After a over 60 years since the last new species of Butterfly was recorded in Sri Lanka, Dr. Michael van der Poorten has recorded a new species of butterfly in Sri Lanka. The Orange Migrant (Catopsilia scylla) has never been recorded in Sri Lanka before and now brings the tally of Butterflies in Sri Lanka… Read More »

If you are keen visiting somewhere off the beaten track and you like wildlife and walking, considering visiting the Namal Uyana (Ironwood Forest) in the Cultural Triangle. Visited by many locals everyday, Namal Uyana is seldom visited by foreigners. These 1005 hectares of Ironwood forest is famous for many reasons than just the large number… Read More »

On a trip down south recently, stopped for breakfast at Taru’s latest creation, Tamarind Hill which opened in December 2007.  Its 5 minutes inland off the main road just before you get to the Lighthouse Hotel in Galle.  It’s housed in a magnificent 200-year-old mansion with meandering verandahs, courtyards, and trellised awnings – typical of… Read More »

After three years of passing by its imposing gates wondering about the goings on inside, I was thrilled at the transformation of Tintagel once it opened its doors in December 2007.  Located at the corner of Rosmead Place and Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo 7, this new 10-bedroomed boutique hotel is the creation of Shanth Fernando,… Read More »

When people visit Sri Lanka they invariably seem to return…often again and again. I met a lady in Kandy last weekend who was on her sixth visit. This time she brought her a family and two friends and was travelling around the island for 18 days. I asked what she thought about the security situation… Read More »

The gray langur, with the midnight-black face (shown here) and the macaque, or the red monkey are seen widespread in Sri Lanka’s jungle areas and sometimes even in the small villages. The larger of the two species, the langur, lives in large groups among the trees and is usually not aggressive. Groups of these monkeys… Read More »