Sri Lanka

On my way to Europe from Jakarta, being curious I decided to make a long stop-over on my trip and visit island nation of Sri Lanka. Having only 1 week, I rented a small car and tried to see as many places as possible during my short stay. Obviously, it would have been nice to have more time, but this visit gave me a good glimpse of the island and it’s inhabitants.

After many weeks on the densely populated island of Java in Indonesia, it was particularly enjoyable to drive through some scarcely populated regions of the island. As you know, there are mountains in the centre of the island and it was great to have moderate temperatures after the heat and humidity of Jakarta.

It’s very simple to visit the island which is well organized, traffic follows road rules and at large, people are open and friendly.

Colombo

Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka (5.6 million).

Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East–West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. It was made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815, and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

Abhayagiri Vihāra. Historically was a great monastic centre as well as a royal capital, with magnificent monasteries rising to many stories, roofed with gilt bronze or tiles of burnt clay glazed in brilliant colors. To the north of the city, encircled by great walls and containing elaborate bathing ponds, carved balustrades and moonstones, stood "Abhayagiri", one of seventeen such religious units in Anuradhapura and the largest of its five major viharas.

The Abhayagiri Dagaba is one of the focal points of the complex.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress located near the town of Dambulla. The name refers to a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 metres high.

According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this site was selected by King Kashyapa (477 – 495 AD) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The capital and the royal palace was abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.

Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.

Kandy

Kandy is a large city in central Sri Lanka. It's set on a plateau surrounded by mountains, which are home to tea plantations and biodiverse rainforest. The city's heart is scenic Kandy Lake (Bogambara Lake), which is popular for strolling.

Kandy, the "Temple of the Tooth" shrine

Ella

Ella is a small town, approximately 200 kilometres east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,040 metres above sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation.

Galle

Galle (formerly Point de Galle) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, 119 km from Colombo.

Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as Qali) before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, during the Dutch colonial period. Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by the Portuguese in South and Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between Portuguese architectural styles and native traditions. The city was extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards.

The Galle fort is a UNESCO world heritage site and is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.