CENTRAL

Colombo

Colombo is the largest city in Sri Lanka. It is also the financial and commercial capita,l and almost all the major economic activity is centred around the city. Places of interest include a century-old Clock Tower, British colonial buildings, the old Parliament in Fort, and Buddhist and Hindu temples.

Kandy

Kandy is the famous city of Sinhala history, culture, religion and pageantry. The Kandyan Kingdom was the last independent state in Sri Lanka. It withstood the onslaught of three invading European armies for over two centuries. Kandy can be explored on foot, with the higher altitude making the climate conducive to long walks. The city is visually rich with its narrow streets lined with old buildings full of character, and crowded with people. The Municipal Market has colourful displays of fruit and vegetables, textiles and clothing. The Kandy Lake provides an attractive focal point to the town.

Nuwara Eliya

The beauty of Nuwara Eliya is breathtaking. The early British settlers favoured its mountainous landscape, cascading waterfalls and sleepy towns nestling into the mountainside. The abundant rainfall, sunshine, cold nights and mists provide the perfect climate for growing tea. As you climb higher the air grows cooler and the clouds get closer. This is one of the best holiday resorts with the most picturesque golf course in Asia.

Horton Plains

The Horton Plain is a plateau more than 200 m high. It consists of grasslands, interspersed with areas of forest and some unusual vegetation that grows only in high altitudes. From here rise Sri Lanka's second and third highest mountains. The plains afford some excellent, silent walks.

The most amazing feature of the Horton Plains is the World's End where the southern part of the plains comes to a sudden end and drops almost straight down for 700 m. Dawn is the ideal time to view this site. The mountains are free of mist and the sun is just rising.

The dense forests are home to deer, jackal, the shaggy bear-monkey, sambhur and the occasional leopard.

The plains are popular with bird watchers. Birds include Ceylon Junglefowl, Ceylon Wood Pigeon, Orange-billed Babbler, Ceylon Blue Magpie, Ceylon Hill Munia, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Pied Bush-Chat, Grey Tit and Ceylon Whistling Thrush.