Pinnawala elephant orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department in a 25 acre coconut property adjoining the Maha Oya River.

The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned Elephants found in the jungles of Sri Lanka.

The orphanage which boasts to have the largest herd of captive elephants in the world is very popular and visited daily by many Sri Lankan and foreign tourists. The main attraction is clearly to observe the elephants bathing which is quite a spectacle.

Sri Dalaga Maligawa

The Temple of Tooth at kandy is the final location of the sacred tooth of the lord Buddha which was brought to srilanka during the reign of king “keerthi sri Megawarna” by prince “Dantha” and Princess “Hemamala” from the kindom of kalingu India.

It became the palladium of srilankan kings and was preciously guarded in a special shrine built within precincts of royal palace where the capital was located.

Sri Dalada Museum

This museum occupies the upper two floors of the Alut Maligawa building and contains a stunning array of gifts donated by several presidents and Buddhist leaders from across the world to the Temple of the Tooth. Letters and diary entries from the British time reveal the colonisers’ surprisingly respectful attitude to the tooth relic.

Degal Doruwa Raja Maha Vihara

Hidden away in Kandy's leafy outskirts is the little-visited, but fascinating, Degal Doruwa Raja Maha Vihara cave temple, constructed (with the help of some obliging boulders) in the 18th century. The interior of the cave is painted head to toe in slightly faded, but captivating murals.

These fine Kandyan-era paintings depict scenes from the Jataka stories (tales from the previous lives of the Buddha). In among these are some out-of-place paintings depicting men with guns. These are likely to have been inspired by the first firearms to have arrived in Sri Lanka. Alongside the paintings is a large reclining Buddha. Visitors are likely to be shown around by one of the five resident monks.

Kandy Lake

Dominating the town is Kandy Lake. A leisurely stroll around it, with a few stops on the lakeside seats, is a pleasant way to spend a few hours, although diesel-spurting buses careening around the southern edge of the lake can mar the peace somewhat.

The nicest part to walk along is the area around the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Due to some past cases of harassment, single women should not walk here alone after dark.

Duruthu Maha Perahara(Dalada Perahara)

The month of Esala (July), during which period this annual pageant is usually held, had been considered a month of celebrations and festivity, both among Indians and Sri Lankans. Even from the lifetime of the Buddha in the 6th century BC, the Esala festival was held to commemorate the Buddha's Conception, his Renunciation and the First Sermon.

Esala is also considered to be the beginning of the raining season (Vassana) when the monks commence their Retreat. Also, this month is considered to be the period when ritual performances to the protective divinities are held, (eg Pattini puja) as recorded in the text 'Pattini-Halla'. Being considered a 'chaste' month, the period is held sacred for the availability of water, hence prosperity.

Several records have been left behind by dignitaries and other visitors to the island such as Robert Knox, John Davy, etc. The description of the perahara. These accounts provide much evidence as to the constitution and organization of the present day perahara. Yet many features seem to have been added and some changed to suit the time and the available resources and conditions.Dalada procession and the social traditions are linked so much together; the month of Esala has been named as the procession month, because of the Esala feast. In the 18th century at the time of King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe the four Devala Peraharas and Dalada Perahara were amalgamated and were made series of Peraharas. The procession is a complex procedure in which various customs are involved.

The preliminary preparation for the perahara commences at the beginning of every year. Immediately after the Wesak and Poson pageants steps are taken to inform the owners of elephants the number of tuskers and elephant required measures of repair the dresses worn by the elephants and prepare new dress if required. Measures are taken to repair the required implements like oil torches etc and to fulfill the requirements to make the perahara a success. The astrologer attached to the Sacred Tooth (Nakath Mohottala) is required to prepare an auspicious time for pageant to be inaugurated. Later a meeting of state official and delegates of voluntary associations with the patronage of the Mahasangha is summoned to discuss matters pertaining to services to be executed to make the perahara a glorious event.

Kumbal Perahera (Kumbal Procession) - The first procession of the Sacred Tooth Relic stars with the Kumbal Perhara. This is the first Kumbal Perhara shown to the infants to drive away Evil Spells and Illwill. It is a tradition that the procession parades the streets of Kandy for five days. But the Kumbal Perahara is popular and remains as an unfinished procession or a semi procession. The reason is that Nilames do not work in this procession. But the Drummers and Tuskers take part without any ceremonial costumes.

Randoli Perahera (Randoli Procession) - This could be seen only with the procession of the Sacred Tooth Relic and parade the streets for whole five days which is a tradition. In the days of the Kings the Chief Queen of the Kings paraded in this procession in Palanquins. As the participation of the Queens was not proper to the procession of the Sacred Tooth Relic they were stopped but a palanquin is taken in the procession as an honor to the Queen. Today it is taken as the last item of the procession.

Maha Randoli Perahera (Grand Randoli Procession) - The Maha Randoli Perahara is the last Procession. It is the grandest event of the festival. The Tuskers come with garlands and decorated with ceremonial costumes. The Diyawadana Nilame adds a novel glamour to the procession by wearing newly stitched costume.

Spice Gardens

Sri Lanka has always been reknowned for its spices. Over 15 different spices call Sri Lanka home and many of them are traded in the international spice market. Cinnamon especially is endemic to Sri Lanka,and highest quality ‘true cinnamon’can be obtained here.

However if a visitor does not know the right places to purchase spices it is very easy to be duped for low quality spices or pay unnecessarily exorbitant prices. Visiting Sri Lanka which is a land of spices, without seeing those spices being grown would indeed be a pity too. So can both both, touring spice plantations and buying the best spices be done at the same time? The answer is –Yes!

Reasons you should visit the Spice Gardens of Sri Lanka:

1. The gardens introduce you to the different spices in Sri Lanka and their uses.

2. They also allow you to see how the spices are grown, harvested and produced.

3. High quality spices, traditional remedies and natural cosmetics made with spices are available for purchase at very fair prices.

4. The Spice Gardens are also quiet, peaceful places to spend some time close to nature.

5. The gardens give a chance to try out amazing aromatic meals complete with the spices that tease your senses are a favourite here as well.

6. The gardens are usually open for visitors, though some may charge a minor entrance fee. So it’s a great way to spend your holiday if you are on a budget.

Not all spices are grown in a single garden, of course, since various climates and soil types are necessary for cultivation of the different spices. Therefore taking a guide or finding a formal tour package with a guide and transport method is a good idea.

Traditional Wood Carving

Handicraft of woodcarving in Sri Lanka has a long history. The tradition of woodcarving in Sri Lanka is visible at Carving shops. At these Shops, miniature replicas of the low-relief wood carving done by the traditional woodcarvers can be bought at fair prices. The three dimensional carvings of ebony Elephants, Buddha are popular in Sri Lanka. Wood-carved decorative panels are used widely in Sri Lanka in the trade of interior decoration too.

Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object. The phrase may also refer to the finished product, from individual sculptures to hand-worked mouldings composing part of a tracery.

Batik Gallery

Sri Lanka’s Batik making industry was only established firmly in the last century or so though records show that it was done earlier as well. Nowadays it is a small scale industry that provides job opportunities for many talented artisans.

Many colourful Genuine Batik shops and stalls can be found in Kandy. The shops sell Batik designed clothes (including some beautiful beachwear), wall decorations, table cloths, bed sheets and etc. Most are made of cotton, but some are made of silk.

Gem Gallery

visit a gem and jewellery gallery where you may inspect the dazzling stones at close quarters using a loupe, learning to distinguish quality based on colour, size, luster, and the absence of imperfections. Finally you will see the stones being set in to jewellery.

Come discover a whole world of Gem and jewellery.

Royal Botanical Garden

Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya are about 5.5 km to the west of the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It attracts 2 million visitors annually. It is near the Mahaweli River.These stunning gardens were once reserved exclusively for Kandyan royalty.

Highlights include a fine collection of orchids, a stately avenue of royal palms, the extraordinary, aptly named cannonball fruit tree and 40m-high Burma bamboo. Another big hit is the giant Javan fig tree on the great lawn, with its colossal central trunk and umbrella-like canopy of branches. Peradeniya is 6km from central Kandy.

Tea Factory

Tea tourism has been long-established in Sri Lanka and almost every tea factory offers a tea tour of some sort. The tours don’t take too long and can be done en route whilst you are travelling through the tea country. Your guide can help you pick out a suitable tea factory based on your route or preferences.

Once in the tea factory, you would generally start out in the plantation itself to learn about how tea is cultivated, then visit the factory where ancient machines pre-dating the industrial revolution wither, roll and dry the tea. There is normally a little time at the end of the tour for a tea tasting, either of one specific type of tea or occasionally of the various specialties of that particular factory.

Much like a wine tasting, a traditional tea tasting would involve drinking tea (without milk), swilling it around the mouth to get the taste, and then spitting it out into a spittoon. A few tea factories stick to these traditional methods, although the spittoon method is not so popular these days! Some of the larger tea factories can get extremely crowded with tourists so do be prepared for the fact that this is a very touristic experience, but entrance costs are usually nominal or free, and it’s definitely worth your time to pay a visit, even if only to get a chance to see the antique machines at work. If you would prefer a slightly more private tailored experience, this can be arranged by your travel consultant.

Vegitable and Fruit Markets

Even if you’re not looking to buy a truckload of bananas, these huge wholesale markets in Dambulla/Kandy/Nuwaraeuya offers a fascinating look at the vast range of produce grown in Sri Lanka.

What you see being carted about with manic energy (be careful and stay out of everybody’s way) will be sold in Colombo tomorrow.

These Places provide opportunities for wholesale traders to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, directly from producers and provide facilities for consumers to purchase food items at cheaper prices.

HAKGALA BOTANICAL GARDEN

Hakgala Botanical Garden is one of the five botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. The other four are Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden, Henarathgoda Botanical Garden, Mirijjawila Botanical Garden and Seethawaka Botanical Garden. It is the second largest garden in Sri Lanka. The garden is contiguous to Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve.

Hakgala Botanical Garden is situated on the Nuwara Eliya - Badulla main road, 16 km from Nuwara Eliya. The garden has a cool temperature climate because of altitude and is 1620 meters (5,400 feet) above the sea level. From December to February it has a cold climate, while the slightly warm climate persists from April to August.

st clair's waterfalls

Most conveniently seen by the travelers on Hatton – Talawakelle Road, the twin waterfalls of St.Clairs cascades over three rock outcrops into a massive pool. The beautiful and most popular fall, located among tea gardens, carries a large volume of water, and is the widest waterfall in the country.

The fall is situated over 500 m. away from the road, and one needs to walk down among the tea bushes at a steep gradient in order to reach it.

Located on the Kotmale Oya, this fall will be affected by the proposed Upper Kotmale Hydro Power Project, but for the benefit of the public a limited quantity of water will be released to prevent complete disappearance of the fall.

Devon Falls

Devon Falls is one of the most popular waterfall in the country specially due its clear view from the popular Hatton Nuwara Eliya Road. The best view is from Dimbula where a special viewpoint is located with parking facilities.

On the other side of the road is the famous Mlesna Tea Center where you could have a fresh cup of tea could be had. Almost Everybody who travels on this road to Nuwara Eliya is bound to at least break rest here before continuing the journey.

Devon waterfall will be one of the most effected waterfalls and the Government has ordered relevant authorities that enough water will be released so that the St. Clair’s waterfall will maintain a continuous flow of 47,250 m3 (1,668,618 cu ft) of water for 10 hours and 30 minutes daily, between sunrise and sunset.

Moon Plains

Moon Plains ( also known as Sandatanne, Sandagalatanne) is the latest attraction open to public in Nuwara Eliya. This area is now classified as an Agricultural and Environmental Tourism Zone by the Municiple of Nuwara Eliya and was declared opened in 25th March 2014.

The plains is located few kilometers off Nuwara Eliya town and is accessed passing the the Government Potato seed Farm at Sita Eliya.The main attraction of Moon Plains is the mini Worlds End at the edge giving a 360 Degree view of the surrounding peaks and towns. The plains is home to Elk, wild buffaloes, dear and many types of birds. This area is also visited by leopards.