Sri Lanka: Temples and tea leaves
By Nigel Tisdall- Travel 2 Oct
Nigel Tisdall is charmed by Sri Lanka's landscape and religious shrines. But what really gets him going is a nice cuppa.

"Some of these bushes are over 130 years old," Andrew Taylor explains as he escorts my wife and me through the emerald hills of Bogawantalawa, otherwise known as Sri Lanka's "Golden Valley of Tea". Set 4,000 feet up in the hill country near Hatton, the enveloping landscape presents a fairy-tale scene of misty lakes, tranquil woods and vividly coloured tropical gardens.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tra­vel/destinations/asia/srilanka­/8799080/Sri-Lanka-Temples-and­-tea-leaves.html

'Sri Lanka is Best for Blue"- Sunday Times
4 Sep 2011
Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne takes his chances and goes looking for Whales in the East on 5th August with his usual tenacity, though previous observations indicated that by August the marine mammals may already gone back to the Arabian Sea
The season for watching these ever endearing ocean mammals is from December to mid April and they are easily spotted both off the south coast in Mirissa and the east in Trincomalee during the period.

With Gehan having managed to sight and confirming the data of others who had spotted the Blue Whales Sri Lanka's east coast is poised to offer visitors an experience beyond pristine waters and soft sandy golden beaches.

For full and detailed story visit: http://sundaytimes.lk/110904/P­lus/plus_08.html

Sri Lanka tops value destinations- UK Press Association
26 Sep 2011
British holidaymakers may be struggling with poor euro exchange rates but some long-haul destinations are proving financially attractive, according to a survey.
Sri Lanka has emerged as a clear winner in a holiday cost-of-living index of long-haul spots compiled by Post Office Travel Money.
For a basket of 10 categories including a meal out, drinks and sun cream, Sri Lanka was 38% cheaper than its nearest rival, Thailand.