Sri Lanka has been known as a gem country because the gem mining industry in Sri Lanka is as old as civilization itself and therefore, Sri Lanka is equal in status to other gem producing countries like Brazil, South Africa, Thailand and Myanmar. As for Sri Lankans, gems are more than mere ornamental material to adorn gold jewelry. Sri Lankans treat gems as an item of mystique and therefore, there are many mythical beliefs, legends, superstition and the occult associated with them.

It is known the world over that Sri Lankan gems are of high quality. However gems can be bought at low prices compared with Europe and the US. Therefore, most tourists come to Sri Lanka to purchase gems. Rough uncut stones can be bought in Sri Lanka for about half the price of those found in the UK. The demand for Sri Lankan gems has produced cheats and crooked salesmen that can dupe any gullible tourist with fake stones. The Government of Sri Lanka has taken strict measures to curb such nefarious activities and has set-up test centers where you can get your gems tested and valued for free.These test centers are run by the National Gem and Jewelry Authority which is the Authority to provide licenses to genuine gem dealers.

There is speculation about the origins of Yoga, but most likely it was developed around the 6th and 5th centuries BCE in ancient India’s ascetic and sramana movements, according to Wikipedia. It is a Hindu practice performed to achieve physical mental and spiritual discipline for attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on the Hindu concept of divinity. Meditation is a process of practice to control one’s mind freeing it of disruptive thoughts and focusing one’s mind to a place that gives you peace and tranquility resulting in spiritual rejuvenation. You have to achieve this condition on your own – no one else can do it for you.

Following the success of Swami Vivekananda in the late 19th and early 20th century, yoga was introduced to the West by gurus from India. However, the Western world practiced yoga as a form of physical exercise though in Indian traditions it has a meditative and spiritual core.

There is a variety of practices under the term “Yoga” including Jain and Buddhist practices. In Hinduism Yoga falls into Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Laya Yoga and Hatha Yoga. The more well-known types of yoga are Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga.

With Sri Lanka being a tropical Island in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal with a coastline measuring 1,700 kms (1056 miles) provides ample opportunities for deep sea, inshore or inland fishing.

Deep sea fishing would depend on the season determined by the monsoons. Western and southern coasts would be accessible only from November to April while the east coast season for fishing would be from May to September.

If you prefer to stand on the beach with a rod and baited line and the gentle waves sloshing around your legs you are free to do so and you are sure to make a catch of small fry, but if you are lucky, may hit a larger fish coming inshore to feed on smaller fish.

For deep-sea fishing, a fibre-glass boat with an outboard motor or a motor-boat would have to be used for troll fishing or line casting. The seas around the southern coast of Sri Lanka are rich in game fish such as Giant Trevally, Dog Tooth Tuna, Black and Blue Marlin, Large Sailfish, groupers and sharks that inhabit the reefs and drop offs of the southern coast line. Kirinda which is near the Yala National Park is a hot-spot for real big game fishing. The Giant Trevally and dog-tooth tuna are guaranteed to give you a tough battle and your skill will determine the winner and vanquished.

Ayurveda is a unique branch of medicine being an indigenous form of treatment using natural herbs, barks, roots, flowers, buds of medicinal plants and trees. Decoctions, pastes, ointments, applications, oils are made by grinding, boiling and grating parts of medicinal plants according to ancient recipes found recorded in ancient scripts called “ola leaves”. In Sri Lanka the science of Ayurveda is handed down from generation to generation and many patients have experienced incredible cures where western medicine did not produce results particularly for snake bites, skin rashes, gastric, flatulence ailments and orthopedic conditions. Ayurveda is said to have originated in India where it is believed that the major source of Ayurveda is the sacred texts of knowledge of the Hindu God called Lord Brahma. It is one of the world’s oldest forms of treatment with a 5000 year tradition. Ayurveda is also native to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine has set up a Department of Ayurveda and established hospitals in various parts of the country providing all facilities for study and qualification in this ancient branch of medicine.

All diseases according to Ayurveda arise primarily from abnormalities of three bases: They are “Vatha” (air or flatulence), “Pitha” (Bile), and “Kapha” (Phlegm).

Sri Lanka is not famous around the world as a golfing country. However, golfing enthusiasts need not be disappointed because surprisingly there are three excellent 18-hole courses in the country. They are situated in Colombo, Digana (Kandy) at an elevation of 600m and Nuwara Eliya at al elevation of 2,070m. Each is of different terrain and the climatic conditions too vary which enhances the enjoyment of playing your kind of golf under different conditions.

The Royal Colombo Golf Club course is an 18-hold Course, 5770m long (par 71). It is a golf course designed to give the ardent golfer all the challenges the game can offer. There are many water hazards, broad fairways, well guarded bunkers designed to make the golfer test out his finer skills in the game of Golf. This Gold Course was established in 1879 and was originally situated in Colombo at the location now known as Galle Face Green. It is the second oldest Royal Golf Club outside the UK. It was also the third club in the British Empire that was accorded the ‘Royal’ title. The Club House bears testimony to a 130-year existence with historical memorabilia to give those interested, nostalgic memories.

Almost all visitors arriving in Sri Lanka to observe Nature’s blessings in this Paradise Island have “Elephant safaris” as one item on their Agenda. Most of the 15 nature parks provide them the opportunity to observe elephants in the wild. Also all visitors never fail to visit the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage that gives refuge to orphaned elephants and see for themselves how elephants are cared for.

There are also others who wish to become one with the elephant by riding on the back of an elephant and enjoy the rhythm and movement of the elephant’s walk through the jungle observing and photographing other animals, birds, etc. in natural surroundings from the back of an elephant moving silently, rather than from a mechanical vehicle with engine noises.

Habarana which is located 210 km north each of Colombo is noted as a popular point for elephant back riding safaris, especially because it is a transit point for herds from the Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks. The terrain provides the perfect thrills of an elephant ride as there are reservoirs, waterways, to wade through. The riding route is usually over the main road, jungle pathways, villages, swamp, river and jungles. March to July is the period preferred for elephant back riding safaris when the water level in the river is just right for the elephant to wade through.

Your tour of Sri Lanka wouldn’t be complete without an aerial tour of this Paradise Isle that will leave you breathless and give you an experience you will never forget in your life time.

The following are the air-taxi operators in Sri Lanka who will satisfy your desires for a helicopter or seaplane ride to wherever you wish to travel:

1. Sri Lankan Air Taxi
2. Deccan Aviation Lanka
3. Cinnamon Air

There are also many sea-plane/helicopter flight related hotels around the Island that will ensure that you make the best of your flight and sight-seeing tours thereafter.

Seaplane services began in 2004, but came to a standstill with the protracted civil war which finally ended in 2009. You can now fly from Colombo to Jaffna in the extreme North and visit the war-torn zones that came under a dark era with terrorist activities.

If you have been bored seeing the same old wedding rituals with the same old wedding hymns and stage-managed ceremony, think about making this occasion a unique and memorable one in a completely new and glamorous setting and you will find out that Sri Lanka holds a special magic for wedding couples or lovers for that matter. Come to Sri Lanka as it is one of the top overseas wedding destinations where you will enjoy the genuine traditional ceremony that will remain in your memory all your life. You can make your choice of diverse locations: up in the hills, on the beaches, jungles, villages, etc.

A Typical Sri Lankan style wedding involves Kandyan dancers, drummers, beautifully dressed elephants to conduct the groom to the site, a specially decorated stage where the vows are made and sealed with a ring and a kiss.

Sri Lankan hotels are quite experienced in arranging wedding ceremonies according to your wishes and fancies especially with many couples from various parts of the world preferring to have a down-to-earth Sri Lankan wedding ceremony. The champagne, wedding cake, Sri Lankan buffets, tailor-made clothing, bouquets, Kandyan dancers, drummers, photography and video recording, marriage registrar with English Certificate of Marriage, etc. would all be arranged by the hotel according to your desires. The following documents would be necessary to fulfill legal requirements.

1. Parents’ names and their occupations and addresses
2. Copy of valid passport
3. Copy of birth certificate
4. An affidavit signed by a Solicitor with stamp confirming the marital status of the bride and groom
5. If widowed, death certificate of deceased spouse
6. If either of the couple is divorced, a Decree Absolute must be presented to prove the lawful termination of the previous marriage.
7. In case of any change of names, a certificate to that effect.

Antiques, just like ancient photographs create a sense of fascination and make you dream of a time long gone by and make you compare those periods of time with the present and the vast ocean of innovations, technologies, advancements in between that affect every sphere of our lives. We like to cling on to those old rare and valuables tokens that relate stories of ancient times. They may be paintings, furniture, vehicles, clocks, mechanical devices, ornaments, door and window frames, radios, gramophones, walking sticks, etc that hold a special place in your heart for their old world charm. They become subjects and special exhibits to conduct mind-capturing conversations with visitors and friends.

There are many antique dealers in Colombo and suburbs that offer a wide selection to choose from and it is certain that you will be fascinated with what you can collect to stir your memories and emotions.

1. Hermitage located at No.28, Gower Street, Colombo 5, display a wide range of cultural antiques that include beds from Indonesia, wooden carvings, ancient printing presses, cupboards and even cart tables converted from carts brought down from ancient alleyways of India and a variety of fascinating artefacts and paintings.

1. Gandhara situated at No.28, Stratford Avenue, Kirillapone, Colombo 6, is a treasure trove of a collection of artefacts handpicked from various parts of South Asia. Art lovers would specially find this place to their liking as the wide range of paintings, carvings, and abstracts that could give their homes a twist of fascinating character. They have also set up their own art gallery to promote local talent and you would be amazed by the electric vibrancy of color combinations and presentations of Sri Lankan artists.
2. Paradise Road situated near the Colombo Town Hall has become a tourist attraction because wandering through the jungle of peculiar and unique one-of-a-kind items makes one feel that he has warped into an alien world. You will find rustic furniture pieces, elegant porcelain, grotesque wooden carvings and rock sculpture. If you are looking for the unusual, go to Paradise Road and even if the prices are a bit on the higher end, they are worth going for.
3. De Silva Antiques at No.94, Dutugemunu Street, Kohuwela, gives you a wide selection of antiques not only from all parts of Sri Lanka, but from South Asia as well. Carved dining tables and chairs, dressing tables, utensils, art work, carvings and figurines would create an atmosphere in your home that would make a proud presentation to your visitors.
4. K & S. Antiques at No.190, Dutugemunu Street, Kohuwela is a place that could satisfy many a fastidious antique-collector. Colonial period furniture, ancient porcelain, brass lamps and various objects d’art can be found here. It is worth a look around and the staff is quite helpful and will make sure you are satisfied.
5. Waruna Antiques No.761, Peradeniya Road, Kandy, provides a good hunting ground for the antique collector as they stock a wide range of antique colonial- period furniture, ornaments, pottery, brassware, Moorish porcelain, paintings, sculpture and fancy carvings.
6. Olanda Antique Shop, No.30, Leyn Baan St., Galle Fort, specializes in antiques of the Dutch period that includes living, bedroom, dining room furniture, doors and windows of centuries- old Colonial properties.
7. Roux Brothers at No.7, De Fonseka Road, Colombo 5, No.419, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3 and 137, Bullers Road, Colombo 4 stock a wide range of antique Dutch furniture and reproductions of solid timber. You can also find antique lamps, carvings, figurines, plaques, etc.
8. Sujeewa Antiques, No. 460, Galle Road, Ambalangoda and No.11, Chitra Lane, Colombo 5, deal in Dutch period antiques, furniture, old porcelain, brass and timber ornaments. There is also a range of objects d’art that would satisfy any connoisseur of art.
9. Villa Saffron , No.15, Bogahahena Road, Battaramulla, offer Colonial antique furniture, reproductions of architectural artifacts, paintings by ancient artists and various objects d’art.

Although Indonesia is famous the world over for batiks, Sri Lanka too holds a substantial share in that fame with designs that portray the country’s rich culture and traditional art forms with bold and vibrant representation of the beauty of Nature, cultural and religious events, animals, flowers, etc. Batik and the handloom industry go hand in hand in so far as traditional arts and crafts are concerned.

The handloom weaving industry can be considered an ancient art that is centuries old practiced throughout the ages and handed down from generation to generation. It is a rural-based industry with women being exclusively in the forefront.

Materials used for handloom weaving are usually cotton, rayons and polyester cotton are also used for varying textures and striking designs. There is a great international demand for Sri Lankan handloom products including wall hangings and banners.

There are also beautiful tapestries, curtains, table cloth, sarongs and even sarees carrying scenes of colorful religious ceremonies and folklore.

1. Selyn located down Fife Road, Colombo offer a wide range of textiles, handloom products, sarees, soft toys, curtain fabrics, bed linen, etc. They are reputed to maintain a high standard of quality and their prices are affordable. You can discuss your requirements with the staff that are quite friendly and ever-willing to help out with your personal likes and choices.
2. Kandygs is in the fabric-producing, dyeing and weaving business since 1979 and they offer a wide variety of handloom products such as wall-hangings, curtains, bed spreads, soft toys, table cloth and woven mats, etc. They also deal in various handicraft items such as pottery, wooden interior decorative items that should satisfy any fastidious customer.
3. Barefoot would be a unique shopping experience as they deal with unique new-age clothing of bohemian, hippie character. It is for the discerning shopper with unique or, rather unusual tastes. The moment you step into Barefoot you will be captured by an out-of-this world ambience that will supplement your ‘shopping appetite’ and generate new ideas about your selection of items.
4. Lakmedura is an emporium that specializes in genuine Sri Lankan batiks, artwork, garments, jewelry, as it provides an outlet to bring out the splendor of local craftsmanship drawn from the rare talents of villages in the interiors. Therefore, you will find hand-carved devil masks, exquisite hand-crafted brass statues, intricate wooden carvings which bear a very special cultural character. If you are interested in leather products or gems, you can make your choice here. Eye-catching batik material and clothing and handloom curtains, bedspreads too offer you a range of designs and colors to suit your individual tastes.
5. Kreation specializes in typical traditional handloom productions including cotton and silk material in contemporary designs. As their name suggests, they would create any customized designs or style according to your preferences. You can find a wide range of garments for men, women and children and you can make your selections out of a variety of sarees, costume jewelry, hand bags, etc.
6. Laksala is the premier State-owned emporium that show-cases all local handicraft creations from all over Sri Lanka and plays a major role in sustaining local industries producing typically traditional gift and souvenir items. Laksala is situated in the heart of Colombo City and a walk through its multi-storied complex will leave you dumb-founded with the vast colorful items of batik and handloom products, handmade jewelry, ornaments, wooden carvings, home decorative items, tapestries, wall hangings, hand-carved wooden devil masks, etc.

The best of gold jewellery of exquisite and intricate designs of 22 carat, 18 carat, etc. can be purchased in Sri Lanka at prices that are lower than those found in the Middle East, Europe and elsewhere.

The gold used in the manufacture of jewellery is pure and is of high quality which you can verify through electronic testing apparatus available at the jewellery shops

The National Gem & Jewellery Authority was incorporated in 1971by an Act of Parliament as the Regulatory Body of the Gem & Jewellery Industry in Sri Lanka and the gem & Jewellery exchange functions as a One Stop Export Trade Centre to facilitate the entire trade.
It is situated at
No.25,
Galle Face Terrace,
Colombo 3.

1. Colombo Jewellery Stores –Jewelry Store - 1 Alfred House Gardens Road, Colombo 3
2. Stone ‘N’ String – jewellery manufacturer – 275, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3
3. Nithyakalyani Jewellery – jewellery store – 541, Galle Road, Colombo 6.
4. Raja Jewellers - jewellery store – 173, Galle Road, Colombo 6
5. Glitteray – jewelry designer – 33, Lauries Road, Bambalapitiya, Colombo 4.
6. Vogue Jewellers – Jeweller – 528, Galle Road, Colombo 3 and Ground Floor, Sausiri Shopping Complex, High Level Rd, Nugegoda
7. Ravi Jewellers – jeweler – 115, Sea Street, Colombo 1
8. Zam Gems – jeweler - 81, Galle Road, Colombo 6
9. Swarna Mahal Jewellers – jewelry store – 676, Galle Road, Colombo 3 and Nugegoda
10. Careem Jewellers – jewelry store – Lotus Road, Colombo 1.

Bikers are a special breed that has a perennial urge to conquer the flats, the hill climbs, dirt tracks, jungle trails and steep slopes that challenge their stamina and endurance. The cycling trails are his arena and he is the gladiator! Does Sri Lanka provide him the challenges and opportunities to quench his thirst to conquer and test his skills and stamina?

Sri Lanka is a small country, but is blessed by Nature with landscapes throughout the Island to give a biker all that he wishes for and more. There are trails to satisfy bikers of various degrees of stamina and endurance. For those who prefer a relaxed ride enjoying the countryside scenery ambling along easy trails, with stops to observe wild life, birds or the scenery, the routes are limitless.

With cycle riding gaining popularity among the tourists as well as the locals of Sri Lanka four National Cycling Trails have been set up to cover the ideally suited geographical regions providing all the thrills and excitement of rides whether you are a veteran rider or an amateur. These trails comprise a route along the southern coast up to Koggala, the Cultural Triangle in the North Central Province, the base area of the central hills and the spectacular hill country.

Sri Lanka is truly a photographer’s paradise because whatever your fields of interest are, they are all a click away whether it is wildlife, rambling beaches, rain forests, ancient monuments, historical ruins, glorious waterfalls, vast tea plantations or simple rustic villages. All the subjects and backgrounds you can wish for are all here in this photogenic Island with the mystery and magic of tropical glory.

If you are interested in producing a documentary or a feature film, you can find the ideal location to suit your script. Academy-Award-winning Director Sir Carol Reed described his experience after shooting his film as “The whole of Sri Lanka is a film set”

The locations of many Hollywood award-winning films were based in Sri Lanka. Joseph Conad’s “Outcasts of the Islands”, John & Bo Derek’s “Tarzan the Ape Man”, David Lean’s all-time thriller “Bridge on the River Kwai”, Stephen Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, became box-office hits dressed in the lusty Sri Lankan sets.

The Government has removed all impediments to production of foreign films and has made permissions and permits easy to obtain.

If you need professional film location service providers, they are available with the latest equipment including cameras, lighting, generators, cranes, rigs and even speed boats and various types of aircraft.

The sole Authority in Sri Lanka that grants approval for film productions by foreigners on Sri Lankan soil is the Film Corporation of Sri Lanka.

Some unique and interesting locations to make any shutter-bug happy with fulfillment are the Fortress in the Sky known as Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya, up in the central hills with colonial architecture and breath-taking views of mountains, valleys, gushing waterfalls and sprawling tea plantations; The beautiful botanical gardens of Peradeniya and Haggala; the Horton Plains and World’s End with spectacular views of the lush flora and fauna and of course, the wildlife reserves of Wasgamuwa the elephant country, Yala, Bird Paradise of Kumana, Wilpattu National Park, Sinharajah Rain Forest, Bundala, Uda Walawe are some of the most fascinating locations that will provide you with all the material you need for whatever photographic purpose you have in mind.

Ceramic and Porcelain products of Sri Lanka carry a high standard of quality especially because the best of raw material such as high quality Quartz, Feldspar, Dolomite and China clay are available in abundance in Sri Lanka. What makes Sri Lankan porcelain products comparatively superior is the high level of whiteness, translucency, high temperature tolerance and scratch-resistant surface. These are the qualities that have contributed to Sri Lankan porcelain and ceramic products reaching Macy’s, Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn in the USA, El Corte Ingles in Spain, Debenhams and House of Frazer in the UK.

A wide range of porcelain tableware, ornamental figurines and utility ware, decorative shapes and designs, kitchen utensils, pottery of various designs, bathroom accessories, etc. are now being exported in large quantities to Europe and the Americas.

Having discovered the vast potential and facilities available, the world-famous Noritake Japanese Company established their industry in Sri Lanka in 1972 which provided Sri Lanka with larger export markets not only for Noritake brands, but also for Dankotuwa, Elan Royal Fernwood and other ceramic products that had built up a reputation of their own.

Noritake is a giant in the ceramic and porcelain world having established their factory in Nippon Toke, Nagoya, Japan in 1904, their founder being Baron ichizaemon Morimura.

Lanka Ceramics (Pvt) Ltd. Commenced operations in Sri Lanka in 1972 joining hands with the Noritake Company Ltd. In Japan and consequently evolved into Noritake Lanka Porcelain.

The quality and wide range of porcelain and ceramic products manufactured in Sri Lanka reached markets far and wide and today, Sri Lanka manufactures these products for Walt Disney, Universal Studios, Lucas Arts, Warner Brothers and Walmart among others.

Some of the major players in the field of Ceramics and Porcelain are:

1. Ceramic World (Pvt) Ltd.
2. Expelogix (Pvt) Ltd.
3. Mjf Teas (Pvt) Ltd.
4. Lanka Ceramics Ltd.
5. Haycarb PLC

Anuradhapura is a treasure trove of a large number of ancient monuments and relics in Sri Lanka. There are remains of palaces, temples, monasteries, ceremonial baths and the temple of the holy Bo-tree. King Pandukabhaya, the third King in the Vijaya dynasty founded the Kingdom of Anuradhapura in 377 BCVarious invaders came across the Palk Strait and one of them became supreme holding most of the North and reigned from Anuradhapura. He was Elara . However, Gemunu, the son of King Kavantissa killed Elara in battle and made Sri Lanka a single kingdom under his reign. King Dutugemunu was responsible for the culmination of Buddhism and the Anuradhapura Kingdom lasted 1500 years.

Anuradhapura was the royal capital for 119 successive Sinhalese kings till 1000 AD and it was abandoned in 1073 and the capital moved to Polonnaruwa. From then, the ruin began and the jungle grew over the palaces, stupas, monasteries which began to crumble. It was thought to be a “lost city” by British explorers who visited the ruins in the 19th century.

Among the sights of Anuradhapura, the sacred Bo Tree is one of the most sacred relics in Sri Lanka and is the most revered site for pilgrimages of Buddhists. It is one of the oldest trees in the world which has been tended devotedly for 23 centuries. The Sri Maha Bodhi as it is known was grown from a sapling of the original Bo Tree of Bodhagaya in India under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. This sapling was brought to Sri Lanka around 245 BC by Sanghamitta Theri.

The Government has removed all impediments to production of foreign films and has made permissions and permits easy to obtain.

Some of the ancient sights to visit while in Anuradhapura are:

• Aukana Buddha: The 13 meter high statue carved out of solid granite goes back to the 5th century, to the reign of King Dathusena. (About 50km south of Anuradhapura)
• Thuparama is considered to be the oldest dagoba in Sri Lanka and is believed to enshrine the collar bone relic of Lord Buddha.
• Isurumuniya Lovers: Isurumuniya temple was built in the 3rd century B.C. and is famous for its rock carvings. “The Lovers” takes a principal place among these. Many song-writers and poets have been inspired to write romantic songs and verse on this carving. There is a theory that the carving is of Saliya the son of King Dutugemunu and the low-caste maiden whom he loved.
• Ruwanweli Seya was built by the Great Emperor Dutugemunu in the 2nd century BC. It is the most popular among the stupas in Anuradhapura and is a site mostly visited by pilgrims. It is supposed to have the perfect shape of a water bubble. There is also the statue of a man in the courtyard believed to be of the King himself.
• Abhayagiri is the largest monastery complex in the Anuradhapura kingdom. Founded in the second century BC by king Valagamba (also known as Vattagamini Abhaya) was an international institution by the first century AD. It is 200 hectares in area and is 108 mtrs tall considered to be one of the tallest brick buildings of the ancient world.
• Mihintale Temple is the spot at which Thero Mahinda, son of the Great Indian Emperor Asoka introduced Buddhism to the King of Sri Lanka, Thissa.

Dambana is a jungle village situated about 300 km from Colombo in the Badulla District near Mahiyhanganaya that has become famous due to the indigenous people of Sri Lanka generally known as ‘Veddas’ meaning “people of the forest” living there. They are a primitive race like the Aborgines in Australia.

According to archaeological findings Veddas have inhabited this Island from Neolithic times wandering around the north central and central mountain regions, living off the land by hunting, fishing and growing vegetables. But today their population has dwindled to around 350 families and they are now confined to the jungle village of Dambana.

A foreigner named Palladius wrote about the Veddas in 400 AD. Rijklof Van Goeus the Dutch Governor of Ceylon too is said to have written an account about the Veddas. In 1681 Robert Knox writing the history of his captivity by the King of Kandy in the 17th century describes the Veddas as “wild men” speaking the Chingulayes Language, killing deer and drying the flesh over fire which they sold to people around who came and bought them. He has also written that the Veddas never tilled the ground since their food was only flesh.

Since the Veddas were considered to be one of the most primitive races in the world, Europeans and anthropologists showed an interest to carry out studies of them. They were Sarasin & Sarasin in 1893 and subsequently Seligman, Hugh Neville, R.L. Spittle and Osman Hill

Their language was thought to be an ancient dialect of Sinhala which is not easily understood by the average Sinhalese. However, the parent Vedda language is of unknown linguistic origin and is of unknown genetic origins. Linguists debated as to whether the Vedda language was a dialect of Sinhalese or an independent language. According to studies conducted it was revealed that this language diverged from its parent stock in the 10th century and became a Creole and a stable independent language by the 13th Century under the influence of Sinhalese (Wikipedia).

The Veddas have no legends about their origin, neither is anything mentioned in historical chronicles such as the Mahabaratha, Ramayana or Puranas. It is the Sinhalese that have preserved the legends about the Veddas, being records in the Mahawansa.

Veddas were in three geographical habitats at the turn of the century. The Vedda Chief at the time, Uruwarige Tissahamy resisted colonization that was carried out in 1958 and continued to live in the village in Kotabakina in Dambana. The traditional hunting ground of Maduru Oya close to Dambana was lost to them since it was declared a forest reserve.

Modernization has crept into the livelihood of the Veddas who are being influenced by the imposing dominant culture and consequently they seem to be losing their traditions which they had proudly followed for centuries. The leaders of the Veddah community have expressed fears that the Vedda traditions may be dying out. They hardly use their bows and arrows for hunting and their dress too has changed to cloth.

If you are interested in the customs, traditions and life-style of an ancient race of people, you are welcome to visit them or you can rent a campsite close to their village by paying them a fee. You can also purchase their special preparations of oils for various ailments, handicrafts, etc. and even enjoy a meal prepared in the unique traditional style of the Veddas. The present Vedda Chief is Uruwarige Wanniyalaththo.

Dambulla is situated at a major junction in the Matale District (Central Province of Sri Lanka), 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy. It is a major centre for distribution of vegetables in the country.

Dambulla is famous for the largest number of preserved cave temples of Sri Lanka. Also the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia is situated in Dambulla.

It has been found that ancient indigenous civilizations had existed in this area as evidence has been unearthed at the latest archaeological site at a place called Ibbankatuwa a prehistoric burial site which is within 3 km of the cave temples. It appears that this area had been inhabited from about the 7th to the 3rd century BC. There are paintings and statues said to be dating back to the 1st century BC.

It is known that king Valagamba who fled from his enemies in Anuradhapura found refuge in the caves at Dambulla. Buddhist monks who were engaged in meditation in these caves at the time had protected the exiled king from his enemies. When the King secured the opportunity to return to the throne at Anurdhapura in the 1st Century BC he arranged for a magnificent temple of rock to be built in Dambulla to express his gratitude to the monks.

This cave temple complex is well preserved and is the largest of more than 80 caves found in the surrounding area. The rock overhang is 160 mtrs tall. There were improvements made in 1938 with the addition of arched colonnades and gabled entrances. The temple consists of five caves which are the major attractions as they contain statues and paintings which depict the life of the Lord Buddha. There are 153 Buddha statues 3 statues of Sri Lankan kings and 4 of gods and goddesses. The four other caves contain statues of the Hindu gods, Vishnu and Ganesh. Access is along the gentle slope of the Dambulla Rocks from where you can view the surrounding flat lands which include the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. The largest cave is 52 m from east to west and 23 m from entrance to the back and is 7 m tall at the highest point.

The 1st cave is called the “Cave of the Divine King” and contains a 14 m statue of the Buddha. The 2nd is the largest cave in which there are 16 standing and 40 seated statues of the Buddha and the gods Saman and Vishnu. The 3rd cave contains ceiling & wall paintings done during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Rajasingha (1747 – 1782). There are also 50 Buddha statues and a statue of the King.

Galle is a ‘must-see’ destination when you visit the south of Sri Lanka specifically to experience a tour of the Galle Fort which is the largest remaining fortress built by European occupiers in Asia. Galle was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

Long before Western invasions, Galle had been a busy seaport with Arabs, Chinese, Greeks, Indians, Greeks, and Malays trading through this port until a small Portuguese fleet led by Lorenzo de Almeida happened to come upon Arab merchants loading cinnamon & elephants at this Port in 1505. They built a rather slip-shod stockade in 1594. However, with the Dutch invasion, there was a siege and bloody battle and the Dutch captured Galle in 1640. The present Fort was built by the Dutch in 1663 with a fortified wall of solid granite. They also built three bastions which were called “Sun”, “Moon” and “Star”. From 1649 onwards (17th century), the Dutch greatly reinforced the city. 300 year old Dutch atmosphere is still very much alive around the fort and amidst its many historical buildings. There are some important churches within the fort. Among these is the Groote Kerk, considered to be the oldest Protestant church in Sri Lanka. The beautiful beach of Unawatuna is just 6km south east of the city centre.

In 1796, the British invaded the Island and took over the country from the Dutch. They used the Galle Fort as the administrative centre and preserved the Fort in its original form.

The Tsunamy that occurred off the coast of Indonesia on 26th December 2004 devastated the city killing thousands of inhabitants and causing utter destruction to property.

Some of the most interesting sites worth looking over are:

• The Flag Rock situated at the south end part of the Fort. This was earlier a Portuguese bastion and today it has become a popular place to catch the sunset. During the reign of the Dutch approaching ships were signaled from the top of Flag Rock to warn them of dangerous rocks. Hence its name.
• Dutch Reformed Church. This was built in 1640 originally, but the present building dates back to 1752 to 1755. The friendly caretaker will tell you that the floor has been paved with gravestones from the old Dutch cemetery and he will show you where remains are held in the walls and under the floor. The beautiful pulpit made from calamander wood from Malaysia and also the organ from 1760 are still well preserved.
• Marine Archaelogical Museum is one of two maritime museums of Galle. The entrance is behind the old Bell Tower. There are plenty of videos and interactive displays that bring out the maritime past including many shipwrecks in the waters around.
• The Old Gate: The British coat of arms is carved on the top outside of the entrance. On the inside, are inscribed the letters VOC, standing for Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (Dutch East India Co.) with the date 1669 with two lions on either side topped by a cock.
• The Wall: A walk along the wall at dusk would be a very pleasant stroll. You can cover the distance in an easy hour or two. You will meet courting couples and kids along the way. The eastern section of the wall ends at the Point Utrecht Bastion. A18m high lighthouse built in 1938 stands on the bastion.

The other places of interest to visit are the Dutch Hospital which dates back to the 18^th century; the Historical Mansion; Amangalla which was built in 1684 for the Dutch governor and officers. Later it became the New Oriental Hotel.

Kandy is located in the central and eastern portion of Sri Lanka. The Kingdom of Kandy is said to have been founded around the 14^th century during the reign of King Vickramabahu III of Gampola (1357 – 1374). It was then known as ‘Senkadagalapura’. Although ruled by kings of Kotte Kandy gradually developed into an independent kingdom during the 16^th and 7^th centuries

After the coastal regions of Sri Lanka had been conquered by the invading Portuguese, Kandy became the last remaining independent kingdom in Sri Lanka. There were invasions by the Portuguese and the Dutch in the 17^th and 18^th centuries and later by the British probably in 1803, but these were repelled. The last of the rulers were of the ‘Nayaks’ dynasty. Though they were able to preserve the independence of Kandy, it finally was conquered by the British in 1815. The King at the time, King Sri Wikrama Rajasingha and all claimants to the throne were deposed by the British in 1815. Thus ended the traditional monarchy of Kandy.

In 1796, the British invaded the Island and took over the country from the Dutch. They used the Galle Fort as the administrative centre and preserved the Fort in its original form.

Kandy is most famous for the Tooth relic of the Buddha and the Temple of the Tooth. The tooth relic was brought to Sri Lanka by Danta and Hemamala said to have been the son-in-law and daughter of Guhasiva. At the time of its arrival in the 4^th century, King Mahasena’s son King Kirti Sri Meghavanna reigned. The Tooth Relic was well-received by the King who was a devout Buddhist himself. He had the Tooth Relic enshrined in a special shrine built by him. The Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth which was built within the Royal Palace complex played a principal role in the administrative and religious functions of the City. Notwithstanding the British conquest Kandy has been able to preserve its function as the religious capital of the Sinhalese and become a principal place of pilgrimage for the Buddhists.

The most colorful and oldest traditional Buddhist festival of Sri Lanka is the annual grand procession called ‘The Esala Perahera’ (The Sinhalese term “perahera” means a parade). The parade is resplendent with lavishly decorated elephants, traditional dancers, jugglers, musicians, fire-breathers, acrobats and various other performers. The sacred Tooth Relic enshrined in a golden casket is carried on the back of a special tusker colorfully caparisoned and paraded around the streets of Kandy during this festival. It lasts for ten days and takes place in July or August every year.

Polonnaruwa was established as the Capital of Sri Lanka in the 11th Century. King Vijayabahu the 1st was the first king and he ruled that Polonnaruwa be made the Capital in the year 1073, after he defeated the Chola invaders from South India in1070 and he united the country. However, records show that it was King Parakramabahu I that developed trade and agriculture. He declared that not a single drop of water from the heavens should be wasted without being used for the land. This is why the irrigation systems in Polonnaruwa are extremely superior to those of other cities and are still being used for paddy cultivation during the dry seasons of the East. The principal project in this system was the huge lake called “Parakrama Samudraya” meaning, Parakrama Ocean. King Parakramabahu ruled from 1153 to 1186 and this period was called the golden age of Polonnaruwa and was completely self-sufficient at this time. Polonnaruwa was Sri Lanka’s capital until the late 13th century.

Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site.

The Documentary “Monkey Kingdom” produced by a Disney team highlighting the lives of the macaque monkeys raised Polonnaruwa into the limelight when this film was shown in over 12000 cinemas around the US in April 2015.

Some interesting sites to see in Polonnaruwa are:

Gal Vihara

The ruins of Polonnaruwa are awe-inspiring with sculptures of Lord Buddha cut into the granite stone in the Gal Vihara. One long slab of granite has been sculpted into four separate images. The sculpture of the standing Buddha is 7 meters tall and is the finest. Then there is the 14m long reclining Buddha which is impressive with a pillow under the head and a wheel symbol on the pillow end.

Don’t fail to visit the Archaeological Museum, the ruins of the Royal Palace, the famous 4m Statue said to be that of King Parakramabahu, Lankathilaka,Tivanka Image House, Thuparama Gedige, Rankot Vihara, etc.

When you visit the resplendent Isle of Sri Lanka, Sigiriya is a must-see destination because it would be an experience which is unique and awe-inspiring due to the piece of history surrounding it. Sigiriya is known as the “Fortress in the Sky” It is a sheer-sided outcrop of reddish granite standing 200 meters above the surrounding plains. In 1982 UNESCO declared Sigiriya as one of the seven World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka and is Asia’s best preserved city of the first millennium.

The Legend of Sigiriya

According to history, this rock was converted to a fortress by Kasyapa who became the king of the country in 473 A.D. Kasyapa was one of the two sons of King Dhatusena, the older son being Moggalan who was in fact the rightful heir to the throne as he was the son of the royal consort of the King. Kasyapa was born to a non-royal concubine.

Various family disputes led to Kasyapa overthrowing the King and taking over the throne and it is said that Kasyapa eventually had his father murdered and entombed him in a wall. An enraged Moggalan fled to India and vowed to avenge his father’s death. Therefore, King Kassapa chose to build his royal palace in the almost inaccessible summit of the Rock. He had built elegant pavilions with gardens and pools. The Rock itself took the shape of a giant recumbent lion with a head and foreparts built with brick. At present only the paws that were sculpted out of the rock remain.

Legend has it that in India Mogallan raised an army and returned in AD 495 (18 years after Kasyapa seized power) and declared war. In the battle that followed Kasyapa became stranded when his elephant turned back to avoid a swamp and it was misunderstood to be a retreat and his army backed away. Rather than being captured, he is said to have committed suicide by turning his sword on himself. So, he died on the plains below the Rock and not within his fortress. Mogallana returned to the capital Anuradhapura.

The Water Gardens situated on the western approach to the rock is another wonder of irrigational engineering designed to conserve and provide water for the lawns and ponds, water passages and quaint fountains, aqua-ducts and reservoirs designed and built to mathematical precision that ensured the availability of water even in the dry season. The most notable engineering marvel in this irrigational system is the ‘Biso Kotuwa’, a peculiar construction inside a dam that facilitates the flow of water outside the dam taking away the pressure on the dam. This was also known as the “Cistern Sluice”

The Boulder Gardens is a patch of scenic forest where you find pathways between huge rock boulders and rock arches. It is in the Boulder Gardens that the monks of Sigiriya are said to have lived and there are still various mementoes of these monks among the various rocks and cave shelters.

The Sigiriya Frescoes or fondly called ‘Sigiriya Damsels’ is an exquisite mural of 21 beautiful bare-chested women painted in color on the sheer rock face. Considering the fact that they are over 1600 years old these paintings have defied nature and are in a remarkable state of preservation. It is the most celebrated scenery of Sigiriya and is not like anything else seen anywhere in Sri Lanka.

The Mirror Wall is in itself a wonder because it is a highly polished surface which has been plastered with a mixture of burnished lime, beeswax, egg white and wild honey. This wall appears to have been used as a visitors’ book because over the past 1,500 years visitors have scribbled graffiti on the wall. These comprise various poems, literary compositions, essays that describe impressions of the rock. There are also romantic verses praising the beauty of the Damsels.

The Summit is a world of its own as it’s quite spacious and gives you a feeling of being suspended in space. This is where King Kassapa’s palace was built though only bits and pieces of the foundations still remain. The access to the summit is by an ancient metal staircase probably built in colonial times. You also see a series of terraces that may have been gardens.

There is speculation that the Sigiriya Rock may have been used since prehistoric times. It is said that it became a rock-shelter monastery from about the 3^rd century BC. After the death of King Kassapa it once again became a monastery till about the 14th century. It was finally abandoned and it was the British Explorer John Still that re-discovered the Sigiriya Rock in 1907.

Also called “Sri Pada” and “butterfly mountain” Adam’s Peak is located in the southern part of the Central Highlands, about 40 km northeast of Ratnapura (the gem city) and 32 km southwest of Hatton. The mountain is situated in the Rathnapura district at an elevation of 7,360 feet (2,243 meters) above sea level. The summit of the mountain is a small plateau, and Lieut. Malcolm who was the first European to climb this mountain in 1816, noted the measurements of 74 ft in length and 24 ft breadth with a total area of 1,776 sq. ft. It is in the middle of forest-covered hills with a wildlife reserve along the mountain which is home to many species from elephants to leopards.

Adam’s Peak is a major pilgrim destination for the Buddhists as they believe it holds the foot print of the Buddha on a 1.8 m rock formation near the summit. The Hindu’s believe it’s the footprint of Shiva. The Tamil name of the rock is Civan-oli-patas meaning ‘mountain path of Shiva’s light’ and in Islamic and Christian tradition it is believed to be the foot print of Adam or that of St. Thomas a disciple of Jesus. Buddhists believe that this mysterious footprint had been made by the Buddha long before (as far as the 1st century BC) before any other religion was introduced to the country.

Marco Polo who wrote in his ‘Travels’ of 1298 CE did not mention about a footprint on the rock, but noted that it was an important place of pilgrimage. Ibn Batuta the Arab traveler is noted to have climbed to the summit which he called ‘Sarandib’ in 1344CE. John Davy, brother of the famous chemist Sir Humphry Davy visited the peak in 1817 and mentions about an oversized foot print carved in stone decorated with brass and studded with gems. Sri Lanka’s great chronicle Mahawamsa mentions that the Buddha visited Sri Lanka three times and that he left his foot print on a rock at the top of the mountain because god Saman wanted him to do so. There is also a record of the famous Chinese pilgrim and Buddhist traveler Fa Hien as having stayed in Sri Lanka in 411 – 12 CE and mentions Sri Pada though he does not say about climbing the mountain.

The Sri Pada season starts from full moon of December and ends on full moon of April. Generally it takes about five to six hours to climb to the top. Plenty of shops are put up along the way during the season selling all kinds of food and refreshments for the weary climbers. There are also volunteer first-aid centers for any kind of medical emergency. Most pilgrims undertake the climb in the night especially to watch the sunriseover the sea at dawn. The fantastic sunrise is a spectacular sight to behold and be assured that it will stay in your memory for a long time. It can be crowded with pilgrims especially on the week ends or towards the end of the season. Also, the peak is quite windy and chilly.

Sri Pada can be accessed in two ways. The difficult path is through Ratnapura commencing the climb at a place called Erathna. The path is full of leaches and you will meet the “Seetagangula” meaning the icy water river half way up. More experienced trekkers take the difficult path to avoid crowds and fuel the spirit of adventurism.

The other route is called the ‘Hatton Path’ beginning from “Nallatanniya” or ‘the King’s Lane’ as it is believed that many kings used this path to reach the mountain top. This route is used by most pilgrims. You can travel to Hatton by train or bus from Colombo. From Hatton there are numerous buses to the foot of the mountain which is about 33 km away.

Don’t leave Sri Lanka without climbing Adam’s Peak.

Bandarawela Town can be reached from Colombo by bus or train. It is 200 km from Colombo and 30 km from the Badulla City. Travelling from Colombo would take about 5 hours via Ratnapura and Balangoda. It is the second largest town in the Badulla District. Bandarawela is a major tea producing area of Sri Lanka since colonial times.

Due to its high elevation of 1200m above sea level, Bandarwela enjoys a cool climate throughout the year and the surrounding dense forestation and foliage augment the weather making it quite cozy and comfortable.

As for heritage sites the Dhowa Buddhist Rock Temple is well known and is said to have been built by King Walagamba in the 1st Century BCE. It is on the Badulla-Bandarawela highway 6 km from Bandarawela. There are paintings on the rocks in the temple depicting folk stories of the Kandyan era. There is also a 12m Buddha statue sculpted on the rock. There are also a Roman Catholic St. Anthony’s Church and a local Methodist Church.

Bundala National Park is situated 245 km southeast of Colombo. It was named as a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and re-designated as a national park on 4th January 1993. It also has the distinct honor of being the first wetland to be declared as a Ramsar site in Sri Lanka in 2005. In 2006 UNESCO declared it as a biosphere reserve.

What is outstanding and unique about the Bundala National Park is that it is a principal destination of large flocks of migratory birds and is considered to be an outstanding bird area in South Indian and Sri Lankan wetlands. It covers an area of around 3,698 hectares (14.28 sq mi). Bundala National Park is truly a paradise for the keen bird watcher.

Of the vast variety of migratory birds that visit Bundala the greater flamingo takes a special place as each flock consists of over 1,000 individuals arriving from Rann of Kutch of India. There are about 100 species of water birds that inhabit the Bundala wetlands half of them being migrant birds. Among these are the water fowl, whistling duck, cormorants, grey heron, Eurasian spoonbill, Asian Openbill, painted stork and varieties of waders. Of the 197 species found in the Park, 58 are migratory species. Large numbers of peacocks perched on trees and at times doing their ceremonial dances on the ground are a sight to behold providing an exhilarating experience.

As for mammals there are a few Asian elephants in the Park. You will also see leopards, jackals, common langur, rusty spotted cat, mongoose, wild boar, mouse deer, Indian Muntiac, spotted deer, Sambar, Indian Pangolin, Porcupine, black-named hare.

324 species of vertebrates have been recorded in the National Park including 32 species of fish, 15 species of amphibians, 48 species of reptiles, 197 species of birds and 32 species of mammals, 52 species of butterflies. These figures have been recorded following surveys done by the Department of Wildlife Conservation and Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka.

Among reptiles you will find the mugger crocodile, estuarine crocodile, common monitor, star tortoise, python, rat snake, the endemic flying snake, cat snakes, whip snakes. Also the seashore adjoining Bundala stretching along the boundary for around 20 km is a breeding ground for all five species of globally endangered sea turtles that migrate to Sri Lanka. Between October & January four of Sri Lanka's marine turtle (Olive Ridley, Green, Leatherback & Loggerhead) lay their eggs on the coast of the park. Watching turtles laying eggs in the night on the beaches of Bundala is an experience that would not be forgotten in a lifetime. It is also possible to see the Great Basses light house some 40 km away to the east, from the beach.

Most of the Park’s boundary is adjoining the A2 main road and you will see the Malala Lagoon before the Park if you travel along the main road and follow the Malala River. This is a bird-watchers’ paradise and you might also be able to spot sun-bathing crocodiles. The Bundala salt pans too provide excellent bird-watching opportunities as they attract large flocks of migratory shore birds.

Bundala National Park provides you with a complete package of Nature’s own paradise whatever your interests of the wild are which is rarely found in other parts of the world

Ella is a very popular hill-country village especially because it’s a place to cool down after your strenuous travels. There is a choice of some of the best guesthouses in the country together with some Ayurvedic massage treatment with medicinal oils to give you the absolute wind-down leisure at its best in every sense of the word.

A main attraction in Ella is the views through the Ella Gap which can be described as stunning because on clear nights you can view the glow of the Great Basses lighthouse deep down in the southern coast of Sri Lanka. You can also do your trekking through luscious tea plantations, visit the water falls, the temples and soak in the bountiful vistas of Mother Nature in its purest form. You can also enjoy some spicy home-cooked food in the various restaurants dishing out their specialties to satisfy any gourmet.

Ella meaning “water fall” in the Sinhala Language is approximately 200 km east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,041 m above sea level. There is an abundance of flora and fauna as Ella is blessed with a rich bio-diversity surrounded by hills covered with forests and tea plantations.

Ella’s main tourist attraction is Little Adam’s Peak which has been named as such as it bears a similar shape to Adam’s Peak, Sri Lanka’s holy mountain. There is a clear path through the tea plantations with spectacular views and the climb to the top of the 1141m peak takes about half an hour. You will enjoy the views of the Ella Rock, Ravana Falls and the vast valley below giving you also a view of the south coast of Sri Lanka on a clear sunny day which itself is breathtaking.

The Ella Rock too provides a challenge to the fitness seekers as there is no clear path and no signs and you can do the walk up in 1 ½ to 2 hours without a guide. There is a facility to hire a guide if you wish to take the quicker route up to the rock. It is advisable to begin early morning that will give you the most breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding environment.

The Halpewatte Tea Factory is another must-see place because you will get the opportunity see for yourself how the world-famous Ceylon Tea goes through the process step by step to give you those special flavors of tea you always liked. You can even purchase fresh tea here and with every cup you taste, you will get the feel of the real meaning of Ceylon Tea.

Then you have the Ella Spice Garden where you can see the sources of real spice and identify the natural plants that give you those bottled spices back home. There is also an opportunity to attend a cooking class which will educate you as to how best these spices can be blended to get the best taste and aroma out of them. However you will have to give prior notice to attend these classes due to high attendance.

The Tour of Ella is not complete without visiting the Demodara Nine Arch Bridge which is 2 km away from the Ella Town. This Bridge was built by the British at Gotuwala between the Ella and Demodara Stations and commissioned in 1921. It is 3100 feet above sea level and is 300 feet long and 25 ft wide. The Bridge was built with solid rock, bricks and cement with absolutely no steel. It is an engineering marvel of railway architecture. A popular story is that when the British engineers got stumped when they found a quagmire in a gap, a local named Appuhamy who was in fact a drummer undertook to take over the construction and he began work in 1913 and got the locals to topple rocks to the bottom of the gap to become the foundation on which he built brick columns which shocked the British Engineers though they doubted the integrity of the Bridge. But Appuhamy undertook to lie down under the bridge when the first train passed and the bridge has stood the test of time.

Ella is a very popular hill-country village especially because it’s a place to cool down after your strenuous travels. There is a choice of some of the best guesthouses in the country together with some Ayurvedic massage treatment with medicinal oils to give you the absolute wind-down leisure at its best in every sense of the word.

A main attraction in Ella is the views through the Ella Gap which can be described as stunning because on clear nights you can view the glow of the Great Basses lighthouse deep down in the southern coast of Sri Lanka. You can also do your trekking through luscious tea plantations, visit the water falls, the temples and soak in the bountiful vistas of Mother Nature in its purest form. You can also enjoy some spicy home-cooked food in the various restaurants dishing out their specialties to satisfy any gourmet.

Ella meaning “water fall” in the Sinhala Language is approximately 200 km east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,041 m above sea level. There is an abundance of flora and fauna as Ella is blessed with a rich bio-diversity surrounded by hills covered with forests and tea plantations.

Ella’s main tourist attraction is Little Adam’s Peak which has been named as such as it bears a similar shape to Adam’s Peak, Sri Lanka’s holy mountain. There is a clear path through the tea plantations with spectacular views and the climb to the top of the 1141m peak takes about half an hour. You will enjoy the views of the Ella Rock, Ravana Falls and the vast valley below giving you also a view of the south coast of Sri Lanka on a clear sunny day which itself is breathtaking.

The Ella Rock too provides a challenge to the fitness seekers as there is no clear path and no signs and you can do the walk up in 1 ½ to 2 hours without a guide. There is a facility to hire a guide if you wish to take the quicker route up to the rock. It is advisable to begin early morning that will give you the most breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding environment.

The Halpewatte Tea Factory is another must-see place because you will get the opportunity see for yourself how the world-famous Ceylon Tea goes through the process step by step to give you those special flavors of tea you always liked. You can even purchase fresh tea here and with every cup you taste, you will get the feel of the real meaning of Ceylon Tea.

Then you have the Ella Spice Garden where you can see the sources of real spice and identify the natural plants that give you those bottled spices back home. There is also an opportunity to attend a cooking class which will educate you as to how best these spices can be blended to get the best taste and aroma out of them. However you will have to give prior notice to attend these classes due to high attendance.

The Tour of Ella is not complete without visiting the Demodara Nine Arch Bridge which is 2 km away from the Ella Town. This Bridge was built by the British at Gotuwala between the Ella and Demodara Stations and commissioned in 1921. It is 3100 feet above sea level and is 300 feet long and 25 ft wide. The Bridge was built with solid rock, bricks and cement with absolutely no steel. It is an engineering marvel of railway architecture. A popular story is that when the British engineers got stumped when they found a quagmire in a gap, a local named Appuhamy who was in fact a drummer undertook to take over the construction and he began work in 1913 and got the locals to topple rocks to the bottom of the gap to become the foundation on which he built brick columns which shocked the British Engineers though they doubted the integrity of the Bridge. But Appuhamy undertook to lie down under the bridge when the first train passed and the bridge has stood the test of time.

Horton Plains in the Sinhalese Language known as “Maha Eliya Plains” are the headwaters of three major Sri Lankan rivers: the Mahaweli, Kelani and Walawe and is considered the most important watershed in Sri Lanka. An administrative order was issued in 1873 by the British Government “to leave all Montane Forests above 5000 ft undisturbed” on the advice of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker which prevented clearing and felling of forests in the region. The Plains was declared a wildlife sanctuary on 5th December 1969 and was elevated to a National Park on 18th March 1988 because of its biodiversity value. It is situated 32 km from Nuwara Eliya on the southern plateau of the central highlands, at an elevation from around 1200 to 2300 m. Due to the high elevation there is a considerable amount of moisture deposited on the land by fog and clouds that occur always. The swamps, streams and waterfalls are the important wetland habitats of the Park.

Horton Plains have been named after Robert Wilmot Horton who had been the British Governor of Ceylon from 1831 to 1837. However, though his name is carried by this picturesque Park of natural glory, he is remembered as a selfish and blood-minded enemy of Nature as he was singularly responsible for slaying all the elephants that inhabited these plains during that period of time and thereafter elephants never returned to the Plains.

The main attraction of the Park is the sheer precipice called the World’s End and Baker’s Falls that draw tourists in large number to the Plains. One kilometer away from the main cliff is a small cliff with a 300m drop. This is known as the Small World’s End. You can also see the Indian Ocean to the south which is 81 km away. There are Nature Trails that will take you to the places you wish to see. The Main Circuit Nature Trail will take you to Small World’s End, Big World’s End, Baker’s Falls and Chimney Falls. There are also trails to Thotupolakanda and Kirigalpoththa. Farr Inn which was built by Thomas Farr is the start to the Main Trail. It is also the Horton Plains Information Center now. The Farr Inn provides you with a lot of interesting information and also publications relating to the Plains. With photographing and sight-seeing. The walk will take about 3 ½ hours to complete, if the weather is fine. The Trail is not difficult as it is mostly level ground except the portion leading to Baker’s Falls and back through the Cloud Forest. Try to avoid taking the trail on Sundays and public holidays as it tends to be a bit crowded and although warning signs have been posted, the local groups of youngsters make a lot of noise that scare away the wildlife. The ideal time to visit is between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. before the clouds converge and you will be able to see the tea-plantation villages and the toy town in the valley below. You can hire guides from the National Park Office who are well-informed on the area’s flora and flora. It is forbidden to leave the paths. There have been a couple of people who had fallen to their deaths by taking the risk of moving out of the trails.

There are 24 species of mammals, 87 species of birds, nine species of reptile and 8 species of amphibians in the Plains. The most common mammal at present is the sambar deer and it is believed the population of this deer to be around 1500 to 2000. Others are Kelaart’s long-clawed shrews, toque macaques, purple-faced langurs, rusty-spotted cat, Sri Lankan leopards, wild boars, stripe-necked mongooses. Indian Muntjacs, grizzled giant squirrels, fishing cats. Also European otters have been seen to visit the wetlands to hunt for prey. The Red Slender Loris which is one of the world’s most endangered primates is found in the Plains and was photographed for the first time in July 2010 by a group of researchers from the Zoological Society of London.

In combination with Ohiya, Pattipola and Ambewela, Horton Plains becomes a very important Bird Area in Sri Lanka. There are 21bird species of these four species which are the Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka White-eye and the Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon occur only in the Horton Plains. Other endemics are the Sri Lanka Spur Fowl, Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Orange-billed Babbler, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler and the Sri Lanka Swift. There are also many birds that migrate here in the winter such as swiftlets and the alpine swift. The Crested Serpent Eagle, Mountain Hawk-eagle, Black-winged Kite and Peregrine Falcon are the birds of prey of the Horton Plains and among the migratory birds of prey are the Harriers. Being a key wildlife area, all six highland endemic birds inhabit the Plains including the dull-blue flycatcher, Sri Lanka white-eye, wood pigeon, bush warbler. The yellow-eared bulbul and black-throated munia can be found in abundance throughout the Plains.

The Kaudulla National Park situated 197 km from Colombo was designated as a National Park on 1st April 2002, making it the 15th and newest national park in the Island. The Park borders the ancient Kaudulla tank and it constituted a 66.6 sq.km elephant corridor between Somawathiya Chaithiya National Park and the Minneriya National park. It was reconstructed in 1959 after it had been abandoned for some time.

According to historical records, it was King Mahasen who built this Tank (276 – 303 AD). However, folklore gives a story which is rather interesting as it credits the creation of this tank to King Mahasen’s sister. The story has it that following King Mahasena’s sister’s marriage to a person disapproved by the King, the palace became out of bounds for them and the couple created a small farming village in Kaudulla and built the Kaudulla Tank without the knowledge of the King while King Mahasen devoted himself to build irrigation systems for agricultural purposes and is credited to have built a total of 16 tanks during his reign. Under his development program he built a massive tank in Minneriya that became one of the largest man-made tanks at the time.

The Kaudulla National Park also includes the Relapanawa Tank, Olumadu Wewa (lake), Puliyan Kalla Wewa, Minneriya-Kanthale Yoda Ela (Jaya Ganga), Aluth Oya and Hathara Kotuwa Oya. For several months of the year two thirds of the park goes under water. The best time to visit the park is August to December.

The main attraction of Kaudulla Park is the heard of elephants of up to 250. During the drought period the elephants migrate to the Minneriya tank and move to the Kaudulla tank around September looking for more food and water. Among other mammals found in the Park are the sambar deer, Sri Lankan axis deer, Chevrotain, wild boar, Sri Lankan leopard and sloth bear. The rare gray slender Loris and the albino Sri Lankan axis deer, not found elsewhere can be seen here. You may also be able to spot the fishing cats and the endangered rusty spotted cat.

Visitors to the park include the large water birds such as the spot-billed pelican and lesser adjutant while freshwater turtles, Indian flap-shelled turtles too inhabit the park. There is an abundance of cormorants, painted storks and many other species.

The Park does not have basic visitor facilities and the road network of the Park is about 16 km. You have to secure the services of trackers from Girithale or from Habarana. Not far from the Deer Park Hotel, the Kaudulla National Park is one place that gives you the opportunity to get close to the animals. Herds of elephants often come to the Habarana-Polonnaruwa Road after dark. Vehicles don’t scare them, but seem to get annoyed by headlights.

You can reach the Park via the Habarana-Trinco Road or the Habarana-Minneriya Road. It is in the early morning or late evening that herds of elephants can be seen as they come to the dried lakebed around this time. You will be able to hire safari jeeps from either Habarana or Polonnaruwa. Vans are allowed on all tracks inside the Park.

There are no bungalows inside the Park. There are some good star-class hotels in Habarana, Girithale and Polonnaruwa where you can find comfortable accommodation.

Kumana National Park is the foremost bird nesting and breeding grounds in Sri Lanka and it is renowned for a large variety of bird species, particularly its large flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds making it an ornithologist’s paradise. It is situated 391 km southeast of Colombo on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka at an elevation ranging from sea level to 90 m. It was declared a Bird Sanctuary in 1938. Kumana is adjacent to the Yala National Park and was previously known as the Yala East National Park. It was changed to Kumana National Park in September 2006.

The Park spreads over 35,664 hectares bordered on the west by the Kumbukkan Oya and the south-eastern coast runs to the south. There is a mangrove swamp of an area of 200 hectares within the Park that gets inundated with sea water occasionally and this is where many water birds come to nest during May and June. There are also several lakes around which wildlife love to gather. These are Kudawila wewa, Thummulla Wewa and Kotalinda wewa.

Apart from the bird population, Kumana is also home to some of the mammals from the adjacent Yala National Park. Elephants, leopards, golden jackal, wild boar, European Otter and the endangered fishing cat roam the park.

Also three threatened species of turtles such as the Green Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle and the Olive Ridley Turtle find refuge and food in the Park. The mugger crocodile, the Indian flap-shelled turtle and the Indian black turtle too are seen fairly often in the Park.

If you are keen on bird-watching, you will definitely have the opportunity of seeing over 200 species of birds within the Park. To take full advantage of your tour, you should buy a bird guide book and take a pair of binoculars. The Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Eurasian Spoonbill and Great Thick-knee are the rare species that breed in the Park.

The Asian Open bill, White-breasted Water hen, Lesser Whistling Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Great Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Weathercock, Purple Swamp hen, Duck Black-crowned Night Heron, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Spot-billed Pelican, Indian Cormorant, Little Cormorant, Common Moorhen, and Little Grebe are the bird species that migrate here in large flocks.

Among the rare birds that migrate to the swamp include Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Malabar Trogon, Red-faced Malkoha (cuckoo), and Sirkeer Malkoha. Pacific Golden Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Grey Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Little Ringed Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Common Snipe, and Pintail Snipe are the common wading birds at the Park.

The Kumana National Park is not crowded, probably because of its difficult accessibility and is a long distance away from other famous tourist destinations. On one hand it is to your advantage as you will be free to roam to your heart’s content without being jostled around. The road leading to the Park is quite scenic with beautiful landscape scattered with big boulders.

Early morning is the best time to begin your safari or late afternoon. Arrangements for jeeps, etc. could be made from Arugam Bay which is around 30 km from the entrance to the Park and its best to leave the hotel around 5 a.m. if you want to catch the action, especially of the birds. Finding animals for watching is rather difficult as they tend to be shy unlike the animals at Yala who are quite used to large crowds coming to watch them.

You can also visit the caves where you will find some of the oldest pre-historic wall paintings.

Maduru Oya is the first major project of the Mahaweli Development Project (Hydroelectric power generation and irrigation schemes) as the Maduru Oya Reservoir served as a catchment area. The Maduru Oya National Park was designated on 9th November 1983. It is a national park that provides sanctuary to wildlife especially for elephants and also protects catchments of five other reservoirs. The only human community resident are the ‘Vedda People’ an indigenous ethnic group of less than a thousand people that live in Henanigala which is within the park boundary. The Maduru Oya Park is 288 km north-east of Colombo.

The Veddas can be compared to the Aborgines of Australia and they are said to have descended from King Vijaya and Queen Kuveni and were said to be the original inhabitants of Sri Lanka long before the arrival of the Sinhalese people from India around 543 BC. They have settled around Kandeganwela, Kotatalawa, Dambana before the declaration of Maduru Oya as a National Park. Their livelihood is hunting and cultivation and Dambana is the village most tourists visit to see them as the community here have preserved their traditional lifestyle to some degree.

The Maduru Oya reservoir hit the headlines in 1981 when the foreign and local irrigation engineers discovered an ancient sluice on the old earthen bund of the Maduru Oya at the very place their surveys and calculations had shown was the correct place the new dam should be placed. This ancient dam and sluice is reported to have been built during the reign of King Mahasena around 275-301 BC. Carbon dating done in the USA places the time period to 1st century BC. Professor Paranawithana (Archaelogist) believes this sluice was built by King Kutakanna Tissa around 42- 20 BC. It was built of stone slabs and bricks and is about 9.1m high 9.1 m wide and 67 m long. It revealed the high degree of knowledge in irrigation engineering of an ancient civilization that matched the engineering science and skills of modern engineers.

The source of the Maduru Oya is in the North-east of the central highlands at Uva hills east of Bibile and is situated at an elevation of 274m above sea level. The flow is north-eastwards and covers a distance of 136 km until it empties into the Vandaloos Bay near the picturesque beaches of Kalkudah and Passikuda.

Access to the Maduru Oya Dam and the ancient sluice which lies close to the dam is restricted to the general public. Permission would have to be obtained from the Mahaweli Authority beforehand to get through the Army checkpoint.

There is an abundance of fauna and flora in an around the Park and is well known for its elephant habitat. There are also sloth bears, leopards, Sambhur, barking deer, spotted deer, wild boar and wild buffalo. Other species are the Torque Macaque, purple-faced leaf monkey, slender loris, Lesser Adjutant, Woolly necked stork, openbill, racket tailed Drongo, yellow-fronted barbet, jungle fowl and spur fowl are inhabitants of the Park.

You can also visit the ruins at Henanigala, Kudawila, Gurukumbura, Uluketangoda, Werapokuna and several other places where there is also an abundance of Buddhist shrines, temples, dagobas, statues, Hindu Temples, hermitages built during various eras in Sri Lankan history.

You will also find two circuit bungalows and one dormitory at the Park Office in front of the Maduru Oya Reservoir and there is also a campsite at Ulhitiya which is ideal for nature lovers. Don’t forget to visit the wildlife museum at the Park entrance.

The Minneriya National Park is situated 182 km from Colombo in the North Central plains of Sri Lanka between Habarana and Polonnaruwa and is 8890 hectares in extent consisting of a mixture of evergreen forest and scrub trees. The altitude ranges from100m to 885m at the top of Nilgala peak.

The closest major city is Polonnaruwa. It was declared a wild life sanctuary in 1938 and designated as a national park on 12th August 1997. The main purpose of declaring the Minneriya National Park as a protected area was to give protection to the wildlife in the surrounding area and also to serve as the catchment of the Minneriya Tank. The Tank was built by King Mahasen in the third century AD and is of historical importance.

Minneriya National Park is singularly famous for its elephant population and the opportunity to observe these behemoths feeding, bathing, and indulging in frolics is not available anywhere else. It is the Minneriya Reservoir and its environs that provide feeding for the elephants living in the Matale, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee district forests and also from the Wasgamuwa National Park in the dry season. It is reported that the elephant population is around 700 and this is one reason for tourists to visit Minneriya in large numbers. The area around the Minneriya lake is the largest known meeting place of Asian elephants in the world. May to October which is the dry season is the ideal period to visit Minneriya National Park to see elephants. The gathering of elephants peaks during August and September and is an incredible spectacle to behold. You will have the opportunity of seeing 100 to 200 elephants gathering every evening during this period.

The Park is home to some 24 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish and 75 species of butterflies. As for mammals, the Sri Lankan Sambar deer and Sri Lankan Axis deer inhabit the Park. It is also an important habitat for the purple-faced langur and toque macaque monkeys that are endemic to Sri Lanka. There are also the leopards, wild buffalo, wild pig, three species of mongoose, porcupine and Indian Pangolin.

It is also one of the 70 bird areas in Sri Lanka.Over a 170 species of birds have been recorded in the Minneriya National park including migrating birds. Of the migrating birds, there are the waders like Woodsand Piper, common sandpiper and Kentish Plovers and also Malabar-pied Hornbills, Rufus Woodpecker and Lesser Adjutant. Of the endemic species of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Jungle Fowl, brown-capped babbler, the grey hornbill are some of the principal species. As for water birds around the Reservoir are the painted stork, spot-billed pelican and lesser Adjutant, grey heron, great white pelican, ruddy turnstone and flocks of around 2000 little cormorants too have been reported. Among the endemics are the Sri Lanka jungle fowl, brown-capped babbler, hanging parrot, grey hornbill, black-crested bulbul and crimson-fronted barbet.

As for amphibians and there are eight species of endemic reptiles. These are noted as threatened species such as the painted-lip lizard, saltwater crocodile, Indian python, Asian water monitor and the Bengal monitor.

There are no accommodation facilities within the Park. But the luxury hotels, lodges and inns in Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Habarana and Giritale which are cities close to the Park provide all facilities.

The name ‘Nuwara Eliya’ translates to “City of Light”. It is situated in the central hills of the country at an elevation of 1,868m above sea level and enjoys the coolest climate in Sri Lanka. It was Samuel Baker the explorer of the Nile who discovered Lake Albert that founded this City in 1846. It was called “Little England” as driven by the climate, it became the sanctuary of British civil servants and planters of the vast tea estates with Ceylon tea being famous the world over. Consequently, many of the buildings reflect the architecture of the colonial period, such as the Queen’s Cottage, General’s House, Grand Hotel, Hill Club, St. Andrew’s Hotel and the Town Post Office. You can see many old English-style lawns and gardens around private homes which rouse nostalgic memories of bygone years.

The town bursts into life in April coinciding with the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year as Sri Lankans in their droves travel to Nuwara Eliya to enjoy their holidays during this period. Festivities begin around 1st April each year which is done ceremonially. There is a carnival-like atmosphere with various musical shows by popular entertainers and vocalists. Food stalls, coffee shops and eateries spring up on the way sides. Horse racing and motor racing events too add to the excitement. The most famous motor racing is the Mahagastota and Radella Hill Climbs. The Mahagastota Hill climb motor race has been conducted since 1934. There is also the Road Race and the 4 x 4 Lake Cross on the edge of Lake Gregory and draw considerable enthusiasts. There are parties of various sorts at nights in the various hotels. The season culminates with the Governor’s Cup horse race at the famous Nuwara Eliya Race Course. Golf tournaments at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club and the grand flower show at the end of the month are part of the closing festivities.

The main places of interest to visit in Nuwara Eliya are:

LAKE GREGORY was built by Governor William Gregory during the period 1872 – 1877. It is about 91.2 hectares in extent and is said to have been used for water sports and recreational activities during the time of the British rule. You can hire a boat from the smaller lake on the opposite side of the road. There are paddleboats and pony rides, picnic tables and a small restaurant and snack bar to enjoy yourselves.

VICTORIA PARK is 27 acres in area and is named after Queen Victoria in commemoration of the 60th Jubilee Coronation in the year 1897. This Park in fact was used by Hakgala Botanical Gardens for their research. Hakgala Gardens is about 4 km from the City centre.

Victoria Park is one of the most beautiful and best maintained parks in South Asia and gives strollers a feeling of well being surrounded by the flowers and lush foliage. March to May and August and September are the months which are considered the season for visiting this Park when the flowers are in full bloom in all their glory.

HAKGALA BOTANICAL GARDENS (or Haggala) Botanical Gardens is the only botanical gardens in the world that is situated at a high elevation of 5000 to 6000 feet above mean sea level. It is about 28 hectares in extent and lies under the shadow of the Hakgala Rock (meaning “Elephant's jaw rock”). This massive rock towers to a height of about 2,200m behind the gardens. It is 16 km from Nuwara Eliya on the Nuwara Eliya-Badulla main Road. Hakgala Gardens was a creation of the British Curators, William Nock, J.K. Nocl and J.J. Nock and was established in 1860. The Hakgala gardens were originally established for cultivation of the medicinal crop Cinchona from which the anti-malarial drug quinine is extracted. Later tea was cultivated here before it became the Hakgala Botanical Gardens.

GALWAYS LAND BIRD SANCTUARY is 57.6 hectares in extent situated in Nuwara Eliya and was gazetted as a Bird Sanctuary in 1938. It is home for about 30 species of Sri Lankan birds and attracts about 20 species of very rare foreign migrant birds. It is a paradise for bird watchers as most of the endemic birds and the migrant birds can be seen at this sanctuary.

NUWARA ELIYA GOLF CLUB is situated at a walking distance from the town center. It was built in 1891 and is over 90 acres in extent. It is a 18- holes course which is a very big attraction to golfers from all over the world. It is said to be the only golf course where all the holes can be seen from the Club House.

HORTON PLAINS is about an hour’s journey from Nuwara Eliya. It is a paradise for nature lovers, hikers and bird-watchers. There are patches of forest and types of vegetation not found elsewhere, but only at such high altitudes. The main attraction in Horton Plains is World’s End where the southern Horton Plains suddenly ends and there is a sheer drop off to nearly 1050 m. Most visitors have described it as the most awesome sight they have ever seen. It provides a spectacular view of the land below on clear days.

It is advisable to visit World’s End early morning as it will give you a clear view of the vast scenery as well as to see the wildlife before mists close in during the latter part of the morning. There is wild life to be seen on the grassy plains such as sambur, leopards and endemic creatures like the purple-faced Langur and highland birds like dully-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lankan White-eye and yellow-eared Bulbul.

BRITISH TOMBSof some distinguished Englishmen who lived in Nuwara Eliya can be seen in front of the Golf Ground quite close to the bus stand of the town. One of them is of Ebenezer Golder Manro who had been born on 1st Nov. 1814 and is reported to have been killed by a wild buffalo on 24.01.1841. He was the son of Lt. John Manro who lived in Sri Lanka. There is also a tomb erected in memory of Sir William Rock who was a Judge and died on 19.05.1838 at the age of 64. The tomb of Major Thomas Rodger who is reputed to have killed 1500 elephants as a hunter is among the tombs. He is said to have been killed by an elephant in the jungle. The tomb seen today is in the form of cracked stone pieces as it has been continuously damaged every four years which is said to be due to a mysterious curse.

OLIPHANT ESTATE is at the entrance from the road at the Ramboda end of Nuwara Eliya. Mr. Laurence Oliphant planted the first thirty tea plants sent from China to Sri Lanka which made him increase his tea estate to 100 acres.

LABOOKELLE TEA CENTRE on the Kandy Road will provide guided tours of the factory free of charge. There is also a sales outlet and a restaurant. You can make this an opportunity to see how tea is processed and blended in various shades and flavors.

The Sinharaja Forest Reserve has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1978. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988. The name “Sinharajah” means Lion King relating to Lion Kingdom. The extent of this Reserve is only 21 km from east to west and around 7km from north to south with an area of 189 sq.km of forest but it has a high concentration of endemic species, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals and even insects. The vegetation is very dense which has saved this forest from commercialized logging. It was in 1840 that the forest became British crown land after which efforts were made to preserve it. It is rather difficult to spot the few animals such as elephants and leopards within the reserve due to the heavy grown of vegetation. The most common of the larger mammals is the endemic purple-faced langur.

As for birds you can see them moving in flocks. 20 of the rainforest species of endemic birds out of Sri Lanka’s 26 species are found here, notably the elusive red-faced malkoha (spotted cuckoo bird), the Sri Lanka blue magpie and the green-billed coucal. There is also a wide variety of amphibians, vipers and butterflies.

The Sinharajah Forest being located in the centre of the Island’s wet zone is an undisturbed rain forest in Sri Lanka and is found to be covered with rain clouds most of the time providing all the replenishment of water it needs. It is also bordered by the Koskulana River in the North and the Gin River in the south. The highest peak in the forest is the Hinipitigala (1171m) and the land drops to a lower elevation towards the west.

There are locals from 22 villages around the Reserve that enter the forest to collect dead wood and leaves and also tap palms to make jaggery (a hard black sweet) and treacle.

The best way to explore the Forest Reserve is by foot, but beware of the leeches that are found in abundance. During the reign of the Portuguese, Dutch and British it was recorded that their armies suffered more casualties by leeches than by any other animals. However, don’t worry because the guides carry anti-leech ointments. You can find guides through the many hotels in the area that will ensure that you get the maximum exposure to the stunning fauna and flora the Reserve has to offer to the discerning enthusiasts.

As for the flora there is a very dense growth of trees reaching heights of up to 45 m. There are about 217 types of trees endemic to Sri Lanka’s rainforests and more than 65% of these are found in the Sinharajah Forest Reserve.

As for the fauna, there is a large variety of wildlife found in the Forest the largest carnivore found here is the leopard. Leopards are seldom seen due to the thick grown of vegetation but their droppings and tracks are evidence of their presence. There are also various species of cats such as rusty spotted cats and fishing cats which are rather rare. The fairly common varieties are the barking deer, sambar, wild boar and groups of purple-faced langurs. There are also pangolins and porcupines that forage around the forest floor. There are several kinds of squirrels: the jungle squirrel, dusky-striped jungle squirrel, flame-striped jungle squirrel and the western giant squirrel. There are also civets and mongooses that are of course nocturnal and about six species of bats have been found here. There are also venomous snakes including the green pit viper usually found on trees, the hump-nosed viper and the krait which lives on the forest floor.

Tickets to enter the Forest Reserve are sold at the Main Forest Department Office at Kudawa and at Deodawa, 5 km from Deniyaya on the Matara Road. August and September and January to early April are the best times to visit as they are the drier months. See www.sinharaja.4t.com for detailed information about this Reserve.

The Udawalawe National Park is situated 165 km from Colombo and was established on 30th June 1972.The primary purpose of its creation was to afford sanctuary for wild animals that were displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River. Prior to its designation farmers did their vegetable cultivation in this area, but they were shifted out on a phased out basis. The National Park also protected the catchment (rain-water collection area) of the reservoir and covers an area of 30,821 hectares or 119 sq miles. The Udawalawe National Park is home for many species of water birds and also is an important habitat for elephants which makes it a very popular tourist destination.

The principal residents of the Park are the elephants as they are drawn to the park because of the reservoir and it is estimated that the herd is about 500 strong. Flowing from the strong presence of the elephants in the Park an Elephant Transit Home was established in 1995 within the Park as it was found to be necessary to care for abandoned elephant calves within the Park. They are cared-for, rehabilitated and released into the Park when they are found to be able to fend for themselves.

Besides the elephants there is a variety of other mammals that inhabit the Park such as the fishing cat, rusty spotted cat, leopard, Sambar deer, sloth bear, wild boar, water buffalo, golden jackal, torque macaque, Asian palm civet as well as Indian hare. Occasional surveys are conducted on the animal population and one such study conducted in 1989 found that there were a large number of golden palm civets and mongoose as well as five species of mice.

Bird-watchers would have a wide field to indulge in their favorite pastime as there is a large mixture of bird species such as the Sri Lankan grey hornbill, spurfowl, red-faced malkoha (cuckoo bird), jungle fowl which breed and thrive in the Park. The black-capped kingfisher and White wagtail are rather rare migrants. Various water birds too visit the reservoir such as cormorants, spot-billed pelicans, Asian openbill, painted stork, black-headed ibis and Eurasian Spoonbill. With such a bird population, birds of prey are attracted to the Park such as crested serpent eagle, grey-headed fish eagle, booted eagle, while-bellied sea eagle and changeable hawk-eagle.

The best time to watch elephants is in the dry season which usually falls between May and September. It is not second to the Yala National Park to which tourists are drawn especially to view elephants in their natural habitat which can be a very exciting and enlightening experience and also provide you with loads of camera material to proudly show the folks back home.

You can also visit the Elephant Transit Home and watch the elephants being fed. However, you are not allowed to touch or interact with them because it is important to minimize contact between elephants and humans to make it easier for them to survive when they get back to their natural habitat without human attention or care.

Wasgamuwa National park is one of the four natural parks that came under the Mahaweli Development Project in 1984 and was meant to protect and provide refuge to wild animals that were displaced by the Development Project. In 1938 it was designated as a nature reserve and regarded as a strict nature reserve in the early 1970’s. It is situated in the Matale and Polonnarujwa Districts 225 km away from Colombo and the highest elevation of the Park is Sudu Kanda (White Mountain) that is 470 m in height.

The specialty of the Park is the large elephant herds that inhabit the Park. There are herds of up to 150 elephants. November to May is the best period of time to enjoy watching large herds as they tend to move to nearby Minneriya and Kaudulla national parks thereafter.

There are 23 species of endemic mammals that live and breed in the Park. There are two species of monkeys: the purple-faced langur and toque macaque. You will also find water buffalo and Sri Lankan Axis Deer while sloth bear and leopards are rather rare to spot. Another rare endemic mammal is the Golden Palm Civet.

Wasgamuwa Park is also an important Bird Area and there are 143 bird species that inhabit the Park, of which 8 are endemic to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Red-faced Malkoha (cuckoo), Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, the Lesser Adjutant, Yellow-fronted Barbet and the Sri Lanka spur fowl are native to the Park. Peafowl, painted stork, Eurasian Spoonbill and the Black-Headed Ibis are aquatic birds that visit the reservoirs and streams of the Park. Of the rare species, the Chestnut-winged Cuckoo can be found near the Mahaweli River.

As for reptiles, five of the 17 species are endemic. Water monitor and mugger crocodile can be found around the water bodies of the Park.

There are 50 species of butterflies of which 8 are endemic to Sri Lanka.

There is evidence that there had been prosperous villages in Wasgamuwa. There are ruins of ancient structures known to be a palace with stone pillars on an island in a canal named Kalinga Yoda Ela which is reported to have been built by King Parakramabahu in the 12th Century. At Baduruwayaya you will be able to see the statue of a reclining Buddha which is estimated to be around 1800 years old.

There are three wildlife bungalows at Kadurupitiya, Mahaweli and Wawul Ebe which are within the Park There are also five campsites on the banks of the Mahaweli Ganga, Medapitiya, Ulpatha Hatha and Wawul Ebe which are within the Park.

There are two villas outside the park: Gale Bungalow and Angammedille.

The park has a dry-zone climate with an annual daily temperature of around 28 deg.C. The Park receives rains during the North-eastern Monsoon from around October to January while July to September is the dry season.

Wilpattu means “Land of the Lakes” because there are around sixty lakes and tanks throughout the Park. These comprise a unique complex wetlands called “Villu” which are shallow natural lakes among the grassy lands and dense scrub lands, replenished by rains due to the wet weather patterns that prevail over the Park. The annual rainfall in the park is around 1000 mm while the drought period is only during the months of May to early September. The main rainy season is September to December when the north-eastern monsoon opens up.

The Wilpattu National Park is located approximately 180km north of Colombo in the Northwest coast lowland dry zone and is 131,693 hectares in extent making it the largest national park in Sri Lanka at an elevation of 0 to 152 m above sea level. In 1905 this area was designated as a sanctuary and upgraded as a National Park in 1938.

The Wilpattu National Park is renowned for its leopard population which has been placed at around forty nine individual leopards according to a survey conducted by the Wilderness & Wildlife Conservation Trust in 2015.

As for the wildlife 31 species of mammals have been identified within the Park, among these are the elephants, sloth bear, leopard, water buffalo, spotted deer, mongoose, Sambhur, etc.

As for birds there are many species of owls, eagles, kites buzzards, gulls, terns, painted stork, jungle fowl, cormorants, spoonbill, white ibis, large white egret, purple heron, cattle-egret. Etc. The Park is also a favourite landing site of winter migrants from around November to March.

There are a wide variety of reptiles in the Park such as the mugger crocodile, monitor lizard, Indian python, soft-shelled turtle, pond -turtle , common cobra and rat snake. If you are a butterfly enthusiast, you won’t be disappointed. Among those recorded are the Common Mormon, Blue Mormon, Great Egg fly, Common Rose Great Orange Tip, Glad-eye Bushbrown and Crimson Rose.

This Park was closed from December 1988 to March 16, 2003 during the insurgency period and it was opened to visitors after nearly 16 years. Since 75% of the Park is dense forest or scrub, only about 25% of the park is available for sight-seeing. The best time to visit the Park is during the months of February and October.

The only way to explore the National Park is by jeep safari accompanied by rangers who will take you through tracks to give you a good view of leopards, elephants, sloth bear, deer, endemic birds, but you are not allowed to get off the jeep and run the risk of any possible encounters in the wilderness. You will have an abundance of photographic material to make your folks back home gaze at in wonder of wildlife behavior in their natural habitats.

The Yala National Park is located about 300 km from Colombo in the southeastern region of the country and covers an area of 979 sq.km. Yala and the Wilpattu reserves were proclaimed by the government of Sri Lanka on March 23, 1900 as wildlife sanctuaries. Henry Engelbrecht was appointed as the first Park Warden of Yala. It is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka which is also the most visited. The Yala National Park consists of five blocks. Only two were open to the public. These are named as Ruhunu National Park and Kumana National Park the latter being a major bird sanctuary in Sri Lanka. With the elimination of terrorist threats, several other blocks too have been opened to the public. It was when the Flora & Fauna Protection Ordinance was passed into law by D.S. Senanayake, the Minister of Agriculture that Yala became a national park on 1st March 1938.

There are six national parks and three wildlife sanctuaries in the vicinity of Yala of which Lunugamvehera National park is the largest and is situated in the dry region receiving rains mainly during the northeast monsoon. There are also two pilgrim sites within the park in Block 3 called Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara

Chief Justice Sir Alexander Johnston who travelled from Trincomalee to Hambantota in 1806 wrote a detailed account on Yala.

The Yala National Park is special because it has a variety of ecosystems that include monsoon forests, dry monsoon forests, thorn forests, grasslands, fresh water and marine wetlands and also sandy beaches. The Block 1 area is under forest cover that is around the Menik River with rangelands and open parklands with some extensive grass lands towards the sea side. There are also tanks, water holes, lagoons and mangroves. Block 2 has similar vegetation which was once a paddy field and the lagoons of Pilinnawa, Mahapothana and Pahalapothana are also located in this block. Forests are more widespread in Blocks 3, 4 and 5. The Kumbukkan Oya (lake) in the Northeast and the Menik Ganga (river) provide a good source of water for the animals even during the driest months of the year.

Being one of the 70 most important bird areas in Sri Lanka Yala is home to some 215 bird species of which seven are endemic to Sri Lanka. These are the Sri Lanka wood pigeon, grey hornbill, jungle fowl, crimson-fronted barbet, black-capped bulbul, blue tailed bee-eater and brown-capped babbler. Half of the 90 water birds inhabiting the wetlands are migrants. Indian cormorant, little cormorant, water fowl and larger birds like the grey heron, black-headed ibis, Eurasian spoonbill, Asian Openbill, painted stork and various waders are among the common water birds. The resident spot-billed pelican and the migrant great white pelican have also been recorded. Also rare species such as purple heron, night herons, egrets, purple swamp hen and Oriental darter are also attracted to the Park. It is during the northeast monsoon that thousands of water fowls migrate to the lagoons of Yala.

There are 44 species of mammals in the Park including the Sri Lankan elephant and also one of the highest leopard densities in the world. The herds of elephants comprise 300 – 350 individuals that varies seasonally. Wild water buffalo, toque macaque, golden palm civet, red slender loris Sri Lankan sloth bear and fishing cat are some of the other mammals that can be seen in the Park. The Yala West (Ruhunu National Park) is one of the best parks in the world to observe and photograph leopards. It is believed that the Sri Lankan leopards are a distinct sub-species from the Indian species and are the largest leopards in Asia. The leopards in the Park have grown rather accustomed to visitors and jeeps and therefore, provide excellent opportunities for photography. Usually it is easy to spot adult male leopards walking along the track. The best time to spot leopards is early morning or at dusk. You are allowed to be in the Park till a little after dusk.

There are 45 species of reptiles and six of them are endemic. The Sri Lankan krait, Boulenger’s keel back, Sri Lankan flying snake, painted-lip lizard, Wiegmann’s agama; and Bahir’s fan-throated lizard are the endemic species. There are two breeding crocodile species, the mugger crocodile and the saltwater crocodile and also the Indian cobra and Russell’s viper that live in the Park. Five globally endangered sea turtles visit the coastline of the Park such as the leatherback, olive ridley, loggerhead, hawksbill and green turtle.

May to August is the dry season and the Park would be closed for a short time during September and October.