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Colombo (Capital of Sri Lanka)
Cultural Triangle
Galle
Kandy
Mount Lavinia
Nuwara Eliya (Highlands - Tea Country)
Southwest Coast
Yala National Park
Colombo (Capital of Sri Lanka)
Colombo is the capital of Sri Lanka. It is located in western Sri Lanka and sits on a major port near the mouth of the Kelani River. Colombo is the largest city in the country and owes its importance largely to its great breakwaters, which give shelter to a large, artificially created and magnificent harbor. Beira Lake, administratively part of the port of Colombo, is connected with the harbor by a canal and locks. Colombo handles most of the foreign trade of Sri Lanka and is an important fuelling port. The city is a major exporter of metal goods, textiles, clothing, (most of the western world high street designer brands are manufactured in Sri Lanka and shipped from Colombo Port) and chemicals.
Sri Jayawardenepura (Kotte) is the administrative capital of Sri Lanka and is located on the outskirts of Colombo. The business section of Colombo is called the Fort, and occupies the site of the former fortified fort area. Broad tree lined avenues from bygone colonial days along with new modern buildings contrast with the narrow, crooked streets and precarious structures in the Pettah quarter. Among the hospitals is the world famous Pasteur Institution.
Cultural Triangle
Since truly ancient times Sri Lanka has been the site of some of the most advanced civilizations on earth, along with the their development as major Buddhist kingdoms. These are located within a loose triangular area, hence the name the 'Cultural Triangle'. The International Campaign for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka, inaugurated in 1980, is a very important undertaking between Sri Lanka and UNESCO, with the main aim of the campaign being the restoration and protection of the ancient monuments and their frescoes in the region. The major areas of the Cultural Triangle are:
Dambulla
Dambulla's sacred temple is the Golden Temple, and consists of 5 separate caves housing magnificent Buddhist statues and paintings both religious and secular. The interiors are impressive but the climb up to the Rock temple is steep. Dambulla is regarded as the centre point of the Cultural Triangle.
Sigiriya
Sigiriya is the location of the massive Lion Rock where the remains of a 5th Century fortress palace sits 600ft above the surrounding country. The steep and in parts precarious climb is NOT for the elderly and young children. The base of the rock however offers spectacular ruins, artifacts, beautiful water gardens and frescoes and carvings from its time as a monastry or those not wishing nor able to climb the rock. The summit of the rock however presents spectacular views from the ruins and foundations of a wonderfully sophisticated palace. Tip. Only climb the rock in the cool of the morning. By midday and the afternoon the heat is too intense to do the climb. Chaaya Village Hotel at Habarana, an impressive John Keel property is our recommended base for this full day excursion.
Polonnaruwa
North west of Dambulla is the amazing 11th Century capital of Sri Lanka - Polonnaruwa. The magnificent ruins here were once a very sophisticated city protected by a 3 1/2 mile circular wall. The amazing sculptures, friezes, statues and temples are located within a quite compact reasonably flat area enabling easy exploration. Chaaya Village Hotel at Habarana is also our recommended base for a day trip to Polonnaruwa.
Nearby is Parakrama Samudra. The name means 'Sea of King Parakrama' and is is a shallow lake like reservoir (Lake Parakramawith) a surface area of around 22.6 km2. Lake Parakrama forms one of the larger reservoirs of an ancient, intricate and sophisticated water storage system for the irrigation of rice fields in Sri Lanka. During the twelfth century A. D. it was situated in the capital of Sri Lanka (Polonnaruwa) in a densely populated area. Later the area was abandoned, Polonnaruwa reverted to jungle, and the lake was drained due to damage to the dam. The reservoir was restored about thirty years ago, with the surrounding area attracting increasing numbers of rice farmers and fishermen.
The resevoir is actually three separate reservoirs connected by narrow channels at low water. The northernmost reservoir is the oldest and referred to as 'Topa Wewa' (In Sinhalese 'wewa' means lake or reservoir). The middle section is 'Eramudu Wewa' and the southern section at the highest elevation is 'Dumbutula Wewa'. 'Topa Wewa' was built around A.D. 386. The other sections were added and the reservoir expanded during the reign of King Parakrama Bahu the Great (A.D. 1153-1183).
In this period it also irrigated surrounding paddy fields by way of extremely sophisticated irrigation channels. Inhabitants at that time also enjoyed a series of magnificent baths and pools featuring aquifer spouts with carved crocodile and elephant mouths, along with a tiered 8 petalled Lotus flower pond, today the national flower of Sri Lanka.
Nearby are the Galvihara images (Rock Monastry) This is generally regarded as some of the finest collections of Buddhist sculpture in the world. This most celebrated site in Polonnaruwa is known for its large rock cut images, which have been preserved perfectly over the many centuries. The upright Buddha (Samadhi image) is a sculpture masterpiece, showing the Buddha in deep meditation, sitting on a seat decorated with lions and thunderbolts and with a halo around his head.
Next to this is another statue housed in an artificial cave cut out of the rock. Various deities surround the image of the seated Buddha. The standing Buddha with hands placed across the chest - a rather rare pose - is believed to be portraying how Buddha spent his second week after Enlightenment, contemplating in front of the Bodhi under which he reached that state. The statue is 23 feet high.
The 46 foot long 'Reclining Buddha' is a stunning piece of rock carving showing Buddha in the state of 'parinirvana' indicated by the slight drawing back of his upper foot. Worshippers venerate these unique set of statues cut out from a singe granite wall with an utmost commitment. the Galvihara images of Buddha are the most remarkable. The delicate features of these carvings are apparent to this day and their size-standing 7m tall, 14m reclining- truly impressive.
Anuradhapura
The most ancient city of Anuradhapura, lying north-west of the modern town and 2 hours from Dambulla, was once the greatest monastic city in the ancient word. Abandoned in 1073 to the mercy of the jungle, British explorers who discovered it in the 19th Century thought they had indeed stumbled on a fabulous 'El Dorado' "Lost City". Restoration continues to this day and well into the foreseeable future on this magnificent site. .
Bodhi Tree
The sacred Bodhi Tree or "Sri Maha Bodhi"- the oldest tree of its kind known in the world (reputedly a cutting of the tree in India where Buddha achieved enlightenment) is central to the buildings and religious awareness.
Galle
Some 115 km (70 miles) south of Colombo, the historic, fortified city of Galle was prominent long before Colombo took the honours. It remains an important port for business and pleasure, and an incomparable place to soak up the old colonial atmosphere. Legend has it that it is the port known in the Bible as Tarshish, where King Solomon's ships loaded gemstones and spices. The next visit of note was in 1505 when the Portuguese arrived, by accident, in the harbour. When they heard the crowing of a cock (galo in Portuguese), they named the town, or so goes one version. Another claims the name comes from gala, which means rock in Sinhala. The Portuguese built a small fort, greatly expanded by the Dutch when they took over in the 17th century.
Strolling along the top of the ramparts is one of the special experiences of Galle, especially at sunset. The most heavily fortified portion, facing north, consists of three bastions, called Star, Moon and Sun. The only surviving Portuguese defence is the Black Bastion, on the side overlooking the port. Inside the fort are many fine old Dutch colonial buildings, such as the 17th-century Government House. The building, now a commercial property, is said to be inhabited by the unhappy ghost of a young woman betrayed by her Dutch lover. In the Dutch Reformed Church, the Groote Kerk (1755), are tombstones of Dutch and British colonial officers. Of all the colonial buildings, the nicest is the former office of the Dutch governor, built in 1684 and later converted into the charming New Oriental Hotel (known as the NOH), the oldest in Sri Lanka. Take tea on the veranda.
The Dutch colonists built their country houses beyond Galle in Unawatuna, today a quiet beach resort with good snorkelling and scuba diving. Between October and March sea turtles return to the beach here to lay their eggs. To thwart poachers and predators, a local hatchery looks after them until the baby turtles are ready to set off on their maiden voyage.
Along the coast near Ahangama and Weligama you may come across stilt fishermen, sitting or standing tirelessly on all-but-submerged poles and casting their lines into the sea whose every current they know. Some locations are considered extremely productive, while others are less coveted. In any case, each stilt has its owner. Ashore, Weligama women produce superior lacework. Just outside town, a big statue carved of rock is known as Kustaraja. Legend says this depicts a king who was miraculously cured of leprosy. Nearby is a temple with a modern statue of the standing Buddha.
The big town of Matara, once an Arab trading post, has a good but often crowded beach. Bullock-drawn carriages are the most practical way of getting around the narrow streets. There are two old Dutch forts in Matara, the smaller one now a museum of ancient paintings. The local market is exceptionally lively. A few kilometres beyond Matara is Dondra, the southernmost point on the island. An octagonal lighthouse marks the spot. Near Dikwella is the biggest Buddha statue in Sri Lanka, a modern work about 50 m (165 ft) tall and hollow, to receive visitors inside the seated figure. This is part of a 250-year-old temple complex.
Further along the coast road, the resort of Tangalla has a dreamy shoreline, divided into intimate little sandy bays. The rest house here was an old hangout of Dutch colonial officials. The region produces a perfume based on citronella. Hambantota is inhabited largely by Malay Muslims who earn their living from fishing and from salt gathered in shallow pans from the sea water evaporated by the hot sun. The town was a thriving resort in British colonial days. Just beyond Hambantota, the National Park is the home of fleets of flamingoes and also, at certain times of year, a good place for spotting elephants in the wild.
Kandy
Oddly, Sri Lanka's second city has few ancient monuments. Surrounded by lush, highland scenery, Kandy spreads out around an artificial lake, created in 1807 by the last king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinha. The island in the middle was his pleasure garden. On the northern shore stands the Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Tooth, built in the 17th and 18th centuries and surrounded by a deep moat. You may not find the octagonal building impressive, but it has deep significance for Buddhists. The Buddha's tooth is Sri Lanka's most hallowed relic. It is supposed to have been rescued from his funeral pyre and later brought to the island hidden in the hair of a princess.
The Portuguese, in one of the more reprehensible acts of self-righteous colonialism, claimed to have burned it; this the faithful deny. The British reinstalled and then repossessed the holy relic as part of their plan to capture Kandy. Now it reposes on a golden lotus blossom in the smallest of seven caskets, heavily guarded by monks. The room housing the shrine or dagoba which contains the tooth is opened at 5.30 and 9.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m each day, then to a beating of drums, clashing of cymbals and wailing of flutes, white-clad pilgrims with lotus blossoms and fragrant frangipani approach the shrine. A curtain is drawn aside to reveal only the outermost golden casket. Its a must see experience!
During the Kandy 'Esala Perahera' festival, the island's biggest spectacle, a replica of the shrine is carried through the city. The culmination of ten days of preparation, this magnificent pageant in late July or early August features a procession of elephants, thousands of dancers and a great tusker bearing the sacred reproduction. Esala is a lunar month whose full moon falls in our late July or early August, perahera means procession. The National Museum, east of the Temple of the Tooth, displays a fine collection of Kandyan costumes, jewellery, weapons, tools and devil masks.
The Peradeniya Botanical Gardens is biggest and best in the country, covers some 60 ha (150 acres). By the Mahaweli River, clumps of giant bamboo shoot up over 30 m (100 ft). There are tamarind, magnolia, jasmine and orchid trees, as well as an orchid house and spice groves. The elephants' bath-time at Katugastota Bridge is a funny and charming spectacle. Here large elephants lie lazily back, obligingly lifting a leg here, an ear-flap there as their mahouts wash them down, watched by scores of appreciative Kandyans and visitors.
Mount Lavinia
This is the former British governor's residence 11 km (7 miles) south of Colombo, and has been given a new lease of life as the stunning colonial style Mount Lavinia Hotel, extremely popular with British holiday makers. Down the coast is Kalutara, a centre for coconut by-products such as mats and baskets and a good place to sample deliciously different mangosteen fruit. The large shrine beside the Kalu Ganga (river) is revered by Buddhists for its sacred, spreading bo-tree of the type under which the Buddha meditated. Further south you come to Beruwela and Bentota, excellent neighbouring seaside resorts that merge into each other.
The Kechimalai Mosque, set on a headland, marks the landing spot of the first Muslim settlers in the 11th century. At the end of the holy month of Ramadan there are important festivities here. The best of the island's devil masks come from Ambalangoda, where they also produce handwoven cotton. Beyond is the popular resort town of Hikkaduwa, a modern conglomeration of hotels, restaurants, shops and beaches. A reef encloses Hikkaduwa's shallow coral gardens, a lovely destination for snorkellers to admire tropical fish, turtles and coral formations. Just south of this tranquillity is some good surfing.
Negombo
North of Colombo, is not the best bathing beach but has a lovely lagoon. At dawn you can watch the prawn fishermen set out to trawl where the waters of the Maha Oya flow into the sea. If rising at dawn sounds an exhausting proposition, it's just as rewarding to see the fleet return at about 10 a.m. The craft are traditional outrigger canoes and Indian-style catamarans, sail-driven log rafts called katta-maram in Tamil. Early morning or at 5 p.m., go to the lellama (auction site) near the fort at the north end of the lagoon to watch the fish being sold.
You may hear Negombo referred to as "Little Rome". Most of the fishermen are descended from Catholic converts of the Portuguese colonial period, when Negombo was the centre of the cinnamon trade, and there are churches all over town. South of the lagoon is Duwa, an island celebrated for its annual passion play.
Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya (which means "above the clouds") is surrounded by (link) tea plantations. The industry prospered in the 1880s, after sudden failure of the island's coffee crop. Tea remains a very significant part of the Sri Lankan economy, although competition from other Asian countries is stiff, and commodity prices can be a gamble. The well-irrigated hillsides are closely packed with tea bushes pruned to waist height that's convenient for the pickers who are all women. The complex process of drying, fermenting and blending the tea is shown on guided plantation tours, ending, of course, with a nice cup of tea.
Nuwara Eliya is reached via a challenging newly constructed zigzag road south of Kandy. In imperial days the cool climate attracted British colonial officials and tea planters who turned the area into a little piece of colonial England, which still exists in its original state today. A tea museum has also opened recently in a four-storey building on the Hanthana Estate, as well as various long established tea factories in the area. Both or either are well worth a visit before you set off to explore the tea plantations, to learn all about the tea industry's history on the island.
The British didn't skimp on the nostalgia and homesickness when they designed the church, post office, houses, gardens hotels and country club of this hill station in the image of the old country. Nowadays it is popular with wealthy Sri Lankans and tourists who enjoy the magnificent 18-hole golf course. At an altitude of 1800 m (6,0000 ft) it can get quite cold (read hot water bottle territory!) at night in January and February. Nuwara Eliya also has a wonderful selection of old style colonial hotels
Southwest Coast
Sri Lanka's beautiful beaches stretch from Negombo, near the airport, all around the southwestern quadrant as far as Hambantota. The sand glitters like gold dust and the sea sparkles in zircon-bright sunlight. The water is as translucent and blue as the aquamarines and sapphires you've seen in the gem markets. The resorts offer all sorts of water sports, from snorkelling and windsurfing to fishing. The tides can be dangerous at times, so make sure you watch out for red warning flags on the beaches. The best time to visit is supposed to be from November to April.
Yala National Park
The major nature reserve in Sri Lanka is the incredible (a must visit!) (link) Yala National Park, otherwise known as Ruhuna National Park. The best season is from October to December, but you never know what may turn up around a waterhole early or late in the day: buffalo, deer, wild boar, and if you are very lucky - a leopard. The bird life is spectacular, notably peacocks, pelicans, storks and spoonbills.
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