The beautiful island of Sri Lanka whose recorded beginnings date back 2000 years, offers diverse options for experiencing unique, memorable vacations such as:
– Golden beach stays
– Cultural heritage tours
– Wildlife adventures
– Vibrant colourful festivals
Sri Lankan Beaches
Each beach on this beautiful island surrounded by the Indian Ocean offers visitors a varied choice of activities. Being only an hour’s drive from the airport, Negombo Beach is an ideal place to stay if you enjoy sun, sand, sea and water sports. Hikkaduwa to the south is a feast for those who enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling by the reef. If, on the other hand, you enjoy the pleasures of surfing you should make your way to Arugam Bay Point. Just outside the city of Galle, Galle Face Green offers the pleasures of kite flying, sports and a bustling evening culture. There are many more beaches to choose from but whichever you choose you will never be disappointed.
Cultural Heritage of Sri Lanka
Once you have relaxed for a few days in your chosen hotel, you will be ready to make a trip further afield to discover more about the cultural heritage of this friendly island. The Cultural Triangle consists of the sprawling city of Anuradhapura, Poloonaruwa and the Cave Temples of Dambulla
Anuradhapura was at one time the capital city of the area and was abandoned when it was ransacked by an invading Indian Empire. Now a Unesco World Heritage site it is famous for its well-preserved ruins of an ancient Sri Lankan civilization.
If you are feeling energetic once you have explored Anuradhapura, head towards the nearby Sigiriya Rock. Make the exhausting climb up the 1200 steps and you will be rewarded with spectacular views across the landscape in all directions
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Poloonaruwa was chosen as the new capital city after Anuradhapura was ransacked and here you will discover the spectacular ruins of the amazing garden-city created in the 12th century.
The Golden Dambulla Cave complex is another World Heritage site and is considered to be the best-preserved cave temple complex on the island. The caves contain statues and paintings of Buddha.Today the Temple remains an active ritual centre.
When in the area, it is well worth a stay at the stunning Heritance Kandalama eco-hotel where you can wake with the inquisitive monkeys making themselves at home on your balcony, grooming each other for the day ahead.
Wildlife
Sri Lanka’s extensive wildlife can be found in its national parks, mangroves, swamp-lands and tropical rainforests.
The Wilpattu National Reserve is Sri Lanka’s oldest and largest national game park on the island. This rich eco-system is the place you will encounter Sri Lankan Leopards, Asian Elephants and the elusive Sloth Bears.
The most popular wildlife park is the Yala Game Reserve that sits along a dry scrub coastline. It is famous for its leopard some of whom are quite bold rather than shy and reserved. These leopard are now on the endangered species list of animals in the wild. Some other animals seen at Yala are deer, jackals, mongooses and monkeys.
Udawalawe National Park situated in the tea-growing region of the country is the best place to seek out Sri Lanka’s Asian elephants. Elephants are revered by the population of Sri Lanka and killing one of these protected creatures carries the death sentence as punishment. If elephants are a creature close to your heart you should visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage where you can observe baby elephants being bottle fed, bathing in the river and travelling back and forwards to the water.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve in the wet south west of the island offers extensive sightings of bird life from the Sri Lankan Blue Magpie to the red-faced Malkoha. Other animals residing here are leopard, deer, squirrels and the purple-faced langur.
If you wish to witness the magic of one of the biggest animals that ever lived, the Blue Whale, head south to the sea around Galle and Mirissa. The best time to catch site of these monsters of the deep is during krill feeding time between February and mid-March.
Festivals.
Sri Lanka is famous for its vibrant, colourful festivals that are celebrated by a diverse range of cultures living on the island including Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims. Elephants are the most important part of any historic parade on the island.
If you are lucky enough to witness the Relic of the Holy Tooth parade, the eldest elephant accompanied by his Mahout, will be exquisitely dressed and carry the Holy Tooth of Buddha in a special artifact.
You do not always have to travel far to experience these festivals as towns close to holiday resorts often participate. Your local tuk-tuk driver will be only too happy to take you there.
As you leave the shores of this beautiful island behind you will have many memories to share and I am sure you will be tempted back to discover more of what it has to offer.