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A journey through the commercial capital of Srilanka – ‘Colombo’

Posted on by Prabhith Prabhakaran

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous

We visited Colombo in December 2016.

Srilanka was never in my radar. But I have read a lot of blogs where people have been comparing Srilanka with my native state Kerala. That was one of the major spark for this Srilankan trip.

After visiting, I could easily conclude that there are lot of things that are quite common to Sri Lanka with my native Kerala and there is no surprise that many of the foreign tourists are asking this question again and again – Srilanka or Kerala, Where to go?

Like Kerala, Colombo also have a lot of back waters, the green mountains, long costal line with umpteen number of wonderful beaches and so on. I would personally say that we as Keralite’s should learn a lot from Srilankan’s especially the way they are promoting tourism in their country. Kerala is indeed the ‘God’s own Country’ where god has gifted so many natural attractions, but we fail to maintain them. Cleanliness is a major thing that is to be implemented. The government should also concentrate on building proper infrastructure by constructing wider roads or widening the existing roads.

In Srilanka, it is so easy for me to navigate from one attraction to another where in Kerala if I need to cover 2 districts, I will have to spend so much time on the road.

Sri Lanka might be full of fascinating places to visit, but Colombo isn’t often listed as one of them. Eventhough Sri lanka has 2-3 International airports, Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport is the busiest airport in the country and one of the busiest airports in South Asia. So many tourists land at this airport in Colombo and move ahead to see the other wonders of the country. We also had spend very few hours in Colombo since we planned  more days in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in our trip itinerary.

Its true that Colombo doesn’t offer a lot in terms of sights and I would say that Colombo lacks a must see place like we see in other capital cities of Asian countries.

Now a days, Colombo is experiencing quite a building boom of high skyscrapers, new roads, several posh hotels and so on.

English is widely spoken so you won’t find it difficult to get around. There are four main ways to get around Colombo – trains, buses, rickshaws (Tuk-Tuk) and taxis.

Major Attractions within 15 Kms from Colombo City Centre:

  1. Colombo Fort (2.5 Kms)
  2. Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple (2 Kms)
  3. Independence Memorial Hall/Independence Memorial square gardens (3.5 Kms)
  4. Mount Lavinia (12 Kms)
  5. Galle Face Green Promenade (4.5 Kms)
  6. Viharamadevi Park (3 kms)
  7. DiyathaUyana park (8 Kms)
  8. Pettah Market (4 Kms)
  9. Beira Lake (3 Kms)
  10. National Museum (3 kms)
  11. Wellawatte (7.8 Kms)

Following were some of the places that we saw on our way from Nuwara Eliya to Colombo:

Bentota Beach

I wouldn’t say that its in Colombo. Its around 80Kms from Colombo.

The beach is absolutely stunning! Very long and broad strip of sand with warm and beautiful ocean on the one side and beautiful green trees on the other. There are lots of water sports available in this beach.

Captain’s Deck Madu River Boat Cruise: (100 Kms)

If you are a nature lover, you will certainly enjoy this boat ride. Madu lagoon is a very wide and beautiful lagoon in SriLanka. The boat safari is for around 1.5-2 hours. You will also be provided with life jackets during this cruise. The boat ride is through the mangroves and is very pleasant and relaxing. Then you can go for the fish spa and visit cinnamon island, where you learn about how cinnamon sticks are made and the various benefits of cinnamon.

Many species of birds are found in many of the islands around the lagoon. We can also see many migrated birds. In most of these islands there are people who earn their living by peeling cinnamon.

There are around 64 islands in the Madu river.

Bally’s casino (2 Kms)

This is one of the largest Casino’s in Sri Lanka. Personally I have not visited this Casino and also have read a lot of negative comments about this casino in popular sites like Trip advisor.

We also witnessed the Xmas-New year celebration in Colombo:

The Xmas and New year is celebrated quite lavishly in the Colombo city. Almost all the buildings and streets are completely illuminated with lights. A lot of people visit the city to see these lightings and other related events.

Colombo Airport

Even if you are landing here during the early hours or late night, you don’t have to worry. Colombo Airport works in full speed at any hours of the clock.

The Beauty of ‘Little England’ – Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

Posted on by Prabhith Prabhakaran

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”  – Augustine of Hippo

We travelled to Nuwara Eliya in December 2016. These hills were discovered by the British colonial officer John Davy back in 1819. Nuwara Eliya, which means “City of Light,” soon became a favourite cool-climate escape for the British as well as a “home away from home” where they could grow English vegetables and fruits. Due to its cooler climate, it is the most important area for tea production in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for her impressive lush green tea plantations.

The most scenic way to get to Nuwara Eliya is by train. Nuwara Eliya is located between Kandy and Ella. The nearest railway station is ‘Nanu-Oya’. From there you can take a 3 wheeler vehicle (like Indian Autorickshaws)

However we had taken a car from Kandy to this place. You can include 2-3 days in your itinerary for Nuwara Eliya.

Some places that we visited:

Glenloch Tea Factory:

You get a chance to see the various process involved in the production of tea powder. You can also buy different varieties/grades of tea powder from this factory. Obviously, there are many other tea factories in this area.

Devon Falls:

Devon Falls, known as the ‘Veil of the Valley’, is situated 6 km west of Talawakele (Nuwara Eliya District) on the A7 highway. The falls is named after a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon, whose plantation was situated nearby the falls

Tea Castle, St. Clair:

The tea castle is a beautiful tea shop and a view point at St Clair. It’s built like a castle and you can climb up to the terrace for a nice view.

Pass through Kotagala Tunnel:

Shri Bhakta Hanuman Temple:

Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple is one of the important Hanuman Temples in Sri Lanka located on summit of the very beautiful picturesque mountain in Ramboda 30 KM north to Nuwara Eliya.

Visitors can witness the 18 feet Hanuman statue which is the tallest Hanuman statue in Sri Lanka established inside the Shri Bhakta Hanuman Temple in Ramboda.

Trip to Horton Plains and World’s End:

The Horton Plains National Park is bigger and more famous than Moon Plains and offers some great hiking opportunities over plateaus covered with grass, areas of thick forest, rock landscape, waterfalls, and lakes. The end of the plain, called World`s End, is an 880 m deep ravine and an excellent viewpoint overlooking tea plantation villages down below in the valley. However we couldn’t reach till the World’s end, as there were some restrictions. World’s End is located in the Horton Plains National Park which has a UNESCO status.

Ambewela farm:

The Ambewela farm was started by the British about 80 years ago, while the New Zealand farm was started in 1960. Both farms are managed by Ambewela Farm. In order to maintain the quality of milk from the cows, the farm management takes great concern towards them in order to provide them with a balanced diet and sterilized water. This is becoming a popular destination for visitors of Nuwara Eliya, especially those who love an unusual experience away from frequently-visited tourist destinations.

Seetha Amman Temple, Nuwara Eliya:

Located just 1 km from the Hakgala is the Seetha Amman kovil. This is the only Seetha Amman kovil in the world and is built according to South Indian architecture. Legend has it that Seetha was held captive and hidden in this spot by king Rama to protect her from the demon king Ravana according to the Epic Ramayana.

Some other places worth mentioning here:

  • Victoria Park
  • Gregory Lake
  • Moon Plains

We had stayed in Villa Cassandra. I would personally suggest this place for a stay. It has 4-5 rooms and is very clean. However the Breakfast spread is very limited.

Home of the Sacred Tooth Relic , Kandy, SrilLanka

Posted on by Prabhith Prabhakaran

“To Travel is to Live” – Hans Christian Andersen

We visited Kandy in December 2016. When we were preparing an itinerary for SriLanka, many people suggested to visit the beautiful old town “ Kandy”. So, we decided to include this place in our trip. Personally, I liked Nuwara Eliya than Kandy or Colombo. Kandy is a very busy city and its true that it’s a city of rich heritage and culture. It’s around 3 hours drive from Colombo.

After the capital Colombo, Kandy is the next big city in SriLanka. Today, it’s a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most important places of Buddhist worship in the world due to the Temple of the Tooth.

Places that we visited:

Millennium Elephant Foundation

There are lot of different elephant camps like ‘Millennium Elephant Foundation’ in Kandy. Your driver will no doubt take you to his favourite (or where he has a business tie up). These places works rather as a touristic attraction where the elephants are kept in chains.

Note: If you are from South India (especially from Kerala), please avoid such camps. There is nothing special here that you had not seen in Kerala. You can save some money here, by avoiding such places.

Kandy Lake

This is the main hangout place for the Locals and the tourists and its in the heart of the Kandy City. Seems it was created by the last ruler of Kandy in 1807. The lake also has a bad history where people who opposed the lake development was thrown to death in this same lake. It is good to stroll around the lake at any point of the day. There’s even an island in the lake, with palm trees! Try to avoid people who come near you with some ticket sale and so on.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)

North of the Kandy Lake is the famous temple that houses Sri Lanka`s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha himself. You don’t, however, get to see the real tooth in the temple, as it is hidden in a golden casket shaped like a dagoba. A lot of Buddhists visit this temple throughout the year. Pilgrims gather every morning in the temple to pray and bring offerings of flowers and it’s a beautiful sight to behold. Frangipani, lotus and jasmine flowers are placed in tribute to the relic.

Photography is not allowed in the inner line (the line closest to the tooth) but you can take photographs just behind it.

Shoes must be taken off before entering the temple.

Big Buddha Statue(Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue)

A beautiful statue which towers over the city is the big white Buddha or locally known as Bahiravokanda Vihara. You can climb up the stairs and get the amazing panoramic views of the whole city!

Some tips while taking photos in front of Buddha Statue:

  1. Do not take photo with your back side facing the statue.
  2. Try to avoid wearing shoes and hats, when you want to go near the statue.
  3. Don’t pose inappropriate ways in front of the statue.

In General, another point to note here is that some(not all) Tuk-Tuk(Autorickshaws) drivers might charge you very high fares. So check with your hotel/resort and have a fair idea about the fares.

New Lucky Land Spice Garden

Sri Lanka is famous for its spices and spice gardens and there are so many in and around Kandy. Your driver will no doubt take you to his favourite (or where he has a business tie up). We went to ‘New Lucky Land Spice garden’ for a short period of time and sampled cinnamon, aloevera and a variety of oils.

Note: If you are from South India (especially from Kerala), please avoid such spice gardens. There is nothing special here that you had not seen in Kerala.

Rajanima Craft

Rajanima Craft make high quality wood products with the help of Kandyan craftsmanship. A nice place to visit if you are around Kandy. We have not purchased anything from here, So not sure about the price and the formalities to take the crafts to the Home country.

Prasanna Gem Centre

Prasanna Gem Center offers you world class exotic Gem and Jewellery with their expertise from generations. You can buy ‘Stones’ from here. If you are planning  to buy your birth stone , you can try this place. You can watch a short video about the evolution of certain stones and then see the workshop where the jewellery is made.

Kandy Dance (Drum and Fire Show)

There are three venues for dance/drum shows in Kandy, all located around Kandy lake. You can choose one, according to your wish. Lot of people visit these venues. So, try to reach the venue on time.

  1. Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre (Show starts around 5 PM)
  2. Kandy Lake Club (Show starts around 5 PM)
  3. Mahanuwara YMBA (Show starts around 5.30 PM)

This is an nice program, which brings to life ancient heritage through music, drumming, magic and fire walking!

Food: Try out some Sea food.

There are lot of small local vendors in and around the city, so try out some street food aswell.

Other Places worth mentioning here:

  1. Peradeniya/Royal Botanic Gardens (5.5 Kms)
  2. Gadaladeniya temple (13 Kms)
  3. Udawatta Kelle Sanctuary (2.2 Kms)
  4. Kandy Museums
  5. Helga’s Folly

Accommodation:

We stayed in Earl’s Regent Hotel:

Located about 15-20 minutes’ drive from Kandy centre is the Earl’s Regent hotel. This hotel has a nice swimming pool and the friendly staff makes you feel right at home. The stay was comfortable and the service was really good. Our room was in the building which is on the left side of the main reception. Didn’t have an escalator. During checkout, we had to use the steps to bring down the heavy luggage. So if you have any old people in the group, please request for a room in the new building.