Colombo is a throwback. It has smartened up considerably since the end of the conflict, but there is still only a limited sense of the dash for development that characterizes most capital cities in south-east Asia and the result is a compact city retaining an atmosphere all of its own.It is now a mixture of ancient, colonial and modern influences. Old ancestral mansions stand side-by-side with the ritzy condominiums that are springing up into the skyline. Street bazaars buzz right next to a few modest shopping malls. Unlike many south Asian cities, Colombo has at its heart a relaxed and genial air.
Experience the thrills and spills of an exciting rafting adventure in a jungle paradise. Rafting mixes the ups and downs of rapids with calm sections that meander through the jungle clad mountains, tea and rubber plantations of the Kandyan hill-country. The scenery is breathtaking. Red Dot only uses Sri Lanka’s top guides, and if you can hear the instructions amidst the pounding water, you stand a better chance of remaining in the raft. In the calm stretches, sit back and float with only the hub of the rainforest to break the silence as you breathe in the wilderness.
Fishing & Water Sports in Negombo - Watersports in Negombo are centred on the lagoon, although they are not as extensive as, say, in Bentota or Mirrissa further south. The watersports centre at The Beach can advise, as well as provide equipment and coaching. Old fishing crafts such as the `oruwa’ or catamaran with its bellowing sails, are used by Negombo’s fisherman and is characteristic to this part of the island.
Spend a morning in the remote village of Hiruwadunna and experience Sri Lanka’s unhurried rural village life. This is a beautiful setting where the villagers go about their daily lives with the greatest respect to nature. Take a bumpy, cattle-drawn bullock cart ride pass paddy fields and the village temple. Join a fisherman in his catamaran as it meanders along a tranquil lake and wade through lily pads and beautiful white lotuses; watch as cormorants, kingfishers, and brahmini kites stalk their prey. Once back at the river bank, share a rice and curry lunch with the villagers.
Sitting in well-irrigated valleys between Adam’s Peak and Sinharaja Forest Reserve, busy Ratnapura (‘City of Gems’ in Sanskrit) is a famous trading centre for the area’s ancient wealth of gem stones. The region’s wet and humid climate encourages the formation of riverbeds, which are the perfect environment for gem stones to develop.
