COLOMBO
According to a2zdirectory, COLOMBO is the commercial capital of Sri Lanka and is of interest in itself. Almost every guest of Sri Lanka begins and ends his acquaintance with the island in COLOMBO. Here, the coexistence of the old and the new is most noticeable.
Skyscrapers and colonial mansions, supermarkets and street markets, luxurious Western clothing and traditional sarongs, high-speed sports cars and auto rickshaws…
Much of today’s COLOMBO remains from the days of English, Dutch and Portuguese colonial rule. Horse races, for example, were regularly held at GALLE FACE GREEN. Today, most of the best hotels in the city face this street, where the races no longer take place.
Attractions: VIHARA MAHA DEVI park and snow-white colonial style city hall; a museum that houses many rare treasures; parliamentary complex SRI JAWARDHANAPURA, the administrative capital, a unique architectural structure located on the island.
Memorial International Conference Hall. Bondaranayake, surrounded by a vast park, located directly opposite the colossal Buddha statue.
The GALLE FACE GREEN embankment, the zoological garden, which is considered one of the best in Asia, handicraft shops, many casinos and nightclubs will not let you get bored.
RATNAPURA
Visiting the capital of jewels, participating in the exciting process of extracting precious stones by the ancient method of washing in straw baskets.
Visit of factories for the processing of precious stones and the gemological museum. Inspection of the exhibition of Sri Lankan gems.
ADAMSPEAK
All four religious communities in Sri Lanka consider ADAM’S PEAK to be a sacred mountain.
Buddhists call it “Sri Pada” (sacred footprint) and claim that at one time the Peak was planted by the Buddha himself. Hindus call the mountain Shivan Adipatham and associate it with Lord Shiva. Muslims are sure that a huge imprint of a human foot on the top was left by Adam immediately after he was expelled from paradise. The Roman Catholic Church associates the mountain with the name of the Apostle Thomas, who preached Christianity in southern India.
The pilgrimage season starts in December and continues until the Wesak festival in May, peaking in March. At other times of the year, the mountain is hidden in the clouds and frequent rain makes climbing a risky venture.
The height of the mountain is 2224 m, the length of the ascent is about 26 km, and 14.5 km is overcome by car, and 11 km – on foot.
Most of the ascents begin with the onset of night, in order to observe an almost supernatural phenomenon at sunrise, when the triangular shadow of the mountain covers the awakening landscape with a black veil.
PINNAWELA
Located 52 km from Colombo.
PINNAWELA is an elephant sanctuary organized by the Department of National Zoos. It is intended for feeding and raising babies abandoned by their mothers and those young elephants who have suffered at the hands of man.
MATALE
The main tourist attraction of MATALE is the Spice Garden, where you can get acquainted with many plants from this category. The guide will tell you about the features, value and use of each of the plants.
MATALE is also renowned for its excellent artisans who, using ancient methods and techniques, create excellent works of art that suit the tastes of today.
In addition to spices, handicrafts, precious stones, tourists also visit the Batik Factory.
PASGAMA
Come to a real old Sri Lankan village and live the life of welcoming, friendly, unsophisticated people, feel the 5,000-year-old cultural tradition at every turn. Meet representatives of various backgrounds: from gentlemen and aborigines to jewelers, artisans and farmers of today. An old book of oriental history will open before you, presenting images, the lifestyle of ancient times in the sounds rushing from the blue sky, red earth, colorful foliage, in the chirping of birds and the calm splash of the river. Taste the food prepared for the king of the island.
You are guaranteed a feeling of touching the past. Rest, relax, enjoy photo safari and so on.
DAMBULLA
It is famous for its Cave Temple of the 1st century BC, which is listed as a UNESCO site. The temple is a series of caves, the walls of which are covered with a continuous carpet of ancient painting. In the main cave is a huge statue of a sleeping Buddha.
SIGIRIYA
It is an impressive fortress that served in the 5th century AD as a refuge for a parricide king who usurped the supreme power.
The frescoes of SIGIRIA are widely known, decorating one of the grottoes on the way to the top of the cliff. Of the former 500 frescoes of the 5th century, 19 remained, but even they allowed SIGIRIA to be included in the World Heritage List. Of great interest are also the Lion’s Staircase, the Mirror Wall and the water gardens of SIGIRIA.
POLONNARUWA
Medieval capital of Sri Lanka (11th-12th centuries AD). POLONNARUWA is a well-preserved metropolis of stone buildings and temples. The majestic royal council room, the lotus-shaped pool carved into the stone monolith, the statue of Parakramabahu, one of the great kings of POLONNARUWA, and the stone statues of the Gal Vihara temple are just some of the attractions.
The “Parakrama Sea”, a huge 12th-century man-made reservoir, surrounds the ancient city.
