Some of the largest Tea Plantations in the Island are in the vicinity of Nuwara Eliya, where the most suitable climate exists for the growth of this finest of beverages, one of them is located beside the adjacent hills of the city limits of picturesque Nuwara Eliya, it is known as 'Labookellie' Estate (Melon Forest) another is 'HavEliya' Estate (Rabbit Heights).
When we take you there, an orientation of the numerous processes of 'tea making' from the green leaves to the dried broken orange pekoes can be observed with precise explanations of the processes, later you are invited to taste the flavor of the day's pluck seated on European furniture in the Colonial factory building, view the images of the plantation, factory & the founders down memory lane and take a stroll of the vast fields of the scenic tea estate fields up & down rolling hills.
Observe how the tea is planted, replanted, pruned, new plants are nursed, fertilized, moistened, 'suntanned', broken, conveyed, minced, graded, dried, sorted, packed & transported to auctions for tasting.
Activities
Only a few beaches provide the uncanny tall waves required for Surfing out of thirteen hundred kilometers of coastline, most of which are calm & tranquil. They’re mostly on the East Coast – Arugam Bay, Passekuda, Trinco & Panama though there are emerging new beaches with waves tall enough in Kalpitiya on the west coast and Weligama & Mirissa on the south shore pretty suitable & fitting especially for Beginners. Plenty of travelers from some countries have found these hideaway destinations and would not hesitate to keep it as discreet as possible in order to keep it ‘less traveled’ so that all of you surfers who ‘surf’ can have the fun in the quiet tranquility.
They organize ‘happening beach parties’ after stretching & reaching the heights of the surfs & breakers which have kept coming from as long as eternity and still keep coming to marvel at riding them to shore. Most of these ocean fronts were found by travelers around the globe to have that kind of fun; it was never a pastime or sport of the locals who were too busy fishing to survive to get their food on the table to feed their families & to market the catch. So it’s up to the adventurous traveler to find more of these exciting seaboards to surf, excel & keep it as subtle as possible to deter too many other kinds of fun lovers from penetrating into such territories.
This teardrop of India is an exceptional island for bird watching, for its location in close proximity to India in the Indian Ocean which attracts 'foreign' birds to visit on their long migratory voyages across continents in their natural migration trails during certain seasons of the year. It is fascinating to watch large flocks of birds flying together ‘turn’ altogether simultaneously spontaneously all together at once as if every bird in the flock knows that they’re all turning together. This synchronization happens under the ocean in the case of shoals of fish as well, as they swim and turn in unison quite spontaneously simultaneously in sync.
One can observe plenty of flocks of birds migrating between Europe & Asia through 'bird paths' to Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia & Africa & return back through this Island of plenty. Within the country there are numerous local birds : high above the air are the Eagles patrolling a given area to watch the vulnerable prey on the ground, others on the trees are hummingbirds, Pigeons (Dove), Myna, Parrots, Parakeet, Flamingo, Pelican, Robin, Nightingales, ones with long tails, long beaks and wings & one's with 'special haircuts' only paleontologists know how to name them with a certain amount of accuracy, trial & error.
Every National Park, Estuary, Lake, River, Lagoon, Rain Forest, Sanctuary, Backyard & the coastal perimeter is frequented with these ‘flying machines’ , yes the birds chirping ‘long stories’ & singing pretty tunes. The atmosphere is full of these adorable two legged creatures getting aerodynamic, aeronautical, flying, diving, taking off & landing to look for something to peck at. Sri Lanka has plenty of them in every color one can imagine, yes plenty of these adorable creatures, yes plenty of birds to watch anywhere in the Island of birds.
For a tropical island located north of the Equator, Sri Lanka's unique Geological formation of hilly terrain in the central regions of the country enables adventurers to hike, trek or simply walk in the cool hill country terrain with 'no sweat'.
These central hills are situated approximately 50 Km from the western, southern & eastern coastlines. Ella, Badulla, Horton Plains, Knuckles, Ohiya, Kirigalpoththa, Namunukula, Haputale, Bandarawela, Hatton, Ginigathhena, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Matale, and in the Midlands where one can find Tea, Rubber & Spice Plantations are included in these recommended areas for hiking with the least sweat. All other areas are available for those who want to endure, sweat it out and let go.
In this landscape a comfortable temperate zone enables those who indulge in outdoor activities such as farming and construction work to hiking to exercise with the least of perspiration. So one should feel fortunate as one can tread long hikes with the least sweat in these regions. These mountainous areas are full of beautiful fragrant nature trails where locals and travelers hike to peak tops through challenging expeditions of the topography to take panoramic views.
Mouth watering food like freshly dished out 'Koththu', 'Strings', 'Hoppers', 'Pittu', 'Kadala', Fried Rice, Seafood & Fried Meats are emerging to be popular tasty delights for discerning travelers & locals as delicious economical alternatives in the suburban areas.
"Koththu" has become a popular delicacy made of cut pieces of flatbread (Roti) blended with a choice of meat (Chicken, Beef, Mutton, etc.) blended with Egg, Spices, fresh Vegetables, sauteed with ‘tempered’ Garlic, Onion, Green Chilli, Tomato & Cheese all stir fried on a very hot metal plate & served steaming hot with a spoon for a dollar.
Strings are 'String Hoppers', a kind of Asian 'pasta' or 'noodles' steam fresh boiled in the early hours of the day specially prepared for breakfasts, served with coconut milk, meat, fish & Onion sambal. These stringy vermicelli-like thin Noodle pieces can be used later during the day as an alternative to flat bread or Roti to create a different version of 'Koththu' along with the other ingredients that go into creating the succulent 'Koththu' mix. 'Pittu' is made of rice, toasted flour & coconut blended & steamed in a long piece of 'bamboo' and served with coconut milk, meat, fish &/or meat gravy & Chilli Chutney
Street Food in Sri Lanka is a recent emergence which is becoming popular with both locals & foreigners after it began to proliferate in Singapore, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia & Malaysia and other far eastern countries in the last few decades.
One of the premier but modest attractions of the magical isle, Cookery Classes to learn to 'Cook' Sri Lankan dishes, enables participants to dish out some of the remarkably delicious food on the table using traditional 'Ayurveda' methods and recipes to 'Cook' using wholesome ingredients.
Usually conducted in the evenings to enable the numerous 'sightseers' to see various other attractions, and to make it on time to the facilitation to be able to get 'hands on' experience learning the traditional art of local cookery. Rice , Flat bread, Dhal, Pumpkin, Potato, Meat, Coconut Sambol & a dessert is usually prepared to align with seasonal vegetables, coconut, coconut milk to cook with tangy spices with coconut oil to 'temper' (Saute).
Appointments need to be made well in advance at the numerous places that they are generally conducted in & around major tourist destinations throughout the country.
Welcome to the fascinating spiritual practice of the East where one can perhaps transcend from the physical to the intangible metaphysical.
There are some appealing retreats in the hill & coastal country where authentic Meditation & Yoga are practiced & coached. They are usually kept discreet & only revealed to those who are genuinely interested in practicing Stillness, Silence & Awareness through Emptiness & Nothingness in order to reach the heights of Presence, the Nowness, 'Who I am ?' , the Source, the Self, Absolute & the Ultimate Reality .
Yoga - Stretching exercises of the limbs, neck & abdomen are generally done under the supervision of certified therapists, the silence that you've ever learned earlier in life is practiced here in order to 'reconnect' the mind, body & soul together to help integrate into a sync, that is Union, that is Yoga, when the Mindbody of the practicer connects with that of the Source / Universe in synchronicity, it is done 'effortlessly' & spontaneously to align with the whole body as one with the Universe by ‘creating’ a distance between the body & the inner ‘Self’.
Meditation into Emptiness or Nothingness - that is without any perceptions of the past or of the future or other ideas or thoughts is practiced at every Meditation Center. Having left behind the name, identity, person, ego & all other thoughts etc. at the door, one is welcomed into the session to walk-in empty of any thoughts, conditioning, judgment & perceptions. Then one sits Still in Silence. And Listen to nothing whatsoever. Just Being there in the Now is the best practice at the beginning. It is undoubtedly difficult to do it, however, over time & sufficient practice one can emerge to be light, love, free & Content being with the Source in the Presence of the 'Now'.
Sri Lanka is known for its vast number of Indian built tuk tuks which roam on every street in every township. Unlike four wheeled vehicles, tuk-tuks are a three wheeled small type of a vehicle which can carry a maximum of three passengers and a driver. Tuk tuks are often used for short journeys to run errands as well as for joy rides. Rides on these handy cabs gives an experience like no other through the sheer pleasure of an open view of the road with fresh air blowing in the faces of the passengers as well as the throttling driver. Overall, this brings out a totally different vibe to a person who arrives from a country where people use vehicles such as cars & limos as taxis instead of tuk tuks.
Tuk Tuks are handy since the beach is usually located not too far from the main coastal road or highway & as most attractions aren't accessible only through trains or buses from most roads, towns or train stations.
Unlike Grand Rapids, Kithulgala located on the road to Ella / Badulla is smaller in size but huge in heart, as the service is unpretentious, natural, helpful & extraordinary. Kithulgala has lots of water flowing, over 9 rapids, passing gaps and the rocks to make it an adventure worth the exertion. Kayaking, Rafting or Canoeing downstream amidst the green foliage through the branches of trees of the rainforest bulging into the flushing river is fun, moist & adventurous, while oaring & swerving downstream, one can see hikers treading upstream on the banks.
Plenty of camping grounds to kick back & chill out. It's possible to rent out rafters, canoes, kayaks, rigifoam helmets, life jackets & other necessities such as Tents, Gas, Stoves etc. & other camping gear available in the vicinity, so one doesn't have to bring them from far. The water is nice & warm unlike Grand Rapids, so one can't get cold or sick. The only caution one needs to take is to dry & clean the ears after the expedition, as the 'tropical ear' germs can get into the body through the ears. It's a challenging ride downstream to the Kelani River (3rd Largest in the country) through a dense green forest. Have fun !
This 'Diamond' of the Indian Ocean is an uncanny destination for Diving where the Sea temperature is always approximately 27 degrees Centigrade, which is ideal for diving. Prior to the introduction of scuba diving, oxygenated diving & snorkeling there were rudimentary local divers around the 1300 km of the coastlines looking out for seafood & corals. They used to dive in the early hours into the cold water & emerge to the shore with Lobsters, Prawns, Mussels, Crab, Cuttlefish & a variety of other seafood to meet a very limited but growing demand.
Skin Diving & Scuba Diving as leisure activities began with the arrival of foreign visitors to this country & is practiced at every cove on the shore.
Training of Scuba Diving, Snorkeling & other underwater diving is conducted at every seaside hotel, resort or guest house alongside the coast with trained instructors & the necessary equipment. There is a place at Galle Dutch Fort besides the Lighthouse & Mosque on the ramparts & at Trincomalee which has immense potential to make it an unreal destination for Diving from the top of the precipice down to the ocean. A similar place in Acapulco in Mexico has turned the attraction to a fascinating & busy destination for North Americans looking to Dive, though it has also become dangerous & not too safe lately. Although underwater diving is very popular, diving from high places as a sport happens in places like Hikkaduwa, Aluthgama, Galle, Trincomalee, Tangalle, Nilwella (Blue Beach) & Dickwella (Long Beach).
Also known as Game Fishing or OffShore Fishing, this is a novel enterprise emerging in recent times to add to the ancient art of fishing in Sri Lanka from Stilt fishing, Oar fishing in the rivers & lakes and the standard small boat fishing off the shallow coasts, it is certainly quite apart from the traditional methods. Far Eastern & International commercial fish markets and their demand for large fish has enabled this modern venture into deep sea fishing in the Ocean surrounding Sri Lanka to help tap the proliferation of 'Sharks & Tuna gaining Weight'.
It involves the launch of Larger fishing vessels such as Trawlers & frigades with a length of at least 30 feet to be able to sail into the deeper ends of the Ocean, spread out large wide nets in order to sweep into large widths & the depths of the selected area of 'calm' in order to 'catch' large fish with massive mass. The types of fish thus caught are typically Tuna, Shark, Wahoo, Sailfish, Sword fish & blue Marlin.
Although deep sea fishing is considered to be a leisure activity, it actually demands a lot of observation & tests of Ocean 'patches', plenty of 3D strategy, still patience, strength to handle cables to lift huge weights of large creatures, common fishing skills, common sense and tons of experience. This is certainly an exciting exercise to watch as the vessel rocks over the calm & unpredictable waves of the 'still' water.
Sigiriya, Dambulla, & Habarana are the areas where Hot Air Ballooning is conducted as the winds are good enough in the area of the almost flat plains of the island with constant blowing. The wind enables the balloon to stay up in the air and move sufficiently with the wind. It’s an enjoyable ride, to ‘lookout’ at the forest plains, rocky hills, pretty glittering lakes & estuaries with amazing real time panoramic views in motion. However, the only drawback is that Hot Air Ballooning depends on the winds and its direction. So it is essentially seasonal and depends heavily on the moods of the Local Weather, the Supernatural, Solar Flares, Global Weather & Neutrinos passing through the planet. The adventurers who do this exercise are testing places like Ella, Tissa & Hambantota as potential locations in order to enable this 'bird's eye' sightseeing in the future. It's far more economical than boarding into a helicopter, which is an alternative if the winds aren't going to materialize here or at other destinations. If the winds prevail, Go for it !.
Spotting Blue Whales of the Ocean is a happening activity that shouldn't be missed while touring this jewel of the Indian Ocean, Ceylon. As the biggest animal in the world growing to a length of 100 ft, the size of its heart can be bigger than a car, to give you an idea as to what size & dimension to expect with the boat as the reference point over the Sea. The season for watching these blue giants in Mirissa & Kalpitiya is between October & March in the South East & West of the Island along the Indian Ocean and between March & July in Trincomalee, Pigeon Island & Muttur in the North East of the Isle along the Bay of Bengal.
Wherever the Blue Whales swim in the deeper recesses of the Ocean, the dolphins hang out in the vicinity just below the surface of the water jumping out of the water and playing at the top edges of the sea and the atmosphere, only to dive back into the water giving so much amusement, fun & excitement to the discerning traveler enticing one to interact with them whistling, jumping higher & diving back into the water and so on.
The three popular destinations out of numerous places from where Whales & Dolphins can be spotted & watched in this gem of the Ocean are : Mirissa, on the south coast, Trincomalee on the east coast and Kalpitiya, on the west coast. From any of these places, one can hop into a ferry boat & take a cruise a little beyond the horizon with others including lifeguards. While waiting for the apparitions to appear, one can perhaps read a book or something or begin a conversation with other enthusiasts, as the Whales could be pretty busy down under, but be prepared with your camera to capture some unreal images. Then suddenly at the spur of the moment, the apparitions materialize & the gentle giants are all over the area, swimming, excited & also fearful that the boat may perhaps ‘attack’ them. Usually there are the white Whales, one should be extremely fortunate to spot a blue one. On the way back to the shore, be on the lookout for Dolphins if you hadn't waved at them on the way out looking for the Whales. Good luck !
The flat roads on the coastal belt, flat roads in the vast plains of the northern provinces with plenty of cool estuaries & waterways and the winding roads of the Central Highlands attract numerous cyclists to get the exercise of riding bicycles to stretch, keep fit & healthy. The temperate climate of the Central highlands are particularly preferred by most cyclists as the cool climate, crisp air & challenging hills entice them to trudge much more freely in such fascinating & picturesque areas.
Cycling is still a preferred mode of transport for most people who live in the remote areas of the country, since it not only puts them out to the scenic atmosphere as it enhances their health but is a viable alternative to burning fossil fuel for transport purposes.
There are some special cycling tracts made available in some new parks in Nawala, Colombo, Bellanwila, New Port City, Modera in the Colombo district area and around the Victoria Reservoir in Kandy, in vicinity of the Hambantota Proposed New Capital and at the Kandalama Bunt around the lake near Sigiriya where motor traffic is not permitted to enter.