Finest Boutique hotels of All - Elephant Corridor

Strategically located in the middle of the country, Elephant Corridor is a collection of 21 lodges, which are small, luxury, and designer - lifestyle cabins with individual plunge pools in every suite. The hotel is a fine base to explore the ruins of the ancient and medieval cities of Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Kandy in Sri Lanka. You could also visit the National Parks to watch elephants. This designer lifestyle hotel is without doubt one of the best small boutique hotels in the area!!!

Elephant Corridor

The Jungle Lodge

‘Kandalama’ is an extraordinary lodge that grants centre stage to nature. With a lush jungle just beyond, Kandalama features forest trees views, flowering woods-curtained balconies, and wild grass terraced-roofs. It is a 5-star hotel with 162 guest rooms and the hotel's immediate environment is home to indigenous birds, wildlife and flora.

Kandalama has won the first global award for ‘Excellence of Service’ in the hotel industry and has been placed with the elitist top nine hotels worldwide by CNN, American Express & Taylor Nelson Sofres Hospitality and Leisure at the recently concluded award ceremony at the International Investment Forum, Berlin. Thus, the Inn was awarded “Green Globe 21 Certified Hotel” status, the first of its kind in Asia, by meeting the requirements of Green Globe 21 standard.

Jungle Lodge

Stop Shops at Sea

Colombo

Fully equipped ‘JAYE’ Container Terminal which has two common user berths, is 632 meters long and is draught of up to 13 meters make sit capable of handling up to two fourth generation container vessels at a time. The two berths at the JAYE Terminal provide complete container terminal facilities equipped with modern cargo handling equipments.

Trincomalee

The part of Trincomalee is one of the finest natural harbors in the world. It has a water area of 2,023 hectares, an unlimited draught and can accommodate the largest tankers with ease. Thus, the harbor provides the ample space for ships and tankers and has been used for the purpose by several ship owners.

Galle

Sri Lanka’s third major port is the port of Galle. Here, the port can accommodate two vessels at alongside berths. It has a water area of 320 hectares and is equipped with transit sheds having road and rail access.

Shipping in Pearl

Sri Lanka is a convenient link, strategically placed on the main sea routes straddling the Far East, the Middle East, Europe and America and many shipping lines call at the ports of Colombo, Trincomalee, and Galle, among them the following;

ABC container Line NV Belgium
AI Rajab international
American President Lines
Aqua Lines
Armilla International
Asian Express Line
Blue Ocean Lines Ltd
Blue Star Line

Call for the Wild

The jungles in Sri Lanka have variety of Wildlife, which is surprising for an island of its size in the tropics. A visit to Sri Lanka’s jungles is like entering a whole new world, where nature has largely stayed still.

Foreigners as well as Sri Lankans, adore wildlife and love to visit the wilderness and get to know nature more intimately. Having these trends in mind, the government of Sri Lanka, started the ‘Department of Wildlife Conservation’ in order to protect areas 12.4% of the total land area of this country. This is equivalent to 821.87 Ha of land. As a result, they were able to set-up 14 Wildlife National Parks;

Wasgomuwa National Park, Flood Plains National Park, Minneria National Park, Maduru Oya National Park, Gal Oya National Park, Horton Plains National Park, Bundala National Park, Somawathiya Chaitiya National Park, Yala East National Park, Lahugala Kithulana National Park, Lunugamvehera National Park, Wilpattu National Park, Yala National Park, Udawalawe National park

All at One Place - Museums

Colombo National Museum

The oldest and the largest Museum in Sri Lanka, established in 1877. And it is famous for collection of antiques and objects of art. The collection include; ancient medieval jewelry, rare collection of traditional masks, wood and ivory carvings; an exquisite collection of Buddhist and Hindu Bronzes, temple frescoes; Ceramic objects; antique furniture; lacquered objects; ornate brass, bronze and silver objects; stone sculpture and lithic inscriptions. Thus, the Museum’s library has more than 4000 Palm leaf manuscripts.

Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum is located in the same premises as the National Museum. This Museum represents the natural heritage of Sri Lanka. It’s displays include birds, mammals, reptiles, sea-mammals, insects, botanical and also gems and geological specimens of Sri Lanka.

Kandy Natural Museum

The latest institution added to the Dalada Shrine is the `Sri Dalada Museum'. Ever since the Tooth Relic shrine was established in Kandy, different grades of visitors and devotees, ranging from the Roylty and Heads of States to the poorest of the general public, have been offering various gifts to the Sacred Tooth Relic, and these were preciously protected in specially built store-rooms by the successive line of Diyawadana Nilames.

This Museum is located behind the ‘Temple of Tooth Relic’. It is housed in the old palace devoted to queens. Collections include jewelry, textiles and cloths, armory and weapons, ritual objects, ivory caving and pottery. Spatiality, of this collection is all antiques belong to the Kandyan period of 17th to 19th Century.

Rathnapura National Museum

This museum is housed in the ‘Ehelapola Walawwa’ situated at Rathnapura. It has a collection of pre-historical objects and fossils of Rhinoceros, hippopotamus and Elephants collected from the gem pits of Rathnapura. Other antiques include; jewelry, textiles, flags, gems and semi-precious stones.

Anuradhapura Folk Museum

This Museum is situated within the sacred city near the Archaeological Museum. It houses a collection of objects reflecting the rural-life in the North Central Province.

Galle National Museum

This is located in the historic Dutch fort of Galle. Here, we can observe objects connected to the history and life of citizens in Galle. Thus, handycraft products like mat weaving, embroidary horn and tortoise-shell objects are among the major exhibits.

The City of Rubies

Sri Lanka has been known as a land of precious gems. In the past, the King Solomon has produced a great ruby for the queen of Sheba from Ceylon. Hence, Marco Polo in 1293 AD wrote about rubies that once graced the ‘Ruwanmali Seya’ at Anuradhapura.

'Rathnapura' is the most famous gem-mining location in Sri Lanka. One can get a rare opportunity to see variety of precious stones such as rubies, sapphires, cat’s eyes, alexandrites, aquamarines, tourmalines, spinels, topaz, garnets, amethyst and zircons at the national museum, geological museum, Rathnapura Gem Bureau or many other gem shops in Rathnapura. And also you can observe the traditional ways of cutting and polishing of gem stones.

Ritual of the 18 Demons

A guest who wishes to witness a typical exorcism in the low country of Sri Lanka should try to attend a Sanni Yakuma, the ceremony for dealing with demons of disease. There are 18 such demons, who obey to one powerful, single entity, the Maha Kola Sanni Yaka. The demons are invisible to man. But, ancient dramatists and mask-makers made and painted them as black-skinned monsters with bulging eyes and snake-like toughs which fangs. They can cause fits of fainting, cholera, dumbness, deafness, blindness, the diseases of the three humors-phlegm, wind and bile-even madness and death.

The ceremony is performed in a circular field and behind is the Sanni Vidiya, an alter where worshippers place offerings to the Demons. The ceremony begins in the night and continues till dawn the next day. The chief exorcist wears the garbs of Vesamuni, the chife of demons, so that he could command the other demons. Gradually, the atmosphere grows thick with the sound of the drum beat and the smell of the incense. After few hours of drum beat, a demon jumps out of the Sanni Vidiya and begins to dance and spins himself around and around until it becomes impossible fort the eye to follow. After some time the demon stops in front of the musician or the head of the drummers and start demanding for prays in order to vanish from the surrounding. After a long argument between the two, the demon agrees to cure the ailing man in return of rice, vegetable, curries, curd or a chicken. Then, the devil holds the offering over the smoke that rises from a pan of live coals mutters some incantations and promise the patient’s recovery.

Trip on the Hills

A trip to Sri Lanka would not be completed, if you do not visit the legendary city, ‘Kandy’. Kandy is the most popular destination for foreign visitors for many reasons. Mainly because, it is being the home of the “Daladha Maligawa” or “Temple of the Tooth” which, houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Foreigners and even locals love visiting the place as they can observe the ancient traditions of drumming and sacred chanting in honor of the Tooth Relic. Another reason is the last seated Sinhalese Kings, who ceded power to the British in 1815 after many battles with the Western colonial forces were ruling in the city of Kandy.

Kandy is also popular because of having the most colorful pageant of Asia, the ‘Esala Perehara’. The pageant unfolds through ten nights each year including hundred or more colorfully dressed elephants, drummers, dances and chieftains in the rare colorful trappings of the old Kingdom. Thus, the city is a monastic center of Buddhism with two biggest monasteries – the ‘Malwatte’ and ‘Asgiri’ temples located here. Several other Buddhist temples such as, the rock temple at ‘Degaldoruwa’, ‘Lankatilleke’, ‘Gadaladeniya’, ‘Embekke’ are also located around Kandy, while indicating the cultural traditions in Sri Lanka.

The Great Cave Temple

Out of all the many cave temples in Sri Lanka, is the series of five caverns comprise the 'Raja Maha Vihara' at the village of Dambulla. The temple is located on a huge sloping rock that rises more than 350 feet above the village and any one can admire the view across the remarkable country side.

The cave’s history date back to the 1st Century, once King 'Valagam Bahu', took refugehere, when he was chased away from his kingdom of Anuradhapura. After he regained his throne, he converted these caves to a rock temple where, later on different Kings made further improvements.

In fact, there are 5 separate caves containing 150 Buddha images. “Devaraja Viharaya”, “Maharaja Vihara”, “Maha Aluth Viharaya”, “Pachima Viharaya” and “Devana Aluth Viharaya” are the most fabulous five caves in the city of Dambulla.

Citadel of 'Sigiriya'

The spectacular rock fortress of 'Sigiriya', 19km north-east of Dambulla, is one of Sri Lanka’s major attractions. Its importance began and ended during the age of 5th Century, under the direction of King Kasyapa, the eldest son of King Dhatusena of Anuradhapura (the great tank builder of all). According to the legends, Kasyapa feared that he would be replaced in the royal succession by his younger half-brother Mogallana, who carried the royal blood so, he seized the throne and imprisoned his father. As a result, Mogallana fled to India swearing revenge from his elder brother. Fearing an invasion, Kasyapa decided to build an impregnable fortress on the huge rock of Sigiriya.

After eleven long years, Mogallan returned from India with an army of combined Chola and Sinhalease troops to fight kasyapa. They fought with each other near the modern village Habarana. During the battle, Kasyapa’s elephant sensing a hidden swamp before him, suddenly turned aside. Unfortunately, his army thought that their leader is trying to retreat and they also retreated. Kasyapa left defenseless, he had no choice other than to kill himself. He drew his blade and cut his own throat before the enemy kills him.

Today, not only locals, even foreigners love to visit the rock of Sigiriya because it is one of its kinds. Thus, it is known to its beautiful water gardens, royal bathing pools, the famous Cobra hood cave, Sigiriya Damsels, Mirror wall with Graffit, Lion platform which most people visit many times but still they love to see more. As Sri Lankans, we are proud to have such fabulous locations within the island and it is our duty to protect them for our next generation.

Legends of Ancient Ceylon

Anuradhapura is one of the most ancient and greatest cities of all. It is ruins today while displaying infinite details of rare beauty and traditionalism of the country. Excavations of the site of Anuradhapura prove that human settlement began in the age of 500 B.C.The city remained as the capital of Sri Lanka for about 1,400 years until the 10th century A.D. At that time, it covered about 20 square miles and had a population around several tens of thousands.

According to Buddhists, there are eight places of particular sanctity within Anuradhapura. These were highly worshiped pilgrims since the ancient times. They are; ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’, ‘Ruwanweli Seya’, ‘Thuparama Dagoba’, ‘Jethawanarama Dagoba’, ‘Abayagiri Dagoba’, Lankarama Dagoba’, ‘Mirisaweti Dagoba’, and ‘Isurumuniya Vihara’. The best time to visit Anuradhapura is during the ‘Poson Poya’ in June. Here, they celebrate the advent of the Buddhist religion to the island.

‘Sri Maha Bodhi’ is the oldest historically documented ‘Bo’ tree on earth where worshiping has been unbroken for 23 centuries by the Sri Lanka citizens. It was carried to our country from India as a sampling of the ficus religiosa beneath which the Gautama Buddha himself attained enlightenment. Today, this holy tree, stands with the support of iron crutches where, it placed upon a special platform, a bodhigara, encircled by gold-plated railing. Thus, Most of the ‘Bo’ trees in Sri Lanka as well as Thailand and Burma, have been nurtured from Sri Maha Bodhi’s seeds. And its leaves have provided the shape according to which Sri Lanka’s dagobas are designed.

‘Ruwanmali Seya’, the Great Stupa (Mahathupa) built in the 2nd Century B.C by the king ‘Dutugamunu’. Legends says that, Ruwanmali Seya, the greatest dagoba in Anuradhapura, was completed as the king Dutugamunu lay on the deathbed in 144 B.C. Today, gate houses at each of the cardinal points mark the dagoba’s outer walls. On the southwest to the Mahathupa, a model dagoba stands while showing how Ruwanmali Seya may have originally looked in its pure ‘water-bubble’ shape. Thus, Facing the Great Stupa, there is a massive statue, probably the king Dutugamunu himself, stands respectfully.

North of the Ruwanmali Seya, is the oldest dagoba in the country, the ‘Thuparama’ dagoba. This was a creation of King ‘Devanampiyatissa’ during the period of 3rd Century B.C. and called it “the monastery with the Stupa”. The Dagoba has ‘paddy-heap’ design and one of its kinds. In the 2nd Century, the King Lanjatissa surrounded it with wooden pillars as a Vatadage. The King Agbo II improved the Vatadage with stone pillars and a conical roof. Some of those pillars still stand proudly.

'Abayagiri Dagoba' was found as a monastery by King Vattagamini Abaya in 88 B.C. and is the second largest dagoba on earth after the Jethawanarama. In fact, Jethawanarama is the mightiest mass of its kind. This creation belongs to King Mahasena during 3rd Century

A.D.

Tourism in Ceylon

Tourism is considered to be one of the best forms of recreation. The natural and anthropogenic resource base provides the basis for development of tourism in any region. In this sence, Sri Lanka is considered to be one of the foremost tropical islands in the world. Sri Lanka is blessed with a comfortable and moderate climate, rich biodiversity fauna and flora, tropical rain forests, botanic gradens, mountains & valleys, sandy palm fringed beaches, blue seas with coral reefs and marine sanctuaries etc.

Arrivals of foreign tourists had been growing at an average rate of 33% per year prior to outbraek of ethnic troubles in 1983, but it declined at a rate of 10% per year during the period 1983 to 1989. It recovered its setback and achieved a satisfactory level of 15% increase per year. The largest contributor to tourist arrivals is Western Europe with 60%-65%, followed by 30% from Asia, 4% from North America and 3% from Australia.

Tourism facilities are divided into 5 subsectors: Accomodation, Restaurants, Travel Agencies, Tourist shops and recreational Cetres. Accomodation is the main component of tourism facilities and it employs more than 50% of the total labour force. In 1995, the total accomodation capacity was 13,749 rooms of which more than 11,000 were clustered in only 5 recreational regions.