Threat to ecosystem breaking down surfaces as lands are leased to initiate close to 253 projects Will Knuckles lose World Heritage Site status ?; Kamanthi Wickramasinghe; DailY Mirror
Threat to ecosystem breaking down surfaces as lands are leased to initiate close to 253 projects Will Knuckles lose World Heritage Site status ?, Although Sri Lanka has attracted tourists from around the world for its greeneries and beaches, the authorities seem to have less knowledge on the importance of preserving its resources. While Wilpattu is already being deforested for housing projects, the authorities seem to have identified the Knuckles Conservation Area as the next bait. Several areas around this location have been demarcated for commercial projects which would cause an irreversible damage to the ecosystem. As Knuckles has already been listed…
Knuckles Forest Controversy : Its time that UNESCO intervened; Daily Mirror
KNUCKLES FOREST CONTROVERSY : Its time that UNESCO intervened , When Knuckles conservation forest, along with Sri Pada peak wilderness area and Horton plains, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010, the World Heritage Committee came up with a set of recommendations. The purpose of this was to ensure that the successive governments of Sri Lanka prioritized the protection of these three sites, which form the central highlands of Sri Lanka.
Source: KNUCKLES FOREST CONTROVERSY : Its time that UNESCO intervened
Hiking to the World’s End in Sri Lanka; Arundhati Hazra; National Geographic Traveller
A journey to Horton Plains National Park reveals a cloud forest, and a surprise. Read more on Nat Geo Traveller India.
Top 10 best things to see & do in Sri Lanka; The Luxury Travel Expert
Sri Lanka – Central Highlands of Sri Lanka
Since the end of the civil war between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers in 2009, Sri Lanka has been ascending the must-go-now lists. The island – often nicknamed the Teardrop of India or Pearl of the Indian Ocean – lures travelers with miles of tropical coastline and a jungle-clad interior. Home to remarkable ancient ruins, attractive tea estates, wildlife-rich national parks, and world-class hotels, it’s the ideal place to combine a cultural tour with an exciting safari and a bit of downtime at the beach. So, whether you’re a couple looking for a romantic getaway, a family looking to entertain the kids or a solo traveller seeking peace and quiet, Sri Lanka has something for everyone. Here’s my top 10 list of the best things to see & do in Sri Lanka.
There’s more info below the slide show. Think I missed one? Share your favorite place or activity in Sri Lanka in the comments section, or take my poll below!
10. EXPLORE COLOMBO
Read more from source: Top 10 best things to see & do in Sri Lanka – The Luxury Travel Expert
Photos: Meet the 2018 ‘Green Oscars’ winners; Shreya Dasgupta; Monga Bay
Sri Lanka – Central Highlands of Sri Lanka
- The six winners of 2018 Whitley Award are Munir Virani of Kenya; Shahriar Caesar Rahman of Bangladesh; Kerstin Forsberg of Peru; Dominique Bikaba of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Anjali Chandraraj Watson of Sri Lanka; and Olivier Nsengimana of Rwanda.
- Each recipient was awarded £40,000 ($56,000) in project funding over one year at an awards ceremony held at the Royal Geographic Society in London, U.K., on April 25.
- A seventh conservationist, Pablo “Popi” Garcia Borboroglu from Argentina, who won the Whitley Award in 2010, received the Whitley Gold Award for his commitment to safeguarding the world’s penguin species.
Six conservationists received the conservation world’s “Green Oscars” at an awards ceremony at the Royal Geographic Society in London, U.K., on April 25.
The Whitley Award, granted by the U.K.-based charity Whitley Fund for Nature, honors local environmental heroes who work in grassroots nature conservation, often facing “humanitarian, environmental and political challenges in the projects they undertake.” This year marks 25 years of the prestigious award.
The six winners were chosen from a pool of over 136 applicants from 48 countries.
Read more from source: Photos: Meet the 2018 ‘Green Oscars’ winners
Agroforestry bolsters biodiversity and villages in Sri Lanka; Chandni Navalkha; Monga Bay
Sri Lanka – Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Visitors to the Sinharaja Man and Biosphere Reserve, Sri Lanka’s largest remaining primary rainforest, could easily miss the fact that adjoining the forest’s entrance is the old and thriving community of Pitekele. Yet on foot, it takes just a quick turn and a climb over a boulder or two to exit the UNESCO World Heritage Site and enter into this bucolic village landscape of fallow rice paddies, sprawling tea gardens, and homes surrounded by some of the most diverse, and biodiverse, gardens in the whole region.
Read more from source: Agroforestry bolsters biodiversity and villages in Sri Lanka
Cultural heritage, peace and reconciliation; Gamini Wijesuriya; Sunday Times
Sri Lanka – Sacred City of Kandy
Keynote speech delivered by Gamini Wijesuriya a renowned heritage expert from Asia at the Scientific Symposium, “Heritage and Democracy” of the International Council of Monuments and Sites from December 8-15 in Delhi
Like the trouble you have taken, we undertook to host the 10th General Assembly of International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in Sri Lanka during this time. It was held at a time when democracy was threatened in this part of the world by a chain of events of which heritage was also a victim. India lost her Prime Minister in 1991 and just four months before the General Assembly (in May 1993), Sri Lanka lost her President. Both were democratically elected leaders killed by terrorists. The incident in Sri Lanka severely affected the General Assembly and some of the members opted not to attend. It might help explain my apprehensions.
Sri Lanka’s Sigiriya: How to experience the impressive fortress; Ashley Welton; Matador Network
Sri Lanka – Ancient City of Sigiriya
Dating back to the 5th century, the stone fortress was constructed by King Kasyapa to avoid attacks from his brother Moggallana.
Wonderful Kandy; Tsem Rinpoche
Sri Lanka – Sacred City of Kandy
The veneration of relics is an ancient custom that plays an important role in major world religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Shamanism. For example, sites that house holy relics in Christianity are major pilgrimage destinations because it is believed that these relics are a benediction to the living and the deceased.
In Buddhism, holy relics generally refer to the physical remains or personal effects of Buddha Shakyamuni. Incredibly, some of Buddha Shakyamuni’s bodily remains have survived for two and a half millennia, including the much-revered sacred tooth of the Buddha in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Most Buddhist temples have stupas, and these stupas are often created specifically to house precious relics. Such reliquary stupas often become the initial structure around which the whole temple is later based.
Galle Fort, Sri Lanka, travel guide and things to do: The three-minute guide; Anthony Dennis; Traveller
Sri Lanka – Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications
It may a faded gem, but Galle Fort is a gem nonetheless.
World’s Greatest Cycling Trip & How You Can Do It: Definitive Guide On Covering Sri Lanka Tip-To-Tip; Sonalika Debnath; Tripoto
Sri Lanka – Sacred City of Kandy
As a child, some of our fondest memories have centred around cycles – either sitting on it, or sporting bruised knees and lying haplessly on the ground somewhere near it. Cycling has been synonymous with the very first rush of wanderlust and utter and complete freedom, even if it was for a few hours and just through the neighbourhood park. And there’s no better place to step back in time and relive this childhood experience, than through the tropical paradise of Sri Lanka. A canvas of green and blue, the country is intermittent with rusty rail tracks winding across staggering terrains. Notwithstanding the 30 years of war and a terrifying tsunami, the unhurried pace of life on Emerald Isle is both baffling and bracing for travellers.
Dambulla Caves – Most Beautiful Wall Murals of Sri Lanka; Anuradha Goyal; Inditales
Sri Lanka – Golden Temple of Dambulla
Visit Dambulla Rock Temple located in the caves above the mighty rock where the ancient Buddha statues live among the most beautiful wall murals.
Dambulla caves in central Sri Lanka have the best-preserved wall murals. This was a good enough reason for me to plan a hike to these rock caves. Top it with the fact that this is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. After walking in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa in June heat, I was really low on energy. My experience at Mihintale told me clearly that either climb this rock in the morning or evening. I chose to do it late afternoon around 4 PM or so.
Dambulla cave can be climbed from its two opposite faces. One where you buy the tickets and second where there is a giant golden temple.
Polonnaruwa – Most Beautiful Ruined City Of Sri Lanka; Anuradha Goyal; Inditales
Sri Lanka – Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa is a bit of tongue twister name. I kept pronouncing it wrongly through the trip. Being a UNESCO world heritage site, it was on my list for this Sri Lanka Road Trip. But I had no idea about what Polonnaruwa is besides that.
My first insight into this lovely city was at Colombo National Museum where they had a section devoted to Polonnaruwa era of Sri Lanka. It spoke about its mighty kings like Prakrambahu and his contributions.
After soaking in Anuradhapura, next day I headed to Polonnaruwa. I am happy I did not follow my guide’s advice to do both Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa in one day. It would have been too much to take in one day. At the end of the day, I liked Polonnaruwa far more than Anuradhapura. And I am definitely biased towards the latter.
Anuradhapura- Things To See In Ancient Capital Of Sri Lanka; Anuradha Goyal; Inditales
Sri Lanka – Sacred City of Anuradhapura
Ever since I heard about Anuradhapura I had this urge to visit this city that I share the name with. Now, I know I have an incredibly common name. I always detest being one of the many Anuradhas in any group. However, if there is one reason I like my name it is for the fact I share it with one of the oldest living ancient cities of the world. By the way, it also tells me how ancient my name is – for the city was named after a minister named Anuradha.
On this solo road trip across UNESCO World Heritage sites in Sri Lanka, my journey began at Anuradhapura after spending a couple of days in Colombo. Early morning, I started from Cinnamon Lodge at Habarana to read Anuradhapura around 7:30 AM.
Gal Vihara: The Stone Temple of Sri Lanka; Joy Kam; Tsem Rinpoche
Sri Lanka – Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
Gal Vihara, also known as Gal Viharaya, means stone or rock temple in Sinhalese. It is a Buddhist temple situated in the second largest ancient city of Sri Lanka, in the Northern Central Province of Polonnaruwa.
The Buddha images at Gal Vihara are known to be very sacred and highly charged. Many pilgrims and visitors have experienced blessings from the images by gaining spiritual realisations and a higher level of awakening. Although Gal Vihara belonged to Theravadan Buddhism, its monuments do show clear evidence of Mahayana Buddhism’s influence from the 12th century.
Origin
The temple was built in the 12th century by King Parakramabahu I (1123 – 1186 CE), and in the beginning it was known as Uttararama or “The Northern Temple”.
Make Your Sri Lanka Trip Complete With These 10 Things To Do In Galle!; Sue Anne; Trip101
Sri Lanka – Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications
Galle is definitely one of the top tourist destinations in Sri Lanka and it is no wonder why. Littered with heritage sites, here are some of the fun things to do around Galle!
10 Attractions You Can’t Miss in Sri Lanka; Lara Grant; Oyster.com
Photo: llee wu
Source: 10 Attractions You Can’t Miss in Sri Lanka | Oyster.com
17 Fantastic Things You Need To See And Do In Sri Lanka; Yaya & Lloyd; Hand Luggage Only
Sri Lanka – Golden Temple of Dambulla
Sri Lanka seems to be one of those countries that everyone’s been thinking about this year! It’s one of those special countries that has an immersive culture, some pretty epic teaches and enough spiced hoppers to enjoy, day after day!
Over the course of this year, we’ve been fortunate to be able to visit Sri Lanka twice and recently came back from the most incredible trip with Thomson Holidays. It’s one of those countries where words will never do it justice alone…the sites, smells, atmosphere and even copious amounts of sand the creeps into your pants make this one of my favourite places to visit.
Take a look at 17 of the very best reasons why you should be thinking of Sri Lanka for your next getaway.
1.) Visit the top of Sigiriya (Lion Rock Fortress)
Bucket List: Sigiriya, Sri Lanka’s Mighty Fortress; Emma Weissmann; Travel Age West
This UNESCO World Heritage Site caters to art lovers, history buffs and adrenaline junkies alike…
All About World Heritage Sites 