Sri Lanka Tourism Blog

Nature, Culture, Luxury… a Lifestyle!

The newest and most ambitious project of Jetwing Hotels, located within 5km of the ‘8th Wonder of the World’-Sigiriya- is the creation of a truly ‘Lifestyle Hotel’. Sigiriya, located within the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka is famous for its rich history and Sri Lankan heritage. Vil Uyana situated within view of Sigiriya rock, on the flatlands that stretch to the west, integrates into an ancient plan - a plan to irrigate, in the tradition of the Sinhala kings.

The introduction of a wetland on reclaimed agricultural lands within the Dry Zone, provides the unique backdrop for this exciting new property. Inspired from local and rural traditions.

A private nature reserve provides a haven for wildlife and a setting of peace and tranquility. The hotel is possibly the first in the world to construct a wetland system with lakes and reed beds to form a private nature reserve.

This has allowed for the first time in Sri Lanka for rooms to be built over water. Centered around water bodies are parklands and woodlands, designed for leisure; an extension of the ancient practice of planning gardens for pleasure.

A challenge has been overcome, for the conversion of Dry Zone chena lands formed by slash & burn agriculture, to a seasonal wetland (land that is inundated by water for part of the year). The colonization of the new habitats by local fauna and flora has been accelerated by the planting of reed beds and groves of trees.

5 acres of land was used to re-grow paddy using traditional methods of farming and harvesting, providing a new and exciting feature. Rooms have been placed within the paddy fields, thereby giving the guest a unique opportunity of participating in both the farming and harvesting if they wished; yet another first in Sri Lanka! The regeneration of the forested groves create a feeling of ultimate privacy and seclusion in the Forest Lodges, the largest of the Chalets.

The tastefully designed rooms boast space as its hallmark of luxury. Dine in the privacy of your room or ‘under the stars’ or simply relax and pamper yourself at the Island Spa with a range of treatments to choose from.

The many components of the ecosystem will be subject to continuous monitoring. The hotel is unique in building a research facility from inception. Comfortable accommodation will be provided to researchers locally and internationally, overcoming one of the key logistics hurdles to field work. The research center also has a library, a room for laboratory based work and a computer room. The guest will be a participant in the metamorphosis of tourism as a champion of conservation. The environmental awareness will be an important aspect of a new ethos.

As part of Jetwing’s responsibility towards local communities an English teaching program is being held in two Buddhist temples located near Vil Uyana. Namely, Rotawewa and Kimbissa. Unemployed youth now attend these classes where they are trained to read, write and speak English. Halfway through their 6 months training they will receive hotel craft training in a field selected from Hotel Housekeeping, Reception, Restaurant & Bar and Cookery. The objective of the initiative is to make them gainfully employable. Some of them will have the opportunity to join Jetwing while others can look for employment in other companies in Sri Lanka or even overseas.

Whether it is the nature lover in you or the task of ‘finding yourself again’ treat yourself to an experience…come be part of the lifestyle!

This prestigious property is scheduled to be opened in Autumn 2006.

25 Tastefully appointed Chalets set in 3 distinct ‘habitats’:

7 Water Pavilions 1030 Sq. Ft (Dining Deck 200 Sq. Ft)

6 Paddy Field Villas 1030 Sq. Ft (Dining Deck 200 Sq. Ft and Plunge Pool 200 Sq.Ft)

2 Marsh Villas 1030 Sq. Ft (Dining Deck 200 Sq. Ft and Plunge Pool 200 Sq. Ft)

10 Forest Lodges 2100 Sq. Ft (Private Pool)

Spread Over 24 Acres of Land

Location:

169 km from Colombo (About a 4 ½ hr drive)

153 km from the International Airport (About a 4 hour drive)

By: kirthi hulangamuwa

While crossing the Yoda Ela on a narrow bridge to the precincts of Minneri Devalaya a devotee is awe-inspiring with reverential sentiment -triggered by anticipation.A stone’s throw from Elahera town nestled on a picturesque setting over a vast stretch of paddy fields and bewitching Ambanganga, there stands a shrine room dedicated to Minneri devio. The deity is supposed to be the deified form of king Mahasen, builder of many tanks among which Minneriya ranks foremost. Legend has it the king held his council with the ministers and yodayas (giants) on the very spot where the devalaya stands to day on the bank of the Yoda ela. Power of the overlord reverberates in valleys and plains, forests and households of the district of Polonnaruwa.

An archaic Bo tree that is believed to have sheltered the king and his retinue stands beside the shrine. Though not a huge edifice with pomp and ceremony this solitary monument unfolds volumes of lore and legend. For illness, dispute, distress and the like this simple yet magnanimous place of worship proved a panacea, they say. An offering is made to the deity soon after the harvest with the participation of the whole farming community. It is a fulfilling of a vow made to their protector and benefactor for granting the favours of a bountiful harvest sans famine, disease and drought.

In distress - be it prejudice or prudence - peasant farmers make a vow at the shrine in the simplest form of tying a ‘pandura’ on the trident (thrishula) believed to have been used since Polonnaruwa era. Coincidence or not, mere chance or otherwise several incidents of assistance by the deity are recorded. Incurable diseases, family disputes, long overdue law suits, drinking habits etc. are made good. Wisdom and tradition twist interminably with phenomenal results granted for the benefit of the peasantry. In my ramblings in the wilderness over thirty years, mostly alone, I have stumbled upon few similar hallowed shrines that attract veneration.

Kapuralas

Inhabitants of the area fled following the invasion of Maga, the disreputable South Indian prince who brought destruction and misery to the monarchy of Polonnaruwa in 1214. Jungle tide rose over the sovereignty. There are few families who braved atrocities perpetrated by the aggressor. A long line of kapuralas are hailing from one such family being the hereditary heirs to the devalaya.

Elephants

Leaving the authenticity of the divine power at bay and rendering it more tantalizing, I shall guide the weary traveller to a more promising I territory to watch pachyderms of elephants.

The place: Ihakuluwewa. You travel down the tarred bund of Yoda ela for twenty miles and at Diyabeduma a weather beaten track will take the traveller to the upper reaches of Minneriya tank- where all it happens.

I am meticulously avoiding main thoroughfares which the ignorant travellers use. He goes, probably sees or not and returns crestfallen, mostly. All big games are there: elephants, wild buffalos spotted deer sambur and the like. Approximate habitats are shrouded by a vast canopy of tree tops. Golden sandy beds of dry streams planked by thick foliage on either side create a cool rendezvous for the denizens of Minneriya. They commence their promenade here at the glorious sunset that would leave a nature lover speechless2Assortments of water birds congregate on shallow end while large wings festoon the sky over the glassy liquid.

Wildlife enthusiast is tempted to scan around probably with untrained eyes out of sheer curiosity. Nervous, he may look here, there and sees nothing. You are advised to look into the jungle and not at it as impending dangers appear from nowhere. It had happened to me when I confronted a wild buffalo, the most formidable animal when provoked.

Elahera canal

The canal that replenishes thirsty Minneriya tank is the brainchild of King Wasaba (77 AD). Ambanganga was intercepted at Elahera with hewn stones and earth embankment rendering the imprisoned waters gush through a narrow stone gap ensuring the outflow is incessant and persistent.

Galloping water crashes into the canal below and travels twenty four miles along the foot of Sudu Kanda while irrigating paddy fields below. The gradient of the waterway is said to be one inch to one mile. The canal was navigable during the epic period of King Mahasen. The monarch had sailed up to Oru-Bendi which literally means tamarind tree which boats moored. He is said to have had overtures on a village damsel.

The antiquated tree withstood all weathers till recently. It had seen the rise and fall of many a monarch, prosperity and calamity alternatively until the whole region was succumbed by the irrepressible jungle eight centuries ago. In the 1930s revival dawned owing to the genius of one Man. His name is D.S. Senanayaka.

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Look for all inclusive resorts when looking for cheap cruises deal. You can later worry about getting cheap flights to the place and interim stay at a hotel. Usually there are a few running offers on airline tickets.

“Indulge yourself with a healthy sunrise breakfast on the shores of the lake” urged the welcome letter from Sarath Wickremasinghe, general manager of Cinnamon Lodge.
After a five hour drive from Colombo to Habarana, we had been guided to our suite by a young man introduced to us as our butler, Nuwan. Instead of Jeeves’s bow tie and tails he wore an orange tunic and an equally vivid sarong. Monkeys gambolled in the vast parkland setting while birds - including a hornbill - chortled in surprise as we walked to our suite. Tall Roystonea palm trees, my favourite of course, guarded the swimming pool that itself adjoined a mini-lake where a small rowing boat was moored by the bank.
We were staying in one of the four Master Suites in the 142-unit resort. My first experience of suites was during my youthful rock ‘n’ roll years when I toured the USA with a band and we had bedrooms with parlours attached. Since then I have stayed in so-called suites that are no more than a standard bedroom partitioned off from an alcove with a curtain. The suites at Cinnnamon Lodge are not those kind; they are more like private villas.

Entrance is from a veranda with chairs for lazing while watching wild birds flitting in the trees and tame tourists strolling to their rooms. The door of our suite, number 73, the Cedar, opened into a hall with stairs of polished coconut wood and an umbrella stand, with four umbrellas. Ahead was the parlour, a symphony of polished wood and a club-like atmosphere of which the real Jeeves would have approved.

A wooden, silk upholstered chaise longue guarded the approach to the French windows opening onto another veranda, this one overlooking the park and lake. A huge cement chaise longue, heavily cushioned, defined one end of the room, while solid wooden furniture with mini-bar and pantry cupboard marked the other end. A guest bathroom was beyond. In the middle was a massive dining table for eight guests, and there were books on the shelves and apples in bowls as décor.

Off the hallway was a bedroom for two, with ensuite bathroom and its own TV, while the master bedroom was up the stairs. Entering it was to be transported to the elegance of a Bangkok five-star hotel: an enormous, deep bed piled high with silk cushions and spread with crisp, Egyptian cotton sheets. French windows opened onto a broad balcony, an ideal spot for sundowners. In the bathroom there was a Jacuzzi with lake view, a separate vanity table and twin stand-alone wash basins, and a rain shower.

The Cinnamon Lodge suites seem designed for permanent residence, not for an over-night stay. Unfortunately tourists on a round-trip, racing around Sri Lanka, have no time to stay long at the resort. Sri Lankans are luckier in being able to settle there for a few days while sightseeing in the Cultural Triangle, or simply enjoying the tranquillity of the countryside.

In a way, Cinnamon Lodge is like a resort in the Maldives since it is horizontal and secluded and self-contained. For a holiday it offers much more than a Maldives resort, at much less cost, because of the attractions - elephants instead of fish, jungle instead of sand - as well as privacy and individual attention from a tropical Jeeves.
Ours attended us on demand throughout our stay. He served us when we dined in the restaurant on an eclectic table d’hote menu of innovative cuisine (executive chef, Senaka, even gave us his recipe for Tomato Crystal Consomme). Butler Nuwan also delivered the promised “healthy breakfast” on a table set up especially for us on the lake shore. Hearty is a better word to describe the omelette, bacon, sausages and two baskets of bread all washed down with fresh wood apple juice. Perhaps the healthy touch was the exercise of the walk to get to it.

Cinnamon Lodge is remarkable in retaining an unspoilt character despite its years of existence (it was previously known simply as Habarana Lodge) while, with its manorial suites, positioning itself as an upmarket sophisticated retreat for the cultured and discerning. www.cinnamonhotels.com
more photos : http://www.flickr.com/photos/nishannthe/

Adding an extra touch of nature and concentrating on the local tourist market has helped a hotel controlled by Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings to maintain higher occupancy. This year the Chaaya Village in north-central Habarana says it has recorded higher occupancy rates than other properties in the area, despite a 22 percent slump in tourist arrivals in the first eight months of the year.

“There is a downturn in tourism, but we have withstood it better than the others,” Shafeek Wahab, Head of Branding for Cinnamon and Chaaya Hotels and Resorts told Lanka Business Report, a weekly business show.

In June 2006, Habarana Village as it was known before was re-branded as Chaaya Village, making it the flagship for the brand.
For many, the four hour journey to Habrana is unbearable after the 12 hour flight from Europe or other far away destinations but the beauty and the serene atmosphere of the hotel leave many awed.

“I think it’s really nice, it’s slightly different from what I’m used to and it’s very peaceful and quite,” said Len Collins, a guest from Abu Dhabi.

Sri Lanka has seen a slump in tourist arrivals since the middle of last year, but even with low guest arrivals the management of John Keells, went ahead with the re-branding.

With five resorts in the Maldives and twelve hotels in Sri Lanka the management was keen on using a different strategy to attract guests during volatile times. It is different from the standard beach resort that most tourists expect.

“The advantage we have here is we can cast our marketing net over a wider category,” says Wahab.

Under the re-branding process the hotel was given a new look with mud coloured walls and lines of trees along the long foot paths spreading over the 14-acre property.
Many who visit the hotel look forward to a very tranquil and serene environment, while experiencing some thing memorable. This includes a growing number of local tourists whose patronage helps hotels ride out the downturn in foreign visitors.

The hotel offers various activities ranging from elephant rides and bird watching to climbing Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress.

One of the unique experiences that guests enjoy is the cuisine from the nearby village.

“Most of the foreigners like the Sri Lankan food and we actually go to the extent of giving them local food,” says Roland, who went on to add that lake fish is one of the favorites among the guests.

With the re-branding the hotel also developed as a training ground for the brand and also for the hotel chain.

Currently, 70 percent of the two hundred odd staff working at the hotel is from the locality, which enables the hotel to extend financial support to the villagers in and around the hotel.

“The ability to attract, recruit, retain and develop staff is not only in Colombo,” Wahab said.

Chaaya Village Habarana was one of the winners of the gold awards for its eco project at this year’s Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) awards.

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There is nothing more rejuvenating than a vacation and that too composed of cheap travel modalities. That means no cruise or casino; just cheap hotels and fun activities and eating and playing around.

“No flash! No Flash!” It was too late. I had already captured the Lady of the Lotus on film as well as many of her companions, all half nude and gorgeous. I thought the guide would rip the film from my camera. Instead he actually held my left elbow and moved me along the narrow rock trail of Sigiriya and lectured me. “Light destroys color. Picture is 479 AD.” He said the last as ‘Ayedeee’. I felt bad and said that I had moved the setting from flash to auto, but clouds and shade at the instant I took the picture brought the flash. Sorry. I like my color picture better than the black and white one in Ajit Mookerjee’s The Arts of India, 1966! But his is pretty good too. I actually missed the lotus in his picture the first time I saw it.

So where in the world is this place? Sigiriya, or Sinhagiri, or Sihagiri which means ‘lion of the rock’. It is in Sri Lanka. What a wonder it is. Ayers Rock in Australia is grand but this stone, this monolith is huge and appeared black when I first saw the massive rock with the sun behind it. It rises out of the green steaming jungle like a supine lion. It compares to Machu Picchu or the Masada. The latter comparisons are appropriate in that both were places of human settlement, on the rocks, as was Sigiriya.

Our party spent the night in the Sigiriya Village Hotel. The rooms were wonderful, though we did have to ask for bug spray. Buzzing mosquitoes in the room make for whining, irritable, unhappy campers. The next day our gang of four was deposited at the base of the big rock and we began our hike to the top. The first two hundred feet were relatively easy. That is where I got into trouble taking pictures of the naked women. The rest of the climb was up to us. The guide had been up those metal ladders a hundred times and we did not look like the type that would leave a big tip. He glanced up at the top, at the snaking, spiraling metal rungs and ladders that stuck to the face of the rock like clinging ivy. He smiled politely and left, shaking his head and muttering, perhaps some words like pagal amni.

Up, up we climbed. No big deal as long as you don’t look down. Stretches of the climb were steps carved into the rock itself which were shiny with a paten of hundreds of thousands of feet that had polished it since the 5th. Century. On top at last! At one time there was a small city at Sigiriya. There are cisterns and baths, foundations for many rooms, strolling areas, cooking areas, (slave quarters were down below, they had to commute-climb to work each day). The drop-off was something to write home about. It had claimed the lives of quite a few, we were told, including unhappy princesses and concubines left all alone, perched high above the jungle floor, their lord and masters slain in a fraternal war.

The legends of Sigiriya feature Kasyapa, who according to some was a security nut who used the rock as an impregnable palace. Our guide had mentioned that this usurper of the throne of Anuradhapura loved beautiful women. He had five hundred of them, each one more beautiful than the other. And he was really smart; he had their pictures drawn on the rock surfaces, kind of a Playboy fresco thing. Really, that is what the guide said. I think Kasyapa had read about Solomon of old who had a thousand, but had never left any pictures to prove it. Was Kasyapa an ancient historical role model for Hugh Hefner?

Solomon of old, wise old Solomon reputedly had a thousand wives, but that is just a story that emerged from the Old Testament. No pictures please. (Muslim and ancient Jewish guys didn’t like to have other men snoop around in their private zennanah or harems. Some covered up their women so only their eyes could be seen. They had strong religious inhibitions against displaying the female form.) But one of Solomon’s favorites was enshrined in history in the Song of Solomon. His words still have a pretty good ring to them. “Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor… Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins…Thy neck is a tower of ivory… How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights.” Wow!

Kasyapa left no flowery words behind, he paid artists to draw his beauties. The Lady with the Lotus is a knock-out. Let me name her Sita. When I see her there, high on the cliff above the jungle far below I say, “Tell me, female of the forest, who thou be and whence thy birth. Much I fear thou art a Raksha wearing various forms on earth.” (From Romesh C Dutt’s translation - Book 6, The Ramayana, Sita Lost). She holds a lotus flower that I had not noticed at first. Typical occidental reaction, the prurient first, the artistic second and the meaning behind it all, the religious connotations, last. “To the oriental and especially the Buddhist, the lotus flower is sacred and its blossom is filled with meaning. For the occidental this flower contains little more than satisfying beauty.” (William Ward, The Lotus Symbol: Its meaning in Buddhist Art and Philosophy, 1952, page 135.)

The historical version that is least liked in Sri Lanka is the one put forward on Remyc.com.

“Think Devil Tower with a health spa on top. “Rising 650 feet out of the ground, this Eighth Wonder of the World, long believed to be the fortress of a mad king, has been revealed for what it really was: a Tantric sex initiation. King Kasyapa had 500 wives. He was a 5th Century Hugh Hefner. Sigiriya was his Playboy Mansion.”

I found it very disappointing to read in this person’s account that he had never even been there. Terrible. Playboy themes sell.

One who did visit at a time when the pictures on the walls were fresh was John Still who in 1907 observed that; “The whole face of the hill appears to have been a gigantic picture gallery…the largest picture in the world perhaps.” The pictures covered an area, 140 meters long and 40 meters high, and there is ancient graffiti which refers to the 500 ladies in these paintings.”

The story goes that later on, this glorious wall of paintings became a disturbance, a distraction. Sigirya had become a religious monastery, and the young monks kept sneaking down to take a peek and neglected their holy books and uplifting thoughts. You have it, most of the best pictures, frescos, were destroyed. That hurts philosophically. Remember the Bamiyan Buddhas that were destroyed because of religious zeal? Amazing!

The gardens at the foot of the monolith are beautifully laid out. In their hay day they must have been stunning, filled with jasmine and rat ki rani; the fair ladies must have taken excursions down from their high life to stroll and sit beside the pools and listen to the birds and watch the peacocks strut. The gardens have three aspects, Water, Cave and Boulders. The water gardens are the most sophisticated in design and water fountains work today that were designed long, long ago. A visit to them will give a grounded perspective to Sigiriya.

I took out my photograph of the Lady with the Lotus from the album yesterday. The Ektachrome colors have faded; she looks pale, washed out. There is only one way to fix it. I must visit Sri Lanka again, this time with a digital camera so I can download Sita and make her my screen saver.

Sita’s Dream
The lotus seed sinks into muck
Sleeps, then awakens from calls of ancient past
Listening, it stirs, shudders open and puts forth
Green tender leaves seeking sun and airThe lotus lies deep within black ooze
Awakens, draws life and strength from dark decay
Raises a brave and jubilant head within a day
Lifts its gold-pink face to kiss the sky

Anna Murphy relishes Sri Lanka’s lush plantations, tasty curries, quaint traditions, lovely beaches - and lack of fellow travellers.

Much of my life I have wanted to go to Sri Lanka. But every time I’ve been on the verge of booking, the Tamils have caused trouble. This year, when I finally bought a flight, things kicked off again. But I went anyway, and am glad I did. Avoid the north-east, the centre of the troubles, and you feel safe.

At times I felt that I had the island to myself - and what a superb island it is: its beaches are Bounty-advert perfection, its tea country the prettiest I’ve seen, its temples drip with character. The food is sublime and my accommodation was fantastic - and affordable.

You could spend a fortnight visiting Sri Lanka’s sights, but in a convenient cluster near the island’s centre - north of the hill town of Kandy, where I began my trip - lie three of the most remarkable.

At Sigiriya, a slab of rock rears out of the forest like a giant’s thumbnail. Paintings of pneumatic women adorn the stone, with poems alongside that were engraved 2,500 years ago. A royal winter palace once sat on top of the rock.

Just to the south are the cave temples of Dambulla. In the main cave are colourful statues of Buddha, lined up like schoolchildren in front of a psychedelic backdrop of swirls and chequerboard. Locals leave offerings of lotus flowers - pink, white and lilac - or trays of intricately cut watermelon and guava.

A few miles to the east, at Polonnawura, the island’s medieval capital, are the vast figures of the Gal Vihara - four Buddhas carved into the granite in various poses.

Despite the many sights that are ripe for exploring, it was tempting to relax at base. Kandy House, a 200-year-old walauwa (or manor house), is built around a cool courtyard; its rooms furnished with antiques and its garden a manicured jungle. In the evenings I sat outside, admiring birds of paradise, drinking a concoction called a ginger kick and steeling myself for the feasting ahead. Supper was a panoply of curries - beef, okra and, most deliciously, hibiscus - followed by wattalapan, Sri Lanka’s answer to crème caramel.

My next stop was a surprisingly luxurious 1930s tea plantation bungalow, reached by a train that winds among the hills. We crossed slopes covered in a brilliant carpet of green tea bushes, which looked almost like the lawns of English suburbia. The illusion strengthened when we arrived at Norwood, the bungalow, with its Axminster rugs, its well-upholstered sofas and its bay windows overlooking a garden of begonias and hydrangeas. Beyond lay more plantations, the ant-like figures of Tamils - imported from southern India in the 19th century and identifiable by their dark skin and bright clothes - working away with huge baskets on their heads. In the distance rose dramatic peaks.

Visitors can cycle or walk between the four plantation bungalows, but I found it hard to drag myself away from Norwood. This was a place where, should I wander out of my room and ask for a cup of tea at around 4pm I might find myself served a full high-tea, a tottering fine-china tower of scones, ham-and-mustard sandwiches and lemon tarts. Then it was cocktail hour and the staff would press me to accept a Castlereagh Signature - I never discovered what the recipe was, but it tasted lethal. On my pillow at bed time was a bud of tea - the “first flush”, picked in the morning - and between the sheets a tartan-covered hot-water bottle - it can get chilly at 3,100ft.

From the tea plantations I travelled to the fortress town of Galle on the south coast. Europeans and Americans have been buying property there for a song for years, and I suspect that if it weren’t for the effects of the tsunami and terrorism it would have turned into a sort of Marrakesh-cum-Lower East Side.

Galle’s Dutch-built Old Town was largely untouched by the tsunami, thanks to its beefy ramparts. Its streets are lined with charmingly named dwellings - Jasmine Cottage; Ernest House - with pitched roofs that sweep down to verandas. Small wooden gates and fences separate cottages from the street, and front doors are of stained glass. Around one crumbling square are the courthouses, where lawyers sit outside, tapping away at ancient typewriters.

The former New Oriental Hotel, renamed Amangalla and now part of the Aman chain, is right in the middle of it all. These days it is even more glamorous than in its 19th-century heyday and its vast proportions are made more elegant with an array of antiques. If you lounge long enough by the pool in the garden, you’re liable to be offered a bowl of delectable home-made ice cream. The hotel has an excellent hammam, and its barber will provide the closest of shaves while you recline in the original N O H-marked chair.

It was not always so perfect, as illustrated by an entry in a guestbook from the 1970s. “This is the Fawlty Towers of Asia,” wrote one unhappy customer. “If you are reading this when you have just checked in, check out now…”

Today, though, I advise the opposite for this wonderful island: check in as soon as you can, before the rest of the world discovers its charms.