Hambanthota Harbour to earn 40% of Sri Lankan government's income by 2020

The newly constructed Hambanthota Harbour, which lies within 10 nautical miles from a major Indian Ocean shipping route, will be a significant port for the East-West shipping trade, a government minister has pointed out.

Ports and Aviation Deputy Minister Dayasritha Tissera has told the state-run radio, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) that three ships will berth into the port known as Magampura Harbour on November 18th.

According to the Deputy Minister, the government has set in motion a plan to earn 40 percent of government's income from the Hambantota Port in 10 years.

The Hambantota Harbour project in addition will create direct and indirect employment opportunities for 25,000 people, Tissera has told the SLBC.

With the commissioning of the port, the government plans to attract more investors into the area. Under this plan, a surrounding area of 2,000 hectares will be developed as an investment and industrial zone and in parallel the roads network in Hambantota area will also be upgraded. Already 65 investors have expressed interest, the Minister has said.

Along with the Hambanthota Port, the government has taken measures to develop other major ports in the country as well. Ports in Galle, Oluvil, Trincomalee, and Kankasanthurai are now being expanded, the Minister has revealed.

In addition, the government has embarked on an ambitious plan to expand the Colombo Harbor. The government expects to triple the operations at Colombo port by 2012.

The Colombo Port Expansion Project allows Sri Lanka to meet increasing demands of services in the international shipping industry in the Indian Ocean.

Bike trip to Rathnapura( pics) part 1

feel the fresh air in hilltops in sri lanka.this is bike travel by my friend lasa.lasa in elakiri.com
so watch these pics.

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WORLD’S FIFTH HIGHEST TOWER IN SRI LANKA (LOTUS TOWER)

The Chinese state company has accepted a new contract to build the world’s fifth highest tower in Sri Lanka at an estimated cost of US$ 100 million.
This will be another mega project, a source in the Government told the Sri Lanka Guardian.
The tower will be named “Lotus tower” (Nelum Kuluna) and when completed will stand 350 meters in height. The overall shape and appearance will be that of a lotus flower and will take up 20 acres of ground area.
The first and second floors will be used by media broadcasting and the telecommunications system. It is planned that there will be four basement levels including a shopping complex. According to the source it will take only 30 seconds for people wishing to visit the top floor of the tower which will accommodate gamble casinos and night clubs.
In view of the existing condition of the less fortunate in the country it may be argued that US$ 100 million might be put to a better use.

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Corels in sri lanka

Sri Lanka is situated south of the Indian sub-continent between 5° and 10° north of the equator. The island has a total land area of 65,000 km2 and a coastline of about 1, 585 km of which 300 km are beaches and sand dunes (GSL, 1985, Lowry and Wickremaratne, 1989, Olsen et al., 1992). The country's land area is about 65,610 sq km and is inhabited by approximately 18 million people. The maritime area of 230,000 sq km belonging to Sri Lanka is about three times larger than the land area. The continental shelf of the country as an area of about 31,000 sq km and the width ranges from 9 to 45 km with an average depth of 66 m (Cooray, 1967).

There are fringing and offshore reefs of varying conditions around the country. These have been categorized into three main habitat types. They are the true coral habitats consisting of live coral as well as calcareous substances, sandstone and rocky habitats (Rajasuriya & De Silva, 1988; De Silva & Rajasuriya, 1989; Rajasuriya, De Silva & Ohman, 1995). According to Swan (1983) about 2% of the coastline contains nearshore fringing reefs. The growth of coral reefs around Sri Lanka is influenced mainly by the monsoons which has a major impact on the level of turbidity and fresh water input into the coastal waters. As a result extensive coral reef habitats are limited to areas with lower levels of sedimentation with semi-dry climates found in the north-western and eastern coastal areas. Coral reef development in the southwestern sector of the coastline is poor due to heavy rainfall during the monsoon and the resulting impact from sedimentation and turbidity. Fringing coral reefs also occur around some of the islands around the Jaffna Peninsula.

All in place for the mighty game of Carlton 7s

With less than a week for the so called mini IPL in Rugby, the Carlton Sevens, the organizers are keeping in line with the preparations for the gala event.

The teams taking part in the tournament will be put into 04 pools, (A , B , C and D) in which Digicel Fiji, Barbarians, Spain, Korea and Malaysia will be playing in pool “A”, Kenya Shajuu, Australia legends, Germany, Chinese Taipei in ‘B’, Samoa Barbarians, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan in “C” and New Zealand legends, South Africa vipers, China and Sri Lanka in pool “D”.

The first match of the tournament commencing on the 27th and 28th of November will be played between Spain and Malaysia at 9.30 am on the starting day.

Host Sri Lanka will play the first match on the same day at 11.30 am against South Africa Vipers.

Worlds end of Sri Lanka

Worlds End means the place which has highest gap in Sri Lanka. This place is situated at the border of Nuwaraeliya, Badulla and Rathnapura districts and also   Horton plains which is highest plain in Sri Lanka. There has two worlds ends one of the small worlds end and other one is big worlds end. The big worlds end is higher than other gaps. You can Travel to this place via Nuwaraeliya,  Pattipola, Ambewela road  or via Boralanda,   Ohiya road.

There are a lot of beautiful places and a lot of beautiful scenarios can be seen in down side of Words End at clear time. In the  morning time the down side is very clear and viewed long distance and beautiful sceneries. After few hours the fully down side attack with mist. What a wonderful thing is happen now. If you see this place I trust you mutter above words. There after this place become the real Worlds End because there is nothing to see down side. You may think there is nothing world along here.

Pattipola cool Place of Sri Lanka

Pattipola is one of very beautiful villages (rural Towns) of Sri Lanka which is situated at Nuwaraeliya district and closed to the border of Nuwaraeliya and Badulla districts. Pattipola high 1893m above sea level and very cool place. Pattipola in at on the way of Horton plains from Nuwaraeliya. Therefore several tourists automatically pass and rest at Pattipola cool place.

Pattipola is famous for cool, Railway station, Railway tunnel 18 and also pattipola is situated on the way to the Horton plains, worlds end, Bakers fall, Totupala mountain and Kirigalpoththa mountain. Pattipola railway station is situated between Ohiya railway station and Ambewela railway station. Pattipola is Highest railway station of Sri Lanka. Ambewela New Zealand farm and Ambewela milk powder factory is also very closed to Pattipola. East side of Pattipola Udamala mountain can be seen and west side of Pattipola Totupola mountain can be seen.

The stadium at Hambantota is under construction, September

Built for the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, Suriyawewa Hambantota International Cricket Stadium is the biggest cricket stadium in Sri Lanka measuring 200 meters x 200 meters. In the photo, for the first time since construction began, teams representing Hambantota and Matara played a friendly match on the new pitch in early July, 2010. Suriyawewa Hambantota International Cricket Stadium will host it's first international match when Sri Lanka play Canada on 20 February, 2011 during the ICC World Cup 2011.

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Jetwing Vil Uyana

Jetwing’s newest and most ambitious project located within 5km of the ‘8th Wonder of the World’-Sigiriya- is the creation of a truly ‘Lifestyle Hotel’, Jetwing Vil Uyana. The challenge of introducing a wetland system on reclaimed agricultural lands within the Dry Zone, providing the unique backdrop for this exciting new property. Drawing from the local, rural traditions, the buildings grow not out, but into the landscape. The ‘habitats’ naturalized by local flora and fauna will create the timelessness of a healthy ecosystem providing the setting for peace and tranquility. With the first man-made lakes since King Parakramabahu’s era in the 11th century, this exciting feature allows for the first time in Sri Lanka dwellings to be built over water.

A section of land has been used to re-grow paddy using traditional harvesting methods, providing a new and exciting feature, dwellings within the paddy field, yet another first in Sri Lanka! The transformation of the land into patches of forested areas will create the feeling of ultimate privacy at this exclusive Sigiriya hotel, and will feature the Forest Dwellings, which is the largest of the rooms available. As a member of the Small Luxury Hotel’s of the World, Jetwing Vil Uyana is a haven for those who wish to escape from the norms of everyday life and for those nature lovers who wish to indulge in their hobbies whilst pampering themselves in luxurious comfort. With dwellings tastefully designed boasting space as its prime characteristic of luxury. Dine in the privacy of your dwelling or ‘under the stars’ or simply relax and pamper yourself at the Island Spa offering a range of treatments to choose from. Whether it is the nature lover in you or the task of ‘finding yourself again’ treat yourself to an experience… come be part of the lifestyle!

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Corels in sri lanka

Sri Lanka is situated south of the Indian sub-continent between 5° and 10° north of the equator. The island has a total land area of 65,000 km2 and a coastline of about 1, 585 km of which 300 km are beaches and sand dunes (GSL, 1985, Lowry and Wickremaratne, 1989, Olsen et al., 1992). The country's land area is about 65,610 sq km and is inhabited by approximately 18 million people. The maritime area of 230,000 sq km belonging to Sri Lanka is about three times larger than the land area. The continental shelf of the country as an area of about 31,000 sq km and the width ranges from 9 to 45 km with an average depth of 66 m (Cooray, 1967).

There are fringing and offshore reefs of varying conditions around the country. These have been categorized into three main habitat types. They are the true coral habitats consisting of live coral as well as calcareous substances, sandstone and rocky habitats (Rajasuriya & De Silva, 1988; De Silva & Rajasuriya, 1989; Rajasuriya, De Silva & Ohman, 1995). According to Swan (1983) about 2% of the coastline contains nearshore fringing reefs. The growth of coral reefs around Sri Lanka is influenced mainly by the monsoons which has a major impact on the level of turbidity and fresh water input into the coastal waters. As a result extensive coral reef habitats are limited to areas with lower levels of sedimentation with semi-dry climates found in the north-western and eastern coastal areas. Coral reef development in the southwestern sector of the coastline is poor due to heavy rainfall during the monsoon and the resulting impact from sedimentation and turbidity. Fringing coral reefs also occur around some of the islands around the Jaffna Peninsula.

Scintillate TwentyTen - Hikka

It’s Summer in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka and there is no better place to celebrate it than right down here on the golden beaches Down South. With its crashing waves, clear blue waters and golden sands Hikkaduwa is party central, especially in the Summer time. Hikka2010 is for all revellers and party animals hunting down the next best thing to rock to! With a host of exclusive parties being hosted over the 30th July to 1st August weekend, there is nothing short of a great time to have in Hikkaduwa. Where the elite and locals hobnob for something out of unusual, the best of the entertainment world flies down to Sri Lanka to deliver what they are looking for and a whole lot more. With state-of-the-art lighting shows, heart-stopping dance acts and the sexiest dancers busting a move on the dance floors, Hikka2010 has brought together the world’s best performers and entertainers this year. Sri Lanka welcomes its partners French Seduction, are a world renowned international musical concept that celebrates dance, sharing and warmth in the most exotic venues of the world. French Seduction uses a blend of Music and Fashion to create timeless and festive musical programming for unique and unforgettable parties around the globe. Along with French Seduction, master spinners from party capitals of the world, such as DJ Fameluck, Miss Kiyami, DJ Majestic, DJ Mouss Mc Eklips, DJ MisoDisko and our very own DJ Tareeq will be on board to set the records straight for a perfect night out under the stars. The Coyote Girls and Fu & Keemo will burn the dance floors with their moves and certainly give you all some eye candy.

MARINE SANCTUARIES

Sri Lanka's coral reefs radiate a vibrant panorama among her picturesque ecological assets, while adding colour to its aquatic environs, corals have also proved to have their variegated scientific uses.However, due to a multitude of development activities by man, these coral reefs were recently found to be in a degraded state. In order to circumvent these hazards, two of Sri Lanka's premier coral reefs - HIKKADUWA and the BARRIER REEF, north of Kalpitiya have been declared as Marine Sanctuaries. Hikkaduwa was declared as a Marine Sanctuary in 1979, followed by the Barrier Reef in 1992, in accordance with the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance. This would actively inhibit wanton destruction. Therefore, only planned activities are permitted with the prior permission of the Department of Wildlife. (The activities of the Department of Wildlife are not restricted to terrestrial habitats, but includes aquatic environments too). Sri Lanka has three types of reefs. They are reefs, sandstone reefs and rocky reefs. Most are fringing reefs while there are a few barrier types reefs in the North Western coast. The former is restricted to a near shore area, while the latter expands to around six ton eight kilometers away from the shore. The Hikkaduwa Marine Sanctuary is situated around 96 kms south west of Colombo. It is equipped with a 1.5 km stretch of beach protected by fringing coral reefs running parallel to the coast line 100 - 150 metres off shore. The reef offers fascinatingly beautiful corals and fish, in addition to emerging as a popular bathing and swimming area.The reefs support five species of angel - fish and twelve species of butterfly fish. These fish feed on coral tentacles and coral polyps. Statistics from the Hikkaduwa Marine Sanctuary have revealed that 18.2% of the lagoon area has live hard coral cover, 8.19% of coral rubble and 28.9% of dead corals. In this area, traditional fishing types such as angling and the use of nets are prevalent. The Barrier Reef constitutes around 90% of live coral cover. A very high bio-diversity is characteristic of this reef with over 200 species of reef fish and 80 species of corals. A grand total of 25 species of butterfly - fish have also been recorded at this reef. Spinner Dolphins - Stennela Longirostis are encountered seaward of the coral patches. Bottle-nose Dolphins- Turiops Trunctus are found in the Puttalam lagoon between the months of May and December . Sea turtles too have been found in this coral reef. A mushroom coral - Zoophilus Edinatus was detected in this area which makes it the first in the Indian Ocean.

The benefits of coral reefs lie in the scientific and educational values along with their extractive and non extractive uses. While they represent a dominant part of Sri Lanka's cultural and geographical heritage, marine biologists consider that they are among the most productive of all aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Marine biologists have shown that coral reefs, tropical sea grass beds and algal communities have productivity rates far in excess of field grasses & coniferous woodlands. An obvious outcome of coral reefs is the high productivity and ample fish life. Marine scientists have estimated that the world's fisheries potential to be around 9% of the total fish landings.Coral reefs are vital to nations which have fisheries and fishery industries and there is ample evidence to substantiate this fact from the Indo - Pacific region itself. Reef fish constitute around 25% of the total fish market landings in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.

There have been numerous instances where coral reefs have acted as buffer - zones by taking on the full impact of waves, dissipating energy and blocking currents which could otherwise lead to sea erosion. In this manner, coral reefs protect valuable coast land from being eroded away. In the Indian Ocean, around 77% of the isolated land has been washed away due to corals being removed from the limestone.It is increasingly evident that the coral reef dwelling organizations such as sea - fans and other invertebrates produce biologically active chemicals which produce antibiotic, and-coagulant and anti-leukaemic properties. The science of marine pharmacology is still at its infancy and coral reefs would prove to be an ideal source of medically important compounds in the near future. The most recent development is the use of coral skeletons of dome shaped corals for bone grafts. It Is said that the blood vessels easily develop through the porous skeletons of corals.It is prudent that the general public understand and appreciate the value of Sri Lanka's inherent natural resources in order to safe guard the pristine glory of these marine sanctuaries at Hikkaduwa and Kalpitiya.

Hotels in here

The leading class of accommodations in Sri Lanka is the five star hotels. These hotels are located in the major cities of Sri Lanka such as Colombo, Kandy and Bentota. The most advantageous point of these hotels is that they are located close to the major business and entertainment districts of the town and offer tailor-made facilities and services. Whether you are traveling for the purpose of business or leisure, these hotels will make for excellent base to spend some quality time. The guestrooms have luxurious amenities including air-conditioning, IDD facility, channel music, and satellite TV. The facilities comprise Babysitting, Beauty parlor / Hair salon, Car hire service, Currency exchange, Doctor-on-call, Express Travel assistance, Bookshop, Fitness Centre, Massage, Shopping arcade, Souvenir shop, Swimming pool, Squash, Tennis, Business Centre, Secretarial services and Workstation.

Ancient cities of Sri Lanka

The historical landmarks are among the best known tourist attractions in Sri Lanka and some of the notable ones are - Anuradhapura, Mihintale, Sigiriya, Dambula and Aluvihara. Anuradhapura is the first capital of Sri Lanka and remained a strong symbol of Sinhalese supremacy and features a number of monuments and historic buildings that continue to enthrall tourists from all over the world.

Shopping

Shopping in Sri Lanka can take many forms: haggling with a handicraft-seller while sunbathing on the beach; choosing fruit from the traditional village store, the kadé, while side-stepping sacks of rice; or checking out the bargain-priced latest international fashions (Sri Lanka is a major garment exporter) while enjoying the ambience of a luxurious shopping centre in Colombo. And there’s much inbetween. Visit a handicraft shop and familiarize yourself with traditional designs such as makara (a mythical animal, lion, swan, elephant and lotus which are most evident in brasswork (boxes, trays, lanterns, vases) and silverware (ornately carved and filigree jewellery, tea-sets) that make excellent souvenirs. In addition, ritual masks, lacquer ware, batik and handloom textiles, lace, and wood carvings are popular.

Last but certainly not least, Sri Lanka has the widest variety of precious stones among the world’s gem producing countries - blue sapphires, star sapphires, rubies, cat’s eye, garnets, moonstones, aquamarines and topazes being just a dazzling handful. What’s more, Sri Lanka naturally has a tradition in jewellery-making, so you can bring your gems to life.

World cup coming home ( The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup)

With Sri Lanka co-hosting the 2011 Cricket World Cup, Sri Lanka Tourism plans to promote new structural development and upgrade existing accommodation facilities and related infrastructure in a bid to host ICC officials, players and spectators in Hambantota. ICC Guidelines require venues to have basic requirements such as 5 star accommodation facilities, sufficient accommodation for 500- 1000 players, officials and spectators, and a maximum travel time of 15 minutes from hotel to venue. The tournament is the world's third largest sporting event. Media reports estimate that over 200 million people from the cricket-playing countries as well as cricket-enthusiasts from non-cricket-playing countries.
watch these matches.

Sri Lanka Tourism is planning to promote the country and its attractions during the 2011 World Cup, scheduled to be held in February and March 2011. With Sri Lanka co-hosting the 2011 Cricket World Cup, Sri Lanka Tourism plans to promote new structural development and upgrade existing accommodation facilities and related infrastructure in a bid to host ICC officials, players and spectators in Hambantota.
For more information contact                   http://www.sltda.lk/srilanka_cricket 

Tourist arrivals up by 44%

Tourist arrivals increased by 44 percent upto September.
Up to end of last month a total of 445,228 tourists visited Sri Lanka. This clearly indicates that Sri Lanka is heading for a record year of arrivals by the end of this year.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has announced 2011 as 'Visit Sri Lanka Year' and with intensified marketing campaign involving all foreign missions.
This is also a clear indication that Sri Lanka can achieve 2.5 million tourist arrivals by 2016.
One of the notable features of the arrival pattern of September was the increase of British tourists. For the first time this year UK tourist arrivals (8,904) exceeded the Indian arrivals (8,864) which were the leading market for a long period.
"This is a very healthy development as British tourists are high spending and also long stayers," said Director General Sri Lanka Tourism, S. Kaleselvam.
The overall European arrivals increased from 13,027 to 18,599 in September as against the previous year and became the number one destination for Sri Lanka.
With the promotions made by the USA High Commission there is also a 32 percent increase in arrivals from USA which is also a very healthy development.
"There had been also a very positive response from both foreign and local investors to set up luxury resorts in the Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Project. Two properties have already commenced construction and negotiations are under way to finalise the lease of the other islands," Kaleselvam said.

In addition, more up market properties are being built in Arugambay, Trincomalee and in Jaffna.