| 5/2(Sun) |
relaxing in Uppuveli Beach, enjoying boat trip and visit of Kanniya Hot
Well |
| Lodging |
Sea Lotus Park / 5,500JPY (US$59) per night |
| [booking sites for you / agoda.com] |
| Major expense(s) |
boat trip per 1 hour: 3,000Rs
tuktuk hired: 800Rs
Kanniya Hot Well admission fee: 25Rs |
| Related Sites |
General Links - Asia Sri Lanka |
War over, Sri Lanka's next fight lies ahead
(May 20, 2009 Reuters) |
(Reuters) - With a quarter-century civil war in the history books, Sri
Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will now put to the test his theory
of using a military victory over terrorism as the first step to tackling
its root causes.
Flush with the success of victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a 25-year war once dubbed unwinnable, Rajapaksa offered compromise and reconciliation with the Tamil minority in a victory speech on Tuesday.
"At this victorious moment, it is necessary for us to state with great responsibility that we do not accept a military solution as the final solution," said the president, who is Sinhalese.
"It is necessary that we give these people the freedoms that are the right of people in all others parts of our country."
In a nation scarred and divided after one of the world's longest-running and bloody civil wars, with extremists on both sides often calling the shots, Rajapaksa, 63, now faces what may be Sri Lanka's greatest post-independence challenge.
It is a one that traces its roots back to 1948, the year Sri Lanka's minority Tamils lost their favored status as the British colonial government handed power to the Sinhalese majority at independence.
Tamils suffered abuses and sidelining by several governments, which sparked political violence in the 1970s and a full-scale civil war in 1983.
related news
Sri Lankan president says civil war in 'final phase' (May 15, 2009 CNN) |
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| My Advice |
- During from May to July is the best season in east coast beaches of Sri
Lanka.
- Pigeon Island Tour is arranged through the hotels in Nilaveli Beach such
as Nilaveli Sea View Hotel, Nilaveli Beach Hotel and Pigeon Island Beach Resort. Since there are no travel agency in Trincomalee town, it would be better
to contact these hotels if you want to join the tour.
- The locals splash holy water on each other in Kanniya Hot Well. If you want to join them, it's advisable to wear swimming suit.
- The only decent places to eat are in the main hotels. There are no western
orientated restaurants. If you reserve Lotus Park Hotel with meal, the
hotel provides only Sri Lankan buffet. I recommend you to order meals among
a la carte menu.
- Tuktuk is only public transportation to/from Trincomalee town, which cost
about 500 rupees for round trip. Cargills Food City is only supermarket for foreign visitors in the town. It opens 8:00 a.m.
to 9:00 p.m. daily.
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