Devinuwara Esala Festival - 2012

The Kap planting ceremony of the Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya in Devinuwara, in connection with the Esala festival will be held on July 19.


The first Peli perahera will be held on July 26 and the other Peli peraheras will parade the streets from July 27. The Randoli Maha perahera, with elephants, up country and low country and Sabaragamuwa dancers will be held on August 1st.The festival will conclude with the Deva danaya on August 10. Deva Thovilaya will be on previous night 9 August.

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Hathmale Ella - Deniyaya

Hathmale fall is located about 8km from the Deniyaya Town. Just as you pass the main city centre of Deniyaya, turn left on to the Deniyaya - Pallegama Road. Travel about 7 km down this road. These is no sign board to the falls so look for Hathmale Ella Road sign board in the right hand side which is just before the Pallegama Bridge. Travel about 1km on this road and it will abruptly end in somebodys garden. The road is badly maintained but it is motorable upto this point. This road actually continues through this garden but to proceed form here you will need a 4 wheel drive ( you will not acually use it) or a vehicle with high ground clearence. Walk or drive about 250m on this road and then you need to climb down a steep hill to view the falls.

The source of the fall is the Deniyaya Gongala mountain range and the stream flows on to the Ginganga River at Pallegama. Hathmale Falls (45m high and 10m wide) is the tallest fall in the Ginganga River and is split into seven segments ('hathmala'). It is popular with both local and foreign visitors though sadly its popularity has had a negative effect on the environment, with plastic and polythene litter being left at the site.

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Eco Village Holiday Resort - Kamburupitiya

The Eco Village Holiday Resort in Kamburupitiya is a one of best known Eco resort hotel in Kamburupitiya, Matara down south of Sri Lanka.

Surrounding the beautiful Lenabatuwa natural lake and Vilpita rain forest the Eco Village Resort is perfect place for anyone for looking for peace and tranquility combined with outstanding Sri Lankan hospitality.

Relaxation on your veranda watching the birds flying in to trees is definitely an unforgettable moment. You can taste Sri Lankan Indian Chinese and Western foods with our staff’s grate hospitality within the covered floating ferry. After having the boat ride and fish hunting you can feel comfortable sleep until hearing the bird’s sounds in morning time.

Location and Settings

Eco Village Resort kamburupitiya is locating 180 km away from the Bandaranaike International Airport takes you through the city centre of Colombo, passing with the sunny beach coastal way Mount Lavinia and the resort towns of Wadduwa, Hikkadduwa, Galle and Matara. In front of the ancient Matara Bodiya you can take Kamburupitiya road which on your left side. 19 km drive through the Kamburupitiya road with in 25 minutes you can reach to the Kamburupitiya small city with passing the Thihagoda junction. Center of the Kamburupitiya junction you can find Gathara road. After come 3 km via the Gathara road you can find the Eco village Resort.

How be at Eco Village.

Nearest train station: Matara, 19 km north.
Nearest bus station: Kamburupitiya Town 2.4 km.
Nearest motorway: Gathara Road adjacent to Hotel.
Nearest city centre: Matara, 19 km south.

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Weligama Bay & Taprobane Island

 Weligama beach is a one of best beach in Sri Lanka. You can see there are different geographical features of beach. The weligama bay is more important place because of its’ valuable features. In weligama beach we can explore that one area has huge rapid waves, another area has a natural pool characteristics, another area has the deep sea. Like that there is much diversity we can see through the same sea.
The location of weligama bay which located between Matara and Galle, 143 km away from Colombo. It is a quiet place with near off shore islet known as Taprobane where a dream house of French Count de Maunay was built in here and where later famous writer Arthur C.Clark made his home. The long, clean and safe beaches attract visitors who are searching for a relaxing and peaceful vacations and it is also a perfect starting point for exploration of nearby attractions.

Taprobane Island

Taprobane Island was originally built in the 1920's by the romantically named but self styled Count de Mauny-Talvande. The island with its neo palladian mansion has played host to kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, aristocracy, writers and eccentrics, giving it a very colorful history, which guests can now share.
The Island comprises 2 ½ acres of sheer tropical fantasy with nothing between it and the South Pole. Accommodation is provided for in 5 en-suite bedrooms, with spacious living areas, balconies, verandahs, tropical gardens and a stunning infinity pool. A staff of 5 cater for your every need; in fact after arrival, guests frequently never leave the Island until their departure.

Location

Taprobane Island is located on Sri Lanka’s exotic south coast which is quietly becoming the Riviera of choice for the world’s most discerning and inquisitive travellers. Centrally located to the UN World Heritage site of Galle Fort, Buddhist temples, rainforests, lowland tea plantations, wildlife reserves and some of the most fabulous beaches in the Indian Ocean. 

 Taprobane Island sits just 200 yards off the Southern Coast in the centre of Weligama Bay - a 4 ½ hour drive south of Colombo’s International Airport or, for guests wishing to come by helicopter, a journey that takes less than one hour.
The island is just a 30 minute drive south of the Southern Provinces capital, Galle – home of the historic UN World Heritage site of Galle Fort.
Access to the island from the coast is usually made by wading through the surf on foot, or by some, on elephant or sedan chair!
Amazingly, there is nothing between the island and the South Pole.

Getting there & away
Distances between locations in Sri Lanka are not that far, yet the time taken by road to reach a destination can be somewhat of a tiresome experience.
Our team can arrange transfers for you by either chauffer driven air conditioned vehicles, steam train or helicopter.
Rather than traveling by road why not transfer directly from your international flight onto Sri Lankan Airlines Air Taxi and arrive in Galle (Koggala airport) in just 30 minutes. Koggala airport is only a 15 minute drive from Taprobane Island.
It is the ideal way to travel in style, comfort and luxury at an affordable price.

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Devinuwara Lighthouse - Highest Lighthouse in southern Asia

The Devinuwara Lighthouse was built by British in 1894 at Devinuwara (Dondra edge). It is about 172 feets hight at sea level and considered as the largest lighthouse in southern Asia. Its marks the last landfall before Antarctica in Asia. Nearest major city is Matara and its 160 km away from Colombo the capital. 

View from the top

 

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Hummanaya (The Blow Hole) - Dickwella

Hummanaya is the only known blowhole in Sri Lankaand it may be the second largest blowhole in the world. Meaning of the word “Hummanaya”  is the distance a sound of "hoo" can be heard.

It is located after Matara and Dikwella town in the Southern Province and at small fishing village called Kudawella 1.1 kilometres (0.7 mi) to the right. Dikwella is a coastal town 89 kilometres (55.3 mi) far away from Colombo and 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) from Matara.


R. L. Brohier first described the Hummanaya Blow Hole in Seeing Ceylon (1965) as “The hoarse gurgling roar gathers in volume – then suddenly, a pillar of water churned to a dazzling whiteness gushes out somewhere up the cliff and for the moment you stand aghast”.
The Hummanaya Blow Hole reputed to be the second largest in the world.  The Hummanaya Blow Hole is one of nature’s fountains and is located about 40 feet above sea level.  It emits a magnificent spray of water reaching about 25 meters into the air every few minutes.
This is the result of sea water rushing in through a submerged cave under the sea and as the pressure builds up, sounds similar to rumble of distant thunder can be heard, and as the pressure is released the water spews breathtakingly into the air.Visitors can be ferried by boat to the location of the Blow Hole to witness this spectacular sight, up close and personal. Along the coast, souvenir shops offering a variety of local handicrafts stand side by side with roadside kiosks selling fruit and drinks, including tasty bites of fried fish.
Both Sri Lankans and tourists should veer off the beaten track and travel to Kudawella and see this phenomenal natural fountain and not miss out on an experience of lifetime.

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Sri Lanka, The best country in South Asia to visit - Travel Asia Online

Travel Asia Online in an exclusive report has categorized Sri Lanka as the best country in South Asia to visit, while Maldives took second place and Bhutan third. The Travel Asia Online ranks the eight south Asian countries, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in terms of their Population density, GDP Per capita, Literacy rate , Life expectancy and the Cleanliness. For every level Travel Asia Online selected top 5 countries and gave marks for them 1-5.

The Population density (people per sq. km) in Sri Lanka was reported at 308.4/km2, according to the report.

Sri Lanka (1296 US dollars) is the second highest in the list of GDP Per capita of these 8 south Asian countries and received the mark 4 out of 5. Bhutan ranked first with Maldives ranking 3rd, while India at the 4th place.

The report states that Sri Lanka’s literacy rate is 90.8 which is the second highest in the region while Maldives took first place.

Sri Lanka has topped the Life expectancy (72.4) list by recording the highest Life expectancy in the region receiving the mark 5. Sri Lanka also ranked as the best cleanest country in the region. Following the four main important facts about 8 South Asian countries, Travel Asia Online calculated the marks and gave marks out of 20. According to Travel Asia Online marks system and international statistics, Sri Lanka got 18 marks out of 20, while Maldives got 17 out of 20 and Bhutan got 11 marks out of 20.
India ranked fourth in the list.

Source - Sunday Times

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Whale & Dolphin Watching in Srilanka, Mirissa.

Recently 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. 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.

Blue Whales in Sri lanka - You tube Video

  
Mirissa

Mirissa and its breathtaking sandy beach pretty much transforms your dreams and visions of a tropical paradise into an everyday reality. Located close to the Southern tip of the Island of Sri Lanka and only about 200 km from the Equator, this secluded crescent shaped beach is the perfect place to sit back, relax and forget about all the hussle and bussle of your other life that’s a million miles away.

This small sandy tropical beach boasts some of Sri Lanka’s best and most stunning sunsets and sunrises. All the Guest Houses in Mirissa are set back from the actual beach giving you the impression that you are on a deserted palm fringed island. Every now and again the silence is broken by the sound of a coconut falling on the sand or a chilled beer being opened by someone further up the beach. Mirissa beach is also a one of the best place for Surfing lovers.
 

Whale and Dolphin watching is an easy sport that you can take up during the months of December to April. All you need to take is a boat, few kilometers from the shore, which we can help you arrange. Experienced local guides can show you a good time in watching whales and dolphins off the coast of Mirissa.

Pods of Dolphins can be seen accompanying boats frequently during the said months. Blue and Sperm Whales in large numbers frequent the coastline of Sri Lanka during this period and can be viewed near Mirissa beach.

 Sri Lanka Navy

The Sri Lankan Navy is getting into the tourism business in an effort to improve the country’s image after three decades of civil war and to offer tourists a new attraction otherwise unavailable here. It has established a ferry service for whale watching excursions out of the popular tourist port of Galle in the south. Tickets aboard the luxury ferry cost $100 for a five-hour journey and whales can be seen in the area through April. This region was largely unaffected by the long-running civil war.

Visit there official website for more info -  http://whalewatching.navy.lk/

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Polhena Beach

This place is very popular among native sri Lankan tourists short Span of beach with a coral reef which can explore even walking through the water. The famous golden sanded Polhena beach is about 1.5 Kilometers away from Matara city.



It is an ideal beach for sea bathing. The polhena beach is a safe area for children to enjoy blue sea water. It is naturally created as a swimming pool and there for travelers can enjoy the sea without hesitation. Very Important place for coral reef explorer

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