Sri Lanka ranked top travel destination for 2010

National Geographic has named Sri Lanka the No. 2 of the 25 'Best New Trips for 2010' giving the island nation known as the 'Wonder of the World' yet another top travel ranking 

this year.
In its list of 'Best New Trips for 2010,' National Geographic said, after the tsunami of 2004 and the resolution of a decades-long conflict, Sri Lanka is finally starting to look like its old self: a peaceful destination where surf lineups are nonexistent despite world-class waves and centuries-old tea estates are lined with mountain bike ready trails.
'The silver lining of the conflict is that the land and wildlife have remained untouched,' says Lisa Bolger, trip coordinator for Access Trips, one of the very few outfitters leading excursions to the Indian Ocean island this coming year.
The National Geographic notice, which touted Sri Lanka as 'Missing in action No More,' is the third top ranking that Sri Lanka has received recently from premiere travel publications.
The New York Times on January 10 named Sri Lanka the No. 1 travel destination in 2010 noting that the long conflict against the LTTE terrorist is over and that there is no better time to travel to Sri Lanka's unspoiled beaches, mountainous terrain and wildlife parks. It wrote: 'The island, with a population of just 20 million, feels like one big tropical zoo: elephants roam freely, water buffaloes idle in paddy fields and monkeys swing from trees.
And then there's the pristine coastline.
The miles of sugary white sand flanked by bamboo groves that were off-limits to most visitors until recently are a happy, if unintended byproduct of the war.
Also in January, the luxury-living website DailyCandy.com raved about Sri Lanka reporting that, 'Really, there's only one downside to Sri Lanka: Eventually, you have to leave.' Travel to Sri Lanka began to increase dramatically just days after the conflict ended in May 2009.
Tourist visits have jumped each month since then, with an impressive 67.7 percent jump in February compared to the same month in 2009. There have been no terrorist incidents anywhere in the island since the conflict ended, and a number of countries, including the U.S., have eased previous travel warnings.
Sri Lanka has long been known for its elegant, five-star destinations along its coastline and in its central highlands, which are dotted by sweeping green tea plantations and mountain vistas. The island nation also features an impressive string of wildlife parks that are home to Asian elephant herds, leopards and other exotic animals.

AN “EGGS – CEPTIONAL” EASTER AT THE HILTON COLOMBO

Easter or “Pascha” in Spanish is a springtime festival, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ. And also a time for chocolate bunnies, Hot cross buns, and coloured eggs! Time for family affairs, forgiving and celebrations too! Hilton Colombo is also celebrating and honoring this special day of Easter where you too can bring your family on 4^th of April. Spices and Spoons will have special meals to commemorate Easter.

 

Rituals related to Easter focus on new beginnings, symbolized by the Easter egg and the hare (Easter Bunny).

 

The extravagant Easter brunch is happening at the hotel’s restaurant Spices where you can tuck into all the traditional Easter goodies such as piping hot soups, crispy salads, Virginia sugar ham, lamb, freshly baked breads, fresh farm eggs and not forgetting the delicious desserts and much more. The Sunday Easter brunch is from 11.00am to 3.00pm.

 

For a stylishly casual Easter dinner you can dine at Spoons where a special 4 course gourmet dinner has been prepared by the hotels award wining team of Chefs lead by Executive Chef Rohan Fernandopulle together with the pastry wiz Chef Gerard Mendis.  

 

 “Fine things” pastry shop too have Easter goodies starting from 1^st to 4^th April. Easter chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, Easter cakes and lot’s more will be available during this period.  For more details please call the Food & Beverage office on 2544644.

Surfers throng Hikkaduwa

A thrilling moment Pictures Courtesy SriLankan Airlines

Japanese surfers enjoying themselves at the competition

A tourist enjoying the sunny weather in Hikkaduwa

Happy surfers on the beach

Ready to surf?

Hikkaduwa, largely dependent on tourism with hotels, small and medium enterprises, fisheries and other indirect forms of employment making up the local economy, has fought severe odds to regain its position as one of Sri Lanka’s most exciting beach spots for international tourists
The once dark memories of the devastating 2004 tsunami have now diminished or wiped away completely in Hikkaduwa. This is with the gradual return of tourists to the country sparking off hopes for a greater revival in the tourism industry.
The return of Japanese Pro-Surfers Association (JPSA) to Hikkaduwa, after a five-year absence, is evident of the town’s attraction and renewed interest among tourists to Sri Lanka.
This event which is to be an annual fixture, was jointly sponsored by SriLankan Airlines and the Tourism Promotion Bureau.

WINE & DINE STYLISHLY AT SPOONS

March 24, 2010��04:18 pm
For those of you who appreciate good food and good wine this promotion is for you. Hilton Colombo’s�signature restaurant; Spoons will have an elegant, carefully selected wine buffet along with special set menus to complement the wines from 25th to 31st March. �
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Spoons delivers the best seafood and prime cuts in a true sense. The menu unique from the rest of the hotel will concentrate on exclusivity incorporated with quality and efficiency, freshness, light and modern contemporary cooking concept blended with a global essence. �And each wine will have its distinct taste, aroma, texture and flavours from citrus, woody, fruity, and even chocolaty.
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“Food connoisseurs would enjoy and take advantage of this promotion and for the rest we encourage them to try it out and learn how food and wine goes hand in hand” said the hotel’s Marketing Communications Manager, Gigi De Silva.
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The best of ingredients are always used to produce these special ‘one of a kind” menus. Executive Chef Rohan Fernandopulle together with the Food & Beverage Manager Kapila Mohotti had chosen each dish and the wine with a lot of experimenting, and tasting.
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For more details and for reservations, please call the Food & Beverage office on 2544644"

JAPANESE SURFERS RETURN

 TO RIDE SRI LANKA’S WAVES AT JPSA PRO SURF 2010

March 16, 2010  04:31 pm

More than a hundred Japanese surfers will gather on Sri Lanka’s golden beaches for the return of the Japan Pro Surfing Association’s (JPSA) exciting annual competition to the Indian Oceanisland.

The roaring waves and palm-fringed beaches of the resort of Hikkaduwa will provide the ideal setting for JPSA Pro Surf 2010 from March 19-23, 2010, a joint effort of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and SriLankan Airlines.

The return of Japanese Pro Surf  to the resort of Hikkaduwa after a five-year absence is a major milestone for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which has been enjoying an extraordinary period of growth over the last nine months. The Government of Sri Lanka has declared next year as “Visit Sri Lanka Year, 2011”.

Hon. Achala Jagoda, Minister of Tourism said: “The opportunity to host the prestigious JPSA competition in our tropical island is of great importance. Since May 2009 our country has been completely at peace, and this would be an opportunity to rekindle tourists’ interest in the wonders of Sri Lanka. We have the ideal environment and the ability to encourage off-season travelers and sports enthusiasts to the country, so this event is the perfect opportunity forSri Lankato promote itself as a year-round tourist destination and spread the message of the peaceful condition that prevails”.

The JPSA, Japan’s regulatory body for surfing which is a member of the global body Association of Surfing Professionals, had chosen the island for its premier event, starting in 2001. But after five highly successful years, the island’s civil war saw it being shifted elsewhere.

Nishantha Wickremasinghe, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, said: “We are honoured that the JPSA has once again chosen Sri Lankaas the location for this fantastic event. Sri Lanka has long been a favourite destination of Japanese tourists, and the number of tourists from Japan has been increasing rapidly following the dawn of peace nearly a year ago.”

Sri Lanka has the distinction of being the only country outside Japanwhere JPSA ranking events are held, and the island attracts more than 800 Japanese surfers annually, both to Hikkaduwa and to Arugam Bayon the southeast coast.

Eranga Basnayake, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said: “The southwestern coast of Sri Lanka is exceptionally suited for surfing and the infrastructure is well suited to handle an event of this magnitude. Sri Lanka had already acquired a reputation as a good surfing destination, and is probably the best in Asia”.

This year’s competition promises to be intense with eight world ranked surfers among the contestants battling it out for the Rs. 3 million prize money and the SriLankan Airlines Cup, ranging from professionals to amateurs. The event will also see the participation of 15 international judges, and the presence of a number of Japanese journalists to cover the action. There will also be a separate competition for Sri Lanka’s own surfing community.

SriLankan Airlines, which has a global network of 49 destinations in 32 countries, has three flights a week betweenTokyo’s Narita Airport and Colombo on Airbus A340 aircraft.

Local ground handling arrangements are being coordinated by Sri Lanka Tourism.

Water Sledding

08 Mar, 2010 14:48:48

Sri Lanka to start underwater sled rentals to tourists

Mar 08, 2010 (LBO) - An under water scooter rental firm is starting up in a tourist area north of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, to feed an upturn in the industry following the end of a 30-year war, the island's investment promotion agency said.

Mountcastle Marine will rent 'Cayago Seabob' sleds to tourists. The 500,000 US dollar venture will employ 30 people, the Board of Investment said."'Rent a SEABOB', which is known to globally attract many tourists to diverse parts of the world is expected to have a high demand in the Sri Lankan market," the BOI said in a statement.
"With the Sri Lankan tourism industry once again booming the SEABOB will be of popular demand while further promoting a booming industry."
The BOI regulates foreign investments in to the country and gives tax holidays. Approval documents have been given to directors Zahid Hussein Jafferjee and Frank Wieprecht, the agency said.

Mountcastle Marine recreational sports complex will be in Arachchikattuwa in Sri Lanka's west coast.

OLD IS GOLD

OLD IS GOLD…

December 31, 1969  

The “AA Vintage Rally 2010” vintage car exhibition organized by the Automobile Association of Sri Lanka was held at Galle Face today. Pic by Pramodh Hinsara

The Garden Resort by the sea

Pegasus Reef Hotel
Carson and Cumberbatch, the managing company of Pegasus Reef Hotel, Hendala, Wattala redefined the concept of a city resort beach hotel after the extensive refurbishment to give the guests the option to customise and personalise their experience on a beach that is in its golden best facing the Indian Ocean. The coconut palm garden provides the world weary traveller with an ideal setting to relax while the distant blue ocean and the horizon are an absolute food for the soul.
Sit out at the private balcony or terrace and see how the shadows gently lengthen and watch the sun going beneath the horizon leaving you and the entire country in darkness. As darkness deepens you could see the glittering lights of the Colombo Harbour and also the glittering stars above reminiscing you a star studded galaxy.
Perched in close proximity to the capital city and a few minutes drive away from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and the Free Trade Zone (FTZ), Pegasus Reef is one of the best transit hotels for the business travellers and the leisure travellers.
With the refurbishment Pegasus Reef introduces a new level of luxury accommodation in all the 107 spacious deluxe rooms in three different wings. The beach, garden and the pool wings face the respective directions and the main highlights in all these rooms are that all the four star comforts are available in the rooms. All are equipped with central air-conditioning, TV, telephone, mini bar, safety lockers, internet connections, hot/cold bath and private balcony/terrace.
For guests seeking a more adventurous and fun filled experience Pegasus Reef has a host of activities not only for the adults but also for the hotels youngest guests as well.
The recreation facilities provided by the hotel are the fully equipped gym, squash, tennis, beach volleyball, table tennis, and chess. The hotel also employs a full time animator and organises different animations programmes throughout the week. The residential conference facilities could be provided in all four conference halls and all the conference equipment too are provided by the hotel.
The open air restaurant with 150-200 covers has become very popular among the guests. All three meals are buffet while the breakfast layout is a combination of eastern and western food, from cereal to toast and ‘Kola Kenda’ to fresh fruit juices.
Lunch buffet is a touch of Sri Lankan and international combination and the Sri Lankan food is cooked in clay pots.
Apart from the dinner buffet, for those who prefer to taste a different taste of food could be ordered from the available a-la-carte or set menu. Live bands keep the guests spellbound on Fridays and Saturdays during dinner time and the weekend special lunch buffet is very popular among the guests.
The hotel hopes to introduce a sea food night, BBQ, and Grill nights in future as there is a high demand from the guests.
A state –of- the- art laundry which has the capacity to give a good service to outsiders is a special feature.
The hotel’s three bars, the lobby, piano and the pool bar serves different cocktails, fresh juices, foreign and local spirits and non alcoholic beverages to quench the thirst of its guests.
Unwrap your mind to the luxury to savour the hospitality at Pegasus Reef which is worthwhile to spend your dream vacation to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul.
Pegasus Reef Hotel
Hendala Wattala, Tel : 2930205-6

Ulagalla resort opens in August

Gayan Kanchana In Anuradhapura

The Ulagalla Resort will commence operations from August targeting the growing tourism sector in the country.
Ulagalla Resort is a BOI approved project. It is built on the site of an old Walauwa, belonging to aristocracy. It is set in the middle of the Thirappane village in the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura.

The Ulagalla Resort

The hotel targets high-end exclusive tourists and will provide the opportunity to discover the pleasure of exquisite surroundings.
Ulagalla Resort Resident Manager Lalin De Mel said the Ulagalla Resort consists of 25 elegantly laid out luxurious villas spread over an unrestricted area of 58 acres, with most overlooking the reservoir while some overlook the flourishing paddy cultivation which will give guests the opportunity to experience the traditions of paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka.
"We will do everything possible to satisfy our customers. No restrictions for them at all and they can stay in the resort as of their own. Half the energy requirement will be generated through solar power in keeping with the "Go Green" concept and the resort has largest solar farm in the country with a capacity of 125KVA," he said.
Ulagalla Resort General Manager Marketing Ranjaka De Mel said, the "Ulagalla resort is over 200 years and has great historic value.
This eco friendly resort has largely made use of green building material "Durra" and will be going for the LEED certification soon.
Up to now they have spent more than Rs. 700 million for the project.
This amount as expected increase with the completion.
Each Villa consists of a floor area of 800 sq.ft. and includes a separate living area furnished with elegance and comfort combined with state-of-the-art amenities.
The property also includes of a 30 metre fresh water swimming pool and electric cars to shuttle guests within the vast compound.
An Ayurvedic spa to rejuvenate the mind and the body, and fully equipped gymnasium together with recreational facilities such as horse riding, archery, billiards, kayak and canoe rides and many others are available. Ulagalla resort is the first hotel to be commissioned after the post war era.