Sri Lanka

Colombo airport, just an hour flight from Male, is the capital of the magic island of Sri Lanka, previously CEYLON, with a past, history, culture, nature, variety of people, beaches, national parks ... the perfect extension for an ideal trip, with a low added cost.

Our relation with Asia started here on October 1997, when we managed a dive center in Hikkaduwa, southwest coast, before arriving to Maldives.

Diving in Sri Lanka has little interest mainly due to the lack of a reef to protect the shoreline and the abundant rivers wich flow in the sea making an often low visibility, but the great nature and the rich culture pays the trip.

As well visiting this country is quite cheap, with all budgets from 5euros night; guest houses, ecolodges, western standard hotels to boutique and luxury 5 star modern hotels are available, always with the charm and smile of its people.

Moving around the country is easy but slow, so plan carefully what you wish to visit/do on the time you have here.

You can move around on yourself using public transport but the better option for couples and/or small groups is to hire in advance a Van with driver/Guide who will drive you around.

After landing Colombo, the cultural triangle is themost commom option; Sigiriya, the palace/fortress built over a 200 mts height rock from where the owner got refugee afraid of the attacks of his enemies;the ancient historic capitals Anhuradnapura, one of the Buddhist centers of the country, Polannaruwa and his stone scarved buddhas, Kandy, the holly city where the Temple of the Budhha Tooth is, a temple surrounded by a Mosque, a Hindhu temple and a Catholic Church is a clear example of the easinest of the people of this nation.

From Kandy you can get to the Hill Capital, Nuwara Eliya, a city above 2000 meters where tea plantations with it's past, present and future are the main issue.

For Nature lovers visits to the Parks as Uda Wadale or Ruhunu in the south nearby Yala where many species live protected in armaony with the environment: birds, alligators, buffalos, monkeys, elephants or even leopards ; botanical gardens like Kandy or Nuwara Eliya will show the diversity and easinest of nature on a privileged environment ; the Elephant Orphelinat where the efforts to maintain blessed and sick pups and adults with problems are endless and this creatures get close to men ; a trekking to Adam's Peak to see the holly sunrise or to Horton Plans and World's end an straight wall more than 500mts surrounded by vegetation ; rafting on the wild rivers ; endless beaches ; ayurvedic medicine and massages ; smells, aromas, food ... or simply endless lonely beaches like Unawatuna, Aarugam Bay or Hikkaduwa (both top surf spots) or Bentota.