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WATER SKIING IN SRI LANKA

Water Skiing in Sri Lanka is Among the most sought activity after on Bentota River, with both Beginners as well as seasoned skiers Guaranteed a great time.

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Explore Colombo with Absolute Lanka Tours

Colombo, With its skyscrapers, chock-a-block traffic and frenetic pace of life, Sri Lanka’s dynamic capital is markedly different from other Sri Lankan cities. For most visitors, Colombo is only a stopover on their way to the southern beaches, the Hill Country or the Cultural Triangle. However, this modern, overcrowded metropolis teems with energy and is one of the best places on the island to splurge in fashionable boutiques, sample a wide range of cuisines and enjoy a vibrant nightlife.

Colombo has long been a commercial centre owing to its natural harbor; Arab traders had established a trading outpost here as early as the 7th century. However, the city was still a relative backwater until the arrival of the Portuguese, who built a fort here in the 16th century. The Portuguese lost control of the area in 1656 to the Dutch, who then administered Colombo for almost 150 years before the British captured in 1976. It was during the British era that the city’s fortunes really changed.

Colombo was declared the capital of Sri Lanka in 1815; and by the 1860s, it was considered the country’s major port with road and rail links to the rest of the island. The city continued to prosper throughout the 19th century and has maintained its dominant status in post-independence Sri Lanka. However, Colombo has also had its share of tribulations. During the Civil War (1983 – 2009), the city was ravaged by the LTTE. The nation’s capital took some time to recover from the war but it is now relaxing its security measures and welcoming large numbers of visitors once again.

The centerpiece of the city is undoubtedly Fort, where gleaming office blocks rub shoulders with Colonial-era buildings, while to its east lies the Pettah, a bustling bazaar district. The neighborhood that attracts most visitors however is the well-heeled Cinnamon Gardens, home to superb museums and chic cafes. A plethora of upmarket hotels and swanky restaurants, round off Colombo’s charm.

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EXPLORING COLOMBO

The vast urban sprawl of Colombo is divided into several neighborhoods, each identified by a number similar to a postal code. To the northwest of the city, close to the harbor, lies the historic Fort (Colombo 1), punctuated by characterful Neo-Classical buildings dating from the British occupation. Fort is also the financial district with the best choice of high-end hotels. Located southeast of the Fort, in the heart of the Colombo, Slave Island (Colombo 2) is renowned for the glorious Gangaramaya Temple. The island is bounded on three sides by the Beira Lake, where the Seema Malaka shrine can be found. The southern suburb of Kollupitiya (Colombo 3) is Colombo’s main shopping hub, while modish boutiques and cafes nestle in the shady avenues of Cinnamon Gardens (Colombo 7), which is also home to the superb Colombo National Museum. In addition, the city’s neighborhoods are dotted with kovils, mosques, churches and Buddhist landmarks.www.absolutelankatours.com

Explore JAFFNA with Absolute Lanka Tours

The Jaffna has seen the number of visitors soar since the end of the Civil War, and some residents who had moved away on account of the violence have started to return. The area’s main town, Jaffna is very different from the rest of the Sri Lanka, primarily because of the scars it bears from the long conflict. Although there are very few tourist sites, it is still a fascinating place to visit. Built by the Dutch between 1680 and 1792 on the side of an earlier, Portuguese construction, the enormous Jaffna Fort suffered during the fighting; renovation efforts are ongoing. It is possible to walk around the ramparts and some of the original coralline bricks used in the construction of the edifice. Other important lights in town include the Jaffna Public Library, which was torched by Sinhalese mobs in 1875 to a design by British architect JG Smither.

All the main religions have their representative houses of worship in Jaffna, but the large Christian churches are hardest to miss. The Main Street in lined with atmospheric church buildings, including St James Church and the enormous St Mary’s Cathedral, built by the Dutch. The latter has a pleasing interior and shady grounds where visitors can rest awhile and take in the place and quiet.

Jaffna’s modest Archaeological Museum is situated west of the town centre. It contains 15th century artifacts excavated from Kantharodai along with Hindu and Buddhists antiquities. Jaffna also boasts a vibrant market towards the west of the bus station. Although it is stocked with many day-to-day items, palmyra bags and mats are among the most popular products for sale. There is also a covered produce market where vendors sell a wealth of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Jaffna Public Library
The Public Library at Jaffna was set on fire by an anti-Tamil mob for over two days in 1981. Thousands of books and artifacts were destroyed, including priceless ola-leaf manuscripts. After having weathered further assaults over the coming years, it was finally restored in 2001 and opened to the public in 2003; books were donated from all over the world to help re-stock the shelves. Today, the imposing, Mughal-style building boasts an extensive collection of Tamil and English works. The statue in its grounds is that of goddess Saraswati, the Hindu deity of knowledge