luxury trip to Sri Lanka

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Even for me, am-student-have-no-money, a trip to Sri Lanka was a totally luxury treat for just a few pounds a day. To have my own driver and stay in 5 stars hotel... True paradise with azure seas, sandy beaches, green hills, cascading waterfalls, abundant wildlife, a riot of flowers and fruits, coconut groves, spice gardens, tea estates, … great food, 5 o'clock tea, ayurveda massage, sea, sun...

In 3 weeks I’ve been to Hikkaduwa - Mirissa - Matara - Tangalla - Rekawa - Hambantota - Mawalli - Arugam Bay - Nuwara Eliya - Kandy - Aluvihara - Sigiriya - Pollonaruwa - Nilaveli - Trincomalee - Dambulla - Negombo.

Nestling off the southern tip of India, the tropical island of Sri Lanka has fascinated travellers for centuries with its palm-fringed beaches, diverse landscapes and historical monuments.
Sri Lanka was formerly known as Ceylon and for nearly two decades, the island was affected by a bitter civil war arising out of ethnic tensions.

The growth of a more assertive Sinhala nationalism after independence fanned the flames of ethnic division until civil war erupted in the 1980s between Tamils pressing for self-rule and the government. Most of the fighting took place in the north, but the Tamil Tiger rebels carrying out devastating suicide bombings also in Colombo in the 1990s. The violence killed more than 60,000 people, damaged the economy and harmed tourism in one of South Asia's potentially prosperous societies. A political agreement reached between the government and rebels in late 2002 raised hopes for a lasting settlement, and Norwegian-brokered peace talks stalled in 2003.
Sri Lanka suffered its worst disaster in late 2004 when Tsunami killed more than 30,000 people and destroyed a huge part of the island.

It’s also a country of four colourful religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Islam.

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Photos

hotel in Hikkaduwa
View from my room...

Veddha people
The Veddha were the earliest people known to have inhabited Sri Lanka. Small villages in the rainforest are still home to the Veddha people who account for one percent of the population.

house on your own island
when Englishman comes to Sri Lanka...

Stilt fishermen
fishing in Sri Lanka

Mirissa
bodyboarding in Mirissa

tea
ceylon tea

tea
tea plantations

rice&curry
dinner 4 one person

rice
we are in Asia

school bus
bus stop for sweets

playing with fire
oh, i'm hungry

Sigiriya - The Lion mountain
Sigiriya, the best preserved city centre in Asia, with its combination of buildings and gardens with their trees, pathways, water gardens, the fusion of symmetrical and asymmetrical elements, use of varying levels and of axial and radial planning.

palm trees
they are huge

Trincomalee
beautiful temple

curd
Sri Lanka's yoghurt

elephant
elephant's drinking