Sri Lanka Holidays

Having made obeisance to the Sambuddha the pure.
May we be free from all dangers! May our misfortunes vanish! May there be a rich harvest!

"To me the beauty of Ceylon lies not so much in its blue seas and golden beaches, its jungles and its mountain peaks, as in its ancient atmosphere. There is no nation, from Egypt of the Pharaohs to modern Britain, in whose literature this island has not at some time been mentioned by one or other of its many names - Lanka, Serendib, Taprobane, Cellao, Zellan, to recall a few. History lies buried in its sands, and ghosts of romance lurk among its bastioned rocks, for Lanka is very, very old." D. J. G. Hennessy, Green isle, 1949

"The Island of Sri Lanka is a small universe containing as many variations of culture, scenery and climate as some countries a dozen times her size..... Every point on the island can be reached with just a few hours travel by car, enabling even the short-term visitor experience the island's diversities." Arthur C. Clarke

"I saw deep blue & immense, the entire mountain system of Ceylon piled up in mighty walls, & in its midst the ancient & holy pyramid of Adam's Peak. Beside it at an inifinte depth & distance lay the flat blue, in between a thousand mountains, broad valleys, narrow ravines, &waterfall, in countless fold, the whole mountainous island on which the ancient legend placed paradise" Herman Hesse at the vantage point, the most beautiful city of the Hill Country of Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya

"All harmonious, all in perfect taste" Mark Twain

"Better than any other island in the world" Marco Polo

"It may well be that each of Sri Lanka's attractions is surpassed somewhere on Earth; Cambodia may have more impressive ruins, Tahiti lovelier beaches, Bali more beautiful landscapes (though I doubt it), Thailand more charming people (ditto). But I find it hard to believe that there is any country which scores so highly in all departments -which has so many advantages and so few disadvantages, especially for the western visitor." Arthur C. Clarke

"And there was that swoon in the air which one associates in the tropics, & that smother of heat, heavy with the odors of unknown flowers, & that sudden invasion of purple gloom fissured with lightening, - then the tumult of crashing thunder & the downpour- & presently all sunny & smiling again." Mark Twain

"It is possible, that in no other part of the world are there to be found within the same space, the remains of so many works of irrigation, which are, at the same time, of such great antiquity, and of such vast magnitude as Ceylon. Probably no other country can exhibit works so numerous, and at the same time so ancient and extensive, within the same limited area, as this Island." Colonial Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Sir Henry Ward (1885-1860)

"It would tax the best pen & pencil to give an adequate idea of such combinations of forms, sounds, & figures." William H. Russell, private secretary to Prince of Wales in 1875 in his attempt to narrate the most colourful & vibrant pageant of Asia, Kandy Esala Perahera pageant. There's light & fire in the great & grand festival held in the nights of fortnight.

"Once you have visited Sri Lanka, you will return, time & time again." Peter Hill, CEO, Sri Lankan Airlines
The reason: it's not possible to see everything that Sri Lanka has to offer in a single trip.

We offer The Lion Rock citadel (Sigiriya) the oldest surviving landscape garden & impregnable rock fortress. The Island of Temples. We take you to the Kelaniya Royal Temple. And to the The Holy Temple of the Tooth at Kandy, the medieval kingdom of Mediterranean climate set amidst rings of mountains by the side of a man made lake called "Sea of Milk" (Kiri Muhuda); the source of Ceylon Tea, beautiful vista of endless, seamless slopes of Tea plantations developed by the British colonial rulers in the 18th century in salubrious climate of Hill Country. Stupa land. Ancient monastic kingdom of Anuradhapura (437 BC-845 AD) of which Jetavana Dagoba stupa is (original height 120 meters, diameter 100m) was second only to enormous pyramids Khufru & Khafra at Gizeh, Egypt in size. Magnificent Ruwanweliseya Stupa (144 BC) is 100 meters in height.

Water world. Ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa (846 AD-1302 AD) of which inland seas like rainwater reservoirs (Sea of Parakrama - Parakrama Samudra 2100ha or 5600 acres, 1164 AD) the largest among the 10,000+ rainwater reservoirs, marvels of ancient irrigation & hydrology (1000 km of irrigation canals, 12,000 ancient small dams & 320 ancient large dams), made the island Granary of the Orient and to date in its full splendour irrigating lands, giving lifeline to the island. Reservoir "Abhaya wewa" (Basawakkulama wewa) in Anurdhapura was built by King Pandukhabhaya (437-366 BC). The first great man made reservoir in the world, Minneriya tank, built by King Mahasena (276-303 AD), was the first great rainwater reservoir ever constructed in the world, if the great lakes of Egypt, which are immense natural hollows into which streams were turned, are not considered.

And then palm fringed beaches which are ranked among the best in the world, for revel & romp. To top all these are ecological splendours Lion King (Sinharaja) Tropical Rain Forest (Sinharaja world heritage reserve) unique to the emerald isle. Sri Lanka, in comparison to its size, has perhaps the largest number (400) of waterfalls of any country in the world. A couple of days wouldn't do, since there is nothing at a glance (nihil per saltum). World Heritage in an Island steeped with 2550 years of unbroken recorded history would be yours to witness in all its splendours. magna est veritas, et praevalet (truth is great, & it prevails). We aim at & reach the right stuff: Light & Enlightenment together with leisure & joy, fun & frolic, revel & entertainment.

The Indian epics Mahabharata & Ramayana, twin literary & spiritual marvels have no rivals. Not even the great epics of The Iliad, The Odyssey & Aeneid could tower over these two Pillars of Eastern Cannon. In Ramayana, the significance of the battlefield Lankadvipa (Sri Lanka) surpasses that of Troy in Homer's The Iliad. That was the unwritten history. Then again in the written history of 2550 years, the origin & the history of Sinhalese, now an endangered nation, splendour & glory of the civilization is brought to life & substantiated by archaeological ruins, intact monuments & renovated edifices. That is the heritage & contribution of the Sinhalese in Lanka to the human history & condition. Still more the Buddhist heritage of the island will overwhelm you with Buddhist architecture & Buddhist Art. And the religion that recognise no almighty supreme being but offer prominence to merits & demerits: cause & result. You are about to enlighten yourselves. We would be right by your side.

Commence your journey 543 B.C, & travel through a history of unbroken civilization.

What would you like to have? Escape? Unwind? Elsewhere? Away? Far away? Far off? Old? Different? Unbroken recorded History, a glittering tapestry of culture, rich abundance of nature, biodiversity? Enchantment, enrichment, transformation? Reflection? Wild elephants, leopards, bears, deer & peacocks? Refuge from the hustle bustle of modern life overwhelming you to the point of stress? Sanctuary from the common commotion rolling onto you? Scenery, landscape & terrain? Climate - hot & humid; hot & dry; wet & cool? Sun, sand, swim, surf, snorkelling & scuba diving? Eco sanctuary? Ayurvedic herbal medicine treatment? We have that all within 65,525 square kilometers of an island, within several hours' drive-all good things come in small packages. What we don't have is nightlife, not in the top flight category, to be precise. No hunting either. Past gone are the colonial days in which, in moments of intolerant madness, even ancient granite statues of Buddha carved out of rock outcrop, colossal masterpieces of art were shot at by the British planters, only to have limbs ripped off & head trampled upon. That was by the wild elephants that used to rub their backs & butts on a nearby rock outcrop - Eric Swan Rock at Somawathiya. A villager has, for the record, carved on the rock, Eric Swan's footprint, an idle cross-legged stance in which the mindless, arrogant, heretic shot was taken. What a waste? Somebody's son! Oh! Eric! Whatever on earth got into your head to take such an absurd, idle shot at a venerated statue of a founder of a profound, non-violent (even in defence) religion? Wasn't it enough that your follow men decimated the Elephant population of Ceylon during the period of your British jackboot? The three pachyderm musketeers, Major Thomas William Rogers, Captain Galleway & Major Skinner, the builders of the roads of Ceylon, accounted for 3000+ elephants with their Winchesters. That's some dubious distinction, to put it mildly.

Sri Lanka, one of the 34 Biodiversity hotspots of the world is a veritable microcosm of world nature, is an ancient tropical island of endless enchantment of unfathomable variety: unbroken expanse of beautiful pristine golden beaches from the soft sands and warm blue waters of the Indian Ocean on its South and West Coast, to the world renowned beauty of its unspoilt expanses of beach on the East Coast; sprawling wild life parks; rain forests; ranges of mist-shrouded mountain ranges; cascading waterfalls; rushing winding rivers, And vast man made ancient & modern lakes & fertile upcountry tea plantations that run as far as your eye could focus; low country Rubber plantations & coconut groves.

Sri Lanka's pivotal position off the south-eastern shores of India & ancient diplomatic & cultural relationships with the countries of the ancient Silk Road made Sri Lanka a crossroad of cultural & trade exchange of the West & East. India's & China's historical records have proved the cultural, political & trade relationships with the island. Then with the abandonment of Silk Road, again Sri Lanka was a crucial point in Maritime Spice Route resulting in invasions by Portuguese, Dutch & the British.

"Every point on the island can be reached with just a few hours travel by car" Arthur C. Clarke

In Sri Lanka, no matter where you are, you will always find destinations of cultural interest, of great nature & adventure, of wild life, of ecological heritage & best beaches in the world, all within the reach of few hours drive.

We invite you all to, in the tourist season of October to May or off season (if you don't mind bit of rain) to

Land at Colombo Int'l Airport amidst plantations of coconut by the side of the famous Negombo Lagoon

Walk through 2550 years of unbroken recorded history substantiated by vast Irrigation networks with well over 10,000 massive rainwater reservoirs in the Dry Zone (Raja Rata - King's Domain) & the South engineered by the ancient Sinhalese Kings of Lanka

Stay at authentic hotels including eco-hotels, tea-planter's bungalows (Tea trails) or a designer-statement villa

Drive along sharply contesting terrains: coconut plantations in the coastal belts, acres & acres of Paddy Fields, Rubber in the south western wet zone, mountains over mountains of Tea Plantations in Highlands of verdant rolling hills, narrow mountain passes, cascading waterfalls, riot of flowers & fruits.

Visit The Holy Temple of the Tooth of Relic, arguably the holiest temple of the Buddhists world over

Enlighten yourself with Buddhism, an atheist & profound religion, which denounce violence even in self-defence. Learn of Ancient Irrigation Engineering, Ancient Culture, Ancient Art, Ancient Buddhist Architecture, a rich, vibrant and colorful history dating back over 2550 years. Ruined cities, palaces, temples, fortresses, royal pleasure gardens and ancient dagobas second only to the great pyramids of Egypt.

Climb or rather walk to the top of the highest mountain of Sri Lanka, Piduruthalagala in The Little England (as called by the British planters)

Bird watching in Bundala National Park

Enjoy safaris in Wildlife sanctuaries, an abundance of Wildlife with our own sub-species of elephant, with many birds, butterflies amphibians and plants unique to this island.

Stroll along Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens at Kandy Hakgala Botanical Gardens at Nuwara Eliya

Hike, Trek alone Lion King (Sinharaja) Tropical Rain Forest , Horton Plains & The World's End

Eco-lodge in peasant's thatched clay huts, simple & rustic with serene surroundings, in a jungle tree house

Swim, surf, dive, scuba dive, sunbath in palm fringed pristine sandy beaches & bays of the south western coast. An island with some of the most beautiful beaches, bays and underwater attractions you could find in the world. Kalutara Beach, Beruwala Bay Beach, Bentota Bay Beach Resort, Hikkaduwa Bay Beach, Unawatuna Bay Beach, Koggala Beach, Mirissa Bay Beach & Tangalla Bay Beach.

Kayak at Kitulgala (Grade 3 rapids) in flat & wild rivers

Climb panoramic mountains, Adam's Peak (Mountain of Butterflies) with the pilgrims & merry makers. Panoramic mountains, narrow passes and gaps provide you with some of the finest and spectacular views you could find anywhere. Beautiful lakes, magnificent waterfalls, historic canals, flat and wild rivers, calm and quiet lagoons and marshes.

Relax & Rejuvenate with Ayurveda Medical treatments

Buy gems: Ceylon Sapphires, Rubies, Cat's eye, Spinel, Chrysoberyl, Garnet, Aquamarine, Blue Topaz, Alexandrite, Moonstones, (right from the workshops at Kandy & markets close to the mines at Ratnapura (City of Gems) & astounding variety & depth of handicrafts including Batik wall hangings, tapestries & Garments & exquisitely carved brassware

Enjoy music, dances & explosive drums, the most splendorous Sri Lankan Festival - Kandy Esala Perahare Astounding variety and depth of music, dance evolved through thousands of years.

Dine with traditional spicy Sri Lankan Cuisines, Indian, Chinese, Thai, and Malay

World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka

Sacred City of Anuradhapura (1982) 5th century BC
Ancient city of Polonnaruwa (1982) 10th century BC
Ancient Sigirya rock fortress, ancient citadel (1982) 5th century BC
Old town of Galle & its Dutch fortifications (1988) 17th century AD
Sacred city of Kandy (1988) 17th century AD
Sinharaja Forest Reserve (1988)
Golden Temple of Dambulla (1991) 1 BC

Properties recommended to UNESCO for tentative listing (World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka)

On 20th March 2006, Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources, Sri Lanka submitted following for Mixed category
Peak Wilderness Sanctuary (19207 ha)
Horton Plains (3109 ha)
Knuckles Mountain Range (17,825 ha)

On 30th October 2006 Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources, Sri Lanka submitted following for Cultural category
Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara (an ancient Buddhist temple)

The Ritigala Biosphere Reserve hasn't been submitted as yet.

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

Sri Lanka Holidays: Total Holiday Experience

Sri Lanka Holidays: destinations

Commence your journey 543 B.C, & travel through a history of unbroken civilization.

"Every point on the island can be reached with just a few hours travel by car" Arthur C. Clarke

World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka