Best of the West From October to March, the beaches on the west coast of Sri Lanka are the best. Whether you like broad strands of sand to jog along at the sea’s edge, soaring waves to surf as they splash on the shore, intimate coves for private sunbathing, or beaches lined with seafood cafés… Read More »
Fruit with Attitude This is the month for curious fruit in Sri Lanka, exotic delicacies found only in the tropics. It’s the season for durian, mangosteen and rambutan, a trio of odd looking fruit with attitude, apparently to deter people from eating them. Durian is as famous for its off-putting pong as for… Read More »
Rest-houses For a taste (literally) of colonial Ceylon, I go to one of the few rest-houses that remain which are found in towns in the interior of the country. These were originally bungalows developed by the British colonial administration as a network of cheap accommodation and meals for travelling officials. They were usually built in… Read More »
Christmas in Sri Lanka Season’s Greetings! Sri Lankans love to party and happily join in the celebrations of the feasts or holy days of all religions. December 25 is a public, bank and mercantile holiday throughout Sri Lanka. Even though it is a Christian festival, the government sometimes regards Christmas Day as equivalent to a… Read More »
Colombo’s Bouqinistes Paris may be famous for its bouquinistes, stalls selling second hand and antiquarian books lining the banks of the River Seine, but Colombo also has them. They don’t line the banks of the Beira Lake and tourists seldom find them but they are invaluable for the traveller. These wayside booksellers are to be… Read More »
Escape CHOGM The CHOGM roadshow rolls into town from 10 to 17 November 2013. CHOGM is the acronym for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and 54 HOGs representing Commonwealth nations around the world, plus 10,000 delegates, spouses and entourage members, as well as participants in Commonwealth youth and business forums, will be taking over… Read More »
Market Day Every village in Sri Lanka has its market day and for visitors who can tear themselves away from the beach or cultural sites, the village market is a fascinating place to visit. There are daily markets in permanent buildings in different parts of Colombo and in important towns like Kandy, Nuwara Eliya… Read More »
Pedlar’s Inn is an excellent small café in the heart of Galle Fort, a very good stopover if you’re looking for a bite to eat while you catch up with friends, or to take some quiet time reading a book. The café is situated on Pedlar’s Street which can be reached from Lighthouse Street… Read More »
For our journey to Pasekudah, which is fast winning a worldwide reputation as one of the jewels of Sri Lanka’s east coast, we took the route from Kandy through the Knuckles range and the challenge of the 18 hairpin bends. The route has been reopened recently after it was closed for road construction and despite… Read More »
Sri Lanka has been named as the best value for money for the third consecutive year by the UK’s 2012 Post Office ‘Long Haul’ Report. The report published annually in the United Kingdom compares the cost of common holiday purchases, including meals and drinks between 32 of the country’s popular holiday destinations. Despite Sri Lanka… Read More »
