself.

The Bittersweet End

By the time we made it back to Colombo, we were exhausted. Two weeks earlier, it felt like we had an eternity with the tuk-tuk. Now, it was coming to an end. In my experience, the end of one adventure only signifies the beginning of another. The finality is bittersweet. You appreciate the past days, yet you are also thankful for where you are going next. Closing this chapter was no different. It left me more inspired to continue facing life from three wheels.

It’s About the Journey, Not the Destination

If you come to Sri Lanka, you will likely be inspired by the same things as everyone else. This means you will go to the same places and also miss the same places. You will see beautiful sites and capture great pictures. However, you will skip over the untapped culture of the spaces in between.

There is an age-old saying: “it is about the journey, not the destination.” We’ve heard it so much that we’ve stopped thinking about it. We have forgotten that our best stories come from times that challenged us. They are sourced from moments that made us uncomfortable, but we still succeeded.

Think about Machu Picchu. Is the sunrise more beautiful to those who hiked for four days, or those who took a 20-minute bus ride? There is no right or wrong answer to that question. But for me, the answer is easy. We grow more through discomfort than comfort. We appreciate the highs much more after a little struggle.

How the Tuktuk Changed Everything

I would have enjoyed my trip taking buses and trains to all the major destinations. I would have relished the downtime on the beaches. But I would have left with only a memory card of familiar pictures. My memories would have been great, but they would fade and mix with other similar trips.

Instead, I rented a tuk-tuk and brought a tent. I wasn’t delivered through Colombo traffic in an air-conditioned coach. Instead, I cursed and sweated my way through that chaotically beautiful cauldron of fumes and pavement. Locals showed me immeasurable kindness in places westerners never go. I didn’t just relax on the beaches; I slept on them. The gentle waves lulled me to sleep.

The experience forced me to interact with Sri Lanka in an unforgettable way. Because of that, I now have unforgettable memories. I say this not because I want the best stories to share with friends. I say this because I am excited about how these experiences shaped my perspective, confidence, and core values.

I am excited that I left Sri Lanka a little better of a person than when I arrived. Those experiences live inside me and will resurface in my interactions with others. Yes, I traveled to Sri Lanka, but now Sri Lanka will travel the world with me. And it was all thanks to a tuk-tuk.

Author: Ivan the Intrepid Instagram: @ivantheintrepid Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRCHRBEZBByp1gZNcVV4Wrw