The 17^th c. Dutch Fort at Galle, close to the island’s southernmost point, 173km from Colombo, has the distinction of being the best-preserved sea fort in south Asia. Enter through the imposing stone bastions that encircle the sea-facing promontory and step back in time. Inside the fort you will find that it exudes old-world charm.

The narrow streets are dotted with Dutch colonial villas and there’s a welcome absence of vehicular traffic. There are several museums and antique shops that display curiosities from the island’s colonial era. Of the many colonial buildings, perhaps the most absorbing is the Dutch Reformed Church, containing ornately carved memorials to the city’s Dutch settlers. The fort also hosts some of the island’s most exclusive boutique-style accommodation in former villas restored to their colonial glory.

- UNESCO world Heritage Sites -

Further east of Kandy, the Knuckles Mountain Range as UNESCO world Heritage Site provides intrepid travelers with the opportunity to experience Sri Lanka at its most primal. A rugged area of pristine wilderness – including rare dwarf cloud forest – the knuckles has 27 peaks over 1,000m, with the highest rising to nearly 2,000m.

It is also home to an exceptional array of endemic animal and plant species. Though largely uninhabited, the region contains some of the most isolated hamlets in the island, where it is still possible to witness a way of life largely untouched by modernity.

- Hill Country -

Kolum, literally “putting on a character,” is a masked folk drama with chanted poetry, dialogue, song and dance. Dancers wear imaginative and outrageous masks, some of an enormous size, representing gods, demons and mythical creatures of Sinhalese folklore. The Kolam is essentially a burlesque of life in the simple setting of a village. Performances occur at night under the light of coconut torches in a circular space, usually with a structure of palm leaves erected on one side to serve both as a backdrop and as a dramatic entrance. A narrator and two drummers stand by the side of the entrance.

The origin of the kolam drama is legendary, probably based on a story about a mythical queen who wished to become pregnant. The dances that compose the performance are therefore sexually symbolic.

 Various characters appear on stage – policemen, clerks, washer men, and others associated with the court of the king. The stories that follow the introduction of these masked characters have been developed from some of the masterpieces of the island’s Buddhist and secular literature. Each character or group of characters in these performances is introduced by the narrator in a four-line chant. The character then moves to centre stage while executing the dance movements associated with him.

- Travel Sri Lanka -

The experience of sleeping under the stars surrounded by nature in one of the island’s national parks is second to none.

Campsites are sited in the most beautiful locations off the tourist trail. Camping is available in most national parks and nature reserves – from participatory camping where guests work with the staff to run the campsite, to standard and super-luxury where the experience is similar to that of a five-star hotel. – Activity & Adventure -

Much can be achieved by exploring the hill country, dry zone and rural roads by mountain bike. Sri Lanka’s trails offer something for everyone, with the hill country – the knuckles Mountains Range especially – offering the experienced biker some of the best mountains biking terrain in the world.

Riding the ancient trade routes and old hunting paths through tea plantation, jungle and lush valleys can be merged or alternated with leisurely rides along the coast, beside reservoirs, through rubber and spice plantation enveloped by palms and paddy.

The extensive remains of ancient cities such as Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Anuradhapura are best explored by bike.

- Activity & Adventure -

If it’s dolphins or whales your after, then the Kalpitiya season lasts from November to April. Those who attempt the 160 km drive down from Colombo will find that for most part, the roads are good with only the last 40 km stretch, after you take the Kalpitiya turn off, being somewhat jitter! The entire trip is about four hours, and visitors will glide by salt marshes, huddles of mangroves and scrub jungle beyond which lie rolling sand dunes.

Over the past decade a large number of boutique hotels have emerged all offering dolphin watching tours and sometimes even a whale may make an appearance………

- The Sri Lankan -

Jaffna Fort was built as a small garrison by the Portuguese in 1618 when the Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka’s northern town of Jaffna. The Dutch captured it in 1650 from the Portuguese and expanded its location further. It was eventually taken over by the British in 1795. The Dutch Fort was completely destroyed during the nations recent conflict, as the LTTE had maintained its garrison withing the fort premises.

A recent visit British Royals to the country is a  boost for tourism, the Sri Lankan governemnt officials said on Monday. Britain’s Prince Michael of Kent accompanied by Princess Michael, toured Sri Lanka recently, according to an official statement released on Monday.

The Royals, who were on a private visit to the island visited a few tourist attractions in the country  and among the places they visited was the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, home to the world’s largest elephant herd in captivity. Pinnawala officials have facilitated the Royals visit with the planting of a tree,.

The Unawatuna bay is an ideal point to people watch, swim, laze and enjoy the best a beach destination has to offer.

Unawatuna traces its roots to the great epic Ramayana. In the mythological epic, the monkey-warrior Hanuman was sent back to India to fetch the four by Jambavan from the Himalayas in order to heal Lakshman who was wounded trying to save the abducted Princess Sita from the demon king Ravana. Hanuman failed to identify these herbs, so he lifted the entire mountain and carried it to the battlefield to try to save Lakshman, but in the process, a chunk of it fell-down in the location of the present day Unawatuna, the name of the village derives from Una-Watuna or fell down

Birds, Coral reefs, shipwrecks and great swimming, makes Unawatuna one the most sought after beach destinations in Sri Lanka. - The Sri Lankan -

Thai Ponggal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in India and in Sri Lanka. Ponggal coincides with the festival Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India. Ponggal in Tamil means boiling or spill over. The boiling over of milk in a clay pot symbolizes material abundance for the household.

The festival is traditionally intended to thank the sun god and farm livestock that helped create the material abundance.  - The Sri Lankan -