This luxury boutique hotel in Kandy (set in an elevated position) is about 2km out from the city centre so is very convenient for all the sites Sri Lanka is famous for. The perfectly situated hotel has 14 rooms – all of which have either great views over Kandy or of the stunning surrounding mountains. You can dine either in the lovely hotel restaurant or on the terrace where you can enjoy the fantastic views of Kandy.
The Amaara Sky Hotel in Kandy doesn’t have a pool but there is a very nice spa with a variety of treatments available.
Granted World Heritage status in 1991, taking a Dambulla cave temple tour is a highlight of any Sri Lanka trip with it being the largest and best conserved cave temple in Sri Lanka and renowned worldwide.
Soaring over 500 feet above the neighbouring lands, the main complex is comprised of five separate caves containing magnificent and vividly coloured statues and paintings of Buddha and past kings.
Sri Lanka is renowned for her ancient ruins and point of culture, and a day spent sightseeing in Anuradhapura city is a great way to immerse yourself in Sri Lanka’s history.
First established in the fourth century BC, the city of Anuradhapura is one the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, is among one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world and today is famous for its historic ruins, archaeological wonders and other points of interest.
Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Anuradhapura contains a rich collection of ancient ruins and the remains of many monastic buildings – including the Brazen Palace which dates back to the second century BC.
Being the most popular historic site in Sri Lanka, a tour of Sigiriya Rock Fortress is highly recommended. The ancient rock fortress is an imposing column of 650 feet tall rock which dominates the surrounding landscape.
Given its unique characteristics it is little wonder King Kasyapa selected the rock in the fifth century BC for the location of his new capital. The king built a palace on top of the rock and had the rock face ornamented with vivid frescoes which remain to this day.
Roughly half way up on your Sigiriya rock tour is the famous Lion Rock, a gateway fashioned in the form of a giant lion. Only the lion’s enormous paws remain intact to this day but their scale given some sense to the intimidating stature of the original gate which greeted visitors in centuries past!
Surrounding the rock fortress are the famous water and boulder gardens – believed to be among the most ancient landscaped gardens in the world and a magnet for visitors given their beauty and historic significance. Here is a great place to stop and relax before and after your tour up the rock fortress, taking in the beautiful kept garden flora and wildlife.
Although a small island, Sri Lanka has a rich array of bird life that can be spotted in the variety of land and water based habitats found across the country.
Of the 433 documented bird species found in Sri Lanka, 33 are completely unique to the island. There is an abundance of resident and migratory species, the latter of which migrate to Sri Lanka during the northern winter months and can therefore be spotted between September and April. The exception are the seabirds, such as the Petrels, that migrate during the southern winter months.
