Plan a holiday in Sri Lanka

If you are someone like me who hates the hassle of having to apply for visa to visit a country, you should consider Sri Lanka with its e-visa requirement, as good as needing no visa at all. Application form for visa filled online at https://eta.gov.lk/etaslvisa/etaNavServ?payType=1 takes less than 12 hours to be processed. Tourist visa fees for a visitor from a SAARC country is USD 20 and for others is USD 35. And the immigration at the Colombo airport was the fastest I have ever passed through. In 10 minutes we were out of the airport. We had flown in business class but 10 minutes for immigration, security and baggage collection is really some sort of a record.

Kalpitiya (170 KMs from Colombo)

I expected Sir Lanka to be a lot like India and I wasn’t wrong but the lack of crowd till we hit the usual tourist circuit was pointedly striking. We chose to get far away from the usual tourist beach destinations of Bentota and Negombo and headed about 170 KMs north of Colombo to a narrow strip of land between a massive lagoon and the majestic Indian Ocean.

We chose a resort on the lagoon very close to the village harbour and yet enjoyed 3 days of quiet. Kalpitiya brought us rich hauls. We explored the Puttalam lagoon - a couple of islands whose only residents were mixed group of terns, gulls and a one-off crow; islands on which fishermen live a nomadic life of one week to head back to land the succeeding week to sell the catch and restock; sprawling-healthy mangroves; an old and huge tree surrounded by mangroves that stood there as if defying time; and all that was topped by a beautiful sunset. Wilpattu national park was on one end of the lagoon and the Dolphins, coral reefs and the promise of whales on the other.

Sunrise on the Puttalam Lagoon, Sri Lanka

Residents of one of the uninhabited islands on the Puttalam Lagoon in Sri Lanka on which construction for a hotel is to begin soon 

Mangroves on the Puttalam Lagoon, Sri Lanka

 'Elephant tree' on the Puttalam Lagoon, Sri Lanka

A fisherman sorting his day's catch on an island on the Puttalam Lagoon, Sri Lanka

Next day we met the Dolphins-a family of Spinner Dolphins at least a 1000 strong, feeding on Tunas. The choppy-dancing waters revealed them every once in a while as they swam in hot pursuit of their prey and not so often as one of them somersaulted out of the water. Dolphins lead the fishermen to the Tunas and the fishermen in turn lead a dozen or so small boats of tourists to the Dolphins. I could only wonder at how big the school of Tuna was below the bouncy opaque waters to support such a huge number of all year round resident Dolphins. The Bar reef, the coral reef a KM or so off the coast line was in contrast a very quiet affair. Just about 3 boats anchored just off the reef in the translucent turquoise blue water – sadly in the last one to one and a half years, the corals have bleached and the reef lay deathly pale waiting and bidding its time for the water temperature to drop so it could revive again. The fishes darting between the corals seemed as if they were coaxing the corals to come back to life again. Norochcholai Coal based Power Station, the largest power station in the country on the Kalpitiya peninsula started producing power in 2011 and has been in the news for sea erosion and health hazards to residents in the area amongst others, and the locals also blame the power plant for the increase in the water temperature which has led to the bleaching of corals.

Spinner Dolphins in the Indian ocean, off the Kalpitiya coast, Sri Lanka

Kalpitiya with the right weather and wind conditions is gaining popularity for kite surfing and lots of tourists come here from all over the world to kite surf but this beautiful place seems to be dying inside out even as they kite surf on the surface of the water.

A man working on a salt pan in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka, while his dog inspects the pan.

Wilpattu National Park(40 KMs from Anuradhapura)

The largest and oldest national park of Sri Lanka also happens to have the added benefit of being less crowded than the other popular reserves like Yala and Hortons Plains. Wilpattu residents and the few who opt to come to Wilpattu delight in the relative silence. The park has over 60 natural lakes/ponds that provide year round water to its many residents. It’s home to over 40 Leopards, Elephants, Spotted Deers, Sambhars amongst other mammals and a host of feathered beauties.

A 6AM-6PM full day safari costs USD 25 per adult and a half day safari costs USD 15 per adult. A private safari jeep has to be hired which costs about LKR 10,000 (http://www.dwc.gov.lk/index.php/en/park-fees). There are 2 entrances to the park – one close to the Coast near the town of Eluwankulam which is north of the Puttalam village and the other entrance is on the Puttalam-Anuradhapura road.

We entered through the Eluwankulam entrance and were the only ones to do the safari from that entrance that day, there were less than 10 other jeeps from the other more popular entrance that we bumped into on the day long safari. From the early morning activity to the calm of the mid-day and the settling down activity as the day ripened, we saw the park in all its hues. An Elephant feeding at the edge of a lake in the morning had moved to deeper waters in the middle when we passed the lake on the return leg. We left wondering when he planned to stop eating and getting back on dry land. On the safari when the mammals remained elusive, the birds kept up our energy from sagging. We repeatedly bumped into all the 'tigers of the bird world' – Crested Serpent Eagles, Brown Fish Owls, White-bellied Sea Eagles and a first for me – Lesser Adjutant Stork. It was a day very well spent.

One of the many lakes in the Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka

Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka

A Crested Serpent Eagle in Wilpattu National park, Sri Lanka 

A Lesser Adjutant Stork in Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka 

Anuradhapura (200 KMs from Colombo)

There are gigantic stupas, tanks and monastery buildings scattered around the city. The stupas, most of them now restored back to being places of worship, just as they were meant to be when they were built more than 2000 years ago, should make anyone wonder how those stupas were designed and built and how a city of such magnitude came to be in that time.

The region has been inhabited since pre-historic times, though archaeological evidence dates back only to 10^th century BC and records of a kingdom to 4^th century BC. The city however became a place worthy of being a ‘UNESCO world heritage site’ when the Indian King Ashok’s son Mahinda brought Buddhism with him to this place, which changed the course of the country forever. The building of gigantic stupas were undertaken, lakes, ponds, irrigation systems, hospitals built to accommodate an ever growing population, but the course of nature followed, the protecting forest cover around the city thinned, making the city vulnerable to attacks from kingdoms from Southern India, added to these trying circumstances were succession struggles which eventually lead to the city being abandoned. And as nature and time took charge, the city fell to ruins.

Though the city was always revered by the locals as sacred, it was not till excavations by the colonial British in 1884 that the scale of the city came to light.

The Mahabhodhi tree, the second most sacred place in the country (after the Temple of Tooth relic in Kandy) is believed to be the sapling of the very same Peepal tree in Bodh Gaya, India, under which Buddha attained enlightenment. This 2,250 year old tree is the oldest tree in the world today. It is within raised walls and the branches peeping out of the walls are lovingly supported by golden rods here and there. There wasn’t a single leaf from the tree anywhere on the ground, the human care-takers do their bit and the divine tree probably does the rest.

The Stupas, a Sanskrit word meaning a ‘mound’ or ‘heap’, aside from housing important relics of Buddha and Buddhist monks are also architectural marvels. Jetavanaramaya, housing a sash of Buddha, at 400 feet tall was one of the tallest structures of the ancient world, built of over 93 million bricks, the task of building it must have been a magnificent achievement of its time. There are such massive stupas scattered all around Anuradhapura. The 140BC built Rewanweliseya, adjacent to the Mahabodhi tree is an ocean of serenity especially in the evenings. With a circumference of 370 feet, it accommodates every kind of worshipper – groups of devotees sitting around a monk repeating hymns, novice monks sitting around in another group chanting their evening prayers, lone meditating worshippers, pilgrims from far and wide going around the stupa in a long line holding their offering of cloth for the stupa above their heads and a few tourists soaking in the serenity of the place.

Entrance fees: USD 25, USD 12.50 for visitors from SAARC countries.This includes the entrance to the museum and all religious places in Anuradhapura and the ticket can be bought at the Museum. Timings: Museum is open from 7AM to 5:30PM and the other places of worship are open till much later, it was 8PM when we visited Rewanweliseya. 

Photos in the Archaeological Museum of Stupas, pre and post renovation, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Jetavanaramaya Stupa, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

A Moonstone at the entrance of a building in the 7-8 century AD  built monastic residential complex of Abhyagiri Stupa, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. The residential complex is in ruins with just the foundation surviving but people come just to see this moonstone

Devotees donating a cloth at the Ruwanwelisaya Mahastupa, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Mihintale (13 KMs from Anuradhapura)
While one is in Anuradhapura and has a little time to spare, just the stairways at Mihintale merit a visit. The first temple in the country was built here in 3rd century BC. This was where Ashoka's son, Mahinda preached the path of Buddhism to the king of Anuradhapura who had gone there to hunt and converted him by telling him,"Great king, refrain from killing birds in the sky and beasts in the forest. All creatures have a right to roam the earth freely. You are only an administrator"

The layout of the entire place - over 1800 rock cut stairs, alms hall with its huge stone serving 'bowls', the many stupas, 68 caves in the mountains where the monks lived, the water drainage and storage systems, the ruins of hospital at the base of mountain lets us paint a picture of how big the monastery was. 

Entrance fees: LKR 500. Timings: 7AM - 5:30PM

The hillock in Mihintale where king Ashoka's son Mahinda met king of Anuradhapura and influenced him to follow the path of Buddha

Dambulla (88 KMs north of Kandy)

Dambulla is not just a stopover on the way to the more popular Sigiriya, though the climb up to the Dambulla cave temples is definitely a pre-cursor to the climb up the Sigiriya rock fortress.

Five caves in the rocks at a height of 530 feet have been adorned and used as temples as far back as 1^st century BC, though the hills and its numerous caves have been inhabited far longer than that. 70 Buddha statues were added and paintings gilded in 12^th century by a king and the caves were repainted in 18^th century by the Kingdom of Kandy. Today, what we get to see is a result of love for Buddha over the centuries which has manifested itself into a beautiful space for worshippers and visitors alike to marvel at. The walls and ceilings of these 5 overhanging rock caves are covered in beautiful paintings of bright colours with images of Buddha, Bodhisatvas and other religious images.

The climb up the stairs takes about 45 minutes and also affords the first view of Sigiriya rock, looking like a tame and tiny boulder in the distance.

The cave temples are open from 6AM to 7:15 PM everyday.

The cave temples of Dambulla, Sri Lanka

The paintings and statues inside a cave temple in Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Sigiriya (8 KMs from Dambulla)

Sigiriya or Sinhagiri, meaning 'Lion hill' , is unlike anything I have ever seen. I have climbed many a hill and mountain, have been to many castles and fortresses but this was the first time I climbed a huge (660 feet high) lone-standing rock to a fortress built on top of the rock. That wasn't the whole of the surprise either. Quite a bit of the route to the top is through metal stairs put in place for the visitors' to climb up, so how did the original inhabitants access the fortress?

There are many theories to why the fortress was built on top of the rock. I would like to believe that the one closest to truth is perhaps the one which explains the need for a residence that's seemingly inaccessible. In 477AD, Kashyapa, the king's son born of a commoner, killed his father and usurped the throne. the rightful heir then fled to South India. Fearing a return of the rightful heir, Kashyapa moved from Anuradhapura to the Sigiriya rock. However, the rightful heir did come back 18 years later to take back what was his. Sensing defeat in the battle, Kashyapa took his own life.

Sigiriya is not just the rock and the fortress above, it's a lesson in town-planning.  There is a moat and compound wall as a first layer of defense and then neatly laid out gardens(the oldest landscaped gardens-including water gardens, cave and boulder gardens and terraced gardens) and ponds with sophisticated hydraulic systems; a lower palace with probably latter day monastery buildings; caves at the base of the rock which are to have been used 5000 years back; and as we start the ascent, there is a mirror wall - a brick wall with highly polished plastering probably for the visitors' to check themselves before meeting the king; a row of women painted(seemingly in the middle of the vertical face of the rock, close to no dwelling) on plaster applied on the rock, in predominantly orange shade, stretching 460 feet wide covering the entire breadth of the western face of the rock(access via present day metal steps!); a huge stone lion standing guard marking the gate of the final ascent. And of course, on the flat surface at the top is the entire palace complete with cisterns which were used for collecting rain water.

I truly wish the present day Sigiriya is as I have described above, but sadly the passing time, elements and humans monkeying around have all left their mark. None of the buildings - the lower palace, monastery buildings, the entire structure at the top - are intact today. The highly polished mirror wall lost its sheen a long time ago and verses have been written on the wall primarily from 8 to 10 AD, the lion's head has rolled down with just the huge paws left intact that make us wonder at how big the lion must have been, the frescoes are almost all gone except for a small stretch that has been carefully preserved now. At the top, apart from spectacular stretch of green upon green landscape as far as the eye can see and the imagination that fills in the details of the surviving foundation stones all around the only structure that still survives is the cistern, still filled with water and fulfilling its brief.  

The Sun set from atop the rock, needless to say, is beautiful but climbing up in the first half of the day has its advantages too. The access stairs till the Lion's Paw faces west so the climb is easier during the first half, especially in the peak summer months. There are a couple of parking options, one near the ticket counter and museum, close to the moated entrance and the other almost a KM away to the west of the museum, and the access path is through forest, if you start to descend after the sun set, take an auto-rickshaw from the moated entrance to this parking lot. 

Entrance Fees: USD 30, USD 15 for visitors from SAARC countries(includes entrance to Museum). Timing: 7AM-5:30PM, although this is the official time mentioned on the ticket, it is OK to start ascending the rock immediately after the sun sets. 

The water garden of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Sigiriya rock fortress with Pradeep Sanjan Ferdinand of Piyara Tours(Piyaratours.com) who we traveled with in Sri Lanka - an excellent driver and a wonderful guide. 

The Mirror Wall and the mid-level fresco landing accessed through a winding present day metallic stairs in the Sigiriya rock fortress, Sri lanka 

The foundation stone of where the palace once stood atop the Sigiriya rock in Sri lanka and the view from the top.

The Lion's Paw entrance to the final ascent to reach the top of Sigiriya rock fortress in Sri Lanka

Kandy(130 KMs from Colombo)

The second largest city in the country, found in the 14th century, Kandy was the last of the kingdoms to come under colonial rule in 1815. Located 1600 feet ASL, it's surrounded by mountain ranges, home to the colonial era tea plantations. The journey to/from Kandy is through the most scenic routes in the country - the road to Nuwara Eliya is via endless tea plantations and the Kandy-Colombo route passes through rubber plantations and paddy fields. The Kandy-Colombo train journey doesn't let one catch a moment's rest from admiring the beauty of the place. While journeying from Kandy to Colombo sit on the left for the best views.

The view from the train journey from Kandy to Colombo

The paddy fields on the plains as the train makes its journey from Kandy to Colombo 

The sights in Kandy can be comfortably taken in, in the course of a day. The temple of the tooth relic(Sri Dalada Maligawa) is the most revered place in the country. The un-burnt left canine tooth of Gautham Buddha, who died in 543 BC, has reached Kandy after a long journey and many stops, brought from the then Kalinga in India by a Lankan princess in her hair, and first enshrined in Isurumuniya in Anuradhapura, it has seen many re-locations for its safety and owing to the belief that the custody of the tooth meant the right to rule. In Kandy, the temple housing the relic was built within the precincts of the palace for safe-keeping but today in a reversal of roles, what's left of the palace is within the temple premises.

The present 2 story Kandyan architecture temple building, built in the first half of 18th century, with its beautiful painted wooden ceilings, the serpentine line of worshipers and visitors and the drummers' at the evening rituals make a visit to the temple at 7PM, special. The tooth is kept on the second floor within 7 golden caskets shaped like a stupa and adorned with gemstones, within a chamber the entrance to which is made of ivory. There are other temples and palace buildings converted to museums around.  
           

Entrance fees: USD 15, USD 7.5 for visitors from SAARC countries. Timings: 5:30AM to 8PM   

The temple of tooth relic, Kandy, Sri Lanka

The drummers' in the temple of tooth relic, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Museum in the Temple of Tooth Relic, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Royal Audience Hall of the Kandy palace, Sri Lanka

Do take in a cultural performance in the evening, stroll around the lake, visit the couple of vantage points on higher elevation from where Kandy with its lake at the centre looks picture postcard beautiful. Or for the ones with more time on hand, there are a lot more places to visit(including gemstone stores) but none as beautiful as the Udwattakele Sanctuary, which is located on the hill behind the palace and since the time of the kingdom's founding in 14th century has been a part of the royal palace. It was used as a pleasure garden in times of peace and for hiding and fleeing during invasions. This 257 acre forest is home to many animals and birds as well as 2 monasteries. There are well-marked roads to self-explore the park but birding in the park is a tricky business. The canopy is very high and though the birds are teasingly singing all the time, spotting and tracking is very difficult. 

Udawattakele is an oasis of peace and calm with just a few stray noises from the city coming though, reminding the visitor that a city is just next door, but the authorities need to wake up to the fact that the sanctuary is in serious threat of being destroyed by invasive plants, mainly Devil's Ivy. The situation is so serious that the sanctuary is mentioned in the Devil's Ivy page of Wikipedia.

A 'Mask dance' of Sri Lanka in the Kandyan Cultural Centre(performance from 5 to 6 PM every evening)

Another traditional dance performance at the Kandyan Cultural Centre, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Udawattakele sanctuary, Kandy, Sri Lanka

There are many more places to visit in Sri Lanka - places that are popular tourist destinations for a reason to gems yet untouched by large scale tourism. Galle and Hambantota as well as the popular Yala National park in the south; the famous tea country of Nuwara Eliya and Horton plains National park near Kandy; Tricomalee in the north east to Jaffna in the northern tip. With the end of hostilities in the north and good roads covering the length and breadth of the country, the shores of the Indian ocean are the limit to explore the wonderful country of Sri Lanka.