Sigiriya
Sigiriya World Heritage Site Sigiriya. Sri Lanka (UNESCO World Heritage Site). An ancient Palace that sits on a colossal rock with a mid-level terrace dominated by the Lion Gate. It makes you wonder if its creators were brilliant or crazy…or both. Undoubtedly one of the brightest jewels in Sri Lanka’s archeological crown, the world famous frescos and mirror wall, the lower gardens and palaces, moats and ramparts leave subtle impressions of what it was like here back in the day.
See more at: http://www.royalretreat.lk/places-to-see/default.aspx#sthash.IGNgRKQ5.dpuf
Highlights: Sigiriya Rock, Frescoes of Sigiriya, Lion Gate, Water Gardens.
Activities: Hiking, Photography, Cultural Exploration.
Location:
Ella
The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka. On a sunny morning, you can even see the glow from the lighthouses along the southern coast.
By rail. Ella's a few stops from Badulla at the end of the railway line that snakes through the Hill Country. Trains go to Colombo and Kandy from here. The fares are ludicrously cheap in 2nd and 3rd class, and the views spectacular. It's usually no problem getting a seat in 2nd/3rd class going to Colombo or Kandy, as the trains from Badulla are quite empty until reaching Nanu Oya. However the reverse is true going up to Ella and it can be quite crowded until the last 2 or 3 hours of the journey. Ella's railway station itself is prettily quaint. there are many travelers who visit ella by train.
By Road, Buses go south through Ella Gap to Wellawaya where you can change for a number of destinations in the south of the island.
The climate throughout most of the year is typical of the high Hill Country, with a hot sun by midday, but a moderate air temperature. It will often rain in the afternoon, but only for an hour or so. A sweatshirt, or light jacket is needed at night. In December it can rain a lot!.
Ella has a small post office and one bank (Bank of Ceylon) with an ATM.
There's not much to do in Ella itself, with a handful of small shops and only a few bars/restaurants. It's basically a nicely relaxing base for exploring the surrounding country.
Location:
Galle
The Dutch later converted the Portuguese “fortalezza” into a single bastion which they named Zwart Bastion and built a formidable line of defence, ringing the walled town by ten bastions, which endure to this day. Akersloot Bastion is named after the birth-place of Coster, the Dutch commander who captured Galle. The name has been chiselled on a stone at the spot and also bears a date which, however, has no bearing on the date of erection of the Bastion. The grim old walls are a favorite promenade for Galle ‘s citizens and its visitors alike.
Through the rolling streams of Time and Change, Galle still retains – as few other towns in Sri Lanka – an atmosphere of the past. The town was graced with considerable civic amenities and military features. Two hundred years ago a storm-water drainage system was introduced which prevented flooding in the Fort. It was so sophisticated as to have great brick-lined, underground drains, which were automatically flushed twice a day by the tide. Despite recent face-lifts and new facades to many of the houses and the introduction of modern civic amenities like electricity, telephone systems, water and drainage services, the streets remain narrow and many are known by their original names such as Leyn-Baan street, Zeeberg street and Moderabaay street. A peep into the old houses reveals them to be spacious and airy, with large, ornamental doors and windows, pillared verandahs and cool inner courtyards and gardens.
Location:
Mirissa
Mirissa is the largest fishing port on the south coast and is known for its tuna, mullet, snapper and butterfish. In 1980 the first tourist accommodation was built however it wasn't until the mid-1990s that tourism to the town started to dramatically increase.
Best time to visit- Winter Season: November - April The beaches are at their best at this time with fine weather and calm seas. Summer Season: May – October During the off season, Mirissa becomes quiet and sea gets a bit rough but it is still popular especially at weekends with crowds from Colombo coming to spend the day here. Whale and dolphin watching: there are many companies with different prices (2000-6000 LKR), but in the end all of them are similar, and you will be surrounded by another 12 boats while hunting the animals. You can easily get good views of dolphins, as they will be in a big group jumping out of the water for a long time, but don't expect much from the whales: they are elusive, and you'll most likely only see a bit of their back for a brief second when they come out for air. The boats will chase them around until you get four or five of these sightings, and then head back home. If the engine doesn't fail, you'll be boarding at 6:30, leave the harbour at 7:00, and be back by 11:00. Some boats have plastic chairs, others have benches, others have mattresses on the upper deck floor. Check the boat at the harbour, ask how many people will be on board, and avoid overcrowding. All of them include a cup of coffee or tea, a small bottle of water, some breakfast (jam sandwich), bananas, pineapple and watermelon.
Kandy
Festivals
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