Sri Lanka dengue prevention and clean-up is good news for tourists - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

More good news for visitors to Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, widely hailed as the fastest-growing tourists market in Asia, if not the world. The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) has carried out another dengue prevention and clean-up campaign throughout the city, which was flooded by the last monsoon rains. It come after a country-wide anti-mosquito drive in the wake of global health fears prompted by the spread of Zika, a disease that causes sever cerebral deformities in unborn babies, and which is spread by the dengue mosquito. Click bellow for the full report. #SriLanka #Tourism #Dengue #Zika #RedCross
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Sri Lanka dengue prevention and clean-up is good news for tourists

More good news for visitors to Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, widely hailed as the fastest-growing tourists market. The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) has carried out another dengue prevention and clean-up campaign throughout the city, which was flooded by the last monsoon rains.

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Arugum Bay, a fabulous sun, sea and surfing beach on Sri Lanka's east coast - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

It took five hours to get there, “but as the bus was driving through the town’s main road, which runs parallel to the moon shaped golden beach, we could already see it was worth it”. Arugum Bay on Sri Lanka’s east coast was the latest port of call for London-born veteran travellers Darren and Shelley, for whom “experiencing new cultures, sights, smells, tastes and people is what makes us feel like we’re really living”. And for this couple on a mission to see the world, Arugum Bay “has the kind of mellow vibe that we often look for in the beach towns we choose to visit”. Click bellow for the full report #SriLanka #ArugumBay #Tourism
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Arugum Bay, a fabulous sun, sea and surfing beach on Sri Lanka’s east coast

It took five hours to get there, “but as the bus was driving through the town’s main road, which runs parallel to the moon shaped golden beach, we could already see it was worth it”.

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News digest: flying the flag, a Sri Lanka first, Colombo 4th, fastest growing - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

The DailyFT, Sri Lanka’s business and finance newspaper, reports that Sri Lanka Tourism has concluded its wide range of road shows in Eastern Europe, including Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. Lanka Hospitals in Colombo has become the first healthcare provider in Sri Lanka to achieve international medical tourism accreditation from the US-based Medical Travel Quality Alliance (MTQUA). Colombo is ranked fourth behind Osaka, Chengdu, and Abu Dhabi in the 2016 Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index, in which Asia dominates both the global top 10 and top 10 fastest-growing destination cities. Colombo Page reports that a project to ensure the long-term preservation of Galle Fort, one of Sri Lanka’s eight World Heritage Sites, is being supported by the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. HospitalityNet reports prior to the upcoming Asia Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (AHTIC) in Colombo that Sri Lanka “is now officially one of the fastest growing tourist markets in the world”. Click bellow to read more. #SriLanka #LankaHospitals #MasterCard #GalleFort #AHTIC
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News digest: flying the flag, a Sri Lanka first, Colombo 4th, fastest growing

Pledge Holidays flies the flag in Eastern Europe The DailyFT, Sri Lanka’s business and finance newspaper, reports that Sri Lanka Tourism has concluded its wide range of road shows in Eastern Europe, including Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. Pledge Holidays was at the forefront of this drive “to develop trade contacts in order to expand […]

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Sri Lanka celebrates World Tourism Day: ‘We need the best brains’ says minister

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has reinforced 'World Tourism Day 2015' by announcing a partnership with Colombo University’s economic faculty and key private-sector organisations.

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Sri Lanka celebrates World Tourism Day: ‘We need the best brains’ says minister - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has reinforced 'World Tourism Day 2015' by announcing a partnership with Colombo University’s economic faculty and key private-sector organisations. The latter include Sri Lanka Inbound Tour Operators (SLITO), The Hotel Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) and the Association Of Small And Medium Enterprises In Tourism (ASMET). Colombo University conducts the masters and postgraduate programs for tourism and hotel management under the leadership of tourism minister John Amaratunga. Click bellow for the full story. #SriLanka #WorldTourismDay
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Hikkaduwa, the best and most renowned party beach in Sri Lanka?

Hikkaduwa on Sri Lanka’s west coast is renowned as a party beach, so who better to write about it than a ditzy marketing lady who works for a glitzy fashion portal? Bijal Soni heads the PR department at Namshi.com, the self-proclaimed “Middle East’s number one online fashion retailer”.

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Hikkaduwa, the best and most renowned party beach in Sri Lanka? - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Hikkaduwa on Sri Lanka’s west coast is renowned as a party beach, so who better to write about it than a ditzy marketing lady who works for a glitzy fashion portal? Bijal Soni (pictured) heads the PR department at Namshi.com, the self-proclaimed “Middle East’s number one online fashion retailer”, after years at some of the world’s top PR agencies. She comes to Hikkaduwa with a refreshingly open mind—“Sri Lanka was never anywhere on my Top 10 places to visit ever”—which was changed by a fashion journo who convinced her to give Sri Lanka a go. Hikkaduwa “was where I was told to go – I was sold at the Beaches and Nightlife!”. And she quickly found that the reputation of this most vibrant of our many tourist resorts is not misplaced. Click bellow to read her full report. #SriLanka #Hikkaduwa #Namshi
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Blogs digest: the best of Sri Lanka from the world's best travel writers - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

BIRD Luxury Travel PR says that “Sri Lanka, long known for its golden sands and intoxicating culture, is rapidly gaining a reputation as a global wildlife hotspot. Home to endemic Sri Lankan leopards and elephants, the island nation is also a twitcher’s dream with a huge diversity of wild and wonderful birdlife”. The benefits of visiting Sri Lanka in the tourist low season, roughly May to September, are lauded by The TRVL Blog in its report on Tangalle, “where the beaches are beyond beautiful”. Travel Wire Asia cites Sri Lanka’s ancient cities, colonial towns, and world-class surf spots as the reasons we are “emerging as a choice destination for nature- and culture-oriented travellers in search of something a bit different”. Joyful Travelpie list the five most popular beaches of Sri Lanka, staring with Mirrisa, “love at first sight, my first beach stay in Sri Lanka and my most favourite beach”. Travel Me Sri Lanka starts the post with a list of how the world’s media has ranked Sri Lanka as a tourist destination, and it makes impressive reading. Click bellow for the full report. #SriLanka #Leopards #Wildlife #Blogs
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Blogs digest: the best of Sri Lanka from the world’s best travel writers

Some of the world's top bloggers, travel writers and key influencers underscore why Sri Lanka is one of the fastest-growing tropical tourism destinations, combining sun, sea and sand with wildlife, nightlife, and the secrets of a life worth living! Enjoy!

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Chinese tourism: Sri Lanka vs. Thailand, and what we can learn - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

A major challenge facing Sri Lanka’s bid to attract more tourists, particularly from China, is competition from our tropical Asian neighbours. This is especially the case with Thailand, with its thriving nightlife and hospitality industries combined with a sea, sand and sun culture built up over decades. The Daily FT, Sri Lanka’s business and finance newspaper, asks the million-dollar question: “Thailand gets 25 million tourists a year. Sri Lanka gets close to two million tourists. Why?” The answer, it seems, is mostly down to what Sri Lanka already has plenty of—sun, sea and sand—but also what we are sadly lacking: “The street life in Thailand in tourist areas has a buzz and a fizz. People wandering around. Street food in abundance, small restaurants, bars of every type, sports bars, bars with music, bars with girls." Click bellow to read the full report. #SriLanka #Thailand
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Chinese tourism: Sri Lanka vs. Thailand, and what we can learn

A major challenge facing Sri Lanka’s bid to attract more tourists, particularly from China, is competition from our tropical Asian neighbours. This is especially the case with Thailand, with its thriving nightlife and hospitality industries, its sea, sand and sun culture built up and perfected over decades.

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News digest: yoga, splendour, culture, wetlands and a cycling adventure - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

The Guardian UK reports in glowing terms on the Ulpotha yoga retreat in Sri Lanka, The Telegraph Luxury Travel section hails “Sri Lanka’s return to peace and splendour", The Australian spins its wheels with an account of an island-wide cycle tour, and more. #SriLanka #GuardianUK #Telegraph #yoga #Negombo
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News digest: yoga, splendour, culture, wetlands and a cycling adventure

The Guardian UK reports in glowing terms on the Ulpotha yoga retreat in Sri Lanka, The Telegraph Luxury Travel section hails “Sri Lanka’s return to peace and splendour", The Australian spins its wheels with an account of an island-wide cycle tour, and more.

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Wealth of wreck and reef diving sites in Sri Lanka hailed as 'amazing' by PADI - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

A glowing endorsement by PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) puts Sri Lanka firmly on the map: “With nearly 1600 kilometres/1000 miles of palm-fringed coastline, Sri Lanka is an amazing dive destination”. It points out that “the waters of Sri Lanka are home to an incredible range of marine creatures from massive blue whales all the way through to tiny nudibranch”. “Sri Lanka has an abundance of great sites to discover including great wreck dives which are scattered off the coast. Local divers are still discovering new wrecks as they explore the waters of this island nation.” Click below for the full report #SriLanka #Diving #PADI
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Wealth of wreck and reef diving sites in Sri Lanka hailed as ‘amazing’ by PADI

A glowing endorsement by PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) puts Sri Lanka firmly on the map: “with nearly 1600 kilometres/1000 miles of palm-fringed coastline, Sri Lanka is an amazing dive destination”.

The post Wealth of wreck and reef diving sites in Sri Lanka hailed as ‘amazing’ by PADI appeared first on Pledge Holidays Travel Blog.

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Sri Lanka luxury livea-board yacht charters torpedoed by officialdom - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

The launch of luxury live-aboard super-yacht charters in Sri Lanka has been torpedoed by officials because the boat has not been classified by the London-based Association of Classification Societies (IACS). The Sri Lankan Aggressor is one of a fleet operated around the world by TVB Group under the Super Luxury Live-aboard Yacht brand, and was due to set sail on its inaugural charters this month (September). With its focus on diving, whale watching and luxury marine activities, it would likely have been a significant addition to Sri Lanka’s growing attraction as a must-visit tourist destination. But the yacht has been blocked by the Secretariat of Merchant Shipping from registering, an essential prerequisite, pending IACS classification—a move that has been roundly condemned by TVB. #SriLanka #SriLankaAggressor #Liveaboard #Yachts
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Sri Lanka luxury livea-board yacht charters torpedoed by officialdom

The launch of luxury live-aboard super-yacht charters in Sri Lanka has been torpedoed by officials because the boat has not been classified by the London-based Association of Classification Societies (IACS). The Sri Lankan Aggressor is one of a fleet operated around the world by TVB Group under the Super Luxury Live-aboard Yacht brand, and was due to set […]

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Sri Lanka restaurant for Aussie exotic-food lovers thriving in Melbourne

Top Australian travel and lifestyle blog Concrete Playground has given top marks to a newly opened restaurant in Melbourne that “proves there’s much more to Sri Lankan food than just rice and curry”.

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Sri Lanka restaurant for Aussie exotic-food lovers thriving in Melbourne - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Top Australian travel and lifestyle blog Concrete Playground has given top marks to a newly opened restaurant in Melbourne that “proves there’s much more to Sri Lankan food than just rice and curry”. Lankan Tucker is the brainchild of Nerissa Jayasingha and Hiran Kroon, who “decided to open Lankan Tucker to change common perceptions of Sri Lankan food, to make it more accessible, and to also make it more relevant to young Sri Lankan Aussies such as themselves”. Says Concrete Playground: “Initially set up as a catering service, the pair sold lunch packs to friends and coworkers before expanding to farmers markets and events such as the QVM Night Market, the Cricket World Cup and WOMADelaide. “But bricks and mortar was always their aim, and their Brunswick West cafe, which opened earlier this year, has allowed them to expand and further develop their offering.” #SriLanka #Australia #Melbourne #Food #RiceAndCurry
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Stringent Sri Lankan action to protect tourists from mosquito-born dengue and Zika

Good news for tourists and visitors to Sri Lanka as the government announces further aggressive steps in combatting mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika and yellow fever. National Mosquito Control Week will be held countrywide from September 27 to October 3.

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Stringent Sri Lankan action to protect tourists from mosquito-born dengue and Zika - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Good news for tourists and visitors to Sri Lanka as the government announces further aggressive steps in combatting mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika and yellow fever. National Mosquito Control Week will be held countrywide from September 27 to October 3, Health Services Director General Dr Palitha Mahipala has announced. Its primary aim is to sharply reduce mosquito density and breeding cycles countrywide, with special attention paid to 141 high-risk areas, for which 20,000 inspectors will be on call. #SriLanka #Dengue #Zika #Mosquitos
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Ena’s amazing Geoffrey Bawa house rebuilt after being spared demolition

Ena de Silva's amazing house is remarkable for two reasons, the first being that it was designed and built by Sri Lanka’s famed architect Geoffrey Bawa, lauded as the Father of Tropical Modernism.

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Ena's amazing Geoffrey Bawa house rebuilt after being spared demolition - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Ena de Silva’s amazing house is remarkable for two reasons, the first being that it was designed and built by Sri Lanka’s famed architect Geoffrey Bawa, lauded as the Father of Tropical Modernism. The second is that it wasn’t always where it is now, having been moved brick by brick, stone by stone, tile by tile—and with lots of tender loving care—from the Colombo suburb of Cinnamon Gardens to its present location. As Aljazeera online reports: “The house…had been created for the artist and designer Ena de Silva and her husband Osmund in 1960 by Geoffrey Bawa, a man now widely acknowledged as the foremost architect of his generation in Sri Lanka, if not in all of South Asia.” #SriLanka #GeoffreyBawa
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Pledge Holidays joins the American Society of Travel Agents (A...

Pledge Holidays is delighted to announce that we have joined the prestigious American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the world's largest association of travel professionals. The mission of ASTA and its affiliates “is to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism”. We joined our US fellow travel professionals to ensure that we offer the absolute best service possible to our American clients and customers, starting now! ASTA “seeks a retail travel marketplace that is profitable, growing and a rewarding place to work, invest and do business”. It says: “Founded in 1931 as the American Steamship and Tourist Agents' Association, ASTA and its affiliates now comprise the world's largest and most influential travel trade association with members in 140 countries. “As the world's largest travel trade association, our work encompasses every aspect of the travel experience. “In 1931, more than 60 agents joined an association that promised to protect and promote the mutual interests of its members, maintain a dignified code of ethics, combat unfair competition, stimulate the public's desire to travel and promote the use of ASTA members' services. “Today, ASTA continues to maintain its position as an industry leader, constantly examining the intricate business relationships that keep the industry moving forward and sharing that knowledge for the benefit of all its members. “No other travel organization contributes more to the collective institutional learning of the industry or to its members’ ongoing education than ASTA." http://bit.ly/2cGF9ih http://bit.ly/2d7J4n7 #SriLanka #ASTA #Tourism #TravelAgents
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Pledge Holidays joins prestigious American Association of Travel Agents

Pledge Holidays is delighted to announce that we have joined the prestigious American Association of Travel Agents (ASTA), the world's largest association of travel professionals.

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Media digest: Doha deliciousness, exotic beaches and 'the original soul of Buddhism' - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

An exotic Sri Lankan beach and a new restaurant in the Qatar capital Doha are among the lifestyle features in this week’s look what some of the world’s media are saying about us. That includes Singapore’s Weekender naming Sri Lanka among "top exotic destinations quickly gaining popularity with travellers seeking one-of-a-kind experiences”. #SriLanka #Beaches #Buddhism #Doha
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Media digest: Doha deliciousness, exotic beaches and ‘the original soul of Buddhism’

An exotic beach and a new restaurant in the Qatar capital Doha are among the lifestyle features in this week’s look what some of the world’s media are saying about us. Singapore’s Weekender has named Sri Lanka among top “exotic destinations quickly gaining popularity with travellers seeking one-of-a-kind experiences”.

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News digest: top kite surfing, Google Loon returns, fighting Zika, malaria eradicated - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Good news for tourists and visitors to Sri Lanka after massive disease-eradication programme eliminates malaria and puts the country on high alert to combat Zika. Meanwhile, the return of the Google airborne wifi Loon balloon and outstanding local success in the second international kite-surfing challenge get the pulses racing! #SriLanka #GoogleLoon #AHTIC #KiteSurfing
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News digest: top kite surfing, Google Loon returns, fighting Zika, malaria eradicated

Sri Lanka's top kite surfers fly high, Google's airborne wifi Loon returns, tourists reassured in fight against Zika, major success in eradicating malaria praised.

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Blogger Sheli names the seven best infinity pools in Sri Lanka - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Top hospitality blogger Sheli at Travel Me Sri Lanka has zeroed in on seven amazing infinity pools “with breathtaking views and the illusion of merging the scenery that goes on forever”. Sheli is “passionate in travelling and obsessed with beautiful scenery”, who writes “to inspire travellers from all over the world to travel my beautiful country”. She says these favourite pools “will add breathtaking luxury wanderlust moments to your luxury holiday in Sri Lanka”. #SriLanka #InfinityPools #TravelMeSriLanka
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Blogger Sheli names the seven best infinity pools in Sri Lanka

Top hospitality blogger Sheli at Travel Me Sri Lanka has zeroed in on seven amazing infinity pools in Sri Lanka “with breathtaking views and the illusion merging the scenery that goes on forever”.

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98 Acres Hotel and Spa, Elle - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

For travellers who eschew the glitzy trappings of beach resorts for the peace and calm of nature and the environment, 98 Acres Hotel and Spa is a zen counterpoint to Sri Lanka’s Hill Country tourist trail. Nestled in woodlands on a tea estate just outside Elle, the individual chalets of this this beautiful eco-hotel are built from rough-hewn granite topped with roofs thatched with traditional illuk straw. Inside, recycled materials and old railway sleepers set off furniture made by expert local artisans using widely available wood and materials, which helps create the warm and rustic ambience.
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98 Acres Hotel and Spa, Elle

For travellers who eschew the glitzy trappings of beach resorts for the peace and calm of nature and the environment, 98 Acres Hotel and Spa is a zen counterpoint to Sri Lanka’s Hill Country tourist trail.

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source: 98 Acres Hotel and Spa, Elle

US embassy grant supports traditional Sri Lanka cultural dance forms - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Four of Sri Lanka’s traditional ritual dance forms are being preserved thanks to a Rs16.7 million ($115,000) grant from the US Embassy in Colombo to the University of Peradeniya. ColomboPage reports US Ambassador Atul Keshap as saying the grant is “part of continued US support for the preservation of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage…to safeguard the rich diversity of cultural practices across Sri Lanka.” “Working together, we can help ensure that future generations in Sri Lanka can also experience these important aspects of their cultural heritage.” ColomboPage says the grant “will support the university’s Department of Fine Arts to preserve and to share the following performing arts traditions: upcountry Kandyan Kohomba Kankariya dance; Northern and Eastern Tamil Koothu dance drama; Adivasi ritual and cultural practices from Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa districts; and a southern dance-drama ritual performance from the Kolam tradition in Matara”. It was made under the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), a US State Department program to support the preservation of cultural sites, material objects, and other forms of cultural expression. http://bit.ly/2d1TmIK #SriLanka #Dance #TraditionalDance #USEmbassy
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US embassy grant supports traditional Sri Lanka cultural dance forms

Four of Sri Lanka’s traditional ritual dance forms are being preserved thanks to a Rs16.7 million ($115,000) grant from the US Embassy in Colombo to the University of Peradeniya.

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Sri Lanka’s new ZMAX Fairway ‘the most sophisticated hotel in Colombo’

Adventurous and excitement-seeking tourists are in the sights of the ZMAX Fairway Hotel that has just opened in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital city. Aimed at “discerning travellers…our rooms will pep your zeal to tackle your planed tasks refreshed, relaxed and rearing to go”.

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Sri Lanka's new ZMAX Fairway 'the most sophisticated hotel in Colombo' - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Adventurous and excitement-seeking tourists are in the sights of the ZMAX Fairway Hotel Colombo, which has just opened in Sri Lanka’s capital city. The company says it is “nothing less than the most sophisticated hotel in Colombo for the convenience-seeking business traveler or the family that looks for home comforts while on vacation”. True or false? You decide! #SriLanka #ZMAXFairway #Hotels #Tourism
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Totally outrageous über-luxury at The 13 in Macau redefines opulent hotel vulgarity - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Sri Lanka has some wonderful luxury hotels, from traditional, to eco, to discreet colonial high-life, to downright glitzy—but seriously, it absolutely ain’t seen nothing like this! The 13 in Macau, for which the words ‘outrageous opulence’ don’t even begin to do justice to the concept of sheer, total, completely bonkers over-the-top vulgarity, is literally breathtaking. #SriLanka #Hotels #The13 #Tourism
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Totally outrageous über-luxury at The 13 in Macau redefines opulent hotel vulgarity

Sri Lanka has some wonderful luxury hotels, from traditional, to eco, to discreet colonial high-life, to downright glitzy—but seriously, it absolutely ain’t seen nothing like this! The 13 in Macau, for which the words ‘outrageous opulence’ don’t even begin to do justice to the concept of sheer, total, completely bonkers over-the-top vulgarity, is literally breathtaking.

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Sri Lankan gemstones help make a dream come true for ethical jewellery lover

A British woman passionate about safeguarding the rights of small-scale gem and gold miners around the world came to Sri Lanka to source precious stones for her first piece of bespoke jewellery—a ring. She says: “This is jewellery that has immeasurable value to not only me, but to everyone who received a fair price in the making of it. Its ethical provenance makes it more precious than the insurance could cover."

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Ethical gemstones in Sri Lanka

A British woman passionate about safeguarding the rights of small-scale gem and gold miners around the world came to Sri Lanka to source precious stones for her first piece of bespoke jewellery—a ring. Jane Barnett works for Estelle Levin Ltd, which is committee to Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM): ‘Formal or informal mining operations with predominantly simplified forms of exploration, extraction, processing, and transportation’. Says Jane: “Owning a piece of bespoke jewellery has always been a dream of mine. I was, however, daunted by the reality of this. The potential cost alone was enough for me to keep this dream at just that, a fantasy, and nothing more.” That changed during a holiday in Sri Lanka, where she met Stuart Pool of Nineteen48, which specialises in “fully traceable, ethical, fairly-traded coloured gems that are sourced directly from their own mines in Sri Lanka, or those of their exclusive network of approved partners”. Says Jane: “I felt incredibly privileged to be able to spend the day with Stuart and his team, visiting mine sites and witnessing the transformation of rough sapphires into beautiful gemstones.” Having chosen the stones—a pink sapphire, an unusual teal sapphire and a blue spinel—she turned to UK company HK Bespoke, where the ring was designed and made using Fairtrade gold for the setting. Adds Jane: “This was the true mine-to-market experience, and one that I feel incredibly privileged to have witnessed in all its various stages. I couldn’t recommend this highly enough to anyone. “This is jewellery that has immeasurable value to not only me, but to everyone who received a fair price in the making of it. Its ethical provenance makes it more precious than the insurance could cover. “This is a ring I will be proud to wear, lucky to own, and grateful to have had created for me, and only me.”
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Bloggers digest: more posts on the many and varied delights of Sri Lanka

Latest posts on Sri Lanka from the world's bloggers cover the best of the east coast, where “it feels more authentic and local", the capital Colombo, with its “grand colonial buildings, Roman Catholic churches and Buddhist temples", while a walk around Ella discovers "countless restaurants where you can find everything for every taste".

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Elephants parade in annual Sri Lankan pageant

A Reuters news agency video of elephants parading in Kotte during the annual festival in Sri Lanka. #SriLanka #Kotte
from Pledge Holidays http://reut.rs/2ckozEV

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Bloggers digest: more posts on the many and varied delights of Sri Lanka - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Latest posts on Sri Lanka from the world's bloggers cover the best of the east coast, where “it feels more authentic and local", the capital Colombo, with its “grand colonial buildings, Roman Catholic churches and Buddhist temples", while a walk around Ella discovers "countless restaurants where you can find everything for every taste". #SriLanka #Blogs #HillCountry #Colombo #Ella
from Pledge Holidays http://bit.ly/2cxAel8

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A tourist's adventure in Sri Lanka

When Swiss adventure tourist Alain arrived in Sri Lanka he knew he’d found the perfect place to make a lifelong ambition a reality. He had long dreamed of building a 'native' sailing boat that could cruise the high seas as well as the shallow waters and lagoons of the world's palm-fringed tropical islands. And on the beach in Negombo, Sri Lanka’s premier west-coast tourist resort, he found the perfect match—two traditional outrigger fishing catamarans and the home-grown expertise to create the ideal vessel. So with the help of local fishermen, craftsmen and sailmakers, he removed the outriggers, joined the hulls together with a flexible wooden platform, rigged the mast and sails—et voila! Says Alain: "They are exactly what I was looking for, and thanks to the skills and knowledge of the local fishermen and traditional boatbuilders, my dream is now a reality." After launching the boat—with a little help from his friends!—he set off on a short shake-down cruise to Kalpitiya, where he intends stock the boat with enough provisions to make the trip to southern India. And after that? "Who knows. Remember the Kon-Tiki expedition? They crossed the Pacific on a balsa raft, so I'm sure I can cross the Indian Ocean on this!" http://bit.ly/2cOF5A9
from Pledge Holidays http://bit.ly/2c1C1ut

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Intrepid Swiss adventurer Alain makes his dream a reality in Sri Lanka

When Swiss adventure tourist Alain arrived in Sri Lanka he knew he had found the perfect place to make a lifelong ambition a reality. He had long dreamed of building a 'native' sailing boat that could cruise the high seas as well as the shallow waters and lagoons of the world's palm-fringed tropical islands.

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News digest: Pledge Holidays in Denmark, Sri Lanka malaria-free, Buddhism 'a gift' - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

Pledge Holidays was among leading tour operators at a top 'meet and greet' workshop in Denmark; WHO hails Sri Lanka as malaria-free; President says: “The biggest wealth we can give to this troubled world is the Theravada Buddhism”. #SriLanka #Buddhism #Tourism #PledgeHolidays
from Pledge Holidays http://bit.ly/2cllpOQ

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News digest: Pledge Holidays in Denmark, Sri Lanka malaria-free, Buddhism ‘a gift’

Pledge Holidays features in Nordic tourism promotion ColomboPage pictures Pledge Holidays manager Shalindra Heneganage (above, standing right) in the Danish capital Copenhagen taking part in a major Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) roadshow. It was first of the four workshops held recently in the Danish capital of Copenhagen providing Sri Lankan tourism partners with […]

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Images from Sri Lanka

Images from Sri Lanka's famed Cultural Triangle #SriLanka #CulturalTriangle
from Pledge Holidays http://bit.ly/2cAUuE1

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A Travel Through Sri Lanka

Another cool video about our Paradise island!
from Pledge Holidays http://bit.ly/2c5kyXb

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Hindu temples, or kovils, are towering religious monuments on the Sri Lanka skyline - Pledge Holidays Travel Blog

The magnificently carved towering structures common to all Hindu temples, or kovils, can be seen throughout Sri Lanka, and are religious testaments to this predominantly Buddhist island's multi-cultural and mullt-ethnic society. #SriLanka #HinduTemple #Kovil
from Pledge Holidays http://bit.ly/2bFFKAJ

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Hindu temples, or kovils, are towering religious monuments on the Sri Lanka skyline

Hindu temples, or kovils, are found throughout Sri Lanka. Big and small, they are monumental testaments to this multi-cultural and multi-ethnic Buddhist island’s close links with India, its giant northern neighbour.

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