Dear Friends,

Sri Lanka has been in the news for some unfortunate reasons in the last few weeks. You may have probably heard or seen the chaos created in some parts of the country by the torrential rains we experienced. It was most unusual for that time of the year, nevertheless it happened. The rains together with the strong winds created floods in some areas and landslides in some others. Unfortunately, some families were displaced and were accommodated in homes in safer places. Once again, the human spirit of sharing was evident as many individuals, companies and foreign missions all contributed to mitigate the hardships of those affected. Fortunately for Sri Lanka, the water also receded fast and as soon as the rains stopped people were able to go back, clean up and try to get their lives back on track. We are fortunate that there were no health issues that arose from the flooding. The Tourist movements were not disrupted and we were able to conduct our tours around the country.

April and May are busy months for Sri Lankans. We celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on the 14^th of April, and the birth, death and enlightenment of Lord Buddha in May, on the Vesak full moon poya day. The former is a very traditional celebration, where people go back to their villages/homes and celebrate with their kith and kin. Auspicious times are observed, new clothes in specially assigned colours are worn and certain practices are followed to usher in the New Year. Vesak is a more spiritual time for the Buddhists, where many alms are given known as the “dansals”; over the years it has become a festival of lights with huge pandals erected depicting stories of the Buddha and many beautiful paper lanterns and flags adorn houses and the roads. It is indeed a pretty sight and a fabulous experience to be in Sri Lanka during these times.

The charity bicycle ride, “Around the Pearl” took place from the 7^th to the 17^th of April with 35 riders,two of them who had flown in from San Fransisco, USA. They covered 1450 kms in over 11 days with a day for rest. I was fortunate to follow them by car and what an experience that was too. Starting from Colombo, the ride took us to Mirissa, Kataragama, Arugambay, Passikudah, Trincomalee, Mulaitivu, Jaffna, Mannar and Negombo for overnight stops before returning to Colombo. As it was along the coast, the scenery was breath-taking, and for those amongst you who are cyclists, a cycing tour is something I can highly recommend to you.

In the last 2 months, in addition to Jetwing Jaffna and Sunrise by Jetwing, a couple of other hotels also had their official openings. Amongst them, Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle and Shangri La Hambantota stood out. Both hotels are located in the deep south and over look the crystal clear, deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean. These well known brands will no doubt bring in their own clientele to Sri Lanka in the coming months and years.

Sri Lanka continues to attract a lot of bloggers and travel photographers which helps to keep the island in the forefront of travel news. We sincerely hope you too will be able to experience the mysteries of Sri Lanka and its smiling people and spread the word around.

Warm Wishes

Beautifully placed in the center of the Passikudah Bay is Sunrise by Jetwing overlooking the white sandy beach, a unique feature of Passikudah. Located approximately 298 km away from Colombo, Passikudah is in every essence the go-to place for the perfect getaway by the sea…

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Tourism pioneer Herbert Cooray recognized at Sri Lanka Tourism Golden Jubilee

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Joining in as Around the Pearl Official Hotel Partner

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Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau focused to promote Buddhist tourism in Thailand

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Habarana Sri Lanka for Eco – retreats and Adventure

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Tropical Arugam Bay for a Perfect Beach Holiday

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Untamed Nature Meets Luxury

The wilds of Sri Lanka’s Deep South are not for the faint-heart. With its rough patchwork of terrain and the animals that roam the depths of its many national parks, it makes for a thrilling getaway that caters to every kind of traveller. Catering to the…

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Known for its shallow coastline and beaches with clean, soft sand Passikudah is fast becoming a popular destination in Sri lanka for a perfect beach escape. The pristine beaches and luxury properties all blend in to make it a favorable holiday…

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