/ VARIED LANDSCAPES /
With a history spanning over 3000 years this small tear shaped island formerly known as
Ceylon dispels a rich multi-cultural heritage woven together with Buddhist and Hindu traditions
entwined with areas of stunning natural beauty in its enormously varied landscape.
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Sleepy hilltop villages and mist-clad mountains with cascading waterfalls amongst the vast tea plantations for which Sri Lanka is renowned lies Nuwara Eliya.
Renowned for ‘The Cave temple’ that sits hundreds of statues of Buddha and bodhisattvas, many carved directly from the cave rock, the walls are alive with frescoes of religious and secular scenes and beautiful geometric designs in warm oranges and gold.
High grassland plateau is home to the local sambar deer and homes the 700-metre drop known as World’s End, which plunges down to the valley floor.
300-square-hectare water tank built in the fourth century by King Mahasena attracts herds of wild elephant which gather on its shores regularly – the centrepiece of Minneriya-Giritale National Park.
Extraordinary ancient city was the island’s medieval capital between the 11th and 13th century. Built alongside a huge man-made lake, the city displays a collection of palaces, bathing pools, stupas and exquisite rock sculptures of the Buddha.
Attracting thousands of pilgrims from across the world to the gold-roofed sacred Temple of the Tooth; Kandy was the last royal capital of Sri Lanka.
Known for its distinctive stilt fisherman that can be seen in the early hours of the morning and early evening it is a perfect spot to learn to surf. Just a 5 minute drive from the Harbour, you may depart on an excursion to witness the blue whale and dolphins.
A thriving port long before colonial times and governed by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British at various periods the town boasts of diversity reflecting the heydays. Today, Galle Fort is the old part of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best preserved colonial sea fortress in Asia
Ceded as the capital of the island by the British Empire in 1815, the largest city of Sri Lanka thrives with many points of interest from Museums to temples, lakes, canals, open-air markets and colonial buildings.
Best known for its beautiful stretches of palm-fringed beaches, sheltered bays, golden sands and azure waters; you can also witness turtles emerge from the sea to carefully lay their eggs and bury them before returning to the water.
