The history of Magul Maha Vihara possibly dates back to the period of King Kavantissa (205-161 BC) who ruled the Kingdom of Ruhuna in ancient Sri Lanka. There are evidence that suggests that the king has built this temple in the 2nd Century BC on the exact location where he married the princesses Viharamahadevi, the daughter of king Kelani Tissa. Other sources claim that King Dhatusena (463-479 AD) built this temple while many other monarchs renovated it through the centuries later. There is a stone inscription at the site of this temple that dates back to the 14th century which supports the l ..read more

Colombo 12, Hulftsdorp, or Aluth Kade: a locality known by many names but synonymous with one: street food! Abdul Hameed Street comes alive with its unique and exciting variety of dishes that entice even the pickiest eaters out there. Located at Aluth Kade, these street food vendors hail from various backgrounds, with many from the Moors-Muslim Community of Sri Lanka. In recent times, this iconic stretch of road has garnered the attention of many visiting and local YouTubers and vloggers, making it an online sensation that is now on everyone’s must visit list! These stalls offer a vast vari ..read more

In Sri Lanka, snacks and finger food go hand in hand with a drink. Over time, many unique types of food have been linked or traditionally eaten while having a good drink with friends, or even among those who choose not to partake simply due to the amazing flavors and taste of these delicious dishes. Here are some of these unique type of snacks which in Sri Lanka are referred simply as “Bytes” or “Bites” Cocktail Mixture The simplest and easiest byte one can get hands on is called cocktail mixture, which is a made out of chick pea flour, which are deep fried to bring a crunchy, crumbly texture ..read more

The fishermen begin the day, with a prayer, at six in the morning. Two men would sleepily stumble to the little craft called the ‘Theppama’ and row to the middle of the wewa. The craft has to be manoeuvred with a bamboo pole like a witch stirring her cauldron thickly, and both men have to stand, the boat being frail. One of them will cast the net at a spot favoured by the shoals of fish, and then they will row back to the shore. Later in the morning, they would sail back and haul in their catch. The best of the fish you can be blessed with here are the Loola (Snakehead murrel), the Seppali (Gi ..read more

Modern Colombo is a vibrant city and bustling metropolis. But this coastal city has a rich and diverse history with many forgotten locations and sides that are not in the guidebooks. Classic Destinations seeks to reveal these hidden locations to our valued clients to further enrich their Sri Lankan experience. Setting off from Galle Face, the experience begins at the Galle Face Green, where the first cricket match between the two leading boys schools, Royal College and S. Thomas College, was played in 1879, well before the first Ashes cricket encounter between Australia and England was ever pl ..read more

Museums around the world are the key places where some of the world’s most priceless historical artifacts can be seen by the general public. Sri Lanka is no different; the National Museum of Colombo is an amazing location to truly learn about the history of this island nation over the thousands of years with many informative and valuable exhibits on display. The team from Classic Destinations visited this national establishment with the intention of refreshing their knowledge and experience of the museum. The Colombo Museum, as it was called at the beginning, was established on 1st Janu ..read more

Classic Destinations continues to explore the complex and mouthwatering world of Sri Lankan gastronomy. Sri Lanka as an island if filled with an array of unique spices, and flavors, as well as a host of fresh ingredients from land and sea. The islands various regions furthermore have their own specialties and cooking techniques which are unique themselves. Among all of Sri Lanka’s cuisine none other has captivated the world like the famous Lagoon Crab and the multitude of preparations this crustacean is prepared in. Many food experts, food vloggers as well as professional chef’s have visited t ..read more

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year or as we all call it Avurudu in Sinhala, has become an important national holiday for both Sinhala Buddhists and the Tamil Hindus of Sri Lanka. It is unique because it is not celebrated in any other country as a national festival. There is greenery everywhere; fresh leaves on trees, flowers in bloom, vegetables and fruits in plenty and the songs of birds in the air. The aroma of sweetmeat, the sound of raban and the koha’s cry, symbolizes that the entire country is ready to celebrate this national festival. According to the Sinhala calendar, Sri Lankans begin cel ..read more

One of the favorite sweets hailing from the deep south of the island is Kalu Dodol or simply known as Dodol. This confectionary sweet contains coconut milk, sugar, jaggery and rice flour. The ingredients, except for the jaggery are put in a giant wok and stirred continuously outside in the garden over an open wood fire for around four hours, fanned by peacock feathers, until the contents are reduced by at least half. The liquid is hand turned over and over until the concoction is truly sticky, thick, sweet and no longer sticks to your fingers when touching it. This can, if done in a big batc ..read more

Maha Sona is a fearsome demon in Sinhalese folklore. The most powerful demon second to none, who is believed to haunt the afterlife, especially on graveyards surrounded by human corpses, large rocks and hills, and Junctions where three roads meet, are the most common haunting grounds of this demon. Demon kills its human prey by crushing their shoulders and also by afflicting illnesses. It usually kills people at night and dusk when confronted alone and leaves his mark of a hand embossed on the flesh of the body, he is also able to possess humans. In such cases, exorcism rituals are performed b ..read more