One of the great travails of being a tour operator that specialises in Sri Lanka has been the constantly fiddling of dates involved in making sure that ‘flying direct’ with Sri Lankan airlines actually meant flying direct. Until now, the daily London to Colombo (and vice versa) flight with good times has touched down in The Maldives on 4 days of the week, adding two hours to the overall flying time. While there has always been an additional direct flight on all of these days, they have been at very unsociable hours, either arriving into or departing from Colombo in the middle of the night. This has led to a constant struggle to fit in all the conflicting requirements of the clients with the reality of the dates and times. To the great relief of everyone here at Experience Travel this problem is no more!!
Sri Lankan airlines to increase its direct flights from London to Colombo
Burma’s government frees high-profile prisoners
The Burmese Government today announced that 651 prisoners will be freed under a new amnesty, although it is not known how many of these will be political prisoners. Min Ko Naing, a leader of the failed 1988 uprising, is the highest profile prisoner to be freed and was greeted by jubilant cheering crowds outside Yangon’s infamous Insein prison. Other prisoners also freed include those involved in the 1988 student protest movement, monks involved in the recent 2007 demonstrations and ethnic-minority activists from rebel groups. (more…)
Maldives Government Bans Spas – and then de-bans them!
The Maldives Government banned spa’s this week and then, following a volley of abuse from the tourist industry, promptly un-banned them again. Given the countries reliance on tourism as a money earner and the Maldivian resorts reliance on spa’s, it seems quite extra-ordinary that the idea was ever mooted in the first place. With the focus here on rejuvenation, honeymoons, relaxation and general peace and serenity almost every single resort in the country makes the spa one of the main USP’s.. I should know, I have been dragged around enough. There is only so much enthusiasm the average man can generate for ‘his and her’ spa rooms.
A hotbed of sin?
Having been to very many in the interests of research, I can happily state that the given reason for banning them – that they are hotbeds of sin – are probably wide of the mark – at least as far as the resorts that we offer!
It is an interesting indication though, of the ongoing conflict between the conservative character of the Maldivian people, with their strong emphasis on Islam and their traditional way of life – and the increasing reliance on the tourism sector to provide jobs, foreign currency and earnings. In the past the old repressive government tended to insist on keeping locals and tourists rigorously segregated while the newer, more liberal regime seemed more open to braking down this barrier. Maybe they are having second thoughts…
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Sri Lanka Holidays in April 2012
Sri Lanka – April
For several regions of Sri Lanka, April is the ideal time to visit. A dry and moderately warm climate, April offers comfortable travel in the east coast and ancient cities region particularly. The school holidays in the UK, coupled with the decent weather and the Sri Lankan celebration of the Buddhist New Year, make April a popular month. Weather is comfortable, but steadily warmer throughout the month, as the country approaches May, which is notorious for its extreme heat. Among the most popular tourist destinations in April are Nuwara Eliya, a colonial hill station that is popular among Europeans and Sri Lankan socialites. Because of this, hotel bookings for Nuwara Eliya in April are at their most expensive, and lodgings may be difficult to come by. It is recommended that travelers book their accommodations weeks in advance to ensure a place to stay.
In April, Sri Lankans celebrate the Buddhist New Year, a three-day-long celebration from the start of the first full moon of that month, usually around the 12-13th. Travelers can expect jubilant celebration in the form of fireworks, festival music, and delicious traditional meals shared with neighbors. One such shared meal is kiribath, a rice and coconut milk dish that is customarily shared during auspicious holidays in Sri Lanka. As is tradition for the Buddhist New Year, travelers in Sri Lanka should expect to be given rupees as gifts; in the hope the auspicious money will bring good luck. Although the general atmosphere is festive, and many places bustle with celebration, travelers who have come to shop should be forewarned that stores in Sri Lanka tend to close during the Buddhist New Year, as most people travel and visit with relatives. In fact, although the villages and small towns are usually bustling with excitement, larger cities such as Colombo tend to be deserted. In the smaller towns and villages, one can expect to find women playing drums in celebration, children and adults alike playing cricket and Guddu, villagers playing cards and singing songs, all to celebrate the New Year. Small towns such as Ella and Bandarawela are prime visiting locations for April.
Lastly, Easter is celebrated by many in Sri Lanka, particularly by Sri Lankan Catholics and Christians in the coastal region. Although a minority group, Christians in Sri Lanka celebrate Easter devoutly, oftentimes re-enacting Christ’s crucifixion, sometimes for as long as three hours. Afterward, a procession is led to the mountains of Golgotha. Small towns such as Kandana and Nagombo typically celebrate Easter with large re-enactments and processions on the Friday before Easter, known as Good Friday, or on Easter Sunday itself. Specific celebrations differ from town to town.
Sunrise from the top of magical Borobudur temple, Central Java
After a night at Losari Coffee Plantation – a wellness retreat surrounded by 8 of central Java’s dramatic volcanoes – our exploration of Java continued with three nights in the historic province of Yogyakarta to the south. After an early morning rise for an hour long yoga session (who knew that stretching could be so tiring?) and a tour of the working coffee estate, we first made our way north to the small Hindu temple complex of Gadung Songo, some 1,300 meters above sea level. We explored the site and yet more stunning vistas on horseback, before getting drenched in a downpour. After the two hour drive south it was starting to get dark by the time we reached, tired and slightly disheveled, the luxury surroundings of Amanjiwo.
I always feel a little embarrassed turning up at such places after a day’s ‘hard work’ – I’m not renowned for my ‘luxury’ appearance at the best of times – and having both changed into our tracksuits to get warm in the car this was no exception! However, it was not long before I relaxed and was marvelling at the tranquil setting and style of the hotel. The circular lobby is designed in such a way that as you approach you are presented with a view that leads through the hotel and down to the magnificent Borobudur temple some 2.5 km away. It was not until the light of the following day that I could truly appreciate this, the four volcanoes climbing into the horizon from the flat plains below and the lush green hill that towers above the hotel from behind. That evening, with the prospect of a 4.30am wake up call so that we could climb the temple for the sunrise, I was more concerned with enjoying the luxury that the suites provided and the grilled salmon in the restaurant!
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