By Kanchana Ratwatte Over the last weekend I visited the Eastern Province with a group of friends. Having left Colombo at 4.00 in the morning, after almost a seven hour journey, we reached our destination; Arugam Bay. The closest access to this much sought-after surfing beach of Sri Lanka is via Ratnapura, Uda Walawe, Wellawaya, Monaragala, [...]
By Ravi Perera Surely, one of the most objectionable features of our tourism industry, at least from the point of view of the visitors, is the two-tier entrance fee structure operating mostly at places of historical/religious interest. At some of these sites, the difference could be more than 20 times what a local person may [...]
It seems Hikkafest won’t be as happening this year as the last, but don’t fear, there’s still stuff to do down south. One is to eat. I would’ve never thought that you’d find good food at Hikkaduwa of all places, a town known for its notorious party scene. A few kilometers from the town you’ll [...]
By Rajitha Unantenna Fernando Holidaying in luxury five star resorts is just not for us. Whenever we find that two or three days are in store for holidaying, we plan our travels — an exploration of our motherland. And what we love to feast on is the beauty that nature has endowed upon us. Places [...]
By Dilini Perera I hear excited chatter as I walk into the practice area at Visakha and the reason is obvious. This is their first practice after winning a Gold Diploma at the 8th Choral Eisteddfod held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As the choir broke out into a spirited rendition of Proud Mary with their [...]
A mere three-and-a-half to four hour drive from the city of Colombo towards the North Central of this beautiful isle, will deliver you to an oasis in the jungle; a place where nature takes centre stage and you receive front row tickets to its bounty every single day. Welcome to ‘The Other Corner’. ‘The Other [...]
By Dinidu de Alwis When the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 struck the southern and eastern coastal areas of Sri Lanka, some parts of the coastal belt felt the impact and the devastation of the tsunami less than the others. Experts and laymen alike cited one reason as to why the deadly waves hit the [...]
The blue and emerald waves juxtaposed against the surreal white of the famed Trinco sands, form a picturesque backdrop to the newest resort under the John Keells Hotels umbrella, Chaaya Blu Trincomalee. Conceptualised by architect Channa Daswatte, who was inspired by the esoteric James Bond tale Die Another Day, Chaaya Blu is about retro chic [...]
By Natalie Soysa There’s something indescribably pristine about places rarely visited that does wonders for the soul of the unconventional traveler. 30 years of civil war kept nearly half this nation in such a state, making travel to Arugam Bay, Trincomalee, Jaffna and the lot unforgettably breathtaking and quiet. It seemed almost untouched by the [...]
On The Island Of Sri Lanka, Buddhism Is Not The Bloodless Intellectual Exercise That It Appears In Britain By Madeleine Wightman A couple of months ago I arrived in Sri Lanka and visited a Buddhist temple for the first time. I had discarded my fascination with Eastern philosophies and religions when I became a Christian [...]
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