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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 30 MARCH 2014 44 Sri Lanka A small island off of the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka is the cen- tre of Buddhist religion and cul- ture from ancient times. The natu- ral beauty of Sri Lanka has led the country to be referred to as The Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Lush tropical forests, white beaches, diverse landscapes with rich bio- diversity and a friendly, multicul- tural community make Sri Lanka the perfect spot for a holiday. What to do? Sri Lanka is home to many na- tional parks, full of trumpeting elephants, monkeys and peacocks, but World's End is the only one where visitors are permitted to walk on their own – on designat- ed trails only. The entire walk is 9.5km and will usually take around three hours at a leisurely pace and passes through the 2km stretch of Baker's Falls. Visit one of Sri Lanka's princi- pal viharas (Buddhist complexes) in Kandy, Asgiriya Maha Vihara. From a historical perspective, many of the rulers of the Kandyan Kingdom contributed to the devel- opment of the complex and it was the monks that safeguarded the Tooth Relic during troubled times. According to legend, the sa- cred tooth was snatched from the f lames of the Buddha's funeral pyre in 543BC and smuggled into Sri Lanka where it was hidden in the hair of a princess. The tooth gradu- ally became a symbol of sovereignty and it was believed that whoever had custody of the tooth had the right to rule the island. Take a stroll around the Fort Walls at dusk among the locals. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in 1588 by the Portuguese and then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century. The oldest breadfruit tree is said to found within the fort. The Dutch introduced the tree to Sri Lanka hoping it would make the locals sick, however they found a neutral- iser to breadfruit – coconut - and created a delicacy. It is now grown throughout the country. Check out the sacred bodhi tree, the Sri Maha Bodhi. It serves as a reminder of the force that insipired the creation of all the great build- ings at Anuradhapura. The tree has been tended to by a succession of guardians for 2000 years. Though there are many trees, the oldest and holiest of trees is on the topmost platform, with ancient steps leading up to it and a modern golden rail- ing, festooned with prayer f lags. Where to stay? Stay in a trendy villa, The Cove, in the quieter areas of Negombo, five minutes away from Negombo town and just a 20-minute drive from the airport. Every bedroom in the three-suite villa have access to a balcony with views of the bay while the patio doors downstairs open directly onto the beach. This is the perfect spot to recover from the long f light and wind down into holiday mode. If you're after more than just a ho- tel, book a few nights at The Gala- dari Hotel, www.galadari.lk, in the heart of Colombo. Aside from offer- ing superior accommodation, this five-star hotel houses some of the best restaurants in Sri Lanka. In- dulge in f lavours from India, Arabia and California, or simply stop at the pastry shop, Café 64, for some de- licious cakes, pastries, cookies and all things yummy. Business and leisure travellers will find the ideal getaway at the Renuka Hotel, www.renukahotel.com. Just a stone's throw from the major at- tractions of Colombo, the hotel is situated in a quiet residential area. The Renuka has the best of both worlds – bustling city life and a quiet getaway. How to get there? Emirates offer regular f lights to Sri Lanka, with a stopover in Dubai. Flights departing Malta on 17 April and returning on 30 April were priced at €911.84 including taxes, at the time of going to print. Total f ly- ing time is approximately 12 hours. TRAVEL THE FLYAWAY TOURS BROCHURE FOR SUMMER 2014 IS OUT! VALUE BARGAIN CITY BREAKS, SELECTION OF SUMMER RESORTS, CLASSIC RIVER CRUISES, MEDITERRANEAN CRUISES INCLUDING MALTA TO MALTA, VAST CHOICE OF HOTELS THROUGHOUT SICILY AND MUCH MORE MORE DESTINATIONS. MORE CHOICE. GREAT VALUE. CONTACT FLYAWAY TOURS OR YOUR PREFERRED TRAVEL AGENT FOR MORE INFORMATION T:2345 0300 | E:INFO@FLYAWAYTOURS.COM.MT Lic T/A U01 The Pearl of the Indian Ocean Sri Lanka: The natural beauty of Sri Lanka has led the island to be dubbed The Pearl of the Indian Ocean Temple of the tooth: The Temple of the Tooth relic houses a sacred tooth snatched from a burning Buddha's funeral pyre and has come to represent sovereignty of the nation. Fort walls: The Dutch Fort Walls of Galle were built by the Portuguese in 1588 and then heavily fortified by the Dutch Buddha: Sri Lanka is the centre of Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times