Serendib Holidays

09/10/2019

Recognising Jaffna: A culinary adventure by popular YouTubers ‘Chopstick Travel’

Under Sri Lanka Tourism’s Travel Blogger & Influencer Program, Luke Martin and Sabrina Davidson of ‘Chopstick Travel’ – the popular food travel based YouTube channel – visited Sri Lanka recently to explore Sri Lanka’s culinary diversity filled with rich flavours.

Chopstick Travel is one of the growing international culinary travel channels on You Tube and boasts over 93 million global views and over 500,000 subscribers.

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http://www.ft.lk/travel-tourism/Recognising-Jaffna-A-culinary-adventure-by-popular-YouTubers-Chopstick-Travel/27-687184?fbclid=IwAR3lAcYmFn98kVgISR6fH0-enTo8zIcoRy4_5sU3tfG42D7We9kI8B2FfaE

03/10/2019

***Sri Lanka Govt allows internal flight operation for foreign airlines***

The Sri Lanka govenments cabinet of ministers has given the nod for foreign airlines to operate domestic flights, a statement said.

Sri Lanka’s civil aviation authority will issue one year operating licenses to foreign airlines that are interested in flying within Sri Lanka, the state information office said in a statement on the latest cabinet decisions.

The flights will operate to and from Jaffna international airport, Batticaloa, Colombo, Ratmalana and Mattala International Airport.

The proposal was put forward by the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to the cabinet.

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https://www.lankabusinessonline.com/sri-lanka-govt-allows-…/

24/07/2019

Sri Lanka to issue free visas for 46 countries from August 01

Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal from the Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry to include China in its free visa policy which will be launched from Aug. 1, Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs, John Amaratunga said Tuesday.

Addressing a media briefing held at the conclusion of a tour by visiting Chinese journalists to Sri Lanka, Amaratunga said China was the second largest market for Sri Lanka tourism and the free visa policy for the Chinese market would boost Chinese tourist arrivals.

“We are aware that China is one of our main markets. Despite the setback from the Easter Sunday attacks, I am sure this year we will be able to achieve our targets. From August 1, Chinese tourists can come to Sri Lanka without a visa fee and we see this as a landmark decision for the tourism industry,” Amaratunga said.

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http://www.travelvoice.lk/sri-lanka-to-issue-free-visas-for-46-countries-from-august-01/

Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal from the Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry to include China in its free visa policy which will be launched from Aug. 1, Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs, John Amaratunga said Tuesday. Addressing a media brie...

10/07/2019

! Heeloya Village Trekking !

Get a feel of the life in a typical village in addition to trekking and sight-seeing and a culinary experience in true Sri Lankan style at Heeloya which is a rural, remote agricultural village in the Kandy district with a unique attraction of understanding how justice was meted out in the good old days. The proceedings of hearing a case by the village-headman and the location are still intact. Paddy cultivation, home gardening, livestock, spice plantations, toddy tapping, handicrafts, bee-keeping are some of the attractions in this village experience.

Enquire at: [email protected]
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28/06/2019

**Grand Hotel among top 100 luxury hotels of the world**

The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya found itself ranked among the top 100 luxury hotels of the world in the Hotel of the Year Awards 2019.

Recognised for its superior guest experience and service standards, the iconic landmark of the hill country became the only Sri Lankan Hotel to be listed in the elite collection of luxury hotels.

The Hotel of the Year award showcases much more than the physical product of the hotel and recognises the guest experience that will live with guests for many years and elevates the hotel over its competitors. It’s a demonstration of impeccable standards of both service and facilities, a standard that is derived from professionally critiqued stays at each individual hotel.

The Hotel of the Year Awards (http://hoteloftheyearawards.com) recognises and rewards hotels, resorts, boutique properties and spas that deliver exceptional levels of service and world class facilities to its guests.

The Grand Hotel won the coveted award for the Best Luxury Romantic Heritage Hotel among a sea of international chain hotels and famous boutique hotels, giving Sri Lanka tourism a much needed boost as a premier destination on the travel map.

http://www.ft.lk/travel-tourism/Grand-Hotel-among-top-100-luxury-hotels-of-the-world/27-680672

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25/06/2019

Chariot Path of King Rawana which is situated in pusellawa, is a Grass land (Plain) on a top of a mountain range that is surrounded by a pigmy forest,which looks like a pathway. It is a remarkably beautiful place.
It is a bare area with a huge grass land surrounded by short Nelu trees and mountainous forest. The chariot path is a road like path where the “Dandu monara” has been landed and it is said that King Ravana brought Sita devi to this place to show the beauty of his kingdom while flying from Lankapura to Ashoka Vatika!

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08/05/2019

Udawattakele Forest Reserve, often spelled as Udawatta Kele, is a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of Kandy. It is 104 hectares (257 acres) large. During the days of the Kandyan kingdom, Udawattakele was known as "Uda Wasala Watta" in Sinhalese meaning "the garden above the royal palace". The sanctuary is famous for its extensive avifauna. The reserve also contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs and small trees. There are several giant lianas. Many of small and medium size mammals that inhabit Sri Lanka can be seen here. Several kinds of snakes and other reptiles might be seen. Udawattakele was designated as a forest reserve in 1856, and it became a sanctuary in 1938.

It has been recorded that the brahmin called Senkanda, from whose name the city's original name Senkandagalapura derives, lived in a cave in this forest. The rock-shelter or cave now known as the Senkandagala-lena is on the slope above the temple of the tooth and can be visited. The Senkandagala-lena collapsed in a landslide in 2012. The legend says the brahmin brought a sapling of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi here and planted it in the present site of Natha Devala. It was used as a pleasure garden by the Kandyan kings. The forest was reserved for the Royal family, and the pond in the forest was used for bathing. The public was restricted from accessing the forest hence the name Thahanci kele (Sinhalese for Forbidden forest).

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06/05/2019

***Central Highlands of Sri Lanka***

Sri Lanka’s highlands are situated in the south-central part of the island. This are comprises the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, the Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest. These montane forests, where the land rises to 2,500 metres above sea-level, are home to an extraordinary range of flora and fauna, including several endangered species such as the western-purple-faced langur, the Horton Plains slender loris and the Sri Lankan leopard. The region is considered a super biodiversity hotspot.

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02/05/2019

!! 52 Russian tourists give glimmer of hope !!

Fifty two Russian holidaymakers arrived here yesterday morning through another DMC at the BIA from Moscow on a chartered flight.
The visitors said that they were aware of the Easter Sunday carnage, but decided to visit Sri Lanka.
They said they would visit Weligama, Hikkaduwa and Bentota as well as Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya and Ella during their holiday.
They said they were confident that the country was safe enough for tourists to visit.

Enquire at: [email protected]
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http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=203543

10/04/2019

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild and plants does not threaten their survival. The Parties to CITES are collectively referred to as the of the Parties. Every two to three years, the Conference of the Parties meets to review the implementation of the Convention. These meetings last for about two weeks and are usually hosted by one of the Parties.
CITES is a multi-lateral treaty between governments for protecting the survival of species in the , especially, endangered plants and animals and to counter international trade threat. The Conference of the parties to the treaty meets periodically to review the implementation of the Convention and is being honoured with the hosting of the next conference on the dates mentioned below.
The 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will be scheduled to be held from 23 May to 3 June 2019 at the BMICH in , with over 3,000 foreign delegates and media expected to participate.

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04/04/2019

KANDY ESALA PERAHARA
Buddhist Literature unveils various pageants and festivities held in great honor of Lord Buddha. The perahara pageant concept became popular during the reign of Emperor Asoka of India. Kandy Perahara pageant really pageant which displays traditional customs. Majority of them been intermingled with the Buddhist and Hindu religious customs.
Yet they display and highlight the great value of the Sinhals culture.Most of the customs have taken from on statues stated in the “Dantha Dhathu Charitha” or “Dalada Siritha” (a book on the customs pertaining on the sacred Tooth Relic) Written during the regime of Parakramabahu IV (1302-1326) of Kurunagala.
The Dalada Siritha stated 38 statutes, on which a perahara pageant should be conducted.Accordingly, the Shrine Room of the Sacred Tooth Relic should be cleaned at the auspicious hour. canopies should be tied, should be decorated beautifully with various silk clothes; The king team of ministers and general public of the city should make offering of rice, flowers and light oil lamps on the 7th day morning,the city should be decorated like the heaven on the same day evening, the chief priests of Uttara Mula Sect personnel of two castes Ganavesi and Kilin should move the Sacred Relic casked with utmost veneration.

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13/03/2019

The Sri Lanka Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has teamed up with producer Nicola Brown to create a nature documentary enticing to visit the island.

Nicola’s and production team has extensive experience working with the BBC’s Natural History Unit, collectively responsible for series including Blue Planet II, Africa, Human Planet and Our Blue Planet, the digital campaign around Blue Planet II.

The film evokes the destination’s new branding, So Sri Lanka, which aims to entice experience-seeking travellers to visit .

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