June Getaways 2017

Culture, history and religion all come together at Thanthirimale located in Anuradhapura, which is a sacred ground that must be visited. The temple grounds cover a vast area filled with caves, ancient inscriptions, rock carvings, ruins, meditation chambers, a library and the sacred Bodhi tree. Famed in Buddhism for being a resting place for SanghamittaTheri on her way to Anuradhapura with the sacred Bodhi tree from India, it had been fabled that the sacred Bodhi tree had miraculously sprouted 8 more saplings, one of which is planted at Thanthirimale protected by a circular rock wall seen even today. The stupa built at an elevation overlooked by the 45 feet rock carving of the reclining Buddha and the image of the seated Buddha under the ‘Makara Thorana’ and other ancient artefacts adds to the magnificence of the place.

This is the best time of the year to head to Arugambay, also known as “a surfer’s paradise”. After a rough day on the waves under the hot sun, one would definitely want to chill out, relax and munch on a delicious bite. Arugambay offers the freshest seafood dishes of all ethnicities. From fresh Italian pizza to exquisite international cuisine and Sri Lanka’s popular kottu and vegetable rottis or anything you feel like indulging in are available. Relish indeed in the wholesome fresh meals surrounded by the lively atmosphere of Arugambay.

Jaffna, now with an improved infrastructure offers its visitors a whole lot of things to see and know. It is filled with warmth, laughter, culture and history. The beautiful children’s parks are a result of the efforts made to rebuild Jaffna’s lifestyle. Stepping into a park with swings, slides and monkey bars of various colours and types one can enjoy the innocent laughter and watch the happiness of the children as they play along. During a trip to Jaffna, the park is an ideal place to let loose in.

A boat ride away from the Jaffna peninsula is the beautiful islet of Nainathivu or Nagadheepa. Once believed to be the home of the Naga cast, it has close ties with historical myths, Buddhism and Hindu religions. While getting on a boat and riding out in the open sea towards the island located near India you can feel the warm breeze as the boat picks up speed during the short ride. During this time the ancient temple of Nagapooshani Amman Kovil will be decorated in all its splendour for the festival, and many devotees flock to obtain blessings from this much revered place.

Located just a few kilometres away from the Sigiriya rock fortress, Pidurangala is a rock formation that will truly make an adventure for hikers. Gear up and climb the rock where you are guaranteed a breathtaking view. The hike up the Pidurangala rock is a steep one. A small part of the climb is clear cut where one can climb up with the help of steps, which leads to the statue of the reclining Buddha. It is the rest of the climb up to the very top of the rock that is challenging. However the panoramic view and the majestic view of the Sigiriya rock from an unseen angle is worth the effort indeed!