Fancy Sri Lanka

KANDY

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Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka and lies in the midst of hills. It is the Capital of the Central Province. It is both an administrative ad religious city. Kandy is the second largest city in the country and is frequently visited by Buddhists.

Kandy is very famous among tourist for three main reasons: It is home to the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic ; Dalada Maligawa ), The Botanical Gardens ( Located in Peradeniya) and it always has a special place when it comes to festivities such as the Esala Perahara.

Province -		Central Province
District -		Kandy District
Populer for -		Palace of the Tooth relic Esala Perahera - kandy Royal Botanical Garden, Peradeniya
Weather -		28 °C
Type -		Cultural

The Temple of the Tooth relic is the place that houses the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Originally part of the Royal Palace complex of the Kandyan Kingdom, it is one of the holiest places of worship and pilgrimage for Buddhist around the world. The Palace of the Tooth relic, the palace complex and the holy city of Kandy are associated with the history of the dissemination of Buddhism. The temple is the product of the last peregrination of the relic of the tooth of Buddha and the testimony of a religion which continues to be practiced today.

Parks and Gardens
The Royal Botanical Garden is the largest botanical garden in the whole island providing residence to over a large variety of plants, some even hundreds of years old.

Festivals (Perahera)
Kandy as stated earlier is also very popular due to the annual pageant known as the Esala Perahera, in which one of the inner caskets used for covering the tooth relic of Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city. This casket is taken on a royal tusker. The procession includes traditional dancers and drummers, flag bearers of the provinces of the old Kandyan kingdom, the Nilames wearing their traditional dresses, torch bearers and also the grandly attired elephant. This ceremony which is annually held in the months of July or August attracts large crowds from all parts of the country and also many foreign tourists.

Kandy is must for anyone's itinerary when visiting Sri Lanka. It is considered one of the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka which at the same time show cases the Sri Lankan Culture at its highest level .

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Sri Lanka Botanical Gardens More than two centuries after Buddha had entered Nirvana, Ceylon was converted to his creed. To this there is not only the testimony of the great Pali Chronicle, the Mahawanisa, which throws light on the marvelous royal parks that grew up there in the course of the centuries, but there are also ruins, long concealed under ancient forest growths, but rediscovered in the last decades by English excavators.

PERADENIYA BOTANICAL GARDENS Established in 1816, these gardens are located about 6.5km before Kandy on the side of the Colombo-Kandy highway. Initially planted with Coffee and Cinnamon, now includes beautiful Sri Lankan and overseas species. No vehicle is allowed entry to this 147-acre garden. It is bounded on three sides by a loop of the Mahaweli River. Disabled persons can arrange vehicles on request. The garden is open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 5.45 pm. The Avenue of Royal Palms, Bamboo-fringed riverside drive, Bat drive, Spice garden, Orchard house, Cactus house and a Glasshouse of anthuriums, begonias, African Violets and other species and the giant Javan fig tree found on the great lawn attract local tourists as well as visitors from overseas. It covers an area of 1600 sqm. Keep your eyes open for an oxen driven lawn mover. Hakgala Botanical Garden It is the second largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka, 'botanical gardens Hakgala the' site in the Hill Country, just ten kilometers (six miles) away from the city of Nuwara Eliya. Its cool weather prevailing throughout the year complement the exotic flora and fauna, creating a true paradise. Park famous locally for the collection of roses. The rose garden of this property on Twin - stands a piece of land, and it contains varieties of roses imported from England and America. This group includes items rose nearly 100, and that the old garden varieties are very suitable for landscape gardens.	HENARATHGODA BOTANICAL GARDEN About 30 km north-west of Colombo, near Gampaha off Colombo-Kandy road. This garden is home to trees from every corner of the tropical world - especially from Brazil. Most notable is the Para rubber tree - Hevea brasiliensis. Here at Henarathgoda, in 1876, the first seedlings ever planted in Asia grew and flourished. A British colonial agent had smuggled 70,000 rubber seeds out of the Amazon jungle. London's Kew Gardens succeeded in the cultivation of 2700 of them. About 2000 seedlings were transported to the warm, moist climatic conditions at Henarathgoda. These little trees sired the rubber industry thought Southeast Asia in Malaya, Indonesia and South India as well as in Sri Lanka.

Hundreds of waterfalls in Sri Lanka

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Bambarakanda Falls

This is the highest (241 m) waterfall in Sri Lanka. The fall is situated in the Badulla District in Belihul Oya area.

Dunhinda Falls

Dunhinda Falls is one of Sri Lanka's most beautiful waterfalls located about 5 km off Badulla town. The waterfall, which is 210 feet (64 m) high gets its name from the smoky dew drops spray, (dun in Sinhala means mist or smoke) which surrounds the area at the foot of the waterfall. The waterfall is created by the river called Badulu Oya which goes through the Badulla town.

Hunas Falls

Hunas Falls is located in Matale District in Elkaduwa Village. Apart from the main fall several water streams can be seen during the rainy season. Many tourists visit this fall due to its proximity to both, Hunas Falls & Hunas Falls Hotel. There are two routes to the Hunas Falls. One is coming from Matale to Elkaduwa. The other is Watthegama to Elkaduwa.

Ravana Falls

Situated in the Ella-Wellawaya Road, this beautiful waterfall lies visible from the main road itself. The water rushing down over several steps adds more hues to its sublime beauty. The main drop, however, is 30 ft. in height. It derives its name from the mythical King Ravana of the great Indian epic The Ramayana.

Bopath Ella Falls

Just 15 kms from the Colombo-Rathnapura Road, it falls from a height of 100ft into the Kuru Ganga. The formation itself is a rare beauty with a perfectly heart shaped head, resembling the leaf of the Sacred Bo Tree, hence the name Bopath. Also a popular picnic spot, it is bound to take your breath away.

St. Clare’s Falls

St. Clare’s Falls is 80m in height and at 50m wide, and consists of two segments, known as 'Big St. Clare' and 'Small St. Clare'. Created by the Kothmale River, a tributary of the Mahaweli River, it flows down a slope through an abandoned tea estate in the Nuwara Eliya District. The fall is located 1.5km from Talawakelle.

Devon Falls

This 280 ft high eye catcher is best sighted from the 20th Milepost on the Talawakelle-Nawalapitiya Road.

Ramboda Falls

It is situated in Pussellawa area. The fall is located 1.6km from the highway. It is near Pussellawa Rest House.

Diyaluma Falls

This is the third highest (171 m) waterfall in Sri Lanka. The fall is located along the Koslanda - Wellawaya Road in the Badulla District. Koslanda is the nearest town to the Diyaluma Falls.

Kirindi Ella Falls

This waterfall belongs to Rathnapura District. The height of this waterfall is 117 metres. Kirindi Ella Falls starts from Kuttapitiya mountain. This is created by Kirindi Oya. At the base of the fall, the water plunges into a deep pool called Diyagathwala.

Whales & Dolphins Watching (seasonal)

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Whales and Dolphins watching is done in Sri Lanka off Dondra in the south coast, Kalpitiya in the west coast and Trincomalee in the east coast. In fact, large scale whale watching commenced almost three decades ago and was a lucrative past time off the coast of Trincomalee where whales and dolphins move closer to the coast during certain parts of the year. Whale watching is done during the times of the year when the sea is not rough. This is a recreation that is gaining importance in the south in Dondra where both blue whales and sperm whales can be sighted by viewers. In Kalpitiya, one can mostly sight dolphins in large numbers freely moving and playing in the water and this being a fishing area, the dolphins are quite used to humans moving around in boats all the time and do not shy away when sighted. To those interested in whale and dolphin watching as a past time, there are these three locations off the coast of Sri Lanka, which is a luxury for a small island such as Sri Lanka. It only takes one to join in a boat trip out into the ocean through any of these three locations

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Yala Safari Game Drive
Yala National Park situated on the south east coast of Sri Lanka is 309km from Colombo along the coast line. Yala contains different habitats such as jungles, scrublands, inland freshwater lakes, lagoons, a wide and generous stretch of the beach and even rivers, all giving rise to wide biodiversity. As a result, one finds wild elephants and other animals such as leopards, wild boar, deer, gray languor, crocodiles and peacocks and other birds, all in their natural habitats. Yala is considered the best place in the world to watch leopards in their natural habitat.

One needs to spend two to three days leisurely to view and enjoy the entire park. Tours through the Yala sanctuary are generally made in open jeeps and elephant tracks and leopard tracks within the park are known to tour guides. Apart from enjoying wild life, one can enjoy the vast beach stretch along the deep blue sea that makes a beautiful and relaxing sight for the visitors. As the park is bounded along the south by the coastline, once the visitors reach the beach, they can freely enjoy the open beach, the sand dunes, the natural bays and the mangroves that line the lagoons. Those wishing to visit the Yala sanctuary need to note that it is closed in September and October

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Up-country train ride
A visitor to Sri Lanka never misses a trip to the up-country full of luxurious tea plantations and waterfalls. One can tour the hills through automobile or train. For a relaxed and convenient journey, the latter is preferred. The railways in Sri Lanka were built by the British during the colonial times. These sometimes bypass the hills, go round the hills, pass along bridges between hills and most importantly they go through tunnels in hills.
The train journey to the hill country is an experience even for a Sri Lankan, so much so that one has to book seats much ahead of travel dates. There are train journeys to Kandy, Matale, Nanu Oya, and to Badulla passing through breath-taking views of the hill country, its valleys, mountains, greenery, streams, and more. The morning train to Badulla from Colombo has an Observation Salon with a limited number of seats. Yet if one wishes to travel with the local community, the second class would be comfortable. As the train winds its way towards the hills, at various stops one finds vendors passing through compartments with tender coconuts complete with straw for quenching one’s thirst and succulent fresh fruits and fried cadju nuts and peanuts. Later on come hot vadai made of Mysore dhal and prawns. One is never in want of food on this train journey. To the sight seers, the train journey is quite an experience. One can deviate to Kandy or Matale along the route or leave at Nanu Oya for proceeding to Nuwara Eliya just 10km away or go right down to Badulla. As the train moves up the hills it gets colder and mistier and some of the railway stations are fully covered with mist. One passes through quite a number of tunnels and the scenery becomes more and more breath-taking as one views the green topped terrains with tea plantations as far as the eye can see, interspersed with milky white water falls and enjoy the picturesque scenery of the hill country. The train journey to the up-country is simply an unforgettable experience

2010-09-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

Horton Plains National Park, Central highlands, Sri Lanka

The importance of conservation of the park
Horton Plains National Park, a World Heritage Site perched on the southern edge of the Central highlands, midway between Nuwara Eliya & Haputale consists of montane forests, where the land rises to 2,500 meters above sea-level. Horton Plains is home to an extraordinary range of flora and fauna, including several endangered species such as the western-purple-faced langur, the Horton Plains slender loris and the Sri Lankan leopard. The region is considered a super biodiversity hotspot. The Park (10,000 ha), named after British governor Sir Robert Horton is a world apart from rest of the tropical island. This is the island's highest & most isolated plain, a result of millions of years of erosion. The importance of conservation of the park lies in, among others, in its role as the catchment area of the major rivers of the island.

The early morning drive
The high altitude plains are beautiful, silent, strange & excellent for trekking & bird watching. A light sweater & stout shoes for the morning; a hat & sunscreen for mid day. The weather can change very quickly on the plains. One minute it can be sunny & clear, the next chilly & misty. Pastries & sandwiches. canteens of water, a flask of tea or a flask of coffee. We will be leaving as early as 5.30 am from Nuwara Eliya. The drive from here on via beautiful Diyatalawa (of military cantonment since the days of the British) to Horton Plains is particularly beautiful. Mountains, mist, tall trees, green vegetation, flowers & fruits all hugging you all along. The crisp & cool air would be wrapping you around. The pain in the A of waking up, getting up & getting ready early in the morning is all gone now. You start to feel assured that all that trouble is nothing compared the ride, hike & the park. This is hill country of Sri Lanka. Just before we reach the park we drive passing a stunning dawn view of Adam's Peak. The peak is prettiest during the pilgrimage season from December to May while the mountain is illuminated with lights). By 7 am we are at the entrance to the park.

Trekking in the morning
Now on it's the trekking. A 9.5 km circular track (round trip entrance to the park /the World's End/ Baker's Falls/Entrance to the park) around the plains. The crystal-clear pools still run with trout, a legacy from colonial times. Shallow streams run over pebbled beds.

Scottish moorlands
The breathtaking landscapes of this high, misty, silent, strange plateau, some 20 km (12miles) south of Nuwara Eliya & up to 2400m (7870 ft) above combines bleak, windswept, high altitude mountain grasslands similar to Scottish moorlands of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering heights" with areas of miniature "elfin" forest-dwarf forms of tree & shrubs adapted to the cool climate & skimpy soil of plains. A blend of temperate montane forest & wet patina grassland. For the first half of a kilometer, the path leads through rolling open land dotted with gorse & rhododendron bushes before entering a stretch of wonderful cloud forest: a tangle of stunted grey-barked trees & shrubs are draped in lichen & bog moss (sphagnum). This is a Tolkienesque imaging.

Montane forest
The prominent canopy tree of the montane forest, the umbrella-shaped, garnled Keena (Callophylum) with its white flowers contrasting with the striking scarlet rhododendrons (Rhododendron zelanicum) leads you on. Among other flowering plants are Aristea ekloni which has tiny blue flowers & Exacum macranthum, which are similar. Bamboos, tree ferns & many endemic species of plants make the park a biological treasure trove. Vegetation includes a type of tufty grass called Crosypogen. The forest also contains an extraordinary shrub called Nillu (Strobilanthes) that flowers once every five to 10 years. But as there are many populations of varying ages, there are always some in bloom during the season. The sight & smells of a large purple-leafed Nillu flowering & fruiting attract an amazing diversity of animals to the area, from birds to bears.

Bird watching
This is one of the best places in the island for bird watching. Montane endemics include Sri Lanka white eye, Sri Lanka wood pigeon, Ceylon hill munia & dull-blue flycatcher. Others are Indian blue robin, grey-headed canary flycatcher, pied bush chat, black bulbul, bar-winged flycatcher-shrike & Indian scimitar babbler & Sri Lanka junglefowl. And birds of prey include the mountain hawk eagle.

The deer
This is home to Sambar deer which keep to the edge of wooded areas. The shaggy bear-monkey (or purple-faced langur) & giant squirrel. Here large herd of Elk, silhouetted against the clouds of the lowlands, move among scarlet rhododendrons. This is also home to the rhino-horned lizard, a rare relic species. Some lizards with outlandishly fluorescent green scales is also seen.

The World's End

The cliff plunges almost vertically for 700m, creating an astonishing escarpment, revealing breathtaking views across much of the southern area of the island. The whole panoramic view is right in front of your naked eyes. If you dare to peep at the base of the cliff, you will be lying down on your tummy, on the cliff close to the edge & inch towards the very edge while your lover hold your feet with both hands. Then again, that is only if you trust your lover with your life, eh! (Not let her hear, for heavens sake). If that is not the case, there is no option except your Mummy. Take it with a pinch of salt & we will be right at your service, at your feet. Holding your feet in vice like grip, trust me. Relax. This is where Monica & her lover leapt to death (their families were at loggerheads, or to be precise, swords drawn at each other's... they used to shake spears... that rings a bell???) triggering a chain reaction of no less than ten star-crossed couples. The top ten couples of lovers of Sri Lanka also remind us of Crown Prince Saliya (137 BC.) (son of King Dutugamunu, hero of 2550 years of history of Sri Lanka), who deserted the right to crown to be in his own oasis with his Aiyshwarya like lover, Asokamala. You will see the beautiful rock statue of the couple at Isurumuniya.

Marvellous views
Along the marvellous views of craggy peaks, which forms the southern boundary of the hill country, are Sri Lanka's second & third highest, Mount Kirigalpotta (2395m) & Mount Totapolkanda (2359m), which stand at the edge of the park. The large lake in the near distance is man-made rainwater reservoir. In the farthest distance, we can see the southern coast. It's exhilarating to view through such a range with your naked eyes. As the crow flies, or rather as the bullet completes its range - direct distance from where we stand to the southern coast is about 75km.

Still it is 8 a.m. Our early departure at 5 a.m. from Nuwara Eliya (Little England, set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations) is justified. By 10 am there would be mist shrouding the slopes below & there would be white wall of mist, we wouldn't see a ball, even the short range. A track down to a valley & 2km walk leads us to a small-forested escarpment. A climb & then a slippery descent take us to the picturesque Baker's Falls. The water herein is deliciously cool & refreshing. From Baker's Falls it is an easy 3 km walk back along the river, passing an attractive Governor's Pool. We will be paying the entrance fees on our way out since the ticket office wasn't open when we entered at 6 am.

Slender Loris [Sinhala: Unahapuluwa] reappears in Horton Plains.
The Horton Plains Slender Loris, considered the rarest primate, a small social and nocturnal species threatened by loss of habitat (fragmented forests need to be reconnected), which had only been seen four times during 1937 and 2002 and believed to have become extinct, was sighted and captured on camera by a team of Conservation biologists consisted of members of Zoological Society of London (ZSL), students of University of Colombo and the Open University of Sri Lanka on 18th July 2010. The rediscovery was a result of an EDGE Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered project- a conservation initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the plight of animals on the brink of extinction. According to ZSL Conservation Biologist Dr. Craig Turner, it was the first close examination of a Horton Plains Slender Loris ever conducted.
The Horton Plains Slender Loris, a subspecies of the Red Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus) found only in the tropical forests of Southern India and Sri Lanka, is classified in terms of endangerment and evolutionary distinctness for the mammals of the world Red List by the IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Horton Plains Slender Loris having shorter and sturdier fore and hind limbs than those of any other Slender Loris (so named owing to its long, slender arms and legs) in either Sri Lanka or Southern India is a telling indication of how the mammal has adapted to living in the cool highland forest of Horton Plains in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka.

Horton Plains is declared a World heritage Site by UNESCO.

Sri Pada (Mountain of Butterflies)

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The only mountains in the world where four major religions get together and worship. To the Buddhist, the imprint found on the summit of the mountain is the hallowed footprint of the Lord Buddha hence the Name "SriPada". To the Hindus, the footprint is that of God Shiva. To the Christians, it is the footprint of St. Thomas, and to the Islam, it's the foot print of Adam, hence the title "Adam's peak". Another name given by Sinhalese is "Samanala Kanda" meaning Butterfly Mountain due to the fleet of butterflies fling around with the start of the season.

It is 2243m in height above the sea level and about 27km (16 miles) from bottom to the top by foot or 14.4km(9 miles) by vehicle and 12km (7 miles) by foot to the top of the pointed peak.

Since the 11th century the mountain has been a place of pilgrims. King Vijayabahu the 1 and King Nissankamalla of Polonnaruwa both recorded their pilgrimage here. Pilgrimage season begins from the full moon Poya day of December and continues until the Wesak festival in May. At other times the mountain is wet and rains make the trail dangerous. Thousands of people makes the journey every year. Most of them climb in the night. The trail is illuminated by lamps. Pilgrims rests and the refreshment stalls make the climb easier. Those who reach the summit by dawn witness a glorious view of sun rising.

Sri pada pilgrims follow a number of traditions procedures. It's customary for first time climbers to bathe at the stream call "Seetha Gangula" and to pile white cloth on their heads. At "indikatu pana" (place of the needle). The devotees stop and hang a threaded needle in to a shrub by path's side, marking a spot where the Buddha is said to have stopped to mend a tear in his road. It is bad form, by the way, to ask how far is it to the top...? Instead just exchange the greetings "karunawai": "peace". Some sing folk songs. The huge bell at the summit is struck by every pilgrim once for each time they visited. Present visit is not counted, as it's not completed until they return home. Wearing a sweater is a must as it could be very cold at the summit.

Nilaweli Beach

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Located on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, known the world over for its beautiful soft white sand beaches which slope gently into clear shallow seas, the vast Indian Ocean which washes on to the shores of this coastal resort holds a treasure chest of dreams just waiting to be opened.

Here you could swim around the multi-hued reef protecting the island like so many layers of ribbon cake – turquoise, ochre, salmon pink, smoky grey, sandstone and cobalt blue – and revel in an underwater world of colourful translucence, feasting your eyes on shoals of jewel-hued fish darting among the surrounding coral and rocks.Nilaveli Beach is located 275 Km from Colombo, on the East coast along the pristine beach of Nilaveli and considered as one of the finest unspoilt beaches in Asia with white sands and clear blue seas.

The ideal season on the East coast is from April to October. Pigeon island is also an excellent location for Game snorkeling. A popular Hindu temple perched high a top Swami Rock which divides Trincomalee's emeralds bays. The other places of interest are Fort Fredrick,remnant of Trinco's colonial history.

The Nilaveli Beach on the East Coast is “the other side of the island”, one that remains pristine, pure and very private even today – it is undoubtedly the best in Sri Lanka and one of the premier beaches in Asia.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

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Among the green hills of Kegalle, about 50 miles (85km) from Colombo on the road to Kandy in the hill country, a herd of about 75 elephants roam free in the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. This popular attraction, established as a sanctuary covering 25 acres of lush forest by the Sri Lankan Government in 1975, is unique. Its purpose is to feed, nurse and house young elephants lost or abandoned by their mothers. Recently the sanctuary has also started a breeding programme.

HISTORY

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was started in 1975 by the Department of Wildlife on a twenty five acre coconut property on the Maha Oya river at Rambukkana. The orphanage was primarily designed to afford care and protection to the many baby elephants found in the jungle without their mothers. In most of these cases the mother had either died or been killed. In some instances the baby had fallen into a pit and in others the mother had fallen in and died. Initially this orphanage was at the Wilpattu National Park, then shifted to the tourist complex at Bentota and then to the Dehiwala Zoo.

From the Dehiwala Zoo it was shifted 1975 to Pinnawala. At the time it was shifted the orphanage had five baby elephants which formed its nucleus. It was hoped that this facility would attract both local and foreign visitors, the income from which would help to maintain the orphanage.

There are only a few elephant orphanages in the world. Pinnawala has now become one of the bigger orphanages and is quite well known world wide.

DAILY ACTIVITIES

At Pinnawala an attempt was made to simulate, in a limited way, the conditions in the wild. Animals are allowed to roam freely during the day and a herd structure allowed to form.

08.00 The babies are fed on milk in the mornings and allowed to range freely on the 12 acres large grassland.

10.00 Each morning and afternoon 14.00 the animals are walked 400 meters to the river Maha Oya for a two-hour bath.

Between 16.30 and 18.00 in the evening the animals are taken to their stalls and tethered for the night.

They are then given their evening feed which is milk again for the babies and leaves for the older ones.

Sigiriya

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Sigiriya was created by King Kasyapa who reigned between 477-495 AD. The summit of this almost inaccessible rock is 180 m (600 ft) above the surrounding jungle, and was the setting for a courtly paradise of elegant pavilions amid gardens and pools. The rock was transformed into a recumbent lion by the addition of a brick-built head and foreparts of which only the paws remain. The rock's natural defences were augmented by broad moats and stone perimeter walls. In the event of an enemy approach, the outer moat was built so as to flood the entire area between the two moats.

The Water Gardens of Sigriya

The terraced gardens slope down to the boulder gardens and then to the geometrically laid out water gardens, with running water and fountains, pools and ponds, aquatic flowers and birds, and tropical trees. The entire water garden is in a walled enclosure.

The miniature water garden was discovered not long ago. It has winding waterways, shallow reflecting pools, cobbled watercourses, marbled floors and an intricate layer of tiled roof buildings.

Adjacent to this is a central island surrounded by four L-shaped water pools. These pools appear to have been used as bathing pools. These had polished walls, flights of steps and surrounding terraces - similar to a modern-day swimming pool.

There are fountains fed by water under gravitational pressure from the artificial Sigiriya Lake. Symmetrically perforated limestone plates fashion their spouts. These fountains operate in rainy weather even today.

An octagonal pool is set at the transition point from the water gardens to the boulder gardens. It is surrounded by a wide terrace, which follows its shape. A gigantic boulder almost the height of a six-storey building shelters the pool.

Costal areas

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Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa is the most famous beach among back Packers and Budget travellers. This fun filled city has over 18 locations for great scuba diving and sea adventures. Narigama, Thiranagama beaches south of the city are wider and best for sailing.

Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay is one of the TOP 10 surf points in the world. It is also a pristine sandy beach of stunning natural beauty. Arugam Bay's proximity to Lahugala National Park & Yala East National Park makes it a unique surfing beach.

Location
Arguam bay is located 320 km from Colombo. Some 60km due east from Monaragala, Arugam Bay is a tiny fishing village 3km south of the small fishing village of Pottuvil (12000 inhabitants) at the remote southern end of the Eastern coast & on the edge of Yala East National Park.

Tea Industry

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James Taylor a Scottish Tea Planter is recognized as the pioneer of the Tea Industry of Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. He began the first commercial tea plantations in 1867 on 9 acres of land at Loolecondra Estate with tea seed from Assam. In 1872, he sold a package of 23 pounds of tea in London for the princely sum of Rs.58. The first recorded tea export was, however in 1987, consigned to London on board the Steam Ship, Duke of Argyle.
This formed the beginning of the tea industry of Ceylon, on the footsteps replacing coffee, which was then being wiped out by ‘leaf rust’. The Tea Industry has since grown to be one of the largest exporters in the world with exports last year valued at Rs. 65 billion. Sri Lanka produced 310 million kilos of tea in the year 2002 and exported 292 million kilos. Details of production and export figures are given later on this page.

Production

Sri Lanka is predominantly an orthodox tea producer. Tea is grown in the central and lower central part of the country and spreads towards the east. There is also new growth in the southern part of the nation.

Elevational classification is on the basis of factory location as shown below:-

Factories situated

Upto 600 meters from sea level - Low grown
Between 600 & 1200 meters from sea level - Mid grown
Over 1200 meters from sea level - High grown

High grown teas come from estates predominantly in the central hills which are again divided into sub districts such as Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Bogo/Maskeliya, Agrapatna, Uda Pussellawa and Uva. Each of these areas produce teas with distinctly different characters. Hence, Sri Lanka is blessed with the ability to titillate the palates of many countries due to its variety of liquors. For instance, Nuwara Eliyas with its very delicate strength and distinct aroma are much favoured by the Japanese and the North Americans.

The strong brisk teas from Bogo/Maskeliyas are fancied by the UK, South Africa, Russia and for tea bags by Japan, USA and even Canada. Uvas produce especially during the period between July and October possess vintage pungent character and they are much sought after by the Germans and the Japanese.

Our low growns are primarily consumed in the Middle East and to some extent Russia and CIS. These tea drinkers prefer the dark, strong cup with a slightly bakey taste.

CTC production is approximately 6% of the total tea produced.

Today the ownership of the country’s tea lands and processing plants (better known as factories) are in private hands. There was a period from 1975 to 1992 when the industry was mostly under the ownership of the government. However, following an aggressive privatization programme launched in 1992 resulted in the change over to private ownership.

Approximately 55% of Sri Lanka’s production is low growns whilst of the balance, 25 - 28% is accounted for by the high growns, leaving the smallest harvest from the mid growns. In short, 60% of the production is from 40% of the area under tea, which is the smallholder segment. Teas grown in these areas are high yielding compared to the older bushes in the larger extents of the high and mid grown districts.

Exports are dominated by the Middle East accounting for approximately 55% of the total. Low growns dominate the exports to this part of the globe. Sri Lanka now has a 22% export market share in the global exports of producing nations and commands the top position. Russia/CIS heads the list of importing countries with a 24% share and has been holding this position for the last 5 years and more.

Cultural Heritage

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The people of Sri Lanka have inherited a great culture and a civilization. Archeological evidence exists to prove that Sri Lanka has been populated for over 3000 years. There is also confirmed archeological evidence to say that in about 800 B.C. the Sinhalese had settled down in the citadel area in Anuradhapura with a highly developed culture.
There are many places of historical and cultural importance. Lot of ruins can be seen at these places. Some of these places are Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Yapahuwa and Panduwasnuwara. We can imagine the skills and talents of Sri Lankan ancestors through these buildings, structures, and images.
Buddhism has not only moulded the lives and thoughts of the people, but also has served as the chief source of inspiration to the cultural and social achievements of the nation. During the long and eventful history the island was subject to numerous foreign invasions. But citizens were able to protect almost all the objects that were of cultural value.
In cities like Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa we can see huge stone pillars, Buddha statues, Moonstones, Guard stones and Dagabas. These cities have become very popular places of tourists.

Welcome to FancySriLanka

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Sri Lanka is a beautiful country that is surrounded by the Indian ocean and located in the Indian sub continent separately.
Capital city of Sri Lanka is Colombo (Sri Jayawardhanapura).
Population is about 20,000,000.

Area: 65,610 km2
President is Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksha since 2005.
Nil Manel is the national flower of Sri Lanka.
National bird is called "Wali Kukula" in Sinhala.

Tourists Attractions in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is famous throughout the world as a tourist paradise. There are many tourist attractions in this island. Most of the come to Sri Lanka for holidaying or sight seeing.
Sri Lanka has attractions of various sorts to satisfy the varying interests of foreigners. Some of them are ancient ruins, waterfalls, sanctuaries, botanical gardens and sandy beaches. This country has a proud history. The tourists who are interested in ruined cities, arts & crafts, sculpture & painting can visit historical cities like Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Sigiriya and Kandy. Sri Lankans have religious festivals and processions. The Kandy Esala Perahara is world famous. Thousands of foreign tourists visit this perahera which is held in the month of July every year. The fire walking ceremony at Kataragama too attract thousands of tourists.

There are three main sanctuaries in Sri Lanka. They are Yala, Kumana, Wilpattu, Sri Pada and Horton Plains. Yala is famous for deer and tigers. Wilpattu is famous for wild elephants and Kumana is famous for birds. Horton plains is a wonderful geographical area. At these sanctuaries, tourists can see wild animals in their natural habitat. The botanical gardens at Gampaha, Peradeniya and Haggala have become very popular with tourists. People say Dunhinda is the most beautiful waterfall in Sri Lanka. But I think that place should goes to the St. Clair waterfall. The other attractive waterfalls are Ramboda, Diyaluma, Devon, Aberdeen, Rawana and much more. Beaches around the country have become very popular with tourists, particularly, the beaches at Bentota, Nilaweli, Hikkaduwa, Arugam bay. In these beaches there are facilities for tourists for sun-bathing and swimming. Arugam bay is a one of best ten zones for water surfing. Another attractive place is the Coral Gardens at Hikkaduwa.

Sigiriya is famous for its frescoes. Sigiriya is considered as the eighth wonder of the world.
A large number of tourists hotels with modern facilities has been set up by the Ceylon Tourists Board throughout the island. Even the private sector companies have put up many tourist hotels.
Nuwara-Eliya has a salubrious climate and this city has become a popular tourist resort today.