<p>Arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport, meet & greet by "Seerendipity Tours" Representatives and proceed to hotel in Colombo, check-in and Lesure.</p><p></p><p>Overnight stay in Colombo</p>
<p>Breakfast at the hotel and leave for Colombo city</p><p></p><p>COLOMBO </p><p>Colombo city had been a well-known city in the region among the Arabian, Chinese, Indian, Persian, and Roman traders as early as the pre-Christian era. Sri Lanka is located in the East-West sea route and visited by traders in order to exchange their goods with the local traders. Even though Colombo was a well-known city among the ancient traders 2,000 years ago, the capital city of the country had been Anuradhapura. There was an Arabian settlement in the city of Colombo at the mouth of Kelani River. Arab traders were exporting the goods from the port of Colombo. Goods such as Cinnamon, ivory, gems, elephants were exported by the king of Kotte with the help of Arabs. With the beginning of the British colonial period, Colombo city received a prominent place as the capital of Ceylon. Colombo was the capital of the island from 1815 to 1978 until the administrative capital was moved to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte.</p><p> </p><p>GALLE FACE</p><p>This had been a well-known Racecourse during the British colonial period in the country. This racecourse which located bordering the Indian Ocean had to be abandoned later on due to the Sea crabs, which are making holes in the track. Afterwards, it was developed as a promenade for the city dwellers and named as Galle face green. Today Galle face green contains an open theatre, spacious open space for a picnic, sports and walking.</p><p> </p><p>BUDDHIST TEMPLE GANGARAMA</p><p>It is considered to be one of the most sacred places in the country. Temple is one of the three places where Buddha visited in the 6th century B.C. well known Kelaniya dagoba is located within the border of the temple. Kalyani River, which flows next to the temple, adds more value for the scenic beauty of the temple. This temple holds a reputation for its attractive wall, which considered being the best painting of the modern Era</p><p></p><p>VIHARAMAHADEVI PARK</p><p>Viharamahadevi is located in the Colombo 7 or Cinnamon gardens. It is the largest and most popular park in the city. It is believed that there had been a twenty square kilometre cinnamon plantation in the area. Today most of the palaces of wealthy people can be seen in the area and Colombo 7 is the most picturesque part of the city.</p><p> </p><p>WOLFENDAAL CHURCH</p><p>The Wolvendaal Church is located In Fort and walking distance from the centre of the city. It has a large collection of tombstones of important Dutch personalities. Fort is made in the highest point of the city and dates back to 1813. The church is built in the Doric style of the period. In the form of Greek cross, with five feet thick walls and the gables raised over. The transepts are roofed with brick barrel arches and a centre dome.</p><p></p><p>AUKANA BUDDHA STATUE / INDEPENDENCE HALL / PETTAH AND BMICH</p><p>Facing the Bandaranayke Memorial International Conference Hall stands a beautifully executed statue of the Buddha in the standing posture. The statue is 36 feet tall and is the largest Buddha statue in the city of Colombo. It is a replica of the Avukana Statue on the banks of the Kalawewa Anuradhapura.</p><p> </p><p>CITY & SHOPPING</p><p>The City Tour will also include places of Tourist interest such as </p><p>• Old parliament</p><p>• Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall</p><p>• Buddhist Hindu Temple and Town Hall. </p><p> </p><p>Shopping at </p><p>• Odel</p><p>• House of Fashion</p><p>• Bare foot and etc</p><p></p><p>Overnight stay Colombo</p><p></p>
<p>Breakfast at Hotel and leave for Bentota, En-route visit a spice garden and turtle hatchery and Buddhist temple in Kalutara.</p><p> </p><p>BENTOTA</p><p>Bentota beach is the most popular beach holiday destination on the island. The unique location of Bentota beach resort is one important reason for its popularity as a beach holiday destination. Bentota resort is located on an island and the island is connected with the mainland at its southern border. Bentota is mainly comprised of a narrow strip of land that spreads along the north-south axis. Unlike most other islands, Bentota is surrounded by both the sea and a river. One side of the island is the Bentota River while the western side of Bentota is flanked by the Indian Ocean. Large numbers of hotels are built in this narrow strip of land enabling the travellers to have a peaceful atmosphere during the holiday. You can book a hotel in Bentota through Seerendipity Tours at very affordable rate online. </p><p></p><p>TURTLE HATCHERY</p><p>Projects have been launched to conserve the population of turtles that are reaching extinction and such projects are found along the southern coast of Sri Lanka where turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. The turtle digs a hole on the Beach, Lays her eggs and covers it with sand where it is supposed to, incubate by the heat of the sun. What often happens is, the eggs are dug out by fisherman and sold to people who consume them.</p><p></p><p>But now the eggs are bought up by the conservation projects and are hatched the Natural way in enclosed areas where the Birds don’t have a chance of picking them up and the babies are let into the sea after two days at night time which offers them a better chance of survival.</p><p> </p><p>SPICE GARDEN</p><p>Visit a spice garden at Matale where spices and herbs used for Sri Lankan cuisine and medication are grown Spices of Sri Lanka attracted the early seafaring merchants who made the long voyages to purchase this precious merchandise.</p><p></p><p>GANGATILAKA TEMPLE KALUTARA</p><p>Kalutara is historically important due to the fact that it was one of the 32 places indicated by Arahant Mahinda Thera to the king Devananpiya Tissa in the 2nd century B.C. as a place where one of the thirty-two saplings of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura is planted, to which the King extended his patronage. It is recorded in the Sinhala Maha Bodhi Wansa that until such time when the Maritime Provinces were subjugated by the Portuguese in 1505 A.D., the historic Kalutara Bodhi exited intact. In the 16th century, this sacred site was turned in to a Portuguese fort. Though no harm is supposed to have done to the Bodhi it was not venerated by the people during that period. It was after the planting of a Bodhi in the lower terrace of Pahala Maluwa by an Indian Prince from the Pandya country named Wickrama Pandya in 1042 A.D. that the public began to venerated and consider the site as a sacred place. This prince from Indian became a viceroy in the Kalutara area. </p><p></p><p>After the Portuguese, the Dutch too use of the present upper terrace or the uda maluwa area as a camp followed by the British as well, subsequently. During the British period, since the latter half of the 19 century, it was used as an office premise with the residence of the Government Agent. </p><p></p><p>Overnight stay Colombo </p><p></p>
<p>Breakfast at Hotel, proceed to Colombo airport. </p><p> </p><p> End of Sri Lanka Tours.......</p><p></p>
