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SPLENDID SRI LANKA February 2-21, 2012
THU/FRI, FEB 2/3 - DEPART LOS ANGELES The adventure begins late Thursday evening as we check in for our Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong, scheduled for departure shortly after midnight. SAT, FEB 4 - ARRIVE COLOMBO We arrive in Hong Kong this morning and connect with a flight to Colombo, capital of the island nation of Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon. Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel in Negombo. Jetwing Sea Hotel SUN, FEB 5 - NEGOMBO-KANDY Thanks to its position between the rich ocean waters and the Negombo Lagoon inland, Negombo has developed into one of the most important fishing ports on the island. We visit the Duwa fish market and photograph colorful wooden boats tied up along the waterside, then follow the old coastal road through Pamunugama and Hendala before turning inland. Beyond the urban sprawl of Colombo, a series of roadside villages exemplify the tendency of Sri Lankan villages to specialize in a particular craft or crop. Pineapples are stacked in neat racks at Belummahara, while Cadjugama specializes in cashew nuts and Radawaduwa in cane furniture. We arrive at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in time for lunch, then enjoy watching older elephants stuff their faces with trunkloads of palm leaves while the youngsters guzzle enormous quantities of milk from oversized baby bottles. Afterward, the elephants cross the road to the Ma Oya river for a leisurely bath which we photograph from the river bank or from balconies above the river. Continue on to Kandy for overnight. Queen's Hotel (BLD) MON, FEB 6 - KANDY Situated amid precipitous green hills at the heart of the island, Kandy is home to the country's most important religious shrine, the Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa), set on the lakeshore just east of the city center. The temple houses the legendary Buddha's Tooth which arrived here in the 16th century. Pujas are held several times daily, accompanied by loud drumming. Two buildings from the Royal Palace, which originally surrounded the Temple of the Tooth, are the imposing Audience Hall and the Raja Tusker Museum, devoted to the memory of Sri Lanka's most famous elephant. Raja died in 1988 after 50 years of loyal service as the elephant that carries the Tooth Relic casket during the Esala Perahera. The Kandy Garrison Cemetery, established in 1817 shortly after the British seized control of Kandy, provides a final resting place for expired British colonists and offers a moving memorial to Ceylon's former colonial master. Leisure time this afternoon to explore on your own before a show of Kandyan dancing and drumming. Queen's Hotel (BD) TUE, FEB 7 - KANDY-DAMBULLA We begin the day with the classic view of Kandy from Rajapihilla Mawatha, then visit Asigiriya Maha Vihara monastery with its large reclining Buddha. Trinity College Chapel is made of stone, its roof supported by 50 pillars with fine stone carvings displaying beautiful Kandyan craftsmanship. The countryside around Kandy is dotted with dozens of historic temples, the most interesting of which are the Embekke Devale, Lankatilake, and Gadaladeniya -- all three built during the 14th century. The bustling town of Matale and the surrounding area are an important center for traditional Sri Lankan arts and crafts. The heart of the nearby Aluvihara monastery temple complex consists of cave temples tucked away in a picturesque jumble of huge rock outcrops linked by flights of steps and narrow paths between the boulders. The cave temples of Dambulla, cut out of an enormous granite outcrop rising over 500 feet above the surrounding countryside, are filled with Buddha images and murals. Time permitting, we photograph the spectacular citadel of Sigiriya (Lion Rock) in late-afternoon light before proceeding to our hotel. Amaya Lake (BLD) WED, FEB 8 - SIGIRIYA / POLONNARUWA We make an early-morning visit to Sigiriya, rising sheer and impregnable from the denuded plains of the dry zone. The shortest-lived but most extraordinary of all Sri Lanka’s medieval capitals, it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982. At Habarana we see mahouts washing their elephants in a creek and take an elephant ride before proceeding to the great ruined capital of Polonnaruwa, one of the highlights of the Cultural Triangle. Its extensive and well-preserved remains offer a fascinating glimpse of medieval Sri Lanka, including some of the island's finest monuments -- among them the Quadrangle, containing the densest and finest group of remains in the city, the famous Buddha statues of the Gal Vihara, and the evocative Lankatilaka shrine. Amaya Lake (BLD) THU, FEB 9 - ANURADHAPURA Our full-day excursion begins with a stop at the village of Aukana, home to a magnificent 40-foot-high standing Buddha that has become one of the defining symbols of Sri Lankan Buddhism. Nearby is the remote and little-visited Sasseruwa Buddha, almost equal in height through apparently uncompleted. Situated almost at the center of the northern plains, the city of Anuradhapura rose to prominence very early in the development of Sri Lanka and maintained its pre-eminent position for over a thousand years, until being laid waste by Indian invaders in 993. At its height, it was dotted with dozens of monasteries populated by as many as 10,000 monks. The sprawling complex contains a rich collection of archaeological and architectural wonders: enormous dagobas (surpassed in scale only by the great pyramids at Giza), soaring brick towers, ancient pools, and crumbling temples. Several of the sites remain in use as holy places and temples. Amaya Lake (BLD) FRI, FEB 10 - DAMBULLA-NUWARA ELIYA Today we drive south through Kandy and climb nearly 4,500 feet into the southern hill country, the highest, wildest, and possibly most beautiful part of Sri Lanka. Most of what now exists is the creation of the British colonial period, when the introduction of tea here changed the economic face of Sri Lanka forever. The region is a whimsical mixture of ruggedly beautiful scenery and colonial style, with sheer green mountainsides, plunging waterfalls, and mist-shrouded tea plantations enlivened by half-timbered guesthouses, Gothic churches, colorful Hindu temples, and sari-clad workers on the tea estates. Jetwing St. Andrew's Hotel (BLD) SAT, FEB 11 - HILL COUNTRY Sri Lanka's highest town, Nuwara Eliya lies in a bowl of green mountains at the foot of the island's tallest peak. Established by the British in the 19th century, the town and surrounding area are often touted as Sri Lanka's "Little England," a remnant of the old country stuck in the heart of the tropics. Today's excursion takes us through typical tea plantation scenery as we make a loop via Hatton, Castlereigh Reservoir, St. Clair Falls, Devon Falls, and Dimbula. We tour the Labookelie Tea Estate factory, set in gorgeous rolling countryside at an elevation of around 6,500 feet. We also visit Lovers Leap and the colorful Seetha Amman Hindu temple before returning to Nuwara Eliya. Jetwing St. Andrew's Hotel (BLD) SUN, FEB 12 - NUWARA ELIYA-UDA WALAWE Today we head downhill, stopping at the village of Ella for Rawana Ella Falls and a spectacular view through Ella Gap to the plains far below. Attractions around Haputale include the impressive Diyaluma Falls, tumbling over a sheer 700-foot cliff face in a single slender cascade, and the rambling Dambatenne Tea Factory, built in 1890 by the famous tea magnate Sir Thomas Lipton. South of Wellawaya lie the magical carvings of Buduruwagala, a series of seven figures carved in low relief into the face of a large rock outcrop. We check into our hotel, then pick up 4WD vehicles for an afternoon game drive in Uda Walawe. One of Sri Lanka's most popular national parks, it's the best place on the island to see elephants in the wild. In addition to over 500 elephants, there are also hundreds of water buffaloes, plus macaque and langur monkeys, spotted and sambar deer, and crocodiles. Centauria Hotel (BLD) MON, FEB 13 - UDA WALAWE-YALA NATIONAL PARK We enjoy another game drive in Uda Walawe this morning before departing for Yala National Park, Sri Lanka's most visited wildlife reserve. This afternoon we take our first game drive in Yala, a vast region of dry woodland and open patches of grassland. With over 35 leopards, Yala West has one of the world's densest leopard populations; the subspecies found here is unique to Sri Lanka. Elephants are also well-known inhabitants, and with luck we'll see the shaggy-coated sloth bear, jackals, sambars, spotted deer, boars, crocodiles, water buffaloes, mongooses, and monkeys. Yala is rich in birdlife, about 130 species having been recorded here; peacocks are ubiquitous throughout the park. Chaaya Wild Yala (BLD) TUE, FEB 14 - YALA NATIONAL PARK We spend the entire day in the park, giving us maximum opportunity to spot wildlife, especially the elusive leopard. Also within Yala are the remains of a once-thriving human community called Situlpahuwa, a monastic settlement that appears to have housed 12,000 inhabitants and today is an important pilgrimage site. Chaaya Wild Yala (BLD) WED, FEB 15 - YALA-TISSAMAHARAMA Kataragama is one of the three most venerated religious sites in Sri Lanka, held sacred by Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims alike. We arrive in time for the mid-morning puja and explore a bit before driving to Tissamaharama (also called Tissa). Later, we return to Kataragama to witness the evening puja, where pilgrims flock to the Sacred Precinct bearing fruit platters as offerings, and many smash coconuts in front of the deity's shrine. Ringing bells fill the temple, musicians perambulate around the complex, groups of pilgrims perform the kavadi, or peacock dance, spinning like dervishes, occasionally with such fervor that they collapse in a dead faint on the ground. Priyankara Hotel (B) THU, FEB 16 - TISSAMAHARAMA / BUNDALA Modern Tissa is bounded on the north by a beautiful expanse of paddy fields, in the middle of which stands the impressive Santagiri dagoba, built in the second century B.C. and now restored to its original glory. Nearby is Tissa Wewa, an expansive artificial lake where we take a boat trip to view the amazing birdlife found here. This afternoon we enjoy a game drive in Bundala National Park, an important area of coastal wetland renowned for its abundant aquatic and other birdlife, as well as significant populations of elephants, crocodiles, turtles, and other fauna. Bundala is a fantastic maze of waterways, lagoons, and dunes that glitter like gold in the setting evening sun. Priyankara Hotel (BD) FRI, FEB 17 - TISSAMAHARAMA-GALLE Stretched along a great arc of sun-baked coastline from Tissamaharama in the east to Galle in the west, the south remains essentially rural -- a land of sleepy villages sheltered under innumerable palms, where the laid-back pace of life still revolves around coconut farming, rice cultivation, and fishing. Today we drive along the coast with several stops en route: Hambantota for its harbor, fish market, and colorful fishing boats; the large seated Buddha at Wewurukannala Vihara; Dickwella Lace, a women's cooperative set up to revive and protect the art of bobbin lace-making; Dondra lighthouse at the island's southernmost point; and Mirissa, with a picturesque harbor and a beach that remains one of the prettiest on the island, its white-sand beach lined with stands of palm trees. Weligama is a sleepy fishing town meandering around a broad and beautiful bay, dotted with rocky outcrops and fringed with fine golden sand; dozens of colorful outrigger catamarans are pulled up on the beach. Its lush streets are lined with pretty gingerbread villas decorated with ornate wooden fretwork, while along the seafront road women sit in front of their homes hunched over pieces of lace, a local specialty since Dutch times. This section of the coast is one of the best places to witness one of Sri Lanka's most emblematic sights, stilt fishermen, where men perch on a single pole and crossbar planted out in the sea and cast their lines into the currents. Our last stop before arriving in Galle is the gleaming white peace pagoda, with magical views of Galle Fort clearly visible in the distance. Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel (BLD) SAT, FEB 18 - GALLE This morning we board boats at Balapitya to cruise along the Madu Ganga, a good place to spot water monitors and a wide array of birdlife. We stop at Ambalangoda, the island's major production center for the demonic wooden masks originally designed to be worn in exorcism ceremonies and kolam dances, and stroll around the picturesque fishing harbor and through the lively fish, fruit, and vegetable market on Main Street. At the heart of modern Galle lies the old Dutch quarter, known as the Fort, designated a World Heritage Site. Sri Lanka's best-preserved colonial townscape, the Fort is enclosed within a chain of huge bastions that now protect the area from modernization. It has an understated, sleepy charm, its streets lined with old churches and Dutch colonial villas. Many have been turned into boutique shops, cafes, and small hotels and guesthouses. The main pleasure here is just ambling around the atmospheric old streets and walls, savoring the easy pace of life and refreshing absence of traffic. The entire afternoon is at leisure to explore Galle Fort and Galle Harbor. Be sure to walk around the fort ramparts at sunset for a memorable end to your day. Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel (B) SUN, FEB 19 - GALLE-NEGOMBO Today we drive up the west coast, heading for Negombo. At Hikkaduwa, we see the pretty Buddhist temple, Gangarama Mahavihara, and the Tsunami Honganji Vihara, erected as a memorial to those who perished in the devastating 2004 tsunami. The long stretch of beach near Kosgoda is the most important sea turtle nesting site on the west coast, and we stop to learn about the Turtle Conservation Project there. In the town of Aluthgama is one of Sri Lanka's tallest seated Buddha statues, resting atop a lotus pedestal at the hilltop Kande Vihara, which also plays host to a pair of resident elephants and a herd of deer. And Kalutara announces its presence via the immense white dagoba of the Gangatilaka Vihara. We continue on to our hotel in Negombo via the old coastal road. Jetwing Sea Hotel (BLD) MON, FEB 20 - NEGOMBO The entire day is at leisure to rest up, enjoy the hotel facilities, pack, or hire a car and driver for an optional excursion into the surrounding area. It may well be worth getting up very early and heading for the harbor to watch the amazing sight of the fishing fleet returning with their catch. Farewell dinner before our late-evening transfer to the airport. Jetwing Sea Hotel (BD) TUE, FEB 21 - COLOMBO-LOS ANGELES Our flight to Los Angeles via Hong Kong leaves about midnight, arriving shortly after noon of the same day. And thus ends our sojourn in splendid Sri Lanka.
Note: Included meals are indicated by B, L, and D for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
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