Page 137 - Asian Paradises 2019-20

—
— Sri Lanka — Cambodia —

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka is steeped in heritage yet its essence is of fauna including elephants, monkeys, leopards, wild
also a result of a myriad of influences from three boar, crocodiles, dugong and turtles. Flamingos and other
colonial rulers. The Portuguese, Dutch and the migrating birds flock to the lagoons, wetlands and sanctuaries
British interacted with Arab, Chinese and Malay during the northern winter.
merchants, a combination that is amply reflected The sights
throughout the country by way of customs, cuisine Sri Lanka offers over 1300 kilometres of idyllic sandy beaches.
and architecture. With its year-round summer and two different weather
systems, whatever the time of year, there’s always a beach with
With a history that dates back over 2000 years, Sri Lanka is sunshine and a choice of calm seas or steady surf depending
home to some of the best preserved Asian monuments and on what you feel like. Beyond the stretch of calm, indigo-
showcases no fewer than eight UNESCO World Heritage blue sea, a line of breaking waves marks the coral reef where
sites, all remarkably preserved to surpass more well-known recreational divers discover vividly coloured tropical fish and
world-class attractions. To this day Sri Lanka’s centuries old living corals.
heritage lives on, in the culture and the way of life of the Sri
Lankan people. The rich tapestry of cultural practice, beliefs The ancient city of Anuradhapura was the capital of the
and the traditional way of life renews and revives this island island for more than 1400 years with its Buddhist monuments
nation’s historic ties, creating an oasis of cultural richness in and royal ruins dating back 2000 years. Some best known
the modern day. sites include the Sacred Bo-Tree grown from a sapling of
the tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment; the
Sri Lanka has been known by many names. The early
Europeans in Asia knew it as Zelian or Seilan, the British as Thuparamaya Dagoba, built in the third century BC and
Ceylon, and it has also been called the Teardrop of India, believed to contain the right collarbone of Buddha; Ruvan,
Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma and Pearl of the Orient. the oldest historically documented tree in the world; and the
Colombo, the commercial capital has lots of open spaces and seven storey Lovamahapaya, also known as the Brazen Place.
gracious colonial buildings. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa is southeast of Anuradhapura
while the amazing Sigiriya Rock Fortress is the site of a sixth
The governing capital was shifted in recent years to Sri century fortified palace. Built by an obsessed monarch in the
Jayewardenepura, 15 minutes from Colombo. Other major fifth century, Sigiriya, or Lion Rock, is an astonishing feat of
cities include Jaffna, Kandy and Galle. Anuradhapura is Sri engineering and construction.
Lanka’s first capital and the most important of Sri Lanka’s
ancient cities. The most striking portion of Sigiriya, a terracotta and grey
core of rock set in the cultural heart of Sri Lanka, rises a
Nature
The southern half of Sri Lanka is dominated by rugged hills, sheer 200 metres above a forested plain, its flattened summit
sloping gently. A series of moats, ramparts and water gardens,
while the north is mostly a large plain from the edge of the remnants of an ancient city, spread out on two sides of the
hill country to the Jaffna peninsula.
rock, with the remains of a pair of giant stone lion’s paws still
The southwestern tropical rainforests are home to ebony, guarding the staircase that leads to the summit, once occupied
teak and spectacular orchids. The country has an abundance by a royal palace.The sacred tooth relic of the Buddha is

– 135 – www.paradises.com