Visit Sri Lanka

Visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Botanical Gardens

A visit to the Royal Botanical Garden Peradeniya near Kandy. Hakgala Gardens near Nuwarweliya and Botanical Gardens Gampaha will pay rich dividends. To the boatanist, this is indeed a land of plenty. The diversified climate allows for the growth of tropical as well as sub tropical trees. The luxuriant undergrowth and tall majestic trees of the wet zoon tropical forest contrast with the arid scrub land talipot palms of the dry north. In the hills, vegetation varies from the almost treeless patnas of Horton Plains of the dark cloud forests. Wreathed with the protected Old man’s Beard moss. From March to may numerous flowering trees such as the fiery poincianan regia, the white mesua ferrera and the cherry blossom like Tebebuia burst in to bloom and floering orchids include edemic varieties such as the protected vanda and Wesak Orchids. National emphasis has also been placed on the human plant relationship official recognition has been given to the Na tree (mesua nagassarium) and the blue water lily (Nymhaea stellatac) as the national tree and the flower respectively. Along the coast bordering estuaries and lagoons, are the mangrove habitats which provide sanctuary for the island’s diverse coastal fishery resources.

                                                             Batticoloa

Distance from Colombo 303km

Batticoloa is surrounded by a large lagoon, home of the famous ‘Singing Fish’. Certainly in the months of April and September on moonlight nights, you can hear a musical vibration emanating from the waters. Batti is a quiet little place, with a small but well – preserved Dutch fort

Hambantota

Distance from Colombo 238km

Hambantota, in Sri Lanka dry zone, is best known for its beautiful crescent shaped bay and its slat pans a very ancient industry that is still thriving. The slat pans line the main for over 16km.

Jaffna

Distance from Colombo 396km

The peninsula is practically an island connected the rest of Sri Lanka by a narrow spit ofland which houses the chundikkulam bird sanctuary and a Causeway known as Elephant pass because elephants would once cross the shallow lagoon at this point. Topographically quaint unlike the rest of lush Sri lanka, only hard work and aggressive irrigation will coax a living out of this inhospitable northern soil jaffna is justly famous for the deliciousness of its mangoes and toddy from the Palmyra palm. There are plenty of beaches but no resorts. The Dutch ‘star’ fort in jaffna is said to be Asia’s best example of Dutch fortification. Inside it are the King’s house and the Dutch Church. Since Jaffna’s population is predominantly Tamil, there are also many Hindu Kovils.

Kaluthara

Distance from Colombo 43km

More or less synonymous with rush and reed ware, (try to vsit the permanent exhibition in the town’s Basket Hall), Kalutara was also a famous spice centre in the 16^th to 18^th centuries. There are fine beaches safe for swimming. Immediately south of the Kaluganga Bridge on the main road is the Gangatil Vihara, which has a hollow dageba (Buddhist Shrine) with an interesting painted terror. By the road side there’s a small shrine and the Bodhi tree where dirversoften stop to make offerings to ensue a safe journey.