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UNESCO’s decision to include seven of Sri Lanka’s attractions on its World Heritage List bears testimony to the Island’s wonders... Described throughout history by a plethora of tributes and flattering epithets, Marco Polo declared it simply – “the most beautiful island of its size”. The Pearl of the Indian Ocean - better known for its golden sandy beaches, has some of Asia’s largest and richest, most dramatic archaeological heritage sites nestled within the Island in what is known as the ‘Cultural Triangle’ - the area formed by linking the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy, with Dambulla and Sigiriya in the center. What is interesting is that these ancient temples are not just commemorative monuments, but, sites of active devout worship that have kept Sri Lanka’s 2500 year old historical Buddhist traditions and culture alive. Of the seven UNESCO declared World Heritage Sites within Sri Lanka, six are located within the Cultural Triangle - just 179 Kilometres (a mere 4 hours drive) from the west coast and Colombo International Airport. Offering a wide variety of attractions - from perfect golden sandy beaches and turquoise coloured waters to original rainforest and endemic wildlife, Sri Lanka is one of those extraordinary places that has it all.

Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka boasts the highest waterfall density (number of waterfalls per unit area) in the world - with over a 100 distinctive scenic cascading beauties... Blessed by two half-yearly monsoons that feed 103 rivers and streams, all radiating from the central hills – a natural reservoir fashioned by a huge unbroken mountainous wall in the south that rises abruptly to more than 6000 ft for a distance of about fifty miles. A natural precipitous structure that’s conducive for the formation of an assorted number of waterfalls. Of these picturesque cascades, only a few can be viewed with ease from the winding roads that lead upcountry. Most lie cloaked within luscious thick forests and tea plantations – making an interesting trek culminate in a most satisfying and refreshing manner; step out of your clothes and take a shower! Then, find a nice shady spot beneath a tree and lay out your picnic basket... burp, roll about for a while - catch forty winks... and you’ll be ready to move on with your journey - completely exhilarated ;) Although many of Sri Lanka’s waterfalls are of impressive height, what makes them remarkably special is that each fall has distinctive character and a story to tell... The ten extraordinary waterfalls have been highlighted with an asterix* (for easy reference) with descriptions and directions provided.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical island. What more can I say - it's got world renowned endless miles and miles of a variety of unique white to golden sunny sandy beaches... to be precise, the coastline is 1,700 kilometres (1,056 miles) - ;)

Sri Lanka

Experience the diversity of Sri Lanka in a classic ten day tour - visiting more than 10 towns and over a dozen assorted locations around the remarkable little Island. Stay in boutique hotels, bungalows and villas and sample orgasmic culinary delights and fresh tropical fruits whilst exploring the ruins of great ancient cities, tea processing, wildlife; flora and fauna and take in memorable panoramic vistas of mountains, valleys, rivers and waterfalls... Get upfront and personal with the largest mammals on earth and be entertained by bizarre serpent antics, cultural festivals and a variety of other unique Sri Lankan specialities...Laze about on beautiful golden sandy beaches and soak up some sun... additionally, shop to drop for next to nothing before leaving the Island of paradise... No question about it – you’ll want to return ;)

Sri Lanka

World Heritage Site: The remnants of an ancient city and one time capital of Sri Lanka during the late 10th century, it is regarded as one of the best planned archaeological sites in the world. Located 216 kilometres from Colombo, the ruins stand on the banks of an enormous artificial lake - the Topa Wawe Lake or Parakrama Samudra (the Sea of Parakrama) masterminded by king Parakramabahu I (1153-86) whose reign was Polonnaruwa's golden age. Remnants of the bygone era include palace buildings, tanks, temples, dagobas and various other religious buildings making it a fascinating archaeological destination. During its glory days, the city was fortified with three concentric walls, beautified with parks and gardens and sanctified by many shrines and sacred places. A unique irrigational complex (Parakrama Samudra) provided water for the city and surrounding areas. Trade and agriculture flourished and the kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during the reign of king Parakramabahu. The small present-day town built close to the ancient city amidst beautiful natural surroundings, provides tourists with hotels, boutiques and other necessities. GUIDE IN PROGRESS

Sri Lanka

Things to do in and around Nuwara Eliya... GUIDE IN PROGRESS

Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA – Ceylon...Island of Paradise... Serendipity, Taprobane, Pearl of the Indian Ocean... India’s Teardrop... My little tropical Island under the sun has been described and assigned a variety of names throughout history...but to me it’s simply – home... An Island in the Indian Ocean off the southeast tip of India, I was once inspired to add to the list of names with a curious quip – ‘India’s last drop’?!!! (LOL) Yes; we are a happy-go-lucky bunch of Islanders – full of smiles and able to laugh at ourselves... English is understood and spoken at varying degrees of proficiency more or less throughout the land; although the main languages are Sinhalese and Tamil. Oozing with ancient history, Sri Lanka is home to a multi ethnic multi religious population, this includes; Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors, Burghers, Kaffirs, Malays, Parsis and the indigenous Veddah people -with adherents to Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, together with what may be termed ‘other’.... Sri Lanka is about half the size of Alabama and is mostly flat and rolling land... but it’s got mountains that rise to over 8,000ft (2,438 m) and a range of habitats and diverse ecosystems that give rise to rich varieties of plants and wildlife – with the largest mammals in existence – namely the blue whale and elephant, foraging in and around the little island... SPOOKY'S NOOKS aims to share some of my favourite haunts. The other guides aim to share choice venues that you might like to haunt ;)

Sri Lanka

From finger-licking good spicy Sri Lankan chow to a variety of other gastronomic pleasures catering to a diverse range of taste buds... Here's hoping you will reluctantly return home - starry eyed and weeping - yearning for more ;) Majority of the recommendations fall into the category of ‘must do’... I’ve endeavoured to cover a wide range of foods available in Sri Lanka comprising distinctly different tastes/styles/flavours... As such, the focus is specifically on taste, texture and aroma than an overall sensory dining experience that includes professional (commercial) service, ambience, etc. Although many recommendations certainly do satisfy these requirements (as accompanying texts indicate), my perspective is that there is something very special about experiencing life the way the natives do... PS: A lot of trendy upscale venues with outstanding decor, service and ambience tend to serve average food and vice versa... It is my humble view that almost all 5&4-star hotel restaurants serve crappy-watered-down apologies as traditional Sri Lankan cuisine! Stick to 5star hotels for international and continental cuisine – you won’t be disappointed...but hit the unpretentious joints for the real taste of Sri Lanka ;)

Sri Lanka

If quality, variety and exclusivity at highly affordable prices are what you're after, then delightful shopping is what Sri Lanka promises and delivers! From traditional rustic items to designer labels manufactured in Sri Lanka – it’s unquestionably a shopper’s paradise. However, beware of designer fakes that are good visual copies of originals such as Armani shirts, CK jeans and Tommy Hilfiger clothing, etc. Foreign currency conversion rates ensure that clothes, spices and household items are at considerably lower prices than in the West. Good buys include tea, spices, handlooms, masks & carvings and gems such as moonstones. Good buys at specific locations outside Colombo include: * Galle – beautiful handmade lace sold outside the New Oriental Hotel and on the ramparts. * Wewelbeniya on the Kandy Road - hand-woven baskets. * Ambalangoda – traditional Sri Lankan mask carvings. GUIDE IN PROGRESS

Sri Lanka