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Ayubowan!
May You be Blessed with Long Life...
The Sri Lankan traditional gesture of welcome with fingers of both hands touching each other & both palms clasped together the age–old greeting of us Sri Lankans!
The National Flag
The National Emblem GENERAL FRACTS OFFICIAL NAME: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. AREA: 65,525 sq km
The flag of Sri Lanka, also called the Lion Flag, consists of a gold lion, holding a kastane sword in its right fore paw, in front of a dark red background with four golden Bo leaves, one in each corner. Around the background is a yellow border, and to its left are two vertical stripes of equal size in green and saffron, with the saffron stripe closest to the lion. The lion represents the Sinhalese ethnicity and the bravery of the Sri Lankan nation while the four Bo leaves represent Mettā, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha. The orange stripe represents the Sri Lankan Tamils, the green stripe represents Sri Lankan Moors, and the maroon background represents the majority of Sinhalese, like the lion, this is the colour used in early flags of Sri Lanka by kings. It was adopted in 1950 following the recommendations of a committee appointed by the 1st Prime Minister of Ceylon, The Rt Hon D.S. Senanayake.
The National Tree
The national emblem of Sri Lanka is used by the Sri Lankan government in connection with the administration and government of the country. The current emblem has been in use since 1972. The emblem features a gold lion passant, holding a sword in its right fore paw (the same lion from the flag of Sri Lanka) in the centre on a maroon background surrounded by golden petals of a Blue Lotus the national flower of the country. This is placed on top of a traditional grain vase that sprouts sheaves of rice grains that circle the border reflecting prosperity.
The crest is the Dharmacakra, symbolising the country’s foremost place for Buddhism and just rule. Traditional Sinhalese heraldic symbols for the sun and the moon form the supporters.
The National Butterfly
LOCATION: The island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. POPULATION: 21,128,773 (Estimated)
ETHNIC GROUPS: Sinhalese 74.5%, Sri Lankan Tamils 11.9%, Indian Tamils 4.6%, Moors 7.2%, other 1.8%. LITERACY RATE: 92%
TIME ZONE: GMT+5 ½. Daylight saving times not observed.
CLIMATE: Sri Lanka has no marked seasons. There are two monsoons. The Northeast Monsoon occurs from December to March and the Southwest Monsoon from June to October. A tropical climate exists throughout the country. The hill country is cooler and more temperate. LANGUAGES: Sinhala, Tamil and English are widely spoken throughout Sri Lanka.
Ceylon ironwood (Mesua ferrea) was declared the National Tree on 26 February 1986. It was chosen as the National Tree for the reasons of tree origin in Sri Lanka, utility, historic & cultural importance, exterior posture, wide distribution, colour & nature and ability to draw & sketch it easily. Ceylon ironwood is a species in the family Calophyllaceae. This slow-growing tree is named after the heaviness and hardness of its timber.
It is widely cultivated as an ornamental due to its graceful shape, greyish-green foliage with a beautiful pink to red flush of drooping young leaves, and large, fragrant white flowers.
Its flower is also used in herbal medicine and preparation of perfumes, cosmetics and soaps.
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The Sri Lankan Birdwing (Troides darsius) is a species of birdwing butterfly found in Sri Lanka. It is the largest Sri Lankan butterfly with a wingspan spreading 165–180 mm. The declaration of a national butterfly is aimed at raising public concern on butterfly conservation.
Sri Lankan Birdwing is the great black and yellow butterfly (Ornithoptera darsius, Gray); the upper wings, of which measure six inches across, are of deep velvet black, the lower, ornamented by large particles of satiny yellow, through which the sunlight passes, and few insects can compare with it in beauty, as it hovers over the flowers of the heliotrope, which furnish the favourite food of the perfect fly, although the caterpillar feeds on the aristolochia and the betel leaf and suspends its chrysalis from its drooping tendrils.
COASTLINE: 1,340km
A traveller’s guide to GENERAL HOLIDAYS: Saturdays and Sundays are usually non–working days. The day of the full moon, Poya Day, is a religious holiday in the Buddhist calendar. It is a public, bank and mercantile holiday and most independent places are also closed. The selling of alcohol, even to tourists, is banned on a Poya Day.
MAJOR EXPORTS: Tea, textiles, gems, rubber and coconut products. HIGHEST PEAK: Pidurutalagala (Mount Pedro) at 2,524m NATIONAL BIRD: Jungle Fowl
NATIONAL TREE: Ironwood: the Na Tree (Mesua ferrea) NATIONAL FLOWER: Blue Water Lilly (Nymphaea stellata)
VOLTAGE REQUIREMETNS: 230/240 volts AC, 50 Hz (Round three pin plugs are common, with bayonet lamp fittings).
CAPITAL: Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte
INTERNATIONAL DIALLING: ++ 94 (followed by the area code, without 0, and the number).
RELIGIONS: Predominantly Buddhism. Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are also practised.
INDUSTRIES: Processing of rubber, tea, coconut, tobacco, and other agricultural commodities; tourism, telecommunications, insurance, banking, garment manufacturing, textiles, cement, petroleum refining.
COMMERCIAL CAPITAL: Colombo ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS: Nine Provinces: Central, North Central, North, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western and Eastern Province.
INDEPENDENCE DAY: February 4
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS: Rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber and coconut.
CURRENCY: Sri Lanka Rupee (Rs)
KEEP IN MIND TRAVELLER’S CHEQUES: Widely accepted at banks and money exchangers. A 1% stamp duty plus a small commission is charged. CREDIT CARDS: Accepted in major establishments islandwide. ATM: Available throughout the country where there are banks and commercial areas.
MONEY: The exchange of foreign currency should only be done at reputable outlets such as banks or licensed money changers. A receipt should be obtained so re-exchange of rupees to foreign currency can be done at airport banks on departure.
MEDICIAL FACILITIES: The medical standards are excellent. Qualified doctors and surgeons are available in government and private hospitals for emergencies. TIPPING: A service change of 10% is included in restaurant and hotel bills. A tip above this (say half of the service charge in cash to the server) is appreciated. There will also be an additional percentage (up to 17%) added to restaurant and hotel bills for government and provincial taxes. It’s not compulsory to tip drivers but customary. SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS: Shops and restaurants are open daily. STAY UP-TO-DATE For tourist information: Call 1912
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Contents
Volume 06
Elégance Chic Mini
22
32
SRI LANKA’S UNIQUE RIVER & CANAL CRUISE
RICH IN DIVERSITY
40 54
Kalutara Vacation with Tradition
LET’S MEET
70
THE MYSTIQUE OF TEA
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Contents
Volume 06
THE BRIEF ON BRIEF
80
88
SOME TIPS FOR TOURISTS
96
FLASHBACKS
The Western Province Helps Service Providers 100
Amazing Sri Lanka - All rights reserved Š Amazing Sri Lanka 2013 Published by the Western Province Tourist Board.
No. 204, Dencil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka. General:
+94 (0) 11 7631705
| E-mail: sales@wptb.lk
Advertising: +94 (0) 11 3094440-1 | Web:
www.wptb.lk
The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by the publisher.
A WARM WELCOME
Claude Thomasz
Chairman Western Province Tourist Board
A warm welcome to all visitors to Sri Lanka as 2014 begins. As we at the Western Province Tourist Board look back on our achievements during 2013, we feel justly proud. Amazing Sri Lanka has become a regular quarterly magazine circulated not just throughout Sri Lanka but overseas as well, with copies also available on SriLankan Airline flights.
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
It’s not just Christmas, with 25th December being a public, bank and mercantile holiday, and the New Year celebrations (both international on 31st December and Sri Lankan on 14th April) that make December to April the holiday season in Sri Lanka, it’s visitors too. These months have traditionally been the time when visitors from the chilly winter climate of the West, descend on Sri Lanka for fun in the sun. Sri Lanka is undergoing a metamorphosis as the country develops with new highways and upgraded roads, beautified towns, new hotels and restaurants, and is marketed to appeal to mass market as well as niche 16 | ASL
It is thanks to the support and encouragement from the Tourism Minister for the Western Province, the Hon Nimal A Lanza, together with the cooperation from the general manager and all members of the Western Province Tourist Board (WPTB) and the invaluable assistance from the WPTB staff, combined with the expert assistance of our Editorial Consultant, British resident travel writer and editor, Royston Ellis, that we have come this far. However, none of this could be achieved without the support of our advertisers, the enthusiasm of our readers and the cooperation of the Hoteliers’ Associations of the Western Province and the stakeholders in the tourist industry. We look forward to continued support from the Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority and
As a Minister of the Western Province I am responsible for many matters that affect not only our citizens but also visitors to this country. I regard it as an honour to be able to influence the improvement of the lifestyle of our citizens through successful development of infrastructure throughout the Western Province and in encouraging tourism.
The success of the organising of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Colombo in November 2013 in which my ministry played a big part, under directions from the Minister of Economic Development, the Hon Basil Rajapaksa, proves the ability of Sri Lanka to host international guests and conferences. It was a stimulating experience and encourages us to do even more for the people of the Western Province and our tourist visitors.
In this connection, we are reaching the conclusion of a survey conducted by the Tourist Board under the enthusiastic leadership of the Board’s Chairman, Claude Thomasz. The survey covers all the service providers to the industry in the Western Province, whether formal or informal, and will list statistics on all the hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and individuals, such as tour guides, drivers, boatmen, souvenir sellers, who are also stakeholders in the industry.
Nimal A. Lanza
The Holiday Season tourism. The mainstream hotels have been spruced up to attract more guests and also to compete with newly built competitors. Meanwhile guesthouses and small boutique hotels favoured by the independent traveller are concentrating on providing a holiday experience that will attract repeat visitors. There is so much to do in Sri Lanka during the season, as the articles in this issue of Amazing Sri Lanka show. The Western Province, the landfall of most tourists being the location of the main international airport, has an amazing array of attractions for visitors, from the beaches of the west coast southwards from Negombo to Kalutara and Alutgama; to the museums, parks, boulevards, lakes and sophisticated bars and restaurants of Colombo. The new Expressway linking the airport with the northern suburbs of Colombo has proved a boon to travellers, while the Southern Expressway makes getting to the south so much easier. The diversity of Sri Lanka is at its best at this season, whether for viewing wildlife (whales and dolphins as well as leopards and elephants), trekking
SUPPORTING TOURISM
the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau to see that Amazing Sri Lanka not only reflects the attractions and charm of Sri Lanka but also reaches a wide readership. Now we have successfully geared up for the production of this magazine we are planning to extend our reach and contribution to tourism promotion even further. To this end, soon we hope to announce the publication of a new, sister magazine about Sri Lanka entirely in the German language. To all visitors to Sri Lanka, we are happy that you have chosen this blessed country for a holiday, and in the Sinhala greeting, we wish you Ayubowan – may you have long life.
in the hill country tea gardens and wilderness, or being inspired by the Cultural Triangle. With trains having special carriages for visitors and serving most of the places of interest to tourists, as well as a network of improved highways for travelling by hired car, Sri Lanka is open for discovery, either for people travelling independently or in organised groups. Amazing Sri Lanka is produced under the auspices of The Hon Nimal Lanza, the Minister of Tourism for the Western Province and Claude Thomasz, the Chairman of the Western Province Tourist Board, with the hope that you will keep this magazine as a guide and as a souvenir of your stay this season in amazing Sri Lanka. Royston Ellis is the author of the 5th edition of The Bradt Guide To Sri Lanka published in January 2014 by Bradt Travel Guides, UK. He writes a weekly newsletter about Sri Lanka available free by subscribing at www.roystonellis.com.
Hon. Minister of Road Development, Animal Production & Development, Housing & Construction, Fisheries and Tourism - Western Province
We are doing this in keeping with the vision of the President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, so we can achieve the target of 2.5 million visitors to Sri Lanka in 2016. We would like to see everyone involved in tourism in the Western Province to feel they have the support of my Ministry and the Tourist Board to ensure that every visitor has such a good time in Sri Lanka, they will want to return, again and again. As we begin a New Year, I extend my greetings to all visitors for an enjoyable stay in Sri Lanka, and hope you will come back again soon.
Board of Directors (From left to right)
(Mr. Palitha Abeywardhana - Director, Mr. W.M.R. Roy Tissera - Deputy Chairman, Mr. Claude A. Thomasz - Chairman, Mr. S.G. Wijayabandu - Director, Mr. F.R. Karunanayake - Director)
Touring
Yakbendi Ella Godigomuwa Dewalaya
The Staff of the Western Province Tourist Board would like to thank all our advertisers and contributors for their support and we welcome all our readers to this issue of Amazing Sri Lanka.
Maladeniya Atupandeniya Rajamaha Rajamaha Viharaya Viharaya
Erabadda Rajamaha Viharaya
Kahandawa Rajamaha Viharaya
Eththukkala Beach
Botale Walauwa
Negombo
Pattini Dewalaya
Angurukaramulla Temple
Negombo Fort
Aluthapola Rajamaha Viharaya
Doowa Talahena Beach
Gaspe Rajamaha Viharaya
Katunayaka Dadagamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya
Kepungoda Beach
Asgiriya Rajamaha Viharaya
GAMPAHA
Lindara Rajamaha Viharaya Wewaldeniya Cane Cra Kadjugama
Western Province Sri Lanka
Madabawita Rajamaha Viharaya
Kadjugama Antique Replica Centre
Mottunna Rajamaha Viharaya
Pasgama
Horagolla National Park
Rambutan Vendors
Weediyawatta Devalaya
Botanical Garden
Tudella Junction
Ganegoda Dewalaya
Talagama Rajamaha Viharaya
Attanagalla
Varana Rajamaha Viharaya
Attanagalla Rajamaha Viharaya
Sarees by Ganesh Textiles
Ja - Ela Kossinna Rajamaha Viharaya Amunugoda Rajamaha Viharaya Basilica Church
Kandana Ragama
Sapugaskanda Rajamaha Viharaya Kelani Ganga
COLOMBO
Seated: Chamara Samarasinghe - Training Coordinator, Irosh Ratnayake - General Manager, Claude Thomasz - Chairman, Royston Ellis - Editorial Consultant, Nadun Egodage - I.T. Officer
Volume I
Standing: Shashika Rajapaksha, Krishanthini Devendran, Rosalie Perera, Navodi Ranasinghe, Palitha Abeysekara, Uditha Munasinghe, Ralston Gerreyn, Chandika Dias, Nirosha Gamage, Chamodi Wickramage, Thanuja Rayigama, Dilani Athapaththu Volume II
Marketing: Krishanthini Devendran, Ralston Gerreyn
Volume III
Volume IV
General Operations: Claude Thomasz & I.G.I.T. Ratnayake
Sales & Distribution: Rosalie Perera, Uditha Munasinghe, Chamodi Wickramage, Dilani Athapaththu Volume V
Layout & Designing: Nadun Egodage Sanjaya Jayasinghe @ Feather Pen Visual Studios Coordination: Chamara Samarasinghe, Navodi Ranasinghe, Shashika Rajapaksha
Printed by: Aitken Spence Printing & Packaging (Pvt) Ltd
Avissawella
Kanduboda Meditation Centre Asmadala
Nawagamuwa Dewalaya Koratota Rajamaha Viharaya
Kotte
(From left to right)
LEGEND
Kadawata
Hendala
Western Province Tourist Board
Gampaha Pineapple
Neelammahara Viharaya Birds Sanctury
Moratuwa
Kumari Ella
Church Of Lady Of Shorrow
Hanwella Church Lenagala Rajamaha Viharaya
Maharagama
Dehiwala
Maniyamgama Viharaya Brandi Mosque Wewakele Forest
Boralugoda Walauwa
Mambulgoda Viharaya
Kurugaka Kanda
Kurugaka Viharaya
Bolgoda Lake
Kahapola Totupola Gammanpila Wewa
Panadura
Ellakanda
Bolgoda Ganga
Rankoth Viharaya
Panadura Beach
Scenic
Nachchimale Madakada Monastry
Mahabellana Totupola
Talpitiya Beach
Pokunuwita Lenawara Rajamaha Rajamaha Viharaya Pathahawatta Viharaya Rajamaha Viharaya
Wadduwa Galpatha
Kalido Beach
KALUTHARA
Pahiyangala Uduwara Nartupana
Richmond Castle
Makeli Ella
Bodhiya
Mathugama
Maggona Bay
Ambegoda Falls
Beruwala Beach
Beruwala Beruwala Lighthouse Polkotuwa Beach Moragalla Beach
Horawala Totupola
Kalugala Monastry Paurukanda Yagirala Forest Reserve
Pahala Hewessa
Omantha Totupola Ihala Hewessa Scale - 1 : 200,000
Designed by Feather Pen : 011 2 799 733
E U Q I N U S ’ A K N A L I SR L A N A C & R E V I R CRUISE
tion of the a r o t ttraction to s a e t r is e r u Th o t r e gs to do. ded anoth in d h a t s d a n h a l e a e an nal and a hts to s C ig s n o g t Hamilton C il in t m a a any fascin long the H m a e ’s a is k u n r a c L t a Sri es on a bo o g is ll River. E n o Royst the Kelani Photographs Nadun Egodage 22 | ASL
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The entrance to Hamilton Canal
T
he introduction of a commercial and competently run boat service based on the northern bank of the Hamilton Canal and also serving the Kelani River, is a fitting complement to the newly restored canal with its cute suspension footbridge. The footbridge is located at Hekitta Junction, Hendala, Wattala and is easily reached on the way to
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or from the airport on the old route. (The new Airport Expressway bypasses it). The bridge marks a triumphant entrance to the Hamilton Canal from the sea and from Kelani River. The bridge’s buttress of granite on the southern bank bears letters in brass stating: Hamilton Canal. The Gateway to the Aquarina in the north of Colombo. An attraction with diversity. A polished granite plaque below it records the names of dignitaries who attended the opening in August 2013, and give thanks to the funding provided by the Government of Japan for the canal’s restoration.
Hamilton Canal originally opened in 1802 at the instigation of a British government agent, Garvin Hamilton. It was built to link with a canal that had been constructed previously by the Dutch; hence it is sometimes referred to as the Dutch Canal. It extends 22km from the mouth of the Kelani River to the Maha Oya, north of Negombo. The history of the canal as a link to the sea for villagers living along its banks is easy to imagine by journeying on it in a hired motorboat. On the trip that I made recently, we joined the small motorboat with outboard engine by the steps of the bridge.
The boatman, and skipper, Samira, had the confidence and concern for passengers of a navy man and, indeed, he has been trained by a former Sri Lankan Navy commander. But, Samira said modestly, he was a fisherman before joining Hamilton Leisure Crafts & Sports (Pvt) Ltd as a boatman.
He instructed all of us, his passengers, to don the lifejackets provided and then the boat set out to putter down the canal to join the river. As the Kelani River flows to the sea, it passes through industrial and residential complexes, all of which
seem to have been built to ignore the river, their backs facing the beautiful sweep of the majestic waterway.
So the first part of the river cruise is unexciting unless you are interested in Victorian warehouses with porthole windows, sand miners in flat bottomed boats dredging the river bed, river houses on stilts and the occasional ungainly pelican lumbering skywards. Flights of concrete steps along the river banks lead down to the river, enabling housewives to do their laundry, and there is even a commercial river laundry complex to gaze at.
After passing under a railway bridge, the scenery changes dramatically, with bamboo and palm trees leaning towards the water and the river banks on both sides covered in lush, and seemingly impenetrable, greenery. A pleasant stop would have been the shack on stilts made out of bamboo, which offered cups of tea, but we continued our journey. The old hand-pulled ferry that was the only means of crossing the river remains, although a road bridge has been built to replace it. It is a round trip of 24km from the canal to Kelani Temple, and
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the approach by river sets a mood of serenity for visiting this venerated place. It’s also possible to go by boat for the 40km round trip cruise along the canal to the Negombo Lagoon. If that’s too long, Hamilton Leisure Craft Boats also operate shorter jaunts along the canal. The canal trip is interesting for what it reveals of village life. While the seaside bank is covered in lush tropical foliage where kingfishers dart and cormorants bask on branches in the sun, the eastern
bank is residential. Fishing boats are tied up by the bank, having returned from overnight sea fishing trips.
On the decks of some them, fishermen are emptying their nets to the delight of housewives waiting to buy fish for lunch. There is a small fish market on the bank and, a surprise; branches of the country’s two main supermarkets are also there. In the canal itself, we saw a woman paddling herself along in the broken hull of a fishing boat, pulling up her crab pots seeing what
the day’s catch was. A man sat in the glare of the hot sun, patiently fishing with a rod and line. There are gullies off the canal that lead to lagoons hemmed in by the beach; that’s where boats are repaired and fishermen rest. We puttered slowly down another offshoot to find ourselves in a romantic lagoon; deep shadows were cast on the water by the leaves and straggling roots of mangroves. It was a tranquil and perfect place to commune with nature.
As we motored back down the canal to the bridge, we saw an elegant new vessel proceeding gracefully towards the river. This is a newly introduced floating restaurant. We boarded it for lunch, which we enjoyed under the shade of the vegetation on the river bank.
The vessel has been cleverly designed; it has a single 45hp outboard motor with chrome tables and chairs fixed to the deck. There are glass panels at the side that can be opened to let the breeze flow through, and a high roof. There are lights on board so the boat can be hired for an evening cocktail cruise, as well as for daytime picnics.
The boat has been added to his fleet of four outboard motor launches by Camilus Fernando and is operated by his company, Hamilton Leisure Crafts. He is confident that cruising along the canal to Negombo or up the Kelani River will become a popular excursion for tourists. With fees starting at Rs1,000 for a group of five, it represents remarkable value for doing something pleasantly different, and seeing another side of Sri Lanka.
q
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Overlooking the scenic Negombo Lagoon, Hotel Lagoon Paradise offers relaxing stays amidst tropical greenery. Offering free parking, it boasts an outdoor pool, a restaurant with garden views and bicycle rental. A 5-minute walk from the beach, Hotel Lagoon Paradise is about 30 minutes’ drive from the historic Dutch Canal. It is 15 km from Bandaranaike International Airport.
Featuring a private balcony, air-conditioned rooms are fitted with classic wood furnishings. Heated showers and a fan are also provided. Providing concierge service, staff can also attend to travel and laundry needs. Free internet access is provided in all areas. The restaurant offers Eastern, Chinese, Italian, German and Western dishes in both indoor and outdoor settings. After-meal drinks and alcoholic beverages are served at the bar.
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Goldi Sands Hotel offers a host of amenities, facilities and levels of comfort and maintains the meticulous standards required by the discerning guest. Accommodation at Goldi Sands Hotel comprises a stunning array of seventy air-conditioned double rooms.
Goldi Sands Hotel
At Goldi Sands Hotel, the combination of Sun, beach and the ever attentive staff is guaranteed to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. Take a stroll down the sandy beach and enjoy the invigorating sea breeze or simply relax in rooms which benchmark elegance and luxury… truly an abode of serendipity…
Goldi Sands Hotel, Ethukala, Negombo, Sri Lanka. T: +94 31 22 79227 | F: +94 31 22 78019 | W: www.goldisands.com | E: goldi@eureka.lk
For more details & reservations: Mobile: 0094 (0) 71 4200881 | E-mail: naslin@rainforest-ecolodge.org Web: www.rainforest-ecolodge.org
RICH IN DIVERSITY Culture
ADAM’S PEAK is a mountain with a sacred footprint at its summit, and it’s a UNESCO world Heritage Site. Its summit is 2,243m above sea level. Pilgrims climb it from December to March.
ANURADHAPURA is one of the country’s key religious and cultural sites dating back to the 3rd Century BC. It centres around the Sri Maha Bodhiya (Sacred Bo tree). 32 | ASL
AUKANA bears the Sri Lanka’s 12m-tall elegant Buddha Statue carved out of single rock. It was built around 459-477 AD.
A Brief Guide to the Highlights of Amazing Sri Lanka KANDY is the hill capital and houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha in the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple) situated amidst panoramic mountain views. The annual pageant of the Esala Perahera is held there in July or August.
JAFFNA is a colourful mix of customs and festivals and consists of Valligamam, Thenmaradchi, Vadamarachchi and the Jaffna Islands.
SIGIRIYA is a natural rock formation on which a citadel was built by King Kashyapa dating back to around 447-495 AD. It is a World Heritage Site renowned for its beautiful Sigiriya frescoes, baths and pools.
DAMBULLA is a cave temple dating back to the 12th Century that was once refuge to King Valagamba. Today, it bears intricately carved statues of Lord Buddha and various Hindu Gods.
POLONNARUWA is a ruined city of historic splendour, once a flourishing capital of ancient Sri Lanka where ruins, parks and still functioning water tanks can be seen. 33 | ASL
Hill Country BANDARAWELA is located in the hill country and is known for its breathtaking scenery, cool climate and wide variety of flowers.
Away from the sun, sea and sand, the hill country with its blue green mountains, sprawling tea gardens and waterfalls beckons the curious traveller.
Nature & Wild Life
The national parks in Sri Lanka are home to elephants, leopards, deer and bear as well as many species of birds, reptiles, flora and fauna that are endemic to the island.
BUNDALA situated between Kirinda and Hambantota is characterised by its lagoons, wetlands, jungles and wildlife. GAL OYA is a national park where herds of elephants can be observed throughout the year. It lays claim to the island’s largest reservoir.
HAPUTALE is a small town with a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, nature trails, and the neighbouring colonial manor, Adisham, now a novitiate.
The view from Lipton’s Seat, near Haputale
NUWARA ELIYA known as “Little England” features some of the finest tea plantations in the world, the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, and the adjacent Hakgala Nature reserve. The fashionable season for visitors from Colombo starts in April.
KUMANA is a national park considered as an important bird nesting and breeding ground, hosting a multitude of birds. During April to July, thousands of birds can be seen migrating to Kumana.
KNUCKLES RANGE with its striking landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Nuwara Eliya’s popular golf course
PINNAWALA is a government-sponsored elephant orphanage situated between Colombo and Kandy. It has almost 100 elephants, both young and adult, providing irresistible photo opportunities of baby elephants quaffing milk and one of the largest elephant bathing spectacles in the world.
HORTON PLAINS is for the adventurous to go trekking, hiking or camping. It boasts of a picturesque landscape, cool climate and astonishing biodiversity.
RANDENIGALA is a wildlife sanctuary where herds of elephant, deer, sambur, wild boar and flocks of rare birds can be spotted. SINHARAJA is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s few surviving rainforests
WILPATTU National Park is located north of Puttalam. Leopard, spotted deer, elephants, wild boar, sloth bears and crocodiles can be found in this fairly thick dry zone jungle area.
ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDEN with a rich history dating back to 1371, holds a collection of more than 300 varieties of orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palms. It is located in Peradeniya approximately 4km from Kandy. 34 | ASL
YALA is the most popular national park in the country with a wide variety of wild animals as well as one of the highest leopard densities in the world. 35 | ASL
Exploring the Coast
Here you will be spoiled for choice, whether on the west coast from October to April, or the east coast from April to October
NEGOMBO is near the airport and a popular beach town sparkling with hotels and guest houses.
PUTTALAM is known for its lagoons, salterns and sea fishing expeditions. Bentota Beach
UNAWATUNA is a bay protected by coral reefs but sometimes suffers erosion. It was declared one of the top ten best beaches in the world several years ago by Discovery TV, not just because of its sun, sea and sand but also because of its after-beach life with informal beachside restaurants and hotels. Negombo Beach
Arugam Bay Beach
ARUGAM BAY is a favourite surfing bay where international competitions are held annually. BATTICALOA is a coastal paradise of lagoons and a busy town.
BENTOTA consists of a popular wide arc of sandy beaches with several upmarket hotels in the National Tourist Resort complex, and guesthouses and restaurants on its periphery.
BERUWALA has gorgeous beaches, a turtle farm and the Kechchimalai mosque. Boat trips are available along Beruwala’s river to view woodland wildlife. CHILAW is famous for the Munneswaram Temple, St Mary’s Cathedral and a fine variety of prawns, crabs and coconuts. 36 | ASL
DONDRA is the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka marked by a towering lighthouse and the Tondeswaram Kovil.
GREAT BASSES are off shore islands full of strange sandstone reefs carved by the strong tides and is popular with snorkellers and scuba divers. The lighthouse there, built in the 1800s, is an iconic monument.
HAMBANTOTA has crisp, white salt flats spread out over scenic lagoons. As well as unspoilt beaches and some wildlife sanctuaries, Hambantota is close to a new international cricket stadium, a new international airport, and a new inland deep water harbour. KALPITIYA is famed as a whale and dolphin watching hot spot and is under development with new hotels.
KIRINDA is popular for its beautiful Buddhist temple and shrine overlooking the ocean. Moragalla Beach, near Beruwela
MIRISSA is famous for its cinnamon cultivations, rolling surf and its whale-watching boat tours.
Floating Catamarans at Negombo
KUCHCHAVELI is a shimmering coastal town situated to the northwest of Trincomalee and ideal for a tranquil dip in the sea.
MOUNT LAVINIA in the nation’s ‘city beach’ lined with lively beach restaurants.
PASSEKUDAH has an immaculate beach and shallow sea, according to the tides, and is rapidly developing into an upmarket resort.
TRINCOMALEE has a long beach to the north of the town up to Nilavali and the attractions of Konneswaram, Hindu Kovil, Fort Frederick and Pigeon Island.
WELIGAMA BAY contains the famous Taprobane Island where guests can stay. The island can be reached only during low tide by wading through the surf.
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Kalutara Vacation with Tradition
Most visitors and Sri Lankans who drive along the double carriageway cutting through the west coast town of Kalutara miss the attractions of the area. Royston Ellis a takes longer look. Photographs Feather Pen Visual Studios
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alutara, after being bypassed for years by both tourists and developers for beaches further south, is about to enjoy a renaissance. Drive northwards from the bridge over the Kalutara River (Kalu Ganga; Black River) along the Calido beach road running parallel to the main Galle Road, and you will see a dozen new hotels under construction. Of course, there are several well-established hotels already in operation in the area but now Kalutara has been recognised as a tourist zone, new developers are moving in. The beach is the attraction but all the hotels have swimming pools so guests can happily spend their days there lazing in the sun.
On their periphery, locally-run restaurants, built simply with bamboo and breezy verandas have opened to cater for tourists who occasionally want to eat outside their hotels. Some of these beachside cafés specialise in lobster and seafood and Sri Lankans could be forgiven for thinking they have somehow strayed into Russia as every restaurant advertises itself in Russian. This reflects the area’s new popularity with Russian guests; just as Bentota, further south, has signs in German. Kalutara’s attractions rival Bentota’s. It is a bustling, thriving town (with a population of 39,700, it’s the third largest urban area in the Western Province after Colombo and Negombo) with shops and su-
permarkets serving its residents and not created especially for tourists. There is also the formidable, huge white stupa (the Kalutara Bodhiya), glinting in the sunlight that dominates the broad Kalu Ganga. The stupa, built in the 1960s, is actually hollow inside with an elaborately painted interior. On the roadside are several collecting boxes (“tills”) in which passing motorists drop coins as a token offering for a safe drive. Kalutara is 42km from Colombo and easily reached by train from Colombo Fort or by the Southern Expressway or by the Galle Road via Mount Lavinia, Moratuwa, Panadura and Wadduwa. Located on both sides of the Kalutara River, along
which boats and rafts used to float from Ratnapura, it was once a popular resort for Colombo’s colonial residents and the earned the sobriquet “Richmond of Ceylon” because of its supposed similarity to the London Thames-side suburb.
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Kalutara is rich in history, which its modern development has somewhat overshadowed. It was temporarily the capital of King Wickrama Pandu (1042-43) ruling from the Ruhunu region. In 1655 it was captured by the Dutch, who built a fort on the site of a small Por-
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tuguese one. That had actually been built on the original Gangatilka Vihara that the Portuguese had demolished. In 1797, the fort was ceded to the British. The river, along which boat trips are organised for tourists, was known to Arab traders and sailors centuries before the Portuguese arrived. They would shelter in its vast river mouth during the southwest monsoon. On the southern bank, between the road and the railway line,
is a Buddhist shrine under a venerable Bo tree. Flower sellers line the approach to the shrine so that worshippers can buy flowers to take as offerings. Although Kalutara is a thriving town with several branches of local banks and supermarkets and a private hospital as well as an ancient rest house and a busy railway station at Kalutara South, it is close to rural plantations. Rubber is a major crop and plantations that have tall trees
with coconut cups strapped to their trunks to collect the liquid rubber line the country roads. There are coconut groves aplenty, as well as smallholdings producing low grown tea. Tours are available into the interior by three wheeler and hotel minivan taxis for easy discovery of the surrounding countryside. A unique – yet little known – site that welcomes visitors is Richmond Castle (Rs100 entrance fee; open 08.30-
Kalutara Beach Calido Beach, Kalutara
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Interior of the Kalutara Bodhiya
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16.30, weekdays). Restored in 2011 the building was neglected for years, after being abandoned by its owner and turned over to the Public Trustee Department, to be an orphanage. It still functions as an orphanage for 45 boys of all religions from six to sixteen in age, who attend schools in Kalutara and live in an adjoining outbuilding, formerly the servants’ quarters. However, visitors can now take a guided tour of Richmond Castle under the watchful eye of a charming lady guide who recites details about this fascinating building. It was constructed on the lines of an Indian Maharaja’s palace and opened in 1910 for the wedding of the owner, Don Arthur de Silva Wijesinha Siriwardene. He was the son of a wealthy landowner who was educated in England, where he saw the grandeur of the residences of the wealthy. Photographs of the wedding, including the special steam train that brought guests from Colombo to Kalutara, line the walls, as do paintings of the owner and his parents.
Richmond Castle
Entrance to the Kalutara Bodihiya To tour this building is to gain a fascinating insight into the way of life of the Sri Lankan aristocracy in the early 20th century. Of course there was no air conditioning then but a system of strategically placed holes and tunnels channelled cool air from its riverside location into the ballroom, distinguished by its ornately carved teak pillars. A winding wrought iron staircase reaches a minstrels’ gallery above it, while the main staircase with two wings and sturdy pillars is a solid creation of Burma teak. The windows are of imported stained glass, the floors of marble. The guide tells visitors the garden is 42 acres in area and from the balconies of the house there are views of the river and shining Kalutara Bodhiya, through the groves of coconuts and mango trees. The house itself spreads over one acre but has only 16 rooms, with 99
doors and 38 windows. The garden is studded with statues and both house and garden have become popular for wedding celebrations. The guide regales visitors with the life story (and family connections) of the house’s owner and his wife and their eventual disillusionment with both the house and each other since they weren’t blessed with children. As a result, Don Arthur de Silva turned over the property to the Public Trustee and moved into a room at the Queens Hotel, Kandy, where he died a lonely eccentric in 1947. It’s a profound story that brings a sense of tradition and ancient values to Kalutara, formerly Sri Lanka’s Richmond and now set to become Sri Lanka’s Riviera, the country’s new hotspot for international tourists.
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The Kalutara rail and road bridges
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Chamathka Holidays
Destination Weddings & Events
“We are inimitable and distinctively Sri Lankan,” says Anushi Jayasekara – Entrepreneur/CEO.
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hamathka Holidays & Travels is an expertise-driven inbound tour company comprising a team of professionally qualified local travel experts with more than 15 years experience in the industry. It is a one-stop travel company focusing on luxury markets and in providing high quality service to clients plus access to a range of travel services, resources and updated information, delivering great value for clients’ travel investments. The success of Chamathka Holidays & Travels in bringing the personal touch to professional destination arrangements has resulted in the company opening new offices in the centre of the busy west coast town of Kalutara. The company began in 2009, with Sri Lanka tourist board recognition granted in 2011. The name of the company, Chamathka, means miracle – a reference not just to Sri Lanka as the wonder of Asia but also a tribute to Chamathka, the elder daughter of Anushi Jayasekara, the company’s Entrepreneur/ Chief Operating Officer. Anushi has travelled extensively in Europe and Asia and seen from personal experience the kind of service and attention a tourist requires, whether visiting a country on business, for a conference, a wedding or on holiday. She realised that a “one stop shop” travel agency with the friendly personal contact that a major tour operator can’t provide, could be a successful enterprise. She chose Kalutara as the centre of her operations as she sees Kalutara as a booming holiday resort town, with many hotels and restaurants opening along the beach. In addition, Kalutara is convenient for all the attractions of Sri Lanka, whether it’s to go to Colombo for a day’s shopping, down south to Bentota, Galle and Yala or to the interior, thanks to its accessibility to the South-
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ern Expressway and the network of good roads to the hill country and the cultural triangle. She also realised that the south west coast hotels offer much more than beach hotels in other countries (and at a lower rate) with first-rate, well-furnished rooms, charming service and extensive buffets. As her business grew, Anushi found her niche market – destination weddings. Anushi says her vision is to be one of Sri Lanka’s most progressive locally-owned travel agencies. The company’s success is attributable to its responsiveness to agents and individual traveller’s requirements. She never loses the personal touch and is focused on delivering the finest quality customer service. Her team is young, dynamic and knowledgeable and is geared to handle every aspect of a luxury holiday from arrival to departure, offering a choice of tours such as Round Trip Excursions, Relaxation, Honeymoon, Family Reunions, Cultural, Nature, Eco, Adventure, Ramayana Spiritual Tours, Incentives, Meetings, Conferences, Business Visits, Weddings and Beach Stays as well as all-inclusive programmes. The experience gained in organising weddings has enabled the company to branch out to cater for the MICE market (Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions). The company can recommend venues and coordinate events according any client’s requirements, for two to 500 participants. Anushi Jayasekara’s enthusiasm for Sri Lanka as a destination for holiday, wedding, or MICE visitors, is genuine, enabling her and her staff to bring professionalism, charm and the personal touch to welcoming guests and ensuring them a hassle free stay in Sri Lanka.
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Hot Stone Therapy
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olombo Courtyard, the city’s award winning Luxury Business boutique hotel has launched their ‘Amber Spa’, which specialises in authentic Balinese treatment therapy.
Armed with trained therapists from Indonesia, the spa specialises in ‘Hot Stone’ therapy, which Bali is famed for. Balinese techniques are known for their gentleness, which aims at keeping patients relaxed and calm throughout. The techniques include skin folding; kneading, stroking, body scrubs and other methods used along with different aromatherapy oils. Administered by expert therapists, the spa’s signature hot stone treatment helps to improve a patient’s blood, oxygen and energy flow, which is said to increase through the treatment. Hot Stone Massage is an age-old therapy dating back about 5000 years to India, a legacy carried on by several countries in the region and developed to a nicety by the Balinese. The technique involves the application of water-heated volcanic stones to central points of the body, giving a deep tissue treatment that creates a sensation of comfort and warmth. The penetrating heat from the hot stones is said to “draw out” pain and discomfort, relaxing the muscles deeper than the regular techniques. Arun Thapar, Managing Director of the Colombo Courtyard, says that the ‘Amber Spa’ is another feather in the cap of the luxury boutique hotel, which has already won several international awards for its service and quality. “As a boutique hotel located in a central part of Colombo we want to offer our in house guests as well as our day to day patrons a better choice in terms of entertainment, indulgence and things to do in the city. We have already been awarded the best Luxury Business Hotel by World Luxury Hotel Awards. And our mission is to continue to innovate, bring in new services that complement our image and benefit our guests; ‘Amber Spa’ is another step in that direction.”
‘Amber Spa’ the latest Balinese Spa opens in Colombo Director Abeer Thapar says that the therapists they have engaged are well trained and experienced in the art of Balinese treatment therapy, which involves the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue that aid in the healing and rejuvenating process. The Amber Spa menu offers a number of other holistic body treatments such as Thai, Swedish, and Herbal therapies as well as Aesthetic Beauty treatments such as facials, manicures and pedicures. However their signature Hot Stone treatment is the unique ‘Amber’ experience that not only relaxes but is noted for its special healing characteristics. The therapists claim that the warm gliding sensation of the hot stones fire up the lymphatic system, allowing every cell in the body to receive more nutrients and oxygen while removing waste. It is recommended for the support of the immune system, increased Blood circulation, countering against flu symptoms, alleviating stress, rheumatic and arthritic conditions, muscle aches, fatigue, and even depression. Combined with the expert therapy, the Amber Spa’s location overlooking the hotel’s swimming pool, shaded by bamboo trees, adds to the feeling of serenity and calm, creating the ideal setting for a relaxing body treatment. Colombo Courtyard, which has become the happening boutique hotel in the city with its jazz theme nights and a variety of entertainment throughout the week, offers a number of outlets for in-house and outdoor guests. The Hotel’s Italian Restaurant, Scarlet Room, offers exquisitely prepared Italian food whilst the Loft Lounge Bar – a modern Industrial style setup, the Cloud Café – an open air roof top café, Grape Expectations - the wine lounge, are all designed to create the best leisure experience for the man or woman about town.
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ET’S MEET!
Sri Lanka’s popularity as a destination for
meetings, incentive holidays, conventions and exhibitions is growing annually. Our business correspondent looks at the advantages of holding meetings in Sri Lanka. Photo Courtesy President’s Media Unit & Nelum Pokuna Management
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he tourism sector known by the ridiculous acronym of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions) was prophesied at a meeting of key partners in the MICE niche market held in October 2013, to be on course to increase its share of tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka by five to 10 per cent annually. Since the government’s declared target for tourist arrivals
a sought after, exotic and affordable destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions due its central location in the Indian Ocean which allows easy access from any part of the world. As well as its legendary beaches, sunny climate and diverse attractions… the international and local hotels offer star-class accommodation, modern conference facilities and competitive packages for the meetings sector.”
land paradise, perfectly placed at the centre of the Indian Ocean, makes a strategic gateway to Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Far East. An ideal meeting point for delegates from any part of the world.” SriLankan Airlines is active in supporting the setting up of MICE events. The airline undertakes to educate prospective delegates on Sri Lanka through productive seminars; to introduce organisers to Pro-
Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (B.M.I.C.H)
destinations with special add-on fares. Given that, via the Middle East or Europe, Sri Lanka is only one-plane change away from North and South America or, via the Far East, one plane change from Australia and New Zealand, Sri Lanka is indeed ideally positioned to host the world. The attractions of Sri Lanka for tourists is emphasised for delegates to MICE events because
in the airline’s in-flight magazine, Serendib, and links to conference and exhibition websites through the SriLankan website. At the airport, special group baggage tags are supplied as well as airport assistance for delegates. In flight, there are special announcements by the Captain welcoming delegates aboard, group seating arrangements and catering to special meal requests. At the conference venue a SriLankan service representative is on hand to assist delegates with their travel arrangements, including visits to other SriLankan within the next two years (2016) is 2.5 million, that represents a lot of MICE delegates. Why should Sri Lanka be such a popular destination for international participants to fly here for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions? According to Jeffrey Xu project manager of Reed Travel Exhibitions, “Sri Lanka is fast emerging as 56 | ASL
That aptly sums up Sri Lanka’s attraction because of its location. The national airline, Sri Lanka, has a lively MICE-promotion department (mice@srilankan.com) which states proudly: “Celebrated as an exciting and diverse holiday destination. Sri Lanka is Asia’s most sought after venue for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions. This is-
fessional Conference Organiser and Destination Management Companies who could undertake all ground arrangements for the event; and to make pre-conference sales calls to prospective delegates by SriLankan sales personnel. Special airfares are also available for MICE delegates. Further encouragement is provided by coverage of the event
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The new Nelum Pokuna Theatre is available for MICE events.
everything is organised for them. Every event includes hotels, meals and sightseeing; ideal for independent delegates (and spouses) who don’t want the trouble of having to arrange everything for themselves. The headache of organising a visit is taken care of by the event organisers, the price is at the lowest negotiable rate (as group rates apply) and, with like-minded fellow-delegates, the experience is full of fellowship and fun, as well as the social, commercial and status benefits to be gained from attending the event itself. Being aware of the potential of Sri Lanka for successful meetings, incentive visits, conference and exhibitions, the government has set up the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) to assist in the hosting of
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MICE participants. The SLCB states that its mission is: “To position Sri Lanka internationally as a value for money destination for MICE activities and to receive optimum revenue from MICE tourism in order to make a positive contribution to Sri Lanka’s economy in creating employment thereby uplifting the standards of those engaged directly in the ‘Meetings Industry’ in Sri Lanka.” It’s understandable that the SLCB’s motive isn’t altruistic and concentrates on the profit motive to benefit the country. However, it is a non-profit marketing and promotional organisation and functions under the Ministry of Economic Development. It is the “primary contact point for meeting planners, incentive operators, corporate houses
and associations for information, advice and expertise when organising events in Sri Lanka.” It boasts: “We match the diversity of Sri Lanka to the needs of today’s meeting planners.” (The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau is at http://med.gov.lk/english/?page_id=25). As well as the SLCB there are several privately run agencies that make it a business of organising successful MICE events, quoting all-in package prices that include the event, hotel accommodation and even meals, as well as airport transfers, tours and events for those accompanying delegates (such as spouses) not actually taking part in the event. All the major hotels in Sri Lanka can be used as venues for
MICE events as they all have banquet, ballroom or conference facilities. But other hotels, on the coast and in the hill country, can also cope with dozens of delegates, either as resident guests or visitors, taking part in events in privacy of their venue rooms. There are also large, public venues available, such as the 1,700-seater Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo with six com-
mittee rooms, a library, a cinema, special suites with dining facilities and interpreter services. (www. bmich.gov.lk). The future of Sri Lanka as a major MICE destination is assured through the new infrastructure, not only in Colombo, particularly with the new express link between airport and city, but also in the deep south of the country. At Hambantota, where a new international airport and a new sea port have opened, the
newly built Hambantota International Convention Centre has seats for 1,500 delegates. Whether you, as an organiser or a participant, fly to Sri Lanka for a MICE event by the national carrier or by any other airline serving the country, the occasion is guaranteed to be memorable at this unique destination. The suggestion: “Let’s meet… in Sri Lanka,” will be welcomed by all.
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New Convention Centre at Hambantota
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The Best Villa on The South Beach
Sri Lankan Travel Line Your Ultimate Travel Partner
No. 246, Ahangamakanda (Galle-Matara Road), Ahangama 80650, Sri Lanka. Tel: +94 91 2283541, +94 77 3229221, +94 71 8502577 E-mail: info@indischsrilanka.com | Website: www.indischsrilanka.com
Head Office: “Upula”, Bolgoda, Bandaragama, Sri Lanka. T: (+94) 11 3 152252, (+94) 71 6 461284, (+94) 77 1 828576 E: chamara@srilankantravelline.com, srilankantravelline@gmail.com W: www.srilankantravelline.com Kandy Office: #61, Hospital Road, Kotaligoda, Menikdiwela, Kandy. T: (+94) 11 3 152252 E: chamarakh@gmail.com
DISCREET LUXURY & ORIENTAL HARMONY
HOTEL ALAKAMANDA NO. 11/1 NAGASENA MAWATHA, ANURADHAPURA,SRI LANKA. Tel: (+94) 25 5620277 | Fax: (+94) 25 2234878 Email: info@hotelalakamanda.com | Web: www.hotelalakamanda.com Reservation Hot Line: (+94) 777 790 511 & (+94) 777 793 138
Niwaththakachethiya Road, Anuradhapura. Tel: +94 25 492 9600 / Fax: +94 25 492 9600 Web: www.avastaresort.com / Email: info@avastaresort.com
GEMS & JEWELLERY FROM A MASTER GOLDSMITH A gift to treasure that will last forever
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emstones from Sri Lanka have cachet. King Solomon wooed Queen Sheba with gems from Sri Lanka. Almost three thousand years later, Prince Charles gave Lady Diana an engagement ring with a royal blue sapphire from Sri Lanka. This became the heirloom that Prince William presented to Catherine Middleton. The National Gem & Jewellery Authority licenses gem dealers and exercises quality control so that tourists who purchase gems and jewellery from a licensed jeweller can be assured they are buying genuine gemstones. There are many top quality, licensed jewellers in Sri Lanka and among the best is Aida Gems & Jewellery.
Aida Gems & Jewellery was originally established in the west coast holiday resort of Bentota in 1975 under the personal direction of master goldsmith “Aida” (Nissanka Weerasena). Aida, as he is known affectionately by all his clients, started his jewellery workshop to cater for the growing tourist market. He specialised in jewellery
created to customers’ own designs, with gems he himself selected as rough stones and cut and polished to perfection. His genius at hand-picking exquisite gems, and skill at crafting the right setting in gold or silver to complement them, soon won him customers from around the world. He expanded his simple workshop and now has branches in the resort districts of Galle, Waskaduwa and Marawila as well as his main showroom at Bentota. Although Aida now employs more than 100 people he takes a personal interest in every piece of jewellery hand-crafted in his workshop, and still fashions precious pieces of jewellery himself. His attention to detail is unmatched by most jewellery retailers and has earned him an enviable reputation.
Aida sources and selects only the best quality precious and semi-precious stones from Sri Lanka to offer customers. A gemstone in its raw state seems like a pretty piece of rock or pebble to the uninitiated. Only an expert like Aida
knows the potential of every raw stone that will be revealed when it is cut and polished.
The craftsmen at Aida Gems & Jewellery work to established patterns or to a client’s own designs to fashion pieces of exquisite perfection from gold or silver. When each piece is completed, Aida, or one of his experienced quality controllers, inspects it carefully to ensure it is the best possible quality and flawless in design.
Every gemstone and piece of jewellery purchased from Aida Gems & Jewellery carries Aida’s personal guarantee as well as a certificate of authenticity. Since Aida is involved from source to finished piece of cut and polished stone or jewellery, he offers unbelievably good value unrivalled anywhere. Aida regards all the gems and jewellery in his showrooms as eventual heirlooms to be treasured by generations. He makes sure they are worthy of posterity -- as well as being a unique memento of Sri Lanka.
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HOTEL
WHITE HAVEN
The resort has 32 deluxe rooms with luxurious furniture, design and style.
White Haven Hotel, Thalpitiya North - Panadura, Sri Lanka. T: +94 (0) 38 22 40519-21, +94 (0) 38 22 40290 W: www.whitehavenhotel.lk E: whitehav@sol.lk
Address: Bathalegoda Lake Road, Ibbagamuwa, Sri Lanka. Telephone: +94 372 258 620-3 / +94 777 468 879 Fax: +94 372 258 624 Mobile: +94 710513618 Email: aline.harithaniwahana@live.com Web: www.harithaniwahana.com
Acupuncture
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Perfect for Natural Beauty
cupuncture is an ancient method of treatment numbering to more than 3000 years and this was started in China. Most of the western countries use Acupuncture due to the success of this which is recognized by the World Health Organization. To get more details about this we met Doctor Prasad Deshapriya the well known Acupuncture practitioner Director of Kalubowila Acupuncture Clinic.
Photographs Dayan Witharana & Sarath Hettige
Q: How is obesity treated through acupuncture? A: Acupuncture is answer to a perfect figure. Obesity causes individuals to mentally and physically suffer, it also lowers your level of self-esteem and prevents you from achieving your goals in life. Obesity causes a protruding stomach, causes your arms, thighs and face muscles to sag and increases your bust size. Most people think they only become fat the older they get but it is a myth. You may have seen even those who are young also become fat. The cause of the fat maybe unnecessary medicine, food containing Oil, chocolate, pudding, toffees and sweets. And also lack of exercise also may be the reason for fat. Diabetic and Asthma sometime maybe the result of fat. This could be reduced if you eat fresh fruit and vegetable and also drink water regularly. Obesity can be treated through acupuncture by stimulating certain pressure points combined with electric stimula-
tions. Acupuncture treatments for obesity include acupoints to be stimulated. Acupuncture Aricular Obesity Point and Local Point. Obesity also causes your skin to stretch leaving marks. This can be treated through a method referred to as colour therapy which is used in acupuncture treatments Q: Can you increase your height through acupuncture?
A: Yes, this can be done for men as well as women,. Increasing one’s height through acupuncture can be done without any side effects, where your height can be increased up to 2 or 3 inches. This can be done by successfully combining acupuncture with a special treatment developed for this purpose. Q: How is Hair loss Treated?
A: Hair is one of the most important parts of our Life unnecessary treatment for Hair gel and tint may cause for hair loss. Acupuncture treatments for hair loss include acupoints to be stimulated. Q: What other diseases can be treated through acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is an effective method of treating a variety of diseases and medical complications such a skin and medical disorders, asthma, hair loss, pre-mature graying, arthritis, sexual disorders, Kidney problems, diabetes, headaches, pimples, back pain, gastritis, height problems, spider veins, drum addiction etc.
Dr. Prasad Deshapriya - Director Kalubowila Acupunture Clinic, De Silva Road, Kalubovila. M: +94 (0) 714 299 777 E: vpdeshapriya@gmail.com W: www.kalubovilaacupunture.com
Tissamaharama Road, Weerawila, Sri Lanka. +94 (0)47 22 39 980 +94 (0) 777 910 575 www.flowergardenlakeresort.com
THE MYSTIQUE OF
TEA Pure Ceylon Tea is grown only in Sri Lanka where hills carpeted with tea bushes are a scenic marvel of any trip to the country’s central highlands. Our food & beverage correspondent reveals some of the secrets behind the mystique of tea.
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o enjoy pure Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka is to discover a beverage as exciting, but as not as intoxicating, as the best single malt whiskies. Whether you drink tea with lashings of milk and sugar from a tin mug or daintily sip it neat from a porcelain cup, tea is in a class of its own. It revives the tired, stimulates conversation, creates reassurance, and is a totally natural beverage.
Basically tea, the drink, results when loose, cut-and-dried tea leaves are steeped for a short period in hot water. (I accept that nowadays many people use tea bags for convenience but the result, if not the taste, is the same: a cup of tea to drink and enjoy.) In Sri Lanka, where the world’s best tea comes from, tea can be made simply by pouring boiling hot water through tea in a strain-
er. The secret of that is to use very strong tea, unfortunately known as Dust, or perhaps Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings. That brings us to one of the troubling aspects of tea. What grade of tea to buy for that perfect cup? That depends on whether you want a light tea with a subtle flavour or a strong tea that knocks your socks off. If the latter’s the case, perhaps you
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should stick to a good quality tea bag and let it soak in hot water until it has reached the right density. For the best cup of tea, you will need leaf tea and, in Sri Lanka, this can be bought everywhere although, unfortunately, catering establishments tend to rely on poor quality leaf tea or tea bags. Look for tea packets that state the grade of tea on the label. Orange Pekoe (abbreviated as OP) contains the long, very wiry leaf and is chiefly made up of the juicy stalks and centre ribs of the leaf, and there is very little whole leaf to be seen on infusion. A Flowery Orange Pekoe (FOP) is a fancy grade with a lot of bold tip in the leaf. Connoisseurs favour it as the champagne of tea, especially if it is high grown, where the flavours imparted by altitude, soil and wind are more intense. Stalk extractor at a tea factory 73 | ASL
The Pekoe grade (P) is the large leaf that is too loosely twisted or otherwise unsuitable for inclusion in OP. A small, shot shaped type of leaf, sifted out from the bulk of Pekoe contains a little tip and is sometimes packed under the name of Flowery Pekoe (FP) and is usually more expensive than simple Pekoe. Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP) is renowned for its colour and flavour, with Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings being composed of even smaller particles. This is the tea to have with milk (and sugar) as it is bold in character. Dust is the lowest of the regular grades of tea and of small particles that pack a punch when brewed.
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Tea Bar at the Heritance Tea Factory Hotel
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To taste tea the way the experts do is to discover subtleties the average tea drinker might never have thought about. This is where tea can be compared to the various grades of whisky, and single estate teas (that is tea that is unblended and comes from a single tea garden) can have the nuance of a single malt whisky. The water for liquoring the tea must be fresh, and immediately it boils it must be poured onto the tea. If the water over boils, the resulting brew will lack vivacity. The loose leaf tea should be infused for five minutes. Then you’re ready to begin. The skill of professional tea tasters (who taste tea to decide how to blend it) is only acquired after years of practice. Look and smell the infused tea first. The liquor should be a bright amber colour. The most common defects that are easily identifiable by the palate are when it is burnt, minty, smoky, oily, sour, earthy or spicy. Mintiness is caused by the presence of gum leaf in the tea, and is not the desirable flavour of mint tea. Smokiness or oiliness reveals a defect in the tea’s manufacture, although some teas, such as Chinese brands, emphasise the smoky, oily flavour. If a tea seems spicy it may have had contact during manufacture with cardamoms or other spice getting into the leaf; yet some teas are deliberately created to yield a spicy brew. The professional tea taster in a tea factory approaches his work with the seriousness of a wine taster. He has a spittoon too. The tea taster takes the pure tea in his mouth with a loud sucking noise, swilling the liquor around the tongue and gums, drawing up the aroma to the back of the mouth and up to the olfactory nerve in the nose. The taster thereby tastes, feels and smells the liquid. Taste is experienced mainly on the tongue and other surfaces of the mouth. There are four kinds of taste:
salt, sour, sweet and bitter. Sweetness is tasted about the tip of the tongue and bitterness at the back. Saltiness is tasted at the tip and sides of the front of the tongue, and sourness at the back edges. Taste, analyse, consider; then spit it out. A glossary of tea taster’s terms runs to over a hundred expressions. It starts with a description of the appearance of the tea. This ranges from brownish to flaky to well twisted. Then there are terms to describe the infused leaf, such as bright or coppery, while the liquor can be variously brisk (having a lively characteristic), fruity or thin. There are also terms describing the brew’s general personality, such as flavoury, malty (a desirable quality) and tainted (when the tea has picked up an unpleasant aroma such as from onions or kerosene). The professional tasting of tea is done to ensure that the tea which consumers buy in packets is what they expect. While English Breakfast Tea is a blend that should always taste the same, it might not; due to the quality of the water being used. Thus it is always better to use boiled mineral water to make the perfect cuppa as mains water will have been treated with chlorine. Whether you favour blended teas with brand names from mainstream manufacturers or boutique blends and single estate teas, will depend on your taste buds. While in Sri Lanka, it is fun to visit the various tea centres and suppliers to taste as much tea as you can. Since it is so fresh and hasn’t waited three months or more to get to your local supermarket shelves, you will find it a zesty revelation. As a tourist, you can take up to 10kg of tea home without paying Sri Lanka export duty. It’s an opportunity not to be missed so that, when at home, you can invite friends and tell them about Sri Lanka, saying as you happily sip your favourite brew: “Ah, that’s my cup of tea!”
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Tea tasting event at Heritance Tea Factory Hotel
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The Treasure House Dealers in works of arts & collectables, all furniture & other items undertaken for repairs, polishing & reproduction.
The Treasure House
The Treasure House 133, Dr. N.M. Perera Avenue, Borella, Colombo 08. Tel: +94 (0) 112 696 757 Mobile: +94 (0) 714 860 170 E-mail: kumarie_d@hotmail.com
First Agro Eco Hotel in Sri Lanka
Kabukkadanwala, Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Tel: +94 662286300-4, +94 11 5880167 | Fax: +94 662286447 | Mobile: +94 770109966/+94 770109975 E-mail: info@greenparadise.net/reservation@greenparadise.net
THE
BRIEF
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t takes only 30 minutes from Colombo along the Southern Expressway to reach the Welipenna Intersection on the way to Brief, an extraordinary garden of Eden. Drive for a further 15 minutes along the road bound for Alutgama then slow down at the approach to Dharga Town and look for a Bo Tree and shrine marking the differently named Ambagaha Handiya (Mango Tree Junction). Turn right there (or left if you are coming from Alutgama) and follow the road with its neatly painted white lines along its borders until a dignified sign board with lettering like the writing on a legal brief, directs drivers to the right.
Brief Garden,
Kalawila Village,
Tel:
Beruwala 12070, Sri Lanka.
+94 (0) 34 227 4462
Mobile: +94 (0) 77 301 9159
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The road disintegrates to a country trail until a retired fountain marks a crossroads. The extreme left fork leads through carefully manicured bushes to Brief. And a trip to Brief is a must for any visitor to Sri Lanka. Brief is a privately owned garden created in the raggedness of tired plains that proves nature can benefit from man’s help. The transforming of this former – and failed - rubber plantation by Bevis Bawa and its subsequent maintenance
BRIEF
by its current owner Dooland de Silva, is a man-made miracle. It demonstrates that with passion, experiment and ‘blood, sweat and tears,’ nature can be moulded to man’s dreams.
The dream in this case was of Bevis Bawa (1909-1992) who was given the approximately 200-acres rubber estate (acquired by his lawyer father through funds earned from legal briefs) by his mother when he was 20. He took poorly to plantation management, preferring the camaraderie of army life where he distinguished himself by becoming ADC to a succession of British governors of Ceylon.
Gradually Bawa sold off acres of rubber-growing land, ploughing the funds into the creation of his dream garden; a dream based on gardens he had seen in Europe fused with the grand trees, plants and bewitching foliage of the tropics. Now there are five acres of over 120 varieties of trees, but no flowers. The only ornaments are lyrical statues peering through the undergrowth like elves, and ancient urns. Brief is open every day from 8am to 5pm and admission costs Rs1,000. Visi-
tors are left to enjoy the gardens, as one flows into another, by themselves. These are gardens that don’t need a guide, only a chance to contemplate nature’s glory (and the gardeners’ painstaking work) in solitude. After enjoying the gardens, visitors can tour the house, which has been preserved by Dooland de Silva who inherited it, as it was when Bevis Bawa died. It is an amazing example of a simple, tropical colonial life style that has visitors gasping in admiration at its quirks and beauty, including a priceless mural by the famous Australian artist, Donald Friend.
Bevis Bawa claimed he had never planned his garden; it was, he said, “a happening.” Dooland de Silva shares his former employer’s passion as he uses his skills to create and landscape gardens throughout Sri Lanka. Thanks to him the genius of one man and his harnessing of nature is still available to beautify the countryside.
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DUTCH BAY RESORTS: A VISION REALISED
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utch Bay Resorts, the newest tourism development in northwestern Sri Lanka, is the outcome of an inspired vision by a Sri Lankan, Neil D’Silva, who -- after starting his career as a receptionist at Triton Hotel and graduating from Taj International Hotels -- emigrated to Bahrain and became a very successful hotelier, realtor and property writer. His regular real estate columns and articles were featured throughout Bahrain, Doha and the UAE. Wanting to create his own tourist enterprise he searched sites in Spain, Italy and Indonesia before discovering an opportunity in his homeland. Proposing his concept to four European friends he secured and bought 184 acres of freehold land on Dutch Bay Island, near Kalpitiya, at a time when the area was riddled by war.
It took nine years for his dream to come true with the opening in 2013 of Dutch Bay Resorts, 16 solid white-painted clay brick chalets like Dutch-style Lagoon Lodges, deep in a mangrove jungle where the lagoon laps the shore. A huge glass door on the wooden deck of each Lodge swings open to reveal a room of startling white-painted, unplastered brick (manufactured in clay works in Kalpitiya and Anamaduwa of Puttalam district). The bed, at seven feet by seven feet built of solid mahogany and raised to waist height for easy sliding under the lux-
ury linen duvet, has a mattress that promises guests a great night’s sleep. The Lodge’s interior is sensibly designed with television and DVD player at the foot of the bed, a dressing alcove with plenty of shelves, drawers and hanging space, with a full length mirror. There is a minibar, a safe, free Wi-fi and satellite channels. The customised cosmetic line, bathrobes and carpet slippers accentuate the luxury within the Island hideaway concept that Neil and his team want guests to experience. The bathroom is as brilliantly white as the rest of the Lodge with an individual solar power heating unit, a rain shower, two wash basins, and super soft white towels, each with the Dutch Bay logo in gold of a shield with ponies rampant topped with a crown. The ponies acknowledge the wild ones that roam the island, while the crown commemorates the ancient kings of Kandy and the Portuguese, then the Dutch, who settled the island, built churches (there’s a ruined one to be seen) and forts. There is a recreation complex fronted by a saltwater swimming pool and with a restaurant serving delicious fusion seafood (no pork or beef). In spite of the difficulties of construction (with everything having to be ferried in by tractor when the tide was low as only a sand bar provided vehicular access from Kalpitiya), Neil D’Silva is keen to get on with the
development of Dutch Bay Island. Phase Two is for 100 signature villas complemented by a magnificent town centre, a reproduction Dutch Fort as a reminder of the past, a golf course and club house. The final phase will see the addition of a Marina and a Yacht Club. Of prime importance in the development will not only be the preservation of the area’s rich biodiversity but also the bringing of prosperity to the rural area, supporting local industry and creating not just jobs but career opportunities as well. It’s not awards from Trip Advisor that Neil D’Silva deserves for making Dutch Bay Resorts a reality; he merits an award for Social Empowerment. Through realising his dream he has changed for the better the lives of the neglected people of the area. His idea of sustainable tourism is giving them, and generations to come, a future.
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Dutch Bay Resorts, Dutch Bay Island, Kalpitiya. | Web: www.dutchbayresorts.com
CHINESE GIFT PALACE
For Sri Lankan and Chinese Arts & Crafts, Feng Shui symbols, Gift Items and More No. 78, Galle Road, Colombo 06, Sri Lanka. Tel: +94 11 2594931 E-mail: cgpalace@hotmail.com
WELCOME TO SRI L ANKA The Sinhalese traditional way of greeting is by saying ‘Ayubowan!’ It means much more than “Welcome” since it translates into a fervent wish: “May you have long life!” Someone saying “Ayubowan” does so with the palms of both hands touching together at chest height as if in prayer. The same gesture accompanies the word “Vanakkam” which is the equivalent greeting in Tamil.
SOME TIPS FOR TOURISTS People
Some one once described Sri Lankans as being like “tropical Italians.” Sri Lankans are generous with their smiles and their eyes express genuine emotion. The majority of Sri Lankans are Buddhist, with Tamils, Muslims and Burghers (descendants of Sri Lankans and Europeans) making up the rest. Sri Lankans welcome strangers and are keen to see that visitors are happy to be here.
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Money
Customs Duty-free Allowances
The Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs) is made up of 100 cents but you’ll rarely see cents as most coins are of Rs10, 5, 2 and 1 in value. Currency notes in circulation are in denominations of Rs5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, and 10. As new notes are being phased in replacing two older versions, you will find some notes of the same denomination come in three different colours. Watch carefully when you are handling currency to see that you don’t mistake a high denomination note for a lower one. Even Sri Lankans make that mistake.
Import on arrival: visitors to Sri Lanka are officially required to declare all currencies, valuable equipment, jewellery and gems etc., so they can be taken back on departure. Visitors are not allowed to bring in goods in commercial quantities, or prohibited/restricted goods such as dangerous drugs, weapons, explosive devices or gold. Drug trafficking or possession leads to severe punishments up to the death penalty.
Visitors bringing into Sri Lanka an excess of $10,000 in any foreign currency should declare the amount to customs on arrival, to allow that much to be taken out again. Keep exchange receipts so you can easily exchange excess rupees back into foreign currency on departure.
Banking Hours: All banks in the country open for the
public from 0900hrs to 1300hrs from Monday to Friday, but some banks have extended their opening hours until 15.00hrs and are also open on Saturday. There are ATMs for obtaining cash with credit or debit cards in every town; look for the sign equivalent to the one on your card. Some ATMs do not return the card until after the transaction is completed, so don’t pocket the cash and leave without collecting your card.
A tourist is allowed to bring in duty free: 1.5 litres of spirits, 2 bottles of wine, a small quantity of perfume and 250ml of toilet water. The duty free importation of cigarettes, cigars or tobacco is not permitted. However, locally manufactured brands of international cigarettes are readily available.
Tourists are allowed to export without paying export tax up to 10kg of tea grown and packed in Sri Lanka. The export of Sri Lankan antiques (defined as an item over 100 years old) is not allowed.
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Conduct
Women
Cleanliness and modesty are appreciated even in informal situations. Nudity and topless bathing are prohibited and subject to heavy fines. Display of intimacy is not suitable in public and will probably draw unwanted attention.
To avoid causing offence or inviting harassment, there are simple precautions that women should take, since what a woman might wear in her home country could be regarded as provocative in Sri Lanka. Thus loose–fitting, non-see-through clothes covering the shoulders, and skirts, dresses or shorts that are at least knee length should be worn, and are sensible for protection from the sun too.
Hands and Eating
Use your right hand for giving, taking, eating or shaking hands as the left hand is considered to be unclean. Do not shake hands with a Buddhist Monk or a Hindu Swami. Greet them with your hands clasped together as if a prayer and raising them to your forehead bending slightly forward. When handing objects to another person, using right hand or both hands would be appreciated by the receiver. Visiting Places of Worship
Visitors to Buddhist and Hindu temples are welcome though the shrines of Hindu temples are sometime closed to non-Hindus. Visitors to temples are expected to be respectably clad, bare footed and with heads uncovered. Do not attempt to shake hands or be photographed with Buddhist monks or to pose for photos with statues of the Buddha or other deities and paintings.
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Smoking
Smoking is prohibited in public places. Please observe non-smoking rules. Smoking is permitted in some enclosed spaces (like bars) but if in doubt, ask before lighting up. In Conversation
In conversation Sri Lankans may ask questions that a foreigner would regard as being too personal. This is simply reflects the emphasis Sri Lankans place on family life.
Safety
Driving Permit
As in any country, theft can occur, especially when travelling by train or in a crowded bus. It is sensible to secure valuables, passport and credit cards out of sight, such as in a money belt or buttoned pockets, and not to leave bags, computers, cameras, etc., unattended when travelling.
Foreigners intending to drive in Sri Lanka are required to obtain a ‘recognition permit’ that is issued up to the expiry date of your International Driving Permit. This is a simple process. Just call at the Automobile Association of Sri Lanka at 40, Sir M.M. Markar Mawatha, Galle Face, Colombo 3, open 08.30-16.30, Monday-Friday except on public holidays.
Keep a record of vital documents, including your passport number, credit card numbers etc., separate from those documents in case they do get stolen. If items are stolen, report the theft to the nearest police station and, if you need proof for an insurance claim, obtain a copy of your report. The paper work is involved in reporting losses can be time consuming and irritating. Tourists should not assume that if procedures move slowly they are expected to offer a bribe. If you face really serious problems, e.g. in case of a driving accident, you should contact your consular office as quickly as possible. Unwritten Rules of the Road
The rule of ‘might is right’ applies. Flashing headlights mean ‘get out of the way, I’m not stopping’. In these circumstances it is advisable to give the oncoming vehicle adequate space, since they usually approach at high speed. Roundabouts are generally a free-for-all, so take your chance cautiously.
If you do not have an International Driving Permit but have your national licence, you must apply for a temporary Sri Lankan Driving Licence from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Department of Motor Traffic at 341, Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo5. Tel:0112694331. Temporary driving licences are issued on payment of Rs 2500+VAT per month up to a maximum period of one year. (Rates are subject to change) Mains Electricity
Mains power in Sri Lanka is 230 V @ 50 Hz AC. Some hotels have transformers/converters enabling visitors to use non-compatible appliances. There may be pronounced variations in the voltage and occasional power cuts. As socket types vary, it is advisable to carry a universal adapter. Business Hours
Government Offices: Open 09.30-1700, Monday-Friday. Restaurants and Bars: Permitted hours for alcohol service are 11.00-14.00 and 17.00-2300; however some restaurants/bars have different licences and do not close in the afternoon. No alcohol is served on Poya (Full Moon) Days.
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Photography
Sri Lankans are happy to pose for photographs but it is polite to ask for permission first. Street entertainers like snake charmers would expect a fee for posing.
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USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS Airport (B.I.A.) 011-2264444, 011-2252861-5 Flight Information (All Airlines) 011-2263047, 091 – 7335555 Srilankan Airlines – General Lines 019-733-5555, 0197332677 Baggage Service 019-7333366 Brief Garden, Open Hours – 08.00a.m – 05.00p.m 034-2274462 Buddhist Cultural Centre (Anderson Road) 011-2734256, 011-2726234 Ceylon Hotel Corporation – Hotline 011-5585858 Sri Lanka Customs 011-2470945 – 48 Customs Biodiversity Protection Unit (Artifacts) 011-2472179 Dept. of Archaeology 011-2692840/1 Cultural Triangle Office (CCF) 011-2500733/2
Dept . of Wildlife Conservation 011-2888585 Eth Athuru Sevena 047-2232147 Government Information Centre 1919 ICRC- Red Cross 011-2503346 Immigration & Emigration Department 011-5329000 The National Museum – Colombo 011-2694767 National Zoological Gardens 011-271271-3 Sri Lanka Tourism 011-2437059-60 Travel Information Centre 011-2426906, 011-2437952 Tourist Police 011-2421451 Fax: 011-2382209 Child Line Sri Lanka (Report any child abuse) 1929
Immigration & Emigration 011-5329000 National Botanic Gardens Department 081-2388654 National Museums Department 011-2694767 National Zoological Gardens Department 011-2712752 Postal Department 011-2328301-03 Sri Lanka Railways Department 011-2421280-89 Archeological Department 011-2692840-41 Buddhist Affairs Department 011-2337315
Motor Traffic Department 011-2694331-36 Government Information Department 011-2512758 Sri Lanka Customs Department 011-2470945-48 Wildlife Conservation Department 011-2888585 Forest Department 011-2866631-32 Coast Conservation Department 011-2449754 Cultural Affairs Department 011-2872031 Excise Department 011-2300166
Depar tments
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Lower Blackwood, Beragala, Haputhale, Sri Lanka. T: +94 (0) 57 5675969 (Hotel) +94 (0) 5850227 (Reservations) +94 (0) 757913460 E: info@melheimresort.com W: www.melheimresort.com
The Elephant Voyage Safari
The hotel “East Lagoon” is located by the stunning lagoon that drift through the middle of the Batticaloa town and ends up the estuary seen from the “Hotel East Lagoon”. Easy access from the highway.
Dambulla Road, Habarana. Hotlines: +94 (0) 773 648 653 | +94 (0) 662 270106
Elephant Rides, Jeep Safaris Minneriya National Park, Kaudulla National Park Village Tour - Hiriwadunagama, Habarana Nice Place Restaurant & Bungalows Inamaluwa Junction, Bellanneoya, Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Hot line: 00 94 773 065 492, 00 94 771 409 292 Telephone: 0094 66 22 86050, 00 94 772 408 282 Fax: 0094 662 286 050 E Mail: info@niceplacebungalows.com Web: www.niceplacebungalows.com
Discover
Cart Ride & Catamaran Ride with Sri Lankan Village Lunch
Batticaloa’s Most Convenient
Munai Lane, Uppodai Lake Road Sinna Uppodai, Batticaloa-30000.
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Reservations: +94 65 222 9222 Reservation Fax: +94 65 222 9221 Email: info@hoteleastlagoon.lk
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FLASHBACKS During October and November, Sri Lanka was privileged to receive visitors from around the world, not only through CHOGM, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, but also as members of delegations and groups. The period also saw the opening of a key highway spearheading development and investment in Sri Lanka.
Arrival of CLUB 99 members, a top delegation
Hon. Minister of Tourism - W.P., addressing the delegation Donations made by the head of delegation to the disabled
CLUB 99
Club 99 is an established group of professionals from Germany involved in business and investment, retailing, and in tourism promotion and development. In October 2013, 56 members of Club 99 visited Sri Lanka on a whirlwind tour, basing themselves in Negombo and attending functions hosted by the Western Province Tourist Board. They were addressed by the Minister of Commerce & Indus96 | ASL
try, the Hon Rishad Bathiudeen, at a function promoting the attractions of Sri Lanka for investment and development. The delegation thanked The Hon Nimal Lanza, Minister of Tourism for the Western Province, for the efforts he has shown towards expanding Sri Lankan/German business to business relations and for encouraging the group to stay in and enjoy the Western Province. Arrangements for the visit were made by Kumara Rajapaksa, a
German businessman of Sri Lankan roots, and his firm, Kumara Reisen GmbH in Cologne. Among the German firms in the Club 99 delegation were Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetranke AK Koln, Top Magazin Koln, Bayer AG, President Porsche Club, Hotel Radisson Blu Dortmund, OVS Senatsschreiber, Pro Gast GmBHm Wolfgang H Eckner GmBH & Co, GolfClub Schloss Miel GmBH, and Coldes Textilien GmBH Koln.
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Opening of the new Airport Express Highway
The new Airport Express Highway was opened by The President of Sri Lanka, HE Mahinda Rajapaksa on Sunday 27 October, 2013. The President drove himself and the First Lady on a ceremonial drive along the highway bringing to a climax the opening celebrations. The three day programme to mark the opening of the road was launched under the guidance of Economic Development Minister, the Hon Basil Rajapaksa on the advice of President Rajapaksa. Project Minister Hon Nirmala Kotalawam, Western Province Highways and Tourism Minister, Hon Nimal Lanza, Deputy Minister Hon Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Western Province Chief Minister, Hon Prasanna Ranatunga joined in the festivities. In the days before the opening local residents were allowed to walk along and inspect the new highway. On 24 October tourists were invited with transport from their hotels in the Western Province provided for them to witness a grand parade along the highway of elephants, and some bullock cart races. The event was organised under the patronage of the Western Province Minister of Tourism, the Hon Nimal Lanza and with the support of the Western Province Tourist Board Chairman, Claude Thomasz, tourist board staff, and local hoteliers and stakeholders. It is estimated that 25,000 people visited the Expressway within the first 12 hours of it being opened for public viewing with nearly 300,000 people visiting during the three open days. There were track and field events, a bicycle race, art competitions, marching by school musical bands as well as tug of war contests , three wheeler races, and boat races in the Negombo lagoon.
The highway, which links with the Canada Friendship Road outside the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake, extends for 25.8km to the new Kelani Bridge in the Colombo suburbs. Its construction reduces the drive between the airport and the Kelani Bridge to 20 minutes. It also links with the outer circular road at Kelawalapitiya from which there is access to the Southern Expressway in the Colombo suburb of Katawa. It is expected that this new airport expressway will not only make travelling to and from the airport more convenient for tourists, travellers and residents, but will make access to the north much speedier by decongesting the existing Peliyagoda-Puttalam road. The Expressway consists of six and four lane sections and has been designed for speeds of 80 kph to 100 kph. It has four strategic interchanges; these are at New Kelani Bridge, Peliyagoda, Ja Ela and Katunayake. There are toll gates at Peliyagoda and at Seeduwa. The toll fee for the entire length of the Expressway begins at Rs300 and rises according to the vehicle. Sound barriers have been installed along the route to reduce noise pollution for the area and the Expressway is monitored by a network of CCTV cameras with emergency telephones installed at every 500m. It has been constructed according to rigorous international standards. Although long planned, construction only commenced in August 2009. It was built with funding obtained through the Government of China as well as from the Government of Sri Lanka. In the first 24 hours of the Airport Expressway being opened, it was used by 19,000 vehicles and generated an income of Rs5.1 million from toll charges.
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The answer to life’s eternal question: Where to dine today?
www.harposonline.com
The 2nd batch of Area Guides poses for a photograph with Chairman & Lecturers
The Western Province Helps Service Providers
W
Area Guides at the examination hall
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hile tour operators train their own professional staff to their company standards, until recently there has been no responsible training programme for the freelance sector. This has sometimes resulted in tourists being misinformed and even harassed by people purporting to be guides. Recognising the value of these freelance service providers, programmes have been devised to give them training so they have the correct knowledge and attitude to be of service to visitors. For the first time in its history, the Western Province Tourist Board (WPTB) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, in 2013 conducted an Area Guides Training Programme. Of the 40 participants in the first course, 30 were successful in obtaining credit passes at the end
of the course. This is encouraging in view of the need to cater properly for the increased number of visitors arriving as part of the programme for Sri Lanka to host 2.5 million tourists by 2016. The WPTB has made plans to conduct two or three Tourist Guide programmes annually with a target of adding 350 certified area guides trained through the Western Province. Should the other provinces follow the example of the Western Province we can expect an additional 2,500 qualified Tourist Area Guides within a short period. This number will be in addition to the National Guides and Chauffeur Drivers trained by the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management. The Western Province Tourist Board has also conducted training programmes for drivers who transport tourists. After a thorough training and passing a final exam, drivers
were awarded a special identification card. The objective is to bring them into the formal sector of disciplined and trained service providers. Training programmes are also to be introduced by the WPTB for three-wheeler (tuk-tuk) drivers and also for leisure transportation boatmen and vendors. As a result, Sri Lanka will be offering some of the best trained and most courteous service providers for tourists of any country. The Chairman of the Western Province Tourist Board Claude Thomasz with all support extended by the Hon Minister of Tourism for the Western Province, Nimal Lanza, is dedicated to giving this opportunity to freelance service providers to be of help to tourists and the commu-
Area Guides being briefed at the Bere Lake
Area Guides being trained at Gangaramaya Temple
nity, and to maintain good discipline under a well-monitored system. The aim is to convert them to the formal sector so that every tourist arriving in Sri Lanka will be able to receive a professional standard of service. The first training course for tourist drivers in Sri Lanka was held under the auspices of the Western Province Tourist Board and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Au-
thority in Kalutara. It took place at the A-Prima Tourist Hotel in Katukurunda, South Kalutara, which generously provided additional facilities for the participants. There were 93 participants in the four-day course, which focused on training licensed drivers in ways to improve the tourist experience. Drivers were taught about tourist expectations and how each
driver could personally contribute to the success of the tourist industry by treating their tourist passengers with respect and understanding. The drivers were presented with certificates of participation by the WPTB as well as being given an identity card issued by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority stating the holder is an Authorised Tourist Driver. It is valid for one year. They were also issued with a sticker to display on their vehicles and a name badge. Tourists are being recommended to travel with the officially licensed drivers. These Authorised Tourist Drivers will be monitored on their performance. Should tourists have any complaints about a driver, they can quote the driver’s identity number and report them to the Western Province Tourist Board for appropriate action. New courses for tourist service providers will continue to be held under the auspices of the Western Province Tourist Board during 2014. Applications are being invited from all freelance service providers to take part in these courses. q 101 | ASL
Mangrove Chalets and Beach Cabanas Kapuhenwela, Marakolliya, Tangalle, Sri Lanka. Preethi: +94-777-906018 Office: +94-47-2240020 E-mail: beachcabanas@gmail.com Web: www.beachcabana.lk
Aubrona Hotel
#81,New Road, Hunupitiya, Wattala. Phone: +94 011 2932156 Hot Line: +94 077 7286683 Fax: +94 011 4812888 Web: www.aubronahotel.com E-mail: info@aubronahotel.com
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