Hotel Sigiriya

Highlights

by roberts_kim

Anuradhapura - an ancient city and home of the worlds oldest planted tree, taken from a cutting of the tree under which the buddha reached his enlightenment.

World's End and Baker Falls - a great day trip and stunning scenery. Fascinating to watch the valley fill up with cloud (if you time it right)

Hikkaduwa - Great wreck diving and back packer-y beaches

Nuwara Eliya - Sri Lanka's version of English. Misty lakes, tea plantations and horse racing, and a golf course! SL's highest city. Tak the scenic train from Kandy

Dambulla - famous cave temples and Geoffrey Bawa's fantastic Kandalama hotel

Sigiriya - amazing old rock, ruined city of former rulers. Fascinating cave murals and temple on top. A good hike.

Sri Pada - A fun and spiritual journey to the top of a mountain. Start at 3 am and arrive at the temple on top for sun rise. Touristy tat and tea shops on the way. An experience worth having!

Kandy - Temple of the tooth (holds the tooth relic of buddha), and Botanical Gardens (fruit bats and gynormous fig tree!)

it was definitely Sri Lanka

by dtamas

"Spice garden"

Ayurvedic medicine is widely used in Sri Lanka. Ayurveda products are based on herbs & spices like black pepper, cinnamon, sandalwood, aloe vera, or the coconut. We've had a guided tour around a spice garden in Matalé. We've been introduced to the usage of some of the garden's ayurvedic products. After all, I've bought a jar of sandalwood cream for after shave usage. Need to start somewhere, eh?

"The Full Moon ceremony"

The day we arrived in Colombo we went out to walk along the streets. Since it's hard for a european to mingle with the crowd in Sri Lanka, a local tour guide from a nearby hotel has joined us. He persuaded us to see the 'Full Moon ceremony' at one of the Buddhist Temples, and fetched a tuk-tuk (the substitute for taxi in Sri Lanka), and led us to the Temple.
May I say it was worth it. I've been introduced to the meaning of the buddhism by seeing people practicing their religion. Now I know that the full moon means it's time to purify the spirit.

"Hindu Temple"

This picture shows the ornaments on the top of a hindu temple in Colombo. The complex arrangement of shapes, symbols, and colors may take up hours to perceive in every parts.

"Pinnawala -elephant sancturay"

Pinnawala is also known as the elephant orphanage house. The elephants wound, or orpaned in the wild are living here.It's funny to see those big elephants playing just like kids. They are fond of bathing, so every day, when it's time to go to the river, they are getting very excited.

"Peradeniya, Royal Botanical Garden"

This botanical garden in Kandy is one of the six 'Royal' botanical gardens on the world. I have had a very short glimpse of it, but the memory of the 30 meter high bamboos, the 140 year old ficus benjamina tree, the alley of some wind-curved pine trees, the orchids, and the water lily in a pond will last long.

"The streets of Colombo"

Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka is an unbelievable mixture of three different cultures. You can find Buddhist, Hindu, and Catholic churches, as well as modern buildings.

"The Temple of Tooth Relic"

The most spectacular building in Kandy is the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa). If you visit Sri Lanka in the summertime (August), don't miss the Perahera - when the Tooth Relic is being carried around the city on a holy elephant - and then tell me about it!

"Hotel Sigiriya Village"

The night before visiting the Rock of Sigiriya we've stayed in Hotel Sigiriya Village. The Hotel itself was so unique that I should mention it here. Imagine a tropical forest with a make-up, so that you live in a garden. Rather than staying in a room of a larger building, you will stay in a bungalow, an go out for a walk in that forest to the main building to have a delicious meal. If you happen to love nature, probably the best choice to stay here: you can sleep with the lullaby of the birds and the cicadae. To hear what I meant, check these links:

the jungle (part 1)
the jungle (part 2)

"The Rock"

Sigiriya features a rock that rise hundreds of meters above the plain. Despite the scenery it provides, there is a historical fortress (built by ancient king Kassyapa) on the top. It may worths climbing in the early hours to avoid the daytime heat and sunlight. The rock, and the surrounding ruins give you a lot to see.

"Negombo"

Negombo is a small, charming little fishing village 30 km north to Colombo. The hotel area is kept clean, but some miles away, the fish-market on the beach has the unbeatable "scent" of the seafish drying on the sun. Anyways, there are beautiful lagoons waiting to be explored on boat, and - just like everywhere in Sri Lanka - you can find many friendly people.