SRI LANKA
Spice F & Hot
With the plaudits coming thick and fast, a new British Airways service in April and hotels scheduled to open across the country, Sri Lanka will be hotter than ever in 2013, say Steve Hartridge and
Richard Williams
or years many travellers were put off this jewel of an island in the Indian Ocean by a
vicious civil war that raged mainly in the north and east of the country. Now, more than three years into the
peace dividend, Sri Lanka is fi rmly back on the travel map and there has never been a better time to visit. Lonely Planet’s 2013 ‘Best In Travel’ guide rates Sri Lanka as top in its top 10 destinations in the world to visit next year, while the annual Post Offi ce Long-Haul Report named Sri Lanka as the best-value destination globally for the third year running. But the biggest boost of all will be
provided by the re-introduction of a British Airways service, commencing on April 14, 2013 with return fares from £626.
Set at the southern tip of India in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has a tropical climate. It’s the perfect choice for travellers in search of a holiday combining beach, exotic culture, luxury hotels, interesting shopping and good food. The international gateway airport, Bandaranaike International Airport, is around 20kms from Colombo, the busy capital city. A couple of days in Colombo is enough to sample the best of the monuments, museums, temples and markets before heading off to the beaches, cultural attractions and ‘tea country’ beyond. Some tours head immediately up-
country to the ‘Cultural Triangle’, the area between Kandy, Anuradhapura and Polonnuwara. These, the former
22 December 2012 •
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historic capital cities, have a wealth of monuments and temples, but the area between includes rock citadels, ornamental gardens, and an elephant orphanage. The tea plantations in the hill
country around Nuwara Eliya are cool former colonial refuges with hotels and houses that remind you of Surrey. The sacred city of Kandy is
unforgettable for its spiritual aura and magnifi cent lake and temples. The cave temples of Dambulla contain reclining golden Buddhas thousands of years old, and the rock citadel of Sigirya is one of the wonders of the world. A tour of the island incorporating at least some of the above-mentioned highlights is the most sensible option for travellers visiting Sri Lanka for the fi rst time. Those more interested in beaches can go north from Colombo to Negombo, or south down to Bentota and Hikkaduwa, which are good for diving. Yala National Park is a bit further
east, and the best place to spot some wildlife, particularly leopards, on a short jeep safari. Sri Lanka is also one of the best
places in the world to go whale watching (off the south coast between November-February and the east coast between February-April). As well as award-winning eco-
hotels and luxury boutique hotels, Sri Lanka also has plenty of charming historic hotels. For example, The Kitulgala Rest House is set on the banks of the Keleni River, not far
from Kandy. It is an old colonial building that David Lean used as his base while fi lming Bridge Over the River Kwai. It has a fantastic view of the river and the virgin rainforest.
What’s New In short, plenty! Interest in Sri Lanka multiplied immediately after the war ended and the rush of travellers was barely managed by the accommodation stock on offer. However, that is changing as
international brand hotels open up: Centara, Hyatt, Marriott, and Shangri- La are among those to announce plans to open new hotels. Newly opened is Cinnamon Bey in Beruwala, near Colombo. The beach resort, set on the golden sands of the south west coast, features 200 rooms and eight restaurants, the largest number of restaurants and bars of any Sri Lankan beach hotel. Guests can explore ‘Sinharaja’ Sri Lanka’s largest rain forest, home to 830 endemic species of fl ora and fauna and 17th century Galle Fort. This month (December) will also
see Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts (formerly Chaaya Hotels & Resorts) re-open its Kandyan property – Cinnamon Citadel – following an extensive six-month renovation. The Minor Hotel group, in
partnership with Serendib Leisure, has opened a second AVANI resort – AVANI Kalutara Resort & Spa – on Sri Lanka’s south west coast. Formerly known as Kani Lanka, the resort, around a 2.5-hour drive from
SRI LANKA
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