Marvellous Sri Lanka

Sinhala & Tamil New Year Festival- April 13th & 14th

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
When the sun moves from Pisces to Aries, the Sinhalese Buddhist and Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka join forces to celebrate Aluth Avurudda – their mutual new year.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
This is also coincides with the time when the harvest ends, so the colorful fruit from the trees is collected in bulk to fuel the week long celebrations. Festivities are prepared well in advance and most of the country grinds to a halt as hundreds travel home to be with their families and stores close down in their wake – it can be impossible to track down the simplest of things just before it all starts.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The rituals begin with the cleaning of the house and lighting of an oil lamp, and woman congregate to bash on the raban (drum) to warn others of the incipient change in the year. If you fail to hear this, a storm, firecrackers is bound to hammer the point home. Families indulge in a variety of rituals which are carefully determined by astrological calculations-from lighting the fire to making the kiri bath (milk rice) bath, to entering into the first business transaction and eating the first morsels.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
Once these are done, the partying really begins as families mingle in the streets, homes are thrown open and children are left out to play. The ubiquitous planting is dished out alongside celebratory feasts of kaung (small oil cake) and kokis (small and light sweetmeat, originally from Netherlands).</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
Aluth Auvrudda has become an important national holidays for both the cultures of the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Tamil Hindu Sri Lankans, and is unique as such , as it is not celebrated elsewhere in the world. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
If you are planning to visit Sri Lanka during this time of the year, please speak to your accommodation provider/ tour guide to see any events around. You will be able to participate in traditional Sinhala games and experience the essence of Sri Lanka. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8XQHiylLviKZ1wEjDr2uvBNgfoONniwIsw9DGZr96J7dVJOTU0yBW642EyjUGZU-y6v_zok4zMSy-ziiEzqs9GJ6lJQFGNBAxIuuTQpqo8e_GpKyKltOt11vU3VnIzcG_a6SYskhVaM/s1600/Awurudu+uthsawaya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8XQHiylLviKZ1wEjDr2uvBNgfoONniwIsw9DGZr96J7dVJOTU0yBW642EyjUGZU-y6v_zok4zMSy-ziiEzqs9GJ6lJQFGNBAxIuuTQpqo8e_GpKyKltOt11vU3VnIzcG_a6SYskhVaM/s1600/Awurudu+uthsawaya.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfXIeHEIivMjUo9YtRJe3sIZmIujVWgNETH1Lmc9_s9OMItvSkq01QuRhEgbLa5LqFS91zNyZcHxhBh6lScSif4bjWDwkd-Ku0vr-H92XOBPwVe7RCMUqbCwCXwyTtgH8_sxiw8soou8/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfXIeHEIivMjUo9YtRJe3sIZmIujVWgNETH1Lmc9_s9OMItvSkq01QuRhEgbLa5LqFS91zNyZcHxhBh6lScSif4bjWDwkd-Ku0vr-H92XOBPwVe7RCMUqbCwCXwyTtgH8_sxiw8soou8/s1600/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4ieHm3doINkRJgCCTmDy_yUqrcOlcM2fR_ORP54yGjrf_b-hGmFcnZzUYS2aqbv4JFO8YnnZkrOfXxHiEgKtnvgi9fKywGfkensQBJKM6XsCByiNM22Hw8Jg7f5GMKqfmpb8MDdepXI/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4ieHm3doINkRJgCCTmDy_yUqrcOlcM2fR_ORP54yGjrf_b-hGmFcnZzUYS2aqbv4JFO8YnnZkrOfXxHiEgKtnvgi9fKywGfkensQBJKM6XsCByiNM22Hw8Jg7f5GMKqfmpb8MDdepXI/s1600/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfmXoqKcR93-7Y2sg8IoErNn7gLkXQhyphenhyphenRh67ADOa1sa9v_w-0aCtceXp9LZtr15Av-128SklRlQZ2OPYTmaAgh6cUUXuhKGFs6zh3qpdZZSRaHEdulq5d8oPG5VuJpBb5mzocsiSjSCM/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfmXoqKcR93-7Y2sg8IoErNn7gLkXQhyphenhyphenRh67ADOa1sa9v_w-0aCtceXp9LZtr15Av-128SklRlQZ2OPYTmaAgh6cUUXuhKGFs6zh3qpdZZSRaHEdulq5d8oPG5VuJpBb5mzocsiSjSCM/s1600/7.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0bkV-3F2Xcw4foj268xZX6uroZYx4G9HARPNVD4TVZefmCS_2ZffZqg0PAIPW2f2kjLbUl0fblfbyNL_I6Bz7EnyTmd69oYjmlicHlNnneRi8EYQne2VilRHXsdcaILRpRymv-BWI7w/s1600/1+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0bkV-3F2Xcw4foj268xZX6uroZYx4G9HARPNVD4TVZefmCS_2ZffZqg0PAIPW2f2kjLbUl0fblfbyNL_I6Bz7EnyTmd69oYjmlicHlNnneRi8EYQne2VilRHXsdcaILRpRymv-BWI7w/s1600/1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4QSdTDNA3L8LZ2cxjtaj1_RngFMFvPKMw60Zs0gBuwkNAFKH3zRHKnhs59y2na70wajXnmYq12kE2Q26txG2IHVhzM7dKB2JcSPZaxz_40biAiplh9WXVtxkjxL8J_eUTFD_WN9udDY/s1600/Butten+Final.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>

Sinhala & Tamil New Year Festival- April 13th & 14th

When the sun moves from Pisces to Aries, the Sinhalese Buddhist and Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka join forces to celebrate Aluth Avurudda – the...

2:23 PM

Korea – Sri Lanka Travel & Tourism Club Launched

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Korea-Sri Lanka Travel & Tourism Club was launched at the Millennium Hilton Hotel in Seoul on 14th February 2014. The club was created to enhance the cultural and economic relationship between Sri Lanka and South Korea. One of its main goals is to promote tourism, a core area of growth for Sri Lanka-Korea relations.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The chief guest of the event, Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development met with more than 100 Korean and Sri Lankan members of the club who were present at the launch ceremony. Minister of Environment and Renewable Energy Hon. Susil Premajayatha also attended the event.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the event, Minister Rajapaksa further expressed his sincere appreciation to the organizers and members of the tourism club for leading the launch, promoting tourism and cultural relations between Sri Lanka and South Korea and initiating the campaign to increase awareness of Sri Lanka as a popular destination for Korean tourists. Sri Lanka is already being vigorously promoted in Korea’s main markets, particularly through a series of promotional campaigns that will be presented throughout the year. This club will provide the additional boost for the tourism campaigns.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTE5htQzkGnImMWNualtMcQTBcVxHM8RZ24WTsLKqJENA78Ij3nG2_PoooAJJ4ExK6KWKxqHlDoX1iZOtNBtp6WjH2HnwYJ9yTMP7T3saVSTRK4umMmnpZ54rgQxs4KI9IZaKwr5f9yAQ/s1600/Korea_Sri+Lanka_Travel_Tourism_Club_Launched_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTE5htQzkGnImMWNualtMcQTBcVxHM8RZ24WTsLKqJENA78Ij3nG2_PoooAJJ4ExK6KWKxqHlDoX1iZOtNBtp6WjH2HnwYJ9yTMP7T3saVSTRK4umMmnpZ54rgQxs4KI9IZaKwr5f9yAQ/s1600/Korea_Sri+Lanka_Travel_Tourism_Club_Launched_4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSepumKnYXusx5uErvB_-gN0uYLtN263qKKnG9RilvPJHblHqS01XJQbg5BBfuK07OsFXz2akxIMYU12y9jT7JbMMQgPtcA35_vgrjtMXN2v3iBFVy7BDrvTpySqrVTi1qQ1bpqWWjCzQ/s1600/Korea_Sri+Lanka_Travel_Tourism_Club_Launched_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSepumKnYXusx5uErvB_-gN0uYLtN263qKKnG9RilvPJHblHqS01XJQbg5BBfuK07OsFXz2akxIMYU12y9jT7JbMMQgPtcA35_vgrjtMXN2v3iBFVy7BDrvTpySqrVTi1qQ1bpqWWjCzQ/s1600/Korea_Sri+Lanka_Travel_Tourism_Club_Launched_5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9hcanr_S1MhcYTCz1QI32zVyYutq3ppws5xCmvinyc5-cBZpHmbJOEBmrtG7Zxx4eMO8u-nb2w3iPZ6q6lUCZZ3vMy1g9ylVxKVTJ2s31oXAIf_p2toIJDkJOWVlu_Qgmk0Jdh7UjMc/s1600/Korea_Sri+Lanka_Travel_Tourism_Club_Launched_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9hcanr_S1MhcYTCz1QI32zVyYutq3ppws5xCmvinyc5-cBZpHmbJOEBmrtG7Zxx4eMO8u-nb2w3iPZ6q6lUCZZ3vMy1g9ylVxKVTJ2s31oXAIf_p2toIJDkJOWVlu_Qgmk0Jdh7UjMc/s1600/Korea_Sri+Lanka_Travel_Tourism_Club_Launched_7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQELyQTLBN_CGiMotZyrTE1iCJRcOQV18olTDWGU_lJNr5GHDQ5qdJEmMYxHJlVZpeozOTXnHOzvowL7eBqsjReADobfEls6lfDW_r0VEN7Yc_JH5vKKb-8Npub6nEk4r5ELV_aXQNNI/s1600/Korea_Sri+Lanka_Travel_Tourism_Club_Launched_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQELyQTLBN_CGiMotZyrTE1iCJRcOQV18olTDWGU_lJNr5GHDQ5qdJEmMYxHJlVZpeozOTXnHOzvowL7eBqsjReADobfEls6lfDW_r0VEN7Yc_JH5vKKb-8Npub6nEk4r5ELV_aXQNNI/s1600/Korea_Sri+Lanka_Travel_Tourism_Club_Launched_10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/travel_news?news=221" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoS-WLSaMpmHzs9CeBDUYLHQemLhUHERW_lJoxk6y3vb7-jcy9b_pa3R6JPCN9ncCKv-lkvVF0lhj7JnoHdeQhqnminKEZC-GXllnYkm8KY-v0M-93O-bHDJfro8PKzEdzYzOHpKDgIM/s1600/blue.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Korea – Sri Lanka Travel & Tourism Club Launched

The Korea-Sri Lanka Travel & Tourism Club was launched at the Millennium Hilton Hotel in Seoul on 14th February 2014. The club was crea...

10:29 AM

The Hot Air Balloon Festival

<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">The Annual Hot Air Ballooning Festival organized by the Ceylon Air Ship and Balloon Club is held in March in and around Sigiriya, Hambanthota and Colombo with the participation of nearly 40 participants from around the world. The Balloonists follow a path around the country traveling from down south to North-central plains of Sri Lanka and ending in Independence Square in Colombo for final display of the balloons participating in the event.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="text-align: center;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSrrUrOvuwNa3bzMdtatuw4dY2bPeSG14jVoM8LZfS8nrwYlnQjUR2Do3yDJE_Me4SSY5tViL3rbvRdNg6Mpdvc_36Cvbz5RfSHAvC1odu8juSlxGz8fiLUV9IoeXtoMFxjWNUHL8gDY/s1600/iStock_000001867239Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSrrUrOvuwNa3bzMdtatuw4dY2bPeSG14jVoM8LZfS8nrwYlnQjUR2Do3yDJE_Me4SSY5tViL3rbvRdNg6Mpdvc_36Cvbz5RfSHAvC1odu8juSlxGz8fiLUV9IoeXtoMFxjWNUHL8gDY/s1600/iStock_000001867239Medium.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Zgdo-jk8p-xti91_AJWTESxtrRtRouWuOLtm18I5p8P-7R3wLmCvBedIpDMHPFbm5TkS7SP39Y0fNR_KfBuYQNU0OF53_ISiF_YuF3wDFBa3E4y7wpX4MyIMIxJ9Rg3eA2UrrmJGYWc/s1600/ballon_lk_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Zgdo-jk8p-xti91_AJWTESxtrRtRouWuOLtm18I5p8P-7R3wLmCvBedIpDMHPFbm5TkS7SP39Y0fNR_KfBuYQNU0OF53_ISiF_YuF3wDFBa3E4y7wpX4MyIMIxJ9Rg3eA2UrrmJGYWc/s1600/ballon_lk_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6); font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 5px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://srilanka.travel/" target="_blank">THE OFFICIAL SRI LANKA TOURISM WEBSITE >></a></span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>

The Hot Air Balloon Festival

The Annual Hot Air Ballooning Festival organized by the Ceylon Air Ship and Balloon Club is held in March in and around Sigiriya, Hambant...

9:50 PM

Sri Lanka Tourism Stall Wins “Best Decoration Award” at the OTM - Mumbai and New Delhi

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka Tourism stall was awarded the “Best Decoration Award” at India’s biggest international travel show, OTM- held in Mumbai from 7-9th February and in New Delhi from 13-15 February 2014. Sri Lanka Tourism stall stood elegant at the exhibition, with its décor of water sports, Colombo city, beaches, wild life and festivals of Sri Lanka. Among the crowd of visitors that attracted the stall were the representatives from national tourist organizations, state tour operators, tour & travel agents, and online travel agencies. Countries such as Russia, Malaysia, Switzerland, China, Egypt, Thailand, Maldives, China, Sweden, and Argentina were among the other international participants at the OTM 2014.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the third consecutive year, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau together with 26 company representatives from the travel and hotel industry in Sri Lanka participated at the OTM Mumbai and New Delhi. Sri Lanka Mission in Mumbai and Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi facilitated the participation of Sri Lanka Tourism at the event.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OTM is considered the largest travel trade show in India, connecting the global travel fraternity for more than two decades. OTM is also the only travel show in India with a balanced mix of travel trade, corporate and general visitors. It is the best platform for marketing to the Indian travel trade, MICE segment and tourists. Every year, OTM draws participants from National Tourist Organizations, State Government Tourism Departments, Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Hotel & Resorts, Airlines, Online Travel Agencies and many other segments of the travel and tourism industry.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyvKUGH8c2eUbgdDHPR7i3gtLREc1piNXGTgaQ3xjkpXKPmoayj60eIejeMpsWTVZ685seJtBxh2WYEAyYJhjWd30ffoh08UpWwRcrbFWlOV6zf_xjzrLcO_89YxUqGz8jRfZwKyi-FE/s1600/OTM+Award_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyvKUGH8c2eUbgdDHPR7i3gtLREc1piNXGTgaQ3xjkpXKPmoayj60eIejeMpsWTVZ685seJtBxh2WYEAyYJhjWd30ffoh08UpWwRcrbFWlOV6zf_xjzrLcO_89YxUqGz8jRfZwKyi-FE/s1600/OTM+Award_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Kvq5xqytm5Q0owsZThjRY3vAbDsNsqNSH-6xHJ3R6r2jjUVlLrA9KFJutuHFxHnv2RJU6LvARrmHYMUBDNj10vSiJk3EdWIqBn7-5AlLunne5L1UBfEdI08Y2zV_GQGxNoOmDfVvtz8/s1600/OTM+Award_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Kvq5xqytm5Q0owsZThjRY3vAbDsNsqNSH-6xHJ3R6r2jjUVlLrA9KFJutuHFxHnv2RJU6LvARrmHYMUBDNj10vSiJk3EdWIqBn7-5AlLunne5L1UBfEdI08Y2zV_GQGxNoOmDfVvtz8/s1600/OTM+Award_4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF70Hhodnk5NyIvLnq5_fb-f-Y2_UBgI41BTbROVqwEX_xtK8c-K9zbF8paaEITpAo6DqUHNItsw8S-lat5p45sIaCPyKWQN5LxD_umXgQhjXduMupJTvI99HezCMimnd_c2LpZUg0X0M/s1600/OTM+Award_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF70Hhodnk5NyIvLnq5_fb-f-Y2_UBgI41BTbROVqwEX_xtK8c-K9zbF8paaEITpAo6DqUHNItsw8S-lat5p45sIaCPyKWQN5LxD_umXgQhjXduMupJTvI99HezCMimnd_c2LpZUg0X0M/s1600/OTM+Award_5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/travel_news?news=220" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoS-WLSaMpmHzs9CeBDUYLHQemLhUHERW_lJoxk6y3vb7-jcy9b_pa3R6JPCN9ncCKv-lkvVF0lhj7JnoHdeQhqnminKEZC-GXllnYkm8KY-v0M-93O-bHDJfro8PKzEdzYzOHpKDgIM/s1600/blue.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Sri Lanka Tourism Stall Wins “Best Decoration Award” at the OTM - Mumbai and New Delhi

Sri Lanka Tourism stall was awarded the “Best Decoration Award” at India’s biggest international travel show, OTM- held in Mumbai from 7-9t...

3:57 PM

Deyata Kirula Exhibition 2014

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Deyata Kirula exhibition will be held centering Kurunegala, Puttalam, and Kegalle Districts, 21st of February 2014 onwards. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Deyata Kirula is an extraordinary annual festival which exhibits our country’s dignity to the world. Not only to the world, but this is also an opportunity for Sri Lankans to improve their awareness on cultural heritage and the pride of the history. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe8_7-Gfak4J2jdpZY8k5NrdmaSrp__garWx4FEY5AwixtUBMvg3hG5Ft_uf4HAj-dN446otwiYdTv9bahxSjW4oFeNHm7txz6oiVET_juqrb9M2XxiZWJ2ndNmqnxV6ZT0pWUtgwRi0/s1600/kalpitiya1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe8_7-Gfak4J2jdpZY8k5NrdmaSrp__garWx4FEY5AwixtUBMvg3hG5Ft_uf4HAj-dN446otwiYdTv9bahxSjW4oFeNHm7txz6oiVET_juqrb9M2XxiZWJ2ndNmqnxV6ZT0pWUtgwRi0/s1600/kalpitiya1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://deyatakirula.gov.lk/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoS-WLSaMpmHzs9CeBDUYLHQemLhUHERW_lJoxk6y3vb7-jcy9b_pa3R6JPCN9ncCKv-lkvVF0lhj7JnoHdeQhqnminKEZC-GXllnYkm8KY-v0M-93O-bHDJfro8PKzEdzYzOHpKDgIM/s1600/blue.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Deyata Kirula Exhibition 2014

The Deyata Kirula exhibition will be held centering Kurunegala, Puttalam, and Kegalle Districts, 21st of February 2014 onwards. The Deya...

12:54 PM

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotional Strategy Highly Acclaimed by China - Wins the Prestigious Award for “Most Friendly Government Institute Worked with China in Year 2013”

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Embassy of The People’s Republic of China has placed honor on Sri Lanka Tourism by declaring them as the winner of the prestigious award for “most friendly government institute worked with China in year 2013”. The award was received by Mr. Bashwara Gunarathna –Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism from H.E. Ambassador of China Wu Jianghao, in a grand ceremony recently held at BMICH-Colombo parallel to Chinese New Year Celebrations.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The "Happy Chinese New Year Art Performance" held at BMICH was graced by the presence H. E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa ,Hon. Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, Hon. Minister Maithreepala Sirisena , Mr. Lalith Weeratunga –secretary to the president . "Top 10 Sri Lankan Partners", "Excellent Construction Projects in Sri Lanka" and "Excellent Sri Lankan Staff" were awarded to the contributors for China-Sri Lanka cooperation at the Celebration. Colorful and diverse performances were staged by staff from both Chinese and Sri Lankan companies, local Chinese entities and Chinese Embassy at this occasion. Sri Lanka Tourism won the award for excellence formulating a novel tourism strategy for China during year 2013 and partnering and collaborating with Chinese authorities to gain their maximum contribution to successfully implementing the strategy in the Chinese market.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka Tourism carried out several major promotional campaigns in China by identifying it as a major emerging market. The strategic promotional campaigns of Sri Lanka Tourism were designed on the instruction and direct guidance of the Minister of Economic Development, Hon.Basil Rajapaksa, and secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development Dr.P.B.Jayasundara, using innovative tools and methods which were far away with traditional promotional methods executed previously. Accordingly, Sri Lanka Tourism carried out aggressive mega promotional campaigns in many emerging markets including China in year 2013 in order to increase awareness, product knowledge on the destination.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXMAvjobF_HmS4lX3aDKOWHkWpC6nbuvxAa_LubN4TLNTomCEpNv7-MeXfS6uxsXv5p8SxJ_KFrFcXbDQTX_ItE6vD2UfztdqQt_cr6dCjkger-sgCRkAkU5DUJQNRI5h4ub_x2jw1hk/s1600/Sri+Lanka+Tourism+Promotional+Strategy4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXMAvjobF_HmS4lX3aDKOWHkWpC6nbuvxAa_LubN4TLNTomCEpNv7-MeXfS6uxsXv5p8SxJ_KFrFcXbDQTX_ItE6vD2UfztdqQt_cr6dCjkger-sgCRkAkU5DUJQNRI5h4ub_x2jw1hk/s1600/Sri+Lanka+Tourism+Promotional+Strategy4.jpg" width="553" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolp93CCkpsbF-8tAIm3Nb38NYWiOgES26YTDzfAJzap7Y8HtmMZiefKy11qAMQaprgxjRcS7CONEzKMasiiQmY6OJNJsM5H2h4UdMgWsh7PGtXAVJD1S5RSCTy0CRxeuxW_F4Hz5L70Q/s1600/Award+winners+group+photo_new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolp93CCkpsbF-8tAIm3Nb38NYWiOgES26YTDzfAJzap7Y8HtmMZiefKy11qAMQaprgxjRcS7CONEzKMasiiQmY6OJNJsM5H2h4UdMgWsh7PGtXAVJD1S5RSCTy0CRxeuxW_F4Hz5L70Q/s1600/Award+winners+group+photo_new.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm4jWodZojz_P0KbByYxshsW6Y73GuK09VVb9bpbzy64TUG4EMFof1si6vP6ZUMSmtELZ7FaI8qBbChEFR735DlbVWSv3AnpU84dpxIdpwjVT9STrJNX_dph7LkvUM-HJRh79VSm6ArE/s1600/Mr.+Bashwara+Gunarathna+staging+to+receive+the+award_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm4jWodZojz_P0KbByYxshsW6Y73GuK09VVb9bpbzy64TUG4EMFof1si6vP6ZUMSmtELZ7FaI8qBbChEFR735DlbVWSv3AnpU84dpxIdpwjVT9STrJNX_dph7LkvUM-HJRh79VSm6ArE/s1600/Mr.+Bashwara+Gunarathna+staging+to+receive+the+award_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/travel_news?news=218" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoS-WLSaMpmHzs9CeBDUYLHQemLhUHERW_lJoxk6y3vb7-jcy9b_pa3R6JPCN9ncCKv-lkvVF0lhj7JnoHdeQhqnminKEZC-GXllnYkm8KY-v0M-93O-bHDJfro8PKzEdzYzOHpKDgIM/s1600/blue.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotional Strategy Highly Acclaimed by China - Wins the Prestigious Award for “Most Friendly Government Institute Worked with China in Year 2013”

Embassy of The People’s Republic of China has placed honor on Sri Lanka Tourism by declaring them as the winner of the prestigious award fo...

9:06 AM

“Sri Lanka Tourism & Peking Express (Belgium) Sign an Agreement to Promote Sri Lanka Through a Popular Adventure Reality Series”

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and The Echo Line Limited (ECL)- a Belgium based Film Production Company along with the French Company “Label Aventure” entered into an agreement for producing the 10th season of Adventure reality series called “Peking Express” for the <b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">French TV channel M6. The program will showcase entire 03 episodes out of the 11 taking place in Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka will get 330 minutes of exposure with the title called <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“Share the dream”.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peking Express is a Dutch/Flemish reality game show that follows a series of couples as they hitchhike to or from Beijing. The series has already gone through five seasons. In the Netherlands it is screened by Net 5 and in Belgium by VT4. A German version was shown in 2004. The concept has also been sold to Scandinavia where it was broadcast for the first time in the autumn of 2007. The Scandinavian version is shown on Kanal 5 in Sweden, TV Norge in Norway and Kanal 5 in Denmark.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KXKTmeQRWr3OxanLf0CnuH4gJ3jWVG2gn1c5c8IfYS3SipKgk2q_bvp5agLgFopZaZ-YWiZYf30D_GdDqAQj_j6abx4QH1v4WfMoxDKgK-pnVM9D7iCbLt_U02T0nCD5YGpS9TlWwZg/s1600/Peking+Express+updated1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KXKTmeQRWr3OxanLf0CnuH4gJ3jWVG2gn1c5c8IfYS3SipKgk2q_bvp5agLgFopZaZ-YWiZYf30D_GdDqAQj_j6abx4QH1v4WfMoxDKgK-pnVM9D7iCbLt_U02T0nCD5YGpS9TlWwZg/s1600/Peking+Express+updated1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwdWfjInItFvWZ2D-mySWsHXwqwn2cPSreZXDxJioxqvfA2ugAd2Fk6b2eP77R-cqtGTs6KGv-Ex-5Uyn3y02uqnIzY4vcAKLj_zIZQC1W1SH5b1ku1RfmpHgw0GqAkYOOUrsjB1n6pg/s1600/Peking+Express+updated3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwdWfjInItFvWZ2D-mySWsHXwqwn2cPSreZXDxJioxqvfA2ugAd2Fk6b2eP77R-cqtGTs6KGv-Ex-5Uyn3y02uqnIzY4vcAKLj_zIZQC1W1SH5b1ku1RfmpHgw0GqAkYOOUrsjB1n6pg/s1600/Peking+Express+updated3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR0bUMfbE5G7Q1jQUXAjPYGg75Kr_OGx3Yv3Vq3gyT8n4Pu1dKRWVbacQmc0Gy_Fc3j2WvmTKKRCMhyphenhyphenLn2Y92IR1lFATnlD8gzdWEoFSidsWy1PLrv_tb0AzcHj9XLcQNXxTo0gSoYhw/s1600/Peking+Express+updated9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR0bUMfbE5G7Q1jQUXAjPYGg75Kr_OGx3Yv3Vq3gyT8n4Pu1dKRWVbacQmc0Gy_Fc3j2WvmTKKRCMhyphenhyphenLn2Y92IR1lFATnlD8gzdWEoFSidsWy1PLrv_tb0AzcHj9XLcQNXxTo0gSoYhw/s1600/Peking+Express+updated9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/travel_news?news=217" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoS-WLSaMpmHzs9CeBDUYLHQemLhUHERW_lJoxk6y3vb7-jcy9b_pa3R6JPCN9ncCKv-lkvVF0lhj7JnoHdeQhqnminKEZC-GXllnYkm8KY-v0M-93O-bHDJfro8PKzEdzYzOHpKDgIM/s1600/blue.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

“Sri Lanka Tourism & Peking Express (Belgium) Sign an Agreement to Promote Sri Lanka Through a Popular Adventure Reality Series”

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and The Echo Line Limited (ECL)- a Belgium based Film Production Company along with the French Company “...

5:33 PM

Aliya Resort & Spa, Sigirya Ceremonial Opening – 96 Room Theme Resort – New Addition to the Cultural Triangle

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year visitors to the Cultural Triangle, Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Pidurangala Rock Temple will be able to stay at a brand new four star hotel, Aliya Resort & Spa in Sigiriya.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Named after the beloved elephant or ‘aliya’ in the Sinhala language, this brand new 96 roomed hotel has brought an investment of 1.4 billion rupees ($7.8 million) to the Cultural Triangle. Aliya Resort and Spa Ceremoniously opened by Chief Guest Hon. Basil Rajapakse, Minister of Economic Development in the presence of Hon. Sarath Ekanayake, Chief Minister of the Central Province, Mr. Bhashwara Gunarathna Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism, Mr. Rumy Jauffer Managing Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Dr.D.S Jayaweera Director General of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Aliya Resort & Spa Chairman/Managing Director Mr.Chandra Wickramasinghe and several Tourism industry stake holders.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aliya Resort & Spa consists of 68 Deluxe rooms, 8 Deluxe rooms with Attics, 2 suites and 18 luxury tents.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aliya Resort & Spa Chairman/Managing Director and veteran hotelier Chandra Wickramasinghe said, ‘Aliya Resort & Spa is a fusion of many things old and new. It feels cutting-edge, exciting and fun. But we also want to give anyone who stays here a true feeling of village life in Sri Lanka; after all we are right in the middle of a rural area and village. So although it is very contemporary, Aliya Resort blends in with the Sigiriya Villages and the simple carefree lifestyle of the people who live here.’</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfYQYUQE8IT3qZJXeN-4c5sIin-7Q6RakRLc4LXXDFeX2_ELAL2KsGDN2mnhyphenhyphenQL336d2P_JvCQHRS8P0udiU_0wFlY3JiZqYDU0BcR6sUbcRVlYKwa4SHTueu52bhNnn_uWyORscxr7s/s1600/Aliya_Opening_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfYQYUQE8IT3qZJXeN-4c5sIin-7Q6RakRLc4LXXDFeX2_ELAL2KsGDN2mnhyphenhyphenQL336d2P_JvCQHRS8P0udiU_0wFlY3JiZqYDU0BcR6sUbcRVlYKwa4SHTueu52bhNnn_uWyORscxr7s/s1600/Aliya_Opening_1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHprEW1oiIFPp5ZbI1l4JMac4ma9wXhGP-RC8fCLbPffOeh1NiXFuxVy5fgKPVajU_zpm2AMAQBKPfw6hlpr7RSEKkKLQENFABf-myumIg5ME7Gsqn6wlcbdOxTmyQs08UetQI93iwmU/s1600/Aliya_Opening_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHprEW1oiIFPp5ZbI1l4JMac4ma9wXhGP-RC8fCLbPffOeh1NiXFuxVy5fgKPVajU_zpm2AMAQBKPfw6hlpr7RSEKkKLQENFABf-myumIg5ME7Gsqn6wlcbdOxTmyQs08UetQI93iwmU/s1600/Aliya_Opening_6.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93oToCPAaC7RacLk3BOGtyPyK8CFpGP3uwtzZWCLV2NvaxCusfGxSxOtaBWgiQPFK3_tpDtgqKH8rC38DIht-xbcy-eKO4DvHrRbjP0gCOpBCFc01nwNg7_9x2XfzEIEjKgE4cYUhJ24/s1600/Aliya_Opening_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93oToCPAaC7RacLk3BOGtyPyK8CFpGP3uwtzZWCLV2NvaxCusfGxSxOtaBWgiQPFK3_tpDtgqKH8rC38DIht-xbcy-eKO4DvHrRbjP0gCOpBCFc01nwNg7_9x2XfzEIEjKgE4cYUhJ24/s1600/Aliya_Opening_7.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbMEFQv4_ThtgPiP3Jb0nBiPObANL0659mWd9VEgkXIUKhkqMphH7vZ_00EUuYkEr63eFq_Q84foQpfD0I8DO1BXak-ISCFRZRqY6vcxcoiHPl7LQqUesuenk5Wno9IKvpPrt9HSgOlc/s1600/Aliya_Opening_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbMEFQv4_ThtgPiP3Jb0nBiPObANL0659mWd9VEgkXIUKhkqMphH7vZ_00EUuYkEr63eFq_Q84foQpfD0I8DO1BXak-ISCFRZRqY6vcxcoiHPl7LQqUesuenk5Wno9IKvpPrt9HSgOlc/s1600/Aliya_Opening_10.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisb5ifc3DMQTAHSPBZiY311V0mnO4ZY3w6dXz8CPcr05EZEwbs2TdQz9eLG6gvi5nr5MAQtbifHGSa15M31Qt5sAvGWPvIotU7R27hadn2X-giWr6OXUUFpAg8yKrGS2a9mzCGM8JNtQ4/s1600/Aliya_Opening_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisb5ifc3DMQTAHSPBZiY311V0mnO4ZY3w6dXz8CPcr05EZEwbs2TdQz9eLG6gvi5nr5MAQtbifHGSa15M31Qt5sAvGWPvIotU7R27hadn2X-giWr6OXUUFpAg8yKrGS2a9mzCGM8JNtQ4/s1600/Aliya_Opening_11.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8naVH9iwtoLNwQJ7VVNNHUBERdZ0id652sweAHu3BJKXlOuR4mQ01TR5wEJeSwZi9XuK_-Ylsedpg0uCPdpVsvX62f0-rKrJLx1JSvrpM_C8MkL07WOkFGg0hPUkM21MkE6ArJ4H5yQw/s1600/Aliya_Opening_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8naVH9iwtoLNwQJ7VVNNHUBERdZ0id652sweAHu3BJKXlOuR4mQ01TR5wEJeSwZi9XuK_-Ylsedpg0uCPdpVsvX62f0-rKrJLx1JSvrpM_C8MkL07WOkFGg0hPUkM21MkE6ArJ4H5yQw/s1600/Aliya_Opening_21.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2uyNDW-4NUFuF3WZLJWxP9UGbtqa_1KSPUUwzDrgJwZYCK13npxuDUNiK68TgMGLNvikhmy2Gvs2krNCtm3VsjwXnYQ4Dd3QCbsPmbaZo0mRkVBold85KYVefEqWi-_dR0fBcPtp5i0/s1600/Aliya_Opening_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2uyNDW-4NUFuF3WZLJWxP9UGbtqa_1KSPUUwzDrgJwZYCK13npxuDUNiK68TgMGLNvikhmy2Gvs2krNCtm3VsjwXnYQ4Dd3QCbsPmbaZo0mRkVBold85KYVefEqWi-_dR0fBcPtp5i0/s1600/Aliya_Opening_5.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/travel_news?news=214" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSW-FA0iK2fMOEReyghYx7KJnSLL-CdVV-fUyPIplpLVMR1ERWlcKfeo0iaHoJfLJk9S9T4BDg5LTGbMqbJNcAESg7BoRc68-1CxdR0ckAtRntccjac6TPGVRXx7q2jTgixcQtdtY51I/s1600/blue.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Aliya Resort & Spa, Sigirya Ceremonial Opening – 96 Room Theme Resort – New Addition to the Cultural Triangle

This year visitors to the Cultural Triangle, Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Pidurangala Rock Temple will be able to stay at a brand new four st...

4:28 PM

Travel and Leisure Magazine Recognized Sri Lanka as the “Best Travel Destination” for Chinese Travelers

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka was awarded with the “Best Travel Destination” Award at the Annual Travel Award Ceremony of the Travel and Leisure Magazine of China held on 16 January 2014 in Beijing.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Awards were given for Best Travel Destination, Best Hospitality Provider, Best Airlines and Best Travel Organizer.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to China Ranjith Uyangoda received the Award at the awarding Ceremony, which was attended by more than 400 representatives including diplomats, travel executives and travel media personnel.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Travel and Leisure Magazine identified Sri Lanka as the Best Travel Destination through an opinion poll conducted among its Journalists and Readers in China.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the awarding ceremony, a Holiday Package jointly sponsored by the Sri Lankan Airlines and Jetwing Travels of Sri Lanka was awarded to a lucky winner.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvsdzN-eTDo_1G33UT34zPzwzfT8v18DMjimT0byfxouhRI3We_T5rehGxwfHQS9c9m12ii4wZrEZqjU15uTxCadjek_KwB_qT_x4bJUlpy9boQXhLp1kPCnyYlHk8rMVpbic3Z0qDWM/s1600/Best-Travel-Destination-Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvsdzN-eTDo_1G33UT34zPzwzfT8v18DMjimT0byfxouhRI3We_T5rehGxwfHQS9c9m12ii4wZrEZqjU15uTxCadjek_KwB_qT_x4bJUlpy9boQXhLp1kPCnyYlHk8rMVpbic3Z0qDWM/s1600/Best-Travel-Destination-Award.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Visit Sri Lanka Tourism Official Website >></span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Travel and Leisure Magazine Recognized Sri Lanka as the “Best Travel Destination” for Chinese Travelers

Sri Lanka was awarded with the “Best Travel Destination” Award at the Annual Travel Award Ceremony of the Travel and Leisure Magazine of Ch...

4:18 PM

Comprehensive Tourism Guide Book Launched in Colombo

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Under the leadership of His Excellency Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga, Sri Lankan mission in Russia has initiated a series of promotional campaigns to market Sri Lanka as the preferred tourism destination among the Russian travelers.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Under these campaigns, which are fully backed by the Sri Lanka Tourism, one of the activities conducted during the year 2012 was the ‘Tourist Guide Book’ published in the Russian language which highlights the attractions of Sri Lanka.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving a step ahead, the Sri Lanka’s mission in Russia has now translated this book into English to be distributed among Sri Lanka’s tourism stakeholders including the Island’s missions in overseas countries.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Through the mission the book would also be distributed to travel and tour operators operating in key tourism markets of Sri Lanka.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqwQVmjpAVys2_o7U4K_wHAWKNEgDOb7d_BS3sAbFjMBwAGrK4WvBZuQtbl2lwENh6ioJIaCKdvc25il9QCD4GA8ooYyW2zfL4dTv0SEW_7wUm-CTP_IIePIslF_ptRy-nXe9NFov_Go/s1600/Russian+Guide+Book+-+Press+Release.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqwQVmjpAVys2_o7U4K_wHAWKNEgDOb7d_BS3sAbFjMBwAGrK4WvBZuQtbl2lwENh6ioJIaCKdvc25il9QCD4GA8ooYyW2zfL4dTv0SEW_7wUm-CTP_IIePIslF_ptRy-nXe9NFov_Go/s1600/Russian+Guide+Book+-+Press+Release.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1DKIWql4Hibtv3qYctCkwIqm4WmDGEW0S5zRgsmLX4UyS0YAIevxO0DZVwbwk7a_Iulw-9Bz3j5KzMVRHGetgO1s8wbUxLEALn9sOxx0qSkFO0-MrjDgTLT46Wg86yk0xMkjQQEh3Cs/s1600/Russian+Guide+Book+-+Press+Release1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1DKIWql4Hibtv3qYctCkwIqm4WmDGEW0S5zRgsmLX4UyS0YAIevxO0DZVwbwk7a_Iulw-9Bz3j5KzMVRHGetgO1s8wbUxLEALn9sOxx0qSkFO0-MrjDgTLT46Wg86yk0xMkjQQEh3Cs/s1600/Russian+Guide+Book+-+Press+Release1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/travel_news?news=213" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2fd4djzNDcyonloo3CIY1Lt9OG6WLQuavwSA9cFf_QPDZ_WZ2EC8yJEnFvFLwwD1zC0U7E_9Cm0DXaN5xkLKhlHq2t5qnuRGeEqcloe5-w0uIZflYTTU15Gil4ogJhgPLbBUdMrQb7g/s1600/purple.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Comprehensive Tourism Guide Book Launched in Colombo

Under the leadership of His Excellency Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga, Sri Lankan mission in Russia has initiated a series of promotional c...

3:59 PM

The Trip to Sri Lanka

<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Hien Hjortlund</span></b></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you expect from a country that has gone through a 30 years of bloody civil war? When we first met and started dating, Preben would show me the photo album of the first foreign country he visited. He was there as a young university intern working at Ceylon Leather Products Company app. 30 years ago – a leather factory – and stayed at the house of the high ranking CEO of several SOEs, Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala – Past President of the Sri Lanka Chartered Accounting Institute, President of CMA Sri Lanka and Board Member of several public companies that trade at the Colombo Stock exchange.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He would also point to this or that photo and sadly say the person in the photo was assassinated or he was shot while campaigning and the list goes on. For the last 20 years every time my husband mentioned Sri Lanka and said he wished one day he could take the family to see it, I would always try to push the issue off. I have seen enough of misery and poverty in my own country, why should I go that far to see more? And then in the middle of our ski holiday in the white wilderness of Norway last Christmas, we talked about the following Christmas and how we should be somewhere warm and different. Sri Lanka was such a good idea that everyone immediately agreed.</span></div>
<div color="red" style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: red; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally in Sri Lanka!</span></b></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here we come, December 2013! Colombo – the capital city of Sri Lanka. It is my habit to judge a strange country the minute I step off the plane and walk to the airport, see the security folks and the road leading to the city. The four-lane high way stretch of 45-minute drive is such a nice surprise with speed and traffic signs just like somewhere in Europe. No motorbikes on the highway – what a relief!</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The airport is nothing special but not something you have to complain about. But it is the people who put me at ease. Not only do the officers look good in their well-fit uniform, but they are so friendly. They always address you as ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ with a warm smile. Later on, I witness its vast hospitality at work in various circumstances and people I met, talked or just passing by in the car.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: red; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka has it all</span></b></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We stayed at the Galle Face which was built since 1864. It is an established grand hotel so rich in tradition of those colonial days by British. There is even an antique car displayed at the back of the hotel to be said as the first car of Prince Phillip – husband of Queen Elizabeth II. The hotel is perched on the Indian sea with the garden looking over the sea. Having afternoon tea at the garden while enjoying the spectacular sunsets is such a sweet romantic thing for me.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During our 10 day trip, we would switch four different hotels and experience four different kinds of landscape and also its varied climate. Sri Lanka has it all. The country is blessed by Mother Nature with so much favour. They have sea, mountains, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, tea plantations, safaris. It helps also as they don’t have too many natural disasters.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The country is so green. A lot of landscape and urban planning was laid out since British days. But what amazes me is how they are so well maintained. A walk into the Botanical Garden near Kandy city is such an overwhelming experience. The fact that there are no tea vendors or shops popping up anywhere selling anything like we often see in every corner in Vietnam helps maintain the cleanness of the huge garden.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I watched many groups of local adults and children having lunch picnics on the meadow, under the shade of big trees. I didn’t see any trash or litter after they left. Everybody eats their picnic lunch quietly, not disturbing other guests. The entrance ticket is not cheap (at US$ 10 per person) but there is always a queue at the ticket boxes. I don’t remember enjoying such a walk in a long time. Growing up near a big botanical garden in Hanoi, it was as a matter of fact a playground in my childhood, but today I can hardly see it as a botanical garden any longer.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: red; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use of English</span></b></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to admit that our trip was so much smoother and so enjoyable also thanks to our excellent driver cum guide. He was so adorable and professional that we never considered him a paid driver but as a friend. His sense of humour did not do any harm either. We would have lunches or a drink or two with him whenever he could. My curiosity is always satisfied with his explanation in excellent English.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almost everywhere we go we can easily communicate with people in English. The country has three official languages: Sinhala, Tamil and English. You will see it in all official signs or announced in all three languages by the stewardess in their national airline carrier SriLankan Airways. But English is probably the language to bring the divided nation together. English is taught as one of its official language since Grade 1.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: red; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Education system</span></b></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What Sri Lanka inherits from the British system must be their education. The country is proud to be very strong in providing professional accountants and auditors of international standards. You can see that education is strongly emphasised in this nation. It is worth to note that all schools are free of fees from elementary to university.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A good grade will help you land a better university but it is not the end of the world if you fail as you can enter a less prestigious college though the diplomas are of the equal merit. All uniforms are provided by the Government free of charge. I can see the country obsessed with uniforms. Each school has their own kind of uniform. Lunches at school are subsidised by the Government.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Peradeniya University next to the Botanical Gardens has impressive sports facilities, such as football and cricket fields, with a vast immaculate grass lawn. There is a very strong academic environment, with separate dorms for male and female students. Students have holidays every three months and they can even protest if they don’t like something. One day we passed a row of students sitting comfortably under a roofed hut with a banner in front. I asked the driver and he said it was a student protest. A very peaceful protest for whatever reason and no Police around to disturb them. After taking a picture of them, I gave them a thumbs-up for encouragement.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Sri Lanka there are many youth centres where young people can further their study or learn a new thing there while still working. It can be electronic, human management and even landscape designing. The courses are mostly done during the weekend. We visited one of the centres named after a former Minister who was shot dead while campaigning to become President, Lalith Athulathmudali, whom my husband admired so much and with whom he was friends.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: red; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka has so much to offer</span></b></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I understand why people kept coming to Sri Lanka even during the war. The country has so much to offer in a very professional way. All the rest stops – whether at a tea plantation, a gem exhibition centre, a carpentry workshop or a spice garden – are arranged in a way that leaves an everlasting experience for the tourists and each trip is always ended at one of its many amazing shops. It is time to open your wallet. But you don’t feel exploited. You are happy to bring home some of the memories, aren’t you?</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: red; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Galle Fort</span></b></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We come to a Galle Fort which was built by the Dutch and later on fell into the hands of the British. It reminds me a lot of Hoi An in Vietnam. I can see a new invasion of foreigners there as the Government’s policy offers tax free status for those who buy the property and run a business rather than just own it. It is highly recommended to spend a night or two there, preferably at the Old Colonial Hotel which was the former military headquarters of British commanders.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: red; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No devastating poverty</span></b></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our trip has covered several kilometres through many cities and villages. I can still see the poverty but not devastating poverty like you often see in Vietnam. People here never go to bed hungry. They may live in all kinds of different houses, but the houses in the countryside surprise me most. They are done with taste. Being a person interested in architecture, I can imagine I could easily live in one of those houses. Many two storey houses with gardens are dotted all along the way to Kandy city.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cinnamon Citadel Hotel is a nice experience with a sprawling view of a long river in the background of the tropical forest. Such a magnificent view! I never get tired of watching it. Have you ever see big huge trees grow in the middle of the lake? What a fascinating scene! Come to The Safari Hotel! Huge lake with huge trees.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But hey something is missing. Where are those ugly big buildings made from the same mould called ‘People’s Committee’ that one can see in every district or commune in Vietnam? Simply, we don’t see it here in Sri Lanka! I once spotted a very modest sign named ‘Municipal Council’ in a low single-storey house. However we see a lot of ‘Irrigation Department’. It says a lot about the priority in the governing of this country.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka is a country of Buddhism. Its philosophy and worship can be seen everywhere and in every aspect of life. I passed a funeral and I saw how peaceful, neat and respectable it was. All the funeral symbols are in white and guests come also in clean white robes.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also visited the Temple of the Tooth, where everyone has to take off their shoes and hats and women as well as men have to cover upper arms and legs. A security lady will help you to reinforce the law by adjusting women’s scarves in a curtained booth.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: red; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Construction is everywhere</span></b></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The whole time of the trip, Vietnam is always at the back of my mind. I can’t help comparing. The two countries have quite a lot in common. We both has two devastating wars, but how far has Vietnam gone after 38 years of peace while peace was restored in Sri Lanka just four years ago?</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Construction is everywhere. Around Galle Face Hotel in Colombo, Shangri-la and Grand Hyatt will be opened in 2015. Galle Face itself is also under complete renovation. Sri Lanka’s GDP today is around US$ 3,500.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Traveling to Sri Lanka can be a bit of problem as there still aren’t many direct flights just yet. We are very grateful for the trip customised by Adisti Travel in Bangkok, especially for the wholehearted involvement by Bent and Stig. So again thank you so much.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Hanoi, January 2014)</span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgpfVcWWqTQeZXcbFaEOudpu4Q7V5BqwwFg0F59v-Vo84oLptsf3OC3QAY2yRwG0f6Xc9BoLhRFINDi0JJMNaCZ_uC6qb2Ur_FsQLdcZS9nEtC1yBOIKf-IWSTWdqMC2DrB-AUfKpBII/s1600/bn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgpfVcWWqTQeZXcbFaEOudpu4Q7V5BqwwFg0F59v-Vo84oLptsf3OC3QAY2yRwG0f6Xc9BoLhRFINDi0JJMNaCZ_uC6qb2Ur_FsQLdcZS9nEtC1yBOIKf-IWSTWdqMC2DrB-AUfKpBII/s1600/bn.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://srilanka.travel/" target="_blank">Visit Sri Lanka Tourism Official Web Site >></a></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
</div>

The Trip to Sri Lanka

By Hien Hjortlund What do you expect from a country that has gone through a 30 years of bloody civil war? When we first met and starte...

2:22 PM

Sri Lanka’s Gangarama Temple Photo Becomes the “BEST PHOTO TAKEN ON A SMARTPHONE” Competition

<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 'Best Photo Taken on a Smartphone' contest, launched by Celebrity Cruises, encouraged amateur photographers to submit their holiday snaps and has announced that a shot of the Gangaramaya Viharaya Temple, taken in Colombo, Sri Lanka, has taken top place.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The photo, submitted by holidaymaker Zoe King, was judged to be the best by a judging panel of world-renowned photographers Stuart Franklin, Ian Berry, Art Wolfe and Massimo Vitali.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsEIBbHopWr6l1332goHGqMh1cyQkrLBid34OX2-IYZvNn56ryt6Qql6CWiNIRF122ptVyE5aKQDRHkJLz2hLF5cevX68VLeO3FnXOGdPajfUI1oA7__2gEJI0GHulhkhbLA0Aup1Ncg/s1600/Temple_photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsEIBbHopWr6l1332goHGqMh1cyQkrLBid34OX2-IYZvNn56ryt6Qql6CWiNIRF122ptVyE5aKQDRHkJLz2hLF5cevX68VLeO3FnXOGdPajfUI1oA7__2gEJI0GHulhkhbLA0Aup1Ncg/s1600/Temple_photo.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://srilanka.travel/" target="_blank">Visit Sri Lanka Tourism Official Web Site >></a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Sri Lanka’s Gangarama Temple Photo Becomes the “BEST PHOTO TAKEN ON A SMARTPHONE” Competition

The 'Best Photo Taken on a Smartphone' contest, launched by Celebrity Cruises, encouraged amateur photographers to submit their hol...

4:14 PM