The Indian Ocean Island of Sri Lanka is a unique country steeped deeply in culture and tradition. Its idylic beauty is a magnet for tourists from all over the world and it also has a unique African connection, writes Shamlal Puri

Enchanting Sri Lanka, with the deep blue Indian Ocean surrounding it and the azure sky above, is a million dollar experience.

Situated in the north of the Indian Ocean and on the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka is a unique country.

After three decades of bloody civil war, peace has finally returned, and so has free movement.

We arrived in Colombo as the capital city was waking up and were welcome by swaying palms and the cacophony of early risers heading off to work.

The bustling commercial hub of Sri Lanka is a fascinating melange of cultural diversity, business activity, and the old and the new. 

Diverse cultures

It turned out to be a hot summer day in Colombo, leading any new arrival to head for the nearest street-side king coconut seller. 

I was in the Wellawata area of South Colombo, where most inhabitants are Tamils of Indian descent. The Indian touch abounds in business names like Bombay Sweet Mart and Gandhi Hotel.

Sri Lanka is a truly multicultural island. The population is 74 per cent Sinhalese, 18 per cent Tamil, seven per cent Muslim, and one per cent Burgher (mixed descent), Malay and Vedda.

Sinhala and Tamil are the official languages. English is commonly used in government and spoken competently by about ten per cent of the people.

Sri Lanka has age-old connection with Africa. The first Africans arrived on this island from Mozambique in the 15th Century. They were brought as slaves by Portuguese colonial traders to work as labourers and fight against the Sri Lankan kings. Their cultural heritage includes the Manja and Kaffringna dances.

The historic centre of Fort District boasts several old colonial buildings, which stand next to more modern structures such as the towering Twin Towers. Old buildings include the Presidential Secretariat and the Grand Oriental Hotel built in the 19th Century.

The nearby Bazaar District is bustling with people exploring the market stalls and small shops stocking a wide variety of goods. Also on display are attractive trinkets made by Colombo’s artisans.

Colombo’s biggest park, Viharamahadevi, is great for recreation. The Dehiwala Zoo is home to a variety of animals. Popular attractions include a man-made lake and the Sunday elephant dance.

Another place worth a visit is the sea front in Galle Face Green, set against a backdrop of the most cosmopolitan part of Colombo — with high-rise buildings and five-star hotels. It is a favourite meeting place for residents, visitors and romancing couples.

Delicious aromas infuse the salty sea breeze and vendors do a roaring trade selling isso vade — prawns deep-fried in a crispy batter — and achaaru — mango and pineapple pickle.

Colombo is also a foodie’s delight. There is a wide choice of restaurants including Indian, seafood, Chinese, Continental, Sri Lankan, Italian, Thai, Japanese, German, Korean and Arabic.

Authentic Sri Lankan food is tasty but also very salty and spicy, so if you do not have a stomach for spice, stick to the mundane pizzas. Fish is the staple food. I tried their Lamprais — a Sri Lankan version of a Dutch dish of rice, chicken, fish, meat, vegetables and a boiled egg, wrapped and baked in a banana leaf — and loved it.

Sun-kissed havens

About 40 kilometres from Colombo is Kalutara; a lively town on the banks of Kaul Ganga and from where the golden stretch of the country’s southwest beaches starts.

Just across the 38-metre long Kalutara Bridge is the Kalutara Temple with its grand white dagoba (dome-shaped shrine). This Buddhist temple is the only hollow shrine in the world. Inside the cool walls are 74 intricately drawn murals depicting Buddha’s stories.

This, and the nearby temple shrines housing the Bodhi tree (a sacred tree) are very busy, with Buddhist worshippers lighting lamps and invoking blessings.

From there, we drive on to Bentota, some 24 kilometres away. This is a popular wide arc of white sandy beaches with numerous sun-kissed havens.

Kandy is a romantic hill city, rich in scenery, picturesque gardens and tea plantations. Steeped in legends and true stories of a bygone era, Kandy offers a glimpse of Sri Lanka’s exotic past.

The Temple of the Tooth, Hanthana Mountain and Udawattekele are some of the places offering a rendezvous with beauty and history.

(The writer is the London Correspondent for the Standard on Sunday)