Sri Lanka

Pristine

Sri Lanka is a paradise island offering visitors incomparable beach holidays. With the aquamarine waters of the Indian Ocean gently lapping its pristine shores, Sri Lanka’s beaches are covered with soft warm sand. Home to tropical fish and living corals the waters surrounding Sri Lanka are warm thanks to the tropical climate the island enjoys. With over 1300 km of beach on offer, all you have to do is come to Sri Lanka and spend hours of fun in the sun. 

Whether you are looking to just relax in the sun and get the perfect tan or if you are looking for more action such as surfing, diving or jet skiing, Sri Lanka has much to offer with its world renowned best beaches. Come visit Sri Lanka, the wonder of Asia.

Scenic

For such a tiny island Sri Lanka has very different landscapes and scenery to experience, depending on which part of the island you visit. From the very green misty up country area that harks back to our colonial heritage, to the soft, warm beaches that are perfect for lazing on; your senses will be definitely treated with beauty. Sit on the beach and watch the sun rise in all its glory and then be cooled by the gentle evening breeze as the sun sets in a medley of russet hues. Walk past green paddy fields or sit by a murmuring stream and just enjoy the moment, the sense of being alive.

To give your body and mind a gentle stimulation Sri Lanka is ideal, as you will instantly feel alive as the scenic beauty of the country encompasses you. Come visit Sri Lanka, the wonder of Asia.

Heritage

With a history that dates back over 2000 years Sri Lanka has a culture that is seeped with heritage that helped mold the country into the place of wonder that it is. Sri Lanka holidays showcase this ancient influence as visitors are embraced by the warmth of her people. This tiny island can lay claim to 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are well preserved and proudly display the achievement of ancient Sri Lanka. 

From amazing structures such as temples and the Sigiriya Rock Fortress to rivers and lakes to well planned gardens, visitors will be awed from the moment they arrive. Come visit Sri Lanka, the wonder of Asia.

Thrills

Though not always recognized as such Sri Lanka is in fact a thrill seekers paradise. There are so many activities on offer that visitors might find it hard to pack it all into just one holiday. All the more reason to return to this beautiful island that has camping, trekking, kayaking and canoeing, while you can also enjoy the exhilarating experience of a hot air balloon ride. For an adrenaline rush with a difference try wave riding or paragliding. 

Being an island it is easy to experience the country by cycling and backpacking which is a cost effective way to enjoy Sri Lanka. When it comes to island holidays, Sri Lanka is one of the forerunners, with its warm people, sunny climate and exciting adventures. Come visit Sri Lanka, the wonder of Asia.

Wild

Sri Lanka maybe small in size but she is big in the wildlife she has to offer. Packed into this tiny island is an abundance of natural wildlife starting from the famous Asian Elephant to the elusive leopard. The country has nine national parks and seven bird sanctuaries. In fact 43 of the endangered species listed by the World Conservation Union can be found in Sri Lanka’s national parks. Sri Lanka is home to Minneriya which is famous for having the largest gathering of wild elephants. The country has recently also grown in fame as being a hotspot for whale and dolphin watching.

Sri Lanka also has a range of endemic species such as the Sri Lanka Leopard, the Sloth Bear and the Sri Lankan elephant. It is a privilege to see these animals in their natural habitat and you can have the unique experience of seeing the largest land and sea mammals in one holiday destination. Come visit Sri Lanka, the wonder of Asia.

Bliss

Once known as Serendib, Sri Lanka still lives up to this name by being a cost effective paradise island. Visitors are instantly embraced by the warmth of the country and swept away by the serenity Sri Lanka holidays provide. There are so many who return to the island’s warm shores to find rest and relaxation as they are pampered by the hospitable locals. Laze around on the beach sampling the freshest seafood or feast your eyes upon unparalleled scenic beauty as you sip a freshly brewed cup of Ceylon tea in the hill country.

Sri Lanka has so many experiences to offer and the bliss is that you can decide on the type of experience you want to experience. Time comes to a standstill as you absorb yourself in the country’s history, seaside, wildlife or trek through the green plains in the up country region. Find your blissful moment in Sri Lanka. Come visit Sri Lanka, the wonder of Asia
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Essence

It is hard to describe the essence of Sri Lanka, it has to be experienced. The country is rich in tradition and while it has embraced the modern world, retains its old values. With the importance given to elders and the due respect given to their experiences, you will find Sri Lanka a place where you can feel safe and cared for. Skills are handed down from generation to generation with religion playing a very important role in everyday life.

Yet Sri Lanka has managed to strike the perfect balance between the old and the modern so that you never feel as though you are stuck in a time warp. Instead you can enjoy tradition cuisine, influenced by our colonial past and served with a modern twist. You will find buildings with colonial architecture that have withstood the test of time yet now housing modern institutions; you can listen to music that speaks of our history yet appeals to our modern tastes. Sri Lanka’s essence has to be experienced; come visit Sri Lanka, the wonder of Asia

Festive

In the ancient past Sri Lanka, due to its strategic location at the crossroads between East and West, has been greatly influenced by the different visitors to the country. These visitors brought with them their diverse cultures and customs and with time these got absorbed into the Sri Lankan way of life. Visit in April for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrated to give thanks for bountiful harvests and you can try some mouthwatering traditional sweetmeats. In May be assailed by the beautiful and creative lanterns and pandols that adorn homes, buildings and roads, lit to pay homage to the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha. Ramadan too is celebrated in style while in December out comes the colourful Christmas decorations.

There are colouful pageants referred to as a perehara that are breathtaking to witness. You will see a procession of traditional dancers, whip-dancers, fire dancers and the majestic elephants carrying sacred Buddhist relics. These are experiences that are never forgotten. Come visit Sri Lanka, the wonder of Asia.

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YALA NATIONAL PARK

Yala National Park: Location, Access, and Facilities

Map of Yala National Park. Click on the map to view at full size.

The Kataragama Pada Yatra pilgrims typically take five or six days to cross Yala National Park from Panama to Kataragama. The Park is a refuge for wild game like elephants, leopards and langurs (below).

Yala National Park is geographically located in Sri Lanka at latitude 06°16' - 06°42' North and longitude 81°15' - 81°42' East. The Park can be visited via the town of Tissamaharama in the Hambantota District of the Southern Province.

While Block I has good access roads, access to Blocks II and III is limited mainly to dry weather. There are eight Park bungalows all of which are within Yala Block I. Another has been constructed at Katagamuwa Sanctuary, and one more is now ready for occupation in Yala Block IV. Accommodation is available for 8-10 people in each bungalow on the basis of prior reservations with the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Apart from resident visitors occupying the bungalows, a large number of day visitors enter the Park.

The Block I boundaries of the Park, take in 19 kilometers of sea coast in the southeast from Amaduwa to Yala, 19 kilometers from Yala up the Menik Ganga to Pahalahentota, 19 kilometers from Pahalahentota to Bambawa, and 3 kilometers from Bambawa to Palatupana.

Early History

"The earliest epigraphic "Brahmi" inscriptions discovered in Sri Lanka and in this region date back to the 2nd century B.C. Prior to this the Indo-Aryan settlers from Northern India as represented,in the legend of Vijaya, were well established and in full control of the area. Edifices of the earliest Buddhist cave monastery type began to be constructed wherever there was human habitation and in suitable rock outcrops, of which there are many in the area. There are to this day innumerable and very interesting remains of cave dwellings from the pre-Christian era."

This region was part of the Rohana (Ruhuna) Kingdom, having an advanced civilization as evinced by remains of dagabas and ancient artificial reservoirs (tanks), built by clever hydrological engineers, to irrigate large extents of cultivable land.

After the 10th century, historical evidence draws attention to the absence of inscriptions later than the 10th century A.D. "Architectural and sculptural remains of the medieval period are absent. It would appear to be a justifiable inference that some sudden de-population of the region occurred. The ancient chronicles supply no information whatsoever and the jungle tide spread covering the past with a mantle of secondary forest. These have matured to the climax stands seen in Yala today.

The Modern Era

At the turn of the century Yala Block I was declared a Game Sanctuary. A small area west of the Sanctuary was set aside in which resident sportsman might shoot. The main force behind this decision was the Game Protection Society (now the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society) founded in 1894 by the plantation owners, executives of firms, sportsmen and amateur naturalists favouring the conservation of wildlife. Records denote that the first Game Ranger of the Sanctuary was H.H. Engelbrecht, an Afrikaaner and a Boer prisoner of war who was not returned to South Africa on account of his refusal to swear allegiance to the British monarchy. After his release Engelbrecht came to the nearby coastal town of Hambantota. Being on his own on foreign soil, he found life hard. The Government Agent of the district however, took pity on Engelbrecht and made him the custodian of the Game Sanctuary around 1908. With his experience of wildlife on the veldt, the post suited him admirably. He administered the region fearlessly and with courage, using his whip to punish any miscreants. Many are the tales of his daring and prowess with the gun. However, his German ancestry proved to be his undoing. He was falsely accused during the First World War (1914­-1918), of supplying meat to a German warship, the "Emden", and was taken into custody. After the war, he was released and once again returned to Hambantota where he died in poverty. Long after his death, it was proved that he was innocent of the accusation.

Climate

Being located in one of the arid regions of Sri Lanka, the climate of Ruhuna National Park is usually hot and dry. The area receives its annual rainfall during the north east monsoon from November to January, and unpredictable inter-monsoonal rains in March/April and September. February is a dry month, with the dry season proper commencing in June and lasting until September and sometimes until mid October.

The mean annual temperature near sea level is 270C, although in the dry season a daily maximum of 370C is not uncommon.

Physical features

"Most of the area is underlain by Vijayan rocks formed over 600 million years ago. Rock outcrops or inselbergs stand out of a relatively flat plain, looming to heights of up to 800ft. They are made up of migmatites, hornblende, and granite gneisses. Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial and aeolian deposits cover the Vijayan series near the Menik ganga and along most of the coast line."

The Menik Ganga is now a seasonal river, since its damming for irrigation purposes higher up, as far back as 1878. There are four other seasonal "aras" or streamlets carrying water during the rainy season.

The breached and denuded earth bunds of several irrigation tanks are still visible, together with natural water holes and tanks (wewa), improved to hold water. These sources of water are a link in the survival of the wildlife found within the area.

Amongst the rock ridges and monoliths are several natural rock pools that have a charm of their own. Some contain water throughout the year, and have their own development of water plants and fauna.

In the southeast, the Park is bounded by the sea. The many bays carve out an intricate mosaic. Unspoilt natural beaches and sand dunes provide a beautiful environment of undulating and shifting sands. This is surely one of the most spectacular seascapes of Sri Lanka. Far out at sea are two lighthouses, Great and Little Basses, which stand on two submerged ridges by those names and beam a red and white light respectively at night.

Lagoons fringe this part of the coastline, each lined with mangroves and filled with brackish water. The extensive parklands that surround these lagoons offer visitors superb locations for viewing animals and bird life.

GALLE

Galle (Sinhala: ගාල්ල;Tamil: காலி) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the administrative capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and the district capital of Galle District. It's the fourth largest City in the country after the capital Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna.

Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as Qali^[before the arrival of the Portuguesein the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, during the Dutch colonial period. The major river is Gin River (Gin Ganga) which starts from Gongala Kanda and passing villages such as Neluwa, Nagoda, Baddegama, Thelikada, and Wakwella, reaches the sea at Ginthota. In Wakwella over the river there is Wakwella Bridge, which is the longest bridge in Sri Lanka.

Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south and southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architecturalstyles and south Asian traditions. The Galle fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the natural harbor, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests, one of the main Shiva temples on the island, and Amangalla the historic luxury hotel.

Galle is the main city in the most southerly part of the island, with a population of around 100 000, and is connected by rail to Colombo andMatara. On 26 December 2004 the city was devastated by the massive Boxing Day Tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast of Indonesia. Thousands were killed in the city alone. Galle is home to a cricket ground, the Galle International Stadium, rebuilt after the tsunami. Test matches resumed there on December 18, 2007.

Rumassala in Unawatuna is a large mound-like hill, which forms the eastern protective barrier to the Galle harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of the Ramayana.

History

The port of Galle in 1754.

According to James Emerson Tennent, Galle was the ancient seaport of Tarshish, from which King Solomon drew ivory, peacocks and other valuables.
Cinnamon was exported from Sri Lanka as early as 1400 BC and the root of the word itself is Hebrew, so Galle may have been a main entrepot for the spice.

Galle had been a prominent seaport long before western rule in the country. Persians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Malays, Indians, and Chinese were doing business through Galle port. In 1411, the Galle Trilingual Inscription, a stone tablet inscription in three languages, Chinese, Tamil and Persian, was erected in Galle to commemorate the second visit to Sri Lanka by the Chinese admiral Zheng He.

The "modern" history of Galle starts in 1505, when the first Portuguese ship, under Lourenço de Almeidawas driven there by a storm. However, the people of the city refused to let the Portuguese enter it, so the Portuguese took it by force.

In 1640, the Portuguese had to surrender to the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch built the presentFort in the year 1663. They built a fortified wall, using solid granite, and built three bastions, known as "Sun", "Moon" and "Star". After the British took over the country from the Dutch in the year 1796, they preserved the Fort unchanged, and used it as the administrative centre of Galle.

[edit]Governance

The Galle Municipal Council governs the City of Galle. It was established under the Municipalities Ordinance of 1865. It was 3rd municipal council in Sri Lanka.The first mayor of Galle was Wijeyananda Dahanayake, who was appointed in 1939. He later became the Prime Minister of Ceylon. The current Mayor of Galle is Methsiri de Silva, who was appointed on December 4, 2008. The main vision of Galle City is "Building of moderate city through the supply of relatively increased utility services to the citizens who pay taxes to the Galle Municipal Council " The other vision is to brand Galle as "GreenCity-Greengalle to create and promote Galle as Sri Lanka's cool and healthy coastal city with clean green canopy.

[edit]Climate

Galle features a tropical rainforest climate. The city has no true dry season, though it is noticeably drier in the months of January and February. As is commonplace with many cities with this type of climate, temperatures show little variation throughout the course of the year. Average temperatures hovers at around 26 degrees Celsius throughout the year.

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Avg Temp °C (°F)	25 (77)	26 (78)	27 (80)	27 (80)	27 (80)	27 (80)	26 (78)	26 (78)	26 (78)	26 (78)	26 (78)	25 (77)	26 (78)
Precipitation centimeters (inches)	10.2 (4)	8.6 (3.4)	11.7 (4.6)	24.1 (9.5)	29.7 (11.7)	20.6 (8.1)	16.5 (6.5)	15.5 (6.1)	21.3 (8.4)	34.0 (13.4)	30.2 (11.9)	17.8 (7)	240.3 (94.6)