Target Travels blog

Ayurveda in Sri Lanka

With the renewed interest in alternative forms of therapy in the Western countries, Ayurvedic healing in Sri Lanka has become a serious subject for research and scientists have begun exploring the island’s wealth of wild plants. There has been a regeneration of special Ayurvedic herbal cure centres, which are increasingly attracting foreign visitors. Day treatment centres can be found around Kandy and most large hotels now have Ayurveda massage centres within the hotel complex. A number of authentic specialist Ayurvedic ‘resorts’ are opening up, especially along the west coast; some of these are simply exquisite (such as the Ayurveda Pavilions in Negombo).

Ayurvedic Spa retreats can be organised for those looking for complete Ayurdevic experience.

Birdwatching in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an ornithologist’s paradise with 233 resident species, of which 26 (mainly in the Wet Zone) are endemic. Together with almost 200 migrant species recorded, bird watching is highly rewarding. Sinharaja Forest Reserve, the Peak Wilderness sanctuary and the Ruhuna-Yala National Park are particularly rewarding since they offer diverse habitats, while the reservoirs and coastal lagoons to the southeast (especially Bundala) attract a large variety of water birds.

Buddhism

The ancient Buddhist centres hold great attraction for visitors and certainly for

Buddhism in Sri Lanka

those interested in the living religion. Sri Lanka provides rewarding opportunities to discover more about the practice of Theravada (Hinanaya) Buddhism and meditation. Several centres offer courses on Buddhism in English (and occasionally in French and German). Those that are interested can contact us for a list of retreats which accept foreigners for teaching and meditation.

Also see our website a few Buddhist Pilgrimage tours that cover the key Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka.

Cricket

Many visitors come to Sri Lanka to support their touring cricket teams. Sri Lanka is the home of some of the most magnificently sited cricket grounds in the world, and the vibrant buzz at a Test or One-Day international is unforgettable. ln early 201 1 Sri Lanka co-hosted the Cricket World Cup with Bangladesh and lndia, and made it to the final (lndia won by 6 wickets). Games were played in Colombo, Kandy and the new stadium at Hambantota.

A typical Cricket season tour will include tickets to all the major matches and all ground services and reservations.

Cycling

Nuwara Eliya

An increasing number of tour operators, both within Sri Lanka and abroad, run mountain bike tours of the island. A way marked National Cycling Trail has been developed, which runs for 240 km along the length of the southwest coast from Wadduwa (near Kalutara)to Koggala, and into the interior. The trail covers varied terrain and is divided into sections of 20-30 km (approximately 2 hrs of cycling), taking in hill country, Ancient Cities and parts of Sabaragamuwa province.

Diving and water sports

The warm waters along Sri Lanka’s palm-fringed coast are dotted with beach resorts ideal for swimming. Dec-Mar is the only suitable time to swim on the west coast, while Nov and Apr are usually also fine on the south. Avoid swimming outside these months, when the southwest monsoon batters the coast – there are a number of drownings each year. Particular care should be taken of rip currents; check the situation locally. Many large hotels have excellent swimming pools and will usually accept non-residents for a small fee, or even for free.

Dive centres on the west and south coast have equipment for rent and some offer a full range of PADI courses. Diving is best avoided during the monsoons. The best time in the southwest is the winter (Nov-Mar) when the sea is relatively calm and clear. The far south and the east coast are better Apr-Sep (but avoid Jul).

Several popular beach areas offer good snorkelling at reefs within walking

Sri Lanka Beaches

distance of shore, notably Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, Mirissa and Polhena (near Matara), while the clear waters of Pigeon lsland, a short boat ride from Nilaveli near Trincomalee, are also once again accessible.

The surf at Arugam Bay on the east coast is regarded as some of the best in Asia, though only Apr-Oct. Hikkaduwa is the main centre during the winter (Nov-Ma0, sometimes attracting international tournaments, while Midigama and Mirissa are smaller and quieter. Surfing equipment can be bought or hired and cheap accommodation aimed at long-stay surfers is available.

Larger hotels on the west coast offer windsurfing, parasailing and waterskiing.

Bentota is said to be the best spot for water sports in Sri Lanka.

Golf

A legacy from the British period, there are some excellently maintained courses in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya and on the banks of the Victoria Reservoir east of Kandy, and recently the Navy based 9 hole golf course in China Bay.

Hiking

There is little organized trekking in Sri Lanka, but some richly rewarding countryside to explore, especially in the hill country. Existing paths include ancient pilgrim routes and colonial-era bridal pathways. Moderately fit walkers should not miss climbing the sacred mountain of Adam’s Peak, especially during pilgrimage season (Dec-May), while Horton Plains offers crisp mountain air and stunning views at World’s End with the option of camping. The Knuckles Range (Dumbara Hills) has some hard treks, while Nuwara Eliya, Ella and Haputale are particularly good bases for walkers,

Whitewater rafting and canoeing

Kelani river, which falls through a rocky gorge just above Kitulgala, is the most popular area for rafting and canoeing, offering grade IV-V rapids.  Gentle rafting is possible on the Walawe River in Uda Walawe, while the Mahaweli Ganga, Sri Lanka’s longest river, offers more challenging opportunities

Wildlife

Sri Lanka’s wildlife reserves are home to a wide range of native species, and

Sri Lanka Wildlife

wildlife safaris’ offer the chance to see elephant, spotted deer, buffalo, wild boar, jackal, sambar and, with time and luck, the leopard and sloth bear. Around 24% of Sri Lanka’s land area is covered by forest, most large tracts of which are protected by the government. The Forestry Department runs the island’s forest reserves (such as the Knuckles Range) and biosphere reserves (notably Sinharaja), while the national parks, sanctuaries and nature reserves, which offer the best chance of wildlife spotting, belong the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Most of Sri Lanka’s national parks are in the Dry Zone areas of the north and east, the most frequently visited by tourists being Yala National Park, where a remarkable array of bird and animal life is easily visible; Uda Walawe, famous for its elephants; and Minneriya to the north. Closed for many years owing to the civil war, the island’s largest reserve, Wilpattu re-opened in 2010.

All national parks are open from 6.30am to 6.30pm. Entry to the parks isn’t cheap but is fully worth it and the money is ploughed back into wild life conservation. Most people choose to visit the parks on a day trip. Bungalows and campsites are available but these are difficult to arrange and often booked up well in advance.

Kandy

Despite now being the island’s second-largest city, Kandy retains a surprisingly small-town experience, its modest grid of low-rise streets are lined with characteristic colonial-era buildings and preserve a certain old-fashioned, countrified charm which even the often dense throngs of traffic and pedestrians can’t entirely obscure.

At the west end of the centre Kandy Lake provides the city’s scenic centerpiece. This fine expanse of water is bounded with elegant white balustrades, characteristic of Kandyan architecture and backed by the buildings of the Temple of the Tooth and the Royal Palace complex – particularly striking when seen from the south, with the neat white buildings framed against the rich green backdrop of the Udawatakelle Sanctu­ary behind and charmingly reflected in the waters of the lake in front.

Kandy is simply romantic. Words cannot describe why Kandy has today become the most visited city by all tourists to Sri Lanka.

Road to Kandy

The journey to Kandy is captivating to say the least.  Some 11 km (7 miles) out of Colombo is the Kandyan-era Buddhist temple at Sapugaskande, a pleasant ensemble of white-walled and red-tiled buildings sitting on top of a small, but steep hill and offering superb views over the city and palm trees below. Continuing inland, just north of Miriswatta, 27 km (17 miles) from Colombo, the Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens (open daily with an entrance charge) contain an array of plants indigenous to a wide range of tropical countries. The garden is also home to the historic exhibit which is the original rubber plant propagated from seeds taken from its native Brazil and smuggled down the Amazon in balls of cotton.

A few kilometers further inland on the road to Kandy is the tourist village of Cadjugama, where young women by the wayside beckon travelers to stop and buy their delicious freshly roasted cashew nuts (cadju) that gave the village its name.  Cashews are used in many traditional Sri Lankan dishes; raw cashews, for example, can be cooked in coconut cream with spices, or “devilled”- roasted with chilli. The tradition is for travelers to pick the most attractive damsel to buy their supply of cashew nuts from.

Road to Kandy Sri Lanka

At Ambepussa junction, the road goes northwards to Kurunegala or east towards Kandy.  Take the eastern route to Nelundeniya, where a minor road leads south to the hamlet of Dedigama, which during the reign of Parakaramabahu V (from 1344 – 59), briefly served as one of the capitals of Sri Lanka during an anarchic period following the collapse of Polonnaruwa. The village has a few remains from this period, including remnants of a huge stupa and an interesting little museum next to it that is filled with artifacts recovered from the stupa’s relic chambers, including a beautiful sequence of tiny gold Buddhas charming to see if you have the time. Dedigama is also famous as the birthplace of Parakramabahu I – the famous Sinhalese king who was later to immortalize himself through his works in Polonnaruwa, the 2^nd capital of ancient Lanka.

The main road to Kandy continues through the bustling and crowded town of

Kadugannawe Pass

Kegalle, tuning point for the famous Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage. Beyond Kegalle the views become increasingly spectacular on the final approach to Kandy, with panoramic views over the surrounding, quaintly named hills – Lion Rock, Ship Rock, Camel Hill, Tuber Rock, Balloon Rock and, especially, the dramatic, flat-topped Bible Rock. The entrance to the city is Kadugannawa Pass, at the end of a sheer ascent of 250 meters ( or 820 ft) in a mat­ter of 5 km (3 miles), complete with hairpin bends, from where there are breath-taking views southeast towards the ocean.

If you are interested in stopping at any of the above mentioned places mention it to your tour guide who will be glad to assist and fill you in with more detail information of the same. Alternatively you can also ask locals around the area when you’re traveling. Its important to note that the road from Colombo to Kandy is fairly commercialized and some may even try to take advantage of unassuming tourists.