Author: Catalina Forbes

Fishing Village in Marawila

Marawila is a small fishing village located in the town of Puttalam, about 62km from Colombo. Located within 3km of Negombo, Marawila is a quieter setting compared to the former. As it is neither a fully fledged tourist destination nor a thriving town, this little village offers intimate, “close-to-nature” type of experiences to travellers.

Home to untarnished and long stretch of golden sandy beaches, Marawila has proven to be a wonderful destination for those looking for a relaxing holiday away from the commotion of popular tourist hot spots in Sri Lanka. Beach hotels and accommodation spaces are a plenty, with the likes of Amagi Beach Marawila being popular options among tourists.

Picturesque fresh water lagoons, un-crowded beaches and tranquil views of the local fishermen out at sea on their boats make Marawila a desirable holiday spot.

Mostly a tranquil or romantic getaway, Marawila is also home to temples rich in history. The most popular one is “Kurusa Palliya” (Holy Cross Shrine), established in 1875. Besides being one of the older churches in the country, Holy Cross Shrine is also renowned for numerous miracles that are said to have taken place there. Many churchgoers claim that incurable diseases and unforeseen family tragedies have been reversed after having prayed here. To the locals, this church is the embodiment of the living Christ.

Another popular temple in Marawila is Thaniwella Dewale with its prominent horse statue at the front. This shrine was constructed by the son of King Weeraparakramabahu the 8th, Prince Thaniya Wallaba from the Kotte period. History says that the prince once saved the coastal region from a powerful south Indian invader and as a result the townspeople called him Thaniwelle Deviyo. The temple is also home to a Bo tree that is said to be over 250 years old.

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.

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A Shopaholic’s Guide to Designer Shopping in Colombo

According Blair Waldorf in the hit TV series Gossip Girl, “Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping”. So if you’re in Colombo and want to seek out happiness the kind that Blair Waldorf speaks of, here are a few upscale shopping destinations you should definitely checkout.

Before you set out on adrenaline-pumping shopping adventure, it’s important that at first you get comfortably settled in a Colombo city hotel that’s conveniently located. Thus, The Steuart by Citrus will be the ideal option for you as this boutique hotel in Colombo is within 12-15 minutes distance from some of Colombo popular shopping destinations such as ODEL, Arcade Independence Square, Barefoot and Lakpahana.

Sri Lanka’s first department store, ODEL should be the top of your list of designer shopping destinations in Colombo as here you can find a wide range of designer products that’s not just clothing but jewellery and home ware as well. You will also be able to buy international branded wear such as Michael Kors, Lancôme, Christian Dior and so much more here. The Embark designer brand by ODEL is a great way to shop and give back at the same time as a portion of profits from the sale of merchandise is used to fund their foundation that cares for the wellbeing of street pooches.

Next, head over to the Arcade Independence Square where Tommy Hilfigher, FCUK, Charles and Keith and more await for you to splurge yourself. This Colonial style shopping complex also has a few local high-fashion brands such as Azarya and Stone N String.

For an authentic Sri Lankan designer shopping experience visit Barefoot, Designer Barbara Sansoni’s eclectic boutique that is famous for its brightly-coloured handloom products such as household items (bedspreads, cushions, and serviettes), stationery and clothing. Lakpahana is also a great place to buy Sri Lankan designer wear as they sell traditional Sri Lankan handicrafts and clothing. Housed within Lakpahana’s premises is Zudhora, Colombo’s newest and trendiest designer experience that presents uniquely Sri Lankan clothing created to match the latest international trends.

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.

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Waterbom Bali, the best waterpark

Blessed with Nature’s finest beauty from luscious hills to miles of clear coastline and dazzling turquoise sea, Bali is the ultimate tropical paradise. Among Bali’s many man-made attractions are its luxurious hotels including OSSOTEL and Bali’s greatest pride, the famous Waterbom Waterpark.

Waterbom lies in Bali’s Kuta region and is near some of the finest of Legian hotel options. Regarded as one of Bali’s finest family entertainment centres, the sprawling 3.8 hectare Waterbom Waterpark includes world-class rides and many restaurants and shops thus earning its place among the world’s top 5 best Waterparks. Determined to maintain its family-friendly standards, the Park has been built to the highest safety standards and is an EarthCheck Silver Benchmarked company that is committed to being environmentally sustainable. For the thousands who flock to the Park each year, Waterbom is the ideal family getaway.

Open daily from 9 a.m to 6 p.m, visitors can purchase a ticket and enter a world where relaxation and enjoyment is a motto. Take an exhilarating ride on ‘Fast ‘N Fierce’ or on the dramatic ‘Double Twist’ that transports visitors through heart-stopping twists and sharp vertical drops. Take in the breathtaking views of the Kuta skyline while you snake through the Park on ‘The Pipeline’ or take the 16 meter-long ride on ‘Climax’ and end your ride in a ‘splash’ in the pool below. Spend a relaxing afternoon drifting along Waterbom’s ‘Lazy River’ and admire the gentle ride through waterfalls and foliage.

Enjoy some quiet time in the cool shade of the poolside thatch-roof gazebos and have a refreshing drink at Sunken Poolside Bar or at the new Thai Italian Restaurant that serves the finest fusion cuisine. Visit the Reflexology Centre for a soothing massage and dip your feet into the pond at the Fish Spa. Grab a hotdog and juice from one of the Park’s many food stalls before shopping for chic swimwear and gear at Waterbom’s Retail space and have the expenses charged automatically to your ‘Splashband’ to be paid when leaving the Park after a memorable day spent in Bali’s widely-acclaimed national treasure.

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.

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Eco Adventures in Turks and Caicos

A big blue escape into heaven, the Turks and Caicos archipelago holds many wonders for you to explore. The islands are recognized as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots due to the conditions created by the oldest established salt-pan development in the Caribbean. So if you’re heading out to the islands of wonder, eco tours should be at the top of the list of things to do in Turks and Caicos.

While you hop from island to island exploring its rich biodiversity, it’s essential that you are comfortably based, and Parrot Cay by COMO, Turks & Caicos is just the perfect getaway for you as this premier among luxury resorts in the Caribbean arranges eco tours in affiliation with Big Blue Unlimited, the most comprehensive watersports and eco-tour outfit in the islands. With these tours you will get to visit an 18th Century cotton plantation and get to know about the early agricultural history of the islands; the Kew village where you will be treated to an exotic Turks and Caicos lunch, and then travel to the Flamingo Pond Nature Reserve to see the beloved national bird. The tour also includes visits to Middle Caicos that consists of extensive limestone caves, Mudjin Harbour with its beautiful beaches and cliffs; and go shopping for local handicrafts.

Turks and Caicos boast a wide variety of endemic species and others of international importance such as lizards, snakes, insects and plants. It is also recognized as an important breeding ground. But the real adventure and magic lies underneath its crystal, clear waters. Take a dive and explore Columbus Landfall Marine National Park which has a 1,280 acre area that consists of a barrier reef system with coral walls dropping more than 7,000 feet. Other than the colourful corals, schools of vibrant fish of many species and colours are there to delight you.

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world. Google+

Outdoor Activities in Waskaduwa

Located 37 Kilometres from Colombo, the wonderful beach resort town of Waskaduwa is a travellers getaway to a heavenly repose of tranquillity with its soft, golden sands. But Waskaduwa at the same time doesn’t fail to impress all those outdoor enthusiasts out there. So get ready to pump your adrenaline with Waskaduwa’s riveting outdoor activities.

Beaches are of course Waskaduwa’s crowning glory, so most of the top outdoor activities take place on these shimmering shores. Watersports such as Beach Volleyball, Water Polo, Deep Sea Fishing, Sea Safari Excursions, Diving/ PADI Certifications and Wind Surfing await to set your heart racing in Waskaduwa. But before you explore the great outdoors its essential that you first discover a great indoor accommodation to settle down in Waskaduwa, and Citrus Waskaduwa is one of the finest options you can find among beach hotels in Sri Lanka, as other than outstanding accommodation, the resort also offers outdoor activities such as beach volleyball, water aerobics and horse riding.

Venturing 15 minutes out of Waskaduwa, is Kalutara and the Kalu Ganga (Kalu River), where you can embark on an adventurous river safari. Traverse along serene Kalu River and let your eyes feast on stunning river scenes of mangrove forests that are home to exotic avian species, cheeky monkeys and humongous water monitors.

 

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.

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Hong Kong Sightseeing and Tours- West of the East

One of the highly cosmopolitan cities in the east that bears striking resemblance to the West is Hong Kong. Always a popular spot among the tourist the city has a whole heap of attractions to visit. One of the best ways to get the most of the city is to be a part of a Hong Kong Sightseeing and Tours. Having to accommodate large number of tourist the city has a large pool of options to choose from in terms of lodging. A popular choice among past travelers has been the Cosmopolitan Hotel Hong Kong, Having a prime location the hotel makes the commute around the city easy. It also offers a large raneg of room choices to choose from.

One of the highly recommended sight seeing tours is the “Big Bus Tours” which covers most of the city. A perfect way to explore the blend of the Chinese and Colonial mix of the city. The tour takes the visitors through most of Hong Kong’s tourist attractions. The recorded commentary on the bus comes in ten different languages.

There are many famous landmarks covered during the tours. One of them is “The Peak” which offers picturesque views of the city from great elevations and features many restaurants cafes and shopping for the whole family.

“Central” is Hong Kong’s heart of Business, filled with some of the biggest names in the corporate world the district is also home to some high end shopping and restaurants. Stanley Market is another famous pit stop, a famous colonial sea side town on the edge of the Hong Kong island. Covered market space offers wide range of brand name shopping as well as oriental specialties. Perfect place to enjoy the beach or stroll around.

The seight seeing tours have various packages and some are even night tours so visitors have options to pick from.

 

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.

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Wild Wadi Water Park

Being listed among the top ten attractions in Dubai , Wild Wadi Water Park. A place to spend the entire day with your family and friends with pure excitement. Located close to Burj Al Arab.

Being a busy city Dubai has a diverse range of accommodation. Its no surprise that some people want to escape the buzz of the city. Dubai Luxury hotels are strategically placed in and around the city. If you are looking for a place little outside the city that’s well away from the center but spoils you with luxury an excellent choice would be PER AQUUM Desert Palm.

Some of the highlight at the Wild Wadi Water Park include , the wave pool ,the different water slides and the artificial surf machine. If you are up for some serious adrenaline highs the water park is the perfect place to be. Featuring many rides to suit individual preferences. Some come with single seating arrangement while others come with double seating arrangement. Most of the traditional rides in the park are built to go downhill. The Falcon Fury, Tunnel of Doom, Rushing Rapids are some of the rides featured in the park. There are also special rides for families. Which is a two part ride where the visitors are taken uphill through the splashing waters of a pool and then dropped a staggering 560ft downhill. The park also features Middle East’s largest wave pool, Bakers Bay , where waves rise up to around 5 feet , where swimmers can cross these waves that come from all directions. The largest free fall water slide, Jumeirah Sceirah is also featured here. There are also rides that recreate the real surfing experience of kneee boarding or body boarding. The park premises also has two gift shops where visitors can purchase memorabilia.

 

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.

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Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon: creates a lust for life in the ocean

Gasp, as the treacherous jaws and the ogling eyes of deep sea creatures feel your uninvited presence at Siam Ocean World at Siam Paragon, Bangkok. This famed underground aquarium is one of the largest in Southeast Asia and houses over 30,000 aquatic creatures. These exotic beings range from the most colourful to the most deadly and have travelled great distances to be viewed by a great number of visitors. A Bangkok City Guide will definitely lead you to the aquarium and would also direct your attention to Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel. Once you book your stay at the hotel, you are a few steps away from a marine adventure.

The aquarium is the size of three Olympic swimming pools and the experience it affords is undeniably larger than life. It is divided into seven zones that culminate in a holistic educational experience of the ocean and the life in it. The zones dedicated to the “Weird and wonderful” and “The Deep Reef” creatures are not as threatening as those on display at the 270 degree underwater tunnel. The aquarium takes you into a fantastical world of the ocean, yet once you plunge into the waters of the “Open Ocean” it’s best to enjoy the life-threatening feeling that courses through your veins.

When it is feeding time for the likes of penguins and sharks, children and adults can line up and enjoy the fun. Add to your experience by visiting Thailand’s First 4D Theatre that is situated within the premises. For children it would be as good as diving into the deep. Don’t think your experience is complete until you watch the “Sea jellies”. These translucent invertebrates move to the rhythms of the music and glimmer within a colourful tank. It will certainly be a grand finale to an equally memorable day at the aquarium.

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world. Google+

The very Best Tropical Whale and Dolphin Watching

Tucked away far off in the Indian ocean surrounded by turquoise waters lies Maldives , an island that’s full of surprises. Apart from the sandy beaches and luxury resorts the island has more to offer. Water sports , beaches , luxury holiday resorts are the key highlights of Maldives.

Maldives has been also famous for Whale and Dolphin watching , ranked among the top five places on Earth for Whale and Dolphin watching excursions, Maldives is also home to over twenty species which amounts to almost quarter of the world’s population. Among them is the world’s largest animal the Blue Whale and the very acrobatic Spinner Dolphin. Among the many places to stay that Maldives has on offer one that stands out is PER AQUUM NIYAMA. Spreading across two islands the resort serves to a diverse clientele.

The Spinner Dolphins which are a common sighting in this part of the world , they have quite a predictable daily routine which makes it easier to engage in excursions to spot them. The Spinner Dolphins can be found in tens and thousands. During the night they feed offshore and come to the Atolls in the early morning hours and during the afternoons they make their way back to the open oceans.

A ride on a specialized safari boat is a great way to explore more species of Dolphins such as Bottlenose , Fraser , Rough- toothed Dolphins. This is a great way to catch a glimpse of some whales too. Some of the rarest species which could be seen in the Maldives but rarely in any other part of the world are the Dwarf sperm Whale , Tropical Bottlenose Whale. Given the diverse species , crystal clear warm waters Maldives undoubtedly is one of the best places for Dolphin and Whale watching.

 

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.

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The ending of Adam’s Peak Pilgrimage season

Adams Peak is a rock formation near the summit, which in Buddhist tradition is held to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Hindu tradition that of Shiva and in Islamic and Christian tradition that of Adam, or that of St. Thomas. In Islamic tradition it is the site where Adam fell to earth and where his footprint can be found. At the top of Adam’s Peak, or Sri Pada, there is a sacred footprint in which the island’s main faiths – Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims – each believe it is the footprint of Buddha, Shiva, and Adam, respectively. It is most atmospheric to hike Adam’s Peak during the pilgrimage season (December to May) as the main path is illuminated and teashops stay open throughout the night. Sri Lanka Holiday Travel is a very efficient and effective tour company that arranges many tours for those planning Sri Lanka holidays, especially to destinations such as Adams Peak. They have many years of professional experience in organizing tours, and has a great amount expertise.

The pilgrimage season runs from Unduwap poya (December) to Wesak poya Festival (May), reaching its peak mid-season at Medin poya. At this time, there is a constant stream of pilgrims & the top can get very crowded. The busiest period is during January to February. The road to Adam’s peak takes you past some spectacular waterfalls & winds through the heart of some of the finest tea-growing country in the world. Most people do the walk by moonlight, setting off from Dalhousie around 0300, & arriving in time to see the dawn when the “Shadow of the peak” takes place. Alternatively, you could climb up the previous evening & sleep on top of the mountain, though it is very cold up here until well after sunrise so it is essential to take warm clothing & sleeping bags. Either way, it is worth ordering breakfast in advance at the Green House or Yellow House.

 

Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.

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