Sri Lanka's tranquil Kandalama Lake as seen from the Heritance Kandalama hotel.

Sri Lanka's tranquil Kandalama Lake as seen from the Heritance Kandalama hotel. Jill Worrall |5th February 2012 

EARLY morning on Kandalama Lake in central Sri Lanka and an elephant is sloshing through the shallows, while around him iridescent kingfishers plunge dart-like into the water.

This lake is an artificial creation, the origins of which date back perhaps 1000 years. Rising from the jungles in this relatively dry part of the country are the ruins of cities that were once wonders of the ancient world. Complex and extensive irrigation channels, reservoirs and water gardens were an integral part of these.

Galle to play for: Beaches, beauty and the best bananas on a tour of sleepy Sri Lanka

Probably the first thing that strikes you is the sheer richness of the vegetation. In rural areas, it is thrillingly green. There is hardly a bare patch of ground as fruit and flowers of every description, from mangoes to orchids, pineapples to tea roses, papayas to camellias, burst out of the rich soil.

British Airways has resumed flights to Sri Lanka after fifteen years, which is a golden opportunity to discover one of the most beautiful islands in the world, a lush landscape topped by densely wooded mountains and ringed by white sandy beaches.

 

Galle

The seaside town of Galle is 116 Km. from Colombo by road or rail, down the south-west coast. Both routes are picturesque, following the coastline closely for much of the way.

Today's town has grown greatly and spreads into the hinterland but the Fort is the slow-beating heart of Galle's history. The walled city has stood since the early sixteenth century, through the Colonial periods of the Portuguese, Dutch and British and in our present times is proclaimed as an Archaeological Reserve and been identified as a living World Heritage Site.

Chinese tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka on a steady rise

Chinese tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka is on a steady rise, as the country has received 16,582 tourists during the first six months of this year, compared to 9,622 visitors received during the same period of last year. This is a 72.3-pct year on year growth. The latest jump shows encouraging signs as the Government of Sri Lanka is campaigning vigorously to capture a slice out of the growing Chinese outbound tourism market, which during the year 2012 stood at 83 million tourists.

nagadeepa rajamaha viharaya

The Nagadeepa Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is one of the sixteen most sacred places of worship by the Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Pilgrims have been coming to the Nagadeepa since about the 1st century AC to worship at its famous Rajayathana stupa. The Rajayathana stupa was constructed by two warring Naga kings, Chulodara and Mahodara, at the site where Lord Buddha during His second visit to the country on a Bak Maha Amawaka Poya Day, five years after attaining Enlightenment, intervened and mediated in settling a dispute over the possession of a gem-studded throne. The precious throne was offered to the lord Buddha, was returned to the Naga Kings and was later enshrined in this Rajayathana stupa.

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka's splendid medieval capital was established as the first city of the land in the 11th Century, A.D. It replaced Anuradhapura, plundered made desolate, and laid hopelessly bare to the invading armies from South India. Three Kings dominate the annals of the city and the period.

Ruwanwelisaya The Great Stupa

There are a few marvels in Sri Lanka that simply takes your breath away. It is not an exaggeration to name the Great Stupa of Anuradhapura, Ruwanwelisaya, as one such marvel.


Nestled in the midst of hundreds of ancient remnants that date back to the Before Common Era, the Great Stupa is truly an architectural wonder. It is believed that when one stands in front of the gigantic structure, one is not be able to hear even a faintest sound, even if a troop of drummers start playing on the opposite side.