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Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine…

Take a small group walking tour of the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s Basilica, and jump the queue by booking ahead. Numbers are limited to a maximum of 20 people on this small group walking tour, ensuring you’ll receive personalized attention from your guide. And by booking ahead, you won’t waste any time waiting in line!

Informative, friendly and professional guide
Choice of morning or afternoon departure
Multiple departure times and locations available
Skip the line – No queuing
All entrance fees included
Small group tour
Champagne breakfast included
Conducted in English

Your knowledgeable guide will escort you into the Vatican Museums to explore the world’s most extensive collection of art. Brilliantly decorated and lined with masterpieces, the museums are brimming with treasures and history. Your guide will lead you through the 2000 rooms that stretch over almost nine miles, and share the stories and secrets contained within the Vatican’s walls.

Highlights of the museums are Michelangelo’s famous Creation of Adam fresco in the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms. After taking in the Vatican Museums, you will encounter another of Michelangelo’s masterpieces, La Pieta, in St Peter’s Basilica. For a fascinating finish to your small group guided walking tour, stop to admire magnificent St Peter’s Square, as your guide points out Bernini’s ingenious use of optical illusion.

Do you want to skip the line AND the crowds too?
Upgrade to the 8:10am tour and not only will you skip the long lines (which can last up to two hours!) to enter the Vatican Museums but gain access as soon as the doors open – before the general public step foot inside! Tours are arranged exclusively for our guests and groups never exceed 8 people in total. No upgrades available on Wednesday.

Special Offer – Book now and price displayed includes 10% off the normal cost of the “8:10am Upgrade” option – BOOK NOW!

Schedule
Departure Dates: Daily, except Sunday

Departure Time:

9:30am or 2:30pm STANDARD (maximum 20 people)
8:10am UPGRADE (maximum 8 people)

Departure Point: Tour departs near the Vatican Museums entrance.
Return Details: Concludes at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Additional Information

Inclusions:

Small group walking tour
Entrance fees
Professional guide
Guaranteed to skip the long lines
Headsets to hear the guide clearly

Exclusions:

Gratuities (optional)
Hotel pickup and drop off
Food and drinks, unless specified

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 4 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 24 hours, subject to availability.

By pre-booking this ticket it enables you to skip the long lines (which can take up to two hours!) to enter the Vatican Museums. Please note, all visitors must pass through metal detectors at the security check point. Please expect to wait 20-30 minutes to clear security.

Tours departing Wednesday. There is the possibility that you will be unable to include St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square. This is due to the weekly Papal Audience during which access to St. Peter’s Basilica could be closed. As an alternative you will be offered an extended itinerary within the Vatican Museums, which still includes the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If you would prefer a ticket with St. Peter’s Basilica and Square guaranteed to be included, please DO NOT select Wednesday as your travel date.

We are unable to accommodate other entrance times. Entrance is strictly limited so you must arrive early. Anyone who arrives late cannot be accommodated

Do you cater to wheelchair users? Do you or the Vatican provide wheelchairs? This tour is NOT wheelchair accessible. For your information, Vatican Museums provide wheelchairs free of charge in the main lobby. You can easily pick one up after entrance, before starting your own independent visit. If you are looking for a guided tour with wheelchair access, we recommend booking our private tours so a guide can lead you through the alternate routes.

Local Operator Information:
Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Voucher. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.

BOOK THIS TOUR NOW!
From £44.21

Read Traveller Reviews – 4star based on 1365 reviews

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Sri Lanka

Surfers ride Sri Lanka’s Arugam Bay waves again

By Charitha Fernando

Arugam Bay in eastern Sri Lanka is coming to life after the end of a 30-year war in Sri Lanka cleared the way for surfers from around the world to ride its waves again.

Hotels in the area were packed to capacity this week when surfers flocked to the town to take part in a contest dubbed ‘Champion of Champions’.

“We had a fantastic event. We’ve seen some great waves and spectacular surfing,” says Dave Reed, a tour director for UK’s Pro Surf organization.

“We chose Arugam Bay because its one of the best waves in the world.”

Pro Surf had last toured Sri Lanka in 2003 during a cease-fire with the Tamil Tiger rebels. In May 2009 the organization was crushed by the military and its leadership wiped out.

“Unfortunately because of the civil conflict we didn’t come back within the last four years,” says Reed.

“We are back again and we want to make it an annual event.”

Arugam Bay also known as ‘A Bay’ in surfing circles is renowned as one of the best surfing destinations in the world.

This week, Britain’s foreign office said the Arugam Bay area was safe for its citizens to visit.

“We are very thankful to British High Commissioner, Dr. Peter Hayes for helping us to get the travel advisory lifted,” says tourism promotion minister Faizer Mustapha.

“The north the east had a set back due to terrorism in this country. We see a great potential for tourism in this area.”

Sri Lanka’s Tourism Promotion Bureau has big plans for the surfing enclave. It wants to host a world championship event in the location next July.

“Sri Lanka will be presenting the biggest surfing festival in South Asia along with the World Surfing Championship” says Dileep Mudadeniya, who heads the tourism promotion office.

“The second week of July has been discussed and agreed upon and 200 participants from 60 countries are set to take part in the contest.”

Officials say the end of the war, good surfing conditions, a rural setting, improved infrastructure and the easing of travel warnings will help attract more surfers and fans to Arugam Bay in the future.

The tourism promotion office is looking at introducing night surfing and to encourage domestic flights to cut short travel time from Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo. (LBO)

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Sri Lanka

The lure of Sri Pada (Peak of Adam)

by Aryadasa Ratnasinghe

The open semester to Sri Pada, the holy mountain, began on the ‘Unduvap’ fullmoon day (Dec. 30) and will end on the ‘Vesak’ fullmoon day (May 26) in the ensuing year. This mountain is also known as Samantakuta, Sumanakuta, Samanalakanda, Samanhela, Samangira, Medumhelaya etc. The Christians call the mountain Adam’s Peak, derived from the Portuguese Pico de Adam (Peak of Adam).

This conical mountain is situated 16 km. North-East of Ratnapura, and rises much abruptly from the lower valley than any other mountain in the island. Although it is not the highest mountain, it rises to a trignometrical altitude of 2,243m. (7,360 ft.) above sea level, offering an unobstructed view over land and sea, overlooking the South-central mountain ridges.

The splended view of the tropical wilderness, with its hills, dales and plains, all luxuriantly wooded, bounded by blue mountains, fleecy clouds resting on low ground, and a brilliant sky over-head adds to the panorama of the resplendent island. The charms of the prospects are heightened by the coolness and freshness of the air, and by animation of the scene produced by the singing of birds, in addition to the harsh cries of the wild peacock and the jungle fowl.

From remote antiquity, the visibility of the conical mountain from vessels off-shore to a distance of about 15 km, excited great interest of foreigners, when the island’s interior was unknown to the outside world. It was also the landmark of the sea-faring Arabs, Moors, Greeks and Persians, who came to the island to barter in gems, ivory, spices, elephants etc.

Footprint

The sacred footprint atop the mountain (as most of us have seen) is a superficial hollow of gigantic size, measuring 156 cm. in length, and 76 cm. towards the toes and 71 cm. towards the heel in width. There is the belief that the actual footmark lies on a blue sapphire beneath the huge boulder upon the summit, and what we see is only an enlarged symbolic presentation. The placement of such a huge boulder is attributed to god Visvakarma, who had done so for purpose of protection.

The summit is a small plateau, having an area of 164 sq.m., or 1,776 sq.ft. (74 X 24 ft.), according to measurement taken by Lieut. Malcolm of the British Rifle Regiment, the first European to ascend the mountain in 1816. He had signalled his arrival at the summit by firing three cannon shots from his swivel musket, into the valley below.

The sacred footmark as seen by Dr. John Davy in 1817, was ornamented with a single margin of brass and studded with a few gems. These are now not to be seen. He says, “The cavity of the footmark certainly bears a coarse resemblance to the figure of a human foot but much oversized. Whether it is really an impression is not very flattering, if not for its huge size. There are little raised partitions to represent the interstices between the toes, to make it appear a human foot.”

Robert Knox, the European captive, who spent 20 years (1660-1679), in the Kandyan kingdom, says “The Mountain is at the South end of the Country called Hammalella (Samanhela), but by the Christian People, Adam’s Peak, the highest in the whole island, where, as has been said, is the Print of the Buddou’s foot, which he left on the top of that Mountain in a Rock, from whence he ascended to Heaven. Unto this footstep they give worship, light up Lamps and offer Sacrifices, laying them upon it, as upon a Altar.”

According to the Mahavamsa, the Great Chronicle of the Island, the first person to ascend the holy mountain Sri Pada, was king Vijayabahu I (1058-1114), having come to know that atop the mountain is seen the footmark of the Buddha. It is said that he had gathered this information from the pious woman Manimekhala, who, as a devout Buddhist, was living in South India. Another version is that the king had seen, in the early hours of one morning, angels plucking flowers in his garden. When questioned, one of them had said “We are plucking flowers to worship the footmark of the Buddha atop the Samanalakanda.”

Copper

The Ambagamuwa rock edict and the Panakaduwa copper plate bear witness to the royal patronage extended by king Vijayabahu, by building ‘ambalamas’ (rest camps) on route for the convenience of the pilgrims, and also provided them with food and water. The king also built a lower ‘maluwa’ (place of worship) for his Hindu consort Tiloka Sundari to make her benefactions to the Hindu deity Siva alias Iswera. Actual pilgrimage to the mountain began during the reign of Sri Nissankamalla (1187-1196), after he ascended the mountain with his fourfold army with great faith and devotion.

There are two historic approaches to the summit of Sri Pada. The oldest is the Ratnapura path, popularly known as the ‘difficult path’ via Malwala, Kuruwita, Eratna and Gilimale. The last station is Palabaddala. The path runs through ascending and descending hills, deep valleys, along edge of precipices, with a river foaming beneath and, sometimes, under over-hanging rocks and along the beaten track, highly infested with leeches (blood-sucking worms). On this path, pilgrims have to walk long distances until a camp is reached.

Half way up the mountain, there is a small torrent that flows over an immense tabular mass of rock, which forms the ‘Seetagangula’ (stream of icy water), the parent stream of the Kalu-ganga. At this point, the scene is very impressive and the atmosphere calm. The pilgrims stop here for a break to perform their ablutions, while some bathe, some make a frugal repast of rice or bread, some rest themselves before making the steep climb, some chew betel and others chat to break the monotony of the jungle.

The itinerant Arab pilgrim Ibn Batuta alias Abu Abdallah Mohammed (1304-1377), and the Venetian traveller Marco Polo (1254-1324), had ventured to reach the summit via the Ratnapura path “to worship the sepulchre of Adam” as they believed the footmark atop the mountain to be that of Adam (the first parent of the human race). From Barberyn (Beruwala), they had followed the Kalu-ganga to the summit.

Path

The other path is the Rajamawatha (now the Hatton path), and it came to be so known because many kings, during and after the Gampola period (1347-1412), had made their way to the mountain through that path. It began from Gangasiripura (now Gampola) via Ambagamuwa, Kehelgamuwa, Ulapangama, Horakada, Dagampitiya, Makulumulla, Hangarapitiya, and by the Laxapana pass to the summit. There is also a ‘Seetagangula’ on this route which is the parent stream of the Mahaveli-ganga.

The Rajamawatha was constructed by the Chief Minister Devapathiraja who served under king Parakramabahu III (1283-1293). Pilgrims travelling by train break journey at Hatton (173 km. from Colombo) on the Main Line, and continue by bus to Maskeliya and thence to the Delhousie Bazaar, from where all transport facilities cease. A serpentine gravel road leads the way to the Sama Cetiya, en route, where camping is available for cooking food and for resting. The next halt is the ‘Seetagangula’, where pilgrims get ready to make the ascent.

A group of pilgrims is known as a ‘nade’ and the chief is the ‘nade gura’ who is supposed to have made many visits to the holy mountain during his lifetime. A newcomer is known as ‘kodukaraya’ and he or she is at the mercy of the ‘nade gura’. Age is no barrier to this novice.

As we see from the valley below, the upper part of the mountain is free from jungle growth. Only tundra vegetation adorns the granite surface, as such incomplete plant layers are generally characteristic to exposed sites under humid tropical conditions. Climbing this part of the mountain is risky, if not for the concrete steps now built because the surface of the bare rock is slippery at most places, where water flows from in between crevices of the rock. Before the concrete steps were built from Indikatupana to the summit, iron railings fixed on to iron posts driven into the rocky surface, supported the pilgrims along this stretch, to make the ascent safely. It is said that these railings were fixed on the orders of Alexander the Great (BC 356-323), the Macedonian king, for pilgrims to ascend the mountain without risk to their lives.

Many pilgrims make an effort to reach the summit before dawn to witness the unique phenomenon known as the ‘irasevaya’ (the effulgence of the rising sun) extremely bright and splendid, as it punctures the eastern horizon like a ball of fire. Simultaneously, on the western side of the mountain slope could be seen the conical shadow of the mountain as it falls upon the valley below. Buddhists call this natural phenomena as the worship by sun-god.

The apostate Rajasinha I (1581-1592), the king of Sitawaka, in order to overcome the retribution of patricidal sin in killing his father Mayadunna of Sitawaka, assigned the administration of the holy mountain to a non-brahminical Saiva sect known as ‘Andis’ of South India. He did so on the advice of his Hindu priest Arittakivendu Perumal. These ‘Andis’ collected enormous wealth offered to the footprint by the devout Buddhists. King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1781) appointed Ven. Asarana Sarana Saranankara Sangharaja thera, as the new incumbent of the holy mountain to preserve it from further damage.

Saman

With the onset of the open semester, the statue of god Saman (the tutelary deity of the mountain), along with the insignia of his divine vehicle (white elephant) and other sacred paraphernalia are carried to the mountain in procession, to be placed within the niche below the summit. During the close semester (June to November), these objects of veneration are safely deposited at the Galpottawala Rajamaha vihara at Pelmadulla. At the appointed time, they are taken out, in the presence of the incumbent priest of the temple, and make the historic journey (now through the Hatton path), after a short break at the Maha Saman Devale in Ratnapura.

The collosal brass lamp (‘dolosmahe pahana’) atop the mountain, which keeps burning through night and day, is an offering made by king Virawickrema in 1542. Fuel is supplied by the pilgrims in the form of oil, copra etc., to keep the lamp burning.

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Sri Lanka

Alpine – newest luxury hotel in the misty mountains

by BEVERLEY JANSZ

Alpine is the newest luxury hotel to be added to Sri Lanka’s number one tourist destination, Nuwara Eliya. Going by the name ‘Alpine’, the luxury hotel is surrounded by Nuwara Eliya’s ever green mountains. The plus point for Alpine is that is has been built overlooking Nuwara Eliya’s two main tourist attractions, the race course and Gregory’s lake.

The ‘cottage’ type hotel has 25 spacious and luxury rooms with all modern facilities of a 5-star property. All rooms are equipped with hot/cold water, large TV, modern ‘warmers’ telephone facilities, etc.

To add beauty to this luxury property, all electrical fittings and furniture are of Italian origin. ‘I wanted to make my hotel the best in Nuwara Eliya. During the construction period, every ‘stone’ was supervised by me, and all fittings and interior decor, were selected by me to make Alpine a truly ‘luxury’ cottage in Nuwara Eliya, Chairman, Alpine Hotel, D. G. Mahinda Kumara said.

In order to provide a star-class service and hospitality to tourists, both foreign and Sri Lankan a new management team has been recruited, headed by a versatile hotelier Roy Wootler as the General Manager. Roy has over 15 years of star-class experience in the hospitality industry. The soft opening of Alpine Hotel took place with the new management, recently.

Alpine is flanked by two beautiful misty mountains, Mount Pedro and ‘Single Tree’ and guests are provided a panoramic view of the Nuwara Eliya’s hill country, from their rooms.

The hotel has also recruited a new chef, Vijitha Gunawardena who has over 25 years experience having worked in a number of star class hotels. Gunawardena’s entry to Alpine Hotel will no doubt offer tourists, delicious Sri Lankan, Western and Eastern cuisine. The week-end buffets and BBQs, and specially the ‘rice and curry’ home-made style, have already become popular amongst guests, General Manager, Royal Wootler said.

The beautifully designed restaurant with colourful decor, could accommodate around 90 guests. Special packages are being offered to Sri Lankans and expatriates, in order to popularise the new hotel.

Alpine has already become popular for eco-tourism. The hotel offers excursions to mountains, water falls, boat rides in Gregory’s lake, and safaris to the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, Horton Plains, and other places of tourist attraction in and around Nuwara Eliya.

Alpine Adventurers Tours, which is a subsidiary of Alpine Hotel, offer exclusive deluxe wildlife safaris and natures tours too, including trekking, camping, birdwatching, mountaineering, rafting, mountain biking, fishing, adventure sports etc, Chairman, Alpine Hotel and Alpine adventurers Tours, and Municipal Council Member, Nuwara Eliya, D. G. Mahinda Kumara said.

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Sri Lanka

The Village Resort Habarana

Twenty five years ago Habarana was not considered a tourist destination until Keells Hotel Management Services saw the potential of this town as a base for many tourist attractions.

The first tourist hotel to be built in Habarana was The Village. It was built in 1976. Since then, Habarana has seen a marvellous awakening, especially as a tourist destination in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle. Tourists now experience the traditional hospitality of Sri Lanka in its natural setting at the The Village. When I visited The Village last week, I was accorded a warm and traditional ‘village’ type welcome by Director General Manager, The Village, Srilal Mendis and the resort’s Resident Manager, Kenneth Jayasinghe.

I found The Village to be the ideal locality for all that is best about Lankan charm, courtesy and cuisine and what could be better than encountering all these in an intimate village atmosphere. There is more to The Village than a cosy ambience.

There’s the Habarana lake front with its plethora of endemic flora and fauna. There is a wooded parkland, nature trails and jogging tracks.

While you “live in The Village,” there’s a world of cultural heritage and relics from an ancient civilisation in the vicinity of Habarana for you to explore at leisure. The resort sprawls over 12 acres of landscaped gardens replete with exotic botanical interest. The resort has 106 terraced cottages with A/C or fan, hot and cold water and magnificent views of the glistening Habarana lake. It has two suites, ‘Kingfisher Lodge’ and ‘Silver Lodge’. It offers tourists relaxation beside the still waters of the ancient irrigation tank, home to rare species of flora and fauna. Over 135 species of birds have been identified within the premises of the resort. The ‘Samadhi Veda Asapuwa’ offers tourists a varied selection of herbal treatment.

Trees of over 100 species found in the 12-acre land on which the hotel has been built. This is something rare, Resident Manager, The Village, Kenneth Jayasinghe explained. Tourists take the edge off the tropical heat as they frolic in the cool waters of the large swimming pool with an overview of terraced pathways, limpid lake and tropical jungle.

The resort spreads a scrumptious array of traditional Sri Lankan and exotic Eastern food, presented by Executive Chef Wasantha Jayamanna and his kitchen brigade, to satisfy the ‘jungle hunger’ of tourists. BBQs and outdoor buffets, with a well stocked bar at hand, are also offered to guests.

Recreation and entertainment at The Village includes boating, tennis, badminton, chess in a king-size hut and a host of other indoor games – best of all, the resort offers a thrilling elephant safari in the village of Habarana which has become extremely popular not only among foreign tourists but Sri Lankans alike.

The Village is certainly a base for many tourist attractions, including Minneriya Park, Kaudulla National Park, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Namal Uyana, Aukana, Kalawewa, Somawathai Chaitiya, Dimbulagala, Ritigala and many other in the Cultural Triangle. The shimmering peak of Ritigala is also visible in the hazy tropical near-distance of the resort with its temple atop a mountain 18 km away from the resort.

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Sri Lanka

A ‘new look’ hotel Sindbad

The sandy beaches of Sri Lanka have always drawn the traveller, and now there is a retreat that combines a unique experience with the warm hospitality of the Sri Lankans.

Sindbad Hotel managed by Serendib Leisure, is situated at Kalutara between the lagoon and the sea in a picturesque setting.

This 250 roomed hotel which has just recently been refurbished to create a totally a new look with over Rs. 90 million spent on refurbishing programme sprawls over a large extent of land.

Once inside, the design of Sindbad embraces and celebrates its spectacular environment. The spacious lobby is supported by 10001 lights depicting the legend of Sindbad the sailor who is associated with 10001 lamps. As you enter you are surrounded by the sea and the ambience is soothing and tranquil, peaceful and refreshing.

According to General Manager Chris de Saram this property was opened in 1974 as Hotel Mereve. It was opened again in 1988 as Hotel Sindbad.

Hotel Sindbad has been marketed in all European destinations expecially Germany. ‘The bulk of our tourists come from Germany,’ said the general manager. Upgraded into 3-star property the newly refurbished hotel serves a combination of eastern and western cuisine at all meals and guests can sample some of Sri Lanka’s first delicacies at this hotel.

The hotel also boasts all the modern recreational facilities such as a large outdoor swimming pool, tennis court, chess etc.

The ambience, with greenery around pleases the eye of the wary visitor. The lobby and the reception area sets the tone for the rest of the hotel, everything is open and this seems to capture the currents, and a cool breeze can be felt at any time of the day.

The day of our visit to the hotel coincided with many Sri Lankans, and foreign tourists. One of the tourists quipped “It is our first visit here but we love the place, it is relaxing and it is like our home away from home”. That was the first of many such comments we heard from guests who had become enthralled with the hospitality and the beautiful location of the hotel. The hotel is also popular with many Sri Lankans, ideal location for meetings, seminars and for company outings. Their conference room with a large seating capacity caters to convention, conferences and banquets.

Their most unique attraction is the floating restaurant. You can dine wine and have your birthday bash while you cruise along.

There is plenty of sun, sea and sand which makes Hotel Sindbad the ideal resort for water sports and for those who love getting wet. A banana boat ride, a tube racey jet skin for these who prefer a little more speed and excitement, wind surfing, water scooter paddleboats, sailing boats. You name it there it is everything for the outdoor traveller.

Judging from the careful attention to every detail, the priority given to the guests and the response of the numerous guests who keep flocking to this remarkable hotel. Hotel Sindbad has reached its objectives and more. It is a joint venture with Serendib leisure and the first Maldivian resorts in Sri Lanka Cyprea.

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Sri Lanka

Jetwing’s Yala Safari becomes ‘Game Lodge’

by Beverley Jansz

The wonders of the Yala Safari Beach Hotel, now re-named Yala Safari Game Lodge, derive not only from meeting with nature, but also from an encounter with the values that make a holiday great.

Blissfully located a little less than a kilometre from the Yala Wildlife Sanctuary, teaming with wildlife, bordered by the ocean and blessed with a picturesque lagoon, the Yala Safari Game Lodge sprawls across 14 acres of land, It has been built beside the finest destination in Asia for Leopard watching, Jetwing Hotels Managing Director, Hiran Cooray explained.

The cluster of low, tiled-roof buildings merges into the rustic scrub jungle. Trees grown over the sandy area in the compound, provide shade and privacy. The hotel is not just a matter of meeting wonders of nature, but also wonders of a well run hotel with staff who are eager and obliging, good food, and that overall ambience which makes one reluctant to leave the hotel and its wonders.

The change of name as Yala Safari Game Lodge, according to Gehan de Silva Wijeratne, Director Product Development of Jetwing Hotels, is not a whim, but a sequence of Jetwing’s ambition to be a leading provider of eco-tourism internationally and a re-assessment of its assets.

Wijeratne is of the view that re-naming it as a Game Lodge immediately brings clarity to the product on offer to travel operators and clients.

The name change is symptomatic of a strategic re-positioning the Yala Safari Game Lodge has undertaken. Under the pioneering Jetwing Research Initiative, the hotel began sponsorship of the Leopad Project last year, which attracted wide media interest. The Game Lodge opened an ethnic style ‘Bird Hide’ in January, 2002 modeled on those used in UK. This is probably one of the first purpose built Bird Hides to be constructed by a hotel chain, anywhere in the world. Realising its potential as a base for bird watchers and eco-tourists, the hotel has developed bird benches, introduced a program of nature walks, tree trails and other features. Some of the features such as wildlife news boards, although common in European and North American nature reserves, were unknown in Sri Lanka until Jetwing paved the way with a news board at the Yala Safari Game Lodge.

Veteran hotelier, Lalin de Mel who joined Jetwing Hotels as Director Marketing and Sales is of the opinion that the key to attracting eco-tourists is understanding the needs of this growing market. ‘What we have found is that at times with little capital outlay, you can make a disproportionately high impact in targeting eco-tourists, de Mel said.

Former Assistant Director of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Chandra Jayawardena who has joined the Yala Safari Game Lodge as the resident naturalist says that the character and assence of this property has always been that of a game lodge.

The Yala National Park being on par with some of the finest privately managed game reserves in Africa, for Leopard watching, gives Sri Lanka a head start. The Yala Safari Game Lodge together with the Jetwing Research Initiative will be the passport to placing Sri Lanka on the international eco-tourism map, de Mel said.

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Sri Lanka

Elephants, acrobats enliven ancient Sri Lankan Buddhist festival

Nearly 100 caparisoned elephants, dancers and torchbearers walked down the streets of this central city decorated with colourful lights and flags as the annual Buddhist festival of Kandy Perahera (pageant) was celebrated with great enthusiasm.

The colourful parade began Saturday night from the sacred Buddhist shrine of Dalada Maligawa, showcasing the temple custodians known as Nilames, who were dressed up like ancient kings. The festivities also included traditional Kandyan dancers, fire-juggling acrobats, palanquins, musicians and torchbearers, who followed the elephants through the streets.

Kandy Perahera is celebrated annually ever since the sacred tooth relic of Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Meghavanna during 300 A.D.

Similar festivals take place in other parts of the country, including capital Colombo, but on a smaller scale.

The grand finale of the 10-day celebrations in Kandy, known as Randoli Perahera, began at an auspicious time at 8 p.m. Saturday. Thousands of Sri Lankans and hundreds of foreigners, including the Colombo-based diplomatic corps, attended the night of pageantry.

According to organisers, over 3,000 police personnel and hundreds of military personnel, were on guard to ensure that the event remained trouble-free.

Dalada Maligawa was also hit by the decades-long ethnic war when a suicide cadre of the Tamil Tiger rebels blew up an explosive-laden truck right in front of the temple, causing damage to the shrine in April 1998.

But the temple faced the first attack during the insurrection of the radical Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in the 1980’s.

The highlight of Saturday’s parade was the brightly festooned Maligawa Tusker called Raja, the biggest elephant in the procession, proudly carrying the Perahera Karanduwa, the replica of the casket in which the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is kept.

The actual relic is kept inside seven caskets in the inner sanctum of the Dalada Maligawa.

On the directions of the mahouts, Raja and other elephants walked in measured steps and seemed as though they were moving to the beats of the traditional drummers.

In Sri Lanka, the lives of elephants are interwoven with those of humans. They are a part of the history, culture, religion and tradition of the island nation, which has 20 million people and nearly 4,000 elephants.

The procession was flanked by torch-bearers, who steadfastly carried long, flaming wooden poles.

Although the country has been suffering from one of the bloodiest ethnic conflicts, this colourful pageant in Kandy symbolises the religious harmony and ethnic unity among the two main communities – the Sinhala-Buddhist and the Tamil Hindus.

Anuradha Seneviratne, a professor of the Peradeniya University, said that apart from its religious significance, the event provides a platform to traditional folk artistes to exhibit their reverence and devotion to the enlightened one – the Buddha – and to gods and goddesses such as Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama (lord Muruga) and Pattini.

In one of his books on the Kandy Perahera, Seneviratne writes says that the characteristic of the annual Kandy pageant has gone through a transformation over the years.

‘The Perahera of yesteryears reflected the spirit, the socio-cultural milieu and the political and administrative structure of the times (feudal and monarch elements). (But) The Peraheras today, though portraying semblance of its past grandeur, has transformed into a mere folk pageant,’ he writes.

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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s answer to Mardi Gras

Kandy, Sri Lanka: A cannon booms and the crack of a dozen whips pierce the warm night. The colourful, pulsating Esala Perahera procession has begun.

A centuries-old celebration of Sri Lankan Buddhism, the annual festival is a parade of whirling dancers, elaborately costumed elephants, stilt walkers and fire throwers as you’ve never seen before.

Its soundtrack is a cacophony of percussionists pounding traditional drums, dancers clanging finger cymbals and the rhythmic thumping of mock sword battles.

The 11-day-long celebration in the central city of Kandy shines like Mardi Gras and rocks like Carnival, but without the decadence, liquor or women in skimpy outfits.

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It is deeply rooted in Buddhist traditions and is a major symbol of nationalism for the country’s ethnic Sinhalese majority, stoking memories of the kings who once ruled this teardrop-shaped island off the southern tip of India.

The centrepiece of the celebration is the Sacred Tooth Relic, which tradition holds is one of the few remnants of the Buddha to survive his cremation more than 2,500 years ago. The tooth was smuggled from India to Sri Lanka nearly 1,700 years ago to protect it from an angry king who wanted to destroy it, according to legend.

The modern perahera descended from the royal custom of parading the closely guarded tooth through the streets once a year to give the public a glimpse of the holy relic.

The relic itself is no longer taken out of the temple in Kandy where it is kept; it is considered far too precious. But one elephant in the parade does carry a replica of the gold casket that contains it.

Thought to hold special powers, including the ability to bring rain, the tooth became the symbol of sovereignty over Sri Lanka. Whoever possessed it was considered the nation’s legitimate ruler.

As new dynasties took power, the tooth travelled with them to their new capitals. Ruins of temples built to house the tooth are scattered across the country.

When foreign invaders tried to capture the relic, monks spirited it to safety in remote villages and hid it in plain caskets and even a millstone until the invaders were repelled.

The relic is such a powerful symbol that when suspected ethnic Tamil rebels – who continue to fight a civil war here – wanted to strike at the heart of Sinhalese nationalism, they bombed the current Temple of the Tooth in Kandy.

That 1998 attack killed 17 people. The next day, the government outlawed the Tamil Tiger group. With a flare-up in the quarter-century war over the past 2 1/2 years, security for the perahera procession has been tightened, the parade route cordoned off and everyone entering searched.

The procession grows longer and increasingly elaborate over the course of the festival’s 11 days. The dates of the festival are set according to the lunar calendar. It will run from Aug. 7-17 this year.

Few foreign tourists have attended the perahera in recent years, but for its crowning final night, Sri Lankans begin staking out seats along the parade route at 6 a.m. – 14 hours before the temple’s cannon marks the start.

The parade is led by a procession of men cracking whips. Behind them march a group of men spinning baskets of fire attached by 6-foot-long (1.83-meter-long) chains to metal bands on their heads. Some lie on the pavement and contort theirs neck to swing the fire in circles around their bodies.

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Other men toss large circles of iron, akin to huge bicycle wheels with flames at the end of the spokes, 20 feet (6.1 meters) into the air.

There are stilt-walkers, shirtless dancers clanging cymbals, and seemingly never-ending groups of men pounding traditional Kandyan drums. Some troupes, dressed as warriors, stage syncopated fights, thumping their swords against their opponents’ shields.

But the real stars are the elephants, dozens and dozens of them, each in unique, elaborate costumes. Some wear robes of deep red or purple draped over their backs with gem-encrusted masks covering their heads and ears and flowing down their trunks.

Some wear outfits woven with scores of tiny lights, with gold caps on the end of their trunks.

Some carry important Buddhist monks and temple luminaries on their backs. Others carry sacred artefacts in pagodas.

Tourists who want a good view can spend the day guarding a patch of sidewalk, rent a reserved chair in front of some hotels and restaurants or book a room at the historically shabby Queens hotel with a balcony or a window overlooking the route.

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The reserved seats are helpful, especially if one wants the freedom to come and go during the more than four-hour parade.

But the hotel is by far the most comfortable option. And with the sale of alcohol officially banned during the festivities, some room service waiters are willing to sneak a few bottles of beer to guests watching from their rooms.

Sri Lanka

Eco-tourism saving Sri Lanka’s elephants

Eco-tourism in Sri Lanka is thriving according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) as is evident from a series of sustainable tourism projects in the island nation. A case in point is Sri Lanka’s elephant orphanage at Pinnawela which is breeding elephants in captivity in a sprawling 25-acre coconut plantation.

“The elephant population in Sri Lanka was being decimated to near extinction by the natural loss of their habitat, the hunting due to the lucrative ivory trade and lack of proper management,” remarked SLTPB Managing Director, Dileep Mudadeniya.

“But all that is history now as from merely seven elephants in 1975, the Pinnawela elephant orphanage now houses 65 elephants including several bred in captivity under the intelligent management of the National Zoological Gardens,” Mr. Mudadeniya said.

The pachyderms are roaming free in the 25-acre coconut plantation where they eat grass in addition to a daily diet of around 75 kg of coconut palm, jackfruit and other leaves per animal. The baby elephants at the orphanage are bottle fed on milk by their handlers.

Situated in close proximity to the main highway that links Colombo and the hill capital of Kandy, the elephant orphanage at Pinnawela is one of the few places in the world where visitors could see at close quarters a large number of elephants roaming freely. It has also attracted scientists from around the world to study the behaviour of the elephants and Sri Lanka’s success in conservation.

It is estimated that Sri Lanka had a population of 30,000 elephants in 1815. The numbers however had dwindled to near extinction by the time the elephant orphanage was established in 1975. Since then the population has gradually increased to over 3,000 in the island nation.

Perhaps the most popular elephant activity at Pinnawela is the twice daily bath at the nearby river. They travel in procession to the river where they splash and play and get scrubbed and cleaned by their handlers for an hour each time. It’s also the time when the cameras click furiously in the otherwise tranquil village of Pinnawela.

“The Pinnawela orphanage is a classic example of sustainable tourism because it meets the needs of present tourists and the villagers simultaneously,” remarked Mr. Mudadeniya.

The Pinnawela site is a regular tourist attraction that provides a meaningful experience to the tourists, raises awareness about sustainability and promotes sustainable tourism practices.

A visit to Pinnawela would also be the ideal opportunity to sample the wild natural beauty of the including scenic waterfalls, spice and tea plantations, bird and wildlife reserves, tropical jungle excursions and the luxurious yet eco-friendly accommodation.

*Read the original article on AlBawaba.com