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Heritage Sri Lanka

Heritage Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka with its nearly 3000 years of history holds some of world’s ancient cities including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Digamadulla. Remnants of these once glorious cities, their palaces, temples, monasteries, hospitals and theaters intricately carved and mo...

Heritage Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka with its nearly 3000 years of history holds some of world’s ancient cities including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Digamadulla. Remnants of these once glorious cities, their palaces, temples, monasteries, hospitals and theaters intricately carved and modeled out of stone lay abandoned amidst the soaring mountains.

Of all the ancient sites the most famed and most exquisite is the Kingdom of Anuradhapura. Sri Lanka’s third and the longest serving capital and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world is also one of the most sacred cities of World Buddhists. It was the capital of Sri Lanka from the Fourth Century BC up to the turn of the eleventh Century and was one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. However the city itself is much older than the Kingdom of Anuradhapura and according to archeological evidence could have originated as far as tenth century BC. Anuradhapura was abandoned due to the due to repeated South Indian Invasions and was eventually forgotten with time until it was rediscovered in the early 19 th century.

Polonnaruwa, the second most ancient kingdom of the country was first made the political center of the country in the ninth century BC. Irrigation systems that are far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed in Polonnaruwa kingdom, and still provide irrigation water to the farmers in and around Polonnaruwa. Yet the kingdom’s glory was short-lived and a South Indian invasion pushed the political centre towards the centre of the country by the eleventh century. Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned archaeological relic sites in the country, a testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom's first rulers.

Digamadulla, the Eastern kingdom of Sri Lanka was the agricultural and spiritual capital of the country during the Anuradhapura kingdom. Ruled by a viceroy of the Anuradhapura king Digamadulla was a prosperous province with grand palace, monasteries and temples at every juncture. Having received lesser attention of archaeologists compared to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa many a great creations of ancient Digamadulla had been lost to time, war and plunder while many more silently awaits in the midst of the forests covering the lands of Eastern Sri Lanka.

Kitulgala

Kitulgala is a small town perched on the hills that slope down to the gushing waters of the Kelani River. The road that snakes its way up the central hill country bifurcates the little town that is one with the myriad charms of its surroundings. It is directly accessible from Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya,...

Kitulgala is a small town perched on the hills that slope down to the gushing waters of the Kelani River. The road that snakes its way up the central hill country bifurcates the little town that is one with the myriad charms of its surroundings. It is directly accessible from Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Ratnapura and Colombo.discovery of fossils connected to pre-historic man in nearby Beli Lena caves and the filming of “Bridge over River Kwai” where David Lean chose the river nearby to narrate the cruelty of modern man makes Kithulgala a place to see in any of Sri Lanka holiday deals.Known to be the largest cave in Sri Lanka, the excavations at Beli Lena have unearthed skeletal remains of the pre-historic “Balangoda man” (Homo sapiens Balangodensis) believed to be more than 32,000 years old.

 

White Water Rafting is what attracts the seekers of adventure. The river at its scenic middle section consists of 10 level two, and level three rapids. They are separated by a quietly flowing patch of the river. The higher part is more of a challenge that is recommended to the more experienced.It is a picturesque little riddle of a town and village that you can unravel at leisure enjoying every moment of this Eden Resort in Sri Lanka. A Sri Lanka tour has many such places where you can unwind by bike or hike, Kitulgala being one such place.

Kandy

Kandy is a city with graceful charm, radiating an ambiance of antiquity that you will find only in a Sri Lanka holiday. Do insist on spending at least two whole days in the city of the last Sinhala Kings of the island, your Sri Lanka tour operator will not hesitate!Cocooned in the comfort of a pr...

Kandy is a city with graceful charm, radiating an ambiance of antiquity that you will find only in a Sri Lanka holiday. Do insist on spending at least two whole days in the city of the last Sinhala Kings of the island, your Sri Lanka tour operator will not hesitate!Cocooned in the comfort of a protected valley in the central hills of Sri Lanka, the city at 500 meters (1640 feet) above sea level is home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and a vast array of shrines, and temples dating back to the 14th century.In 1592 Kandy became the capital of the Sinhala kings who repulsed the Portuguese and Dutch invaders. They held out against the British until 1815. The proud city is also home to several monuments, including the Dalada Maligawa the “Palace of the Sacred Tooth Relic”- the symbol of sovereignty of the nation, a must visit site in your Sri Lanka Holiday. The Magul Maduwa – The Audience Hall with its wooden columns is the epitome of Kandyan architecture. It is in this space that the Sinhala chieftains ceded the kingdom to the British Crown in 1815.The City is built with the Temple Palace of the Sacred Tooth Relic at its epicenter. Four shrines – the devales that surround the Temple Palace are dedicated to the Gods Vishnu, Skandha, Natha and Godess Paththini. The God Vishnu is the guardian deity of the Buddhist Island, God Skandha is the god of war, God Natha is an incarnation of the Bhodisathva the next Buddha and Goddess Paththini is the goddess of chastity and health.  

 

The two monasteries Asgiriya and Malwatte house two chapters of the Main Buddhist sect that is referred to as the Siamese school. The two prelates of Asgiriya and Malwatte are vested with the ecclesiastical authority of administering the temple palace – the Dalada Maligawa. Malwatte which literally means floral abode has preserved its impressive hall with its imposing columns and the magnificent painted ceiling. Kandy is the cultural and religious capital of Sri Lanka.The splendor of the great pageant of the “Esala Perehera” reaffirms its sanctity every year. It is a spectacle held usually in the first week of August with the full moon. To include it in your Sri Lanka holiday needs some planning including your Sri Lanka flights. Kandy is virtually hidden behind a thick curtain of natural foliage in the form of lush tropical forests and a 60 hectare botanical garden. This is another reason why you need two days in Kandy in your Sri Lanka Holiday plan.The garden was first conceived by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe on the loop of the Mahaweli River that partly encircles Kandy.Under their care and meticulous attention the Botanical Gardens took shape as the best in Asia. A promenade of palm trees is an unusual example of creative gardening that the English are known for. The palm saplings were brought from Panama in 1903. The garden has plant species from all over the world from exotic orchids to a tree that spreads its canopy to cover 1.600 square meters.

 

One of the most endearing sights during your Sri Lanka vacation will be the scene of work elephants reposing in the gently flowing Mahaweli River, spraying a steady stream of water with their trunks in carefully orchestrated symphony. In tandem you will hear the Drums and Bells of the Temple palace.

Negombo / Airport

A photographer’s paradise – from gaudy, chaotic festivals erupting on the streets, to the bleached, beached and beautiful Oruva outrigger canoe catamarans. It’s hard to believe these driftwood sculptures have been braving the breakers for centuries but, if you’re up early, you’ll spot them ...

A photographer’s paradise – from gaudy, chaotic festivals erupting on the streets, to the bleached, beached and beautiful Oruva outrigger canoe catamarans. It’s hard to believe these driftwood sculptures have been braving the breakers for centuries but, if you’re up early, you’ll spot them delivering their catch. And this is really what keeps Negombo’s heart beating, the exchange of fish at dawn markets such as Lellama, with its pipe-smoking fisherwomen. Just north of the airport, Negombo is equally cursed and blessed. The proliferation of hotels along the beach strip behind Lewis Place are often only used as an overnight stopping point with complaints that both beach and town are seedier than other parts of this ideal island.

But you don’t have to cast far to reel in delight after sumptuous delight on Sri Lanka’s largely uncharted northwest coast. A cruise inland, through Andalankawa – “moon of Sri Lanka”, takes you through the idyllic rice paddy and coconut plantation landscape chosen by locals as a wedding backdrop. Another handy bit of tackle is a hired bike which allows you to dissolve into the tiny warren of streets along the extensive network of canals. Built by the Dutch to transport spices and gems from the luscious interior, they can lead you back to old-world life and unexpected treasures.
If you were seriously energetic, you could follow the canals 130 kilometers north, past Puttalam, and go kite-surfing to cool off. An old Portuguese port on a long spit of a peninsula, Kalapitiya is fast becoming a destination. Here you can watch dolphins and whales an hour from the coast. Past the prawn farms, the clever kids of Colombo play on perfect, pink sandy beaches, swimming in water, warm as tea, clear as gin. No need to fish here – the compliments come easy.

Galle / Unawatuna / Hikkaduwa

West of Galle before you hit the bustle and high jink of Hikkaduwa, are perfect, clean, un-peopled beaches between Narigama and Dodanduwa. Right in front of the Fort is Sea Bath. Jungle Beach, the most ruggedly natural, magical place, cannot be easily approached from land due to thick – you...

West of Galle before you hit the bustle and high jink of Hikkaduwa, are perfect, clean, un-peopled beaches between Narigama and Dodanduwa. Right in front of the Fort is Sea Bath. Jungle Beach, the most ruggedly natural, magical place, cannot be easily approached from land due to thick – you guessed it- jungle! But any friendly fisherman will deliver you there for a Robinson Crusoe experience. Unawatuna, the first bay after passing town is still one of the prettiest and great for diving, snorkelling, wave surfing, deep-sea fishing with a Goa-esque flavour; beach cafes and a disco along the strip with a Hindu kovil perching right on the point. Surf-friendly tuk-tuk drivers are invariably surf-bums who can take you with long-boards to surf-idyllic spots such as Midigama and offer valuable coaching to boot. Very useful in Sri Lanka where Life Guards don’t exist and big waves do.

Wijaya beach, 10 kms from Galle with a restaurant tumbling onto the sand is like going down to the pub on a Sunday because all the Brits gather here. A natural lagoon forms a safe paddling pool close to the sun-dozing Mums and there’s a natural Jacuzzi’s amongst the rocks; no locals, so relaxed atmosphere for shy single girls. Talpe is a whole kilometre of wide, undisturbed white sand with a reef, so parts are safe for swimming and others suitable for surf (in season) You can walk till the end of the rainbow and footprints on the sand are quite likely your own.