Train
If you have enjoyed the breathtaking sites of Nature in Sri Lanka from hot air balloons, sea
planes, buses, boats, by riding bicycles, trekking, hiking, then you must take a train. It
is a great inexpensive way to see the glorious mountains, waterfalls, tea and rubber
plantations and simple villages from a different angle and in different perspective. Trains
are a much more relaxed and comfortable way to crisscross the Island than a bus or a car.
The Ceylon Government Railways was established in 1864 during the British colonial rule and
over the years extensions to the main line were made in covering destinations to Kandy,
Nawalapitiya, Nanu Oya, Bandarawela and Badulla from 1867 to 1924. The line to Matale was
added in 1880, the Coast Railway Line in 1895, Northern Line in 1905, Mannar Line in 1914,
Kelani Valley in 1919, Puttalam Line in 1926 and the Lines to Batticaloa and Trincomalee in
1928. Initially trains were the main transport mode for tea and coffee from the hill country
as these were the major export crops at the time.
Golfing
The first things that come to mind when you think of this beautiful country are probably the
endless golden sandy beaches, luscious greenery, great tea, roaming elephants and ancient
ruins. But it’s also the perfect place for a round of golf, and well worth checking out if
you fancy spending your next holiday working on your handicap.
The Royal Colombo Golf Club course is an 18-hold Course, 5770m long (par 71). It is a golf
course designed to give the ardent golfer all the challenges the game can offer. There are
many water hazards, broad fairways, well guarded bunkers designed to make the golfer test
out his finer skills in the game of Golf. This Gold Course was established in 1879 and was
originally situated in Colombo at the location now known as Galle Face Green. It is the
second oldest Royal Golf Club outside the UK. It was also the third club in the British
Empire that was accorded the ‘Royal’ title.
Weddings & Honeymoons
If you have been bored seeing the same old wedding rituals with the same old wedding hymns
and stage-managed ceremony, think about making this occasion a unique and memorable one in a
completely new and glamorous setting and you will find out that Sri Lanka holds a special
magic for wedding couples or lovers for that matter.
A Typical Sri Lankan style wedding involves Kandyan dancers, drummers, beautifully dressed
elephants to conduct the groom to the site, a specially decorated stage where the vows are
made
and sealed with a ring and a kiss.
Sri Lankan hotels are quite experienced in arranging wedding ceremonies according to your
wishes and fancies especially with many couples from various parts of the world preferring
to have a down-to-earth Sri Lankan wedding ceremony. The champagne, wedding cake, Sri Lankan
buffets, tailor-made clothing, bouquets, Kandyan dancers, drummers, photography and video
recording, marriage registrar with English Certificate of Marriage, etc.
Antiques
Antiques, just like ancient photographs create a sense of fascination and make you dream of
a time long gone by and make you compare those periods of time with the present and the vast
ocean of innovations, advancements in between that affect every sphere of our lives. We like
to cling on to those old rare and valuables tokens that relate stories of ancient times.
They may be furniture, vehicles, clocks, mechanical devices, ornaments, door and window
frames, gramophones, walking sticks, etc that hold a special place in your heart for their
old world charm. They become subjects and special exhibits to conduct mind-capturing
conversations with visitors and friends.
There are many antique dealers in Sri Lanka and suburbs that offer a wide selection to
choose from and it is certain that you will be fascinated with what you can collect to stir
your memories and emotions.
Handlooms And Batiks
Sri Lanka has a historical connection to handlooms and the loom had been portrayed
generously in local myths and legends. With records of Sri Lanka trading vividly designed
cotton textiles with India and China as far as 1000 years ago, the country has been known as
a hotspot of textile manufacturing.
The handloom weaving industry can be considered an ancient art that is centuries old
practiced throughout the ages and handed down from generation to generation. .
Materials used for handloom weaving are usually cotton, rayons and polyester cotton are also
used for varying textures and striking designs. There is a great international demand for
Sri Lankan handloom products including wall hangings and banners.
Photograhy & Filming
Sri Lanka is truly a photographer’s paradise because whatever your fields of interest are,
they are all a click away whether it is wildlife, rambling beaches, rain forests, ancient
monuments, historical ruins, waterfalls, tea plantations or simple rustic villages. All the
subjects and backgrounds you can wish for are all here in this photogenic Island with the
mystery and magic of tropical glory.
The locations of many Hollywood award-winning films were based in Sri Lanka. Joseph Conad’s
“Outcasts of the Islands”, John & Bo Derek’s “Tarzan the Ape Man”, David Lean’s all-time
thriller “Bridge on the River Kwai”, Stephen Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of
Doom”, became box-office hits dressed in the lusty Sri Lankan sets.
