Sri Lanka, voted the number one holiday destination in the world, is a
jewel of an island in the Indian ocean. Golden
beaches and wild safaris, ancient dagobas and famous kovils, over 2000
years of culture and history is packed into this byte sized island. We provides all its guests with tailor made vacation packages by
which to experience Sri Lanka.
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura is one of the island’s most famous ancient cities, firmly
in place in any tours in Sri Lanka.The ancient ruins predating the
Christian era puts Anuradhapura in the pantheon of human history along
with Athens, Alexandria and Patalipurhra. It depicts the trajectory of
the Sinhalese civilization from the time it was founded in 4th
century BC.The Mahavamsa, the historical chronicle affirms that the
city was founded in 380 BC. The capital city of Sinhala Kings of Sri
Lanka suffered, survived, was razed to the ground and was rebuilt as
most other cities whose prosperity and the envy of rulers in its
proximity was a recipe for recurring disasters and innovative
engineering in reconstruction.The past grandeur is narrated by a
fascinating collection of ancient ruins some of which have been
painstakingly restored. The remote past of a majestic capital and a
monastic city of benevolent kings, despotic monarchs, retreating rulers
and heroic conquerors reach out to you from Sri Lanka history.The Dagoba
– Thuparamaya was built by King Devanam Piya Tissa in 3rd century BC to
enshrine the clavicle of the Buddha, considered a sacred relic that was
gifted to the King by the Mauryan Missionary Emperor Asoka. The city
was conquered and sacked by Pandyan kings in the 9th century. The
destruction in AD 993 by an invading Indian King brought an end to the
city as the capital of Sri Lanka. Close to Anuradhapura is Mihintale,
the oldest and the first wildlife sanctuary of all mankind. The story
goes that King Devanam Piyatissa who was a deer hunt when he found
Arahant Mahinda and by royal edict declared the entire area as a
protected reserve a tradition that continues to this day. Other than
Mihintale, there are more than 14 protected wild life parks you can
visit on your Sri Lanka trip.
Kandy
Kandy is a city with graceful charm,
radiating an ambiance of antiquity that you will find only in a Sri
Lanka holiday. Do insist on spending at least two whole days in the city
of the last Sinhala Kings of the island, your Sri Lanka tour operator
will not hesitate!Cocooned in the comfort of a protected valley in the
central hills of Sri Lanka, the city at 500 meters (1640 feet) above sea
level is home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and a vast array
of shrines, and temples dating back to the 14th century.In
1592 Kandy became the capital of the Sinhala kings who repulsed the
Portuguese and Dutch invaders. They held out against the British until
1815. The proud city is also home to several monuments, including the
Dalada Maligawa the “Palace of the Sacred Tooth Relic”- the symbol of
sovereignty of the nation, a must visit site in your Sri Lanka Holiday.
The Magul Maduwa – The Audience Hall with its wooden columns is the
epitome of Kandyan architecture. It is in this space that the Sinhala
chieftains ceded the kingdom to the British Crown in 1815.The City is
built with the Temple Palace of the Sacred Tooth Relic at its epicenter.
Four shrines – the devales that surround the Temple Palace are dedicated to the Gods Vishnu, Skandha, Natha and Godess Paththini. The
God Vishnu is the guardian deity of the Buddhist Island, God Skandha is
the god of war, God Natha is an incarnation of the Bhodisathva the next
Buddha and Goddess Paththini is the goddess of chastity and health.
The two monasteries Asgiriya and Malwatte
house two chapters of the Main Buddhist sect that is referred to as the
Siamese school. The two prelates of Asgiriya and Malwatte are vested
with the ecclesiastical authority of administering the temple palace –
the Dalada Maligawa. Malwatte which literally means floral abode has
preserved its impressive hall with its imposing columns and the
magnificent painted ceiling. Kandy is the cultural and religious capital
of Sri Lanka.The splendor of the great pageant of the “Esala Perehera”
reaffirms its sanctity every year. It is a spectacle held usually in the
first week of August with the full moon. To include it in your Sri
Lanka holiday needs some planning including your Sri Lanka flights.
Kandy is virtually hidden behind a thick curtain of natural foliage in
the form of lush tropical forests and a 60 hectare botanical garden.
This is another reason why you need two days in Kandy in your Sri Lanka
Holiday plan.The garden was first conceived by King Kirthi Sri
Rajasinghe on the loop of the Mahaweli River that partly encircles
Kandy.Under their care and meticulous attention the Botanical Gardens
took shape as the best in Asia. A promenade of palm trees is an unusual
example of creative gardening that the English are known for. The palm
saplings were brought from Panama in 1903. The garden has plant species
from all over the world from exotic orchids to a tree that spreads its
canopy to cover 1.600 square meters.
Dambulla
The Dambulla Cave Temple is traced to the
1st century BC, and is the most treasured cave temple in Asia. It has
five caves under a vast rock that overhangs the temple. On the
underbelly of the Rock is carved a drip line that keeps the interiors
dry.Inside the caves, the ceilings are adorned with intricate patterns
of religious images meticulously painted following the natural contours
of the rock. Images of the Buddha and bodhisattvas and gods and
goddesses are to be seen inside.The cave monastery remains the
best-preserved historical structure in Sri Lanka that dates back to the
2nd and 3rd centuries BC. It remains to this day a living Shrine that
draws thousands of devotees and curious visitors.
The temple has five caves imaginatively
converted to shrines. The caves built at the base of a 150m high rock
during the first century BC to 993 AD and between 1073 -1250 are the
most inspiring cave temples of the many cave temples in Sri Lanka. You
reach the cave temple by walking on the gentle slope of the towering
Dambulla rock that gives you a magnificent view of the plains below with
the Sigiriya rock fortress emerging out of the flat landscape. No doubt
you will have Homeric thoughts because a Sri Lanka Holiday is the most
enjoyable odyssey you can make in Asia.
Sigiriya
Sigiriya
is both a palace and a fortress of stunning splendor, and is a tribute
to its ingenious builders. Lest we forget to the King who wanted a Sri
Lanka Holiday deal in a palace built on the flat top of a rock with a
terrace and a mirror wall. The entrance is at mid level, through the
Famous Lion gate that gives Sigiriya its name makes it the perfect
tailor made holiday Sri Lanka. The frescoes of Heavenly Maidens -some
twenty, sensuously captivating beauties who have survived out of nearly
600 date to the time of the playboy King Kashyappa, narrate in paint the
pleasures of a pristine past of a land that you have chosen when you
decided on your Sri Lanka vacation.Sigiriya is an architectural marvel
and a classic example of urban planning in the first millennium. A park
laid out on a symmetrical plan to appease Royal indolence and water
retaining structures with ingenious surface and subsurface hydraulic
systems will surprise you, as most of them function to this day.
What will enthrall you most are the
frescoes and the mirror wall graffiti. Together they narrate a story
painted and etched of the genius of a people who lived and loved with
passion. They surpass the guest comments you will read of the most
fastidious of Boutique Hotels in Sri Lanka.
The Frescoes – are drawn in a style considered unique. They radiate an
ethereal beauty that seduces your senses with a grace that is exquisite
despite its antiquity.The Mirror Wall- It is said the Mirror Wall was so
polished that the King could see himself when he passed through the
ornate terrace in the sky. Its surface suggests that it is made of some
form of porcelain. The mirror wall has verses dating from the 8th
century wherein they wrote on love, irony, loss and grief.The Gardens of
Sigiriya is one of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world.The
Lion’s Mouth – is the entrance to the palace, with its giant paws still
intact. A guide for you to imagine the enormous edifice that it once was
and still is on the Sri Lanka Map.
Pinnawala
Pinnawela is a beautiful village on the
banks of a river near Kegalle, a town that is between Colombo the
commercial capital and Kandy the cultural capital.The pictorial village
the world’s only elephant orphanage that cares for the largest elephant
herd in captivity. It shelters many baby elephants, as well as a blind
elephant and one crippled.The Sri Lankan species Elephas Maximus Maximus
is the largest of the Asiatic elephant genus, and has patches with no
skin color on its ears, face, trunk and belly. They are the darkest of
all Asiatic elephants. Seeing this large herd of these behemoths is a
great experience you can have on a Sri Lanka trip.In February 2011, the
Elephant Orphanage of Pinnawela recorded the birth of the 55th baby elephant in its 40 year existence. The count stood at 86 with the latest addition.
The orphanage was founded in 1972 at the
Wilpattu National Park, and was relocated in 1976 in to a 10 hectare
coconut plantation on the banks of the Mahaoya River. The herd visits
the river twice a day, the sight of the herd frolicking in the river
deemed as a ‘must see’ for visitors.The breeding program in the
Orphanage was started in 1982. The breeding commenced with two males and
three females. The male and female pair named Vijaya and Kumari has
produced three calves at intervals of five and four years.The Orphanage
also produces paper made of elephant dung. The process is industrially
feasible and commercially viable. The Elephant dung Paper is branded as
“Pachyderm.” It provides an income to the villagers who are conservation
enthusiasts fully integrated to the elephant orphanage that is the
nucleus of a thriving village economy, all a part of a Holiday in Sri
Lanka.
Nuwaraeliya
Discovered and developed as a hill sort
for its collection of forests and meadows and the salubrious climate
Nuwaraeliya became a quaintly cloned English village. The red roofed
Post Office, the granite edifice of the Hill Club, an 18 hole Golf
Course, A picturesque lake and a Race Course made it a surreal Surrey
village with many famous attractions and hidden treasures which are away
from the tourist beaten track. They await your discovery.
Nuwaraeliya is conveniently covered under the shadows of the tallest
mountains of the island with all attractions of scenic beauty, adventure
and curious conundrums of nature are within easy reach.. Hiking and
Trekking are not possibilities. They are opportunities not to be
missed. Nuwaraeliya is the convenient base to explore the curious
conundrums of nature found in the central hills of Sri Lanka. It has a
unique arrangement of plateaus, ridges intermontane basins and valleys.
Its four montain ranges are Pidurutalagala2, 524-metre (8,281 ft)
Krigalpoththa (2,388 m (7,835 ft) Thotupola Kanda 2357m 7,737ft) Adams
peak (2,243 metres7,359 ft) Namunukula (2016-metres 6617ft) the Haputale
ridge and Horton plains.
Bentota
One of the top 10 beaches in Asia according to the list compiled for
Forbes Best Beaches in Asia Awards 2010, Bentota, which is found next to
Beruwala, is a great place for family holidays. Five star holiday
resorts flank the beach front and the Bentota River winds it way through
the area. However its not only famous for its pristine beaches but also
a number of exciting water sports such as windsurfing, para-sailing and
jet skiing. Thrilling river safaris along the river grant visitors
access to cinnamon plantations, nature resorts and temples which are
further inland. An unmissable experience would be a visit to the
residencies of two of Sri Lanka’s most famous personalities. Geoffrey
Bawa, the internationally renowned Sri Lankan architect built his
country estate Lunuganga in Bentota, while his brother Bevis Bawa an
equally famous landscape artist designed Brief, a 5 acre landscaped
garden. Both are open to the public and a visit to the Bentota would not
be complete without a visit to Lunuganga and Brief.
Horton plains
Horton plains are a plateau with a unique
and fragile eco system located 2,150m above sea level. These tranquil
grassy woodlands endlessly swept by crisp ,sharp , biting winds is home
to endemic highland birds, leopards and Sāmbhar deer. Horton Plains
covers a land area of 3,160 hectares (12.2 sq mi) . It contains the most
extensive part of cloud forest in Sri Lanka. Considered the most prized
watershed of the country it holds the headwaters of three major Sri
Lankan rivers, the Mahaweli, Kelani and Walawe. The plateau drops
abruptly by 1650 meters at the “Worlds End” the only plausible
description that fits the frightening abyss below, often covered by a
mystic mist. On a clear day it offers a spectacular view that extends up
to the distant Indian Ocean.
Ella
Ella is a small sedentary town. 50 kms
from Nuwaraeliya. With its single street bazaar it is more than a
village and less than a Town if not for its mesmerizing location. Its
famous attraction is the Ella gap. It is best that you learn of it from
one of its earliest admirers. Sit James Emerson Tennant Colonial
Secretary 1845-1850. “Perhaps there is not a scene in the world which
combines sublimity and beauty in a more extraordinary degree than that
which is presented at the Pass of Ella, where, through an opening in the
chain of mountains, the road descends rapidly to the lowlands, over
which it is carried for upwards of seventy miles, to the south coast of
the island“
The topography that he describes is a
magnificent view that you will enjoy no end from the Ella Gap. You will
gaze down on a vast amphitheatre that opens to the costal plains in the
south while to the north you will see ridge after ridge and peak after
peak. Ella has some of the most beautiful views, you could find in Sri
Lanka. The places you could see in Ella are the Ella Gap, Ravana Ella
Falls, Little Adam’s Peak and Bambaragala Peak. It offers great
possibilities of Hiking, Trekking and Cycling with Crisp, cool and dry
winds keeping you active and alert. You may be pleasantly surprised by
an abrupt fog that may descend on you. It will leave as abruptly with
the same disdain to, civility. The view from the Ella gap will have a
lingering effect on you. You will know what it to see below with the
wisdom of an eagle.
Habarana
Habarana is a small picturesque city in
the Anuradhapura District in the northern central region of Sri Lanka.
The city is famed for its chain of high class tourist resorts which are
extremely eco-friendly and have been built towards the beneficial
aspects of the natural environment. It is an ideal destination for
safari lovers as it is the starting point for safari tours in the nearby
Minneriya Sanctuary which is heavily populated by elephants and other
species of wildlife.
It is also the site of a famed organic
farm which specialise in high yield argro-crops. Situated near the
ancient rock fortress and castle ruin of Sigiriya and the Dambulla Cave
temple, Habarana also attracts those who are interested in the
intriguing history of this tiny island as day excursion can be taken to
the ancient areas of the country to explore the past lives of great
kings and their monuments. It is a renowned paradise for those who love
natural history and wildlife and offers some of the most amazing Sri
Lanka holiday packages.
Haputale
Haputale is 44 Kms from Nuwaraeliya. The
tiny town precariously perched on a Mountain ridge at an elevation of
1579 metres is ensconced in the southern end of the Central Highlands.
It has justifiable repute for a climate that is both invigorating and
restful. Its great attraction is that it offers an unimpeded view of the
plains that extend to the coastal plains of the south and the east and
the mountains to its north.It is hemmed in by the mountains of Horton
plains, Hakgala and, Namunukula among several other peaks. Turn again
and you have another breathtaking view of the foothills that extend to
the Southern parts of the island right down to the sea. Under the cloud
less sky of a bright day you may devour the sight of a pale blue border
of the ocean. The terrain of Haputale tempts you to do many things –
walking, hiking and trekking the in the surrounding hills.
Liptons seat
Liptons seat is the high light of your
wanderings with its magnificent view that was once the delight of Sir
Thomas Lipton. It is the highest point of the mountain range, where the
famous Tea planter of Ceylon, Sir Thomas Lipton used to admire &
enjoy the panoramic view from the Fiefdom he built for himself at
Haputale. Do not dally too long. You will miss your Tea and Tiffin if
the mist sets in. Elle is a picturesque little town that you must visit
that is only.
Adam’s Peak
The base of this famous triangular shaped
mountain could be reached from Nuwaraeliya in a leisurely drive in one
and half hours. The sinuous trail to Adams peak sacred to four religions
Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian is a journey past the 80m
St.Clair falls, and 98m Devon falls and some of the best tea growing
plantations. Buddhists believe that the large foot imprint in the shrine
atop Adams peak was left by the Buddha. The Hindus worship it as that
of Lord Shiva. The Moslems consider it to be that of Adam. The
Christians think the foot print is that of St.Thomas the Apostle who
prayed on top of this summit. To the physically fir it is an immensely
gratifying experience best undertaken during the pilgrim season December
to May. The ascent is best undertaken around 2 am to reach the summit
before Sun Rise. The endless steps do end when you climb the 7260 feet
with tired feet. You stand in solemn silence while watching the muted
magnificence of the giant triangular shadow of the Peak falling on the
dull dense forests of peaks, valleys and plains that extend to the
shores of the island.
The sudden rush of rapture will quietly be replaced with the awesome realization of the mysteries of nature that attempts to replicate celestial eclipses here on earth. The shadow of the Mountain will gradually recede with the rising son in to its bosom. The Mountain Bell will toll signaling that another day has dawned while you were in communion with the heavens.
Nuwareliya gives you the best access to the nature trails to the Cloud Forests of Sri Lanka.
The sudden rush of rapture will quietly be replaced with the awesome realization of the mysteries of nature that attempts to replicate celestial eclipses here on earth. The shadow of the Mountain will gradually recede with the rising son in to its bosom. The Mountain Bell will toll signaling that another day has dawned while you were in communion with the heavens.
Nuwareliya gives you the best access to the nature trails to the Cloud Forests of Sri Lanka.