RedDot dash to Trinco

Red Dot are committed to regular hotel checks and May is a month which offers us opportunities to escape the office from time to time to check out new hotels and also to catch up with those who have become a well-known part of Sri Lanka’s holiday scene.

So this time it was obvious where we were heading – the east coast and Trinco, which is reopening to tourists again. Since May is the start of the beach season on the east coast, we were
all excited to see what Trinco holds for us.

I am not much of a beach person — everyone in office knows that — but I was actually looking forward to seeing the amazing white beach and clear blue seas of Trinco which I last visited when I was four-years-old. I still remember playing on the white sand.

We did a few stops en route in Dambulla, Sigiriya and Habarana to see some hotels. Amaya Lake particularly appeals to me because of its simple, natural feel, but the rest of the party told me it was time to go and pushed me into the minibus. So we reached Trinco rather late around 6pm. The clear blue sky and hot weather which prevails in this part of the island during this time of year was a great change to the monsoon-hit west coast. The evening was wonderful, the sea was calm, and the beach was so wide it was like a rugby ground. I was tempted to rush in and have a dip but the cosy room I was in at Chaaya Blu kept me back.

I was very keen on seeing the sunrise on the east coast for the first time, so I was up very early the next morning (after a late night) and walked down to the beach at 5.30am by which time it was quite bright. A lovely clear sunrise from the beach of Trinco was even better than I expected and this song kept playing in my head ‘Turn on the sun, turn on the sun light up the world, come everyone!’

I wanted so badly to jump in to the sea but since my swimming skills are a disgrace I decided to wait till the rest of the Red Dot team woke up and we all headed to the sea. You could keep walking in to the sea for a long time and the water was still only waist deep, perfect for me. I highly recommend a dip.

We also visited the Nilavali Beach where I stayed on my visit as a child, and this beach is even better and the sand was as white as I remember. We so wanted to spend the rest of the day dipped in this wonderful blue swimming pool but the clock was ticking and we had to head back to Colombo and visit more hotels on the way back (and Wilpattu National Park- which was not on the original plan but more of that in my next blog).

We drove to Anuradhapura from Trinco on the A12 road which was a wonderful drive. The road was a bit bumpy but it was all light jungle and beautiful wetlands along the way. Perfect for some birdwatching but no such luck for me this time!
The ‘season’ in Trinco lasts for most of the year and May to Oct is the best time to visit.

The newly-refurbished Chaaya Blu and Nilavali Beach Hotel are the two 4 star hotels you can stay here with Palm Beach Hotel a good guest house in Uppavali which can be recommended. I am sure other hotels and guest houses will now be springing up and rest assured the Red Dot team will be heading that way again soon to check them out.

Morningside, Sinharaja… A true heaven on earth!

I have long dreamt of the day I would get a chance to visit the eastern part of the famous Sinharaja Rainforest. Since access to this section is quite remote with a 4WD jeep is a must and the only place to stay being a forest department bungalow, getting there has been a challenge. However, thanks to some friends who got together and planned the trip, my long awaited dream was realised.

The entire forest complex of Sinharaja is currently considered as an International Man and Biosphere reserve. It has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The majority of its land area is lowlands. However, a small but a significant proportion spreads across higher altitudes. To be more precise, the eastern part of the Sinharaja MAB reserve falls within the sub-montane region of Sri Lanka. Despite the exceedingly small land coverage, the Eastern Sinharaja is extremely rich in biodiversity and endemism.

May is not the best time to visit a rainforest as it is usually the start of the monsoon season, however, thankfully, we just managed to avoid the rain and have three wonderful days there. They said the area was named as ‘Morningside’ as it feels like it is morning all day long with the mist rolling across the hills. True to its name we did not feel the time passing by as we enjoyed the cool weather which was a relief from the heat in Colombo.

You need to go on the A4 road passing Rathnapura and get on the A18 and turn off from Madampe junction on B17 road to Deniyaya. About 35km on this windy road you get the turn off to Morningside which is a 7Km drive on the worst road in the country without a doubt! The most wonderful views of virgin rainforests across the hills and valleys compensates for the jolting ride to the bungalow.  The bungalow only has solar power so electricity is limited to a few lights in the night. There are no phones and only one mobile service works – and that one only if you’re lucky! It is therefore the perfect place to get away from it all.

This path to the bungalow is full of the most rare and wonderful fauna and flora. I was thrilled to see many species of butterflies along the way and was able to photograph some of these jewels of the forest. Countless number of Tamil Treebrowns – both male & females engaging in courtship displays, the elusive Tawny Raja, the Ceylon Snowflat, a very obliging Plum Judy & Great Eggfly were some of the highlights. We also had two Common Blue Bottle butterflies mud sipping right behind our bungalow I was able to photograph this hyper active butterfly – at rest for once.

There were plenty of Dragonflies as well with the very rare Fiery Emperor, Yerbury’s Elf & Jungle Threadtail crossing our path. I also managed to see and photograph the Ceratophora erdeleni which is horned lizard found only in this part of the country and nowhere else on earth.

Morningside is home to most of the lowland endemic birds of Sri Lanka as well as the highland endemics which you would normally not get to see on the southern parts of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Since the forest cover is very thick here birds are mostly heard rather than seen. The Green-billed Coucal, flocks of Yellow-eared Bulbul & Sri Lanka White-eye along with Dull-blue Flycatchers, Sri Lanka Jungle-fowl, a Black Eagle soaring through the low clouds were some of the highlights.

The forests also is home to the Leopard, Sambar, Mouse Deer, Otter, and even s few remaining elephants. Many species of amphibians are also found in this forest with many more new species still to be discovered.

Morningside Sinharaja is a rare jewel that Sri Lanka still possesses. The constant pressure on it by the surrounding tea plantations are telling on it. The forest cover is a fraction what it was many years back and we do hope it will survive for the next generation to enjoy this most wonderful treasure.

I am already making plans for my return trip to this most wonderful place on earth!

Chaaya Blu opens in Trinco.

The dawning of peace in Sri Lanka last year opened up the exciting potential for tourism in the east coast and the first visible sign of this is the opening of Chaaya Blu last week. Owned by John Keells Hotel Group and called Club Oceanic previously, the “retro-chic” four-star beach hotel was conceptualised by master architect Channa Daswatte and inspired by the James Bond movie, ‘Die Another Day’.

Speaking after the opening, Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings Ajit Gunewardene said: “This ‘70s property now revamped as a stylish retro-chic product will also set trends in modern resort interiors being outside the typical Sri Lankan resort design. However, despite the uniqueness of its design, what the hotel truly promotes is an exploration of its surroundings; from the scenic white beaches to the popular sites, flavours and culture of the locality.”

Here are some excerpts from their recent media release:

Daswatte says he wanted to have some retro-fun with the old building and went “slightly off the wall!” Given that Trincomalee’s landscape has fewer trees complimented by a sea that transforms from emerald to turquoise depending on the time of day, he created Chaaya Blu, “with a ring of the hip and to relive some of those lost teenage years, which was a very energetic period.” And so he brought in the cool easy relaxation that’s so du rigueur to unwind. Take in the mosaic walls in the foyer; the cool interiors of the white rooms with its white painted clay lamps and terra cotta tiles dipped in white paint for a touch of the Caribbean; polished cement beds with tie and dye and mosaic walls and Wetakeiya rugs and lots of denim complimenting the mid-century Scandinavian limed furniture. The design encompasses the unparalleled view of the sea from anywhere in the resort – from the bar, the restaurant, the combination of bleached wood decks that encircle the resort or the centralised spaces where wining and dining anywhere is mandatory. There’s even a beach bar built around a Banyan Tree which overlooks Swami Rock and a timber deck that stretches from the reception, all the way to the beach and out into the sea to create an infinite panorama of the sea.

National Geographic lists Sri Lanka 2nd best island destination.

First came the New York Times accolades and now National Geographic has brought Sri Lanka into the tourism spotlight again announcing that Sri Lanka was rated their second best island destination in the world this year. The accolade puts Sri Lanka ahead of St. Lucia, Hong Kong, Seychelles, Bali, Sicily, Manhattan island, Mauritius, and even exotic Zanzibar. In an interview, Jill Crawshaw, travel writer for The Times and Lyn Hughes, editor of Wonderlust magazine, highlights Sri Lanka’s secluded and unspoilt beaches, exotic wildlife, ancient heritage and spicy cuisine – all this within a relatively small space that is easily accessible.

Yes, Sri Lanka is an island nation that is blessed with so much – especially a colourful mix of culturally diverse people that have the precious ability to smile from their hearts and share their unhurried lifestyles with others. Having the best surfing beaches (Sri Lanka is listed as one of 10 best surfing spots in the world); the best locations to spot the largest land mammal (elephant) as well as the largest marine mammal in the surrounding Indian Ocean waters (Blue whale); ruins of kingdoms that tells of a an ancient and sophisticated civilization; treasures of precious gems, tea and cinnamon; and a myriad of breathtaking landscapes that change within minutes of travel…., one is truly spoilt for choice on which direction to head on your holiday in Sri Lanka. No wonder most travellers come to this island and never want to leave.

Sri Lanka’s other half… The birds of Mannar Island

Having finally had the chance to visit the North of Sri Lanka after many years, some of my birding pals planned a trip to experience and enjoy the bounty of bird life in the other half of Sri Lanka.

First on the list was Mannar Island. Mannar Island and the strip of land on the mainland from around Giant’s tank is a magnet for birders in search of species who are not found regularly in the southern half of the island. Having heard of the many rarities that have been seen here in the past, I was beyond excited to get there.

The drive to Mannar was a great experience having driven along the new road across Wilpathu National Park (which really should not be open due to the bad affect it is already having on the wildlife in the park). We got to Giant’s Tank by afternoon, a quick lunch at the Navy camp and we were walking along the bund of this enormous man-made reservoir.  Birds were plenty with the water levels quite low. I had finally seen this famous place which was known in the old days as the best place for duck hunting.

We got to our guesthouse rather late in the evening and after a quick dinner hit the sack for an early morning start the next day.

Varnkale Sanctuary was the target for next morning. This very important wetland area was made a sanctuary a few years back by the Wildlife department based on the information and recommendation of the Ceylon Bird Club. As expected the bird life here was amazing. Within a very short time I was able to see 5 new species of birds (‘Lifers’) which are what we call Mannar specials: Eurasian Wigeon, Pied Avocet, Common Teal, Bar-tailed Godwits and my long awaited Greater Flamingos (Yes I had not seen this bird till now and have looked for it for over 9 years).

The next day we visit another wetland which was nearly totally covered with ducks! Over 30,000 was the estimate. Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Gargany & Eurasian Wigeon were the composition. The Great Black-headed Gulls were also in their numbers here. Wild ponies came to water to drink while we were watching the birds, I felt like I had been transformed to another land.

We spent the next 2 days travelling the length and breadth of Mannar – at least to the places that we were allowed to travel to. Many more ‘lifers’ were added to my list. A total of 11 new birds on the trip – record breaking!

I also experienced watching both the sun rise and sun set from Mannar which was truly memorable experience with the Greater Flamingos in their hundreds flying past the rising sun.

Ops, nearly forgot to mention about the most amazing beaches in Mannar towards the Tali-Mannar area. The sea was absolute crystal clear blue water with white sandy beach with no one expect a few Heuglin’s Gulls to keep you company! And you can walk in to the sea for quite long way with water only up to your knees.

We sadly did not get a chance to taste the famous Mannar Crabs and decided we will be back again for that very soon.

The infrastructure in Mannar is just getting in to place. For accommodation there are a couple of guesthouses and unless you’re a die-hard bird watcher you may not put up with the basic standards there. However come next migrant season, we are sure to have lots of new places to stay and eat out. The main roads are all being done up making the drive there much faster and comfortable. Can’t wait to go back!

My visit to the dolphins’ beach party.

Sri Lanka’s north-west coast was alien territory for me and the name Kalpitiya only brought to mind images of a rural fishing village when I was told of my impending familiarization tour as a new recruit of the Red Dot sales team. Little did I know then that  the tour would culminate in one of the most exhilarating and unforgettable experiences  of my life.

The familiarization tour, with Kishani at the helm, went flawlessly and the numerous properties we visited on the north-west coast heralded a subtle extension of tourist facilities in an area that so far had remained unexplored and ignored.

Our final destination of the two-day tour was the small town of Alankuda and a resort named thus. The  Alankuda resort, set amidst the gently swaying palm trees and so in tune with nature, was breathtaking in its beauty.

Having the resort to ourselves was a boon and we set about enjoying ourselves by first plunging into Alankuda’s infinity pool that stretched seamlessly  towards the madly crashing waves of the ocean.  The starlit night, good food,  great company and sheer splendour and serenity of the resort made  us all feel millions of miles away from our daily lives in the Red Dot office on the outskirts of Colombo.

The next morning at the crack of dawn we were at the boat house, all geared up for the dolphin watching trip. Enlivened by a cup of hot tea before the staff arrived, away we went bouncing and jostling in a boat that was gathering momentum with each minute.  Half an hour in to the deep blue I still had not the much-anticipated dolphins. My heart was drooping with disappointment when the boat suddenly gathered more speed and spun forward and we gasped in delight at our first sight of these amazing creatures.

Suddenly after no dolphins, there were dolphins everywhere, swimming in pairs, swimming in groups, swimming in tandem in short bursts with their gleaming bodies half out of the water. To my untrained eye it looked like they were in a mad rush to get to a beach party that I had no invitation to. They frolicked, jumped and did twists and the exuberance of their movements was amazing to watch. Our gasps of admiration were intermingled with the clicking of the cameras as we vied with each other to capture the perfect shot.

The north-west really is undiscovered Sri Lanka and, with the reopening of the nearby Wilpattu game park, the area offers so many opportunities for nature lovers. I would recommend you not to miss this amazing experience. Back in the Red Dot office, those of us lucky to make the trip are still talking about it.

Wilpattu and Kumana reopens.

Wild life enthusiasts will be happy to note that Wilpattu National Park finally reopened last week after being closed for 25 years due to terrorism in the North.  After extensive mine clearing operations, the army has now declared it safe for the public to visit.   Fans of Wilpattu’s leopards have once again started making their frequent pilgrimage.  With Kumana Bird Sanctuary in the south also now reopen, all National Parks and bird sanctuaries are accessible once again.  Another birding hotspot these days is Mannar where migrant birds in their thousands including many varieties of ducks, gulls and terns can be spotted.

Magnificent Tantirimale.

One of the many blessings of a peaceful Sri Lanka is being able to explore some of the ancient sites that were hard to see just months ago. One such ancient marvel is Tantirimale, a magnificent site both humbling and inspiring. I visited recently at dusk as the sun was going down over the acres of granite rock surrounded by the jungles of Wilpattu.  You can sit here and stare for hours with the wind in your hair and sound of silence only interrupted from time to time by birds or a pilgrim that rings the temple bell.  Tantirimale’s ancient rock carvings and Bo tree has a history that dates back to the 3rd century BC.  A lily white stupa sits on the rock and the sacred Bo tree rustles in the wind.  Tantirimale is off the Puttalam – Anuradhapura road and can be easily accessed now that the security risks in the area have eased up and the roads are getting done up.

It’s Even Better Than The Brochure.

Happy New Year from Sri Lanka. No snow here. We are in peak holiday season and the Sri Lankan sun just wants to shine. After making some final checks of Red Dot’s first pdf brochure, I’ve been checking out the Southern beaches — and it has to be said it has been a more restful experience. They’ve hit the spot.

A short journey south-east along the coast from Galle leads you to a selection of paradise beach options. You will first come across the slightly busier cove of Unawatuna. With an underlying backpacker vibe, this is the most established party beach of the south, and has been for a while. By the evening, Kingfisher bar, and Hot Banana are fun options for those with a disposition for dancing in the moonlight.

Further along the coast towards Thalpe is Wijaya Beach. The name of this smaller stretch is adopted from the excellently-run beach Wijaya Beach Resort, which has really made a name for itself. Palm trees loom over the restuarant roof. Watch the sun fade behind the aptly-named Frog Rock, which looks out over the ocean horizon.

Christmas and New Year saw temporary tents and dance flooring set out on the beach, with patterned flags and embroidered banners draping the rafters. You could call it trendy by day, and funky by night. The Thai Green Currys, seared tuna, pizzas (from the resort’s own pizza oven), and Arrack Attack cocktails come highly recommended. Hop back on the coast road heading for Matara and you will find some beautiful beachside accommodation options regularly cropping up. The Thalpe coastline now deserves the label of Sri Lanka’s mini-riviera – just head to Era Beach Click Here), or The Fortress, Koggala, Click Here) and see for yourself.

Travelling further to the south-east must include at the very least a brief stop at the extra special Mirissa beach. The nearby Weligama beach stretch is your nearest small town and an alternative, equally good surfing spot at this time of year. In addition to surfing, Mirissa Waterports Click Here ) offers watersports galore, deep sea fishing and whale and dolphin watching.

There are some fantastic massage centres hidden away in the groves of the surrounding village, and no doubt an enthusiastic game of beach cricket will happen in the evening. For your dinner, cover all corners with a seafood barbeque as you sit out with sand between your toes. Options include reef shark (the author’s choice as a Christmas alternative to Turkey), barracuda, butter fish, tuna fish, king prawns and calamari squid.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a slightly different eating option, search out the small Sun and Sea guesthouse near to the rocky outcrop end of Mirrissa bay. Meet the friendly couple that run the show by themselves, and order you evening’s food in advance. It’s nothing smart, but the chef will not let you leave hungry and you will taste local Sri Lankan food at its most authentic.

As I think I said at the start, for variety and natural beauty, the southern beaches over Christmas hit the spot. I’m heading to India for a few months now, but I can’t wait to be back.