In antiquity, Sri Lanka was known to travellers by a variety of names; in India as Lanka or Sinhala, ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane and Arabs referred to it as Serendib (the origin of the word “serendipity”) Ceilão, the name given to Sri Lanka by the Portuguese when they arrived in 1505, Then it was transliterated into English as Ceylon. As a British crown colony, the island was known as Ceylon. It achieved independence as the Dominion of Ceylon in 1948 Geographically It is in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal, between latitudes 5°and 10°N, and longitudes 79° and 82°E. Sri Lanka is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait.
Colombo
The Largest city in Sri lanka. Population is 4.6milion. As Colombo possesses a natural harbor, it was known to Indian, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Arabs, and Chinese traders over 2,000 years ago. Colombo’s climate is fairly temperate all throughout the year. Galle Face Green, Independence Memorial Hall, Gangaramaya Temple, National Museum, Town hall. As part of the Urban Regeneration Program of the Government of Sri Lanka, many old sites and buildings were revamped to modern public recreational spaces and shopping precincts. These include Independence Memorial Hall Square, Pettah Floating Market and Old Dutch Hospital among others.
Kandy
Is a major city in Sri Lanka, located in the Central Province. It is the second largest city in the country after Colombo. It was the last capital of the ancient kings’ era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is both an administrative and religious city and is also the capital of the Central Province. Kandy is the home of The Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1988
Anuradhapura
The city, now a UNESCO world heritage site, was the center of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries. The city lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.
Polonnaruwa
The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa is a World Heritage Site. It remains one of the best planned archaeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom’s first rulers. Its beauty was also used as a backdrop to filmed scenes for the famous music group Duran Duran in their music video Save a Prayer in 1982
Galle
Galle is the fourth largest city in Sri Lanka after the capital Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna. On the 26 December 2004 the city was devastated by the massive Tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast of Indonesia. Thousands were killed in the city alone. The city is famous for the Dutch fort, the largest fortress build by Europeans in Asia.
Nuwaraeliya
The city name means “city on the plain (table land)” or “city of light”. The city was founded by Samuel baker the discoverer of Lake Albert and the explorer of the Nile in 1846. Nuwara Eliya’s climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England then, was also a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting, elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket. Many of the buildings retain features from the colonial period such as the Queen’s Cottage, General’s House, Grand Hotel, Hill Club, and Town Post Office
Sigiriya
The name refers to a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 metres (660 ft) high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle this site was selected by King Kashyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning. One of the most visited sites in Sri Lanka.
Beaches in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka boasts of its sandy and golden beaches around the island. Famously the southern and the eastern beaches. Hikks villa our property in Hikkaduwa is an ideal get away to experience the calm and quiet beach.
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Actually it consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public; and also adjoining parks. The blocks have individual names also, like Ruhuna National Park for the (best known) block 1 and Kumana National Park or ‘Yala East’ for the adjoining area. It is situated in the southeast region of the country, and lies in Southern Province and Uva Province. The park covers 979 square kilometres (378 sq mi) and is located about 300 kilometres (190 mi) from Colombo. Yala was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and, along with Wilpattu it was one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka, having been designated in 1938. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan Elephants and aquatic birds.
Dambulla
Main attractions of the area include the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka. The area is thought to be inhabited from as early as the 7th to 3rd century BC. Statues and paintings in these caves date back to the 1st century BC. The area also boasts the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia, and the Iron wood forest, or Namal Uyana Aranya.
Pinnawala
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants. Tourists can observe the bathing elephants from the broad river bank as the herd interacts socially, bathing and playing. The orphanage is open to the public daily. The orphanage was built by department of Wildlife in 1975.