Sri Lanka continues to enthrall tourists despite political upheaval
The tourists continue to flock to Sri Lanka despite the country facing one of the worst economic and political crises. While the media shows sight of the protest, as soon as you land there, you see so many foreigners, that it all seems normal. Known for its white-sand beaches, temple ruins, and tea plantations, Sri Lanka continues to draw tourists searching for adventure, spirituality, and off-beaten path active outdoor journeys
So, when the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) invited me along with the other journalists of leading media, bloggers and influencers, I gladly accepted the offer. Surprisingly we were happy to see that locals were very supportive and were welcoming us wherever we visited.
We were received with open arms by Sri Lanka tourism minister Harin Fernando, SLTPB officials, Sri Lanka’s leading business tycoons, entrepreneurs and many more at the event held at Galle Face hotel in Colombo. The officials from SLTPB included Chalaka Gajabahu Chairman, K P P Siriwardana – Managing Director, Madhubani Perera – Director PR, Chaminda Munasinghe – Asst. Director and other senior officials.
We were taken to various tourist destinations which are close to the heart of Indian and global tourists. The first day was spent at scenic Colombo with evening city walks to the busy Pettah Bazaar, railway station, Old Parliament and several prominent areas. Colombo is a cosmopolitan gateway to the wonders of Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial heritage, splendid tropical landscapes and delectable cuisines. The city is well connected to other places in Sri Lanka by rail and road.
On day two, we visited the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, a Buddhist temple. Located at a distance of 10 km from Colombo Fort Railway Station this Buddhist temple is one of the popular places of pilgrimage. The temple is located on the bank of river Kelaniya and is an ancient archeological monument that was built in the 5th century BCE. Legend has it that in the eighth year following enlightenment, Lord Buddha visited Kelaniya with 500 monks on the invitation of King Maniakkhikha to preach the dhamma. A stupa was built on the place where the Buddha preached his sermon. Spread over an area of about 10 acres, the temple is divided into four major sections known as Ran Pilima Ge means the Golden Buddha Image House, ‘Raja Pilima Ge’, also called as the King’s Image House,’ Aluth Vihara Ge’ or the New Temple House and Oth Pilima Ge’ or the Reclined Buddha Image House.
We also saw the building of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) popularly known as Radio Ceylon and Colombo National Museum. The museum is home to a lot of important collections, including the crown and throne of the Kandyan monarchs.
On the third day, we visited Mihintale, a mountain peak near Anuradhapura. It is believed to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa. On our fourth day we visited Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress near the town of Dambulla. It is a site of historical and archaeological significance, donned by a massive column of rock approximately 180 metres high.
We went on a jeep safari to the Minneriya National Park which houses around 700 elephants. On the fifth day, we travelled to Sri Baktha Hanuman Kovil Ramboda which is run by Chinmaya Mission.
We visited Sri Lanka’s hill station Nuwara Eliya and tea estate where we could see the process of making tea from plucking to the final stage.
On day six, we toured Ramayana Yathra. We saw Gayathri Peedam, the very first temple dedicated to Goddess Gayathri. We visited Seetha Amman Temple / Ashok Vatika which is believed to be the place where Hanuman had first touched down here on his visit to Sri Lanka.
On the seventh day we climbed up towards Ravana cave where Ravana kept Sita Mata captive in this cave hiding her from Lord Rama, it was a wonderful experience to visit this mythological place. On the eighth day, we visited Galle Fort, a Unesco World Heritage site built by the Portuguese in 16th century. We also visited Sri Lanka’s oldest traditional Southern Mask Museum. The visit ended with water sports activities at Bentota Lagoon.
Our entire itinerary was so smooth that ongoing upheaval did not matter to us. The locals were forever welcoming. They know that if tourists visit Sri Lanka, it would be beneficial to them as it generates direct revenues to hotels and ancillary services like restaurants, transport services, water sports activities and shopkeepers.
In our meeting with Sri Lanka tourism minister Harin Fernando assured that everything would be normal very soon. Steps have been taken to get help from various countries for fuel supply. Circular has been issued to the tourism sector as essential services. The tour operators would be benefitted to get fuel from designated petrol pumps to felicitate tourists smoothly. Sri Lanka may be going through a rough phase this time due to certain reasons but it is a safe place for tourists who want to visit this scenic island.
