It is customary to talk about Sri Lanka primarily as a resort. Indeed, gaining strength and leaving the picturesque Lankan beach, even for the most exciting locations, is difficult task. And yet this place has something to surprise, even if at first glance it seems that the nine -diagram bridge, the peak of Adam and the temple of the Buddha tooth are local maximum. We tell you where you will get priceless impressions. The rules of entry into the country are available on the link.
You can fly to Colombo on Aeroflot direct flights in about 8 hours.
The north of the island is not too popular among tourists. Meanwhile, it is here that the archaeological park is located and Temple complex MihintaleWhich is considered a cradle of Buddhism on Sri Lanka. The widely known name this place received after the mountain range 12 km east of the ancient capital of the island of Anuradhapura. And the place, in turn, bears the name of the Makhinda, the Indian preacher, who in the 3rd century BC brought Buddhism to these lands.
In fact, the ridge consists of only three hills: a man’s plateau, a royal hill and an elephant mountain. But the complex itself occupies a much larger area, which almost all tourists usually run past. The fact is that if you look for Makhinda on the Internet, then the image of giant boulders at the top of the hill – the so -called cliff of the invitation. For local pilgrims, these stones are one of the main religious shrines. It is not surprising that her photos are most replicated on the network. The path to the top along the decayed stone steps is difficult and quite dangerous, and the view from above is picturesque, but clearly does not stand out of the Lanka beach. Therefore, if you decide on a trip here, it must be borne in mind that in addition to the cliff of the invitation, the archaeological complex is replete with atmospheric ruins, ancient dagobes, small stupids (Buddhist architectural and sculptural religious structures), secret and not very caves, ponds full of water lilies … In general, the location is definitely not for one photo, but for a full walk for the whole day. It is only worth considering that you can move exclusively barefoot through the territory of the temple complex, therefore, perhaps, you need to take socks with you.
One and a half hours of the journey south of Makhinda, almost in the center of the island, is located “Lion Rock”which is also called Sigiria. At the top there is a massive inclined rocky plateau, and on it – what remains of the ancient fortress.
The rise is paid, it costs more than 20 US dollars* per person, but the staircase is rarely empty even at five in the morning and after the onset of darkness, because the dawn and sunsets met there are remembered for tourists for a long time.
But literally a couple of kilometers north of Sigiria, you can get the same impressions almost ten times cheaper. The cliff faded – Also an inclined plateau of triangular shape on the top of the hill. At the foot of the pidulagal, there is a small cave temple, and immediately behind it begins up the mountain. The staircase loopes through a thick tropical forest and leads to huge boulders, at the base of which you can find ancient monastic cells carved right in stone. Further along the road, a restored statue of a lying Buddha will meet, and then the most difficult part of the road will begin-narrow passages along the rocky embankment among inclined plates and, finally, a plate-warrior with an amazing view, not only for dawn and sunset, but also at the lion’s rock, which is much more picturesque and textured than fencing, if you look from the side.
Sri Lanka is rightfully considered the country of waterfalls. 150 km east of Colombo, on the Kotmale Oyya River, is located Waterfall Devon. Powerful flows break off from a 97-meter height and first hit a flat large rock, and then, having overcome several fewer thresholds, are lost in the thick green of the Lankan jungle. In the background, neatly trimmed plantations are visible, founded in the colonial era with one of the British entrepreneurs, whose name received this waterfall.
A few kilometers east is the local “little Niagara”, this is what this wide – 80 meters are called – thoroughbred Waterfall Saint-Cler. Due to the dam, which was built above several years ago, as well as the abundance of small rapids, it seems that the water drains slowly, as if reluctantly pave the path through emerald tea fields.
Unfortunately, there is no way to come closer to the Devon or Saint Claire: the rocky landscape with steep changes and land leeches, which are happy to wait for curious victims on every wild bush, is to blame for everything.
There is a special place in the south of the island – Sinharaja National Park. Locals call this forest the king of the jungle. The uniqueness of this place is that in its depths a special biosphere, characteristic of wet primitive forests, has been preserved: giant horsetails, fleshy vines, huge fern, as well as dozens of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects listed in the Red Book. Even wild elephants live in the jungle, but the locals always warn that tourists in no case look for meetings with them: it can be deadly, as in the case of snakes, leopards … However, the primitive forest, as well as its surroundings that have already been fired by humanity, are attractive that almost everything is trying to kill in them, and then eat a pale shredded tourist from a distant one northern country. Therefore, for a safe visit to this place, it is better to hire a guide.
Like Sinharaja Park Yala It is a national, guarded reserve, and the oldest, first open on the island. Unfortunately, this oasis of wildlife suffered stronger than others from the tsunami in December 2004.
A wave of six meters high swept the shore for one and a half kilometers and literally washed away the tourist part of the reserve in the ocean along with some of its inhabitants. Over the next 20 years, the park has almost completely recovered, but the locals argue that the tsunami has greatly changed its appearance.
Plantation of spices is one of the ways of excursion and entertainment leisure of tourists. Pepper, cloves, cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon-these are just some types of spices that have long grown on Sri Lanka. Guests of the island can touch the fragrant world in any of the three dozen certified by the government Special gardens. In fact, these are ancient plantations, turned into tourist locations and aimed, first of all, to a tourist wallet. Nevertheless, to see how nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon grow, to find out, for example, that vanilla and black pepper are actually a vine of the vines, and an expensive sandalwood – a weed and a parasite, seems to be an event of a cognitive and expanding horizons. Due to the features of the climate, the best spices harvest are traditionally harvested in the areas of Matala, Kandal and Kegalla, most of these gardens are also concentrated there.
*Prices are valid at the time of publication
