Sri Lankan Explorer

Alu Lena Caves (Alu Galge) mong the pre-historic sites of Sri Lanka.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sun, 26 May 2019 15:36:00 +0000

Among the cave sites with particularly interesting archaeological contents is Alu Lena ( Alu Galge) at Attanagoda near Kegalle. The Galge or the rock shelter derives its name from the presence of ashes (alu) across the 5 x 3 m floor, a testimony to historic occupation of the site by game poachers. Beneath this recent accumulation are several layered deposits of travertine of which the uppermost contains lithic and skeletal materials. A number of faunal and human specimens have been found covered with a calcium encrustation that is due to their exposure to water falling from the drip ledge of the shelter. The outlier, of which the rock shelter is a part, is weathered into deep cavities that retain water well into the dry season, perhaps a critical factor in ancient human occupation.

An archaeological party under the direction of P. E. P. Deraniyagala that visited the site in 1954 discovered lithic and skeletal materials in a single test pit. The team found a poorly preserved human skeleton laid off its left side in a flexed position, facing east and covered with stones. In direct association with the human bones were found shells of Acavus superbus, Cyclopgorus, Autopoma, and two species of paludomus. Snail and mollusk shells of these genera were found elsewhere on the cave floor along with a few specimens of Pila. Of the reptiles, Lissemys, Testudo, and Varanus were identified. Other bones were identified as deer, monkey, buffalo, porcupine, and squirrel, all species existing on the island today. Fragments of chert and quartz were scattered throughout the site, but the only obvious stone tools are the unpitted pebbles of which three have ground surfaces. Deraniyagala suggested that some of the bones, teeth, and antler fragments had been shaped as tools.

mong the pre-historic sites of Sri Lanka, Alu Lena, which is also known as Alu Galge receives a prominent place. It is located in Kegalle district, near Attanagoda area. Reaching the caves is a wonderful journey which is almost an Eco-tour. The caves got its name from the Sinhalese word “Alu” which refers to ashes that are visible on the caves.

This site has an immense archaeological value. Several human specimens, as well as animal bones have been found in the site. Lithic and skeletons that have been found in the site by the archaeologists clearly prove that ancient settlements have been existed in this area. The ruins give an idea on the life styles spent by the prehistoric man. Those who are interested in exploring the history of Sri Lanka and on its ancient settlements, Alu Lena might be the ideal venue for the next visit.

Colombo to Alu caves distance: 82Km

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Colombo/Mathula+Alu+lena,+Colombo+-+Kandy+Rd,+Karandupana/@7.1001955,79.8434335,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x3ae253d10f7a7003:0x320b2e4d32d3838d!2m2!1d79.861243!2d6.9270786!1m5!1m1!1s0x3ae3155073e42be7:0x16233fa6ac3750a!2m2!1d80.3865636!2d7.2460832!3e0

Horton Plains World's End Ambewela Farm

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 14:33:00 +0000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrLFulp29Pc

Cinnamon Wild Yala introduces ‘Dining in the Dark’ for the first time in South Asia!

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 14:51:00 +0000

Imagine taking a night time stroll in the forest. The sounds and smells of nature accompanied by a refreshing breeze, the tingling sense of awareness from the quiet, the tangible dark that blankets your surroundings and sets your senses to an exquisite sense of consciousness; that thrill of the unexpected. Now imagine dining in that darkness. Exploring unchartered waters, Cinnamon Wild Yala stirs the mysterious territory of dining in the dark, personifying the day to day fine dining experience with a heady twist of sensory awareness. It is a sensual feast to the daring diner; a moment to feel completely alive with that special someone. Upon arrival the property’s main bar ‘Pug Marks’, the diners are escorted to a secluded unlit dining area in the wilderness within the hotel guided by well-trained staff and offered a signature cocktail customized to the individual palates of the diners or the option of selecting from an extensive list of fine beverages. The dinner itself is a five course Prix fixe dinner that is a mystery menu that has the diners discovering the subtleties of flavors never thought of but taken for granted due to the distraction of sight. With the flowing wine and the heady scents of food combined with the calls of surrounding nature, it is an experience that sets lasting impressions which are more of a soulful memory than an actual recollection, a moment to be felt than remembered.

It is a process of eating, identifying, connecting the by identifying the distinctive flavors and textures that signify one dish from the other. The mystery menu is a careful selection of dishes bursting with flavor and is only constrained by dietary restrictions of the diners if any and informed by the client in advance inclusive of any vegetarian or vegan meal preferences. Even the table setting is arranged to heighten the culinary experience of the diner with much effort taken to minimize the visual impact. All culinary selections are tailor made to suit the nationality and individual preferences of the diners to create an exciting sequence of dishes designed to enliven and mystify. At the end of the dinner, the guests are presented with photographs of the dinner which can then be used to compare and contrast with the wild guesses and the impressions of the diners. Each diner is presented with a token signifying the experience, a tangible memory of the moments spent in the dark. What can be most exciting is the sudden disregard to the mundane rituals of dining. A guest is at complete liberty to prod and poke at their food, sniff at the surrounding scents or even abandon their cutlery altogether. ‘Dining in the dark’ at Cinnamon Wild Yala is a personification of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts’ flair for exciting and exhilarating experiences, always the first to engage their clients with memorable, lasting experiences. The lights are out. Let your senses run wild.
(link source by dailymirror.lk)

Best Western Elyon Colombo marks second anniversary with excellence in hospitality

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 14:18:00 +0000

Jayamaha and wife

Best Western Elyon Colombo, Sri Lanka’s first ever Best Western Hotel, part of the globally acclaimed Best Western hotel chain recently celebrated its second successful anniversary with an enchanting evening of fellowship for its valued guests and patrons. The Best Western Elyon Colombo located in the city’s picturesque suburbs has set a new benchmark for comfort and style showcasing 59 tastefully designed contemporary rooms, a range of modern facilities, including a stunning rooftop bar; the hotel has carved a distinctive niche in Sri Lanka’s luxury hospitality offerings. Since opening its doors in 2014, the hotel has quickly gained praise for its stylish design, extensive range of services and convenient location, all within extremely competitive rates that have proven popular with business and leisure travellers alike. The hotel has steadily built a reputation for offering some of the most comprehensive facilities, amenities and service in the lean luxury category. From room-service to deluxe bath amenities, the Best Western is known around the world as the ideal choice for leisure or business travellers seeking enhanced style and comfort at a reasonable price point. Commenting on the milestone, Elyon Hotels Chairman Presantha Jayamaha said, “It is our great pleasure to celebrate two successful yearsand we are immensely proud of our achievements to-date.We have grown to epitomise the Best Western brand in service excellence. We will continue to provide the highest levels of personalised service as we constantly seek ways to further improve guest satisfaction.” In the past two years the hotel has excelled in guest service winning numerous awards including those from Booking.com; Award of Excellence in 2014, Trip Advisor; Traveller’s Choice 2015/Certificate of Excellence in 2016, and Agoda; Best Partnership Gold Circle Award in 2016. “We are extremely proud of our accomplishments in the second year, as it recognizesour commitment to excellence and our achievement in offering exceptional and thoughtful serviceas a team,” said General Manager, Roshan Adhihetty. “Since 2014 we have constantly strived to deliver a high quality service experience that exceeds customer expectations among all our guests,” he added. Best Western Elyon Colombo is introducing its tantalizing new menus and fabulous cocktail concoctions created by the hotel’s own F&B will provide our guests a unique experience in dining while enjoying the perfect enchanting ambience at the Roof-top bar.
(link source by dailymirror.lk)

Kuwait Airways Colombo Selfie Contest

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 14:09:00 +0000

Kuwait Airways Colombo organized the Selfie Contest for the excitement for its online fans to take part & win exciting gifts. It was conducted as mid-year competition for the Online fans of Kuwait Airways Colombo Facebook page. The competition which was hosted through the online medium garnered the attention of our fans as they eagerly participated. Over 50 contestants involved in the Selfie contest. Two were judged winners in the contest as Kuwait Airways Colombo ‘Selfie King & Queen’’. This competition was based on getting maximum number of impressions with the Kuwait Airways background. It is to be noted that ‘’Kuwait Airways Colombo’’ official page has surpassed 20,000 Likes which is catering as a local niche social page with local information.(link source by dailymirror.lk)

Esala Poya & Kandy Perahera

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 05:57:00 +0000

Esala Poya is the night in which the Bodhisattva was conceived in the womb of his mother Queen Maha Maya. Esala Full Moon Poya is also the day in which Prince Siddhartha renounced his royal lifestyle. Esala Poya falls in the month of July and is a very important day for Buddhist devotees. Esala Poya is a holiday in Sri Lanka and families visit the many Temples situated around the island to offer flowers and pay homage to Lord Buddha, who preached many valuable sermons about the ideal way of life for all living beings.

Queen Maha Maya and King Suddhodhana did not have any children for twenty years. One Esala Full Moon night she dreamt that she was carried by Devas to a lake where they bathed and anointed her with perfumed oils. Then a white elephant with six white tusks and carrying a white Lotus flower in its mouth appeared and circled the Queen three times after which he entered her womb from her right side. The Queen awoke then and realized that she had been given a very important message. Ten months later she gave birth to Prince Siddhartha who went on to attain Enlightenment and become the Buddha.

It was on yet another Esala Full Moon day that Prince Siddhartha, at the age of 29, renounced his royal title along with his luxurious lifestyle and left his father’s palace seeking the truth and searching for a means to end universal suffering. Accompanied by some of his followers he led the life of an ascetic and strove to attain Enlightenment. He subsequently returned to the palace seven years later as the Buddha. The day he left the palace was also the day his only son, Prince Rahula was born.

Another important event in the life of Lord Buddha which is commemorated on Esala Full Moon day is His first sermon delivered two months after attaining Enlightenment. Known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ( the wheel of Dhamma), this sermon was delivered to His five disciples Kondangna, Wappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama and Assaji at Isipathanaya in Benares (Baranasi). In this sermon He told them that there are two extremes of living – one is a “Life of Pleasure” and the other a “Life of Self-mortification”. The Blessed One advised them to follow the middle path which consists of purity, virtue and righteousness.

Minneriya Jeep Safari Adventure Tours.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sat, 09 Jul 2016 04:18:00 +0000

Located between HABARANA and POLONNARUWA, the 8890 hectares of MINNERIYA NATIONAL PARK is an ideal eco tourism location in Sri Lanka . The park consists of mixed evergreen forest and scrub areas and is home to Sri Lanka 's favourites such as sambar deer, leopards and elephants.

However the central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank (built in 3rdcentury AD by King Mahasena). During the dry season (June to September), this tank is an incredible place to observe the elephants who come to bathe and graze on the grasses as well as the huge flocks of birds (cormorants and painted storks to name but a few) that come to fish in the shallow waters.

Minneriya Half-day Safari
Half-Day Morning Safari (6:00am – 9:00am).
Half-Day Evening Safari (3:00pm – 6:00pm).
Jeep and Driver.
Pickup/Drop to/from any location within the radius of 5km from park gate.
Park Entry Fees: USD 24/= per adult and USD 12/= per children (Age < 12yrs) which you can be paid at the gate by yourself or pay us and we will get the tickets for you.
Trackers are subject to availability at the time of entering to the park.
USD 36.0 (contacts by mail gayanpereraone@gmail.com)

Distance from colombo to Minneriya - 202km

Best Cheapest Villas in Hikkaduwa

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sun, 01 May 2016 16:02:00 +0000

ANJANA VILLA

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4290624

Sri LankaTourism poised for sustainable growth...

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 02:33:00 +0000

Broad Strategic Marketing Plan introduced for year 2016

The tourism industry of Sri Lanka is poised for growth to achieve sustainable development phase within the next few years, based on the strategic direction determined by the new government.Sri Lanka Tourism has formulated a broad Strategic Marketing Plan for year 2016, with the participation of private and public sector stakeholders addressing long standing needs of the industry and the future expectations of the country as a tourism destination. The new strategy was refined for its contents to maximise the benefits to the tourism industry and to position Sri Lanka as the most sought after travel destination in Asia.

During year 2015 up to November , Sri Lanka Tourism recorded 18.1% growth on arrivals with 1.5 million arrivals. The total tourism revenue generated was US$ 2.2 billion. At this backdrop, the tourism promotional plan of year 2016 is formulated based on five key strategic objectives. Attracting a target number of 2.2 million visitors with 26% annual growth, increasing average daily expenditure of a tourist up to US$ 200 and average stay, contributing to generate a total tourism revenue up to US$ 2.75 billion will be the key performance measures. Uplifting Sri Lanka’s brand value up to US$ 80 million through tactical marketing campaigns focusing on main product offerings of the county will serve as the overall goal of the promotional strategy devised for 2016.

The core destination promotional tools will be enhanced such as advertising and PR to implement a global advertising campaign and global PR initiative to stay ahead of the major competitors to Sri Lanka. The advertising campaign will be implemented in line with the Nation Branding Campaign initiated by the government of Sri Lanka thus by choosing leading service providers following the government procurement guidelines. Tourism promotional strategy 2016 has addressed the long standing need of appointing PR agencies for key markets especially in Europe, East Asia, Benelux and emerging markets. Sri Lanka Tourism wish to appoint PR agencies for major source markets in order to achieve country promotional objectives and aggressively promote the country enhancing tourism brand in the world. The strategic choice for country promotions has been constantly challenged by the global trend towards internet/online based destination marketing in the recent years. Most of the traditional marketing tools have been outdated with the introduction of web based booking engines, tour planning, e-marketing and other real time services available to frequent travelers online. Considering these developments, Sri Lanka Tourism has opted to implement a fully-fledged online and digital marketing campaign for year 2016. The campaign will create language specific web sites for all main markets and will promote the destination on focused online and social media platforms identified in each country. Special prominence has been given to attract travel bloggers with high reputation who will act as brand ambassadors generating credibility providing first-hand publicity for Sri Lanka based on experience gathered by visiting the country. The trade familiarization tours and media familiarization tours will continue to be a major component of year 2016 marketing plan. Overall 300 travel agents and 200 travel media will be facilitated from the countries around the world under the familiarization tours hosted by Sri Lanka Tourism. Familiarization tours will attract prominent print and electronic media to Sri Lanka to produce and generate articles on the destination and its tourism products. The traditional promotional activities such as participating for travel fairs, conducting roadshows and outdoor promotions will also be carried out in each country. However this will be focused and implemented based on the need analysis. For year 2016 SLTPB will participate at 46 travel fairs and road shows in 20 key countries in order to develop the product brand and generate sales by B2B agent interactions. While there is an uncertainty of Sri Lankan Airlines continuing to operate in Europe and several other destinations of choice, Sri Lanka Tourism hope to enter into strategic partnerships with new and existing Airlines connecting the regions capitalising on the “Open Sky” policy of the government of Sri Lanka. It is planned to develop strategic partnerships with all existing key airlines and work with new airlines like Austrian Air and Malindu Air and Air China who will have new operations to Sri Lanka. The tourism strategy has allocated budgets for working with airlines and strategic partnerships along with attracting charter flights. Positioning Sri Lanka as a venue for international and domestic events will be a key component of the 2016 marketing strategy. Sri Lanka Tourism hope to stage internationally acclaimed tourism related events in Sri Lanka during next year such as Arugam Bay Pro- Surf, Kiteathelon, Adventure Tourism events etc. In the meantime more than 25 cultural /religious events and arts and entertainment events that has direct impact for tourism development will be conducted by Sri Lanka Tourism . The activities will be strengthened by increased monetary contribution in year 2016. On the other hand , steps will be taken to improve the quality of tourism products by investing on the infrustructre developments. Tourism information centers will be strengthened for better serving the travellers . Local media Campaigns , New product developments, niche segments developmemt, working with provincial councils for domestic tourism development are part of the strategy formulated for year 2016. During the year 2016 Sri Lanka will host the largest ever French travel agent’s congress SNAV, by attracting 600 travel agents from France to the country. The congress will provide huge exposure for the destination in Europe, especially in French speaking countries. Sri Lanka Tourism hope to promote the country as a destination for MICE travel and leisure travelers by proving its capasity to host events of this capasity. Sri Lanka has also won the host country status for PATA 2017 which provide similar exposure to the destination. The bidding process will continue to attract more congresses, incentive travellers and events with the objective of making Sri Lanka the MICE hub of Asia. The government of Sri Lanka has provided special consessions to MICE travel development which is an encouraging factor to invest in this sector. The new tourism strategic marketing plan of 2016 will focus on the long term result oriented approach to develop tourism industry in Sri Lanka than serving short term goals.Supported by the strong presence of the newly appointed Tourism Advisory Committee, Hon. Prime Minsiter, Board of Directors ,Chairman, Hon.Tourism Minister & Deputy Minister and the Ministry Secretary, it is aimed at laying the foundation for a far sighted tourism development strategy based on the industry inputs garnered from decades of experience , analysing research findings and country’s competitive position while being attuned to constant challenges faced by soci-political and cultural environment in the world tourism landscape. The Budget Proposal of 2016 has introduced a comprehensive policy framework for tourism development.Under the guidence of Hon. Prime Minister several key initiatives have been proposed such as setting up an Aquaculture park in Batticaloa, promote sale of gem and jewellery, encourage MICE tourism by establishing necessary infrastructure, encourage spending by tourists, trasform and upgrade touirst attraction sites and local tourism zones, encourage theme parks and removal of tax for water sport equipments yachts etc & introduce hovercrafts and other water based sports for tourists, tax holidays for investors and removal of TDL are key areas proposed. With the view of improving operational efficiency and to facilitate investement a new organisation will be formd under the name “Agency for Development”.Tourism branding plan, training and development for tourism youth, registration of tourist hotels based on quality standards etc of the Budget Proposal 2016 , will heavily contribute to sustainable tourism development strategy for Sri Lanaka. As such Sri Lanka Tourism is confident that the new strategic direction will move the country forward making it the most sought after travel destination in Asia while all stakeholders of the industry reap its benefits. It is very clear that within the next few years to come, tourism industry will become a sustainable sector in the Sri Lankan economy being the top GDP contributor within next few years. Sri Lanka will adopt a concerted and coordinated approach linking private and public sector and all stakeholders ,to assess policies that govern future industry development and provide knowledge to guide successful and sustainable Travel & Tourism strategy for the country. (link source by dailymirror.lk)

QATAR AIRWAYS LAUNCHES THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TRAVEL FESTIVAL, ITS BIGGEST PROMOTION EVER

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 02:21:00 +0000

Choose from dream deals including flight offers up to 40% off, 2-for-1 companion fares, group & family offers and hotel & car rental discounts This is no ordinary sale DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways has launched a first-of-its-kind Travel Festival offering travellers an exceptional choice of dream deals suited for a variety of travel needs. The Qatar Airways Travel Festival has something for everyone, with exclusively designed packages including discounts of up to 40%, companion fares for 2-for-1 tickets, family and group discounts, access to special discounts on car rental and hotel deals and much more.* All passengers who book online via qatarairways.com/travelfestival during this seven-day period will be automatically entered into a draw to win one of the 150 prizes being given out per day. Prizes include seven million Qmiles over the seven-day period, complimentary flights, upgrades to Business Class, hotel packages, discount shopping vouchers to spend across all Qatar Duty Free boutiques, and car rental discounts. With the addition of triple Qmiles for bookings made through the Qatar Airways website, everybody is a winner in the Qatar Airways Travel Festival.* The Travel Festival will be available for sale from 11 - 17 January 2016 for travel between 19 January through to 15 December 2016. Offers applicable on Economy and Business class return airfares to more than 150 destinations including Europe, the Middle East, Indian Sub-continent, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Americas. Passengers may book online at qatarairways.com/travelfestival, by visiting any Qatar Airways’ sales office or through appointed travel partners. Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Dr. Hugh Dunleavy, said: “The Qatar Airways Travel Festival is an amazing opportunity for travellers to choose the best deal for themselves among a variety of exclusively designed packages.
Terms and conditions apply. Seats and subject to availability and blackout dates apply. Please review at time of booking at qatarairways.com.(link source by dailymirror.lk).

Chaaya Blu accomplishes five glorious years

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 15:32:00 +0000

The retro-chic Chaaya Blu Trincomalee belonging to the Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts chain, celebrated 5 eventful years on 10th May. Over the past 5 years, the hotel has evolved into the prime leisure destination on the east coast, not only for its uber stylish offering, but also due to its status as the best whale watching hub in the country. Built around the theme of sun, sand and water-based fun activities, Chaaya Blu Trincomalee offers an exciting whale watching experience for guests that is built on sustainable and responsible tourism practices. Significantly, the hotel has earned its reputation by demonstrating a robust sustainability framework that ensures that all its stakeholders are part of the hotel’s success story. While whale watching offers a novel experience for guests, it is a vital lifeline for the local community. The hotel has employed local fishermen (who ply their boats for whale watching) and fitted their boats with non-polluting, silent engines so as not to disturb the marine life. The hotel has invested heavily in acquiring such equipment and infrastructure to develop a professionally-managed whale watching operation for its guests. Commencing with 2 boat operators, the hotel has built up a pool of 8 fishermen, who regularly operate the whale watching expeditions under the supervision of Chaaya Blu Trincomalee. The hotel has empowered these boat operators with knowledge about the dos and don’ts to preserve marine life and ensure safety of guests. Every whale watching trip is accompanied by a naturalist who shares his knowledge with the guests. Since the hotel commenced operations 5 years ago, it has increased the percentage of local residents in its employment, providing a secure and stable livelihood source for people from surrounding communities. These employees are further supported by free English speaking and soft skills necessary for future success in their careers. Another far-reaching sustainability initiative undertaken by Chaaya Blu Trincomalee is the preservation and clean up of Pigeon Island, famed for its live corals and rich marine life. Over-visitation and weak environmental regulations is putting the corals and marine life on the island at risk, thereby threatening their existence. Chaaya Blu Trincomalee has taken on the challenge of educating their guests who visit Pigeon Island about the ecological impact of coral reefs and the importance of not walking on or breaking off corals as souvenirs. The hotel’s efforts at nurturing the natural wonders of Pigeon Island have been commended by the Sri Lanka Navy.(link source by dailymirror.lk).

Sri Lanka Tourism enter China's growing religious tourism business

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 13:03:00 +0000

Sri Lanka Tourism enter China's growing religious tourism business - Arrivals cross 119,705 with a growth of 77.6% as at end July - China World Charity wishes to invest $10 million to build temple in Colombo

Zhao XianZhang- Chairman International Tour Management Association of the World Religious Charity Foundation with Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr Rohantha Athukorala, Director Marketing-Madubani Perera, Market Head China-Chintaka Liyanarachchi and Assustant Director Randima Udunuwarage together with Key Destination Marketing Companies( DMC's) in Sri Lanka.

Good destination management include development of new products whilst focusing on market development work on the strong foundation branding if a country wishes to attract the top dollar potential tourists said Sri Lanka Tourist Promotions Bureau Chairman Dr. Rohantha Athukorala at the meeting with Zhao Xian Zhang- Chairman International Tour Management Association of the World Religious Charity Foundation at the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. The latest research reveal that short stays give peace of mind and better tolerance toward the harsh realities and difficulties of our fast-paced lives which is essentially why the religious tourism spike has happened globally said The communique from the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau. Specific to China, almost 85 percent of the people in China hold some religious belief or practice some kind of religion is what the Chinese spiritual life survey conducted in 2012 by the Beijing-based Horizon Research Consultancy Group has revealed. The survey also revealed that the growth of Buddhism is extraordinary, with about 18 percent of the 7,021 respondents in the survey claiming to be believers which means that more than 200 million people in the country would believe in Buddhism which gives us a view of the market opportunity said Athukorala. Together with the key Destination Marketing Companies (DMC's) we will develop a new line of tourism which will include a series of above the line and below the line marketing activity he said. A point to note is that the number was around 100 million some years back as estimated by the Buddhist Association of China which tells us the changing dynamics of China said Athukorala that has crossed the 119,705 as at end July 2015 with a registered growth of 77.6% into Sri Lanka. The country is targeting 225,000 visitors for the year 2015 he said.
(link source by dailymirror.lk).

IATA Environmental Assessment Programme gathers momentum

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 14:04:00 +0000

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that five airlines have recently successfully completed stages of the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme.IEnvA is an innovative, voluntary, two-stage evaluation process designed to drive airline environmental performance improvements through independent assessment.
Finnair and South African Airways have completed the IEnvA Stage 2 assessment, the highest level of IEnvA achievement. This ensures that an airline has implemented all of the IEnvA Programme Standards, identified and mitigated its significant environmental impacts and has set performance targets. Stage 2 also certifies that an airline has developed processes for monitoring and reviewing its performance against its environmental targets and objectives. Icelandair, Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines have completed IEnvA Stage 1, which ensures an airline has established a foundation and framework for its environmental management system. Stage 1 also certifies an airline has identified and complied with its environmental legal requirements. These five airlines join a growing number of carriers that have already successfully completed IEnvA Stage 1 Assessments, namely Air Transat, Kenya Airways, LATAM, LATAM Cargo and Malaysia Airlines. “In addition to safety, environmental responsibility is the highest priority for the industry. The new IATA Environmental Assessment sits alongside our industry-wide carbon-reduction targets as a programme for ensuring airlines not only meet but also exceed their day-to-day operational environmental obligations and performance. Our congratulations to Icelandair, Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines for completing Stage 1 and I would particularly like to commend Finnair and South African Airways for being the first to complete the Stage 2 assessment. These airlines are among the pioneers in this critical new programme. IATA’s audits and assessment schemes are impartial, independent evaluations designed to improve industry performance against global benchmarks. The IATA Operational Safety Audit has done much to help improve airline safety and we expect that the IEnvA will do the same for environmental standards,” said IATA DirectorGeneral and CEO Tony Tyler. The IEnvA programme uses environmental standards and recommended practices developed specifically for the aviation sector by a joint team of environmental experts from within and outside the industry. These are based on recognized environmental management system principles, such as ISO 14001. Assessments are conducted by accredited independent organisations with competencies in aviation and environmental auditing. IEnvA has been developed in conjunction with airlines so that it addresses industry needs and specific concerns. IEnvA assesses environmental performance against sustainability standards across a broad range of disciplines, including (but not limited to) the management of air quality and emissions, noise, fuel consumption and operational efficiency, recycling, energy efficiency, sustainable procurement and biofuel utilization. As a result, IEnvA helps airlines to simplify regulatory compliance, demonstrate good governance and achieve financial savings from the better use of resources. The programme adopts a modular approach, initially focusing on flight operations and corporate activities at a global level with later expansion into other activities including catering, ground operations and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). The IEnvA Programme is complementary to the aviation industry’s four-pillar strategy for addressing climate change impacts. In 2009 the industry agreed to cap emissions through carbon-neutral growth from 2020 and cut net emissions by 50 percent (compared to 2005) by 2050, through a combination of technology and operations improvements, better use of infrastructure and the implementation of a global market-based measure. - See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk

Can You Find a Better Offer?

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 13:33:00 +0000

Sri Lanka’s largest online travel company, findmyfare.com recently partnered with Standard Chartered Bank to offer unbeatable deals on over 100 Sri Lankan hotels. Now Standard Chartered Bank cardholders can enjoy discounts of up to 60 percent on a bed and breakfast, half-board and full-board basis at select Jetwing, Cocoon, Amaya, Pigeon Island and Roman Lake hotels. This one-of-a-kind offer is available until 31 August 2015.

This incredible discount enables you to enjoy a luxurious holiday at an affordable price. The findmyfare team members guarantee that if any customer can find a better offer, they will beat it. With this promotion spanning over 100 hotels across the island, you will be spoilt for choice. You can log into www.findmyfare.com and use the website’s signature easy-to-navigate layouts to find out more about the different hotels on offer.

Since its inception, findmyfare.com has used e-commerce to revolutionize the travel industry in Sri Lanka. The company offers a total online travel solution that meets the diverse needs of discerning travellers. Commenting on the current promotion, Muhammed Imranudeen, Head of Hotels, findmyfare said, “Our team is constantly finding ways to provide our customers with unbeatable deals. This is the ultimate promotion as we are guaranteeing that we can beat any offer available in the market. At findmyfare,com, we constantly provide the most value for money to make life easier for Sri Lankans who want to travel. We always engage with our customers and become invested in their travel dreams, in order to meet their needs”

Commenting on the promotion, Sanjay Wijemanne, Head Retail Clients, Standard Chartered Bank stated, “It is a great honour to partner with findmyfare to offer our cardholders the best hotel deals available in Sri Lanka This offer provides an excellent discount on a wide range of hotels, giving our customers great choice at an affordable price.”

In order to help you use the site, findmyfare has a 24 hour online support team that works around the clock to manage all your needs and queries. A live chat feature enables you to interact with staff without having to pick up a phone and dial. Visit www.findmyfare.com to find out more and to start shopping for your dream vacation. Terms and conditions apply.

Sri Lanka’s first and largest online travel company, findmyfare was created to spread the joy of travel to everyone. Wanderlust and a commitment to offer the lowest travel rates in the country triggered the inception of the company in 2012.

Findmyfare.com has already gained a reputation as an innovative service provider and problem solver in the travel industry. The booking module addresses customers’ requirements and offers a hassle-free booking option and free price \ comparison that allows customers to compare prices of various carriers with the click of a button.

Findmyfare works closely with all the leading international airlines and more than 150,000 hotels worldwide to offer unparalleled travel solutions to customers. Findmyfare aims to be the market leader in travel and e-commerce, offering the best rates and holiday options, anywhere in the world.(link source by dailymirror.lk)

In Sri Lanka, Explorer and Tea expert Jeff Fuchs finds Ulagalla Breakfast ‘irresistible’

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 00:09:00 +0000

On a six-thousand-kilometre trek across the roof of the world, you need good tea to sustain you. That’s how author and explorer Jeff Fuchs gained the special knowledge that makes him one of today’s leading tea enthusiasts and advocates. His treks across the remote mountains of Tibet and south western China, which he describes in his book, The Ancient Tea Horse Road, brought him into contact with some of the world’s most ancient tea-drinking cultures, adding to and refining the expertise he’s gained from a lifelong love affair with tea.

To a man who’s mad about tea, Sri Lanka sends out an irresistible summons. This year, Jeff was finally able to answer that call, finding time to make a ten-day tour of the island. His itinerary included a brief visit to Ulagalla, Uga Escapes’ luxurious vacation resort hidden away in rural tranquillity amidst the far-flung monuments of Sri Lanka’s ‘cultural triangle’. Jeff’s visit to Ulagalla wasn’t especially about tea: the resort made a perfect base camp for his exploration of what he calls ‘a region of massive value in Sri Lanka’s vivid history.’ A tea lover is automatically an herbalist, and Jeff was fascinated by this ‘bastion of Ayurvedic medicinal herbs’ as well as by the relics of Lanka’s ancient past.

Elaboration about his experience at Ulaglla Jeff Fuchs“I love the fact that Ulagalla is located in a zone of farmland and genuine is land life, replied. One can watch as elephants and many rare animals and birds wander the surrounding area at will. The property benefits from this very intimate relationship with its surroundings. One doesn’t feel at all removed from the land and life around. In fact, it’s very easy to drift away and feel one is becoming part of it all.”

This sense of integration with the locality, that union with the ‘spirit of place’, isn’t confined to animals and the natural world. ‘Our guide at Ulagalla,a local resident, was full of soft pride for his home and the region,’ said Jeff, adding that the staff at Ulagalla made sure that his party felt well provided for and adding that they seemed immensely proud of the property. ‘They were wonderfully personal, and while their manners were formal in the best tradition of Asian courtesy, they became like friends to us in very short time.’

Visitors to Ulagalla enjoy a more intimate experience with the region and local culture, with activities such as a day-visit to a nearby village, where life is still lived to traditional rhythms. ‘I highly recommend the excursion,’ says Jeff, ‘who enjoyed Ulagalla’s famous beli mal herbal tea at a little village home. ‘It offered an authentic peek into rural Sri Lankan life, and illustrates both how local residents can benefit from Ulagalla and also an important element of reality as to how people live, eat, and relate to the land and each other.’

Accustomed as he is to the hardships of exploration in the world’s remotest corners, Jeff was only too happy to enjoy the creature comforts of Ulagalla. ‘Our suite was impeccable, with immensely large windows and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere,’ he said. ‘Through those huge windows, we were able to observe the natural world waking up around us.’ The experience was well complemented by a typical Ulagalla breakfast. ‘Outrageously good,’ was his verdict.‘The scrambled eggs seemed to have been created by an egg deity.’ ‘The welcoming bell ceremony upon arrival, remains in my memory as one of the high points of my journey through Sri Lanka.’

About Ulagalla
Ulagalla is a luxury resort in Sri Lanka and is the flagship property of Uga Escapes. Its centrepiece is a 150-year-old mansion, formerly the ancestral home of an aristocratic local family. Twenty private villas dot the 58-acre grounds, which teem with wild birds and animals have been selectively planted with local trees and shrubs to offer a combination of idyllic views and total privacy. Environmental sustainability is a priority at Ulagalla, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group; the LEEDS-certified property has its own solar farm, generating half of its own energy requirements, and grows much of its own produce. This combination of luxurious, sustainable beauty, inside and out, makes Ulagalla one of the finest boutique hotels in Sri Lanka.
MrFuchs’s itinerary was designed by SriLankaStyle in partnership with Dilmah Tea.(link source by:dailymirror.lk)

Best Adventre and Nature Triles

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 14:32:00 +0000

If you happen to be a lover of montane milieu, Knuckles mountain range shall be a quench for you. Intermediate climate, traditional local culture, spontaneous diversity, spectacular sights - all of these can be witnessed if you pick Knuckles as your next holiday spot. Knuckles Mountain range - ‘Knuckles’ in short or locally - ‘Dumbara Mitiyawatha’ got its official name after the discovery by the British surveyors that the physical look of the range resembles the five peaks of a clenched fist. Thus it is obvious that Knuckles has five peaks, namely Kirigalpoththa, Gombaniya, Knuckles, Koboneegala, Dotulugala. The local (Sinhalese) name was originated by the villagers due to the climate for almost all the times of the year. Dumbara stands for the haze of clouds covering the peaks and Mitiyawatha implies the beautiful valleys.
Knuckles is well known for the traditional Sinhalese villages which are still untamed by the urban developments. Due to the poor access for those villages from the suburban and urban cities like Kandy or Matale, many remote villages possess well preserved priceless old traditions. Meemure, Kayikawala, Kumbukgolla, Kobinillaa are some of the villages sandwiched between the mountains. Amidst this rural community multilayered vegetations of rice fields which are cultivated on stepped land or swidden, irrigation canals flowing up to the Mahaweli system, cattle sheds are some of the foremost sights to be witnessed.

Apart from the human life, it provides home for a wild variety of fauna and flora. This is made possible by the forest mostly dominated by Pine trees. Hasalaka Oya, Maha Oya and Heen Ganga are some of the main streams formed from the Knuckles forest and running into the Mahaweli River. It is estimated that the Knuckles forest contributes almost 30% of the water in Victoria, Randenigala and Rantambe Reservoirs. These water streams feed the cultivations of the human habitat as well including the commercial plants such as tea and cardamom plantation.

In fact out of 24 endemic species of Sri Lanka, 18 of them are seen here. Migrant birds, butterflies spiders, insects and amphibians of hill country can be easily spotted in the environment around the Knuckles Range.

Apart from the forest range, the neighbouring environment is also enriched with a lot of eye catchy landscapes. The ‘mini worlds end’, locally knows as ‘Pitawala Pathana’ provides a unique sight with the misty clouds. In addition to that, one may observe on the way to Knuckles Range, the scenic surrounding at ‘Riverston’ covered with an assortment of waterfalls and streams making way for a natural bath full of merriment.

All in all these factors mentioned above are apposite for sightseeing, hiking, natural bathing, researching etc.

Considering all the aspects of Knuckles range the government of Sri Lanka had declared Knuckles as a climatic reserve during the year of 1873 and consequently pronounced as a conservation forest zone covering 17500ha on April 2000. Recently this was added to the National World Heritage Site list and to the list of International/ National Man and Biosphere Reserve.

On the whole, well known for its novel eco system, depauperate native flora, mountainous misty surrounding and well conserved culture, the Knuckles Mountain Range is hence recommended as a must when it comes to a holiday visit.

In addition, the visitors should be mindful not to harm but to contribute to safeguard the rich biological diversity and to the system of rich cultural diversity preserved by the local community for centuries.

Elevation : 3000ft above from the sea level

Average rainfall : 5000mm per annum

Climate : Intermediate, Misty, Subjected to storms and wind during May - October

Accomodation :
Need to reserve bungalows and camp sites in Forest Department Illukkumbura.

Food : When the essentials are provided a cook will be at your service.

Route : Colombo -> Mathale -> Rattota -> Reverstan -> Illukkumbura-> Telgamu Oya-> Rathninda -> Etanwala -> Pitawala -> Mathale -> Colombo

Illukkumbura Bungalows .

Telgamu Oya bathing places

Telgamu Oya

Nature Triles

Dilshan's luxury Hotel opened.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 15:06:00 +0000

'D Pavilion Inn', a luxury hotel owned by star cricketer Thilakaratne Dilshan was declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Stafford Avenue, Kirulapone yesterday.Pix by President's Media -link source by :dailymirror.lk.

Pioneering Cruise by ‘Yathra’ on Benthara River.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 17:51:00 +0000

The first of its kind and a trail blazing joint venture between Jetwing Hotels and MMBL Leisure Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. Yathra by Jetwing is now ready to experience a new dimension of relaxation through floating leisure; another milestone in Sri Lanka’s thriving entrance into sustainable eco-tourism.

Inspired by the Kettuvallam, a woodenhulled and thatch-roofed houseboat, used to advantage tourism in the backwaters of India’s Kerala state, Yathra by Jetwing is the first of five luxury houseboats in a joint venture between Jetwing Hotels and MMBL Leisure Holding (Pvt) Ltd – the leisure arm of MMBL-Pathfinder Group of Sri Lanka.

The concept of this venture is reminiscent of ancient Ceylon’s padda boats - the flatbottomed, punt-shaped barge that once helped transport heavy goods and family members of boatmen to and fro on the waterways of yonder.

Yathra by Jetwing, the first locally built houseboat since the padda, revives the dynamic boating culture of the past, with an infusion of elegance and luxury, to provide a deeply satisfying and soul-stirring experience. Crafted from bamboo for an exotic oriental ambiance, with classic teakwood floors in the upper and lower decks, Yathra by Jetwing has a thatched roof sheltering two plush air-conditioned cabins, with private balconies and attached luxury bathrooms. The galley in the aft is equipped to prepare fresh food for every meal, and is also able to accommodate passenger requests for dishes of freshly bought fish, crab and shrimp, along the way. The spacious dining area of the boat is open to the passing scenery, and can comfortably seat 6-8 guests.

The upper deck provides cool shade under canvas sails during the day, and in the night, allows the allure of romantic star-encrusted skies, and the ecstatic feel of boundless space. Time pauses briefly to allow the floating sensation to calm rushed souls.

This is the magnificent outcome of a two and a half year process of creativity, designed by Sunela Jayewardene (a leading environmental designer), and built by Neil Marine (Pvt) Ltd.

- See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk

The Biodiversity of this wild park in 'bundala national park'

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 15:55:00 +0000

Bundala National Park is located about 250km south east of Colombo in Hambantota district. It is covering an area of 6216 hectares. General climate of this park is hot and dry as the park falls into the low rainfall zone of Sri Lanka. The vegetation of the park is thorny scrub jungle which is boarded by the cost line.

Biodiversity of this park is extremely high as the lagoons and the complex wetland system give the maximum support for numerous species. More than 300 plant species have been recorded from the park from which 6 plant species are endemic and 32 species of mammals approximately 197 species such as Black-necked stork, Spoonbill, Green Shank, Red Shank, Spot-billed Pelican, Blue-faced Malkoha, Crested Hawk eagle are found here.

Both types of crocodiles (estuarine and fresh water crocodiles) are found in Bundala national park. The estuarine mail crocodiles are about 7 meters of length and lives in lagoons. The beaches of this park are the nesting ground for 4 species of sea turtles.

Distance from Colombo to Bundala National Park -250 Km.

Let This Pearl to Refresh & Restore You - Laxapana Waterfall.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 05:30:00 +0000

Laxapana Waterfall is an enchanting waterfall in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. At 129 meters high, it is the 08th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and also it is recorded as the 625th highest waterfall in the world. This is much-loved waterfall captivating all who visit her. This beautiful waterfall is formed by Maskeliya Oya. People have returned, generation after generation to take in the spirit and presence of this Special place.

The name “Laxapana” derives from two Sinhala words, which is “Laxa” and “pahan or pashanav”. The literarily meaning of “Laxa” is “hundred thousand” and meaning of “pahan or pashanav(pana)” is “rocks”. So, the meaning of “Laxapana” is a “hundred thousands of rocks”. This Laxapana Waterfall was known as “Veddha Hiti Ella (Vedahiti Ella)” at early days, which means that indigenous local tribesmen’s lived place. And there are few legends of this Laxapana Waterfall. One legend is that residents believe this place where Buddha mended his saffron robe when he was visiting Sri Pada. And also it is said that a golden receptacle appears beneath the bed of the water, when there is less water at drought times and locals have believed this wonder brings rain to this area. However, this amazing Laxapana Waterfall is located in an attractive location which has many hidden caves natural tunnels. It were used by early Sri Lanka’s inhabitants are contained at the surrounding mountains of this Laxapana Waterfall. However, travelers can enjoy many fascinating views of this waterfall.

Especially at the cement step path to the base of this waterfall, travelers can enjoy a spectacular view of the surrounding Laxapana valley. Once travelers go down towards the lower slopes, they can hear a thunderous roar at a distance. This famous waterfall has plenty of flat rock pools at the wide base. Hence, Laxapana Waterfall is one of ideal locations to relax and revive in Sri Lanka. And the other most eye catching thing of this Laxapana waterfall is the white lace like waters fall down beautifully enveloping the base in a magical mist. Therefore, travelers those who travelers who wish to get a little wet and who love to have hiking, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura areas are some of best areas in Sri Lanka and this Laxapana Waterfall is one of the best destinations. And there are many other noteworthy things of bio diversity to see and enjoy there including Bambarakanda Waterfall, Bakers Waterfall, St. Clairs Waterfall and Diyaluma Waterfall. And there is wide range of eco-friendly affordable and best Nuwara Eliya hotels and Ratnapura Hotels available, out of endless selection of Hotels in Sri Lanka. So, let this pearl refresh and restore you, allowing a quality of nurturing and stopping time to be experienced!
link source by( http:///www.dailymirror.lk)

Cascade of 'silvery-spray' in Bopath ella waterfall Sri Lanka.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 09:01:00 +0000

The name "Bopath Ella" has been given to the waterfall because of its shape. The water flows through a narrow gap in the rocks and then widens, forming the shape of a leaf of a "Bo" tree which is the Sinhalese name for sacred fig (Ficus religiosa). "Path" means leaves of a tree and "Ella" means waterfall. Virgin forests with a rich biodiversity surround the waterfall.

Bopath Ella waterfalls is Situated at Rathnapura and nearest waterfall to the Colombo city , within a travelling distance of 1 1/2hour by car. Kuruwita is closest town to the waterfall. .

Waterfalls is 30m height. This waterfall located at 6'48 N 80'22 E. Main water source for the waterfall is Kuru Ganga.

The waterfall has been used for bathing by ancient rulers of the country when they visited the nearby Maha Saman Devale in Ratnapura.

The Bopath Falls cascades in the shape of a bo (Ficus religiosa) tree (hence its name) and is the most comprehensively studied fall in Sri Lanka. Its source is the Kurugana River that later joins the Kaluganga River at Kurugaomaodara.

The average temperature of the area is 26.9 – 27.8 degrees Celsius and the annual rainfall of the fall’s catchment area is 5080mm. The mean speed of the flow is 6 cubic metres per second. The upper reach of the fall is made up of granite and biotite virin, and is covered by sand. The water from the fall irrigates the paddy fields of the Udakada and Kuruwita areas.

The surrounding plant and tree life includes attikka (Ficus racimosa), kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna), midella, dun (Doona spp), para (Wormia suffruticosa), ginihota (Cythia spp), rathmadiya, ketala (Lagenendra oveta), Beduru (Dryneria spp), orchids, varieties of meewana (Madhca) badal, hanassa, makulu and beduru. Animal species include wild boar, Meemina deer and reptiles, and the water is home to many species of fish including bulathhapaya, lellu, magura, korali, sonnu and eel. In addition to its rich bio-diversity, the fall is also steeped in folklore. One such story tells how a youth from Colombo made a pilgrimage here, and on losing his way was helped and sheltered by a local village girl.

Distance from Colombo to Bopath Ella waterfall - 78 Km.

Catching a Glimpse of the Impressive Devon Waterfall.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 13:55:00 +0000

Even though human are slashing and destroying the natural beauty of the world, still there are many wonderful nature creations are proudly standing in Sri Lanka. Among many nature wonders, Devon Waterfall is one of popular waterfalls, which has an incredible scenery and awe-inspiring power of water and is located in Talawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. This dramatic waterfall is known as the “Veil of the Valley” because of its unique formation and it is with an impressive height of 97 meters.
Devon Waterfall is the 19th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and the name of “Devon” derives from a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon. Travelers can easily reach this Devon Waterfall via Avissawella – Nuwara Eliya A7 Highway and it is located at a convenient location where anyone can make a stop. But if you want to have adventurous things, you have to find the top of the falls through Dimbula – Nawalapitiya road. The base of the Devon Waterfall is also another dramatic location there and travelers can reach it via lush tea estates. It is located some 500 meters down. However, the best, enormous and attractive views of Devon Waterfall can be captured by viewing from Dimbula, where has a dedicated viewing platform. While travelling by a train on the Kandy to Nuwata Eliya line (rail tracks closer to Waagoda) also, travelers can enjoy the fascinating views of this Devon Waterfall. Not only that, but travelers can view these amazing sceneries of this fall from the hamlet of Midigama.
Therefore, travelers those who to lost in greenery and water world, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura areas are some of best areas in Sri Lanka and this Devon Waterfall is one of the best destinations. And there are many other noteworthy things of bio diversity to see and enjoy there including Bambarakanda Waterfall, Bakers Waterfall, St Clairs Waterfall and Diyaluma Waterfall. And there is wide range of eco-friendly affordable and best Nuwara Eliya hotels and Ratnapura Hotels available, out of endless selection of Hotels in Sri Lanka. So, it’s time to get in touch with one of planet’s mightiest nature creations; Devon Waterfall.
link source by( http:///www.dailymirror.lk)

Amazing Nature Park in Wasgamuwa Sri Lanka.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 13:37:00 +0000

Wasgamuwa National Park (Wasgomuwa) spanning over 36,900 hectares is bordered by River Mahaweli Ganga and River Amban Ganga in east and west. The altitude varies from over 500m at the Sudu kanda hill to just 76m along the Mahaweli Ganga. The combination of a number of small reservoirs and Sudu kanda mountain range affords fine trekking opportunities for keen hikers.

Tropical dry mixed evergreen forest predominates, characterized by tall trees: Weera (Drypetes sepiaria), Palu (Manikkara hexandra), Wa ( Cassia roxburghii) Ehala (C. Fistula), Buruta (Satin), Chloroxylon Swietenia, Velang (Pterospermum canescens), the endemic Galsiyambala (Dialium ovoideum), Milla (Vitaex Pinanata) and Kaluwara (ebony) (Diospyros Ebenum).

Wasgamuwa National Park’s (Wasgomuwa) climatic conditions are that of the dry zone. Rain fall is mainly with the northeast monsoon (Maha) in October-February. Inter-monsoon rains occur in March-May. Annual rainfall increases from about 1,750 mm in the north to 2,250 mm in the south. Mean annual temperature is around 27 centigrade.

Wildlife at Wasgamuwa National Park

The center of the attraction is herds of elephants up to 150. The best time to enjoy the sight of large herds is during November to May. In the rest of the year the elephants tend to migrate to nearby Minneriya and Kaudulla national Parks.

Other wildlife includes Purple faced langur monkeys, wild boar, sambar and spotted deer, buffalo and rarely sighted leopards and sloth bears.Among the reptiles are water monitor, mugger crocodile, estuarine crocodile and python (Python Molurus).

Birdlife at Wasgamuwa National Park

Of the 143 species of birds reported at Wasgamuwa National Park (Wasgomuwa) are endemic Red-faced malkoha and Ceylon jungle fowl are common sight in the park. Among the bird populations are Sri Lanka Trogon, racquet tailed drongo, endemic yellow fronted barbet, endemic Sri Lanka spurfowl, white necked stork and lesser adjutant stork.More than 150 plant species have been recorded in the Wasgamuwa National Park. Chloroxylon swietenia, Manilkara hexandra, Elaeodendron glaucum, Pterospermum canescens, Diospyros ebenum, Holoptelea integrifolia, Pleurostylia opposita, Vitex altissima, Drypetes sepiaria, and Berrya cordifolia are dominant in the emergent layer of the forests while Polyalthia korinti, Diplodiscus verrucosus, Limonia acidissima, Cassia roxburghii and Strobilanthes stenoden are common in the other layers. There is also a 1,700 year-old tamarind tree in Wasgamuwa.

Distance from Colombo to Wasgamuwa National park:236.8km

Take a Worthy Tour of a Stunning Diyaluma Waterfall.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 01:49:00 +0000

Are you eager to discover a wonderful nature creation more than just a pretty waterfall in Sri Lanka? Diyaluma Waterfall is one of best picturesque waterfalls that impress travelers with its might, height and its dramatic location. This spectacular waterfall is located in Badulla district, Sri Lanka and it is the third highest waterfall in the island which is 171 meters in height. Due to its impressive height, incredible scenery and awe-inspiring power of water, it has been more popular among worldwide travelers.
To discover this amazing destination and take a photo tour of this Diyaluma Waterfall, you can reach it conveniently along the A4 Koslanda – Wellawaya road and 06 km away from Koslanda. Or, you can reach via Poonagala from Bandarawela town. However, this waterfall is more accessible than other waterfalls that visitors can view directly from the main road even. This beautiful waterfall is nourished by the Poonagala Oya, a tributary of Kuda Oya which in turn, is a tributary of Kirindi Oya. And this Diyaluma Waterfall is listed as the 361st highest waterfall in the world. And the literarily meaning of “Diyaluma” is “a rapid flow of water”. There are two famous beliefs about this waterfall. One story is about a Prince had fallen in love with a lower caste young woman. Once they had the fury of their residents, this Prince and the woman decided to escape by climbing the rock face of Diyaluma. It is said that a creeper was hanged on the woman and it became knotted in rocks and she leaped to her death. The other popular as well as tragic story happened in 1910. Harris and Ashna, two tourists had climbed Diyaluma Waterfall and Ashna had made a record time of climbing this top. But due to Harris’ pride, it is said that he separated the rope from Ashna and let her fall to her death. Further, it is said that Harris also committed a suicide by cutting his own rope. However, this Diyaluma Waterfall is attracting many visitors due to it facilitates a supreme view from the dramatic bridge that passes below this aquatic marvel. Via Diyaluma rubber factory and via Koslanda, travelers can reach the top of this waterfall.
Therefore, travelers who wish to get a little wet and who love to have hiking, Diyaluma Waterfall in Sri Lanka will be a best travel destination. In addition to this sightseeing location, there are many noteworthy waterfalls with lofty heights and stunning power to discover in Sri Lanka, such as Baker’s Waterfall, Bambarakanda Waterfall, Devon Waterfall, St. Clair’s Waterfall and more. And there is wide range of eco-friendly affordable and best Nuwara Eliya hotels and Ratnapura Hotels available, out of endless selection of Hotels in Sri Lanka. Thus, it’s time to have a hiking adventure and to get little wet with Diyaluma Waterfall, as worth a special trip.
link source by( http:///www.dailymirror.lk)

Nature Adventures In Hikkaduwa Beach Sri Lanka.

gayanpereraone@gmail.com (Gayan perera) — Thu, 01 May 2014 06:25:00 +0000

Hikkaduwa Beach, on the south coast of Sri Lanka, is situated just 98 km from the capital city Colombo.

Beach Surroundings
Hikkaduwa is immensely popular among tourist for its natural surroundings, offering wide beaches, coral reefs, adventure sports activities, and picturesque sun set view.
The Hikkaduwa beach is especially famous for its coral reefs, present in the form of coral sanctuary housing countless number of colorful fish and other marine creatures. Glass bottom boats offer superb views of coral reefs just off shore.
Hikkaduwa is Sri Lankas one of the best surf destination. Hikkaduwa surfing adventure is what makes it one of the major tourist attractions of Sri Lanka.
The beach offers fantastic opportunities for having a lot of fun and adventure. There's excellent arrangements for snorkelling and dive sites for scuba divers
While exploring the surroundings of the beach you can visit Gangarama Maha Vihara, a Buddhist temple famous for its large number of paintings. Other major attractions are nearby lake, temples and monasteries.

Luxurious Stay
A large number of options for a comfortable and luxurious stay at Hikkaduwa are available. Some popular luxurious destinations include
Villa Kusum,
Sunuils Beach Hotel,
Amaya Reef, Super Corals,
Coral Gardens,
Coral Sands hotel, and several other hotels.

Nature

coral sand hotel

corel gardends hotel

kusum villa hotel

Distance from Colombo to Hikkaduwa:112km.