Trip to Ella Sri Lanka - Ravana Ella

The Ravana Ella cave lies 4,500 feet above sea level on the foundation of a cliff in Uva. This beautiful tourist location is at a 7 miles distance from Bandarawela. The spectacular Ravana Ella falls is a little more distant from here and is known to be one of the widest falls of Sri Lanka. The grandeur of the Ravana fall is its wild look amidst wilderness. Ravana Ella pours itself down to the Ella gorge. The water finds it course down in three stages for 9 metres and then curves itself in a stream.
The Ravana Ella has its roots connected to the times of the famous eastern epic, Ramayana and it has been named after the brawny daemon ruler of Lanka, Ravana. It is said that after kidnapping Sita, Ravana had hidden her at the caves behind this waterfall when Shri Rama was drawing close to Lanka with his army to rescue her.
Image by mahesh_f via FlickrThe cave came to be known as Ravana Ella cave. The place was then a thick afforested region in the midst of wilderness. Rama's queen is believed to have wandered around here while she was confined. She also bathed in a pool that accumulated its eddying water from these Ravana Falls.
It originates from the dense Wewatenna highland and amasses its water from a tributary of River Kirindi. Posited on the Ella-Wellawaya Road, the Ravana Ella falls is about 30 foot high and is perceptible from the main road.
Its beauty lies in the fact that it is located in a strikingly beautiful backdrop of mountains and valleys and its water gushes down over many stairs. The place is a favoured stop to rest for pilgrims.

Trip to Hikkaduwa - Beach and the Coral Reef

The Hikkaduwa beach is situated 98 km from Colombo towards the south of Sri Lanka.

Image via WikipediaThis fun coastal town 14kms from Galle was the first in the 1960’s of Sri Lanka’s beautiful beaches to be discovered by tourists. Snorkelling and diving in the clear waters are the major past-time along this stretch and is the most environmentally friendly way to see the colourful fish that dart around. The coral sanctuary found on
the coast of Hikkaduwa is a large shallow expanse of water enclosed by a reef, decorated with layers of multi coloured corals, which is home to countless number of colourful fish.
Off the beach there is a collection of tiny islets surrounded by beautiful coral formations.
Plenty of beach front accommodation and a reputation as the second best surf spot in Sri Lanka by the international board-riding set are the reasons for many tourists to visit Hikkaduwa.

The beaches are fine, wide and swimming is safe here. The impressive coral reef runs just offshore and is still populated by exotic fish and sea turtles.
There are many shops selling Masks, Gems, Jewellery, Batik, Antiques and curios etc. along with several Buddhist replicas and items, all which add spice to life at Hikkaduwa.

Trip to Kandy

Kandy, is still very much a focal point of Sri Lankan culture and home of the Dalada Maligawa, one of Buddhism's most sacred temple grounds containing the palace of Sri Lanka's former king and the holy of holies, the repository of an actual tooth relic of the Lord Buddha.
Image via Wikipedia

New York Times rank Sri Lanka as the best place to visit in 2010

New York Times on its article on "The 31 Places to go in 2010" ranked Sri Lanka as the No 1 Place to visit this year.
It says "The island, with a population of just 20 million, feels like one big tropical zoo: elephants roam freely, water buffaloes idle in paddy fields and monkeys swing from trees. And then there’s the pristine coastline. The miles of sugary white sand flanked by bamboo groves that were off-limits to most visitors until recently are a happy, if unintended byproduct of the war."
Read the full article

Volunteer vacation projects in Sri Lanka

For such a small island Sri Lanka has many riches that continue to lure travellers; here you find waterfalls, beaches, excellent bird watching, fascinating culture, jungle and national parks. Volunteers can experience the amazing way of life in this beautiful island country of Sri Lanka by joining one of these volunteer vacation holiday projects. 

Teach English  Volunteer to teach English and experience living in a local community in rural Sri Lanka Volunteers live with a local family in the village to be immersed in the local Sri Lankan culture. For such a small island, Sri Lanka has many riches that continue to lure travelers, such as the waterfalls, beaches, excellent bird watching, fascinating culture, jungle and national parks that you can find here in abundance. The project is based in the village of Mahavilachchiya, which borders the Vilpaththu National Park. It is about one hour by car north of Anuradhapura, the largest and oldest of Sri Lanka's ancient cities. Working with Elephants  Volunteer to monitor elephants and experience the rich culture of one of Asia's finest islands  Working alongside field scientists cataloging and conducting surveys in the forests, on the grass plains and in the water holes; you will help wildlife conservation whilst discovering the spectacular waterfalls, beaches, bird watching, fascinating culture, forests and a variety of national parks that Sri Lanka contains. You will help the endangered Sri Lankan elephants by aiding human-elephant conflict resolution and the effort to develop sustainable conservation strategies to protect the elephants. You can also be a part of the ground work in establishing the first Trans-Climatic Zone National Park in Sri Lanka. The project is located in the central province of the island of Sri Lanka in the Matale District, yet a number of field bases will be established in the future. Presently the main base is situated on the southern boundary of the Wasgamuwa National Park in the Matale district. Our locations are extremely remote, which means you will be at least two hours from the closest internet café. There is no electricity and only patchy mobile / telephone signals. More Projects from ifre >>

Why visit Sri Lanka

It may well be that each of Sri Lanka's attractions is surpassed
somewhere on Earth; Cambodia may have more impressive ruins, Tahiti
lovelier beaches, Bali more beautiful landscapes (though I doubt it),
Thailand more charming people (ditto).  But it hard to believe
that there is any country which scores so highly in all departments -
which has so many advantages and so few disadvantages, especially for
the western visitor." 

For a country of that size (about the size of West Virginia or
Ireland) things one can do are amazing: surfing, wind surfing, scuba 
diving, rock/mountain climbing, searching for ancient ruins, wildlife, 
corral reefs, gemstones, spices, rituals, ...

Top ten travel lists on things to do in Sri Lanka

Several travel web sites list different places as top ten of their favorite travel attractions in Sri Lanka. Here are some of those lists:

Lonely Planet Top 10 Picks for Sri Lanka
1 Ancient Cities - Visit Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya
2 Arugam Bay -
4 Yala National Park
5 Horton's Plains & World's End
6 Kandy
7 Adam's Peak
8 Sinharaja Forest Reserve
9 Galle
10 Jaffna
11 Southern Beaches

Top Things to do by The Planet D: Around the World Adventure Couple

1. Try Surfing. 
2. Sip Tea and explore the hill country.
3. Go on a Pilgrimage
4. Ride the Train.
5. Yala National Park
6. Go to Udawalawe National Park.
7. Visit a Turtle Hatchery
8. Laze on the Beach. - Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna and Kosgoda are some popular beaches, but you can still find secluded beaches all along Sri Lanka’s coast.
9. Visit Sigiriya. 
10. Have dinner with a local family.

Top attractions by Tourism Sri Lanka
1. Stroll Along Colombo.
2. Delve into the Remnants of the Past.
3. Indulge in Resplendent Island of Hikkaduwa.
4. Journey to the Holy Adam's Peak.
5. Marvel at the Splendour of Anuradhapura.
6. Enjoy a Sunset in a Coconut Grove.
7. Admire the Grandeur and Opulence of Kandy.
8. Explore the Wonder and Beauty of Sigiriya.
9. Discover the Tea Plantations.
10. Engage with Nature at Bundala National Park.

Popular attractions listed by several travel web sites include following:
Wild-life parks, Kandy, Colombo, Beaches, Ella, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, Cultural sites (Sigiriya, Dambulla Cave Temples, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa), Sri Lankan tea country (Nuwara Eliya) Turtle Hatchery