THE YOUNG HOTELIERS

The 10 Most Expensive Whiskies in the World

2012-02-12T20:59:00.000+05:30

Grain, water, a wooden barrel and a little time. Whisky is acolourful character with an ever-changing spirit. The subject of literature,culture and folklore throughout the world, finicky booze-hounds have long paida pretty penny for bottles of the most coveted casks. Pour a finger or two andhit the jump to drink in 10 bottles of whisky that truly break the bank.

Ladybank Single Malt: $4,700

Rounding out the top of the list is the Ladybank Distilleryin Edinburgh, Scotland. Only 300 bottles of the rare Single Malt Scotch arebottled each Year, and to obtain one — you have to become a member of the club.The price of admission? — About $4,700 a year.

The Macallan 1947 Fine and Rare Collection: $6,800

This sherry cask Spey side scotch was bottled for Italy in1962 before it was repackaged for Macallan’s Fine and Rare line of whiskies.The distillery used peat in its kilns because of the scarcity and high price ofcoal during WWII, the 1947 bottle, so this 15 year old has an earthy qualitynot present in modern Macallans.

Chivas Regal Royal Salute 50 year old: $10,000

A swill special enough to be packaged for the 1953coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the Chivas Regal Royal Salute is a 50 yearold Scotch with smoky anise and raisin flavours. Only 255 bottles were made, 10of which were destined for America, where collectors eagerly poured out $10,000each.

The Macallan 1939 40 year old Fine and Rare Collection:$10,125

“Peaty and powerful,” with overtones of sweet toffee anddried fruits, Macallan’s 1939 is a 40 year old first bottled in 1979. In 2002,it was added to the distillery’s Fine and Rare line and re-bottled. It can befound today for around $10,125.

Glenfarclas 1955 50 year old: $10,878
Wealthy tasters are warned to overlook this richly scented50 year old Spey side at their own “peril.” Spicy and silky with a sweet start,this is the oldest batch ever bottled by the Glenfarclas distillery.

Dalmore 50 Year Old Decanter: $11,000

Only 60 crystal-cut bottles of this Highland single maltwere produced. Filled in 1978, this dark sherry-aged Dalmore has a reputationfor being intense and deeply flavoured and is considered by many aficionadosamong the best 50 year olds in the world.Macallan 55 Year old Lalique Crystal Decanter: $12,500

The eye-catching crystal bottle of Macallan’s 55 year oldLalique was based on a 1910 perfume bottle designed by Rene Lalique . Exotic,with hints of peat smoke, the taste is smooth with lingering citrus overtones.Glenfiddich 1937 Rare Collection:$20,000

Rare doesn’t describe it. Only one bottle of Glenfiddich’s1937 Rare Collection was ever produced, and it just might be the oldest bottleof whisky in the world. It was snatched up at a 2006 auction for a bargain$20,000.Dalmore 62 Single Highland Malt Scotch: $58,000

Only a dozen bottles of Dalmore 62 single malt were corkedin 1942. One night in 2005, a man bought a bottle for $58,000, and downed itwith five of his buddies.
The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare: $75,000

“Dry and concentrated” — what else would you expect from oneof the most expensive whiskies in the world? Help yourself to a little licoriceaftertaste. In 2005, a South Korean businessman paid $70,000 for a bottle ofMacallan’s 1926, the finest and rarest of the Fine and Rare.

To ensure that these splendid spirits are only available tothose who can truly appreciate them, the distillers have used quite a strictlyexclusive marketing model with immense price tags.

Tourism Progress and Peace in Former War Zones

2012-01-24T22:06:00.000+05:30

Tourism has the potential to contribute to world peace, andthrough appropriate management, to address current realities such asglobalization, migration, conflicts, prejudices and poverty. In former conflictareas the interrelation between peace, conflict resolution and tourism, therole of industry and the role of the individual are very essential, and tourismas a catalyst for change and development for this areas. In the former conflictareas there is more to peace than the absence of war and that there is more totourism than economic interests will be considered by the individual investors,government and policymakers to boost the tourism as a key factor to buildingthe last long peace.

A building which was damaged by War in Jaffna

Peace and harmony with yourself and others is the key tosurvival and through compassion and understanding, there are alwayspossibilities to build and sustain a positive and permanent bridge betweenpeople. This is exactly what tourism and Peace has in common. When you tour acountry and gain knowledge from what you experienced, there is the tendencythat your understanding of others is upgraded to the positive or negative. The more you know about the world the more weare closer to the achievement of Peace around the globe.

The more we integrate and communicate the better chances wehave to understand each other. People who travel far and wide have a betterunderstanding of the economic, political and cultural situation of otherscompared to somebody who has never travelled. Tourism can bring higher livingstandard in a country if well managed to serve the interest of the nation. Thepeople who have access to the basic needs in advance societies can translatethe meaning of Peace and it`s achievement in a different way compared tosomebody from a poor economy without access to the basic needs.

A western tourist in Jaffna

Patterns of conflicts are very different form each other andeach need its own approach of peace-keeping measures and conflictdisengagement. The one thing that might certainly have a common positive effecton calming down sentiments after a conflict is tourism.However, some times the Local people might be shocked by therichness and holiday-behaviour that tourists bring along. Tourist, of course,will also be torn by the dramas they get to hear from local people. So, it’svery hard to implement the whole process. However, it can be done by awell-planned step-by-step implementation of tourism projects and depends on thesize and kind of conflict that has just finished. And the financial power oflocal people and governments does play an important role as well.

Group of Western Tourists on the way to Nainatheevu

Post-war environments might not be seen fit and secureenough to encourage travellers to visit such a country or region, therefore:Local authorities must be encouraged to guarantee the safety and security thatis needed for a touristic environment. The security forces in a former conflictzone are often say that tourism hinders their operations or that an area is notfit for tourism. However we always seen local civilians in former conflict zoneare keen and happy to welcome tourists.

A tuk-tuk in front of a bullet ridden wall

The first businesses that will open in a post-conflict areaare likely markets, restaurants, stalls at beautiful locations. Localauthorities could, together with tour operators, encourage this kind of softtourism first by directing day-trips into such a region. It is important thatlocal people get the chance to participate in the business. Next might beinformation centres - tourists want to know about the conflict - but withoutbeing overrun by extreme views. Sensitive, yet open, ways of information areneeded. Hotels and resorts will follow last. An investment into such projectsneeds long-term stability and sustained peace.There are success stories where tourism has encouraged thepeace building process such as Sarajevo and Cambodia. We can see there are highpotential for the success of tourism and peace in many other regions of theworld. The efforts to start with such projects in former war-zones are veryimportant and once a common understanding has been achieved, the roads areclear for bigger projects. May peace will prevail in the former conflict zones.

Note:
A travel portal with comprehensive information about Jaffna,which was a former war zone @ http://visit-jaffna.blogspot.com/

Journey to Jaffna by Road (Through A9)

2011-10-29T00:40:00.000+05:30

Jaffna has been out of bounds toforeign travellers for almost three decades, is fast becoming a must seedestination for tourists interested in the history and culture of thispeninsula. An ancient kingdom with many archaeological and natural wonders thearid plains, lagoons and desolated wilderness of the Jaffna peninsula present avivid contrast to the lush scenery and busy towns of the south.

I started my journey from CapitalColombo to my native place Jaffna. This is my second trip to Jaffna after thewar ended in May 2009; however this was different than the previous trip. Thistrip is purely a fact finding mission and filling the long term gap of myblogging. I have to mention here, that there are private Air conditioned bussesgoing to Jaffna from Colombo (Wellawatta area) through Vavunia and Anuradhapura.The fare per person for a reserved seat being Rs 1,500/- and the journey takesaround ten hours for this 396 Km trip.

The difference becomes apparenton the long journey by road northwards from Colombo to Jaffna. The firststretch along the A1 and A6 highways, then join the famous A9 at Dambulla. Graduallythe tidy scenery of the south changes from fertile plains of paddy fieldspunctuated by peaks of bright green hills to tangled thickets of woodland. Bothsides of the road have been cleared of bushes and occasionally can seescattered palmyrah trees in the distance. The wild undergrowth besides the roadchanges to stark dry plains where palmyrah palms proliferate.At the Elephant-Pass, where theroad spans the lagoon and a sign, welcomes the visitors to Jaffna.

The finalapproach to Jaffna is slow due to the condition of the road. The road leads tovast open spaces and small hamlets, until buildings begin to block the view ofthe vegetation. There is a beautiful arch across the road signifying theentrance to the town. There are broad billboards advertising products in Tamiland you can see some solid colonial houses stand-alone amidst the ruins ofothers.

As road progress through theoutskirts of Jaffna, activities of the people increases and the newly openedbusiness are attracting customers. The A9 road, swings through crowded suburbswhere guesthouses and small restaurants are flourishing in former residences.It runs into the town centre past Government offices, Court Complex, Town Hall(Verasingam Hall), Thuraiyappa Stadium, Jaffna Library, main bus stand and theruins of Jaffna Fort with the view of the Lagoon. The causeway there stretchesto Kayts enabling the road (B52) to continue to the jetty for ferries toNagadeepa and the Nagapooshani Amman Temple.

Development in Jaffna during thepast two years in a slow phase, however there is an air of courtesy as well ofCommerce. The Jaffna Town quietens at the night but the stores are packed with fascinatingmementoes, where huge Jaffna mangoes and unusual sweetmeats from the market orpalm products like jolly shopping baskets made from palmyrah leaves. The sightof classic 1950’s motor cars parked in the towns taxi stand reminds thevisitors that, although Jaffna has all the hustle and bustle of Colombo andremains a unique and historical city. The journey was well worth through KandyRoad (A9) and brought me my childhood memories. Hope the visitors going throughA9 can see more than they expect.

Note:
A travel portal with comprehensive information about Jaffna @ http://visit-jaffna.blogspot.com/

Refreshingly Sri Lanka

2011-02-15T17:45:00.000+05:30

TheIsland of Sri Lanka is a small universe, it contains as many variations ofculture, scenery, and climate as some countries a dozen times its size. Lovelybeaches, beautiful landscapes, impressive ruins, a vibrant culture and charmingpeople no wonder Sri Lanka is a small miracle. '' It may well be that each ofSri Lanka's attractions is surpassed somewhere on Earth, but I find it hard tobelieve that there is any country which scores so highly in all departments '' saidthe late Sir Arthur C.Clarke.

Since theend of the conflict in 2009, Sri Lanka has seen an increase in tourism figuresand wasnamed Best Value Destination 2010 by the Post Office Travel Money, HolidayCosts Barometer research and is set to be the top emerging luxury destinationin 2011 according to the New York Times.

Sri LankaTourism has now launched 'Refreshingly Sri Lanka Visit Sri Lanka 2011' with 12events spread across the year. The twelve different theme events have beenconceptualised keeping in mind the 12 alphabets that make up the tagline"Wonder of Asia". These include beach activities, ICC matches, UNWTOMeeting for Asia, island wide New Year celebrations, 2600 year BuddhaJayanathi, 100 weddings, a health show, ‘Kandy Esala Perahera', ‘Minneriya ElephantGathering', The World Spice Festival, tourism villages in nine provinces andColombo Shopping Festivals.

Thismarks a significant moment in the history of tourism in the country. Sri Lankais now on the world map as a unique, safe destination. The peace situation inthe country that enabled it to achieve the 46% growth in tourist arrivals in2010 and Sri Lanka hopes to exceed 700,000 tourist arrivals in year 2011. Allpromotional activities and events will be planned in the next couple of years withthe goal of achieving the target of 2.5 million tourists.

Experiencing Sri Lankan Tourism

2011-02-11T14:40:00.000+05:30

Onaverage a foreign tourist who visits Sri Lanka spends USD 40 per dayin covering his expenses which is considered as a quite low when compared toother countries such as Maldives where an average expenses of a tourist is USD600 per day. Per Tourist cash flow is important in achieving highlevel of profit from tourist industry and Now Sri Lankan tourist industryfocuses on targeting to up market tourist who has high spendingpower. In targeting high spending tourist Sri Lanka uses a The Star of SriLankan Tourism to differentiate it from competing nations. The star of tourismfor Sri Lanka can be visualized as follows:

Heritage

Sri Lankais famous for its world famous heritage sites such as Sigirya, Anuradapura,Polonnaruwa and Yapahuwa. These placesare famous for remains of ancient Sri Lankan Kingdoms. Thearchitectural miracle of these ancient buildings still impress tourists. Theirrigation system which includes rives and tunnels which were used to store andprovide water to agricultural lands.

Beach

Sri Lankais a an island which has a coastline of 1,340 km which includes beautifulbays such as Arugam bay. There are many popular beaches which are considered ashigh rated tourist destinations and some of them are Unawatuna beach, Hikkaduwabeach, Nilaweli Beach, Negombo beach and Pasikuda beach. Tourists can surf ordive under the supervision of life guards and these beaches are considered asthe best places to get sunbathes.

Wild Life

Sri Lankahas many wild life santuaries around the country and some of them are YalaNational Park, Bundala National Park, Wilpattu National Park and KumanaBird Sanctuary. Sri Lanka is well recognized for its biodiversity and itincludes 92 species of mammals, over 440 bird species 242 butterfly& 117 dragonfly species. The Sri Lankan Elephant is a one of the attractionof tourists and tourists can enjoy elephant rides too. Safari facilitiesare organized at every national park to enhance the experience oftourist who are interested in wild life.

Culture

Sri Lankais rich with a diversified culture which offer many cultural festival andrituals which has attracted many tourists to Sri Lanka. One of the majorcultural events in Sri Lanka would be Perahera held in many religiousdestinations around the country. The famous perahera in Sri Lanka are KandyDalada Perahera, Katharagama perahera and Seenigama perahera in Ambalangoda.Apart from that Sri Lanka has Hindu cultural places such as Jaffna Nallur Koviland Troncomalee Koneswaram Kovil to be visited which offer different aspect ofSri Lankan culture.

EcoTourism

Sri Lankais rich with world famous greeneries such as Singharaja Forest and many otherforests. Sri Lanka has wide range of waterfalls namely Bambarakanda Ella,Dunhinda Ella, Diyaluma Waterfalls, Ramboda falls and so on.Dambana indigenous people provide the jungle experience totourists and hiking experience is given to tourists based on mountains such asNucleus Mountain range, Worlds End and Hantana.

Cuisine

SriLankan cuisine mainly comprises of rice and curry where it offers variety ofindeginous dishes such as polsambal, kiribath and so on. Apart from that asbreakfast kurakkan roti, hoppers, string hoppers, chick peas and green peas areserved. Sri Lankan sweet menu includes kavum, aluwa, kokis, aggala, aasmi anddodol which are unique to Sri Lanka. Natural drinks such as King Coconut andBeli Mal are served for tourists at Sri Lankan hotels.

There isno other nation in the world who can offer all these variety of experience totourists in a small proximity where tourists can reach one destination toanother within a day.

Tourism Niche Markets

2011-02-07T19:46:00.000+05:30

Over the last ten years, tourismhas diversified considerably. Whilst holidays used to largely fall into thesummer sun, winter sun, ski, and the “original niche markets” which includedlakes and mountains and city breaks, the market is now much more sophisticated.Tourists are more confident about travelling to destinations that are furtherfrom home, they are more confident about booking flights and accommodationthemselves, and many want to be increasingly active when they are on theirdesirable holiday.

These changes in consumer attitudes have led to the emergence of a large numberof small, niche tour operators that offer activities and tours that have nottraditionally been included in the large, more mainstream, tour operatorbrochures. However, the popularity of these niche markets and their rapid ratesof growth in recent years have led many of the larger operators to eitherinclude them in their own brochures, or buy some of the smaller operators andmerge them into their own organisations.

There are a variety of nichetourism markets that may be developed depending on supply and demandassessments. Niche markets might include Farm and Country Tourism, Ecotourism,Bird-Watching, Cycle Tourism, Charity tourism, Veteran tourism, IndigenousTourism, Adventure, Health (Wellness and Medical), Backpacking, Gay and Lesbianor Educational Tourism. The development of products and experiences to meet theneeds of niche markets should be based on an understanding of visitor marketcharacteristics and preferences and assessment of their feasibility andinvestment potential.

The national tourismindustry should not only be developed in general but a special niche marketshould be looked into that can enhance the industry's potentials andattraction. Niche markets are partly responsible for driving the growth of tourismto many parts of the world, and in many instances in a responsible andsustainable way. With increasing concern amongst travellers about theenvironment, these market segments are all becoming an increasingly importantpart of the tourism sector.

Disappearing Pattaya Beach

2011-02-01T20:43:00.000+05:30

Thepopular Pattaya beach in Thailand is eroding at a rateof nearly two meters a year that could lead to its extinction in less than fiveyears, according to Thai scientists. Scientistsfear that city development and sea currents have already taken a toll on thefamous tourist beach and not taking any immediate action would mean that thebeach will disappear in the near future. However, thecoastline of the beach town of Pattaya, hundreds of sand dikes have been piledup along the famous beach to prevent erosion but the marine experts said it’snot enough to prevent the erosion. They emphasise that there were no planningor feasibility study was done before building any hotels in the area and causemore environment impact in the area.

"If we don't fill the embankment with sand, the waterwill destroy the shore because there is nothing to block it, no sand, no seawall," Thanawat Jarupongsakul, a marine and coastal erosion expert atBangkok's Chulalongkorn University, was quoted as saying by Reuters. “You cansee that in some areas the beach has already gone," he said, adding thatthe width of Pattaya beach now is about 3 to 5 meters, compared to more than 35meters in 1952. This year alone, the beach has shrunk to 3.2 acres, he said.

Thanawat said a rescue plan worth $19 million that wouldrequire up to 7.76 million cubic feet of sand should be implemented urgently toincrease the shore width to 40 meters and save it from shrinking. While theeroding beach in Pattaya could have serious impacts on tourism, environment andmarine life are at greater risks. Other tourism destinations in Asia such asSrilanka and Maldives should take initiative to prevent their beautiful beachesunless they also have to face similar situation like Pattaya. Better tourismplanning and environmental impact study will help to reduce this kind ofproblems in the future.

The Video is courtesy of NTDTV

Pantiya Estate Holiday Bungalow, Sri Lanka

2010-12-25T01:40:00.000+05:30

The Bungalow

Pantiya Estate Holiday Bungalow situated in the hills of Pantiya rubber estates near tothe south coast. The bungalow is a colonial building built in 1907. It wasoriginally built by an English planter and the bungalow has been fullyrefurbished, retaining its old world charm.

The property has altogether 7 largedouble guest rooms, 5 in the main bungalow and 2 in the Villa Araliya. Two guest roomswith attached bathrooms are located in the main bungalow and can accommodate upto six guests. The guest rooms are comfortably furnished with twin ordouble beds. The bathrooms have showers and bath tub. The other threedouble guest rooms are facing the pool with ensuite facilities, a doublebed, shower and w/c. They share a verandah overlooking to the garden and the pool.

Villa araliya is a separate little maisonettefrom the main bungalow and it has two large double rooms, a common bathroomwith a shower and w/c, a comfortable living area with a pantry and the verandahis overlooking the swimming pool. The villa can accommodate up to fivepeople. Air-conditioning is fitted in every room of the bungalow and Fans arealso available on request.

There is aspacious and comfortable living room for guests to use which has variouscouches for lazing around on, a TV with satellite channels and a DVD player.There is also a stereo with CD player.Next to the living room, is the dining room with a 12-seater table.

Food & Drink

Both Western dishesand Sri Lankan rice and curry are served by the friendly staff. You candiscuss your choice of menu with the in-house cook who will prepare deliciousmeals using fresh vegetables purchased from the local market.

Activities & Attractions

Explore the surrounding tea, rubber andcoconut plantation. You can also make a short trip to the tea and rubberfactories where you can have an insight into the manufacturing process. Thesplendid coastal towns in down south are less than an hour away for days out atthe beach. For all your excursions, the Estate staff can pack a picnic lunchwith your choice of food and beverages.

You can book the accommodation in Sri Lanka by dialing 0094 (0) 722 301707 or UK by dialing 0044 (0) 79 126 29514.

Pantiya Estate Holiday Bungalow.

Matugama,
Sri Lanka

Website: www.srilankaholidayhome.com

Email: info@srilankaholidayhome.com

Nilaveli, Sri Lanka

2010-12-21T11:28:00.000+05:30

Located on the East Coast of Sri Lankaalong the unspoiled beaches of Nilaveliis infamous for its white sand and clear blue seas, theNilaveli Beach is at about 275 km away from Colombo.Transport services can be arranged with local tour operators while publictransport options such as bus and train services are also available fromColombo to Trincomalee. Local aviation firms have also introduced inland flightsfor the convenience of travellers. The ideal season to visit theEast Coast of the Sri Lanka would be from April to October.

The soft sands and the gentle breezecaress your cheek as you tread softly on the golden sands of Nilaveli beachunder the sunny sky. Yonder you will see the great Pigeon Island where a bigflock of rock pigeons soar high with their graceful grey wings doing a sort ofair dance. The beauty of Nilaveli is definitely like no other and after a longjourney from the city, the fresh air and the serenity of the place will makeyou feel like you’ve come to heaven.

Accommodations

Nilaveli got several types ofaccommodations which fits your beget. The Nilaveli Beach hotel which has beenthe first luxury hotel to make full use of the bounty that is known asNilaveli. Other than Nilaveli Beach hotel, there are not many to choosefrom. The notable ones are Mauro Hotel (just north of the Nilaveli Beach Hotelby 10 minutes walking) and further you can find Sea View Hotel and Coral Beach Hotel. Most of theplaces are resort type hotels. The prices of the accommodations in Nilaveli mayincrease considerably depending on the number of tourists around. There are no restaurants or big shops inNilavel area, so if you’re looking for an all-inclusive resort getaway this mightwork for you. Also, because this area is a "tourist" location, pricesfor everything are little bit expensive than other places.

Activities

An ideal location for snorkelling excursions,Pigeon Island is located a few hundred meters offshore from the Nilaveli Beach.A 10 minute boat ride will get you to the isle which is a breeding site for theBlue Rock Pigeon. Whale Watching can also an interesting activity in Nilaveli, wheremore than 12 different species are found. Nilaveli is also thehome for the wonderful flora and fauna, thriving species of corals and aquaticlife.

NearbyAttractions

On the East side of the Trincomalee town lies “FortFrederick” used by the Portuguese in 1624, later by the Dutch and named by theBritish to honour the Duke of York in 1803. At the Northern tip of FortFrederick is the “Swami Rock” which drops more than 100 meters directly to thesea below. This drop is also known as the "lovers leap" according toan old legend. On the highest point of the cliff is the “Tirukonesvaram Kovil”.

To be honest, the beach is really niceand the people are extremely nice .The hope is that many hotels will workhand-in-hand with nature but set an example and get foreign tourists anddomestic travellers involved in keeping the beauty of Nilaveli intact.

Note:This post contains more detail information of “Nilaveli” area, you can read myprevious post about “Nilaveli” @ http://younghoteliers.blogspot.com/2010/02/nilaveli-beach-trincomalee-sri-lanka.html

World's Top 10 Luxury Hotel Suites

2010-12-19T22:51:00.000+05:30

The Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel, Geneva

The PresidentWilson Hotel Geneva is Starwood’s Luxury Collection. Fromthe magnificent 17th century Gobelin tapestries adorning the walls of the lobbyto the classic European furnishings in the rooms and suites, the hotel spellsout elegance and refinement. The hotel is of course also equipped with all themost modern amenities. And on a hot summer day, the outdoor swimming pool is amost welcome added plus. Enjoy exquisite traditional cuisine at "LeCirque" restaurant or be more adventurous and sample exotic Lebanesedelicacies at the "Arabesque" restaurant. In summer treat yourself toa leisurely lunch or dinner, possibly after a swim, at the pool garden facingthe lake. Charges start from 65,000 USD forone suite per night.

Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons Hotel, New York

This suite, which first opened to thepublic in 2007, has 9 rooms, the walls of which are inlaid with thousands ofpieces of nacre. The rooms are peaceful, so that the guest can think of issuesof national importance. There is also a Zen garden set in the Penthouse, thereis a room for the SPA procedures and a spacious library, where you can holdmusical parties. There is a grand piano in the center of the hall. Charges35,000 USD for one suite per night.

The Presidential Suite, Hotel Cala di Volpe, Costa Smeralda, Sardinia

There is everything in multi-levelapartments necessary for an Arab sheik or a president of the company: threebedrooms, three bathrooms, its own gym, steam room and even a wine cellar.There is swimming pool with sea water. Do you like the room? Hurry up to livein it till June. In summer, prices will increase up to 10 thousand dollars.Charges 34,000 USD for one suite per night.

Villa La Cupola Suite, Westin Excelsior,Rome

Once being in these luxuriousapartments, located on the fifth and sixth floors of the hotel, you cannot helpthinking of the excessive luxury of ancient Rome. Everything here is a littletoo much: a Jacuzzi Pompeian-style frescoes and stained glass windows, on whichthe mythological figures coexist with allegories of our time. So, you’resurprised to distinguish the image of the Atlas and Television, Hypnosis andNeurosis, Hermes and Marketing, with huge balconies overlooking the famous ViaVeneto. They charge 31,000 USD for one suite per night.

The Presidential Suite, Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

A room worth of adoption within itswalls the head of any state of the world, is located on the top floor of thetallest building of Tokyo. It offers spectacular views of Mount Fuji and theurban landscapes of the Japanese capital. Charges from 25,000 USD for one suiteper night.

The Bridge Suite, The Atlantis, Bahamas

Apartments, located on the twenty-thirdfloor, will remain in the memories of a guest with their beautiful marblefloors and chandeliers made of 22-carat gold. Previously, this room was called“Suite of Michael Jackson”, because he liked to stay there. Charges 22,000 USDper night.

The Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt Vendome, Paris

The key concept of the room is SPA,because it has a special bath with whirlpool, steam room and a special roomwith a massage table. But visitors can be taken to a huge living room, dine inthe dining room and work in office equipped with the latest technology. Theycharge 20,000 USD per night.

RoyalSuite, Burj Al Arab, Dubai

Itwas built in 1990 in the form of a giant sail hotel, which has today become areal symbol of Dubai. The interior decoration is made in oriental style. Thequintessence of Arabian luxury is in the royal suite: there are marble floors,leopard carpets, its own elevator and a rotating bed under a beautiful canopyon the twenty-fifth floor of the hotel. Charges 19,600 USD per night.

ArmlederRoyal Suite, Le Richemond, Geneva

Themost luxurious hotel room is named after a wealthy family, who owned the hoteltill 2004. Two-bedroom suite is located on the seventh floor. There are threebedrooms and a huge terrace with a panoramic view of Lake Geneva. However,those who constantly feared assassination, it is better not to appear on thebalcony and admire the surroundings through the bulletproof window. Charges18,900 USD per night

TheRitz-Carlton Suite, The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow

Thetop ten list is closed by the room in the Ritz-Carlton hotel. The mostluxurious suite in Moscow was the less expensive one. The interior is decoratedin Russia’s imperial style. The rooms have a view of the most popular sights,including the Kremlin and Red Square. Charges 16,500 USD per night.

Ark Hotel,China

2010-12-18T13:24:00.000+05:30

It took just six days to build the Ark Hotel in Changsha, China. The finished building stood 15 stories and used prefabricated columns (the foundation was apparently already built). The hotel, made from all prefabricated materials with level 9 earthquake-resistant, sound-proofed and thermal-insulated. According to the video, no stationary cranes were used in construction and there wasn't single injury among the site's workers. This is the first building in human history which combines almost all environmental friendly, comfortable and secure elements. So, we call it Sustainable Building.

The 15-story sustainable hotel already had its foundation but using pre-fabricated columns and modules as well as modern construction techniques, construction workers took just 46 hours to finish the main structural components and another 90 hours to finish the building enclosure. While the workers didn't work all through the night, they did work until 10pm each night.

Of course, we don't know what the hotel is like on the inside (we can't seem to find a website for it) and we hope that they put some nice furniture in there too. But wouldn't it be cool if some hotels could be done this fast?

Watch the video:

Visit Sri Lanka 2011

2010-12-15T01:07:00.000+05:30

Tax concessions and incentives offered to tourismin this budget will help fast track development of the industry and achievetargets set out for next year, said an official of the Sri Lanka TourismDevelopment Authority (SLTDA). The budget proposed a tax reduction on all tourismrelated businesses from 15% to 12%, a levy of US$ 20 per bed on all five starhotels which charge less than US$ 125 per night from 2011 and reduction induties on passenger transportation vehicles by 25 percent. The current budgethas focused on developing tourism which benefitted from peace dividends.Tourism has renounced since mid last year bringing the much needed confidenceto the industry.

Tourist arrivals this year recorded a 50% growthduring the first half compared to the same period in 2009. A month-on-monthgrowth was recorded throughout the year and the projection is that arrivalswould reach around 600,000 by year end. The focus of Sri Lanka tourism duringthe next couple of years should be on infrastructure improvement rather thanachieving numbers. The industry is keen on attracting high spenders who will bemore responsible. Malaysia, The Maldives, Singapore and China have the highestnumber of tourists during the year, in the region. Tourists to Sri Lanka lastyear numbered 448,000.

Tourism experts said a consistent plan andaggressive marketing are vital to promote the country as a destination to theglobal traveller. The 'Visit 2011' campaign to attract more visitors andposition the country in the world tourism map is expected to boost tourismwhich is being geared to record 2.5 million travellers to the country. Eightproducts symbolising the eight letters of the country will be promoted with thetheme 'Eight wonderful experiences in eight wonderful days'. The beaches,heritage, scenic beauty, festivals, body and mind wellness, wild life, sportsand adventure and essence of life will be promoted through the campaign. Theauthenticity, bio-diversity, compactness and being an island offers Sri Lanka aunique and distinct advantage to market tourism. The government plan is to maketourism a US$ 1 billion industry as fast as possible. Poor infrastructure hasbeen the main constraint to expedite growth in tourism.

Sri Lanka Tourism has planned to build 30,000hotel rooms within the next five years. Currently over 2,000 rooms are beingbuilt in properties across the country. Around 10,000 rooms will be builtduring the next year and plans are to have nearly 45,000 rooms to accommodatevisitors, according to the SLTDA officials.Sri Lanka Tourism is focused ondeveloping the road network and resuming float planes to improve domestictransportation. The SLTDA is identifying locations in the North to be developedas tourism zones, however there are less improvement takes place in EasternSrilanka, according to the officials. The locations will be handed over to theprivate sector to develop for the tourism infrastructure.

Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

2010-12-13T15:24:00.000+05:30

The arch of “Welcome to the City of SingingFish”

Batticaloais situated at a distance of 314 km from Colombo and it is famous for its`Singing Fish' and picturesque lagoon. On full moon nights a faint but distinctmusical sound rises from the lagoon waters. This is attributed to a noiseemanated by a kind of fish found in the lagoon. A Dutch Fort near the lagoon isanother tourist attraction.Batticaloa looks very attractive,with its causeways and bridges.For years warnings against travel to thispart of the island, now the conflict is over and the international & localtourists are visiting here to see its beauty and the heritage. The populationin the Coastal Towns south of Batticoloa are incredibly friendly helpful, evenwhen they knew I wasn't much of a business opportunity but promoting thedestination.

Clock Tower in the Town

Traveling to Batticaloa is exciting, some of the bestbeaches in Sri Lanka are over here in this district. Wonderful Passikuda beachand Arugam bay are the notable ones, you can see the numbers of the visitorsduring the European summer holiday period. You can have the best weather in hereexcept the rainy seasons of November to January. Finding a reasonable accommodation was not a problem, most ofthem are not classified as a star class however, they are with good facilities.The sun rise can take your breath away and visitors are so welcome that eventhe fish sing at you.

The old Dutch Ford

Sunset over the Lake

A resting hut near the Lagoon

This is the place where Batticaloa lagoon connects with Indian Ocean

Kallady Bridge (Lady Manning Bridge).The bridge also famous forSinging fishes which was considered musical sounds heardin the full moon days.

Jaffna Hotels

2010-12-09T19:48:00.000+05:30

Jaffna City Map

Thereare many small hotels, lodges and Inns available for you to stay comfortably inand around Jaffna town with good facilities. Most of the Hotels and Lodgesoffer A/C rooms, hot water shower with meals. Some hotels are located just inthe heart of the Jaffna city while many of them are located in and around theouter city such as Nallur, Kantharnmadam orChundukulli. The hotels and lodges which can offer you ample parking andaccommodation for your driver at very low price

Jaffna Town

Most of the Jaffna hotels and lodges offertransport service with or without A/C for their customers at an affordablerate. You can hire or self drive Japanese vans and cars for transport aroundthe Jaffna district from your accommodation providers.Visitors can get vegetarianand Non-vegetarian meals from your hotel or lodge. There are many top classrestaurants that can offer you Eastern and Western dishes in good atmosphere.Itis better to make advance booking, if you are going to visit Jaffna in thefestive period.

Hotels and Lodges in Jaffna:

LuxetoilesInn
34, Chetty Street Lane,
Nallur.
Jaffna.

Tel: 0094 21 222 3966

Web:www.luxetoiles.com

YarlRest House

121, Palali Road,

Kantharnmadam.

Jaffna.

Phone: 0094 21 2223817 / 0094 21 2227125 / 0094 773611282

Web: www.yarlresthouse.com

YarlPaady Residency

51,Amman Road,

Nallur.

Jaffna.
Tel: 0094 21 2226868 / 0094 777360353

Web:www.yarlpaady.com

Iyanar Guest House
29/33, Udaiyar Lane,
Iyanar Kovil Road,
Jaffna.
Tel: 0094 21 2228653 / 0094 714461812 / 0094 774308001

Web:www.iyanarguest.com

Blue Haven

70, Racca Lane,

Jaffna.

Tel : 0094 21 2229958

Web : www.bluehavenjaffna.com

Tilko Jaffna City Hotel

70/6, K.K.S Road, (In front of Jaffna main post office)

Jaffna.

Tel : 0094 21 2225969

ExpoPavilion Hotel

40,Kandy Road,

Chundukulli.

Jaffna.

Tel : 009421 2223790 / 009411 2576941

ExpoPavilion - Luxury Serviced Apartment

873,Hospital Road,

Jaffna.

Tel : 009421 2223790 / 009411 2576941

Green Grass Hotel & Restaurant

33, Aseervatham Lane,

Hospital Road,

Jaffna.

Tel : 0094 21 2224385

CosyHotel & Resturant

15, Sirampiyady Lane,

Jaffna.

Tel :0094 21 2225899

Note:

A travel portal with comprehensive information about Jaffna @ http://visit-jaffna.blogspot.com/

A New Dawn in Jaffna Tourism

Taste of Jaffna

2010-12-07T10:15:00.000+05:30

Jaffna Meal

Jaffna's cuisine primarily embraces the peninsula's limitations andevolves in glorious isolation from the Indian subcontinent and the rest of SriLanka. Accordingly, Jaffna food is very different from the rest of Sri Lanka'sand it is unique style of culinary dishes is one of the most important thingwhich a visitor should not to miss when they visit Sri Lanka. Moreover, Jaffnacuisine is above all famous for its use of the fresh seafood that abounds alongthe coasts.

Odiyal Kool

Likewise, the soup known as “Odiyal Kool” is among the region’ssignature dishes. Thus, it is quite famous among both Jaffna people andforeigners. In fact, its unique flavour results from a slew of mouth wateringingredients such as crab, fish, cuttlefish, prawns and crayfish creating a seafood broth with the addition of long beans, jack fruit seeds, maniocand spinach . Hence, with hints of tamarind, the entire dish is practicallythickened with the help of “Palmyra” root flour (Odiyal-maa).

Crab Curry

Another famous authenticJaffna dish is “Jaffna Crab Curry” which is spicy curry prepared using specialJaffna curry powder and aromatic herbs. Hence, it can be considered as one ofthe best treat to try on a rainy afternoon. Other curries such as “Fish Sothi”(fragrant coconut milk curry with turmeric) tender and tasty mutton “Paal Poriyal”(muttoncooked in dry gravy with cumin, chilli and curry leaves), and “Brinjol Poriyal”are also some of the notable dishes specially dedicated to Jaffna.

Sweet Apam

As for the dessert, the “Sweet Apam” (Paal Apam) isone of the famous dishes which a tourist who visits Jaffna definitely needs totry. It is a unique style of dessert with a soft centre made of sweet coconutmilk giving it a mouth watering smooth texture. Thus, it can also be prepared plain or with brown sugar sprinkled on top upon request.

Rice & Curry

One of the most common layouts of meal for lunch is red rice whichaccompanies a set of curries that appear to conform to the standard rice andcurry menu. A side dish which looks like clear liquid known as “BoneRasam” is also very famous in Jaffna. It is a light, peppery broth preparedfrom mutton bones which goes excellently with rice and fried fish and is oftendrunk plain to clear the nose and the sinuses. Hence, the broth can also beprepared using chicken. In fact, many Jaffna chefs prefer to use bonelesschicken to prepare spicy chicken “Rasam” by giving it an aromatic flavour. Theconsistency often decides the category of the dish. Likewise, a curry is typicallythicker than a “Kulambu” and a “Kulambu” is thicker than a “Sodhi”.

Fish Curry

Moreover, a more adventurous gourmands might be drawn to the range ofdishes known as “Varai”.It is basically a mix of finely chopped or mincedingredients tossed with coconut, green chillies, mustard seeds, red onions,turmeric powder and curry leaves to create a distinctive dish. For instance, aperfect varai is usually light and flavourful, with each ingredient providing adistinct flavour.

Fish Sothi & Fried Fish

Though finely minced the primary meat or vegetable remains firm on thetongue and is never reduced to mush. Shark meat “Varai” uses the tough,distinctive meat in a dry mix, but you can also use prawns, drumsticks, leeks,drumstick leaves and even plantain flowers to create the same dish.

Pittu

Nonetheless, another dish known as “Pulick Kanchi” or sour porridgewhich is a refreshing drink made of mustard seeds, mint leaves, salt and alittle of pinch chilli which is quite good for those burdened with a cough orcold. Apart from this, the “Fried Brinjol” is a favourite among Jaffnaschoolchildren which goes quite well with another signature dish called as “Pittu”. It is traditionally made with rice flour and scraped coconut throughsteaming by separating the small flakes and nodules of the rice flour. Unlikethe school children, the combination of “Brinjol” and “Pittu” does not seem to becommon among Jaffna adults due to its dry combination. Hence, majority of themprefers to eat “Pittu” with curry or perhaps laced with fish as in “Shark Pittu”.Pittu can also be made in several variations. For instance, it can be made likea sweet milk “Pittu”.

Shrimp Curry

There are several restaurants in the island where a visitor can tastethe traditional cuisines of Jaffna. Here are some places we found for real dealof Jaffna Foods, are Green Grass Hotel and Restaurant( off Hospital Rd),Cosy Restaurant(off Stanley Road), Thinakkural Rest(Chetty Lane, Nallur) and Hotel Rolex (Hospital Road)which has a branch inGalle Road,Wellawatta. Hence, most of the dishes are quite affordable with eachdish offering a unique taste unique to Jaffna. For instance, Jaffna style crabcurry is (RS. 200), “kanawa” (cuttlefish) curry (Rs.180), Odiyal Kool (Rs.200)and Thirukkal Pittu (Rs.150) which is made using the flying fish found inJaffna. Hope youhave a great time when you visit Jaffna.

Note:

A travel portal with comprehensive information about Jaffna @ http://visit-jaffna.blogspot.com/

Passikudah,Sri Lanka

2010-12-02T22:30:00.000+05:30

Passikudah situatedabout 28km north of Batticaloa town, in the Batticaloa District, of the EasternProvince and about 5 hrs journey from the Capital Colombo. The brazen easterncoastline and the bay of Passikudah, an inlet of shallow water and crescent-moonbay that prior to the war erupting in 1983 was one of the country's mostpopular getaways. It was very popular among visitors due to the calm clearwaters.

Passikudah is a verycalm beach and if you need to be lonely for a moment this is the best beach forthat. The sea is very tranquil and waves will touch you gently. The beach isaround 4 km long and it is an ideal stretch for bathing, windsurfing and waterskiing.The bay contains a shallow fringing coral reef towards the outer bay with scatteredcoral communities within the bay. It is one of the best-known reef systems inthe east coast.

The surrounding is poorwith residents and now there are very few amounts of Hotels here. However, youcan arrange hotel stays at very reasonable rates. So before you are going topassikudah you better to reserve any place and it will be a comfort for you.But if you managed to perform a camp site, really this is very good beach forthat and you stay in the night on this tranquil beach under a tent. Thevisitors are advisable to hire an individual guide / driver which are quiteconvenient.

The people believetourism will inevitably return to the east and that large-scale tourism can bequickly developed. The area was inaccessible for nearly three decades due tothe war and currently it will accessibly by all forms of transport. The landalong the Passikudah Beach had been leased by the state to many privatecompanies and that there are 13 new hotels to be built there soon. You can seeso many hotel projects already in progresses and it seems there are series ofecologically responsible resorts are going to open soon on the beach to caterthe demand of local and foreign tourists. However, it’s hard to imagine thatafter decades of warfare and violence the Batticola district can become atourist destination anytime soon.

Hotels and Social Media

2010-11-27T12:27:00.000+05:30

Nowadays everyone talks about Social Medianetworks and hotels are absolutely recognizingthe importance of engaging with customers, travel planners and other stakeholders through the social media. Most of the hoteliers around the globe using thesemicro blogging social media platforms as a business tool to improve theirbusinesses. In certain countries the struggling hotel and tourism industries arenow using it as a way to reach potential guests.

When a friend of mine, who keeps a blog thatcovers restaurants and hotels in Singapore, told me how she had a super happyhour experience at one of a best known hotel in Singapore, thehotel offered her a free meal at its restaurant. Further, they ask her to writeabout her meal experience in her blog and her Facebook page. It shows the powerof social media and web blogging.

While straying too far from business-like Facebookor Tweets, might not be all hotels’ goals, reaching out to customers andpotential guests on a more personal level than the traditional press avenuescould be a good bet. Most of the hotels pages in Facebook or Youtube you cansee the comments about the services and the experience faced by the writers. Thesecomments give a good feedback to the properties to improve in the near futureand attract more visitors. While people are demanding lower prices and betterdeals from their go-to travel destinations, they also want better service, andcommunicating via Face book, Twitter or other social media platforms is aneffective way to do it. And not only are hotels using Facebook or Twitter to interact with its guests,they’re also using the platform to generate general interest by giving awayfree stays and other goodies. Some hotels use their Twitter feeds to create apersona, essentially giving life to a hotel.

What a boon to finallyhave a means of interacting directly with people who have had both good and badexperiences, in order to give the kind of follow-up customer service that thebest hospitality brands so successfully execute on-property. As the publicrelations representative for a Hotel, they are thrilled with these newopportunities presented by social media. Providing better services isthe first of many steps toward utilizing new media tools to provide usefulinformation, feedback and planning resources to past and future guests andother interested parties.

Luxetoiles Inn - Jaffna,Sri Lanka.

2010-11-23T11:07:00.000+05:30

A peaceful atmosphere has been created in the Jaffna Peninsula after the threedecades of war ended in May 2009. Thenumber of local and foreign tourists who visit Jaffna is daily increasing.Therefore the Hospitality and Tourism industry have to take consideration inmind to fulfil the needs of increasing visitors to the peninsula. However,there are no star class hotels or inns not yet constructed in Jaffna peninsulaand number of investors started to invest in Hotel Trade. Jaffna has unique characterand the people of Jaffna are friendly and full of hospitality and goodwill. However,finding an accommodation seems to be the biggest problem for visitors and the hotelsare not luxurious as Colombo Hotels or Rest Houses. On my very first visit, Ifound the place to stay in convenience and bit luxuries.

“Lux Etoiles” is located at Chettly Street, close to the city centre andjust few minute walk to the famous “Nallur” Temple. It offers comfortable roomswith A/C and attached bath, where you can be fit in with your family with anextra bed. I can say this is the best place in town. They offer comparativelyvery good rooms and I must say that the cuisine is the best in the Peninsula.“LuxEtoiles” offers Jaffna specialties to its guests. The breakfast, lunch ordinner, you should try out the authentic Jaffna dishes. According to the owner,sea food takes a big portion of their menu and typical Sri Lankan hot currydish is their signature dish.

Started in 2003, Lux Etoiles has eight family rooms and offers an elegantdining area for about ten paxs. Ex-large double Rooms with air-conditionedfacilities, mini bar, television with 37 channels, fully functional attachedbathroom, and shower cubicles with 24hour hot water supply are some of the roomfacilities.The hotel offers 24 hour service reception and security, private carparking, laundry service, and transport facilities with guides. Currently theyare in process to expanding to their new 16 room wing by end of this year andthis will offer guests with sports facilities such as badminton, basketball andother indoor sports facilities. Their staffs are well trained and provide disciplined and perfect service tomake your Jaffna Trip memorable.

Luxetoiles Inn

34, Chetty Street Lane,
Nallur,
Jaffna.
Sri Lanka.

Tel: +94 21 222 3966

Note:

A travel portal with comprehensive information about Jaffna @ http://visit-jaffna.blogspot.com/

Moon Hill Holiday Home -Tangalle, Sri Lanka.

2010-11-19T19:05:00.000+05:30

Moon Hill is a private Holiday home and located at Goyambokka beach just afew km west of Tangalle, a quiet fishing town on the south coast of Sri Lanka.It’s the perfect place to relax, escape mass tourism and enjoy the tranquillityof two secluded beaches only a minute stroll away.

The House:

The villa is a spacious tropical beach house with high wooden ceilings, coolcement flooring and a lush interior courtyard. Situated on a hill the house isdesigned to flow with the landscape and surprising the guests with a sea viewas soon as you step through the front door.

Bedrooms:

The beach house got three en-suite double bedrooms and a master bedroom allopening out to the central courtyard. The interiors are stylish withcomfortable double beds dressed in fine white linen. The luxurious masterbedroom opens out to the garden with a private terrace as well as the centralcourtyard. This room is furnished with a four-poster bed and the en-suitesecluded outdoor bathroom has an antique roll top bath.

Living and Dining rooms are airy, opening up to the terrace and the lushgreen gardens beyond. The furniture is made out of solid mahogany and designedalong contemporary lines and blended with stylish soft furnishings.

Activities:

Mornings are great, If you get up early start the day with a cup of tea orcoffee, watching the sunrise and the birds like peacocks, mayna, parrots andkingfishers from the large Terrance.

The unspoilt beaches are only a minutes stroll from the house and are greatfor swimming and body boarding.Tangalle is famous for its turtles - stop by atthe turtle sanctuary in nearby Rekawa.You can travel in land past paddy fieldsto the ancient Rock Temple at Mulkirigala or Wewurukannala Temple with its giant165ft high Buddha which is near by the beach house. Tangalle has a dive centrewhich arranges trips to a nearby reef for who like to dive in these crystalclear waters.

Service:

The staffs are friendly and will assist you with any request you might have.They serve the Breakfast at a flexible time that suits the visitors to allowingthem to enjoy the holiday at their own pace. Lunch and Dinner can also beserved to the visitors by the friendly staffs of the beach house, tasty seafoodand spicy local dishes are on the menu.

The Management is happy to assist and arrange the visitors who wish to gofor an excursion such as Animal Safari or visiting national parks.

Moon Hill Holiday Home
Goyambokka
Tangalle
Sri Lanka

E-mail : moonhillsrilanka@yahoo.co.uk

Magnificent Horton Plains, Sri Lanka

2010-10-24T06:54:00.000+05:30

After the three decade-old civil war in Sri Lanka has embarked on a newjourney. In that new economic growth there’s no doubt that the tourism industrywhich had been at the receiving end of the war, is on the threshold of a newera. Sri Lanka is hopeful of attracting nearly 2.5 million tourists by 2016 andfurthermore the year 2011 is named as the “Visit Sri Lanka” year.

Sri Lanka’s national parks and other wildlife sanctuaries are verypopular attraction for not only the many tourists who visit the island, but tolocals as well. Among the country’s many a fascinating wildlife hotspots-Horton Plains National Park is very popular, unfortunately, not because of itsrich endemic flora or fauna, but because of the World’s End - a bottomlessgorge with a misty mesmerising view.

Known as Maha Eliya (Great plain) by locals, and as Elk Plain by theBritish hunters, it was renamed Horton Plains after the then Governor ofCeylon, Sir Robert Wilmot Horton (1831 - 1837).Horton Plains was popular amongthe British planters who visited the area to hunt sambars and elephants.Renowned planter Thomas Faa constructed a hunting lodge within the plains whichhas now been converted to the Information Centre, and a tourist bungalow wasnamed ‘Faa Inn’ after him.

It contains the largest single extent of wet grasslands and dwarf forests in Sri Lanka. Due to theuniqueness of the forests contained within the Plains, they are referred to as‘Cloud Forests’ as they have adapted to high elevation, strong winds, thickmists, high temperature during day time and high rainfall. The National Park is not only an important ecosystem. It is also a vitalwatershed area in the hill country. It acts as the collection and storage pointof the headwaters for Belihul Oya, Agra Oya, Kiriketi Oya, Uma Oya, andBogawantalawa Oya which are branches of three out of Sri Lanka’s mostsignificant rivers – Mahaweli, Kelani and Walave.

With 3,160 hectares (12.2 sq mi) in extent, it is contiguous with theSripada Wilderness Sanctuary which lies in west. Located on the southernplateau of the central highlands, it is dominated by the country’s secondhighest mountain- Kirigalpotta (2,389m) to the west and the enchantingTotupolakanda (2,357m) to the north which is said to be the landing point ofthe Dandumonara - the legendary aircraft mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramanayanain which Sita was said to have been brought from India. Designated originallyas a Wildlife Sanctuary on December 5, 1969, Horton Plains was elevated to aNational Park on March 18, 1988 as it was a biodiversity hotspot.

World heritage
In July 2010, the Horton Plains National Park, along with the adjacent SripadaWilderness Sanctuary and Knuckles Mountain Range in the Matale District wereinscribed on the World Heritage List of the International Union for theConservation of Nature (IUCN). Although most areas in the hill country were cleared initially for sinchona,coffee and later for tea, only Horton Plains along with Thangamale and SripadaWilderness Sanctuaries, Galwaysland National Park, Hakgala Strict NatureReserve and a few other montane forest areas like Piduruthalagala, Mipilimaana,Kikiliyamaana, and Kande Ela, were spared, and as such, these forests are isolatedforest patches today.

Farsighted civil servants, Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker had advised the colonialgovernment to leave all forest areas above 5,000 feet untouched andundisturbed, following which an order was issued in 1873 that put a stop to clearingand felling of timber in the hill country. However, unfortunately, our own local leaders did not understand the importanceof Horton Plains and the region was earmarked for potato in the 1950 and 1960swhich had led to the severe degradation of the forest eco system.

Fauna
Two distinctive areas can be seen in the Park- 2,000 hectares of wet montanegrasslands and 1,160 hectares of subtropical montane evergreen forests.Accordingto the wildlife officials nearly 750 plant species distributed among 20families have been recorded. Out of the nearly 54 woody plant species recordedfrom the park, half are endemic to Sri Lanka.

Flora
Twenty four species of mammals, 87 species of birds, 9 species of reptiles and8 species of amphibians have been recorded.

Flagship species of Horton Plains
While Sambhur (Cervus unicolor) is the flagship species of the National Parkand can be widely spotted. However, Leopards (Panthera pardus fusca), BearMonkey (Trachypithecus vetulus monticola) Prionailurus viverrinus and Lutralutra (Diya balla) also make Horton Plains their home.During the floweringseason of Nelu trees (Strobilanthes) it is said that elephants used to climbmountains and gather in the thousands at Horton Plains. Although hill countryvariety of pachyderms (Elephus maximus) had been wide-spread in Horton Plainsas well as in then Ceylon’s central highlands, eccentric hunters such as Maj.Thomas Roger, who had shot nearly 1,400 elephants, had driven them intoextinction. (It is thought that he was killed by lightening as a punishmentfrom god and it is said that lightening still strikes his tombstone located atthe Nuwara Eliya cemetery)

Challenges
Horton Plains is most probably the only national park where visitors don’t haveto travel in a vehicle and are allowed to hike along the nature tracks. Butthat, at times, has become a big disadvantage. Commenting on the site, the ParkWarden of Horton Plains National Park said, “Although Horton Plains used toattract a large number of visitors every year, there has been a slight declinein the number of local visitors and has seen a surge of foreign tourists afternational parks in the North and East were opened to visitors.”

He added that ‘although we expect the number of local visitors toincrease that could bear a threat to the environment of Horton Plains as localsappear to care less about our environment. So, we appeal to all visitors to bemindful of our environment and to safeguard it so as to pass it down to ourchildren. The Department will introduce a spot fining scheme and in the verynear future we will be authorised to fine any offenders on the spot,the wardenwarned.

Do’s & Don’ts

Visiting hours are from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. So, bethere on time avoid disappointments. Plus, birds are in abundance, and if youare lucky enough, you might be able to see below clearly from World’s end.
Take the right hand side route in Horton Plains. It’s the easiest.
Try to avoid wearing slippers or sandals. Deck shoes are the most suitable.
Take enough water as the entire hike takes around four hours to finish (nearly8 km's).
Do not stay away from designated hike paths.
Don’t pluck flowers, leaves, branches, remove plants or animals, and mutilatetrees. Its illegal and you might end up in courts.
Do not feed / harm animals or disturb their breeding sites.
Don’t come drunk or don’t bring alcohol into Wildlife Parks. Bringing alcoholor cigarettes are not allowed.
Don’t drop garbage, polythene, plastic, bottles, and wrappers inside the Park.
Don’t start fires inside.
Do not write on name-boards.
Do not disturb other visitors.

How to get there:

Horton Plains is located from Nuwara Eliya. There are three routes to thePlains.

Nuwara Eliya- via Ambewela, Pattipola (32 kilometres)
Haputale- via Welimada, Boralanda, Ohiya (38 kilometres)
Nuwara Eliya- via Hakgala, Ambewela, Pattipola (38 kilometres)

Attractions:

Great World’s End
Little World’s End
Baker’s fall

Attractions: (nearby)

Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve

Horton Plains

The science of food and mood

2010-10-21T23:03:00.000+05:30

Food plays a vitalrole in controlling human mood. For instance, why do people like to eat chocolatesor something sweet when their mood swings? Does, eating normal rice and lentilscurry helps to get rid of mood swings? Well, the answer can definitely be yeswithout any doubt. In fact, the food you consume has a positive impact on yourmood. Hence, it can actively act in changing the mood of any human being. Togive a broader spectrum of this scenario, below listed are some of the best andworst foods to be consumed in relate to different types of moods.

Stress and depression

Been in high level ofstress can easily bring mood swings. Thus, been unable to meet your deadline ofwork can bring a lot of stress at the same time bring a negative impact to youroverall mood. For instance, when someone is in extreme stress, many things turnout to go in the wrong direction instead of been in the appropriate way. Inthis kind of situation, you can probably sit down at an open area, relax, takea nice long breath and eat roasted pumpkin seeds. Other than this, you can eveneat flakes seeds or else walnuts to reduce the stress level. According tofamous Nutritionist, consuming foods with high level of Omega- 3 can produce ahigh proportion of Magnesium in your body which also can lower down the stresslevel. If you’re too busy, you can even probably grill some meat and eat fordinner which can bring relaxation to the nervous system of the body.

Nervousness

Some people getnervous when it is the time for them to attend an interview where else some mayeven get scared and nervous when their final exams gets closer. Other thanthis, some may even get nervous and get high heart beat rate during their firstdate with their boyfriend or even girlfriend. In these circumstances, drinksome Lemon juice or else choose a favorite dish rich in Potato. Since, Lemonand Potato has high nutritional level with B complexs and Vitamin C, it canhelp to bring relaxation to the body. However, using oily foods and caffeinedrinks is not at all advisable at this kind of condition. Hence, consumingthese items can even bring more nervousness and fear. Yet, you can consumegrilled chicken which is quite rich in Proteins to rest the nerves of yourbody.

Sadness

Are you feeling sadbecause of something? If so, quickly grab a Dark Chocolate which can bringsudden energy into your body and helps you get away from sadness. Foods rich inMagnesium such as Banana and Apricot are the most suitable foods you canconsume at this kind of situation. Even foods that have Folic acid such asSpinach and Orange Juice can even change your mood at a glimpse.

Anger

If you’re unable toget rid of your anger, use foods that bring coolness to your body. Foods suchas Cucumber and Yogurt belong to this category. Even, drinking cold milk canalso help you to reduce your anger. Yet, consuming different types of Fizzydrinks such as Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite can increase your anger level.

Amazing Race Asia & Sri Lankan Tuk-Tuk Drivers

2010-10-21T02:22:00.000+05:30

"The Amazing Race Asia", the Asian Edition ofthe one of the biggest TV Reality show in the history touched down in Sri Lankafor a surprising move. Challenges were held in various locations in &around Colombo and the down south of Sri Lanka. The first pit stop was theIndependence Square and the second pit stop was Kalutara for this leg of therace and the contestants’ face more challenges in Sri Lanka.The US Edition of"The Amazing Race" touched down in Sri Lanka several years ago on ashort stop over, however this is a much longer visit.

It was a treat to see our locals from fisher folk to garment factories gettinginvolved in the show's challenges. The money issue became amajor factor for the past two episodes. Themajor setback was the shameful display by our Tri-shaw drivers who kept overcharging the contestants.In a couple of instances the drivers wereasking for Rs 900/= to Rs 3000/= for a short tripacross the city of Colombo.

Accordingto the tourism ministry of Cambodia one of the selling points when the AmazingRace USA proposed filming in their country is the benefit of the exposure theywill receive from the show to attract tourists. This situation doesn't bodewell for Sri Lanka. From this experience it appears that the Trishaw (tuk tuk)Drivers rip off the foreigners and its shame on the SLTDA did anything to controlthis issue. According to Wiki Travel most Three-wheel driver's in Sri Lanka tendsto over price foreigners. It is very disgraceful and it will definitely give avery poor impression of Sri Lanka to anyone in Asia watching this popular TVseries.

Tuk-Tuk Tourism in Sri Lanka

Thai Airways International

2010-10-18T10:30:00.000+05:30

Today, competition is notonly common, but at the same time growing more intensely. Hence, companies needto pay extra attention to their competitors and understand their customers moreprecisely and provide services according their needs and mange the companywithout any financial loss. Likewise, one of the main subsector of tourismindustry which is currently been hugely affected by intense competition isairlines.

In this study I analyze aboutthe Thai AirwaysInternational which is a state enterprise and national flag carrier of Thailand.The Airlineoperates domestic, regional and intercontinental flights from the Suvarnabhumi Airport to various destinationswithin Thailand and around the world to over 71 destinationsin 34 countries.Thai Airways operate with the Fleets of 91 Aircrafts and theAirline’s slogan is “Smooth as silk”.

The study contains the majorinternal and external factors affecting Thai Airways International in the formof a SWOT analysis. This SWOT Analysis examines the company's key businessstructure and operations, history and products, and provides a summary of the analysisfor the future development.

For those who want to download, you can simply do it @ http://www.docstoc.com/docs/56913369/THAI-AIRWAYS-INTERNATIONAL