Situated in the northern Matale District of Sri Lanka, the small village of Sigiriya is best known for its proximity to the magnificent Sigiriya ‘Lion Rock’. The village offers some comfortable accommodations and a variety of restaurants for visitors to enjoy when stopping over to view the famous rock. This ancient rock fortress rises abruptly from the lush landscape and reaches over 200 metres in height. Crowning this massive outcrop are the ruins of an ancient civilisation, which are considered one of the best-preserved examples of ancient urban planning and have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can walk through the lily-dotted moats, lush gardens and cave shrines, through the grand lion-paw entrance, and climb the series of steep staircases passing beautiful murals painted on the sheer rock walls, and enjoy exploring the ruins and soaking up spectacular views of the surrounds.
Resting about 35 kilometres northwest of Batticaloa in Sri Lanka, Pasikudah is a small seaside resort town known for its expansive golden bay which features one of the longest stretches of shallow coastline in the world where you can wade for 50m out to sea. This wonderful coastal setting provides an ideal environment for a range of watersports including snorkelling around the coral reef which is teeming with exotic marine life, scuba diving around the wreck of the HMS Hermes, a WW2 British naval ship, water skiing or whizzing around on a bouncy banana boat ride, or setting out on an exhilarating deep-sea fishing adventure. Sailing trips are also available and include sunset cruises, whale watching excursions and overnight charters. Inland activities include adventurous safaris where you can trek through nature reserves where elephants and other wildlife can be spotted.
Sandwiched between the bustling capital of Colombo and the thriving city of Kandy in Sri Lanka's central highlands, the attractive town of Kegalle serves as the main commercial centre of the Kegalle District and the gateway to the naturally beautiful central hill-country. The town offers panoramic views of the lush rolling hills, which are dotted with an array of unusual temples - many of which have been built around natural caves. Other popular attractions in the area include the exquisite Algama Falls, which feature lovely natural swimming pools; the gorgeous Wewaladeniya Viharaya temple, located in the middle of town; a number of beautiful spice plantations; and the nearby village of Molagoda, which is renowned for its traditional clay-based handcrafts.
