Sri Pada season in Sri Lanka began.

The annual season to visit Sri Pada, the most sacred mountain in Sri Lanka, began on 27th December 2012, the Unduwap Poya Day.
The annual season starts from full moon (Poya Day) of December and end on the Vesak Poya Day, full moon of May.
All the arrangements for the season have been made and sacred relics will be brought to the top of the Peak today, said Ven Bengamuve Dhammadinna Thero of the Sri Pada Temple.
A series of religious ceremonies were held at the Raja Maha Viharaya of Galpoththavela, Pelmadulla in Ratnapura Wednesday and a procession from the temple will bring the shrines to the peak.
According to the sources the security has been tightened in the area, especially from Nallathanniya to Sri Pada. All the facilities for the devotees such as water, food and sanitations have been provided.
Authorities have asked the devotees to refrain from bringing alcohol and polythene to the sacred area.
Sri Pada, also known as Adam's Peak has been proclaimed as a world heritage site by the UNESCO.
Hundreds of thousands of local and foreign devotees belonged to all four major religions - Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, and Muslims- trek to the summit of the sacred mountain each year during the season.

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Sri Lanka tourist arrivals reach record high in November

Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals rose 20.1 percent to a record high in November this year compared to the same period last year, the data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) showed.
The month recorded 109,202 tourists arriving in the country compared to the 90,889 arrived in November 2011.
Arrivals during the first eleven months of the year increased 16.5 percent to 883,353 from the 758,458 arrived in the same period last year to surpass the total arrivals for 2011.
Arrivals from North America rose 34.5 percent to 5,798 in November with Canada rising 30.4 percent to 2,542 and USA rising 37.8 percent to 3,256. For the first eleven months of 2012, North American arrival rose by 22.3 percent to 52,761.
Tourist arrivals from Western Europe reached 329,364 during the first 11 months of 2012, a 17.0 percent increase from the same period of last year.
Arrivals from Eastern Europe increased 45.5 percent from January through November 2012 with the arrival of 62,497 tourists.
During the first eleven months, tourist arrivals from Middle East however declined 4.8 percent to 50,096 from 52,597 from the same period of 2011.
Arrivals from South Asia for this year increased moderately. In the first eleven months 226,114 South Asians visited Sri Lanka, a 3.9 percent increase from the same period in previous year. Of the 26,649 arrived in November 2012, a majority, 17,625 were from India.
Sri Lanka targets one million tourist arrivals this year and expects to earn over US$ 1 billion this year from tourism opposed to the US$ 830.3 million earned last year.
SLTDA statistics have recorded 855,975 tourist arrivals in 2011 compared to the 654,476 arrived in 2010.
Since the end of the war against the Tamil Tiger terrorists in May 2009, the country has seen tourist arrivals increasing steadily every year for the past three years.

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Beautifull Pictures of Sri Lanka

Hathmale Falls - Deniyaya

Horton Plains 

Laxapana Falls

Patanangala Beach - Yala National Park

National Botanical Garden - Peradeniya

Reverstan Peak - Knuckles Mountain Range

Bambarakanda Falls 

Bomburu Ella - Welimada

Bopath Ella - Kuruwita, Ratnapura

Nilaveli Beach

National Botanical Garden - Peradeniya

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Divaguhawa found

වසර 2593 කට පෙර බුදුන් වැඩ සිටි දිවාගුහාව සොයා ගැනීමට හැකි වූ බව ශ‍්‍රි පාදස්ථානාධිපති බෙන්ගමුවේ ධම්මදින්න නායක හිමියෝ පැවසූහ. දිවාගුහාව බුදුන් වහන්සේ ශ‍්‍රිපාදස්ථානයට වැඩම කළ අවස්ථාවේ දිවා විවරණ ලැබු ස්ථානය බව පැවසේ. ශි‍්‍ර පාද පත්මයට මීටර් 100ක් පමණ පහළින් පිහිටා ඇති දිවාගුහාව තුළ සෙල්ලිපියක් හා නිශ්ශංකමල්ල රජුගේ ශෛලමය රුවක්ද ඇත. සෙල් ලිපියේ නිශ්ශංකමල්ල රජු ශ‍්‍රි පාදය කරුණා කිරිමට පැමිණි බව සදහන් වේ. බුදුන් වහන්සේ සමනොල ගිරට වැඩි අවස්ථාවේ සුමන සමන් දෙවියන් විසින් බණක් කියන්නට බුදුන්වහන්සේට ආරාධනා කර තිබේ. නමුත් එම අවස්ථාවේදිම තමන්ට දිව්‍ය දේව සභාවට සහභාගි වීමට තිබූ බව සමන් දෙවියන්ට අමතක විය. ඒ නිසා එකම තැනකදී දෙතැනක පෙනී සිටින්නේ කෙසේද යන ප‍්‍රශ්නය ඇතිවු නිසාත්, බුදුන් වහන්සේට වූ පොරොන්දුව කැඞීමට නොහැකි නිසාත් සමන් දෙවියන් එයට කදිම උපක‍්‍රමයක් යෙදු බව පොත් පත් වල ස`දහන් වේ. එ් අනුව බුදුන් වහන්සේගෙන් බණ ඇසීමට තමන්ගේ රූපයට සමාන රූපයක් මවා දිවාගුහාවට යවා ඇති අතර එය දැනගත් බුදුන් වහන්සේද තමන්ගේ රූපකායට සමාන ශරීරයක් මවා බණ කියන්නට තබා දඹදිව වැඩි බව ස`දහන් වේ.

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We Go Sri Lanka HD

Dima Viper & Max kegfire
This is a short video of our trip to Sri Lanka this year.
We visited: Colombo, Anuradhapura, Unawatuna, Dikwella, Polonnaruwa, Sygiria, Hikkaduwa, Tangalle, Galle Fort, Kandy, Sri Pada (Adam's Peak), Nuwara Eliya and more.

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National Museum of Colombo

National Museum of Colombo
The Colombo Museum as it was called at the beginning was established on 1^st January 1877. It founder was Sir William Henry Gregory, the British Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the time.

The Royal Asiatic Society (CB) was instrumental in bringing to the notice of Gregory on his appointment as Governor in 1872 the need for a public museum with much difficulty the approval of the legislative council was obtained within a year. The Architect of the Public Works Department, J.G. Smither was able to prepare the plans for new structure on Italian architectural style. The construction was completed in 1876 and the Museum commenced it functions in the following year.

The Authorities of the museum took various steps to display the cultural and natural heritage of the country for this purpose.

With the development of the museum to international level, it earned the status of a national museum during the period of Dr. P. E. P. Deraniyagala. He was able to open up branch museums in Jaffna, Kandy and Ratnapura and a full - fledged Department of National Museums was established in 1942 under the act No. 31. The extension of the number of branch museums has now increased to nine and in addition a school science programme and a mobile museum service are also in operation.

History

The Colombo museum as it was called at the beginning was established on 1 January 1877. It founder was Sir William Henry Gregory the British Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the time. The Royal Asiatic Society (CB) was instrumental in bringing to the notice of Gregory on his appointment as Governor in 1872 the need for a public Museum with much difficulty the approval of the legislative council was obtained within a year. The Architect of the Public Works Department, J. G. Smither was able to prepare the plans for new structure on Italian Architectural style. The construction was completed in 1876 and the Museum commenced it functions in the following year.
The construction of the Museum was carried out by Arasi Marikar Wapchie Marikar (born 1829, died 1925, aka Wapchi Marikar Bass, who was descended from the Sheiq Fareed family who arrived in Ceylon in 1060 AD), paternal grandfather of Sir Razik Fareed, Kt., JPUM, OBE, MP (born, 29 December 1893, died 23 August 1984). Wapchi Marikar Bass was the builder of the General Post Office in Colombo, Colombo Customs, Old Town Hall in Pettah, Galle Face Hotel, Victoria Arcade, Finlay Moir building, the Clock Tower, Batternburg Battery and many other buildings that are still standing today (2011). The Old Town Hall in Pettah, which is now a busy market, was built on a contract for the sum of 689 Streling Pounds.
In January 1877, the completed building of the Colombo Museum was declared open by His Excellency, Governor Gregory, in the presence of a large crowd, amongst which there were many Muslims present. At the end of the ceremony, His Excellency asked Arasi Marikar Wapchi Marikar what honour he wished to have for his dedication. The same question was asked by His Excellency from the carpenter who assisted Wapchi Marikar with the wood work of the Museum who desired a local Rank and was honoured accordingly. Wapchi Marikar, noticing the large number of Muslims present, feared that they would spend their time at the Museum on Friday during the Islamic congregation prayer, and requested that the Museum be closed on Fridays. This request has been adhered to by all authorities in charge of the Museum to this day.
When the throne of the last Kandyan King was to be exhibited at the Museum, the then Prime Minister, Mr. D.S.Senanayake, obtained the consent of Sir Razik Fareed, Wapchi Marikar’s grandson, to keep the Museum open on the intervening Fridays only.
During the period between 1877 and 1999, the authorities of the museum took various steps to display the cultural and natural heritage of the country for this purpose. Several other wings were added from time to time under the direction of Dr. Arthur Willey and Dr. Joseph Pearson new structures were built during the period of Dr. P. E. P. Deraniyagala, Dr. P. H. D. H. de Silva and Sirinimal Lakdusinghe. One of the natural history museum, and yet another consists of the auditorium. These buildings would facilitate the extension of the library ethnological and Anthropological studies, etc.
With the development of the museum to international level, it earned the status of a national museum during the period of Dr. P. E. P. Deraniyagala. He was able to open up branch museums in Jaffna, Kandy, and Rathnapura and a full – fledged department of national museum was established in 1942 under the act No. 31. The extension of the number of branch museums has now increased to nine and in addition a school science programme and a mobile museum service are also in operation.
The installation of the crown jewels and the throne of the last King of Kandy which were handed over back to Sri Lanka by the British Government, has greatly enhanced the quality of the museum collection. In spite of the enormousness of the various collections thematic arrangement of the galleries has provided and opportunity to visitors to study the ancient culture of the Sri Lanka under one roof. This process has further been improved by the arrangement of the galleries of the ground floor in a historical sequence and those of the upper galleries on a thematic basis.
Along with the Colombo National Museum, a library was also established on 1 January 1877. The government Oriental library (1870) was incorporated in to Colombo National Museum library, and served as the nucleus of the library collection by collecting the local publications during the past 129 years; the library has been functioning as an unofficial national library in Sri Lanka; became the first legal Deposit library in the Island. This resulted in the accumulation of a valuable collection of materials pertaining to Sri Lanka. From its inception, special attention has been given to building up of a collection related to Sri Lanka, Orientation and Natural Science.

Source - Click here

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National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka - Dehiwala

Like any zoo, the goal of the Dehiwala Zoo is the preservation and conservation of various forms of animal life.
The zoo was originally started by John Hargenberg who collected and kept animals at the same site of the current zoo which was then under his ownership. Hargenberg also exported animals back to Europe for his brother who was a prominent animal dealer at the time.
A large number of diverse animals can be found here including a 100 species of mammals, 110 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles. Also housed here are various fish, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and marine invertebrates.
Some of the highlights of animals that can be found here include Leopards, Pygmy Hippopotami, Mouse Deer, Jackals, Spider Monkeys and more.
Birds inhabit the aviary, which provides guests with the chance to walk through an area that is filled with various plant life that can be found in different parts of Sri Lanka.  Discover the Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Mute Swan and parakeet which all can be found in this part of the Zoo.
Reptiles that can be found here include turtles, snakes, and of course, the Estuarine crocodile which can be natively found in many of the coastal rivers and lakes habitats of Sri Lanka.
The star attraction of the Zoo is its aquarium that houses an impressive array of marine life. This attraction is not only limited to fish species but also features a collection of corals, echinodermates, arthropods and molluscans that should not be missed.
Lovers of butterflies will not be disappointed with a visit to the Zoo as it is home to a relatively small but nevertheless enchanting collection of the creatures. Housed in a special garden the area also provides the chance to walk through shrubs, flowers and lianas that are grown here.
When in Sri Lanka, nature lovers will be delighted with a visit to the Dehiwala Zoo that is also perfect for an outing with the entire family as well.

Source - Click here

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Paragliding in Sri Lanka

Known to be an energetic flying sport, Paragliding is one of the newest recreational activities in the world. This enthralling sport originated during the 1940’s. Many people and countries across the world have recognised this sport as full of fun, convenient and a safe way of soaring in the open air.
Although the sport became a favourite among the adventure sport enthusiast since the 1940’s it made its mark in Sri Lanka only during recent times. This was done to cater to the needs and demands of the international traveller. Since then, the sport has become ever so popular in this island destination. The progress of Paragliding in Sri Lanka bears testimony to the fact that foreign travellers and adventurists find it exciting and convenient to venture out in this sport here.
Conducive climate conditions and physical features of Sri Lanka have made it an ideal destination for paragliding throughout the year. This sport has become an important tourist attraction to the country. A midway glide for any normal pilot will take about 25 minutes.
This adventurous sport can be experienced in places such as the Ella Adventure Park. It is a renowned hotel located in the wilderness of Ella city, which is approximately 202 kilometres from Colombo. Ella lies in the central mountainous region and is in the south of Nuwara Eliya. It also lies close to Bandarawela. Currently this hotel is the only provider of paragliding in the country.
Paragliding expeditions are at present carried out above the Makaldeniya ridge. This offers the paraglider the opportunity to indulge in the charming panoramic views of the surrounding areas. Paragliding in Sri Lanka has increased in popularity whereby one of the main reasons for its attractiveness is the safety measures that have been taken. The favourable environmental conditions are also considered to be another reason.

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Sober Island Navy Resort - Trincomalee

The Sober Island Resort, located in magnificent Trincomalee harbour is the few island resorts in Sri Lanka. The Sober Island had been a major transit camp between Europe, Far East and South East Asia during the time of the British rule in Sri Lanka. Sober Island was first occupied by "Admiral Jacob Blaquet de la Haye" in 1672 and by "Admiral Suffren" in 1782. The British took over the island after the Treaty of Paris in 1784 and later developed for their military requirements. The 175 acres Island elevating nearly 200 meters from the sea level was called “Isle du Soleit” by French meaning “Island of Sun” which was developed by Sri Lanka Navy as per the two site plans drawn in 1919 and 1922. There are French graves, World War II gun positions, underground ammunition storage complexes and many ruins from the British time which can be seen even today.

Sober Island Resort would be an ideal and unique holiday resort with beautiful tropical beach, jungle and historical artifacts for individuals as well as corporate packages.

The guest can enjoy the luxury accommodation with a World War II vintage bar and restaurant, hiking, sea bathing, diving, snorkeling, adventure sport, kayaking, angling, sailing, high speed boating, camping or simply enjoying the quite hide out amidst the jungle whilst listening to the soothing voices of various birds. A small cricket pitch built by the Britishers in early 19th century and the tennis court are also available for the guests to reflex muscles.

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Leisure World Theme Park - Kaluaggala

Conveniently located in the “Seethawaka” Electorate this Theme Park is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka boasts of a rich Bio diversified surrounding in a serene atmosphere giving the visitors a once in a life time experience of novel water and amusement activities. Out of the total extent of 52 acres 27 acres have been developed during the first phase.

Well trained instructors, Operators, Life guards, Pool Attendants are at your service.

LAKE RIDES

Paddle Boats, Bumper Boats and Speed Boats.

WATER RIDES

Multi Lane, Thunder Cruise, Crazy Cruise, Free Fall, Octopus, Wave Pool, Lazy River, Kiddies Activity Pool with Slides, Swimming Pool exclusive for Ladies

AMUSEMENT RIDES

Swing Around, Log Flume, Crescent Swing, UFO, Happy Express, Super Swinger, Space Ship, Junior Coaster, Pirate Ship.

KIDS PLAY AREA

Separate area for Kids below 12 Years with activities. Bookings are undertaken for Birth day Parties with reserved space.

RAIN FOREST

A tropical Rain Forest with around 50 species that are available at Sinharaja Rain Forest are planted and grown. A document has been compiled based on these plants to inculcate the value of protecting flora in Sri 

Lanka

 

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Heritance Hotel - Ahungalla, Galle.

 

One of the earliest creations of veteran Architect late Geoffrey Bawa was Triton in Ahungalla. Water is a main feature of his signature designs.

Triton was his first experiment with water, which was the solid base for his star class creations in later days.
Inter connected stretch of water lead the guests into the hotel and guide their eyes to across the ocean to the horizon. The infinity pool makes feel as if you are in the ocean itself when you get in and your eye level is just above the water.
Triton has transformed in to a five star luxury hotel under the re-branding process few years ago with 154 rooms, Bawa’s theme was not changed.

All 128 Deluxe rooms, 15 luxury rooms, five suites and four luxury suites at Heritance Ahungalla face the sea with private balconies. Luxury Rooms have corner locations, so they have much larger balconies and seating areas. The bathroom contains a bathtub with overhead rain shower and weighing scales.

Spacious Luxury Suites have separate living rooms with DVD player and home theatre system – perfect for a family night in or entertaining friends.

Polished wood is a big feature, along with stone floors in the bathrooms and locally woven throws and cushions or handmade batik hangings. Sophisticated monochrome colour schemes highlight the clean, elegant feel – this is stylish seaside living at its finest.Each bathroom is tastefully supplied with custom-made Ahungalla toiletries.

The rooms are fully equipped with energy-efficient air conditioning, TVs with satellite and local channels, a comprehensive minibar and a digital safe. ‘With all these facilities and luxury, our main attraction is the personalized service. That counts a lot with our type of clientele’ Refhan Razeen, the General Manager of the Hotel said very correctly. The cuisine experience too at Heritance Ahungalle is a philosophy based on a threefold foundation of taste, presentation and health.

The hotel has three restaurants that can seat a total of 285 people, as well as several outdoor venues, where food is served on special occasions. Jute Restaurant will give the opportunity to try a wide range of Sri Lankan food, as well as the best of international cuisine, with dozens of choices and regular theme nights. For fine dining in a sophisticated ambience, the hotel offers a global la carte dinner menu in the Upper Room.

The culinary brigade at Heritance Ahungalla is one of the best in Sri Lanka, having won numerous awards over the years. Most recently, in August 2011, they won awards for the Best Hotel Team and Best Culinary Team at the Culinary Arts Competition organised by the Chefs Guild of Sri Lanka.

The cuisine at Ahungalla is supervised by the world class Chef Dimuthu Kumarasinghe who has won nine gold medals at the Culinary Olympics and the Culinary World Cup.

A river safari on the Madu Ganga, a visit to Kosgoda Turtle hatchery, Singharaja Forest tour, Galle Heritage tour, Fresh water fishing, visit to local Cinnamon and Coir industry, Koth Duwa Temple are some of the popular excursions for visitors from the hotel. The hotel also offers an excellent conference location with state-of-the-art facilities.

Heritance Ahungalla is just 76km or less than one hours drive from Colombo via E01 Highway

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Ella Adventure Park, Ella

 

Ella Vally in Dawn

Overview of Ella Adventure Park, Ella lies in one of the most scenic parts of the hill country, on the Ella Wellawaya road south from Nuwara Eliya, and relatively close to the lesser-known hill station of Bandarawela. This eco-friendly park nestles on the banks of Kirindi river, six miles to the south of Ella village, and is at peace with a breathtaking terrain of tropical rain forest, majestic peaks and rushing waterfalls.The park, opened at the turn of the century, will entice those seeking both the solitude or an unspoilt jungle setting or the chance to indulge in a range of challenging outdoor activities. The cosseted or faint-hearted should look elsewhere. Outdoor lovers will enjoy the simplicity of the comfortable yet rustic accommodation. Standard and deluxe rooms are scattered around the main resort area, in 12 acres of tropical forest. Across the Ella-Wellaweya road, the park stretches over another 38 acres. Here there are also eco lodges, jungle cabins and camp sites in the valley below, a 20-minute trek through jungle.Facilities at Ella Adventure Park Ten chalets, including one tree house, were largely constructed with local materials and blend into this most natural of outdoor settings, so much so that you sense you are living alone in the forest. All possess shower and h/c water. The restaurant serves Sri Lankan and Western dishes. The emphasis is on outdoor living and indoor communal areas, such as bars or lounges, are limited. Camping facilities (with toilets) for up to 200 people.

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