Arcade Independence Square is the third super-complex to pop up in Colombo, after Dutch Hospital and Racecourse. It's a beautiful, central space with a food court, restaurants, and shopping, cushioned on a beautiful green expanse.
The Arcade premises is pretty large - it's made up of a series of connected signature white colonial buildings, and the old Auditor General's building as well.
The buildings are surrounded by green lawns, tall trees and flawless paved floors scattered with some very cool furniture. The central spot has got fountains and even a fish-tank that you can look at - get this - while walking on top of it. Overall, it's doubtless one of the nicest places to now hang out at in Colombo. Also, the complex has some very impressive posh washrooms, they get bonus points for this.

The next two sections will give you an idea of what to expect here, but if you just want to know what's where, skip down to the layout maps.
So far we counted 39 food/clothing outlets on Arcade premises. The main building is split up into two - your retail therapy needs can be met mostly in the first floor. Amante, the Parfumerie, Levi's - you'll find mostly designer and custom clothing and shoes. You also get large electronics showrooms on both floors.
In the Auditor General's building (the one with the huge clock on it that you can see from Independence Square) you get Wickramarachchi Opticians if you're looking for a good pair of sunglasses, Stone and String, a whole store of Kookabura equipment (for all you cricket fanatics), a Titan showroom and Glamorous Sri Lanka for local tea and jewellery. There's even a salon on the first floor called the Wax Museum and a Cineplex for 3D movies.
Arcade Independence Square is an awesome spot to chill at - the outside is all green lawn, smooth pavement and cane furniture, and the inside is all white and wooden paneling. Some corridors have long benches where you can just sit and relax, there are great views of the lawn, the road and Independence Square through different windows of the building, and there's a very cool skylight in the center of one of the staircases.
The place has just opened up so it's only got some university kids and tourists walking around, it's the right time to go for some quiet and some chill shopping or snacking. Here's some maps in case you get lost, and more photos below:

Recently Sri Lanka is becoming a major spot for watching Whales and Dolphins. Dondra Point of down south in Sri Lanka is the main port of Whale Watching in Sri Lanka during December to April. Out of these months December, January and April are the peak months of sightings. During these months there is 95% chances of spotting Sperm Whales and great chances of spotting Blue Whales as their migration path is just off Dondra Point. Also there are good chances of spotting Spinner Dolphins also off Dondra. Ample of accommodation options are available as Dondra point can be reach easily from Hikkaduwa, Galle, Unawatuna, Weligama, Mirissa and Tangalle which are popular beach locations in Sri Lanka.

Mirissa
Mirissa and its breathtaking sandy beach pretty much transforms your dreams and visions of a tropical paradise into an everyday reality. Located close to the Southern tip of the Island of Sri Lanka and only about 200 km from the Equator, this secluded crescent shaped beach is the perfect place to sit back, relax and forget about all the hussle and bussle of your other life that’s a million miles away.
This small sandy tropical beach boasts some of Sri Lanka’s best and most stunning sunsets and sunrises. All the Guest Houses in Mirissa are set back from the actual beach giving you the impression that you are on a deserted palm fringed island. Every now and again the silence is broken by the sound of a coconut falling on the sand or a chilled beer being opened by someone further up the beach. Mirissa beach is also a one of the best place for Surfing lovers.

Whale and Dolphin watching is an easy sport that you can take up during the months of December to April. All you need to take is a boat, few kilometers from the shore, which we can help you arrange. Experienced local guides can show you a good time in watching whales and dolphins off the coast of Mirissa.

Pods of Dolphins can be seen accompanying boats frequently during the said months. Blue and Sperm Whales in large numbers frequent the coastline of Sri Lanka during this period and can be viewed near Mirissa beach.

SRI  LANKA NAVY

The Sri Lankan Navy is getting into the tourism business in an effort to improve the country’s image after three decades of civil war and to offer tourists a new attraction otherwise unavailable here. It has established a ferry service for whale watching excursions out of the popular tourist port of Galle in the south. Tickets aboard the luxury ferry cost $100 for a five-hour journey and whales can be seen in the area through April. This region was largely unaffected by the long-running civil war.

Despite its small size Sri Lanka is a global leader in many a fields and is had been known worldwide for its choice gems, tea and cinnamon since the turn of the last century.

Sri Lankan cinnamon, ivory and gems had been the main cause for invasion of two nations, Portuguese and Dutch, who followed the Moor traders to the country in search of the world’s best spices and riches. According to the Dutch, who reorganized the cultivation and marketing of cinnamon in Sri Lanka, the ‘shores of Sri Lanka had been full of it, that you can smell it eight leagues out to sea’. Even today the country produces the world best cinnamon and one of the world’s top cinnamon exporters.

However prior to the country shot to fame for its cinnamon, the world knew Sri Lanka for its beautiful and valuable gemstones. ‘Rathnadeepa’ or the ‘land of gems’ was used as a synonym for the country and even today the Sri Lankan gems specially the Ceylon blue sapphires are celebrated worldwide for their distinctive color and luster.

Yet it is the Ceylon tea, which the world identifies the country by. Introduced to the country in the 19th century by Colonial British, Sri Lanka had held the crown for producing the world’s best tea. Although many a countries had joined the world tea market, Ceylon Tea made in Sri Lanka still continues to be the favorite of the tea lovers worldwide.

Cinnamon in Sri Lanka

Blue Sapphires

Ceylon Tea

Set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to the birth of time.  It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature’s beauty remains abundant and unspoilt.

Few places in the world can offer the traveller such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location.  Within a mere area of  65,610 kilometres lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometres of coastline - much of it pristine beach - 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years.

This is an island of magical proportions, once known as Serendib, Taprobane, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and Ceylon. Discover refreshingly Sri Lanka!

Official Name:	Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Government Type:	Republic
Location:	Latitude 5° 55. to 9° 50. north, Longitude 79° 42. to 81° 52., 650km north of the equator
Dimensions:	430km North to South, 225km East to West
Coastline:	1,340km
Area:	65,525km
Currency (code):	Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Independence:	4 February 1948
Administrative Capital:	Sri Jayewardenepura
Commercial Capital:	Colombo
Administrative Divisions:	Typically tropical, with a northeast monsoon (December to March) bringing unsettled weather to the north and east, and a southwest monsoon (June to October) bringing bad weather to the south and west
Terrain:	Mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Highest Mountain:	Pidurutalagala, 2,524m
Highest Waterfall:	Bambarakanda, 263m
National Flower	The Blue Water Lily (Nymphaea stellata).
National Parks and Nature Reserves Area:	8,000sq.km
Population:	21,128,773
Population Growth Rate:	1.3%
Population Density:	309 people per sq km
Life Expectancy at Birth	74 female, 64 male
Literacy Rate :	Female 87.9 Male 92.5
Ethnic Groups:	Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census)
Languages:	Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% Note: English (a link language commonly) is used in government and spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Religion:	Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census)
Time Zone:	Sri Lanka Standard Time is five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for summer-time changes in Europe.)
International Dialing:	+94
Electricity:	230 . 240 volts, 50 cycles AC. If you travel with a laptop computer bring a stabilizer
Economy:	Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction, telecommunications, insurance and banking. In 2006, plantation crops made up only 15% of exports (90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send home more than US$1 billion a year.
Labour Force	34.3% of the labour population is employed in agriculture, 25.3% in industry and 40.4% in services: 40.4% (30 June 2006 est.) The unemployment rate is 5.7% (2007 est.)
Agriculture & Products	Rice, Sugarcane, Grains, Pulses, Oilseed, Spices, Tea, Rubber, Coconuts, milk, Eggs, Hides, Beef, Fish
Industries:	Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities, telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles, cement, petroleum refining.
Exports:	Textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
Imports:	Main import commodities are textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment: $10.61 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.). Percentage of main commodities from main import partners: India 19.6%, China 10.5%, Singapore 8.8%, Iran 5.7%, Malaysia 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2006)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP):	Purchasing power parity: $81.29 billion (2007 est.). Official exchange rate: $30.01 billion (2007 est.) Real growth rate: 6.3% (2007 est.) Per capita: $4,100 (2007 est.) composition by sector: Agriculture: 16.5% Industry: 26.9%
Gross National Product (GNP):	Sri Lanka is placed in 76th place in GNP figures of the world.s nations with $22.8 billion (2005)
Flag Description:	Yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

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Sri Lanka Rising

With the end of the three decade long war Sri Lanka is seeing a sudden burst in infrastructure development and a of a new Sri Lanka rising.

Today post-war Sri Lanka is seeing a rapid and wide spread infrastructure development within rural and urban areas as never seen in the country before.

The island-wide road development program is at the center of this effort.

The improved connectivity enabled by road development, particularly rural roads, generates significant economic and social returns. It is having a transformative impact on the lives of people around the country. The completion of the highway network (commencing with the Southern Highway, Katunayake Expressway and Colombo Ring Road) will bring about significant cost-savings that will boost the competitiveness of the economy.

The rural electrification program has now extended power to 91% of the country’s households. It is bringing considerable benefits, particularly to poor and vulnerable households (not least through the improved environment for children’s studies). The completion of the much delayed Norochcholai coal power station has helped to avoid power cuts or recourse to hiring exceedingly expensive barges for thermal generation.

The rehabilitation of the railway network and rolling stock, combined with the road development, will increase mobility and help to contain transport costs which are an important determinant of an economy’s competitiveness.

Port and airport development is also creating the potential for Sri Lanka to become a key transport and tourist/transit hub for Asia. The completion of the Hambantota Port and the Colombo Southport Expansion will increase the capacity to take advantage of the country’s strategic location on the major international shipping lanes.

Colombo City Beautification

Night View Of Colombo

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport

Spice Gardens and Spices in Sri Lanka 

Sri Lanka is famous for its spices and spices gardens. These spice gardens offers tourists memorable visits to various spice plantations in Sri Lanka. In order to promote and uplift spice growing and spice gardens of Sri Lanka a spice council was established with all key industry private and public sector stakeholders. During early historical times Sri Lanka Known as Taprobane, was world renowned for its quality spices. During ancient times the Greeks, Romans and the Arabic maintained there links with Sri Lanka through the spice trade.

There are some 4,000 different species of plants at Peradeniya Gardens. The 10,000 or so trees, which are the stars, are mature, lofty giants, many of them tropical timber trees. Highlights of the collection include the Giant Bamboo of Burma, capable of growing to 40 meters’ height (130 feet), with a 25-centimetre (10-inch) stem diameter. And it can grow by a rapid 30 centimeters a day (12 inches).

Spices Used in Ayurveda in Sri Lanka

The wealth and variety of Sri Lankan spices provided ideal grounds for traditional Ayurveda. Ayurveda is an ancient form of medicine, the Science of Long life , using natural remedies to achieve physical and mental well being. Herbs, spices and their natural oils figure prominently in Ayurveda massage and alternative therapies. Sri Lankan spices are used in a range of perfume, soap and other cosmetics, aromatherapy essential oils and Ayurveda toothpaste based on 24 herbs and spices.

Cloves are recommended for toothache and sore throats. The herbal tooth paste manufactured using the herbs and spices grown is spice gardens of Sri Lanka is a methodically manufactured with over 24 natural herbal Medicines and spices and mixed with pure dental care with an ancient Ayurvedic formula. This tooth paste helps to reduce the tarter in the teeth and sticky substance in gums that destroys germs and bacteria, also helps against pyorrhea and gingivitis, and keeps the mouth fresh throughout the whole day.

Nutmeg and black pepper stimulates digestion, ginger alleviates motion sickness and spices mixed with king coconut oil make an excellent sun cream while citronella repels insects.

Spices Used in Sri Lanka

• Cinnamon (Kurundu) :The Dutch started the cinnamon industry in Sri Lanka, and even today the island is the biggest producer of this, the most delicately scented of spices, which is used in curries and rice dishes.
• Cardamom ( Enasal) :Cardamom is an excellent in moderation to flavor curries, for sauces, and to give aroma to confectionary, especially wattalapam, atypical Malay egg pudding.
• Pepper (Gam Miris) : This pungent berry, the earliest spices known to human kind, is used as a substitute for red-hot chilies. The world famous soup Mullingatawny (Tamil pepper water) is made from this spice.
• Cloves (Karabu Nati) : One of the best known of all spices, but also one of the most difficult to use because of their pungency, cloves are used in many types of curry and confectionery.
• Coriander (Kottamalli) : Coriander is a basic ingredient used daily in Sri Lanka to add flavors to curries. Normally only the seeds are used, which are usually roasted before being ground.
• Turmeric (Kaha) : Turmeric, which is often confused with saffron, is used as a condiment in curries. A little turmeric and salt are all that is necessary to preserve fish and meat.
• Fenugreek (Uluhal) : Fenugreek, which has a rather unpleasant scent and a bitter taste, is used to flavor and give the necessary binding or thickening effect to curries.
• Sweet-cumin (Maduru) : This is spice is used in the preparation of curry powder together with coriander and cumin, and also as flavoring for sweet dishes and alcoholic liqueurs.
• Cummin (Suduru) : Cummin, which has a remarkable pungent and aromatic flavor, is one of the ingredients of curry powder together with sweet-cummin and coriander.
• Curry Leaves (Karapincha) : Curry leaves are generally used fresh in most rice and curry dishes, giving a very distinctive flavor and fragrance.
• Lemon Grass (Sera) : Lemon Grass, as its name implies, has a strong taste and smell of lemon. The bulbous part of thr plant is used to flavor meat and fish dishes.
• Gamboge (Goraka) : Gamboge, usually ground with a little hot water, is used as a souring and thickening agent in white curries, fish and meat preparations, and certain vegetable curries.

Around August – September every year, the receding banks of the Minneriya Lake are covered by about 300 Asian elephants in search of food and water. This spectacular phenomenon known as ‘the Gathering’ is possibly the highest concentration of Asian elephants in a single location and ideal setting to observe and understand the social dynamics of elephants, especially the feeding, courting and fighting of the giant mammals and the matriarchs who tenderly guard their young. Many safaris are organized to the Minneriya National Park during the season and accommodation around Sigiriya, Dambulla, Habarana, Kandalama and Giritale would be the best options.

Kandy Esala Perahara - August 1st to 11th The month of Esala (July), during which period this annual pageant is usually held, had been considered a month of celebrations and festivity, both among Indians and Sri Lankans. Even from the lifetime of the Buddha in the 6th century BC, the Esala festival was held to commemorate the Buddha's Conception, his Renunciation and the First Sermon. Esala is also considered to be the beginning of the raining season (Vassana) when the monks commence their Retreat. Also, this month is considered to be the period when ritual performances to the protective divinities are held, (eg Pattini puja) as recorded in the text 'Pattini-Halla'. Being considered a 'chaste' month, the period is held sacred for the availability of water, hence prosperity.