Sri Lanka Holidays

Good things come in small packages, and Sri Lanka, the island itself is a compact yet peerless tourist package. The sheer variety of topography, ecological diversity that are found in Sri Lanka make the island a unique holiday destination. The island is a natural paradise of endless enchantment. It's replete with golden beaches, verdant mountains, tumbling water falls, sweeping gorges. For its size, Sri Lanka is one of the most diverse islands on earth with enough to keep the most jaded traveler happy for months. For those whose time is limited, the trips to seven World Heritages sites (6 cultural sites & 1 tropical rain forest), at least one of the many beautiful bay beaches, salubrious central highlands & a wild life sanctuaries make the essential highlights. The island presents every conceivable landscape, with the exception of snow-capped habitats.

The cultural triangle & the adjoining wildlife reserves
The island's northern plains are now often referred to as the Cultural Triangle, the three points of this imaginary triangle being placed at the great Sinhalese capitals of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa & Kandy. Although the term "cultural triangle" succeeds in creating an image, in fact, this commercial invention shapes a rather warped sense of the regions past, given that the history of medieval capital of Kandy is quite different & separate-both chronologically & geographically-from that of the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa.

Ideally the triangle that could be visualized joining the world heritage sites Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa & Dambulla containing another world heritage site Sigiriya could have been named the Cultural triangle. But then that is to leave out Kandy the Royal City, another world Heritage site (cultural) in the cold. But then, on the other hand Kandy, gateway to Central highlands geographically belongs to the hill country.

Anuradhapura (WHS), Mihintale, Polonnaruwa (WHS), Golden Dambulla Rock Temple (WHS) & The Lion Rock citadel (Sigiriya) (WHS) in the dry plains, in fact belongs to the ancient province "Wewbadi Rata" (land of rainwater reservoirs) also called "Rajarata" (The King's Land). But then in the eyes of the tourists whose interest in ancient kingdoms, ancient irrigation & Buddhism doesnt override their love for wildlife & beaches, it helps to have a defined cultural area where they could tour so that they would drive back to the beaches & wildlife sanctuaries.

But then wait a minute, please. Hold your horses. The Cultural Triangle is not all culture. In the perimeters of the cultural sites are wildlife sanctuaries. Hotels designed with original architecture & at home with nature are located in or next to the wildlife sanctuaries or close to vast man made rainwater reservoirs. Even to the visitors whose primary objective is beach holidays in the beautiful expanses of palm fringed bay beaches of the tropical island, the cultural triangle brings in an unforgettable enlightening experience. Here is a definite advantage of holidays in Sri Lanka.

The compact island
The island being small without vast distances to travel one could easily get to the attractions, important sites within few hours drive. But then again to your surprise, the climate changes dramatically in the backdrop of changing altitudes. Even the short-term visitor has the opportunity to experience the diversities of the island.

Then again the amazing array of mesmerizing sites of diverse nature is located in the close proximity within 65,525 square kilometers (25,299 Sq. miles) of the island.

Polonnaruwa, the ancient kingdom, (a world heritage site) is located close to the wild life attractions, Minneriya wildlife reserve, and Kaudulla wildlife reserve
Anuradhapura (WHS) is only 10km away from Polonnaruwa (WHS).
The Lion Rock citadel (Sigiriya) (WHS), Golden Dambulla Rock Temple (WHS) the world heritage sites are located only 92km & 72km south of the Kandy the Royal City (WHS) (gateway to central highlands at 116km from Colombo) of mediterrain climate, another world heritage site.
Nuwara Eliya (colonial heritage & tea plantations) of salubrious climate central highlands is only 70 km uphill from Kandy.
Belihul Oya & Ratnapura are in the road descending from Nuwara Eliya to Bentota bay beach
Bentota Beach is only 52km away from VOC Galle Dutch Fort (a living World heritage site) at Galle sea port
Then again the western coast south of Colombo & southwestern coast being an unbroken expanse of golden beaches, one beach resort to the next one wouldn't take more than one hour drive. Kalutara Beach, Beruwala Bay Beach, Bentota Bay Beach Resort, Induruwa, Kosgoda, Ahungalla, Balapitiya, Ambalangoda, Seenigamaa, Hikkaduwa Bay Beach, Thiranagama, VOC Galle Dutch Fort (WHS), Unawatuna Bay Beach, Koggala Beach, Mirissa Bay Beach, Matara, Dikwella & Tangalla Bay Beach.

Northern hill country: Kandy, the last independent capital of Ceylon, cultural capital of Sri Lanka, home to Esala pageant in Full Moon in July-August.
Southern Hill country: a product of British colonial era. Diyatalawa, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Haputale, Bandarawela (water falls that tumbles luxuriantly among tea plantations; streams that wind down & across the hills,) & Badulla
Ratnapura: City of Gems
Botanical gardens: Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens at Kandy, Hakgala Botanical Gardens at Nuwara Eliya & Henaratgoda Botanical Garden near Gampaha.

Boutique hotels of Sri Lanka
The boutique hotel is the ultimate experience of lavish accommodation in the island. These small, super luxury hotels personalise holidays to standards that are not seen in the five- star hospitality.

Eco friendly resorts
Sri Lanka has diversified hotels into new eco friendly luxury concepts in a tropical island experience that goes beyond sunbathing.
Viluyana (Garden of pools), Sigiriya
Elephant Corridor, near Sigiriya
Amaya Lake
Deer Park
Bawa Hotels, Western Beach
Tea Factory, Central highlands
Tea Bungalows, Central highlands

Following are excepts from the above mentioned select anthology compiled & edited by H. A. I. Goonetileke with a forward by H. E. Ambassador of United States of America for Sri Lanka, Mr. Christopher Van Hollen

Published by International Communications Agency, Embassy of the United States of America, Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1976

Ceylon, like Cleopatra is infinite variety
William Hull 1955

Dear me, it is beautiful! And most sumptuously tropical
Mark Twain 1896

What though the spicy breeze
Blow soft o'er Ceylon isle,
Though every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile!

Man is not vile in this beautiful island, but gentle & patient & good
Margaret Mordecai 1924

Beautiful Arabian-nights island of spicy breezes
Frances Parkinson Keyes 1926

Why, that's the place that Sinbad visited
Eugene Wright 1928

.. ancient groves where the serene stone Buddhas sit smiling through the centuries"
Achsah Barlow Brewster

I think it must be the most beautiful place in the World
Phillips Brooks 1883

I shall always think of Ceylon as an Eden
Moncure Daniel Conway 1883

In the island of Ceylon... by nature the fairest perhaps of the green isles of the tropics
Miron Winslow Memoir 1819

..and over theses boundary hills, dim & misty, were seen the distant mountains of Ceylon, suggestive of wonderful colour
William Maxwell Wood

The brightest spot in the colonial possessions of the British Crown
William Samuel Wuthman Ruschenberger 1835

It seemed an echo from remote centuries
John H
Henry Barrows 1897

I am more & more delighted with this island & its people
Clara Kathleene Rogers 1903

Life bears an inextinguishable flame in this land
Achsah Barlow Brewster 1921: Ceylon the Luxuriant

The Road from Galle to Colombo
The drive to Colombo is the most delightful it has been my good fortune to take
E. Jackson 1869

There is no prettier sea-shore in the world, nor a more beautiful surf
Andrew Carnagie 1879

The Road to Kandy
The palms abound everywhere along this enchanted road to Kandy. They run along both sides of the road. They climb well up the mountain-sides, & run down into all the valleys. No doorway seems complete without one, to throw down its welcome shade upon all who enter it.
John Fletcher Hurst 1890

Kandy
Imagine Central park in a nook of the mountains, with here & there a picturesque house embowered in flaming flowers & sheltered by stately bamboo trees; there a bit of sparkling water, with a vista of a tropical town, one storied, white & silent, with great masses of crimson & purple vines tumbling here, there, & every-where. Even the parrots are asleep, & arouse themselves with a clatter of as the tom-toms from the temple of Buddha awaken them. That is Kandy, that is Ceylon; so you will lie back in you chair sleeping & dreaming, thanking the Lord for a life so sweet.
Michael Meyers Shoemaker 1892

The Prime Tropical Island of Sri Lanka: the Land of Delights

Sri Lanka Holidays: Total Holiday Experience

The rich package: a glittering tapestry of culture & rich abundance of nature

Images of Sri Lanka through American Eyes