Jonty Rhodes shares experience on immersing in Sri Lanka

Monday, 6 January 2025 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former South African cricketer, Jonty Rhodes recently shared insights into his latest travel expedition, highlighting the importance of sustainable tourism and local engagement.

In a post via Instagram, he detailed his family’s recent surf-centric trip to Sri Lanka, where they opted for a unique mode of transport to explore the coastline.

Rhodes opined that the combination of independence, community engagement, and respect for the environment aligns seamlessly with his family’s approach to travel.

“When you travel through a country, you want to be as close to the local population as possible, in order to benefit the local communities and the environment,” he noted.

In keeping with this ethos, the Rhodes family turned to TukTuk Rental, a local company, to secure vehicles for their journey.

“Seeing as we are seasoned campaigners on the roads of Goa, we decided to get some wheels (two of them) from @tuktukrental Sri Lanka, and get ourselves to the various surf breaks in Ahangama. I not only love the independence of having our own transport, especially with five surfboards to load every trip, but also the social philosophy of @tuktukrental as they lease the vehicles from local Tuk Tuk owners, and thus allow these owners to benefit from the tourist spend,” he praised this approach as a meaningful way to encourage positive economic impact through tourism.

Though Tuk Tuks may sound small, he pointed to the importance of choice to explore responsibly whilst supporting a destination the family holds dear.

“Sri Lanka has been a favourite surf destination for the Rhodes family for some time now,” he noted.

He also expressed optimism about Sri Lanka’s tourism industry after years of challenges.

“It is great to see the many positive impacts that the tourism industry is once again having on the economy,” he wrote, highlighting the sector’s role in reviving local communities and economic recovery.