Commonly referred to as Cultural Triangle the central plains area boasts no less than four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The striking rock fortress of Sigiriya, Dambulla’s incredible cave temples and the crumbling ancient capital of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. With the added bonus of viewing elephants at the wonderful Minneriya National Park, a stay in this region is sure to be highlight of any trip to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka second Largest city, Kandy enjoys a scenic setting around a lake surrounded by green hills. Home to the temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Said to house Buddha’s tooth, each August the city also hosts the spectacular Kandy Esala Perahera festival featuring dancers, fire-breathers and lavishly decorated elephants. Charming boutique hotels nestle in the surrounding hills and the renowned Peradeniya Botanic Garden are also nearby.
The beautiful central highland offer misty jungle-clad mountains and a mile upon a mile of tolling tea plantations, dotted with 19th-century planters’ bungalows and British Colonial History World’s end escarpment at Horton Plains National Park or soak up the laidback atmosphere and breathtaking views in Ella.
Set on a promontory on the southwest tip of the island, Galle offers the best preserved example in Asia of a European built fortified city. Constructed by the Dutch in 17th Century, it was the country’s main port for over 200 years and it today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The enchanting small streets are a delight to explore, with dozens of restaurant, café and quirky shops nestled amid decaying colonial buildings and grand fort walls. Soak up the atmosphere with a stay in one of the fort’s boutique hotels.
One of the largest and most popular national parks in the country, Yala has a varied terrain of dry woodland, lagoons and grassy plain, which supports an abundance of wildlife. Its home to a lager number of elephant, spotted deer, sambar deer, sloth bears, wild buffalo, jackals and crocodiles. The park also boasts one of the highest densities of leopards in the world, but they are famously shy creatures so any sighting is sure to be a memorable experience.
Renowned as one of the best places in Sri Lanka to see elephants, most visitors to Udawalawa will be graced with numerous sightings of herds of these gentle giants as they roam the grasslands and scrub landscapes. The park also hosts other species such as water buffalo, sambar deer and monkeys and is a wonderful place to enjoy bird watching. Adjacent to the park is the Elephant Transit Home, a small facility that cares for orphan elephants until they are ready to be released into the wild.
Sri Lanka’s sprawling capital is developing rapidly with an increasing number of new hotels, smart city of the cosmopolitan restaurants. This is a city of contrasts where serene Buddhist temple and colonial churches nestle amid ramshackle streets and shiny office blocks. The bustling market and stylish stores offer interesting shopping opportunities, there’s a number of historic sights to discover and no visit is complete without a stroll along with Galle Face Green on the city’s
Settled long time ago Tamil migrants from Southern India, today the city of Jaffna, and the peninsula on the same name, retains a unique character and culture making it a fascinating place to visit. This small historic city offers an intriguing mix of colorful Hindu temples and colonial charm. Out of Bounds to foreign tourists until 2010, Jaffna is once again welcoming visitors but for now is still very much off the beaten track with limited tourist infrastructure and many reminders of the decades of civil war.
No visit to Sri Lanka would be complete without some time relaxing on one of its beautiful beaches. There is a wide selection of stunning locations and resort to choose from and all offer something a little different. So whether you are looking for a lively beach resort or want an intimate boutique getaway, there will be something to suit.
