Christmas in Sri Lanka

About the destination: Colombo, situated on the banks of the Kelani River and stretching along the coast with views out to the Indian Ocean, is the biggest city and the financial and commercial hub of Sri Lanka. Colombo is seen as the country’s capital, but the administrative capital is Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, a suburb to the east of Colombo. The streets of Galle Fort have plenty to reveal about the city’s colonial past, with the Portuguese, British and Dutch all leaving their imprint here. To learn more about the Dutch-era in Colombo, pay a visit to The Dutch Period Museum. The city offers a captivating mix of cultures and religions, around the city you’ll find mosques, churches and temples. The Gangaramaya Temple is the most well-known Buddhist place of worship in Colombo. It includes a museum that houses a massive collection of Buddhist relics from around the globe. The Sri Kailawasanathar Swami Devasthanam Kovil Hindu temple is a vibrant and adorned temple worth a visit. The Wolvendaal Church, a church constructed by the Dutch settlers, is an impressive building and a must-see in Colombo. Colombo is often bypassed by tourists who come to the country to hit the beach, but the city is the most buzzing place in the country and offers high-end shopping, a vibrant nightlife, delicious restaurants and intriguing historical sights.

About the destination: Nuwara Eliya is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The city is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It's considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climate – the coolest area in Sri Lanka. The town's attractions include the golf course, trout streams, Victoria Park, and boating or fishing on Lake Gregory. Victoria Park is an attractive and well-used oasis. The city is a base for visits to Horton Plains National Park. The plains have a well-visited tourist attraction at World's End — a sheer precipice with a 1050 m drop. 'Lovers Leap' is a spectacular waterfall set among tea plantation a short walk from the town of Nuwara Eliya. It falls a height of 30m in a long cascading sheet of water. (Note: The text is already in English, so no translation is needed. The English spoken in Ireland is the same as that spoken in other English-speaking countries, with minor differences in accent and some regional vocabulary.)