Sri Lanka is preparing for a huge influx of European holidaymakers looking for a safe place in the sun as they shun traditional Mediterranean holidays because of the threat of rising terrorist violence.   The collapse in traditional holiday destinations has been quite startling. And to make matters worse The Times newspaper has reported that… Read More »

Finally, the world is realising something that Red Dot Tours has known all along: Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful, intriguing and addictive travel destinations in the world.   In Conde Nast’s first post of the New Year, Sri Lanka was dubbed as one of the hottest places to visit in 2016. This… Read More »

Butterflies Galore Sri Lanka’s wildlife is a bonus for visitors who visit the island on holiday. It’s not just the mainstream attractions like the Yala National Park, renowned for its elephants and leopards, or the bird sanctuaries to give twitchers palpitations, there are also less publicised creatures to amaze the causal watcher. Particularly the country’s… Read More »

Sri Lanka is a great travel destination for families.  There are a few setbacks such as long distance journeys (‘are we nearly there yet?’), and at times some cultural sites which may not be so fully enjoyed by your little people (‘mummy, I’m bored!’). However, these are easy to combat if you know the right route… Read More »

Christmas presents Even though it’s hot and sunny in Sri Lanka at Christmas, unlike in Europe, the season is properly commemorated. Midnight mass is celebrated in the country’s churches (some seven per cent of the population is Christian) and, Christmas day being a public holiday, people of all faiths enjoy camaraderie, on the beach or… Read More »

Mining For Gems The mining of precious stones in Sri Lanka seems to be as old as the country itself. The tales of ancient mariners about their visits to the island frequently mention the “jewels of Serendib” telling of “the sapphires, topazes, amethysts, garnets and other costly stones of Ceylon.”   One of the many… Read More »

Collecting Ceylon Ceylon ceased to exist in 1972 when the island’s name became Sri Lanka, 24 years after obtaining Independence from Britain in 1948. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the country officially becoming part of the British Empire in 1815, but there are no commemorations of that. However, there are many collectable items… Read More »

Sri Lanka’s rare martial art. An item in a local newspaper has set me on a discovery of a unique Sri Lankan martial art. The report reads: “A presentation and display on Angampora was conducted by the Sri Lankan Air Force Angampora team in Colombo last month, marking yet another significant milestone in history of… Read More »

Tea Time It’s a bit too early to put the kettle on but if you like tea then there are lots of events associated with tea being held in Sri Lanka in 2017. That’s to celebrate tea’s sesquicentennial based on it being 150 years since James Taylor, from Scotland, planted the first field of tea… Read More »

If you haven’t visited Sri Lanka for a few years, you’d be amazed by its growth. New properties pop up every other day, and the wide range of accommodation currently on offer is more impressive than ever before. Boutique hotels and villas are becoming particularly popular, with intimate boutique properties and villas becoming ubiquitous on Sri… Read More »