30/01/2020
Sri Lanka has everything that the bold and inquisitive traveller might want from a destination. With beautiful beaches, rich culture and lush hinterland the visitor will quickly find something to enthral them. Shot with state of the art DJI unmanned recreational drones, View From Above captures Sri Lanka in ways that have never been seen before.
Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka is large and colourful metropolis that has it all; ancient temples, old colonial buildings and modern shopping complexes. The city was made the administrative capital of Sri Lanka following British colonisation, and it has continued growing ever since. Tourists should take some time to visit the most beautiful temples in the capital, like those of Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara (just outside of Colombo) and Gangaramaya (in city centre). No trip to Colombo would be complete without watching a cricket game at the Premadasa Stadium. If you need some downtime from the hustle and bustle, Mt. Lavinia beach is just a short drive away.
The south of Sri Lanka is a coastline laced with colonial architecture and history. The Portuguese and Dutch have both left remnants of beautiful era buildings, and the Portuguese star-fort commands a presence over the entire colonial city of Galle. Other landmarks include the Japanese Peace Pagoda, watching stoically from the mountains outside of town. A visit to Galle is not complete without taking wondering around the Dutch Reformed Church. Not too far from Galle is the town of Matara, with its beautiful beach and famous snake park. A little further is the gorgeous, yet quiet, Dewundara region; also home to some quiet Indian Ocean beaches and a magnificent, white Dewundara lighthouse.
The entirety of Sri Lanka is covered in old Buddhist temples, but none are more impressive than the rare Vatadages. A vatadage is a sacred and protective square that surrounds a holy stupa (building or relic), and they are usually covered in stone carvings and pillars. The vatadages of Sri Lanka commonly hide in the countryside, alongside the country’s famous tea estates. Tea has remained one of Sri Lanka’s (formerly Ceylon) biggest exports, and visitors can visit working estates, like that of Hatton Estate, to see how the crops are grown, picked and packaged.
The gorgeous Sri Lankan hinterland is filled with jungles and ravines. This hilly landscape is also dotted with amazing waterfalls. The Ravana Falls in the Southern Sri Lankan hinterland even make an appearance in an Indian epic that details its beauty. Ribboning across the beautiful Sri Lankan ravines are numerous colonial railways and bridges. The Demodara Nine Arch Bridge sweeps across a valley near the town of Ella.
Those exploring the centre of Sri Lanka will eventually stumble upon the ancient capital of Kandy. The Buddhist kings, before the age of colonialism, established a great empire in the middle of Sri Lanka, trading with the Muslim merchants on the north coast. Visitors must try and stopover at the sombre Commonwealth Cemetery before going to the famous Temple of the Tooth to witness a traditional Sri Lankan gathering and its brilliant fast-paced music. Kandy is perhaps best experienced from a small boat on Kandy Lake, or from atop a well-adorned elephant down one of Kandy’s ancient streets.
From beautiful beaches to inland temples, from busy cities to countryside tea estates, Sri Lanka is a charming little country in all respects, and should be seen as a splendid tourist destination.
