VISIT TO KANDY SACRED CITY

Welcome to beautiful Kandy! A visit to Sri Lanka is incomplete without a visit to the sacred city of Kandy; the second largest city in the island and the gateway to the central highlands. It is one of the most scenic cities in the world surrounded by spectacular mountains, the scenic Kandy Lake, and the longest river in Sri Lanka.

Kandy now declared a UNECO World Heritage Site was once the last royal capital of the country and the last royal stronghold of the Kandyan Kings. It boasts of a rich cultural heritage that spans 2500 years and is home to many interesting historical sites, traditional buildings, cultural monuments and the Royal Botanical Gardens. It is where the Sri Dalada Maligawa- one the most venerated Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka and the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is sited.

Kandy is famed world-over for the Kandy Esala Perehera (a colourful and elegant pageant held annually in July/August)) recognized as the most impressive and spectacular religious procession in Asia. This entails chieftains in traditional costume, hundreds of gaily dressed elephants, whip bearers, torch bearers, traditional musicians, drummers and dancers with the center of attraction being the head Elephant carrying the casket bearing the Sacred Tooth Relic.

While in Kandy don’t forget to shop for some traditional Kandyan souvenirs to take back home.

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VISIT TO ANURADHAPURA SACRED CITY

Tread on sacred ground. Come to the place where one of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world flourished. Anuradhapura was the first capital of Sri Lanka founded in the 4th Century AD and it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a historical marvel with its well preserved ruins of this ancient civilization. Amongst the masterpieces of this golden era are the many towering stupas (Dagabos), wonderful rock carvings, huge stone pillars, and ruins of royal palaces, monasteries and bathing tanks along with some of the most complex irrigation systems in the world, all of which demonstrates the architectural, engineering, hydrological and irrigational skills of this golden era. Let the shade of the ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’, (a sapling of the sacred Bo tree in Bodh Gaya in India) give you peace and solace. The ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’ is believed to be the oldest human planted tree in the world.

VISIT TO POLONNARUWA SACRED CITY

Visit a once flourishing empire, the second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms and the capital of Sri Lanka from 1017 A.D. to 1235 A.D. Travel back in time to the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa under the reign of King Parakramabahu the Great (1153A.C-1186A.C). See the remains of some of the greatest feats of the past; the gigantic Parakrama Samudra (The Sea of Parakrama) covering 2500 hectares of land, still provides water for irrigation to the surrounding areas and is believed to be one of the most greatest irrigation feats of the past. Take time to see the remains of ancient stupas, shrines, palaces, buildings, monasteries, tanks and parks, each one narrating its own story of a glorious past. Some of the ‘must see’ places include the Statue of king Parakramabahu I, the Potgul Vehera – a unique monastery, the Lotus Pond with its eight petal lotus shape built on four tiers, the Rankot Vihara – the 55m high stupa, the largest in Polonnaruwa, Galvehera – three large Buddha statue...

Whale & Dolphin Watching in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is becoming a major spot for watching Whales and Dolphins. Dondra Point of down south in Sri Lanka is the main port of Whale Watching in Sri Lanka during December to April. Out of these months December, January and April are the peak months of sightings. During these months there is 95% chances of spotting Sperm Whales and great chances of spotting Blue Whales as their migration path is just off Dondra Point. We are able to arrange Whale Watching Trips off Dondra Point in a fully insured trawler boat which will last for 3 hours. Also there are good chances of spotting Spinner Dolphins also off Dondra. Ample of accommodation options are available as Dondra point can be reach easily from Hikkaduwa, Galle, Unawatuna, Weligama, Mirissa and Tangalle which are popular beach locations in Sri Lanka. Mirissa is the closest point to Dondra Point with good accommodation options.

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