A visit to Sri Lanka is not all about posh hotels and nice beach resorts. If you are there to soak up some culture and history, it’s just a good a place to go to as any.
One site that you shouldn’t miss if you like going to religious sites is the Temple of the Tooth. The Temple of the Tooth is one of the holiest shrines in the Buddhist world. It is named thus for the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha, which is housed in the temple and kept in a golden box that is put on display for tourists and devotees.
Temple of Tooth
A visit to the Temple of the Tooth is not all about the single relic though with building itself and the rest of the complex all a throwback in time. You’ll surely appreciate the unique architecture and the history of the place, actually all being part of the Royal Palace in Kandy, the last royal residence of the Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka. Of course, the palace is no longer inhabited by royalty, but a peek at the Temple of the Tooth and the adjacent National Museum of Kandy (also located in the palace complex) will still give you glimpses to the luxurious world of old.
Stepping out of the temple, you will still find yourself with plenty of place to go and see in Kandy, with Kandy itself being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You won’t be hard pressed to find luxurious places to stay such as the grand Kandy House or the more eccentric Helga’s Folly.
Photo via HelloTravel
Written by Hannah on January 18th, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Filed under Kandy, Tours
Sri Lanka boasts of numerous beachfront properties that will suit just about anyone’s taste. You’ll find quaint boutique hotels to fully serviced busy luxury hotels, all offering great access to one of Sri Lanka’s beautiful beaches. If you have made your rounds of the various beachfront properties in Sri Lanka though, you might have noticed that one thing that’s usually true for most is the lack of a sprawling garden. This is not a real disadvantage, given that most stay in beachfront properties to obviously stroll on the beach, but having one sure is nice.
The Mirissa Beach is 2 minutes from Talaramba Reef by tuktuk.
Talaramba Reef is one of the rare beachfront vacation rental properties you will find that has a huge tropical garden featuring local tree species. The garden is a really nice quiet place to meditate and is the perfect setting for the two villas – Villa Sulanga and Villa Vatura – located in the property. Both villas can accommodate a large group of people with 4 bedrooms each, featuring fourr-poster beds and en-suite bathrooms. The villas are both designed to let the light and the air in, with meals taken in a verandah overlooking the garden, and huge lounge areas that con comfortably seat a huge crowd. Beautiful french doors and Sri Lankan furniture and art pieces complete the simple yet luxurious feel of the villas.
Garden and Pool Outside Villa Sulanga and Villa Vatura
The main difference of the two villas is perhaps in the target market, with Villa Vatura being more child-friendly with a TV room and a pool specially designed with a shallow end for toddlers. Villa Sulanga’s pool is deeper, and with a bar area in the living room, obviously focuses more on catering to the needs of adults on vacation.
Note that if you interested in staying in Talaramba Reef for your vacation, it will set you back anywhere from $400 to $1500 per night, depending on how many villas you rent (Yes, you can rent just one or both.) and the season when you book it.
Photos via Talaramba Reef Website
Written by Hannah on December 28th, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Beach Holidays, Villas
Winner of, not one, but two categories in this year’s TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards, the Asian Jewel Boutique Hotel in Hikkaduwa is obviously bears mentioning. This small boutique hotel has time and again pleased its guests with exceptional service, which is actually one of the categories that it placed in.
The unparalleled service that each guest receives at the Asian Jewel Boutique Hotel is credited by everyone to its owners, Dale and Tanya, whose love for their small establishment has seemingly rubbed off on their staff resulting in hardworking pleasant workers that seem genuinely happy to cater to the needs of their guests.
Each of the 5 guest rooms in the hotel are also pretty well appointed and kept really clean, with all of them having a private balcony that offers unique yet equally beautiful views of the scenery. However, only one of the rooms has a bathtub, so make sure you ask for the Luxury suite (Jasmine) if you want to relax in a tub. But since they provide really beautiful baby cots (which is always a plus for me), then I guess the lack of the bathtub in the Family suite is something that I’m more than willing to overlook.
This photo of the baby cot at the Asian Jewel Boutique Hotel is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This boutique hotel also works just like a bed and breakfast, although there’s no buffet breakfast with everything you eat cooked to order. This means that the inclusive breakfast is always fresh, which is more than you can say for most bed and breakfasts, whose “free” breakfasts usually involve cold greasy meals.
This photo of a breakfast table at the Asian Jewel Boutique Hotel is courtesy of TripAdvisor
What’s even more impressive about the Asia Jewel Boutique Hotel is perhaps the price, with its Deluxe rooms priced at only $110 for twin sharing, and its Family suite (2-bedroom suite) priced at only $170 for a family of four. With such reasonable prices in such a beautiful place, it is no wonder that the other category in which this hotel scored really big time (#3 in Asia) is the Top 10 Bargian Hotels category.
This photo of the Luxury suite at Asian Jewel Boutique Hotel is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Written by Hannah on November 30th, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Boutique Hotels
The whole world may be aware of the famous Buckingham Palace in London, but what many do not realize is that there is another Buckingham that would satisfy your travel cravings half a world away at Tangalle, Sri Lanka.
The Buckingham Place in Sri Lanka may sound like old-world grand but it is actually the opposite being contemporary in design. This is not surprising since the hotel is named not after the Buckingham Palace, but after owner/manager Nick Buckingham. Although the hotel is not as grand as the palace itself, it does not mean that it does not deliver in terms of luxury.
A tuktuk at the entrance of the Buckingham Place
The hotel is a pretty exclusive place, featuring just 11 bedrooms and suites all with its own balcony/veranda, bathtub (only 2 rooms do not have a tub), 6ft x 6ft double beds with sprung mattresses and high quality linen, mini-fridges, and picnic menus. Choice suites also feature open air bathrooms and a satellite TV.
Open air bathroom in one of the suites
The atmosphere of the Buckingham Place is also truly tranquil, appearing idyllic even, with a view of Rekawa Beach’s lagoon. The beach right in front of the hotel, is however, more pretty than swimmer-friendly due to big waves and unpredictable currents. Despite this, swimmers need not go too far to get wet since the hotel has its own pool. If you wish to swim on the beach though, you’ll need to walk for about 15 minutes to get to a safer beach.
The beach
With the hotel getting rave reviews for excellent service, my only real beef about the hotel resort is that they have a 10 year-old and above policy, which means that it will be a full decade before our family will be welcome in the place. The policy is something that any guest who relishes the peace and quiet that only resort hotels like this provide, will truly appreciate.
Photos courtesy of the Buckingham Place
Written by Hannah on November 23rd, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Beach Holidays, Hotels, Tangallle
One of the joys of traveling is being able to chronicle your memories and share it with other people. This is perhaps why travel blogs are increasingly popular these days.
The great thing about keeping a travel blog though is that it is also a great way to make money. Travel blogs may abound on the Internet, but equally plenty are the people who are genuinely interested in finding out about your travel experiences so as to make better choices during their own trip preparations. As more people stumble on your blog and read your posts on various places you’ve stayed, sights you’ve seen, and your food choices, the more money you can make from your blog.
In order to get more travellers to visit your blog though, you need a good way to promote your blog. You can always do this by doing SEO, participating in social media sites, and getting links and reviews. All four strategies to blog promotion take some time and effort to produce results. However, there are ways you can easily get links and get reviewed if only you know where to look.
A good way to get your travel blog reviewed and earn links almost without any effort on your part is by submitting your blog for review in sound directories like Blog Search Engine. Instead of putting so much effort in asking for links, all you need to do is pay the basic $14.99 fee to get reviewed, listed on their index, and be given the option of upgrading to a package that can get you even more links from other blogs.
The good thing about this blog promotion approach is that you can just do it one time and forget about it. Even if your travel blog is not primarily meant for monetization, who knows just how much you can make after promoting your blog. At least if you do make some money from it, you’ll end up with some extra you can use to splurge on your next vacation, which perhaps would even be here in Sri Lanka!
Written by Hannah on November 15th, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Tips, Travel
Are you looking for a new place to visit that is not only beautiful, but interesting as well? You’ve come to the right place. Sri Lanka is all that and more. Whether you’re looking for beautiful landscapes, great surfing or delicious tea Sri Lanka is a diamond in the rough. If you’ve never been to the area, or know someone who has, here’s a visitor’s guide to make your stay more enjoyable.
What to Expect
Sri Lanka is a small island that offers some of the most beautiful landscape in the Indian Ocean. With a bounty of botanical gardens, pristine beaches and wildlife this is an island that will please almost anyone, but is sure to be a big hit among couples. Historians will also love the fact that the culture is over 2,500 years old and is rich in Buddhist heritage. Of course, everyone will love the weather of Sri Lanka in which you can find perfect beach weather, some where on the island, all year round. More »
Written by Wayne Ernest on November 10th, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Sri Lanka
Amazing Sri Lankan Luxury Spas You Can’t Miss
The nation of Sri Lanka is a small island that is often referred to as “the pearl of the Indian Ocean.” The island’s culture dates back over 2,500 years, making Sri Lanka home to eight awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage sites. Sri Lanka’s varied environment, including lush tropics, mountainous wildlife parks, miles of sandy beaches, tea estates, botanicals gardens, waterfalls and more, make it a premier tourist destination, and there is no shortage of accommodations for travelers of all types. Whether you are into yoga, fine vegetarian dining, or relaxing poolside, Sri Lanka has a place for you. Check out these five luxury spas in Sri Lanka:
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Written by Wayne Ernest on November 7th, 2011 | Comments Off
Filed under Tips
