Juliana Roberts
Sri Lanka is blessed with a breathtaking landscape. Wherever you move around in this small island, you will feel as if you are in a dreamland far away. Take in the unique beauty with your own eyes.
This is an amazing place to wander around spotting elephants in action. While baby elephants are too cute a sight, the adult elephants would bathe in slowly like soft giants. The orphanage has already earned a reputation as a tourist hotspot in the country. In fact, you will probably sight more tourists than locals. Do not forget to drop by the stalls that offer a variety of products made of elephant waste. Buy them, and you will be contributing positively towards a green environment.
Even a child in Sri Lanka will tell you what Yala national park is about. If Pinnawala is an elephants' orphanage, you can call Yala the safe haven of leopards. Leopards aside, Yala is home to a large number of wildlife species. An early booking for a safari will make it easy to explore the wildlife of the territory. If you plan to spend a few days there, Theme resorts and spa and other such establishments have campsites in Yala where you can stay. Treat yourself to an unforgettable camping excursion.
The Dutch Fort offers quite a contrasting experience to that of the camps in Yala. Although it will take hours to reach Galle from Yala, Dutch Fort is still worth visiting. Built during the colonial times, the Fort lets you feel the soft breeze coming across the ocean. The best time to visit here is during the sundown when the rays of the setting sun touch the seawaters making it dazzle in gold.
If Galle Fort offers a dash of contemporary history, Sigiriya transports you even further back in time – long before the colonial masters thought of landing on this isle then known as Ceylon. The rock fortress was built by an ancient king called Kasyapa as a shield against his enemies. Located close to Dambulla, the fortress became a monastery at a later period. And today it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once you get here, you will feel awed just by seeing the urban planning system of the country's distant past. Plainly speaking, if you have a passion for archaeology and history, you should stay for a few days in Sigiriya. Most scholars have identified the Rock Fortress as a historically splendid landmark in Sri Lanka. Resorts could also be found in the vicinity for a comfortable stay.
Although it takes a few hours to reach here from the country's capital of Colombo, it is really worth visiting owing to its breathtaking beach. Take a little while to enjoy the winds coming from the beach, and you will no longer feel tired. Mirissa offers almost everything related to waters from fishermen's expeditions to beach volleyball. As dusk slowly settles down on Mirissa beach, you will be able to take part in its nightlife – a beehive of people treating themselves to local cuisine indulgence.
