Sri Lanka

Flavor explosions in abundance
Really spicy: Sri Lankan cuisine makes vegetarians rejoice. Imaginative spice blends also turn fish and meat dishes into culinary adventures.
We are familiar with Thai and Bali specialties, perhaps with Chinese and Indian cuisines. But who, if they haven't already been there, knows the culinary secrets of Sri Lanka? And so it is more than astonishing that an incredible wealth of delicate, sometimes hearty to devilishly spicy dishes are hidden behind the simple term "rice and curry". Strictly speaking, the national dish should be called "Rice and Curries", as there are always several bowls of different contents grouped together on the table. Curry, derived from the Indian word "karhi", stands for a mixture of spices, but also for a mix of meat, seafood or vegetables in a thick sauce with or without coconut milk. Each dish, in turn, is prepared with different spice mixtures. These may include cumin, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, as well as coriander, fenugreek, fennel or mustard seeds; not forgetting fresh curry leaves - all lightly roasted and powdered in the traditional way in a clay pot. At least that's how chef Roshan teaches it at the Amangalla cooking school. If you hold your nose over it, it almost blows you away. The aroma is so strong that you gasp for air. Watery spices such as garlic, ginger, onions and/or chili then refine the soupy part. Depending on whether you choose beef, fish, chicken, shrimps or prawns as the main ingredient or stick to vegetarian ingredients, it is served with a bowl of rice, dhal (yellow lentil stew), fruit or vegetable chutney, coconut sambol and pappadam. The latter is a wafer-thin, crispy baked flatbread. The coconut sambol is spicy because it is made from freshly grated chili. Once you've tried these juicy crumbles, you won't be able to go without them. Guaranteed! For vegetarians, Sri Lanka is paradise par excellence. For religious reasons or due to a lack of money, a large part of the population eats a meat-free diet. And thanks to the creativity of the island's chefs and the local variety of tropical and subtropical vegetables, the vegetarian menu is virtually exploding. This may not necessarily be reflected on the hotel menus. But anyone who expresses a desire to try typical Sri Lankan dishes in all their colorful abundance will almost certainly be met with open ears and happy smiles.

A specialty, usually served for breakfast, are "hoppers", rice flour pancakes fried in bowl-shaped pans. A fried egg in the middle makes it an "egg hopper", the batter is pulled into noodles, formed into a ball and steamed to make a "string hopper". In the south of the island, you can see flat clay bowls tied up with paper and dangling five or more high on strings from stores or stalls. They contain homemade curd, a creamy yogurt made from buffalo or cow's milk. Mixed with palm sugar syrup (honey), the result is a highly delicious meal. Roti rolls are a hearty snack in Tamil cuisine. The dough is rolled out flat, fried on a wrought iron plate, topped with spiced vegetables or meat and folded up.

Of course, apart from local specialties, every luxury hotel offers classics from Central European, Mediterranean and US cuisines. Meat lovers can usually bite into juicy imported steaks. The range of daily fresh fish and seafood on offer is also very large. But experience shows that those who have made friends with the spice-rich and therefore healthy island cuisine usually stick with it. Especially as you have to search long and hard at home to find authentic Sri Lankan dishes.
Tip: It is not worth looking for private restaurants with gourmet cuisine outside the luxury resorts. There is still a lack of initiatives in this area, except in Colombo.
TEXT: KIKI BARON

Sightseeing in Sri Lanka - A must for culture lovers Sri Lanka offers a wealth of cultural sights on the one hand and spectacular nature with a rich variety of wildlife in 22 national parks on the other. A combination of a round trip followed by a stay on the beach is therefore very popular;

The "cultural triangle"
The three cornerstones are Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. In the first millennium after the turn of the millennium, Buddhist kingdoms emerged, whose splendor and wealth can still be seen today in the imposing ruins. There are temples and monasteries, some with gigantic dagoba (stupa), as well as palaces. This development was only possible thanks to an ingenious irrigation system with extensive water reservoirs and kilometers of canals. This meant that the barren soil could always be used for agriculture.
Anuradhapura was the first capital, founded in 437 before the turn of the millennium. The entire area of the ancient site is 20 square kilometers in size. You have to be prepared for a lot of hype at the sacred tree. The Bodhi Tree grew from a branch of the Indian tree under which Buddha was enlightened;
Mihintale, on the other hand, is visited by few tourists but is well worth a visit. The monastery complex on a hill is regarded as the cradle of Sri Lankan Buddhism and is still revered to this day.
The Sigiriya rock fortress is regarded as the decadent crowning glory of royal architecture. Would-be heir to the throne Kashyapa had entrenched himself on the 200-metre-high monolith and had a fortress and water features built. The latter still serve as models for tropical garden design today. Kashyapa's artistic life is immortalized in Sri Lanka's most famous fresco - bare-breasted cloud girls from the 5th century. However, the climb up the towel-thin stairs to the rocky plateau requires a lot of breath and a head for heights.
In Polonnaruwa, the center of power from the 11th century onwards, Gal Vihara is the highlight of ancient sacred stone carvings. The ensemble shows four Buddhas carved out of granite rock. The reclining one, at 14 meters, indicates with its displaced feet that it is about to pass into nirvana. In addition, ruins from the 12th century speak vividly of grandiose architecture;
The cave temples in Dambulla are spectacular. Founded in the 1st century BC, there are hundreds of Buddha images in five separate caves. Kandy is home to the most important Buddhist relic - the sacred tooth of the religion's founder. In July/August, it is carried through the city in an exciting elephant procession during the Esala Perahera. 

Spice gardens
Kandy is a center of spice cultivation. In numerous gardens you can see, smell and taste under expert guidance: Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander and many other spices. You learn what they are good for and against. Interesting, but ultimately these are sales shows and the spices are much more expensive than at home;

Central mountain region
Eternal spring reigns from an altitude of 800 meters. Everything blooms and flourishes and huge areas glow in the bright green of the tea plantations. A very varied region: small settlements and narrow gorges, sweeping terraces with rice and vegetables, spice and fruit cultivation, jungle and always bizarre mountain peaks such as Adam's Peak or Pidurutalagala. The highest town is Nuwara Eliya (pronounced Nurelja) with its pretty market, golf course and polo pitch;

Galle
Apart from the ancient sites, the historic fort with its buildings from the Portuguese, Dutch and British eras is the only town on the island that is really worth seeing. Last but not least, the fort was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. A large part of it has been restored in recent years and is now home to hotels and guest houses, restaurants and boutiques. It has been a hub for gemstones and jewelry since time immemorial and numerous jewelers have (re)established themselves here. The markets in the new town are also interesting.

National parks
Around a fifth of the country is protected, the largest areas being Wilpattu in the northwest and Yala in the south. These are not new achievements, as the first reserve was established 300 years ago. Regardless of where guests stay, the nearest park is just a day trip away. In the meantime, lodges have also been established in the vicinity of some parks. In Uda Walawe, encounters with elephants are almost guaranteed, and in Yala, the probability of seeing a leopard is quite high. 

Whale watching
The waters off the southern tip of Sri Lanka are home to blue and sperm whales, which are best seen between December and February. The starting point for early morning observation tours is the port of Mirissa. An exciting experience that hundreds of tourists on dozens of boats do not miss out on every day. The disadvantage is that the boats are very uncomfortable and if the first sighting extends into the afternoon, you can expect a lot of rocking.