Tag Archives: Sri Lanka

Getting high at Yapahuwa

June 17, 2013 Red Hunt 2 Comments

Yapahuwa, or Yapawwa, is an ancient complex that tends to be overlooked by visitors to Sri Lanka.

It was one of the first places I visited, after a long journey from Canada. I was still tired and jet-lagged but figured a day in the sun, exploring an exciting new country would be a good thing.

Greeted by monkeys and only seeing a couple of other tourists here was a great start, my kind of place as I hate crowds. But soon it became apparent that my recent arrival into the country was still weighing on me as the hike up to the top of the hill temple was tougher than expected. It’s not the first time I’ve arrived somewhere full of excitement and adrenaline only to have my energy quickly zapped by altitude or tiredness.

But really, the first thing you want to do when you arrive somewhere new is explore! Who wants to rest and “waste” their first day in a new country…as smart a practice as that may be.

So, I hadn’t yet adjusted to the crazy heat of Sri Lanka, having flown in from cold wintery Canada! But slowly, slowly I made my way up the staircases and paths to the top and was rewarded with a perfect panorama view of the surrounding countryside. Green fields all around, it became pretty obvious why Yapahuwa was a strategic and important place for kings, as you could see enemies approaching from far away at this viewpoint.

Yapahuwa - View — View from the top of Yapahuwa Fortress

It was probably the shortest hike I did in Sri Lanka, as parks like Horton’s Plains and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve offered up multi-hour, more intense hikes. But those hikes didn’t have the jet-lag factor and seemed easy compared to this one. Still, despite being so tired, I was happy that I got high at Yapahuwa and had time to enjoy the view!

A Toque Macaque, one of many monkeys hanging around the Fortress

This Lion Statue was the Staircase Guardian at Yapahuwa

Travel Articles

Peradeniya – Sri Lanka’s Royal Botanical Gardens

May 25, 2013 Red Hunt 3 Comments

In between my jungle hikes and wildlife encounters in Sri Lanka I took some time to slow down and enjoy some more civilized parts of the country.

One stop that I enjoyed was the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya, said to be one of the best Botanical Gardens in all of Asia and dating back more than 600 years. I’m always amazed when I visit these kind of places as I have no horticultural or arboreal type skills at all, well at least none that I know of.

Pond - Royal Botanical Gardens — A Pond at the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens

At the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens there are immense fig trees, planted generations ago and collections of orchids and other rare trees around every corner. There are ponds, with ducks swimming and birds flying about, as well as plenty of benches to sit and watch people meandering along the accessible pathways.

A bamboo forest here, a historical building there. It’s a peaceful place that seems miles away from the hectic traffic not so far away in Kandy. Of course, it should have a sense of serenity to it, as it’s not free, you do have to pay for the privilege to visit these impressive gardens.

It’s worth it though. In total the gardens have more than 4000 different plants here – a staggering number! To me the most interesting part of the sprawling garden complex was Royal Palm Avenue, a line of towering palm trees that goes on almost as far as you can see. The thought and planning that has to go into visualising what those once tiny trees would look like after so much time is fascinating.

If you find yourself spending time in frenetic Kandy when you visit Sri Lanka, treat yourself to some quiet, re-energizing time and escape to Peradeniya and the Royal Botanical Gardens for a few hours.

Travel Photos

Wildlife Photo: Sri Lankan Elephants

April 24, 2013 Red Hunt 1 Comment

Elephants have always fascinated me. They’re such huge animals, yet they’re so quiet when moving and even eating.

Beyond the big tusked African elephants, are a number of different Asian elephant species. This one, the Elephas maximus maximus is known as the Sri Lankan Elephant.

There are roughly 6,000 of these endangered Sri Lankan elephants left in the wild, and as the name would suggest they are only found on the island nation of Sri Lanka, south of India.

These elephants were photographed in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Beer

8.8 of the Best Beers in Sri Lanka

March 14, 2013 Red Hunt 13 Comments

Anyone who has seen a beer from Sri Lanka has likely seen the Sinha Stout, also called Lion Stout.

It is by far the most exported Sri Lankan beer and is considered to be a world-class stout. Along with the milder Lion Lager, these two beers make up the vast majority of Sri Lankan brews to be found outside Sri Lanka.

Lion Lager and Spicy Sri Lankan Food — Enjoying some Lion Lager with some spicy food in Bentota, Sri Lanka

But there are plenty of other options to enjoy locally, if you find yourself in Sri Lanka and want to look hard enough! I’ve compiled this little list of my 9 best beers from Sri Lanka. Yes, Sinha Stout was my favourite at #1, but there were a lot of other good beers I sampled from this small island nation.

Why is this post titled 8.8 Beers in Sri Lanka?

Well, therein lies the great beer mystery of Sri Lanka. I have pondered this many times and my guide in Sri Lanka wasn’t able to effectively answer it either. You see, Sinha Stout is brewed at 8.8% alcohol – a nice, strong stout. On its own that is not mysterious. But the more beer you drink in Sri Lanka, the deeper the beer mystery becomes.

Oddly 5 of the 9 beers on this list from Sri Lanka are 8.8% alcohol. That seems like a rather strange number for so many beers, especially considering I rarely find an 8.8% beer outside of Sri Lanka. There is also one beer at 8.0% and two at 4.8%. It seemed the number 8 is quite prevalent in Sri Lankan beers.

A sampling of the Best Beers of Sri Lanka. Notice all the 8.8% labels?

The sole beer I enjoyed that is on this list and didn’t have an 8 in it was 7.5%. So this 8.8% mystery remains unsolved. I figure that 8 is simply a lucky number in Sri Lanka and somehow it has permeated through the beer drinking culture of the country? Do you know the reason for such brewing numbers?

Mystery aside, let’s get on to the beer rankings from Sri Lanka!

Best Beers of Sri Lanka:

#9 – Lion Strong Beer. 8.8%. A yellow, strong pilsner-like brew. Not my favourite, but drinkable.

#8 – Baron’s Strong Brew. 8.8%. Grainy and malty, a bit rough. Now brewed in Singapore.

#7 – Carlsberg Special Brew. 8.8%. Pretty much the same as Lion Strong Beer taste-wise.

#6 – Grand Blonde. 8.8%. Clear gold beer, with alcohol burn but a bit smoother than some.

#5 – Three Coins Lager. 4.8%. ‘The ‘all malt beer.’

#4 – Bison XXXTRA Strong. 8.0% (Now brewed at 8.8%). Cool name, somewhat sweet.

#3 – Lion Lager. 4.8%. Smooth, clean, a bit of hop bite.

#2 – 3C Irish Dark. 7.5%. Amber, malty, heady beer. Sadly this Three Coins is not currently brewed.

#1 – Lion Stout (Sinha Stout). 8.8%. Always great.

The beer world in Sri Lanka has changed a bit since my visit. That Bison beer that used to be ‘only’ 8.0% is now….surprise, surprise, 8.8%! My beloved Three Coins beers are also now mostly retired, or not currently being brewed by the new company that owns them.

Not to fret though, whether it be lagers, stouts or strong ales that you desire, there are plenty of beers left to go around in Sri Lanka.

Travel Photos

Wildlife Photo: Asian Openbill Stork

March 13, 2013 Red Hunt 2 Comments

Not the prettiest looking bird by any mean,s but this Asian Openbill stood out to me when I visited Bundala National Park in Sri Lanka.

I’ve never seen a bird with a bill like this before, it’s curved so it actually doesn’t close shut all the way, except at the tip, strange huh? I asked about this Asian Openbill Stork, and was told that they like to eat snails so the curved bill works better! How is that for animal adaptation?

Just one of many bird species I saw in Bundala, if you’re into birding, or just enjoy nature like me, it is a must visit park in Sri Lanka!

Red Hunt Travel