Mystical Magnificence of Sri Lanka
“Mystical Magnificence” or “Paradise” are not inaccurate terms to call Sri Lanka thanks to all of the necessary elements of a lush, tropical island with golden beaches and dazzling blue oceans.
Holidays to Sri Lanka are a combination of mesmerising charm, splendour, an astounding variety of culture, unmatched beauty of sceneries, and a nuanced past that dates back to 543 BC.
Sri Lanka sits off the southern coast of India and has been referred to as the “pearl of the Indian Ocean” for all of recorded history, it is a tourists’ paradise that is part of the South Asian peninsula.
According to its earliest historical record, the Mahavamsa, one of the first names given to Sri Lanka was “Tambapanni,” when invaders from India arrived, they saw the copper-colored sea-sand (Tamba). Sri Lanka’s golden beaches serve as evidence that the island has maintained much of its natural beauty despite the fact that it has been colonised for more than a thousand years.
Over time, as a result of continual contact with foreign travellers, traders, and, of course, explorers, Sri Lanka evolved into a melting pot of cultural influences. Early inhabitants came to Sri Lanka from North and South India owing to its position along the fabled silk route, while ancient traders, seafarers, and travellers came from China, Arabia, Rome, Greece, and Africa. British, Dutch, and Portuguese colonists all originated from colder regions.
There were several names given to it, including Lanka, Taprobane, Serendib, Cellao, Zellan, Ceylon, and ultimately Sri Lanka. Some people stayed, while others left, but their time spent on this island, which Mahatma Gandhi said “unsurpassed on the face of the planet,” had a lasting impact on them. Today’s multi-cultural experience in Sri Lanka is a result of the leaving behind and blending of food, clothing, languages, religions, and customs.
Coming to the present days; drum beats, elephant trumpets, and ethereal Buddhist chants all simultaneously fill the air in Sri Lanka at the Kandy Esala Perahera. With all of its beauty and complexity, this captures the soul of a wonderful island nation.
Leopards living in the wild call the forests home, and dolphins and whales abound in the seas. In the middle of age-old rites and practices are modern, fast-paced cities. Culture and technology, beliefs and development. Oderic, a Franciscan monk who wrote about Sri Lanka in the fourteenth century, continued by stating that there were several “miraculous things” that he was unable to record. This tiny island still astounds and enthralls visitors in the twenty-first century with the variety of opportunities offered in such a small area.
Discover Sri Lanka’s people, places, and traditions firsthand.
⊗ Experience the Kandy Perahera, an annual temple procession combining celebration that features, stilt walkers, elephants, fire dancers, and drummers.
⊗ Visit the palace of a homicidal king that once existed inside the Sigiriya castle, a rock fortress that is also recognized as the eighth wonder of the world.
⊗ The greatest place to shop for Sri Lankan fashion, the bustling Pettah Bazaar that lies on the outskirts of Colombo.
⊗ Rewind at Passikudah or the Unawatuna beaches, which portrays a paradise reclaimed, while the hills of Nuwara Eliya conjure up images of the colonial past of a small English town.
⊗ Your taste buds will be delighted by the delectable local specialties of rice and spicy curries, rotti, biriyani, or lamprais, along with some thambili or homemade ginger beer.
Travellers who are considering a trip to Sri Lanka can select from a wide range of our day or multi day tours, such as relaxing on the beach, diving in coral reefs, watching wildlife, and touring old temples or ruins.
Join Wonderland Leisure as we invite you to experience the unrestrained hospitality of this wonderful land, Sri Lanka is everything it stands for. Indulge yourself in an exploration that will leave you with lifelong memories.