Sri Lanka Holiday Homes

Trip to World Heritage Site of Sigiriya

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 05:25:00 +0000

We, the four Rotarians, were brave enough to accompany a contingent of sixty members of the Inner Wheel District 328, Bangladesh drawn from different clubs of the District to attend their South Asian conference for the year 2010-2011 held on 23 and 24 April, 2011 in Habarana, a North West town from Kandy. The Inner Wheel's South Asia conference is held in the area once in three years. The next conference is scheduled to be held in Bangladesh in the year 2013-2014.

Inner Wheel clubs are associates of Rotary clubs and are formed by the wives of the Rotarians. The Headquarters of the Inner Wheel is in Manchester, UK. The Inner Wheel District 328, Bangladesh comprises 28 clubs with over 660 members.

The route of the journey was -- Dhaka-Colombo-Kandy-Sigiriya Village Resort-Habarana-Colombo-Maldives-Chaaya Islands-Male-Colombo-Dhaka. The journey took us ten nights and eleven days.

In this write-up (heavily drawn from literatures available on the tour and the related websites), I will briefly touch on Sri Lanka, Colombo, Kandy, Maldives and Male but will present somewhat intrinsic details about World Heritage Site at Sigiriya, Sigiriya Village and Chaaya Island. I will also present history of tea, as I could come across from the varieties of tea and coffee menus available in the lobby of the Hotel Ceylon Continental, where most of us stayed while in Colombo, for the knowledge of the general readers.

I had a feeling that the journey would not have been complete without a visit to Sigiriya Village, Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Chaaya Island. It is recommended that those who are either on official or pleasure trip should not forget to visit those places.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has an area of 83,000 sq km, about half of Bangladesh with a population of only 21 million. For the last two years, they could maintain a growth rate of 8%. With the 30 years of war with LTTE over, people everywhere see a booming Sri Lanka now and in future.

The capital city is Sr Jawardenapura, Kotte, whereas Colombo is the island's business and commercial city. Sri Lanka is one of the most densely populated areas, only second to Bangladesh among the least developed countries in Asia. Seven per cent of the population is Muslims, Colombo's population is 650,000. The island is the fast growing tourist centre in Asia. Sri Lanka was selected as the lead country in tourism in BIMST-EC in 1998. Lanka's per capita income is around US$ 1,500; textiles, garments, tea, coconut, gems, diamonds, jewellery, rubber-based products are the prime export items.

During our 14 hours' journey on highways and sightseeing tours within Colombo and Kandy, we have not seen any beggars around, no street quarrel anywhere, not heard any honking of horns, not seen any overtaking, or parking vehicles here and there, no pile of logs or furniture or wood.

I lost my mobile phone twice and could get them back even after several hours. On discussing this with one of the Sri Lankans, I could gather that every telephone has a unique number. On complaint of loss or theft to the appropriate authority, the phone itself is locked from further use inside Sri Lanka and, as a result, there is no use of stealing the instrument!

Even with wars on, they could build a deep seaport; roads are now being widened; 473 acres of sea are being reclaimed to build a modern town; tourism is booming and major five and four star hotels in Colombo are built facing the sea. Unlike the scenario in Cox's Bazar, no hotels are built within 200 yards from the shore.

Golfers should not forget to carry the golf set along. You can take some time off and make a dash to Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC) and play at least 9 holes.

Kandy

'Kandy, the hill capital, is another World Heritage Site.' It can be compared with any European hill city. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese kings during the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule and finally ceded to the British in 1815 after an agreement. Close by are the remains of Royal Palace, Maha Wasala, Palle Wasala - where the queens stayed - now used for the National Museum.

If you are a golfer, do not forget to play golf at Victoria golf course. The certificate hung on the wall of the golf shop says, "It is the best golf course in Asia." It is about 1-hour one-way journey from the Hotel Mahweli Reach. Riding on the zigzag hilly road to the golf course will give you a feeling of travelling to Kaptai from Chittagong. But do not forget to carry plenty of balls, because there are plenty of bushes all around the golf course.

Sigiriya Village

Living in the Sigiriya village resort - imagine you are surrounded by chalet type rooms, greenery, various types of abundant Ayurvedic plants and trees, water bodies here and there, cottages on the trees, playground for the kids at a distance, and interconnecting pathways complete with a sprawling swimming pool - gives you a feeling of tranquility and calmness; if you complain of high level of stress present due to heavy workloads, and escalating demands in your occupations back home, you may return as a new person with soothing nerves, and yourself completely rejuvenated.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Sigriya is home to the 5th century 'Fortress in the sky' which is perhaps the single most fantastic wonder of the Island. People here tend to believe that it is the 8th wonder of the world. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the fortress. The huge rock rises almost to a sheer height of 700 feet.

On its summit are the foundations of what was once a great and sumptuous palace and gardens complete with swimming pool. On one of the stairways, the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of Frescoes of life-sized damsels in all the freshness and delicacy of their original colour.

Sigiriya dates back to 1-2 centuries BC. Monasteries Kasiyapa established a fortress in 473 AD and shifted the capital from Anuradhapur to Sigiriya. As one approaches the lion rock, one could still notice two fountains built then still flowing with water which are working on the principle of gravity and pressure. Two cisterns were built then on the two sides to control the water pressure.

As said before, up on the hill was the palace and down the hill was his playground, audience hall, and other functional activities.

An excavation done at the cave site called 'Aligula' has revealed evidence of pre-historic settlements of which thirty have been found and eight of them contain brahmi inscription.

The bodhi - tree shrine and the stupa in the boulder garden are monuments that testify to the second monastic phase after Kasiyapa.

Unfortunately, Kasiyapa (whose mother came from the common caste, and father was a king) ruled only for 18 years. His half-brother was all along against his ascending the throne. He came back one day with fighting force composed of South Indians and reached Habarana. As Kasiyapa heard about it, he proceeded towards Habarana with his army mounted on elephants.

On their journey forward, the elephants sensed marshy and muddy land ahead and began to retreat. Sensing this as an evil omen, the whole army retreated without a fight. On this, Kasiyapa killed himself. He killed his father before. Perhaps the guilt of killing his father overpowered his conscience at that point.

On our return to Colombo, we visited the Elephant orphanage situated at the town Rambukkana - started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded. The orphanage has grown to be a big family. The number of elephants has now increased well over 40 including the baby elephants brought from other areas and babies born in captive breeding programme.

On the way, you pass through Krunegale - the coconut triangle - where the largest number of coconut trees are grown with preponderance of yellow coconut. Passing through this road, one may have a feeling of travelling through a garden, surrounded on both sides by flowers, banana, varieties of fruit trees. The ride is pleasant indeed.

History of tea

Tea is one of the major export items of Sri Lanka. It is famous for brand names like Dilmah, JAF, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Black Tea. While in Bangladesh Krishi Bank as a General Manager, I was also looking after about 150 tea gardens for meeting their financial needs.

I knew that tea was introduced to this part of the world by the British Raj. It didn't much occur then to know its history in detail. Perhaps I rather spent time much on financial matters. Now that I have come across on its history a little bit from my Sri Lankan trip, I have a feeling that I should present it for the benefit of those who want to know about it in detail.

The story of tea begins over four and a half thousand years ago. According to the Chinese Mythology, in 2737 BC, the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung, along with scholars and herbalists, was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled water. A leaf dropped into the water. Shen Nung, however, decided to try the brew. Incidentally, the tree happened to be the wild tea tree.

From the earliest time, tea was renowned for its properties as a healthy, refreshing social drink. By the 3rd century AD, many stories were being told and some had written about tea and the benefits of tea drinking, but was not until the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD) that tea became the China's national drink and the word 'Cha' was used to describe tea.

The first mention about tea outside China and Japan is said to be by the Arabs in 850 AD and it was they who were reputed to have brought it to Europe via the Venetian Circa 1559.

Maldives

It is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, formed by a double chain of 26 atolls (this chain of islands is in reality the tops of a vast undersea mountains - the atolls are composed of coral debris, live coral reefs and sand bars - this acts as a natural barrier against the storms and high waves of the sea, forming lagoons), featuring 1192 islands of which only 200 are inhabited.

The atolls are dispersed over an area of 90,000 sq km, in geographic terms, the most dispersed country in the world. The country has a population of 300,000 people, with Male, the capital of the country, is inhabited by 100,000 people only.

The Maldives is the smallest Asian country by both size of population and land area. With an average ground level of 4 ft 11 inch above sea level, it is the lowest country on the planet. It is also the country with the lowest highest point in the world at 7 ft 7 inch and rising sea levels are a concern for the Maldives.

The first settlers date back to 300BC-300AD. 100% of the population is Muslim. No non-Muslim can be a citizen of the country.

Real GDP grew by 7.5% for more than a decade. Today, the Maldives' largest industry is tourism accounting for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of its foreign exchange receipts. Fishing is the second leading sector. Recently, they are out of the LDC status.

Historically, Maldives provided enormous quantities of cowry shells, an international currency of the early ages. From 2nd century AD, the islands were known as the 'Money isles' by the Arabs. 'Monteria Moneta' was used for centuries as a currency in Africa, and huge amounts of Maldivian cowries were introduced into Africa by western nations during the slave trade. The cowry is now the symbol of the Maldives Monetary authority.

Chaaya Island

The island is a 30-45 minutes trip by speed boat from the Maldives' international airport. Once you arrive in the island paradise, life transforms. Tranquility envelopes you and leaves you fabulously rested. Life will never be the same again. Each day is more blissful than the previous one. Each day is a memory to be treasured. This is a holiday experience that will remain with you forever.

The warm waters of the azure sea are an ideal balm that lifts the spirits and calms the soul. Whilst perfect waves make the surfers an unforgettable experience, the clear water allows you to sample the beauty of the underwater treasure.

Celebrate the most memorable moment, standing on the soft white sandy beach surrounded by the preponderance of turquoise and blue waters studded with colourful corals and marine life. As you seek complete leisure and relaxation during holiday, soothing nerves for returning home are completely rejuvenated.

The in-house experience is unparalleled. There is an array of fabulous options for you. To select from the choice of accommodation varies from garden bungalows to beach and water bungalows, but each option is unique and memorable.

The gastronomical experience of freshly caught sea food awaits you. Apart from that you have a choice of culinary delights to tickle your tastes and leave you satiated.

Do not forget to go island hopping and submarine ride where you will discover underwater treasure and tradition and a way of life that is so different, among the natives of the nearby islands.

There are a lot of Bangladeshi workers in the island and in Male. According to them, they are the lowest paid employees, and their employment is off and on terminated in the absence of any relevant protocol between the two governments. A protocol is needed to be signed soon to protect their employment and wages.

A K M Nozmul Haque
(A K M Nozmul Haque is the former Managing Director of Prime Finance and Investment Ltd.)

Tourism returns to northern Sri Lanka

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:28:00 +0000

After 30 war-torn years, northern Sri Lanka is opening up to tourism. Is it too soon to visit its friendly villages and unspoilt beaches?

Beautiful, yet horrible. For much of the past 30 years, it seems to me, the island of Sri Lanka has lived in a similarly sour-sweet atmosphere. There is a smiling side to the place: a land of coconut-fringed beaches, jungled hills and a colourful culture that varying numbers of tourists have been prepared to visit, the variation depending on how much the other, much darker, side has intruded. And the other side has certainly been dark: suicide bombings, ethnic hatreds and cleansings, tales of death squads and unmarked mass graves; most of all the relentless, apparently endless, horror of a big bad war in the north.

But now that war is over. The Tamil Tigers (LTTE – Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) are defeated and their hopes of a separate Tamil state crushed. And with that defeat, millions of acres of pristine beach and jungle in the northern third of the island have opened up to the kind of tourism enjoyed by the southern part of the island for the past three decades.

A glance at a map of the north draws the eye to two obvious protagonists in the coming battle for the tourist dollar. In the far north there is Jaffna, with its huge lagoons and beaches, but that area is still tricky to access, requiring a permit. On the west, there is Mannar island, a 35km spit of sand and coconut trees connected to the mainland by a causeway. Mostly inhabited by Tamil Catholics, it was always government-held during the war, but often surrounded by Tigers territory. Both sides in the conflict committed atrocities: in June 2006, after an attack by the Tigers left 30 sailors from the Sri Lankan navy dead, the church in a nearby fishing village called Pesalai came under a hail of gunfire that killed six people. Locals and independent witnesses held the navy responsible.

It is to Pesalai that I am heading with Sidantha, for a homestay arranged by Sri Lankan specialist tour operator Experience Travel. Homestays are still a rarity in these parts, where tourism is starting from almost zero.

No tourists for 3 decades

“There haven’t been tourists in Mannar for three decades,” says Sid. “Someone said two Dutchmen turned up on bikes last year, but apart from that, nothing, till you.” Watch out for new editions of guidebooks because change will come quickly.

It is late at night by the time we rattle across the causeway and pass Mannar town, a dilapidated former colonial outpost and the main settlement on the island. The Portuguese built a fort here in 1560, no doubt drawn by the presence of rich pearl beds in the shallow seas nearby. It’s not pearls we want, however, but cold beer, something not easily found as there are no bars, only unmarked beer shops tucked away down darkened lanes. Eventually we locate one by the crowd outside: boys selling roasted chickpeas wrapped in scraps of newspaper, and tipsy fishermen who shout good-natured greetings.

We buy supplies, then negotiate the last 15km to Pesalai. Our house is a simple bungalow in a sandy lane surrounded by coconut palms. We wash in delicious cool water hauled up in a bucket from the well, say a brief hello to our hosts, who live opposite, and fall asleep in seconds.

Everyone has a story

Rohan wants me to try a local favourite, curried squid, and goes off in search. Sid and I get some breakfast: tea and rotis, all the time saying hello to people eager to talk. One man takes me to see the church: a pink wedding cake of a building pockmarked with bullet holes and shrapnel wounds. Everyone here has a story: a house flattened by explosives, a family member abducted and never seen again, or – more often – the urban-legend-tale of the man who got away and is now sending money back from Europe or America.

Out on the other side of the island, a few miles away, we find the fishermen working with beach nets: singing and hauling together on long lines to pull in a vast silvery bag of fish. I join in, at least for the pulling, not the songs. These people look wiry and fit: products of a lifetime eating just fish and rice. There has not, to be honest, been a great deal else for a long time. The beach is perfectly clean and natural, the waves gentle – unlike on the east coast of Sri Lanka, which can be dangerously rough.

Further along the broad beach we meet a community of Singhalese fisher people who spend a season here every year, living in palm thatch huts and catching the seasonal fish runs. Everywhere I’m made aware of how intertwined and interdependent the people are. There are Tamils married to Singhalese, Hindus to Christians or Buddhists. Our host family are Singhalese who came from the south 60 years ago, settled on Mannar and became – linguistically and culturally – Tamil. In a war that was driven by ethnic mistrust and racist propaganda, they suffered. Now, however, they look like a hope for the future.

Untouched by tourism

A couple more days on the island are spent eating seafood, visiting sites such as the ancient baobabs brought by Arab seafarers from Africa in the 15th century and the supposed graves of Adam and Eve at the tip of the island, near what is known as Adam’s Bridge – a series of sandbanks that lead all the way to India 20 miles away. If and when a promised ferry service from Mannar to India begins, the island will undoubtedly clamber aboard the backpacker trail, losing perhaps a little of its charming naivety. For the moment, it is untouched by tourism: I’ve only been here a short time, but people wave and shout greetings like I’m an old friend. It’s this sense of being absorbed, easily and comfortably, into a community that creates the magic in this place.

On a long beach we find the ruins of a house built by the first English governor, Sir Frederick North, in 1804. It has now mostly tumbled into the waves. In the nearby village of Arippu there are further poignant reminders of former times in the 17th-century Dutch fort. First is a grave – “Charles Lays – died of sunstroke 1878” – and then a plaque for Robert Knox, an English sailor who was held captive on the island by the Rajah of Kandy for 19 years before he managed to escape to this lonely Dutch outpost in 1679. Back in London he wrote a bestseller and the first account of the island in English, incidentally introducing the word Buddha to the English language. Knox’s experiences also helped feed the newly coined ideal of a tropical island as a paradise, the very ideal that drives much of Sri Lankan tourism today.

Contrast marked

My time on Mannar is over and I head across the island, dipping south into what is, and was, tourist territory. The contrast is marked: less military and police, more traffic and bustle. The people are certainly more accustomed to visitors. I stop at two lovely eco-retreats: first the Mudhouse, a place that is gathering a reputation for superb service matched with total simplicity. I sleep under a thatched shelter and mozzie net in the middle of the jungle, waking to birdsong and a man on a bicycle with a tea tray. The second is Back of Beyond, a good wildlife and bird-watching jungle retreat at Pidurangala, equally simple and handy for visiting the mountain fortress at Sigiriya and the superb cave temples of Dambulla.

Heading north and east to the coast, I’m back into what were Tigers danger areas, but now the problem is flood-damaged roads after a particularly heavy monsoon season. Nevertheless, freedom from war has brought big ambitions for tourism. Many hotels are being proposed, some of them vast and costly. Despite the fact that most development is coming from Singhalese businessmen, often with political connections, local Tamils that I spoke to did not mind. Even at Santhively, near the east-coast port of Batticaloa, where fishermen are being evicted from the beach, ostensibly to prevent tsunami losses, but coincidentally to make way for a hotel, they are welcoming the construction. “It’s good,” they tell me. “We want progress.” What benefit they will ever get remains to be seen.

At Trincomalee, a vibrant port city possessed of a magnificent anchorage, I bump into Mark Davis, gardener with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. “We couldn’t get in here for 20 years,” he tells me. “It was just too dangerous.”

The cemetery holds 362 graves from the second world war. Mark’s workers are young men, the sort who not so long ago might have expected to be fighting themselves on one side or the other. Now they are eagerly learning the trade of gardening, discussing plantings and turf types. For all the talk of tourism development, it seems appropriate that the most peaceful and uncontroversial first steps in economic progress that I have found are taking place here, in a war cemetery. (The Guardian)

Sri Lanka - Island full of surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 05:05:00 +0000

Sri Lanka gave us the word serendipity. Now back on the tourist map at the end of two decades of strife, it’s a place where a short train journey brings you from ivory beaches to lush hill country, writes TOM FARRELL

IT IS TEMPTING to think of Sri Lanka as little more than an island offshoot of India. It appears as such on the map: a precious stone in the Indian Ocean, just east of the point where its huge neighbour tapers into the tropical seas.

But Sri Lanka (traditionally Ceylon) looks, smells and sounds different. I have been making trips there since the 1990s, and for me, it retains a profound sense of otherness. Moreover, it has never taken me more than two or three hours on a train or bus to exchange ivory beaches, fringed by coconut palms, for the damp lushness of the hill country with its spice gardens and rolling tea estates.

On most of my flights to the capital, Colombo, usually with Qatar Airways or Air Lanka, arrival has been just ahead of the dawn. Sadly, time is no deterrence to the touts who congregate around Bandaranaike International Airport. If a hotel has been booked, a few extra dollars is worth paying for a taxi. Otherwise, head for the public buses and avoid “bargains” being hawked around the terminal.

For a long time, thanks to the now defeated Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka had been largely off the tourist map. After 26 years of civil war ended in May 2009, the checkpoints and searches meant to protect Colombo – not always successfully – from Tiger suicide bombers, are just a memory.

The British departed Ceylon in February 1948 but amid the snarl and smoke of Colombo’s streets, an architectural facade will often evoke Victorian Manchester or Liverpool. With the end of the war, much of the old city is likely to go before the wrecking ball, as foreign investment pours in. One place, however, where the ghosts of the Raj won’t be exorcised is the Galle Face Hotel.

In all the time I have been visiting Colombo, KC Kuttan, one of the world’s oldest hotel doormen, has been at the main entrance. A diminutive man who sports a bushy Colonel Mustard moustache and almost weighed down with the badges guests have pinned upon his white uniform, Kuttan has escorted them all up the steps: kings, politicians, artists and photographers.

Indeed a nearby plaque names a few of the more illustrious guests: Emperor Hirohito, Richard Nixon, Roger Moore and Yuri Gagarin. “There used to be just the Galle Face in the old days,” he has told me, “now many hotels.”

But not many hotels have a colonnaded courtyard where you may dine on rice and devilled crabs. Or witness a multicoloured sunset while the turbulence and spray of the Indian Ocean flings itself against the nearby sea wall.

As in Ireland, one of the major challenges facing the country has been the peaceful co-existence of two cultures. In the south, west and centre of the island, the Sinhalese predominate: tall, relaxed and Buddhist. The northern and eastern fringes of Sri Lanka are inhabited by Tamils: shorter, darker and industrious.

Although easily reached by public bus, I took a hired car out to the north central province. Sigiriya, a rock fortress built during the later fifth century AD, was visible from miles away, as if Ayres Rock/Uluru had been set down amid the tropical flatlands.

We came to a halt near the crowded entrance and nearby, I spotted a western family perched atop a slowly plodding elephant with a mahout at the rear. According to legend, the Sinhalese king, Kassapa, had seized power in AD 473, walling his own father up alive and forcing his half brother and the legitimate heir to flee to India. The rock fortress was conceived and built as a kind of castle cum penthouse, looming 200 metres above the ground.

Passing through the ticket booths, I acquired a guide for a few extra dollars, the approach passing the crumbling remnants of royal water gardens.

We detoured up a spiral stairway and into a protected gallery, where the Sigiriya damsels reclined across the rock wall. There were once nearly 500 of them but the roughly two dozen that remain are vivid in their colours and details, their languid sensuality at odds with the ascetic character of Buddhism, Sri Lanka’s majority religion.

Sigiriya means “lion rock” and the visitor will discover the reason why at the northern end: a stairway rises towards the summit, flanked by two huge stone paws. Sadly, the lion’s head and gaping maw through which the summit was reached, crumbled away centuries ago.

Nevertheless, struggling with my vertigo, I joined the sluggish train of bodies making their way up the metal steps. The 1.6-hectare summit has a surviving bathing pool and foundations: I sat down and gazed across the humid jungle canopy as Kassapa must once have done.

The relative smallness of Sri Lanka (slightly smaller than Ireland but with a population of 20 million) makes travel between its historic sites an easy matter. After Sigiriya, I drove to Polonnaruwa. One thousand years ago, a city flourished here. Bleached by the tropical glare, the ruins of its many palaces, temples, shrines and bathing pools survive.

When I made my first visit to Polonnaruwa in 1995, I hired a bicycle and made a more leisurely tour of the ruins. Although the stinging sunshine and adrenalin boost gave that trip an extra edge, my latest visit in an air-conditioned car made things a little easier.

And on my latest trip to the stone Buddhas of the Gal Vihara shrine, I found myself amidst pilgrims as a monk in orange robes chanted incantations. Whatever blessings he conferred upon me were unexpected. Then again, the very word “serendipity”, the faculty of a chance lucky discovery, is derived from serendib, the name given to Sri Lanka by Arab mariners during the Middle Ages.

On my last visit, I took one of the spartan but punctual trains to Kandy, a city of around 100,000 people nestled within the misty hills of the central highlands. This area was the last part of the island to fall to the British in the early 19th century. Low caste Tamil labourers were imported from southern India to work on tea estates. Some of the tea factories are open to visitors and on the slopes around the buildings, female labourers, baskets tied to their backs, still pluck away at the bushes.

Overlooking the lake in the centre of Kandy is the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth), said to house an incisor of the Buddha himself in a casket. If a visit to Sri Lanka coincides with the August full moon, it is all but mandatory to get to Kandy in time for the Esala Perehera festival.

As evening descends, lines of drummers, acrobats and jugglers will traverse a specially cleared route, blowing into conch shells, pounding drums and twirling wheels of fire. By night time, up to 60 elephants, adorned in capes studded with electric lights, will plod along after them.

Each elephant resembles a shuffling Christmas tree on four legs. Watching them pass, with the air smoky and shimmering and with the drums roaring, there is a sense of having dropped out of the 21st century and into a place of dark, primordial exuberance.

THE COASTLINES of the island, lashed by the December 2004 tsunami, are again alive with tourist activity. The east coast, once out of bounds, is earmarked for post-war redevelopment. The eastern port city of Trincomalee, encroaching upon seven scallop-shaped bays, was called “the finest natural harbour in the world” by Horatio Nelson.

I took a train to Trincomalee, my first visit since the end of the war. A decade ago, confined to one of its few guest houses after evening curfew, I listened to the thump and rumble of artillery as the navy retaliated against a seaborne attack by the Tamil Tigers.

Now, with new hotels and guest houses appearing, it is perfectly possible to drive out of the town to expanses of ivory beaches, indulging in some snorkelling later on. Wherever you go, there are bound to be surprises. Such is the way of an island that gave the English language the word serendipity.

Sri Lanka Where to . . .

Where to stay

The Galle Face Hotel in Colombo (gallefacehotel.com) and Queen’s Hotel in Kandy (queenshotel.lk) offer a colonial atmosphere.

The Colombo Hilton (hilton.com), Lanka Oberoi (oberoihotels.com) and Taj Samudra (tajhotels.com) are top range hotels in Colombo but most major towns in the country offer budget hotels and guest houses. Accommodation becomes more basic the further north and east you travel.

Get there

The Middle Eastern Airlines offer the best deals on flights, usually via the United Arab Emirates. Etihad (etihadairways.com) and Qatar Airways (qatarairways.com) offer flights to Colombo starting from €890. Also try Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com) and Sri Lanka Airlines (srilankan.aero).

Don’t forget

Malarial prophylactics are advised for travel to Sri Lanka, as are insect repellent and sun cream.

The wet season alternates between different regions of the island with rains in the south and west during the summer months and in the north and east during the winter months.

Vaccinations against typhoid, tetanus and hepatitis A are recommended. Consult your doctor before travelling.

Sri Lanka Tourism launches home stay programme

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 09:12:00 +0000

To supplement the demand for accommodation at various tourist destinations in the country, Sri Lanka Tourism launched the Home Stay and Bungalow program adding another exciting segment to present accommodation categories.

At present Sri Lanka Tourism has recognized 1-5 star class hotels, guest houses, Ayurveda hotels, eco lodges, apartment hotels, boutique villas and hotels, and camping sites. Commenting on the Home Stay and Bungalow program, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism said: "This is a different approach to provide clean, comfortable and affordable supplementary accommodation to tourists. They will have an opportunity of an engaging experience of customs, traditions, authentic cuisine and other attractions of the location, while staying with the local host, thus giving them a memorable experience during their holiday; and it will help us to reinforce one of our key pillars in positioning, the 'Authenticity' of our tourism product". Home Stay and Bungalows once approved by the Standards & Quality Assurance division of Sri Lanka Tourism will be duly publicized. An accommodation guide listing all registered Home Stay properties and Bungalows will be issued to enable both domestic and foreign tourists to avail themselves of this facility.

Sri Lanka Holiday Homes www.srilankastay.com

The objectives of the program are to provide accreditation to the Home Stay and Bungalow category, broaden the stakeholders base in tourism, expand the benefits of tourism to the community, as well as to support the demand for supplementary accommodation in urban areas, and provide employment and economic benefits to the local community.

Sri Lanka received 654,000 tourists in 2010. This figure is expected to go up to 750,000 tourists (in 2011). The Home Stay and Bungalow program is expected to generate about 1000-1500 rooms immediately.

Deputy Minister of Economic Development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said "The Mahinda Chinthana has clearly identified that benefits of all economic development will have to go down to the common people. The Home Stay program will enable the community to get directly involved in the tourism industry and derive its benefits, and will further enable us to take tourism to a higher level of success".

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has come out with criteria to inspect and register such establishments and all required information can either be collected from the Quality Assurance division or downloaded from www.sltds.gov.lk .

Commenting on the new scheme Dileep Mudadeniya, Head of Standards & Quality Assurance and Investment said: "New rooms which are under construction will take another 2 years to come to the market. But we have untapped potential for Home Stays and Bungalows that can be turned immediately into accommodation units to meet the immediate demand. Further, this is a well known accommodation category in Europe, and even in India, and our visitors are familiar with the concept.''

While any private house in good condition with owners occupying the same house and located in an easily accessible part of the country will primarily qualify to register as a Home Stay unit, unoccupied houses with cooking/meals (and other guest service) facilities are categorized as Bungalows. The house shall fulfill the minimum requirements of the Home Stay scheme including having one or more rooms for accommodation, with each room having separate attached bathroom facilities. Interested parties are at liberty to submit fresh proposals for approval for setting up Home Stay/Bungalow units in suitable locations, under the supervision Sri Lanka Tourism. As part of the program Sri Lanka Tourism will also be providing a training for all Bungalow and Home Stay owners covering areas such as on-line marketing, house keeping, cooking with focus on guest satisfaction, kitchen hygiene, storage of food, garbage disposal, preparation of authentic cuisine, emergencies etc .

Venture Holiday Home www.srilankastay.com

Etisalat has come forward to promote and distribute this concept via a dedicated portal. "In the current context, the online medium has by-passed many traditional channels and real world barriers reaching the global customer at a minimal cost. Home-stay portal will enable local property owners to market their home-stay online and attract potential tourists with just a click. In the long run, we are aiming at providing knowledge to them which will help them in improving their services and standards. Our vision & mission had always been geared towards extending people's reach via advanced technologies. I strongly believe that this initiative will be a success and we are delighted and honored to be part of this initiative to empower Sri Lanka tourism sector to be the wonder of Asia" CEO Etisalat Sri Lanka, Dumindra Rathnayaka said.

Regional Development Bank (RDB ) has come forward to provide limited loan assistance for the concept. Commenting on the program Chairperson of the RDB Janaki Kuruppu, said "At RDB we believe in Empowering Sri Lankans" to achieve economic development of their families. We are the only 100% GOSL owned bank serving the real SME sector, with a reach of over 200 service points in rural Sri Lanka alone. We are always on the lookout for ventures that will appeal to our target customers. We feel the type of household that will go for this "Home Stay" concept will be very much within the reach of our customer base and will be a great opportunity for them. This is the only way that the country's macro economic growth can be shared with the common people."

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) invites all Sri Lankans who have well located, attractive and suitable bungalows and homes, with minimum required standards, in various parts of the island to come and register with Sri Lanka Tourism.

www.srilankastay.com

Sri Lanka - Emerging destination

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:38:00 +0000

After a cautious 2010, tour operators and travellers are once more in search of unique experiences and good value. The destinations to watch are those that offer both.

Emerging from troubled times is Sri Lanka, where 30 years of on-off civil war ended with a no-holds-barred government offensive in spring 2009. Package tourism on the west coast beaches had always held up, but with peace has come a push to expand capacity and open new regions. Yala and Wilpattu National Parks – Asia’s best places to see leopards – have recently reopened, as have the surf-mecca beaches of Arugam Bay.

Firmly ticking those boxes is the kingdom of Jordan, long a favourite of independent travellers but increasingly a flag-bearer for mainstream tourism to the Arab world. With luxury hotels springing up in the Red Sea resort of Aqaba, eco-tourism flourishing in the country’s nature reserves, and low-cost airline Easyjet launching direct flights from the UK in March, the country looks like strong competition for Egypt or Dubai.

Even in 2011, pockets of Europe remain thrillingly unfamiliar. One of this year’s most intriguing prospects is Albania – partly for its quiet, affordable Mediterranean beaches, partly for its rugged landscape. For active types, the biggest buzz is around the “Accursed Mountains” of the country’s far north – an isolated region of serrated 2,600m peaks populated by bears and wolves, with farming villages rich in folklore.

Peru has a huge year ahead. In July the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu celebrates 100 years since its rediscovery. Those averse to hoop-la might be better off exploring northern Peru, home to equally impressive hikes, historical sites and a new cultural tour, the Moche Route.

For wildlife enthusiasts, 2011’s hottest ticket is Zimbabwe. Two years ago the country seemed near collapse: cholera was claiming thousands of lives and hyperinflation was churning out trillion-dollar-bills worth £20. But a coalition government, a dollar economy and improved public health have resulted in a queue of tour operators keen to rejuvenate tourism in what was once southern Africa’s adventure capital. And the prospects for visitors are juicy: thunderous Victoria Falls, the ancient granite kopje of the Matobo Hills, and superb wildlife viewing – Hwange National Park alone boasts 40,000 elephants

Courtesy - FT.com

Sri Lanka: 7-star hotel from Shangri-La

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 03:49:00 +0000

Hong Kong hotel chain Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, which specializes in luxury hotels, in 2011 will begin construction of 7-star hotel on Sri Lanka. The agreement with the Sri Lankan government to acquire ownership of 10 acres of land near Colombo - Galle Face - is already signed. Until then this site was owned by the Ministry of National Defense.

Chairman of the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Agency (SLTDA) Dr. Nalaka Godahewa told the Daily News Business and the Island Financial Review that at this site in 2011 to begin to work a 7-star Shangri-La, and the total amount of investment of the Hong Kong group will be about $ 500 million.

Currently, Shangri-La group, which is engaged in hotel business since 1971 and has become one of the leaders of the industry, owns about 70 hotels and resorts in Asia-Pacific, Middle East and North America. It has more than 30.000 rooms and suites of various categories. In addition, the group is building new hotels in such countries as Canada, Australia, Britain, Turkey, China, India, Macau, Philippines, Turkey and the Seychelles.

Mr Godaheva expressed confidence in the success of the joint project, and noted its exceptional importance for the development of tourist infrastructure in the country: "This is a landmark achievement for the government of Sri Lanka. Such mega-investments undoubtedly strengthen investor confidence and create a more attractive investment image of the country. Also the chairman of the Tourism Agency reported that there were applications from other hotel chains to build two more 7-star hotels on land belonging to private individuals.

It should be noted that shortly before the Sri Lankan government has opened a tender for construction of ten artificial islands around the Kalpitiya coast. At the moment it received 11 bids from investors from around the world. The results should be announced by the organizing committee appointed by the government as early as this weekend. It is assumed that the project will be able to attract investments of U.S. $ 500 million.

Also, in order to attract tourists to the island of Sri Lanka and increase interest around the world SLTDA planned to conduct in 2011 a large-scale promotional campaign, which was called 'Visit Sri Lanka'. Each month of the year will be devoted to a particular topic, which promotes a holiday on this paradise island. It is assumed that as a result of this campaign the group will achieve 31-percent increase in attendance, and the total number of visitors of the island will be more than 750.000 people per year.

Online Sri Lankan visas soon

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:35:00 +0000

Sri Lanka will shift its visa issuance operations to the internet in the new year “as early as possible.” This means that the visa-on-arrival facility will not be available from the time that the online visa process begins.

Asked about the date when the process will begin, one source in the presidential secretariat told The Hindu that the shift had been authorised by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday. “I am not aware of the modalities. But it will be from early next year. This will save a lot of visitors the trouble of going to a Sri Lankan mission in their countries, for their visas,” he added.

The Controller of Immigration and Emigration would work out the details. The President has instructed the Controller to work out an online visa regime that was simple and secure. Now, a foreign national can enter Sri Lanka if he/she holds a return air ticket and sufficient funds. Tourists from most countries are granted landing visa for 30 days at the port of entry in Sri Lanka. It is also possible to extend the visa for two months over and above the 30-day period, but this will only be done at the Immigration and Emigration head office.

It was on August 27 that Sri Lanka first announced suspension of visa-on-arrival facility extended to citizens of 79 countries, including India. The announcement was to take effect from September 30. The reasoning was to extend the visa-on-arrival facility only to those countries that reciprocate this facility. Travellers from Singapore and Maldives were exempt from this since both these countries reciprocate. Citizens of these countries are exempt from the new online process too.

However, the implementation of the scheme was delayed because of the apprehensions expressed by the tourism industry.

Tourists visiting Sri Lanka have increased manifold after the end of a three-decade war in May last year. The number of tourists went up 63.1 per cent to 72,251 in November 2010, compared with the same period the previous year.

More British tourists arrived in Sri Lanka this year

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:59:00 +0000

Sri Lanka has seen a significant increase in tourist arrivals in the country this year compared to last year according to the statistics published by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

Up to November this year 569,849 tourist arrivals have been recorded. This is an increase off 47% over 2009. Last Week the tourism officials welcomed the 600,000th tourist, a British national, to Sri Lanka during 2010.

The British High Commission in Colombo says the tourists arriving from Britain have increased following UK government's decision to lift the restrictions against travel to Sri Lanka. There are no travel restrictions to any part of Sri Lanka now.

From January to November 95,320 British tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2010, a 30.8% percent increase over the 72,868 visited in the same period last year. The British tourist arrivals this year accounted for 17% of the total visitors to the country. In 2009 too, 19% of total tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka were from the UK.

British tourists were the second highest number to visit Sri Lanka in 2010 next to India. A total of 111,129 tourists from India visited Sri Lanka in the year.

The High Commission expects the arrivals from the UK to pass 125,000 by the end of this year.

Commenting on the statistics Deputy High Commissioner, Mark Gooding has said that the historical connections between the UK and Sri Lanka mean lots of British nationals want to come to the island, a former British colony, each year.

Gooding has advised the travelers to the country to read the FCO travel advice before they arrive.

"Our Consular team in Colombo is readily available to advise and help British nationals who encounter problems during their stay, but obviously what we want most is to help them prevent unfortunate incidents so they can enjoy their Sri Lankan vacation happily and safely," Gooding has said.

According to the British High Commission in Colombo the Consular Section has put forward several measures to ensure a safe trip to the country.

The Consular Section has introduced an SMS alert system in April 2010 to inform its contact details to the British nationals arriving in Sri Lanka and publish an annual travel advice booklet that outlines simple, clear, and concise information, covering all bases.

They also focus on respect for religion and religious monuments and sites, awareness of local laws and customs and even common sense advice, such as making copies of one's passport and remaining aware of security risks, High Commission informed.

The High Commission says that its Consular team says also actively promotes the importance of cultural sensitivity among British tourists to Sri Lanka, in order to have a fun-filled and incident-free holiday and the British nationals visiting Sri Lanka for more than a month are asked to register themselves on the Consular database.

Sri Lanka to promote its ‘Wild Pride’ for tourists

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:48:00 +0000

After ending 30 years war, Sri Lanka Tourism targeting to be the ‘Miracle of Asia’ has announced a new campaign focusing on eight key products, with the country’s wildlife to be heavily promoted for the first time. Sri Lanka unveiled promoting ‘Visit Sri Lanka Year 2011’ in line with this eight different product themes and a new product logo for Sri Lanka tourism was launched at World Travel Market (WTM) in London started on Tuesday.

The first seven products promote Sri Lanka's heritage, beaches, sports and adventure, wellness, scenery, friendly people and festival tourism according to reports. Officials say the wildlife tourism has not been exploited enough up until now. The tourist board is planning to promote very specific nature tourism, with a focus on bird watching or butterflies, for example.

New York Times voted Sri Lanka as No-1 destination to travel in 2010.

Nearly 50 Sri Lankan companies, the highest number of participants so far, along with the national carrier SriLankan Airlines, would be showcasing their product at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London.

The whole travel world meets under one roof at the second biggest global travel event World Travel Market (WTM), the global travel and tourism event in London and what open out before the visitors could be described as ‘Around the World in Four Days’.

WTM attracts more than 30,000 visitors, 5,000 trade partners (exhibitors) from 200 countries. There are around 1000 travel agents including more than 200 tour operators who sell Sri Lanka as a tourism product are also taking part in this event.

The island nation is expecting to reach the 600,000 arrivals mark for this year, the highest ever in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry history and current arrival figures already recording 550,000.

Reports reveal that up to September this year the arrivals from the United Kingdom had reached an encouraging 78,038 and industry officials predict by the end of the year, the number would exceed the 100,000.

Next year, with ‘Visit Sri Lanka 2011’ country is targeting for 750,000 international arrivals, and by 2016, the country hopes to attract 2.5 million annual visitors, and a further 30,000 beds are yet to be added over the next three years within capital city Colombo and suburbs.

According Sri Lankan Airlines chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe country’s premier airline is hoping to secure a slot at Gatwick to increase its UK flights from 14 per week to 21. Sri Lankan is also in the process of upgrading the seats on its aircraft, introducing flatbeds in business class.

However ending war sentiments enabling the economy to boom earlier in June 2009 Sri Lanka launched a massive tag line for tourism titling ‘Small Miracle’ that cost millions for rebranding which later denied by the government which wanted to make the miracle bigger and at recent times the island is called to be the ‘Miracle of Asia’ by country’s politicians.

The continuous changing brand strategy of Sri Lanka’s tourism during the last year in turn brought up negative sentiments to the expected tourism boom according to tourism industry experts.

Sri Lanka’s wildlife is as diverse as the island itself, ranging from elephants and leopards to egg-laying turtles and a huge variety of birds. With 12%of the country chosen for wildlife with so many breathtaking 12 Nature parks such as Yala, Wilpattu and Migrant Bird Paradise Kumana and Bundala, country has diversity in Bio Genetic endemic creatures such as Elephas maximus zeylanicus (Sri lankan Elephant), Sri Lankan Leopard with a few Crocodiles, Water Monitors and 24 Indigenous species of Snakes with Cobras and many more high flying unique birds.

Country is building a tourism attracting zone with 14 islands in Kalpitiya which is famous for whale and dolphin watching along with Arugam Bay and nearly 20 new mega hotel development proposals have come out during last three months whilst many hotels in the country are undergoing a refurbishment drive.

- Asian Tribune -

Where is the best value exotic holiday?

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:18:00 +0000

Long-haul: Exotic destinations don't have to break the bank.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

READER OFFERS

Don't leave home without:
- Compare travel cover
- Free currency card
- 10-point checklist
Tables: Tourist rates

HOLIDAY MONEY

The best advice on: cheap currency, overseas credit card spending, and much more.
›› Travel money advice

Escaping a cold and wet England in pursuit of some winter sun can be an expensive option, especially if you want somewhere more exotic than Europe. But long-haul destinations needn't break the bank.The Post Office Travel Money's 2010 Long Haul Travel Report has seen Sri Lanka throw Thailand off the top spot for best value.
The former number one fell to sixth place in the Holiday Costs Barometer following price increases of 16%.
UK travellers should look to the top three destinations - Sri Lanka, Mexico and Kenya - for the best value for money.

According to the costs barometer, a basket of ten tourist items, including meals, alcohol and cigarettes, came to just £46.85 in Sri Lanka.
Australia was the most expensive destination surveyed, with a basket coming in at £155.48.

UK visitors to Sri Lanka are already on the rise, they were up 51% year on year this July. Tour operator Hayes & Jarvis have reported that prices for Sri Lanka have been low all this year, and look set to remain that way for the winter season. This, combined with low resort prices, should encourage more visitors over the next few months.

Mexico will become more accessible to UK visitors this autumn with the launch of a direct British Airways service to Cancun. The holiday costs report says that you can get a bottle of local beer for just £1 and a three-course evening meal for two with wine for just £31.26. The basket for Mexico comes to £48.57.

Kenya saw a significant drop in tourism two years ago following election riots, but has recovered well. The Kenyan Tourism Board says the number of UK visitors jumped 7% between January and July this year. It is also the only long-haul destination where sterling is worth more than a year ago. The basket in Kenya comes to £51.15.

Dubai is often considered an expensive place to visit, but this research put it ahead of both Egypt and Jamaica, coming in ninth out of the 22 countries researched. The basket in Dubai comes to £80.36, compared to around the £86 mark for both Egypt and Jamaica.

Brazil has surprisingly been marked out as a pricey place to holiday, with the average basket costing £119.76. Beating Brazil, the top three most expensive long-haul holiday spots are Canada, Hong Kong and Australia.

Sarah Munro, head of travel money at the Post Office, said: 'It is good news to see so many long-haul destinations with low resort costs. It means that UK tourists planning winter sun trips will be spoilt for choice.

'The information we have collected shows that Sri Lanka and Mexico offer excellent value for money and, despite having a troubled year, tourists should not write Thailand off either.

Slipping down: Thailand has fallen down the list but is still good value

'The Thai baht may have strengthened against sterling but tourist prices remain low and there are likely to be great deals to the country as hoteliers and airlines look to continue to attract international visitors.'

She adds that travellers need to protect themselves carefully, using an established, ATOL protected tour operator and taking out good, comprehensive travel insurance. Planning ahead with regards to currency will save you money as you can avoid high airport costs and get a good deal before leaving. Using acredit card that offers 0% commission on overseas purchases - the Post Office offers one - will also help save money on holiday. [Read the best cards and cash for holidays round-up]
This is Money says:
It seems that if you do fancy fleeing the gloom of the UK for sunshine far afield, even in these economically uncertain times, travelling to far-flung destinations can still be within reach.
There are still deals to be had, and a bit of research and planning can mean that a trip to exotic climes can prove a bargain. Many of the destinations detailed above represent very good value for holidaymakers and if you plan a two-week trip to make the most of expensive flights, heading out of Europe can really pay off.

Sri Lanka Tourism – Beyond number crunching

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 07:19:00 +0000

While numbers are vital to the tourism industry, they cannot override the importance of ensuring that Sri Lanka remains a sustainable and resilient tourist destination in Asia….
Picture shows a “Home stay” facility in Mai Chau Village in North Western Vietnam.

The recently publicized Vision 2016 targets 50,000 hotel rooms to accommodate 2.5 million tourists in the country by 2016 with expected revenue of $1 billion. Behind these figures remain a number of questions that require urgent answers. Had these figure emerged from the 10 year Master Plan for Tourism currently being developed, a rationalization would have been provided justifying these numbers and explaining how the numbers would be generated. Instead, as a result of the figures being publicized it would now seem that the Master Plan has to be designed to justify these numbers. Sri Lanka currently has 15,000 hotel rooms available for guests.

To add 35,000 hotel rooms by the end of 2015, or in less than five years is no mean feat. Suitable locations, massive capital investments, multitude of approvals from numerous agencies, environmental impact assessments, the required infra-structure at these places including roads, water, electricity, garbage management etc. etc., remains to be successfully addressed. Furthermore the resultant environmental degradation resulting from such fast-paced growth cannot be ignored in the name of economic development especially in an age when global tourism is adopting a cohesive green approach.

The target of 2.5 million tourists in one year is not over-ambitious for Sri Lanka, once infrastructure is in place to sustain these visitor numbers without adversely affecting the country’s environment or creating too great a burden on its natural resources. Destinations comparatively smaller than Sri Lanka have managed to get even bigger tourist numbers, but development was sustained and staggered over a longer period that allowed enough time and space to address issues that surfaced. Singapore though 91 times smaller than Sri Lanka entertained 9.7 million tourists in 2009 and Bali being 11.5 times smaller had 2.2 million visitors. Land mass therefore is only one aspect of what kind of visitor numbers a country can sustain and every destination has an unique set of characteristics, and different environmental concerns.

Community Tourism
Tourism as a national industry should produce benefits to its society both directly and indirectly. Tourism models in certain destinations, for instance in Indochina that began promoting tourism much later than Sri Lanka, successfully derive benefits to local communities directly through the highly popular ‘Home-stay’ concept. This should not be confused with letting out a vacant room or two of a Colombo residence or elsewhere with attached baths and luxuries. These are family run facilities that provide clean common accommodation such as sleeping on wooden decks with basic amenities and meals at attractive prices to visitors who enjoy the change whilst experiencing community life style in its true form.

For the visitor it is a great value for the price paid and for the villager who provides the service, it is good income! The ‘Home-stay’ concept could be a viable alternative and a strong contributor towards achieving the targeted numbers to meet the goals stipulated by the government by 2016 with far less efforts, while allowing the benefit of growing tourist numbers to directly contribute to the income of local communities. Since foreign visitors seek out ‘home-stay’ options in order to sample authentic rural life in a country, this type of tourism experience will also help to safeguard the village way of life, since maintaining the status quo has a direct bearing on bringing in foreign visitors.

Voluntourism or Volunteer Tourism is travel which includes volunteering for a charitable cause. This can be a worthy facet of community tourism. Whilst some volunteers may spend all their holidays doing community service others may spend part of it for such purposes and use the balance time for regular holidaying. South East Asia, especially countries of the Indochina region receives a considerable number of tourists in this segment and numbers continue to grow annually. Poor, deserving communities gain many benefits from such volunteer groups. For some groups, it has become an annual practice to visit a country and make their contributions in this manner.

Sri Lanka, the Green Destination– In the promotion of Green Tourism, Sustainable tourism, Guilt free travel etc. singularly or collectively what they mean, Sri Lanka made some trend setting initiatives ahead of many other destinations in this sphere. Such efforts should not be one-off and short lived and fade away when the person or persons who initiated these concepts retire from the organization, but continue with new leaders to produce desired effects. More impetus towards carbon neutrality, nation-wide awareness on Climate change, cleaner and greener surroundings will remain a talking point of visitors whose word of mouth advertising can go a long way in travel decisions to a destination and Sri Lanka should not withdraw from the good practices it started.

Emphasis by way of more awards and rewards to the industry for greener practices and inclusions in hotel classifications by way of additional points could encourage the industry in this regard.

By Kumar Senaratne
(Kumar is a former President of Ceylon Hotel School Graduate’s Association and Kandy Hotelier’s Association and has led many CSR initiatives in Community Tourism, Climate Change and Youth Employment that won international awards. He could be reached at kumarsenaratne@gmail.com).

Sri Lanka tops charts for UK tourists – Times of London

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:59:00 +0000

Sri Lanka is becoming one of the most popular long-haul destinations from the UK, according to The Times of London newspaper.

In an article published on 25 August 2010 titled ‘Sri Lanka tops the charts for UK tourists on a bargain hunt’ the influential paper says that visits from the UK increased by 51 per cent last month compared with 2009, encouraged by big discounting by airlines and hoteliers striving to win back business.

The story explains that the British travel boom to Sri Lankan is due to “the relative calm restored after decades of bombings and bloody battles with the Tamil Tigers and devastation caused by the tsunami in 2004.”

The Times says that one British-based specialist long-haul tour operator, Hayes and Jarvis, reports that bookings for winter and next summer are also up.

The paper adds that some of the best deals for British holidaymakers can be found at the five-star Heritance Ahungalla – designed by the celebrated Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa – one of the best beach hotels in the country.

The total number of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka went up 50 percent to 63,339 in July 2010, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, according to figures released by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. In July 2009 only 42,223 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka.

The tourism office figures showed an increase in the number of arrivals from Western Europe, South Asia, East Asia, Middle East and North America in July 2010.

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka increased by 48.4% during the first half of 2010 (January-June), with a total of 278,652 arrivals to the country in comparison to 187,729 arrivals during the same period last year (2009).

Sri Lanka was recently ranked as the number one tourist destination by the 'New York Times' in its list of "31 Places to go in 2010".

Just days after this ranking, a leading lifestyle web resource, Daily Candy, weighed in with a similarly enthusiastic travel recommendation, praising Sri Lanka as “the best place ever been”.
The United Kingdom recently stated that it is no longer advising its citizens against travel to Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaittivu and Vavuniya.

Commenting on changes to the UK Government’s official advice on travel to Sri Lanka, Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) stated, ‘regarding to Jaffna Peninsula: there is free movement everywhere outside High Security Zones with a reduction in checkpoints around the Peninsula’.

USA and Germany too recently relaxed travel advisories. The German Embassy said that a long standing travel advisory had been eased enabling German tourists to visit earlier restricted locations such as Yala National Park and Arugam Bay.

Courtesy:priu.gov.lk

Explore Sri Lanka - A Top Holiday Destination For any Budget

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:58:00 +0000

Sri Lanka has a whole host of options for the traveller, from lying on a picture postcard beach to scaling great rocks and seeking out ancient cities. There are impressive landscapes to take in, friendly Buddhist monks to talk to, and free-roaming monkeys to keep an eye on. In keeping with its range of sights and activities, it offers holidays for an array of budgets: five star hotels and spas for those looking for luxury, and cheap guest houses style accommodation among the locals for those wanting to experience an authentically Sri Lankan reality.

Explore the City of Colombo

Colombo is a functioning city, often moving at a frenetic pace, with fascinating sectors to discover. The district of Fort is the historic centre and boasts a number of old colonial buildings, which look classical and attractive next to more modern structures. To the east of Fort is the bazaar district - a bustling sector full of market stalls and small shops selling a wide variety of goods which can provide the traveller with a genuinely Sri Lankan experience.

Typically, tourists only stay in Colombo for a couple of days before moving further along the coast, or travelling inland to visit the ancient cities, but if tours of ancient cultures or finding the ideal beach aren't foremost on the agenda, Colombo has a great deal to offer in the way of really seeing a different side to Sri Lanka, and is worth exploring, either on foot or by tuk tuk.

Ads by Google

Sightseeing Tours Prague Experience Prague! We have great offers. Buy your Tickets Online Now www.classicworld.at/prague-tours

Shanghai Holiday Vibrant City Holiday Destination: Shopping & Nightlife, from US$122 www.TopChinaTravel.com/Shanghai

Visit the Cultural Triangle

Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle is the name given to a selection of cultural and archeological sites which are markers of an ancient and rich civilisation. These are located at the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Kandy, the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa, the Cave Temples of Dambulla, and the famous 200 m outcrop of rock at Sigiriya - the Lion Rock.

See the Esala Perahera in Kandy

If you find yourself in Sri Lanka at the end of July and the beginning of August, you may be in time for theperahera - a grand parade with elaborate costumes and a long procession of elephants, held in the town of Kandy. The festival is Buddhist in origin and is thought to have begun in the 4th century A.D., when what is called the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was taken to Sri Lanka from India by Princess Hemamala.

Sri Lankan legend tells that when the Buddha was cremated, his left canine tooth was taken from the pyre and passed on to the king, to become a royal possession. The belief took hold that whoever held the Sacred Tooth Relic had the divine right to reign over that land. The legend has it that Sri Lanka was chosen as its home due to the Lord Buddha's declaration that his religion would be safe in this country for two and a half thousand years.

Read on

Luxury Hotel Destinations in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka boasts a number of upmarket and unique hotels for the discerning globetrotter. Current trends show an increase in boutique hotels catering to wealthy tourists.

The perahera lasts for days and is counted as one of the world's more spectacular street festivals. Those wanting to see the perahera should claim their roadside spots early in the day and be prepared to sit there until the parade begins in the evening.

Traditional Kandy, Town of Temples

Kandy, where the monkeys are swinging from the trees, offers an utterly alternative experience to that of Colombo. A quieter, less industrial town, it is home to an abundance of temples and is more likely to capture the heart and eye of the traveller.

Sri Lanka's Beaches

It is generally agreed that the north east coast has the whitest sand to offer, but there are beautiful beaches to be found all around the island, and the south, in particular, has some picturesque stretches of coast to be stumbled upon.

Certain beaches are affiliated, or belong to, resorts or hotels, but it is also still possible to find a small, uninhabited beach simply by traveling along the coast and talking to the locals. Visitors can easily find themselves offered accommodation with a family who live next to the sea through something like a chance encounter at Colombo railway station. Although most of the locals are friendly, it is wise to exercise caution and a policy the more trustworthy with a room to let have is to carry books, filled with photographs and the handwritten testimonies of previous visitors.

One island-wide factor tourists must be aware of before booking any tickets is that Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons and the tourist season is considered to be the period between these rainy onslaughts. This is November to April - the driest season - in the hills and on the south west coast. For those aiming to visit the east coast, May to September is considered the best time as this is when it's dry. Which part of the island you visit will, eventually, probably depend on when you want to go but for those who are eager to explore Sri Lanka, there is the assurance that there will be an ideal part of the country for any time of year.

Middle East Tourists Flock To Sri Lanka As H1 2010 Tourist Arrivals Surge 102%

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:33:00 +0000

Ms Heba Al Mansoori, Middle East Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau

12 July 2010
"Sri Lanka emerging as a destination of choice for discerning Arab travellers" - Ms Al MansooriSri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's (SLTPB) Middle East office reported an enormous surge of Arab travellers as Middle East Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose by an unprecedented 102 per cent in the first six months of 2010 compared to the same period last year, according to statistics compiled by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

"Regardless of apprehensions of an unsteady global economy, Middle East's discerning travellers are spending time and money on travel and Sri Lanka has been one of the preferred destinations of choice with a meteoric rise in tourists during H1 2010," observed Ms Heba Al Mansoori, Middle East Director of SLTPB.

"We have just closed in on the results of the first six months of 2010 and we're up 102% as compared to H1 2009," Ms Al Mansoori said. "While 2009 was when the recovery process started, with the end of three decades of war, the rebound has been robust and rapid and the recovery is being driven and led by the Middle East with strong growth from key markets including the UAE up by 209%, Saudi Arabia up by 96% and Kuwait up by 50%."

Sri Lanka's tourism industry is resilient and the government is sparing no efforts to revitalize the tourism industry as they recognize that tourism has a key role to play in the country's economic recovery and stability.

"Our outlook remains positive for the rest of the year as we have successfully built a relationship of trust with both regional consumers and the travel trade and will continue to reap benefits with the gradually improving economic situation," Ms Al Mansoori stated.

Apart from the Middle East, regions that proved to be a major source market for Sri Lanka and recorded growth in H1 2010 included North America (up by 70%), Western Europe (up by 45%), Eastern Europe (up by 22%), Africa (up by 18%), East Asia (up by 44%), South Asia (up by 53%) and Australasia (up by 44%).

While commenting on SLTPB's Middle East marketing drive, Ms. Al Mansoori said, "We have had to adapt to the changing needs of the consumers and capitalize on trends such as late booking, increasing use of the internet to look and book by increasing Sri Lanka's presence in the web domain regionally."

Ms. Al Mansoori noted that in the Middle East in particular, travelling closer and for shorter periods of time and demanding value for money, seem to have been accentuated during the post crisis period. "The regional outbound market is evolving and inescapably requires changes as we need to know and understand consumers better to be able to market to them," she said.

SLTPB opened its office in Dubai in May 2008 to maximize the opportunities emerging throughout the Middle East while strengthening support for the travel trade in the region. Since then the Dubai office has co-ordinated all of Sri Lanka's tourism promotional activities in the Arab markets including exhibition participation, marketing visits, presentations and road shows, brochure distribution, public relations, as well as familiarization visits to the island for influential business and travel journalists. The office also functions as the preliminary contact point and enquiry processing centre for travel trade companies and tourists in the region.

Sri Lanka is now on the threshold of developing to its full potential as a prime tourism destination with diverse offerings for members of the whole family whether it is beaches, shopping, visits to wildlife reserves, relaxing at a spa, or simply enjoying the cuisine.

Sri Lanka: The teardrop paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:44:00 +0000

I am woken in the middle of the night by the silence. A world away from the all-night bustle that is the bus stop outside our London flat, I have been disturbed by the absence of noise. When I step on to the veranda, the night sky is crowded with stars, the Moon is a sliver and the hills that surround our cottage are lost in darkness.

They are back in the morning, edges blurred by early mist but stretching out as far as the eye can see. Karan, our houseman, says you can see the sea on a clear day but not today. Wildflower Cottage sits in the middle of hundreds of acres of tea, a tiny remnant of Rule Britannia, surrounded by terraces of sturdy green bushes on the slopes of Sri Lanka’s hill country.

The tragedies that have afflicted this teardrop-shaped island off India’s southeast coast are well documented. Three decades of civil war have left deep scars on Sri Lanka and her people while the 2004 tsunami brought fresh wounds. It is little wonder that tourists have stayed away.

But following the end of the war a year ago, visitors are returning to Sri Lanka, perhaps unable to resist her wonderful array of beaches, jungle and culture. The figures tell the story: Visitor numbers were up 60 per cent (year on year) last February — and even The New York Times has picked Sri Lanka as its No 1 holiday destination for 2010.

Into the suburbs
Many will come for the beaches and surf culture of the west coast, flitting between the laid-back Hikkaduwa, charms of Bentota and newly spruced up Unawatuna and Mirissa down south. But after an overnight stop by the Indian Ocean, we ignored the draw of the sea and headed inland.

Early indications were not auspicious. Our trip had begun in Colombo, the least prepossessing in a long line of cities that have been Sri Lanka’s capital. From the airport, the hour’s drive south took us through indistinguishable suburbs, with an accompanying tinnitus of bus horns (low, persistent and bone-shaking) and revving trishaws (high, persistent and eardrum-shattering).

But on the ocean’s edge, the Galle Face Hotel, still proffering a splendidly stiff upper lip, welcomed us in.

That evening we watched kite-fliers on Galle Face Green before repairing to the hotel’s famous chequerboard terrace for a Hollywood sunset.

The following day, it took five hours to reach Haputale (5,000 feet above sea level), on the southern edge of the hill country. But it felt much longer.

Our minibus driver had taken the hairpins without feeling the need for brakes or, indeed, any element of the Highway Code.

Here, the rules have been simplified: Horn-blowing and overtaking on a blind corner are mandatory, trishaws and cyclists can be run off the road without a backward glance and red (state-run) buses stop for nothing, even if — in fact, especially if — they are careering towards you on the wrong side of the road.

We arrived at the narrow, stony track to Wildflower Cottage, feeling as though we had survived a prolonged ride on an Alton Towers rollercoaster — which served to make the magical scene unfolding before us even more wonderful.

Waiting on the steps, Karan, in white dhoti and jacket, smiled broadly and offered us cold towels to wipe the fear off our faces before we were led down a stone path, bordered by irises, snapdragons and impatiens, to Wildflower Cottage. It sits on the edge of the escarpment, 5,000 feet up, looking out at an unimpeded view of valleys, lakes and jungle.

The building is one of three green-roofed, time-capsule bungalows on the estate (the others are Rose Cottage and Aerie Cottage) but each lies in splendid isolation in its own grounds and is looked after by its houseman.

Old-school attraction
Inside, the living room has chintz, a fireplace and Reader’s Digests from 1963. The only thing missing was a flagpole. Outside is The View. From our two terraces, we sit and watch the plantation come to life each morning as the women tea-pickers appear on the terraces below.

It is a silent occupation, with hardly a word exchanged between the workers, so, often, our breakfast is accompanied only by the sound of thumbs and fingers plucking the perfect bud and two leaves from the bushes.

There are no telephones, no televisions, no internet and no mobile-phone trills.

If we need anything, we have a handbell to ring. Karan told us solemnly that each cottage was equipped with a different-sounding bell to avoid confusion.

We rang ours only once, hugely embarrassed to be making a fuss, and discovered that it clanged like a school bell.

We are fed by Stanley, the cook from Kandy (another former capital of Sri Lanka). He appears each morning, in kitchen whites and a chef’s hat, to ask what we would like for dinner. And each evening to ask what we would have for breakfast.

There is much negotiation and head-waggling on Stanley’s part but we usually plump for the national dish of rice and curry.

This entails a spread of six or seven dishes, including sambol (grated coconut with red chillis and onions), chicken curry, brinjal fry (deep-fried aubergine, simmered in coconut milk with chillis and spices), snake gourd curry, sliced okra with mustard seeds, pumpkin curry (all vegetables fresh from the garden) and sublime dhal (red lentils flavoured with garlic, coconut, chilli and ghee). All this — plus nursery-style crème caramel or pineapple cake — cost us about a fiver a head.

Our days are spent lolling on the veranda and talking but we managed to extricate ourselves from the depths of the sofa to visit the Dambatenne Tea Factory, built by Sir Thomas Lipton (he of the yellow labels) in 1890.

When we arrived for a guided tour, full production had yet to begin for the day but it meant that better-informed tourists had stayed away and we had the place to ourselves.

We saw the fresh tea leaves emptied out of the pickers’ sacks to be air-dried in “withering trays” and inhaled the green, peppery scent as they were piled into vast troughs.

Unchanged tradition
The smells changed and darkened as the process — which has remained unchanged for more than 100 years — wound down through the lower floors.

Here the leaves are twisted, chopped and chopped again, sifted, dried in wood-fired ovens, graded and shovelled into paper sacks for despatch.

After the visit, we felt honour-bound to find Lipton’s Seat, a famous viewpoint frequented by Mr Tealeaf himself, and walked the last mile or so when the route defeated even the intrepid trishaw driver.

On another day, we travelled to the pretty little village of Ella to see Rawana Ella waterfall, an 82-feet torrent. Low rainfall meant it was not in full spate but it gave us the chance to clamber over rocks and dip our feet in its icy waters without being washed away.

We were pursued by touts offering us pieces of coloured glass and other tat but escaped to join a family of four Sri Lankans in the natural pool.

They were, they told us, on holiday too and swam fully clothed while we hovered at the edge. Later, they unpacked suitcases and did their washing in the clear water, with a bar of Sunlight soap.

That night, it was cool enough for a fire. Karan brought wood and a coconut shell of kerosene.
It felt surreal after the heat of the day — a constant 30 degrees.

On the last morning, we had to paint our own nameboard — a Wildflower Cottage tradition — and nail it up on the big signpost alongside those produced by other blissed-out customers.

But we were too busy standing and staring.

Still no sea on the horizon but I have no doubt we will see it next time. We can wait.

An Enthralling And Exploring Tour To Sri Lanka

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:42:00 +0000

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country situated in South Asia. Owing to neighbor country of India it has similarity of culture, language and religion with it. Sri Lanka is renowned for its production of tea, coconut, rubber and coffee. These productions contribute much in its economy. Real beauty of nature in the form of forests, sea life, wild life and beaches can be experienced by cheap Flights to Sri Lanka. Moreover, Sri Lanka has strong cultural, religious and architectural importance. Historical places like Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mihintale, Dambulla, are much significant from touristic point of view. Ancient civilization and culture of Sri Lanka can be directly observed by visiting these historical places by making a reservation in Sri Lanka flights.

Festivals in Sri Lanka
Like many countries Sri Lankan also celebrate many festivals. Most prominent of these festivals are Esala Perahera, Patti Pongal, Deepavali, and Thai Pongal. Esala Perahera is remarkable festival celebrated in Sri Lanka. Buddhist celebrates this festival with great zeal and zest. They organize dances and adorn elephants.Fire, kandian, whip and several cultural dances are extraordinary.

Safari in Sri Lanka:
Practicing wild life safaris in prominent and famous national parks of Sri Lanka by Sri Lanka flights is a great fun. These wild lives include elephant, leopard, bear, monkey, golden jackal etc. By camping in these parks you can closely and personally observe the wild life. Besides wild life, sea life also leaves a spell on its visitors. Sea creations like Whales and Dolphins can be seen at Dondra point by Flights to Sri Lanka.

Sports:
Though national sport is volleyball, but the most fastidious and popular sport is cricket in Sri Lanka. You can also enjoy many exciting aquatic sports such as swimming, scuba driving boating and surfing on beaches by cheap flights to Sri Lanka. Football, tennis and athletics are also mostly watchable sports here. Aquatic sports attracts every year a huge throng of visitors not only from Sri Lanka but also from other countries.

Beaches and valleys:
Explore and enjoy the sight of worlds remarkable beaches by flights Sri Lanka. Green water, cold breezes, palm trees and elegant atmosphere will leave an everlasting impact on you. Sri Lanka is also marked with eye catching valleys which are deep, green, soothing and widely visited. Flights to Sri Lanka will lead you to these fastidious beaches and valleys.http://www.srilankaflights.org.uk/

In Sri Lanka we got everything in on place - Salman Khan

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:19:00 +0000

Bolywood actor Salman Khan says that he changed the location of his next film ‘Ready’ from Mauritius to Sri Lanka due to the island’s unique combination of breathtaking beauty, infrastructure and warm, hospitable people.

He disclosed this at a media briefing held in Colombo yesterday with the objective of creating awareness for Salman Khan’s latest movie, ‘Ready’.

“This place, as far as film making is concerned, is ideal. We go to Switzerland, Maldives, Seychelles, hill stations, interior villages, etc.”

“We go to different locations which are places where there is grandeur, beauty and forests. So we go to these places because we don’t get everything in one country.)

“Just imagine if we got everything in one place?| which is about two hours away from India. Everybody would want to come here,” said Salman Khan.

Meanwhile, south Indian actress turned Bollywood actress Asin expressed her views on Sri Lanka.

“Sri Lanka reminds me a lot of home and I’m from the state of Kerala. Whenever I land here I do not feel like I’m in a foreign country. And I think all of you have been very warm and welcoming,” said Asin.

Chaaya Blu - Trincomalee Sri Lanka

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sun, 16 May 2010 09:07:00 +0000

Chaaya Blu, a John Keells Hotel that opened in Trincomalee earlier this month, has pioneered star class tourism on Sri Lanka s awakening East Coast with an 80-room luxury resort entailing a Rs. 450 million investment.

The previous Club Oceanic s 56 rooms have been expanded into 80 and given a new look and theme with an extensive refurbishment, with the property offering guests four-star comfort and breathtaking views on a prime location with whale and dolphin watching added to other seaside holiday attractions.

`We re sold out for the Vesak weekend, a company spokesperson said. ``The May deadline for re-opening the hotel has been met.

Asked whether the hotel is also being patronized by foreign tourists, the spokesperson said `Our sales people tell us that about 40% of the guests are tourists. It will quietly build up.

Chaaya Blu Trincomalee joins a group five other four-star resorts in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the owners said.

This hotel is the first sizeable investment seen on the East Coast following the dawn of peace and will meet the demand for quality accommodation with the increasing inflow of tourists into that area.

The John Keells Group owns 40 acres of beachfront land at Nilaveli with development of this property part of its future plans. While the construction of new hotels in the East is very much in the pipeline, actual building has not yet started.

`We take pride in launching a resort of the calibre of Chaaya Blu, a first of its kind on the East Coast, within a mere year of gaining peace in Sri Lanka. It was a much rewarding challenge, given that we can now offer our guests the opportunity to discover and savour all that is truly unique to the East Coast while staying amidst star class comforts,` Jayantissa Kehelpannala, Executive Vice-President of Keells Hotels said.

The project, one of the first investment decisions taken by John Keells upon the dawn of peace in May last year, and acted upon almost soon after, as the industry itself had previously been restrained in investing in East Coast tourism.

`With Chaaya Blu Trincomalee we continue to be tourism trendsetters,` says Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings Ajit Gunewardene. `It is not merely with pride but also with a sense of responsibility that we believe the success of this launch will create confidence towards attracting more tourism development on the East Coast.`

With over three decades experience in the tourism industry, JKH, an undisputed industry leader in the hospitality industry, has added fillip to a part of the country which has for long not had much development given the constraints it faced.

`And with the dawn of peace and the realization that there was a dearth of a resort conforming to international standards in Trincomalee, we made a decision to quickly cement our presence on the east coast,` Gunawardene said.

He pointed that a 1970s property has been completely modernized with unique contemporary architecture, features and facilities, adding a new dynamic to Sri Lankan resorts as a whole.

`We ve got a stylish retro-chic product at Chaaya Blu that will set trends in modern resort interiors being outside the typical Sri Lankan resort design,` he said.

The owners brought in the skills of master architect Channa Daswatte to imbue the unique blues of the Trincomalee sea and the whites of the sand into the double arched design of the property.

The hotel has 80 rooms including 20 chalets and two suites complementing the Trincomalee landscape. The combination of a series of bleached wooden decks encircles the periphery of the property and a timber boardwalk protrudes across the reception area onto the beach and into the sea.

The beach chalets sell for Rs. 20,000 nett with full board per night and the superior rooms on full board double at Rs. 16,000.

Mosaic walls with strategically placed disco balls in the foyer and denim upholstered mid-century Scandinavian limed furniture accessorized by white dipped terra cotta tiles and clay lamps gives a touch of the Caribbean to the property.

``However much of the promise of the resort seems to involve showcasing the wondrous offerings of Trincomalee itself which have remained long inaccessible for most, Sri Lankans included, the owners noted.

``Another raison d etre that makes Chaaya Blu special is the abundant sightings of blue whales which now complete a triad of whale sighting locations in Sri Lanka, collectively spanning eight months of the year.

Kehelpannala explains `This seaside retreat, with its superior rooms, beach chalets, restaurants and bars is an open invite to enjoy the Blu to its fullest. The hotel has a dedicated excursion centre as well as a PADI certified diving centre to enable our guests to make the most of some of the best dive spots in Asia, go snorkeling around Pigeon Island, join a whale and dolphin watching expedition or embark on exciting and insightful tours in to the yet unexplored locality.`

A Cultural Rediscovery-II

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:58:00 +0000

If a cook merely boiled some white or red rice and offered it you, you would eat it if you were very, very hungry, right? But it would be basically flat and tasteless. On the other hand, if the cook added some turmeric to it, some peppercorns, cardamoms, cloves, a stick of cinnamon, some pieces of rampe [Pandanus latifolia], a few leaves of karapincha [Murraya Koenigii], and some salt; then tempered it with some sliced big onions in sizzling coconut oil and added it to the rice (your salivary glands are already working overtime), the aromas from that dish of rice and the taste would be out-of-this-world, right? You’d also eat it with gusto. If I were to stray into the realm of our curries this would become more of a culinary article. Our culture or the composite Sri Lankan culture is something like this analogy about the spiced rice.

There’s no gainsaying the fact that in the urban centres the inhabitants enjoy the astonishing variety of our cuisine represented by the Sonahar [Moor] godhamba-rotti with mutton curry made of lots of coriander and coconut milk; or the Tamil masala thosai with shambar and ulundhu-vaddai; or lampries baked in a banana-leaf; or rice with pol-sambola and kiri-hodhi (aanang). Each, in its inimitable way, is a treat to be savoured. On the other hand, if it was merely rice with pol-sambola and kiri-hodhi, everyday and everywhere, that would be very, very boring. This is just one aspect of our mutually-shared and enjoyed culture. Our attractiveness lies, hopefully, in our profoundly enduring diversity

When it comes to sweetmeats we have the unique bibikkan [or bolo de coco] or coconut cake made from coconut jaggery, rice flour, and a bouquet of spices; then the Flemish dough cake or Breudher [Broeder] beloved of the Burghers; Kalu dhodhol with embedded cashew nuts vies for place with bright crimson or amber yellow maskat; and then, from Jaffna, Kolukaddai and Seeni Ariyatharam. The sheer variety of home-made food and beverage is exhausting. Who hasn’t enjoyed Chicken Buriyani or Ghee Rice; Malay beef curry or Nasi Goreng?

There are an entire gamut of religious and secular cultural festivals and festive occasions celebrated in and outside homes with friends and family such as ‘Magula’ or the wedding, the Devana Gamana—Maha Magula three day’s later, Aluth Avuruddha or New Year, Vadiviya Pamineema or Coming-of-age, Kath Bandi Magula, Aluth Sahal Mangalaya, Kiri Ammalage Dana, Maha Shivarathri, Navarathri, Thai Pongal, Id-ul-Fitr or Ramazan, Id-ul-Azha or Hajj, Ka-Muruthal, Nikkah, and so on. Each is different in the various regions of the country. The Sonahar and the Malays, though both following Islam, have different ceremonies and ways in which these are celebrated or commemorated. The Christian community largely celebrates Christmas and Easter and the Catholics of Negombo have their Passion play on Duwa Island.

All segments of the population have different types of music and dance: The Sinhalese have three classical dance forms—the Kandyan, Sabaragamuva and the Ruhunu; the Tamils have the classical Bharata Natyam, the Burghers their Kaffiringha Baila with its toe-tapping rhythms and humourous lyrics. The miniscule Kaffir community has its Manga (pron. ‘manja’) with tambourines, coconut shells, bottles and spoons.

All of this is enjoyed by everyone unless there are some few brooding Cassandra-like bigots decrying the polyglot nature of Sri Lankan culture.

In the realm of language, Sri Lankans have adopted hundreds, if not, thousands of words, from all over the world. Here’s a representative sample of loan-words: Raban, sarong, sampan (Malay); Kapiri, marakkal, arrack (Arabic); kokis, piscaal, kakkussiya, kantoruva (Dutch); pipigna, baila, sumbaraya, sappathu, pigana, mesaya, sabang, saala, saya, tombuva, beeralu-renda, nauv (Portuguese), Amma, appa, aiya, akka, kannadi, kottai, mudaliyar, aiyo, manna, kasi, aanang, thakkali, katamaran, adi, gova (Tamil), Aappa, idiappa (Malayalam; Kankung, rickshaw, ayah (Chinese); Deshaya, grama sevaka, sangeeth, devi (Hindi); Kochiya, enigma, club, bus, tyre, cricket, bistek, rosa, nombara (English), Praja-tantra, shalya-karma, chaya-rupa, surya-balaya, trasta-vadaya, harda-spandana, parigana-kaya, vag-vidya, and rupa-vahini (Sanskrit). This list could go on and on and what it means is that these words have been seamlessly integrated into the everyday language, enriching it immeasurably. Many plants, herbs and fruit trees were introduced and bear their original names sometimes slightly modified to suit our speech patterns—rambutan, mangus, durian, biling, kambaranga, beetroot, rabu, karrot, manyokka, gova, thakkali, pappol, minchi, saldiri, saladha and so on.

What all this and more demonstrates is that we Sri Lankans have more things in common with each other and the countries around us that we should have no difficulty whatsoever in thinking of ourselves as Sri Lankans FIRST and whatever else afterwards. If we look back objectively we’ll find that our troubles began with ‘communal’ representation and the subsequent jockeying for the power to command and control. That’s where this ‘majoritarian’ business came in. The European theory of ‘Aryan superiority’ propounded by Arthur Joseph Comte de Gobineau and later by his disciple, Houston Stewart Chamberlain, gained ardent converts here who believed that because the Sinhalese spoke an Indo-Aryan language that they were racially ‘Aryans.’ But the whole ‘Indo-Aryan’ theory was about language and not about race—but the damage had been done and its bloodiest manifestation was the race terror during the Nazi Era.

The politicians of almost a hundred years ago (not quite) bought this specious theory and used it to further their agendas in both the North and the South. The insecure Northerners became the ‘victims’ and the Southerners raised the bogey of their domination through the bureaucracy. The tom-tom beating began in earnest with ‘race,’ ‘language,’ and ‘religion’ as the rallying cries and both sides were equally guilty of fanning the flames of hatred, distrust, and separatism. We must collectively kill this and bury it, especially so when the Mahinda Rajapakse Government is talking to the political leaders of the Tamil National Alliance in the hopes of reaching a modus operandi or ‘way of working together’ towards a full and final reconciliation even though the wounds may take a couple of generations to heal thoroughly. Let us all pray that this will happen.

Biologically, the inhabitants of this Island have more genes in common with each other and nothing to prove that any segment of the population is either superior or inferior to another. Therefore, if there are so many factors that conduce towards an overarching unity why should we keep on quibbling about ‘ethnic’ rights instead of arguing about fundamental human rights for all? Why do we want to perpetuate ethno-religious representation that divides rather than unites? These arguments are irrational and illogical. We must wake-up to ground realities after over three decades of bloody, murderous war in which over an estimated 100,000 died. Those deaths and the many thousands still living in our midst without limbs, eyesight and other grave disabilities should tell us in unequivocal terms that there can be no more bloodletting. If ‘ethnicity’ or ‘language’ or ‘religion’ were at the bottom of it we should take a long, hard look at ourselves and ask the question: "Was it worth it?" This question should be asked in Point Pedro and in Devinuvara, in Batticaloa as well as Colombo. This is the only piece of Planet Earth that we could all call "Home" and we must learn to live within that home peacefully without trampling each other’s ‘tails.’ One could well ask the question: "Why the hell can’t we or are we all a bunch of air-headed morons?" Seriously, the Tamil Union, the Sinhalese Sports Club, the BRC and the Malay Cricket Club should all be able to play friendly 50-over matches or even Test Matches in the real spirit of the game and we don’t need some woolly-headed ideologue telling us that it is an imperialist imposition. We must learn to play the game all over again in the spirit of brotherhood and camaraderie and repair the tears in the tapestry of Sri Lanka—otherwise, we’ll have to paraphrase the words of a melancholic song and sing: "Don’t Cry for Me—Sri Lanka."

By J. B. Muller

Tagore's influence on Lankan culture and aesthetics

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:51:00 +0000

Rabindranath Tagore wrote the national anthems of two countries, India and Bangladesh. But he deeply influenced the words and music of a third, the Lankan national anthem, 'Sri Lanka Matha'.
The anthem was written and composed by Ananda Samarakoon, most probably in 1939-40, while he was Tagore’s disciple at Visva-Bharathi University. Samarakoon’s first Shantiniketan stint ended after six months but it was inspiring enough for him to return and begin the first traditions of a unique Sinhalese music.

"There’s a close relation between the Indian and the Sri Lankan national anthems. It is original but styled on Rabindrasangeet (the poet’s body of songs); it could be called a sister song," KMA Bandara of the Tagore Society of Sri Lanka, formed in the late 1940s, said.

Tagore’s last of three visits to Sri Lanka was in 1934 when he came with his troupe and staged the dance drama `Sapmochon’ in Colombo’. In the audience was SWRD Bandaranaike – later to be prime minister – who wrote a critique of the performance for the Ceylon Daily News.

Tagore’s play was "indeed memorable" Bandaranaike wrote, adding "If any movement is started to send some pupils to study music and dancing at Shantiniketan, I for one will be ready to contribute my mite."

During the visit, besides giving lectures, Tagore laid the foundation stone of the Sripalee College in a place called Horana. "It was modeled on the university in Shantiniketan and focused on the fine arts. It has now changed into a normal college. But the University of Aesthetic Studies was inspired out of it," Bandara said.

Under "Gurudev’s" influence, society secretary, Dr Leel Gunasekera said, many leading artists of the day – drama artist Sarathchandra, music maestros Samarakoon and Amaradeva and the great dancer Chitrasena just to name a few -- dropped their Portuguese-influenced names and adopted Sinhalese ones. Many went to Shantiniketan to fine-tune their artistic talents.

The Society got together last week to modestly observe Tagore’s birth anniversary with Rabindrasangeet, skits and a lecture on the "cultural message Tagore gave us". Clearly, it went beyond dropping names.

Sri Lanka’s tourism economy enjoys unprecedented boom

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:22:00 +0000

Sri Lanka’s tourism economy has recovered so quickly from last year’s civil war that the island is expected to shortly run out of hotel capacity as it experiences an unprecedented boom. Tourism arrives have risen for 10 consecutive months and were up 50 per cent in March, compared to the same period last year Indian tourists took the top slot with 8,607 visiting Sri Lanka, with tourists from the United Kingdom (8,559) and Germany (5,305) following. With the increase in operations of the low cost carrier, Air Asia, arrivals from Malaysia to saw a healthy increase.

Dilip Mudadeniya, Director General Marketing, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said that this healthy trend would continue in the future too. “This positive sentiment is due to peace and the removal of travel advisories and we expect this healthy trend to continue,” he said.

But according to Ajit Gunawardene, chief executive of John Keells, Sri Lanka’s largest hotel group, if the tourism economy continues to grow at such rates there will be an occupancy shortage within two years.

Sri Lanka’s tourist infrastructure can handle up to 800,000 visitors a year, comfortably meeting expected demand this year of 500,000.However within the next two years, visitors arrivals are expected to double and then double again two years later to 2 million. He suggests that unless the country embarks on a hotel construction boom it will fail to meet demand.

“This gives you an indication of the type of momentum we want to maintain,” Mr Gunawardene said.
He said John Keells had begun renovating hotels and building more to meet the tourism boom.
It is currently upgrading its large hotel in Colombo, overhauling one in Trincomalee in the war-torn east and building tourist accommodation in the south.

John Keells also has a firm eye on the planned expansion of Colombo’s port, which is strategically placed on shipping lanes between Europe, the Middle East and China. The group is expected to bid with its partner Denmark’s Maersk for an additional terminal, which would make Colombo the largest port in south Asia.

Sri Lanka braced for tourist onslaught

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:10:00 +0000

Tourism is rebounding so quickly in Sri Lanka after the end of the island’s civil war that in one or two years the country will lack the hotel capacity to meet visitor arrivals, according to the head of the country’s biggest listed company.

Ajit Gunawardene, chief executive of John Keells, said Sri Lanka’s existing tourist infrastructure could handle a maximum of 800,000 visitors a year, comfortably meeting expected demand this year of 500,000.

But in the next one or two years, visitors arrivals are expected to double and then double again two years later to 2m, suggesting that unless the country embarks on a hotel construction boom it will fail to meet demand.

“This gives you an indication of the type of momentum we want to maintain,” Mr Gunawardene said.

Investors in Sri Lanka are betting that the island’s violent past is behind it following the defeat of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam last May in its battle for an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east.

Hopes of political stability have been fuelled by landslide victories in the presidential and parliamentary elections this year by the incumbent leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his ruling coalition, the United People’s Freedom Alliance.

Sri Lanka’s market is up 22 per cent so far this year.

The rally has been led by John Keells, which accounts for about 10 per cent of market capitalisation and is expected to be one of the key beneficiaries of the economic recovery given its interests in hotels, ports and retail.

“The UPFA’s win bodes well for policy continuity and investment-led growth,” said Anushka Shah, an economist at Citigroup.

Tourist arrivals have risen for 10 consecutive months since May and were up 29.3 per cent in the nine months ended March 31 compared with a year earlier.

Mr Gunawardene said John Keells had begun renovating existing hotels and building new ones to meet the tourism boom.

It is upgrading its major hotel in Colombo, overhauling a hotel in Trincomalee in the war-torn east as well as building more tourist hotels in the popular south.

John Keells also plans to participate in the expansion of Colombo’s port, which is strategically placed on shipping lanes between Europe, the Middle East and China.

The group is expected to bid with its partner Denmark’s Maersk for an additional terminal when the port’s capacity is increased to 16m twenty foot equivalent units a year over the next decade. That would make it South Asia’s biggest port.

Tenders for the three new terminals in phase I are expected to be valued at about $500m.

By Joe Leahy in Colombo
Financial Times

Sri Lanka: Military Tourism

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 16:15:00 +0000

By Indi Samarajiva

Military tourism by air is slowly but surely taking off

Post-war, the Sri Lanka military is adapting for tourism. The Navy and Air Force have been especially active in re purposing ships, planes and helicopters for civilian use. Two specific civilian services are the Jetliner cruise ship berthed in the Colombo Harbour and the Helitours air transport service. These two services are now in almost daily operation.

Navy tourism

During the war the Navy Jetliner was a top target for the LTTE. Now it is a top destination for blue-chip companies and organisations. This multiple-storied ship is docked in the Colombo Harbour, near the Pettah clock tower entrance. Civilians can enter this formerly high security area to book a tour and take the Jetliner out for a sunset cruise, with 350 of their closest friends. But it wasn’t always like this.

During the war this Jetliner was a lifeline to the north. It was capable of ferrying over 3,000 troops from Trincomalee to Jaffna and large quantities of supplies. As such, it was also a target for the LTTE. It saw action — shots came near the Jetliner but never reached its bow. During some missions the ship was escorted by gunships and helicopters. It was also equipped with its own complement of guns, hand held missiles and about 150 soldiers to operate its defenses. Today, however, Captain Nilantha Heenatigala is more likely to inquire about what equipment you’d like at the bar.

“This service started in January. We expected about four events a month. This month alone we have 11,” he said.

One such event was held in March. It was well attended but compromised by poor food and beverage service, services meant to be provided by the Navy. Bookings aside, the service does still have some hiccups when it comes to delivering five star service to match the facilities.

And the Jetliner is an excellent ship. It is large and has ample room for hundreds of guests in the lounge, Club Room, dining hall or on two decks. These have facilities for sound and light, though at times additional generators may be required. The facilities are spotless and well maintained and the ship itself is a recent lease from an Indonesian company. It can cruise at a top speed of 28 knots (over 30 MPH), burning commensurate amounts of fuel. Being a military ship, it has all the required clearances to sail in our highly secured waters.

The most idyllic package is perhaps the sunset cruise, comprising 1.5 hours at sea and 3.5 hours at harbour. This costs over Rs. 400,000. That price can be divided among 125, 175 or 350 people, costing Rs. 2,300 per head for 175 guests, for example. The cheapest package is about Rs. 200,000, comprising five hours in the harbour, without sailing anywhere. The ship is also available on longer charters. You can sail up to Galle for around Rs.2.5 million, for example. The service is by no means an outing for the family, but it is affordable for companies or large groups.

Of which there are many. In just a few hours aboard the boat there were over four groups of local and international companies inquiring about the ship’s services and being happily obliged with tours. Captain Heenatigala, however, was clear that this remained a project in the ultimate service of the military and nation.
“This vessel has to run,” he said. “If the government wants to transport a battalion at any time, we can do that. This ship is available as a contingency, for any disaster, to evacuate people in cases like a tsunami, for example. It is also able to assist anywhere in South Asia.”

In this way the government is making some of its military/emergency facilities somewhat self-sufficient. Is it breaking even? “We’re not losing money, not making money,” the Captain said. So the ship continues to run, for security and for fun.

Air Force Tourism

Another type of military tourism is by air. The Air Force maintains a variety of aircraft and highly trained personnel. Recently these formerly military flights have been opened to the public and anyone can book a seat. Simply visit the Air Force office across from the Cinnamon Lakeside and the capable staff will fill out a ticket in about half an hour. In the morning you can leave from Ratmalana Airport and be in Trincomalee after 40 minutes in the air.

The service is not seamless — one test flight was an hour late for example — but, most importantly, the flights are safe and regular. According to Group Captain Janaka Nanayakkara, the Helitours service has been operating for almost a year. It does flights to China Bay airport in Trincomalee for anyone and flights to Palaly in Jaffna for citizens or foreigners with Ministry of Defence clearance.

The planes themselves are AN-32 turboprops, comfortable but still obviously military aircraft. They have only four windows and a back bay that opens. On a test flight there were only six tourists and all were seated near a window, which is worthwhile. The experience is remarkable as the plane flies at a constant viewing altitude.
On the test flight check-in time was 6:30 am and the flight arrived at 9:50, about an hour late. This is still incredibly convenient. At Rs. 4,100 for a one-way ticket, it is also affordable, especially for those whose time is money. One-way to Jaffna is Rs. 9,550. A round-trip to either destination is double, with flights leaving Colombo at 8 AM and returning in the afternoon.

Helitours, like the Jetliner, remains ultimately in service of the military. On each flight there are Air Force and military personnel traveling alongside tourists and business people. All involved are extremely courteous and professional and it is a slightly odd but pleasant experience. There are two professional checks, but much less obtrusive than a regular airport.

Travelling to the old ‘Colombo Airport’ is actually like stepping back in time to a more casual and personal age of air travel. It is quiet, uncrowded and one walks across the runway to the plane. Delays aside, the Helitours service is a novel, fast and ultimately breathtaking way to go.

In this and many ways the armed forces are adapting to peace, serving civilians and maintaining themselves. Available services include the ship and plane charters as well as canal boat rides in Colombo, holiday homes, etc. There are hiccups, especially in terms of adapting to regular customers, but both the cruise ship and flight service are entirely operational. The facilities are pleasant and safe and the people, while not necessarily trained in hospitality, are unfailingly hospitable.

This is, in many ways, true to the character of the Sri Lankan armed forces. War was certainly not pretty, but Sri Lanka has emerged from this decades long conflict with an extremely capable military. This military remains ready for war, but they are also moving into more leisurely pursuits. There are certainly very few armed forces in the world that let anyone ride their ships or planes, but it is an experiment the Sri Lankan military has begun. For civilians, it may be worth a try.

Galle, Sri Lanka: A Visit Can Bring You Back in Time

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 04:58:00 +0000

The Famous Fort of Galle, pronounced as “gawl”, is not what you would expect if you will first get to look at the charmless commercial district of the area. However, upon your entry into the Fort’s gates, it would be as if you are transported back in time, particularly the Dutch colonial period.

The reason for this is simple. The Dutch built this 36 hectare fort in 1663. This port makes up a very big part of Galle, Sri Lanka. At that time, even Paul Theroux, who is known to be very hard to please, only have great things to say about Galle. Indeed, Galle’s Fort has inside it a number of culture as well as structures dating back over hundreds of years.

A visit in Galle will truly be an unforgettable one. Even a simple walk on its streets will make you appreciate the great architecture of structures as well as get a breathtaking view of the ocean and the nearby towns. Galle’s Fort was even recognized by no less than UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Aside from being a perfect place to visit however is the allure of Galle for being a community of working locals. You will find in Galle numerous courts, export companies, administrative offices and other types of offices. Given this energy vibrating all around, the income from tourism becomes unnecessary.

Yet, more visitors are now enticed to give Galle a visit especially with the fast development and increase of hotels and boutiques that makes it more conducive to entertaining visitors. Many locals are even selling properties, such as vintage buildings, to foreigners for possible investors who will bring their business in the city. This is despite the devastation it experienced as a result of the tsunami that was brought about by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

In fact, after the tsunami, Galle immediately went back to its feet and even came up with the world renowned Galle International Stadium which became a cricket ground. Likewise, it is now on the path of making itself a Green City that will not only allow the conservation of its rich inheritance but also make Galle a great tourist destination.

There is no doubt about it, Galle, Sri Lanka is a place you should not miss seeing if you want to enjoy every minute of your travel. Those who give it a visit prefers to stay within the Fort. For a better schedule and package, plan your trip ahead and have an online travel consultant help you will everything necessary before your trip.

by Melanie Gueco, Factoidz Writer

Sri Lanka Visa Requirements For Business Travelers

noreply@blogger.com (Sri Lanka Equity Analytics) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 04:45:00 +0000

Sri Lanka has a growing economy based on agricultural products like tea, rubber and coconuts, as well as textiles and gemstones. In 2006, the Sri Lankan GDP grew 7.4% to reach the US equivalent of $27.4 billion.

According to WorldTravelGuide.net, American business travelers in Sri Lanka should feel right at home. Many business customs in Sri Lanka are similar to those in America. Most businesspeople speak English, punctuality is expected for meetings and appointments, and when you meet someone new, it’s considered polite to exchange business cards.

While American tourists in Sri Lanka do not need Sri Lankan visas, business travelers do. Here are the documents required to get a Sri Lankan visa for a business trip:

1 Sri Lanka visa application form
Your US passport, which must have a blank page and at least 6 months left before it expires.
2-passport-sized photos
A copy of your round-trip itinerary
A business letter of responsibility from your sponsor. The letter must provide the nature of your business, the purpose of your trip, the name of your contact and the length of your stay and promise financial support for you while you are in Sri Lanka.
Your sponsor in Sri Lanka also needs to send a fax to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, DC to confirm the details of your trip.
You will be required to show proof of a yellow fever vaccination if you are arriving from an area in which the disease is present.

Business travelers to Sri Lanka must apply for a visa in advance. At RushMyTravelVisa.com, we specialize in making sure that business travelers have all the documents they need to travel. We’ll research your itinerary to ensure that you know exactly which visas are required, and we’ll provide clear, easy-to-follow instructions to help you get them. Then, we’ll deliver your Sri Lankan visa paperwork directly to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Sri Lanka visa today!