205 km from Colombo is Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's first capital founded about the 4th century BC. According to the Mahavansa, the Sinhala Buddhist chronicle, the city was a model of planning. Precincts were set aside for huntsmen and scavengers and even heretics and foreigners. There were hostels and hospitals, separate cemeteries for high and low castes. A water supply was assured by the construction of reservoirs.

Anuradhapura was to continue for six hundred years as the national capital. But internecine struggles for the royal succession grew, and it became more and more vulnerable to the pressures of South Indian political expansion. The city was finally abandoned and the capital withdrawn to more secluded areas. But the monuments of Anuradhapura's heyday survive, surrounded by the solemn umbrage of trees, scions of an ancient parkland.

Kandy - The Hill Capital of Sri Lanka nestling among the misty hills in the central region of this paradise island is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It was here once the Sinhala kings ruled majestically. Next to Colombo, it is also the most visited city in Sri Lanka . As the shrine holding the sacred tooth relic of the lord Buddha is placed in the heart of the city, it's also the most venerated city in Sri Lanka. Because of the history, pageantry and veneration associated with this exquisite city, Kandy is classed as a World Heritage City by UNESCO.

Kandy is a reflection of the variety, harmony and diversity of the people and cultures that make Sri Lanka a great nation. It was once the capital of the Kandyan kingdom, the last bastion of resistance to the colonial domination of the nation. This royal city fell to the British in 1815 sealing the fate of Sri Lanka's long cherished independence.  

This last seat of the Sinhalese kings, who ceded power to the Britishin in 1815 after many a battle with the western colonial forces, still retains much of the old charm and tradition of the truly Sri Lankan life style.  

Among the most picturesque cities in the island, the importance of Kandy is mainly due to it being the home of the Dalada Maligawa or Temple of the Tooth - which houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Here visitors can observe the ancient traditions of drumming and sacred chanting in honour of the Tooth Relic, being performed several times each day.

Kandy is also the venue of the Esala Perahera, easily the most colourful pageant of Asia, held in July/August each year, in honour of the tooth Relic. As the pagentry of the Esala Perahera unfolds through ten nights each year, the city takes on the air of a torch-lit dreamland, complete with a hundred or more colourfully caparisoned elephants, drummers, dancers, and chieftains in the rare colourful trappings of the old kingdom.

The city is a monastic centre of Buddhism with the two biggest monasteries - the Malwatte and Asgiriya temples located here. Around the city are several other Buddhist temples with special attractions for the visitor looking for the cultural traditions of Sri Lanka. The rock temple at Degaldoruwa, has beautiful Buddhist frescoes of the 17th century, while the Lankatilleke and Gadaladeniya temples are unique examples of the Buddhist construction in brick and stone during the same period. The shrine to a Hindu deity at Embekke is the best extant example of the wood carvings of the Kandyan period. Another temple well known for its frescoes is the one at Ranawana.

The numerous smaller temples that dot the Kandyan landscape are places of unusual calm and peace, where one could still discover the close link between the temple and the village, which was the mainstay of Sinhalese social organization.

The Kandyan areas are where the crafts of the Sinhalese have been kept alive. From the art of mat weaving at Dumbara, to the silver craftsmen of Nattaranpotha, and wood carvers of Embekke, the Kandyan craftsmen produce the exquisite material which makes up the most sought after souvenirs of Sri Lanka.

Your progress through the winding streets of Kandy could often be obstructed by a tame elephant, carrying its load of palm leaves for the daily lunch, or an elephant stopping at the wayside tea kiosk for a lunch of bananas. The Elephant Bath, at the Mahaweli River near Katugastota is where the many domesticated elephants of Kandy come for their daily bath, a must to keep the elephants happy. (One word of caution though, if you wish to have your photograph taken on an elephant's back at this place, make sure to agree on the price first, and better still, have your local guide with you. The elephants are friendly enough, but the mahouts [or elephant handlers] are much more calculating).  

After the Temple of the Tooth, the most famous landmark of Kandy is its lake, in the centre of the city. The old building at its edge near the Temple of the Tooth was the Queen's Bath. On the other side of the Temple of the Tooth, housed in part of former royal palace, is the Kandy Museum which houses excellent exhibits from the Kandyan period of Sri Lanka's history.  

The Kandy Market is a great bazaar full of the sounds of exciting trade and bargaining. The stalls are full to overflowing with fresh vegetables, spices and fruits.

Kandy, a historic city, 126 km east of Colombo is the centre of culture and art and was the last kingdom of Sri Lanka, which fell under British rule in 1815.

Traditions have been maintained and still the colourful, and spectacular pageant of great importance to Buddhists and others alike, the Kandy Esala Perahera is held on ten successive nights in the month of Esala (July/August) every year.  

It is a wonderful spectacle where more than fifty caparisoned elephants and tuskers walk along the streets of Kandy for over two and half hours accompanied by Kandyan dancers, dancing to the rhythmic beatiing of drums by the Kandyan drummers. Torch bearers carrying iron baskets fitted to the end of long poles, filled with burning copra light up the pageant.

The Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) Perahera (procession) leads the pageant, followed by the perahera of the four develes (shrines) dedicated to the gods Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and the goddess Pattini.  

The streets are packed to capacity with spectators during the ten days of the festival. Foreign tourists do not fail to witness the annual pageant which makes their visit to Sri Lanka a memorable one.  

People begin to arrive in Kandy from early dawn to get the best possible positions to see the perahera. Some are seated on the pavement by the Kandy Lake and others line up the perahera route. Seats are provided at certain places for a nominal fee. All hotels in Kandy are filled to capacity during this period while the Kandyan craftsmen too make good business selling their wares.

The leading elephant carries an official who holds the Royal decree permitting to conduct the perahera. This is followed by elephants walking abreast in groups of three. In between are the drummers, the dancers and flag bearers carrying traditional flags. The custodian of the Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic, the Diyawadana Nilame dressed in complete traditional costume walks at the end of the Maligawa perahera with a long line up of Kandyan dancers performing in front of him. They follow the tusker carrying the golden casket containing the bodily relics of the Buddha and walking on pavada, a metre wide long white cloth, laid in front of him.  

The Maligawa perahera is followed by the peraheras of the four devales with the custodians of the devales walking at the end of each perahera. The perahera of the god of Kataragama is mostly coloured in red with some devotees performing kavadi dances. Some carry pots on their heads while dancing. The last perahera is that of goddess Pattini. Palanquins are carried at the end of the perahera.  

On the final day of the perahera, they all go to a place in the river Mahaweli where the 'water-cutting' ceremony takes place. It involves the parting of the river water with a sword and filling brass pots with water from the place where the water has parted after discarding the water collected the previous year. At the end of that ceremony they all return in procession to the Maligawa and the four shrines respectively when people on the wayside feed the elephants with juggery, bananas and milk rice. The Maligawa perahera goes round the temple thrice before finally entering the premises.  

The following day the Chief Custodians of the Maligawa and the devales jointly report to the Head of the State about the successful completion of the perahera.

A characteristic fishing town 37km. north of Colombo, it is a mere 6 km. from the International Airport. Set amid lush groves of coconut palms, it breathes the spirit of the sea. Negombo is a gourmet's paradise with sea food in plenty. Old world fishing craft like the outrigger canoe and the catamaran bring seer, skipjack, herring and mullet, pomfret and amber - jack while lobster and prawns are caught in the lagoon.

Just 12 km. south of Colombo, Mount Lavinia is an immediate city suburb and the beach is one of the better known even in colonial times. It lies alongside a wind swept headland jutting into the waters of the Indian Ocean. The sand is the softest and the waves calm and clear. The Governor's House built in 1805 by Sir Thomas Maitland, now forms part of the famous Mount Lavinia Hotel.

56 km. south of Colombo, Beruwela marks the beginning of a 130 km. stretch of beach where resort development has taken immense strides in the past few years. Good bathing may be had in the bay all year round.

62 km. south of Colombo, the Bentota Resort Complex is a romantic rendezvous of river and sea with several hotels, railway station, post office, shopping arcade, cafeteria and an open air theatre showing folk and mask dancing with clusters of palms overlooking everything.

A half hour's drive from Bentota is Ambalangoda, home of devil dancing and mask making.

98 km. south of Colombo, Hikkaduwa is the place for underwater delight. Site of the famed coral gardens; hire a glass bottomed boat or goggles and flippers and explore the fantasies under your feet. Don't purchase or encourage sale of corals.

116 km. south of Colombo, is the most important southern town with an old-world charm. Believed to be the 'Tarshish' of the Bible, its natural harbour was a famous fort in days gone by. Famous for its Dutch fort, lace making, ebony carving and gem polishing.

27 km. from Galle with its picturesque bay, and an off shore islet where a French Count built his dream house, Weligama is where you will see the famous stilt fishermen.

257 km. from Colombo, Trincomalee is the ideal refuge for the beach addict, with its fine natural harbour and excellent beaches.

314 km. from Colombo, Batticaloa is famous for its 'singing' fish and picturesque lagoon.

32 km. from Batticaloa, Kalkudah, with its clear calm reef protected sea is ideal for bathing. Passekudah, close by, has a fine bay with clear waters. A popular tourist centre with a modern hotel and other facilities.

Sigiriya, in fact, should have been classed as one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, long ago, and there is now a proposal to name it as the Eighth Wonder of the world. Perhaps, it is better late than never!

Sri Lanka's ancient architectural tradition is well portrayed at Sigiriya, the best preserved city centre in Asia from the first millennium, with its combination of buildings and gardens with their trees, pathways, water gardens, the fusion of symmetrical and asymmetrical elements, use of varying levels and of axial and radial planning. Sophisticated city planning was at the heart of Sigiriya, this royal citadel of ancient fame from the days of Sri Lanka's memorable past.

The Complex consists of the central rock, rising 200 meters above the surrounding plain, and the two rectangular precincts on the east (90 hectares) and the west (40 hectares), surrounded by two moats and three ramparts.

The plan of the city is based on a precise square module. The layout extends outwards from co-ordinates at the centre of the palace complex at the summit, with the eastern and western axis directly aligned to it. The water garden, moats and ramparts are based on an ‘echo plan’ duplicating the layout and design on either side. This city still displays its skeletal layout and its significant features. 3 km from east to west and 1 km from north to south it displays the grandeur and complexity of urban-planning in 5th century Sri Lanka.

The Sigiri Gardens blend together to make the perfect setting for the Lion Mountain. The gateway to the western precinct lies across the inner moat. It had an elaborate gate-house made of timber and brick with a tiled roof. The moat is perfectly aligned with a mountain peak in the distance.

Only the southern side of the garden has been excavated, leaving the identical northern half for the archaeologist of the future. In the entire Sigiri-Bim, over 200 village tanks and rural sites have been investigated.  

The water gardens of the western precinct are symmetrically planned, while the boulder garden at a higher level is asymmetrically planned. The water garden displays one of the worlds most sophisticated hydraulic technologies, dating from the Early Historic Period.  

This shows an interconnection of macro- and micro-hydraulics to provide for domestic horticultural and agricultural needs, surface drainage and erosion control, ornamental and recreational water courses and retaining structures and also cooling systems.  

The Macro system consisted of the Sigiri Maha weva, the manmade lake with a 12 km dam, running south from the base of the rock, a series of moats, two on the west and one on the east fed from the lake. At micro level are, the water control and the water retaining systems at the summit of the rock and at various levels with horizontal and vertical drains cut in to the rock and underground conduits made of cylindrical terracotta pipes.