Sri Lanka Tourism achieves record-breaking 750,000 arrivals in 2011

Achieving another remarkable milestone in the country's booming tourism industry, Sri Lanka Tourism welcomed the arrival of 750,000th tourist in year 2011 at the Bandaranaike International Airport today (24th Nov.) evening. This is the first time ever; the tourism industry has received number of arrivals exceeding 700,000 marks in any given year making it a ground breaking figure in tourism records. A team of officials from Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau and representatives from Ministry of Economic Development welcomed the guest Mr.Mohomad Albordiny and wife (Palestinian) who arrived to Sri Lanka via QR 302 flight from Doha at 4:15 p.m. 

 

During year 2010, total number of tourist arrivals recorded was 654,476 nos. as opposed to 750,000 so far, which is a 34.2% annual growth. This year has seen a huge contribution from Latin American, Caribbean & western European countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark ,France Netherland, UK and Germany. These regions alone have attracted 250, 847 tourists sharing a major portion out of the 750,000 arrivals recorded so far.

Sri Lanka Tourism offered a special gift and a complimentary package to the tourist arrived today keeping its promise of rewarding the 750,000th tourist and similar rewards were available for the 250,000th 500,000th , 600,000th tourist who visited Sri Lanka in the year 2011.

At the beginning of year 2011 Sri Lanka Tourism launched their marketing campaign named as "Refreshingly Sri Lanka – Visit 2011",with the aim of showcasing Sri Lanka as an Island of new found freedom ; a place where the visitor can experience everything that is refreshing under the sun .With this new branding , Sri Lanka tourism promoted 8 segments encapsulating 8 wonderful experiences which a tourist can enjoy within eight days such as: Pristine ,Heritage ,Bliss, Thrills, Festivities, Essence, Scenic beauty and Wild Life. These eight experiences were further stretched into twelve sub-themes to promote each month of 2011, including beaches, sports & adventure, MICE, people & culture, religious tourism, weddings & honeymoons, body & mind wellness, heritage, nature & wildlife, community & education, culinary and shopping & entertainment.

Sri Lanka Tourism's aim with this campaign was to amalgamate domestic and international markets alike into one cohesive platform to develop these products by the end of the year, promoting Sri Lanka as a destination that can offer refreshing experiences for anyone who visits it. All promotional activities and events in the next couple of years will be aimed at achieving the target number of 2.6 million tourists by 2016. 

 

Source - http://www.sltda.gov.lk/node/679

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Arugam Bay, The bay of Surf lovers.

Arugam Bay is a bay situated on the Indian Ocean in the dry zone of Sri Lanka's southeast coast. The bay is located 320 km due east of Colombo. It is a popular surfing and tourist destination. Many of the buildings were destroyed in the 2004 tsunami. Due to its popularity among tourists, the area has managed a slow recovery by private initiatives only. The main road through town has still not been repaved. As late as the beginning of 2010 no help has been received from any official source or international organizations. An exception is uncoordinated support for fishing folk as well as many school rebuilding programs, resulting in a continuation to provide only separatist schools for each community. Although there is a huge demand for an international school, one huge new building donated by the people of Japan remains unoccupied since the grand 'opening' ceremony in 2007.

 The bay hosts a large fleet of fishing boats which operates off the beach. Many organizations donated boats after the tsunami and as a result there are far more fishing boats than ever before. The main beach is a bit dirty as it is used as a garbage dump and a toilet by some locals. Nearby beaches are more esthetically pleasing and also have excellent waves. Arugam Surf Point has a very long, consistent, sectiony right hand break. Many organizations claim to have done extensive work in the area. No notable progress can be observed locally and on close inspection, as late as New Year's Day, 2010. The main road, shown below in 2004 still looked the very same at the end of 2009. Despite calls for a walking street contractors have recently (September, 2010)completed construction of a fast trunk road through the hamlet. Repeating the mistakes made in other seaside tourist resorts such as Negombo and Hikkaduwa. US 'Mercy Corps' has been the most active of any organization. Funded by Oprah Winfrey's 'Angel Network', following a huge fund-raising TV series in the United States. Sadly, none of their projects survived the first year of operation. A new bridge has been constructed by USAID. 

It was opened for traffic in 2008. It replaced the 1960s, original landmark box girder construction linking Arugam Bay with Pottuvil. At km 313 on the main A4 (the famous Colombo High Level Rd. - PottuVille), an excellent shortcut side road exists, which ends up in the very middle of Arugam Bay itself. This picturesque drive avoids the dusty town of PottuVille. Also no bridges need to be crossed. Raising questions regarding the wisdom for the need of the so-called 'high tech' USAID bridge construction. There is excellent elephant viewing nearby, incl. on this mentioned jungle road and the surrounding lagoon, as well as two types of monkeys wandering around the area.

The nearby (4 km) Muslim village of Pottuville is the center of commerce and transportation while tourist accommodations lie along the beach to the south of Pottuville Arugam Bay (4 km) is also the gateway and the only road access to the Yala East National Park. This area is known as Kumana (44 km), to be reached via the Sinhalese settlement of Panama (17 km) and the shires at Okanda (32 km). Sources of further, up-to-date local information: [1] [2] Arugam Bay has its own insiders, veteran and fan club (777 members end 2008, 5,500 members August, 2009). History was made on election day, 26 January 2010. The Community page Facebook page "Arugam Surf" managed to attract more than 10,000 fans. Making it the fasted growing Facebook site in Sri Lanka. By end 2010 this, Sri Lanka's first and oldest FB fan page has attracted near 20,000 loyal members. Remarkable for such a small, remote hamlet of just 2,500 residents.

Source - http://www.directlink.lk/arugam.html

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Lipton's Seat

Located in  Haputale 173 KM (107 Miles) From Colombo in the Badulla District, and is 4695 ft high above the sea level. It is one of the places with a very rich biodiversity and allows a very beautiful view of the Southern Plains. It is approximately 193 km away from Colombo. The town is no doubt one of the spectacular places in Sri Lanka. Haputale is makes hiking and trekking a great exhilarating exercise. The major attraction of Haputale is the Liptons seat, Adisham Bungalow and the famous Dambatenna tea factory.

Near the Dambatenne tea factory, the Lipton’s Seat lookout rivals the views from World’s End (and it’s free). The Scottish tea baron Sir Thomas Lipton used to survey his burgeoning empire from here.

Take the signed narrow paved road from the tea factory and climb about 7km through lush tea plantations to the lookout. From the tea factory the ascent should take about 2½ hours. The earliest bus leaves Haputale at 6.30am. Look forward to the company of Tamil tea pickers going off to work as you walk uphill to Lipton’s Seat.

Lipton's Seat, Dambetenna, Poonagala hills, Haputale in Sri Lanka More Info - Click Here

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Kithulgala - Whitewater Rafting

Kitulgala is a small town in the west of Sri Lanka. It is in the wet zone rain forest, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest places in the country. Nevertheless, it comes alive in the first three months of the year, especially in February, the driest month. The Academy Award-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala,

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Weherahena Temple

A large Buddha statue here is painted with very bright colours. There are hundreds of scenes painted to show the Buddha's life. There are three underground storeys and there you can see the shrine room in which thewalls are decorated with murals depicting the Buddha's life.

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Galle City

The capital of the southern province is a city with a colourful history. UNESCO declared World Heritage Site the magnificent Dutch fort is the most popular attraction of the town. 300 year old Dutch atmosphere is still very much alive around the fort and amidst its many historical buildings not invaded by the skyscrapers. The beautiful beach of Unawatuna is just 6km south east of the city centre.

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Knuckles Mountain Range

The Knuckles Mountain Range lies in central Sri Lanka, north-east of the city of Kandy. The range takes its name from a series of recumbent folds and peaks in the west of the massif which resemble the knuckles of clenched fist when viewed from certain locations in the Kandy District.

Whilst this name was assigned by early British surveyors, the Sinhalese residents have traditionally referred to the area as Dumbara Kanduvetiya meaning mist-laden mountain range (Cooray, 1984). The entire area is characterised by its striking landscapes often robed in thick layers of cloud but in addition to its aesthetic value the range is of great scientific interest. It is a climatic microcosm of the rest of Sri Lanka. The conditions of all the climatic zones in the country are exhibited in the massif. At higher elevations there is a series of isolated cloud forests, harbouring a variety of flora and fauna, some of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Although the range constitutes approximately 0.03% of the island’s total area it is home to a significantly higher proportion of the country’s biodiversity.

One of the hill top of Knuckles, located in Matale district, 142 kilometers from Colombo. The middle of Rattota – Pallegama road. The path from Rattota, consists of 14 bends up to Riverstan. It is one of several hill tops in the Knuckles range being located in a windy gap on a range of scenic mountains with frequently changing climate; Riverstan was highly popular with foreign & local travelers. Two telecommunication towers were setup on the both summits of the Riverstan Mountain. The access road for them was a private one and no vehicles were allowed beyond the Riverstan gap. The climate was changed in every minute, Sometimes it brought little sun rays, and sometime cool wind, but most of the time with a thick mist & the wind was blowing briskly, really that was an amazing. The forest was consisted with pigmy trees. “Maha rewla” (Old man’s beard) and many orchids were driven out their loneliness. The mist was gained them a fresh & wet look for ever. It was an eye-catching view of Pitawala pathana & paddy fields of lonely villages in the Knuckles range. Since the surrounding was covered with a shawl of mist, there is a tiny waterfall in Bamarakiriella village close to Riverstan.

Source - Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia

Photo Source - Click here

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Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the 2nd largest national park in Sri Lanka.It is situated in the southeast region of the island in the dry zone. The park is situated about 300 km from Colombo which is capital city of Sri Lanka. Yala park belongs to two provinces in Sri Lanka namely Uva Province and Southern Province.

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Sri Dalada Maligawa

Located in Kandy, long a center of the Buddhist faith, the stunning 17th-century Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) is believed to house the left upper canine tooth of the Lord Buddha himself. This precious relic attracts white-clad pilgrims, bearing lotus blossoms and frangipani, every day.

History

According to legend, the tooth was taken from the Buddha as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was smuggled to Sri Lanka in 313 AD, hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamali who fled the Hindu armies besieging her father's kingdom in India.

It immediately became an object of great reverence and was enshrined in a series of nested jeweled reliquaries. The tooth was brought out for special occasions and paraded on the backs of elephants, which are sacred to the Buddha. where it survived numerous attempts to capture and destroy it.

When the capital was moved to Kandy, the tooth was taken to the new city and placed in temples built to honor it. The temple was originally built under Kandyan kings between 1687 and 1707, but later severely damaged during the 18th-century colonial wars against the Portugese and Dutch. After the wars, the original wooden structures were restored in stone.

In January 1998 Hindu Tamil separatists bombed the temple, damaging its facade and roof. Restoration began immediately afterward.

BBC Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World

Source & More information - Click here

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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.

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Kalkuda and Pasikuda

 

Kalkuda and Pasikuda are two pristine, untouched beaches in the East coast of Sri Lanka. Their white sands, calm waters and sheer beauty remain unrivalled. Close to the town of Batticloa, both the beaches are expected to become international hotspots, as more people discover the charming beauty of this paradisiacal beach.

It used to be a popular tourist destination, however due to 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and Sri Lankan Civil War tourist numbers have declined. Pasikuda and Kalkuda are located few km apart. Since the end of the civil war in 2009 and the completion of Tsunami rehabilitation projects, Pasikuda has become a popular tourist destination amongst locals and foreigners this is because Pasikuda is known to have one of the longest stretches of shallow coastline in the world. In other words, people walk kilometers into the sea because the water is only a few inches deep and the current is relatively weak compared to the rest of Sri Lanka's coasts. Pasikuda is easily accessible from Trincomalle and Batticloa, both of which cities have star class accommodation.

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Dunhinda waterfall Sri Lanka

Dunhida is the best attractive waterfall in Sri Lanka. And it is a huge waterfall in Sri Lanka witch is situated in Badulla area. This attraction is made by Badulu river witch is started from Uma oya.

 Waterfall is at Badulla Mahiyanganaya road.And it is situated about 1Km from the main road. You have to go this 1 Km path by your own foot. And it is nice experience for everyone. You can see the beauty of natural Sri Lanka when you visit the waterfall.when you are on that 1 Km path you can see a little waterfall call “Punchi Dunhida” at the downside of the river.

Actually this is the one of the best attractive waterfall in Sri Lanka. It makes its own beauty. Catch not only your eye but also your mind.

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Diyaluma Waterfall Sri Lanka

Diyaluma is also very beautiful waterfall in Sri Lanka. And this is situated in Koslanda area. Koslanda is situated between Beragala and Wellawaya. Beragala is junction of Badulla Colombo main road. This is the third highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. It is about 171m in height. You can visit diyaluma very easy. Because it is near to the main road.

Many people said that this is the most beautiful waterfall in Sri Lanka. Because its height and high capacity of water. And when water jumps this much height it breaks its wave as much as possible. It makes unbelievable beauty. That is also one reason to get attraction from people this much.

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Bopathella Waterfall Sri Lanka

Bopathella the most beautiful waterfall in Rathnapura area.thas is situated at Agalawaththa village in Rathnapura. Waterfall is at Colombo Rathnapura road. And it is situated about 2Km from the main road. You can go that 2Km by your own vehicle. And the waterfall is about 85Km from Colombo.

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Sri Pada (Adam's peak)

The most famous physical feature of Ceylon is Adam's Peak, which is situated in the Ratnapura district. Adam’s peak is surrounded by several mountains. It is about 750 feats in its height. It is the second highest peak in Sri Lanka. Major four rivers (Mahaveli,Kelani,Kalu & walawe) are started from top of the peak. Great foot print of the Load Buddha is in the top of the peak. That is the most important thing in the peak. People climb the peak because of the great foot print. Because the Great foot print is sacred to all the Buddhists. As Buddhist we believe that all people that climb the mountain are blessed.

Access to the mountain is possible by 6 trails (Ratnapura-Palabaddala, Hatton-Nallathanni, Kuruwita-Erathna, Murraywatte, Mookuwatte & Malimboda). Out of these the Nallathanni & Palabaddala routes are the most popular. Kuruwita-Erathna road is somewhat popular as well. The other 3 roads are almost obscure. It joins the Palabaddala road midway through the ascent. Buses connect the final nodes of Nallanthanni to Hatton, Palabaddala to Ratnapura & Erathna to Kuruwita. Thereafter it's a difficult journey through the forest on foot. Most of the pilgrims use Hatton route as the journey on foot can be reduced by more than five kilometers even though the slope of this route is much greater than other routes.

Sunrise to Sri Lanka

The Summit 

More information - Click here

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Horton plain Sri Lanka

The Horton Plains are located on Sri Lanka 's highest plateau, between altitudes of 2,000 and 2, 300m. The landscape typically consists of undulating lands covered in a tropical cloud of forests or verdant montane savannah grasslands, locally known as patannahs. Visiting Horton Plains or 'Mahaeliya' as it is traditionally named is quite popular amongst locals, who mostly come to admire the views from the park's thrilling escarpments such as World's End at weekends . For this reason we recommend that you try to organise your visit during a weekday as this ensures that you will experience the Plain's isolated serenity. Visitors to the park can follow a 10km loop that incorporates all of the spectacular features, enabling them to enjoy them while adhering to the strict rules for environment protection and nature conservation. The best time to visit is early in the morning as this is when the air is likely to be clearest so that you can enjoy the best of the views. In the afternoons, clouds tend to descend and the area becomes submerged in mist. This is equally enthralling though and provides evidence for the evolution of this forest type. Allowing a half-day should give you plenty of time to enjoy it all at a leisurely pace.

The Plains are actually named after Sir Robert Wilmot Horton, a rather selfish and bloody-minded Brit (no surprise there then) who was singularly responsible for the slaying of all of the elephants in the area between 1831 to 1837. Although there is little hope of elephants ever returning, you can at least walk around in comparative safety admiring the many other interesting creatures around and about. Of these perhaps the most worthy of a mention are the Samber Deer, a common sight at dusk and in the early hours of the morning.

In order to get the most out of your visit we recommend that an expert naturalist provided by Eco-team take you around. These guides are good company and extremely knowledgeable; having their input can add a lot more interest to the trip.

Source - Click Here

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Sinharaja (vergin rain forest of Sri Lanka)

Sinharaja forest is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forest in Sri lanka. This covers an extent of about 11187 hectares from east to west. It was declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB) in 1978,as representative of tropical humid evergreen forest. This is a World Heritage site in Sri Lanka. Sinharaja forest is situated mainly in Rathnapura, Matara and Galle districts. Most of the endemic plants and animals are in Sinharaja forest. So it is considerd that this is the palce witch has the hightest endermism in SriLanka. And this is the most beautiful and the biggest evegreen rainforest in Sri Lanka.

The forest steeped in deep legend and mystery. The word Sinharaja means, lion (sinha) king (raja) and the popular belief is that the legendary origin of the Sinhala people in Sri Lanka is from the descendants of the union the lion king who once lived in the forest and a princess. Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forests now remaining in Sri Lanka.

This forest covers an extent of approximately 11187 ha. From east to west the length of the forest is about 21 km. And its width from north to south is about 3.7 km. The Sinharaja forest was initially declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB) in 1978, as representative of Tropical Humid Evergreen Forest ecosystem in Sri Lanka and has been recognized by UNESCO as part of its International Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Subsequently it was declared a National Wilderness Area, under the National Heritage Wilderness Area Act, in 1988 and lately a World Heritage Site in 1989.It is the Sri Lanka 's first natural resource to earn this esteemed distinction. This forest is situated in the southwest lowland Wet Zone of the country at latitudes 6 21- 6 26 and longitudes 80 21- 80-34.It spans over the administrative districts of Ratnapura, Galle and Matara.

Sinharaja forest consists of a series of continuous ridges, aligned approximately in an east-west direction and lies between the tributaries of the Kalu Ganga in the north and the Gin Ganga in thesouth.

There are four main routes of access to Sinharaja. The Kalawana- Weddagala road from the northwest, The Rakwana-Morning side estate road from the northeast, the Hiniduma-Neluwa road from the southwest and Deniyaya-Pallegama road from the southeast. Among these roads the Kalawana-Weddagala road is shorter and more convenient for visitors traveling from Colombo.

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