Island of family fun

Saturday, 28 May 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Occasionally Sri Lanka gets a boost in the media as a good country to travel to. Answering a query by a reader recently, a travel columnist in the ‘Sunday Times’ travel supplement ‘Escape’ designated Sri Lanka as “a great family destination,” adding that the country has a mix of lovely beaches, wild life, dramatic scenery, fabulous food plus culture.

A colour photograph of the Buddha statue at Damublla adorned the page with the caption ‘GOOD AS GOLD: The imposing entrance to the Dambulla cave temple complex in Sri Lanka.’

The writer stresses that in Sri Lanka there are plenty of activities for all ages identifying exploring caves, cycling, rock climbing, cooking classes , markets, ruins and fortresses as some of them.

A gentle warning is given on the monsoons adding that the driest months to visit is between December and March for the west, south and hill country, and April to September for the rest of the country. Of course, the weather patterns can change.

Kandy has been promoted as being surrounded by tea plantations and rich rainforest, along with Buddhist sacred sites, temples and shrines. “If you opt to travel on your own itinerary, be sure to include the Hunas Falls Hotel in the hills above Kandy, for stunning views, walkways, a lake, waterfall and an interesting golf course,” the writer says.

Sigiriya has been highlighted as the ruins of an ancient palace built on top of a 200m-high rock in the fifth century. “It is in the central Matale District near the town of Dambulla and is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site, due to its reflection of advanced architectural and constructional skills.”

According to the writer, the king had covered the rock walls with pictures and built an enormous gateway halfway up in the form of a lion. The gardens are among the oldest landscaped in the world.

Describing the Mirror Wall as one of the mazing features of Sigirya, he adds that the wall is rock polished so well that the king could see his reflection. “Evidence of tourists visiting this monument as long ago as the eighth century appears on this mirror in the way of poems and inscriptions.”

Other archaeological sites mentioned are Polonnaruwa ruins and Dambulla cave temples. “The Golden Temple complex showcases colourful images and shapes of Buddha, with rock paintings dating back 2000 years,” he writes.

Nuwara Eliya has been introduced as a township where good examples of colonial buildings can be found, along with panoramic views of the valleys and mountains. “Hop on the train from here to Ella and Badulla for a rickety ride through very scenic countryside. It takes about an hour and the kings will love it,” he says.

In earlier feature titled ‘Tea and Sympathy’, visitors to Sri Lanka were told: “Try fabulous breaches, ancient culture, great surfing, wildlife-filled safaris, tasty food, famously refreshing tea and warm, hospital people”. The columnist picked up Five Top Experiences in Sri Lanka: Uda Walawe National Park, Anuradhapura, surfing at Arugam Bay, Adam’s Peak and tea plantations.