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Thai Silk

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on

Around 5 millenniums ago, Chinese Empress Si Ling-Chi discovered silk by a fluke. Si Ling-Chi developed the sericulture, the science of silk production, and also introduced silk garments to the world. Thousands of years later it was spread across the world, including Thailand. Thai silk industry dates back to some 3000 years, according to the archaeological discoveries. Whereas the oldest evidence for Thai silk is reported from Baan Chiang, a heritage site in Udon Thani Province.

Towards the northeast of Thailand is the Khorat Plateau, popular for being the country’s hub of silk industry. From raising the silkworms called Bombyx mori, to weaving graceful silk fabrics, Khorat Plateau oversees the silk production and also supplies rose silk since many years. At present, Thai silk is acclaimed as the finest fabric in the world.


Bombyx mori silkworm is hatched from the silk moth’s eggs and they feed on mulberry leaves. After feasting on the leaves the silkworm spin a fluffy cocoon using their spittle. The colours of the cocoon vary from pastel green to light gold, while the total length of its fibrils spans from 500 to 1500 yards. It is soaked in boiling water to separate the fibrils.

It takes several fibrils to produce one fine silk thread strong enough for weaving. Some use machines while a majority use hand-reeling to produce these raw silk thread. Its natural yellowish colour is removed by immersing the skeins in hydrogen peroxide. Before the weaving process, the raw silk is again soaked in hot water and dyed in vibrant colours. Weaving is done using traditional handloom methods, after washing and drying the silk yarn.

Unlike other types of silk, Thai silk have special attributes that defines its prominence. The special lustre of Thai silk comes from its triangular shaped fibres, reflecting an iridescent similar to a prism. The sheen and lustre of the silk also changes alluringly according to the angle and the reflection of light. To authenticate the quality of Thai silk, the fabrics are also given a special peacock emblem. The peacock emblem has a range of colours such as gold, silver, blue and green symbolizing its production method, quality and authenticity.

Products made from Thai silk are handbags, handkerchiefs, neckties, readymade clothes, scarves and even photo frames. Travellers to Bangkok can find these rich silk products at any popular shopping mall, silk fabric shop, department store, shopping plaza as well as in the nearby Chiang Mai City. Visitors can find comfortable lodging at a cosy Bangkok apartment such as those available at Bangkok President Park, a Bangkok service apartment complex. Visitors can take pleasure in a delightful shopping extravaganza while gaining an insight into the art of Thai silk production.

Categories Travel

Khmer Wedding

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on

One of the most joyous and celebrated occasions in Khmer traditions is a marriage in a Khmer family. Wedding celebrations may last for approximately 3 days and can even stretch on for a week, and is usually filled with much merriment, festivity and colour. A lot of preparation goes into the numerous events that are held during the wedding period and is bound to keep the whole family busy and celebrating on a continuous basis.

The Khmer tradition of the wedding evolves around the legendary story of Cambodia’s origins. It is said that the first Khmer prince, Preah Thong, married the Naga princess, Neang Neak, who he met on his many travels as he was exiled from his homeland. As a marriage gift, the princess’s father was said to have swallowed a part of the ocean bringing forth the land of Cambodia.

As the wedding celebrations begin, family, friends and other community members continue to stream in to join in this joyous occasion. Some typical features of the wedding would include a band of musicians playing throughout the day, and the bride changing her wedding garments time and again. Dressed like royalty, the couple is truly a magnificent sight to see.

The wedding ceremony is made up of many events put together. Some of the highlights from these include the Groom’s Processional where the groom is invited to the bride’s home bearing many fruits and sweets. The Cleansing Ceremony will captivate you as according to Khmer tradition the couple needs to undergo a process of elaborate cleansing that involves dancing around the couple, cutting their hair, shaving the groom and perfuming them. The knot tying ceremony is also a unique one where family and friends come forward to tie ribbons on the couple’s wrists as a sign of good wishes and to be photographed with them.

Apart from all the festivities of the actual wedding celebrations, there are plenty of other pre and post wedding functions as well. Witnessing and being part of a Khmer wedding is a true experience of the extensive culture and rituals involved in Khmer traditions and are a series of events that you will never forget.

Tourists visiting the city can stay at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal which is a luxury hotel in Phnom Penh. This elegant hotel is an ideal base from which to explore the traditions, culture and sites of the city and also proves to be an ideal wedding hotel in Phnom Penh.

Categories Uncategorized

Boat Tour In Negombo- An Experience To Remember

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
One of the best things about Negombo is the fact that it is a multi-ethnic city that is most often than not easy-paced and traveler-friendly. In addition to its gorgeous beaches, the city is also popular for its fabulous sea food offerings. From live and kicking crabs to colorful prawns, the selection of seafood at any of the town’s great restaurants is simply astonishing. Slowly but surely Negombo seems to be developing over the recent past and has been recognized as one of the top tourist destinations in the country, as many tourists are drawn to its captivating shores on a regular basis.

Travelers to Negombo thinking of the best way to get closer to the natural aspect of its offerings will find that taking a boat tour gives you the opportunity to get a feel for what Negombo is all about. Muthurajawela Marsh is a marshland habitat located in Negombo abounding in bio-diversity. This damp and watery region teems with all sorts of life-forms and supports a diverse eco system which draws many a traveler to the region.


As these marshy lands are home to an abundant population of fresh water fish and swamp dwellers, a significant bird population too thrives here due to the abundance of prey. Visitors on a boat tour should preferably request to be taken out over the water either very early in the morning or just before sunset, as this is the time of day when the birds of this habitat are at their liveliest. Several tour operators in Negombo offer such boat tours to visitors both local and foreign.

Jetwing Seashells is located in the heart of the city offering easy access to many of the city’s key tourist attractions. Travelers in search of Sri Lanka hotel with outstanding facilities and exquisite accommodation are in luck as this opulent Negombo beach hotel offers just that to the discerning traveler.

Categories Travel

Perdana Lake Gardens

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
Think of Kuala Lumpur and the image that springs to mind is of soaring neon-lit skyscrapers interspersed with dignified mosques and temples among teeming throngs of humanity. Malaysia’s capital is a city flush with its commercial prosperity and driving ambitiously ever higher toward greater architectural and economic grandeur. Easy as it is to get caught up in the flashy currents of city life, one must pay due regards to the sprawling city parks which provide a brief respite from its breathless pace.
The Perdana Lake Gardens is the oldest and most popular of these city parks. The 90-hectare grounds which sprawl in a valley around two artificial lakes provide a tranquil oasis where city dwellers come to jog, exercise, boat or indulge in some tai chi. Lying on the fringes of the city, this used to be the area where the elite British colonists built their pleasure homes. Two of these colonial mansions have now been converted into the Carosa Seri Negara, Malaysia’s most exclusive hotel.

Although the main attraction is the Tasik Perdana, or the Premier Lake, where families rent boats for leisurely weekend afternoon paddles, the Panggung Anniversary is also a major draw, being an open theatre for cultural and musical shows. However, these are the least of the park’s attractions. The Orchid Garden housed within the park boasts 800 species of orchids while a small terraced space is devoted to hibiscus (Malaysia’s national flower). The Deer Park is a favourite haunt of the mousedeer, the world’s smallest hoofed species, and spotted deer imported from Holland. Children and insect enthusiasts will delight in the Butterfly Park, home to over 120 species of butterfly whose rainforest environs have been carefully recreated to mirror the insects’ natural habitat. The Bird Park is the largest in Southeast Asia and is the world’s largest walk-in aviary housing more than 3000 migrant and indigenous birds.

Travelers seeking holiday accommodation Kuala Lumpur or even businessmen looking for Kuala Lumpur corporate housing should find the park quite accessible from the commercial city centres. Located in the KL central business district, adjacent to the Petronas Towers, the Ascott Kuala Lumpur’s serviced apartments cater to the extended stays of both business and leisure guests who wish for prime access to train stations and cab services that lead to all the city’s major attractions.

Categories Travel

Ballooning in Christchurch

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
Get ready for the experience of a lifetime as you engage in an exhilarating hot air balloon ride in Christchurch. Enjoy panoramic views of Christchurch and the city’s surrounding areas from a vantage point that few have ventured on, and capture breathtaking photography from the balloon’s comfortable interior! All this and more can be experienced upon boarding a hot air balloon when holidaying in the scenic environs of Christchurch. Ideal for families and couples, this thrilling ride is a popular recreational activity among both locals and tourists looking to relax and create memories with loved ones and friends.
Christchurch is one of the few places in the world where visitors can balloon from the centre of the city, journeying towards the snowy peaks of the Alps over the striking greenery of the scenic Canterbury Plains. As you gently float towards the nearby mountains, be sure to capture some outstanding photos of Christchurch’s diverse topography. Several hot air balloon operators can be found in the city centre where visitors will be able to book a hot air balloon ride. Most balloon rides include a refreshing glass of champagne upon arriving at the desired destination, and a flight certificate that is awarded to all who participated in this fantastic journey through Christchurch.

Staying at a Christchurch New Zealand hotel such as the Copthorne Hotel Christchurch Central provides the ideal place from which the vibrant and beautiful city of Christchurch can be explored. With picturesque views of the Avon River, Victoria Square and the Southern Alps, this leading business class hotel in Christchurch is a preferred accommodation base among both business and leisure travellers seeking comfort and class in the heart of the city. Guests staying at this stylish hotel will easily be able to access all that Christchurch has to offer!

Categories Travel

The Dikwella Blow Hole

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
Dikwella is a quiet coastal town some 20 kilometres to the east of Matara in the South of Sri Lanka. Up until recently, the place was only of interest to Buddhist pilgrims on their way to pay homage to the Wewurukulana Vihara along the Beliatta road, the site of the tallest Buddha stature in Sri Lanka. In recent decades however, the town is growing in popularity as a tourist resort and with it, more and more people are discovering the fascinating natural phenomenon found nearby – the Blow Hole of Dikwella.
A blow hole is a something which occurs when a rock set upon high tides contains a fissure. When the pressure of the collected water below grows high, a jet of water forces its way upward from within the fissure, creating what is known as a blow hole. This is a very rare and engaging natural phenomenon.

Despite its name, the blow hole is actually found at Kudawela, 6 kilometres to the east of Dikwella. Here, secreted in a beautiful beach of golden surf and turquoise sea is found the only blow hole in the country; one of the handful found in the world. This is locally known as the “Hoo-maniya”, named thus because of the sound the blow hole makes before the water spurts upward. R.L. Broheir first catapulted this site into the international awareness by including an account of it in his famous book “Seeing Ceylon”, published in the 1960s.

Today, the popularity of the blow hole as a tourist attraction is evidenced by the number of food and drink kiosks and vendors who cluster around the shallow stairs that lead up the cliff. The sea-food delicacies hawked here are a particular favourite among sight-seers.

The blow hole is seen upon a wide expanse of rock atop a cliff. The stream of water spurts up from a fissure that runs down a split in the middle of the rock. The ominous “hoo-hoo” noise that emanates from this opening can be heard like distant thunder from some distance away. This is the sound of the water pressure rising, causing onlookers to tense in anticipation.
However, the moment when the fountain erupts upward always catches them unawares. A loud whooshing sound accompanies a great sea spray shoots into the sky, reaching to a height of 120 feet at times before forming a mushroom at its apex and drenching sight-seers around.

Although this usually happens at 10-15 minute intervals, the wait is always tense, especially for a photographer waiting to capture the fountain in all its glory. Only the lucky and persevering few are rewarded in this respect. The monsoon season of June to July is considered the time when the blow hole is at its finest.

Visitors who travel here to view this rare occurrence can also delight in the surrounding shore, which is among some of the loveliest Sri Lanka beaches, with rock pools of vibrant fish and shallows suitable for swimming. The resorts of the John Keells Hotels Group are recommended options for those seeking accommodation at one of the nearby Sri Lanka beach hotels, as this chain of hotels is a well-reputed for its luxury hospitality.

Categories Travel

Beaches

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on

When it comes to a tropical beach holiday in Asia, the enigmatic and bountiful allure of Thailand is quite unmistakable. The seafront landscape of the land teems with holidaymakers every year as they crowd the sun-swept beaches to enjoy the best beach vacation you can find in Asia. The cream of Thai beaches are found towards the South of the country as the land thins out and reaches out like an arm into the sea, and the Si Kao district in Trang province is never a place overlooked in the hunt for the perfect seaside.
Si Kao is home to several outstandingly beautiful beaches along its coastline. Apart from that, an inquisitive traveller is free to explore inland as the district has several other places bound to stoke your curiosity such as the Wat Tham Khaopedan caves and Angthong waterfall. The beaches of Si Kao are good for a nice refreshing swim, a bit of surfing or just soaking up the sun lazing on the sands, and they are home to many chic resorts and hotels as well.
One of the most well-known among Si Kao’s beaches is Pakmeng beach which lies towards the south west. The waters are very shallow here, and even if it’s not ideal for a swim, the place is good for some family fun or just wading out to explore the islands dotting the shoreline. Further along near the Si Kao bay, you will find the lesser known but picturesque beachfront of Kong Thuan which is an ideal hangout if you’re in the mood for some solitude and peace of mind. Hat Chao Mai National Park is also close by, where beachgoers enjoy the sunlight and shade in equal measure among green groves and clean white sands. Even if it is a favoured spot among travellers, you’ll find this beach to be quite peaceful. To your delight, most beaches of Si Kao will be having good food and beverages available, with showers and toilet facilities close at hand.
Beaches around Si Kao and in the Province of Trang in general have no lack of visitors, and ever in demand Si Kao hotels are set and waiting to welcome them to a holiday worth enjoying to your heart’s content. Hotels in Si Kao such as the Anantara Saiko, Thailand are stylish affairs that proudly embrace the delightfully pleasant Thai traditions which are bound to leave you with a lingering feeling of familiarity and homely warmth. Enjoy your stay at the hotels and resorts but do not stop your quest for the perfect beach; apart from what’s mentioned here, the coast of Si Kao are home to many more wondrous stretches of sand that are waiting to be explored.
Categories Travel

Beaches in Sri Lanka

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
The island nation of Sri Lanka is blessed with a wealth of natural bounty throughout its shores and when it comes to beaches, there is no exception. Travellers will find a vast offering of beaches located all over the island during their travel in Sri Lanka.

In most parts of Sri Lanka visitors will find that they can access a beach with relative ease due to the sheer number of them in the country. These pristine beaches provide a host of activities in addition to the prospect of a cool breeze, soothing scenery and generally pleasant weather.

For travellers who don’t like to get wet, just briefly wading in the water provides a relaxing sensation of having water run over your feet as you move about the soft sand. The more adventurous can venture out in to the waters for a leisurely swim.

Travellers can also dive beneath the waves and discover coral reefs in the waters off Bentota for example while diving off any of the beaches will presents visitors with a diverse array of marine life to spot. Snorkelling is another popular activity that allows those afraid of diving to still gaze upon the many wonders that lie beneath the waves in Sri Lanka. The many beaches also lend themselves well for surfing which can be indulged in just about any beach. Sri Lanka has gained popularity amongst surfing enthusiasts worldwide.

Sea turtles are another popular attraction especially in the beaches of Kosgoda. These peaceful and gentle creatures come ashore to lay their eggs, which has become a popular event to witness.

Sri Lanka with its many beaches is a perfect destination for swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving and a variety of water surface related activities including jet skiing. During your Sri Lanka travel renting a car removes the hassle of find transport during your trip. Malkey Rent A Car provides a Sri Lanka car rental option that offers a variety of automobiles ensuring that travellers will find an option suitable to their needs.

Categories Travel

Beach Holiday in Penang

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
The island state of Penang is known among the locals by many names such as Pulau Mutiara, Pulau Pinang and Pulau Ka Satu which have evolved with the passing of time and is now simply known as Penang. All the former names which were given to Penang had meaning behind it. For an example Pulau Mutiara meant ‘the pearl of the orient’ while Pulau Pinang meant ‘betel nut island’. Although its name has changed from the pearl of the orient it still retains the charm that it used to boast of decades ago. The sub tropical weather conditions that prevail in this region make it an ideal breeding ground for hundreds of animal species and plants alike. Travellers to the island can also look forward to sampling a fascinating array of mouthwatering local delicacies.
Another aspect of Penang which draws in hundreds of travellers to its shores each year is its gorgeous beaches which decorate the extremities of the island. The golden sand, the turquoise seas and the healing warmth of the sun is exactly what you get when you visit Batu Ferringhi Beach which is one of the most popular coastal locations in the northern part of the island among travellers to the region. This stretch of beach has a number of hotels where you can find accommodation in and the Batu Ferrighi Sidewalk Bazaar which comes to life in the evening gives you the chance to cash in on some great deals.

Teluk Bahang Beach on the other hand is a not as busy, which is ideal for a private picnic or a perfect spot to soak up the sun while enjoying a good read. This beach is located to the west of Batu Ferringhi Beach and is in close proximity to the Forest Recreation Park and Museum where visitors get the chance to get an understanding about the plant and animal life in the area. The Fishing village of Teluk Bahang is the best place for you to enjoy a satisfying Chinese seafood meal that comes with an unmistakable Malaysian touch.

Guests can stay in any that meets their fancy when they visit the island but the Copthorne Orchid Hotel Penang offers unparallel services to ensure a comfortable stay in the city. This one of a kind hotel in Penang is an ideal rest for leisure and business travellers alike.

Categories Uncategorized

Arugam Bay- Beauty Unmatched

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
The enchanting island located in the Indian Ocean, shaped by Mother Nature to the form of a tear drop is known to many a traveler around the world as Sri Lanka. This wondrous land is home to some of the most attractive beaches on the face of the earth and is packed with a number of cultural attractions such as museum, temples and ancient palaces. One of the most unique features of Sri Lanka is that one is able to travel to many different climatic regions within the country offering the travelers a bit of everything when exploring the island. From lush tropical rainforests teeming with life to golden sandy beaches with crystal clear waters to vast, open, dry plains can be found when in this fascinating country. However, most seasoned travelers would agree that the gorgeous beaches of Sri Lanka are what draw in most visitors to this island nation.
Located on the eastern part of the island, Arugam Bay is a picturesque coastal area which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country mainly due to its surfer friendly beaches. Although it was struck by a devastating tsunami several years ago, which claimed the lives of thousands of Sri Lankans across the country, Arubam Bay has managed to recover quite well to re-establish itself as one of the most loved tourist destinations in Sri Lanka.

Visitors to this captivating comer of the country will find that surfing in Arugam Bay is an exhilarating experience as the beaches here are perfect for both professional and novice surfers. A walk to the city will give the visitor a chance to buy a few mementos from the small boutiques selling various handicrafts and other collectibles. Those who wish to just relax on the beach soaking up the sun will be in heaven as the sun shines on these pristine beaches during most months of the year.

Truly Sri Lanka is an online travel guide that can assist the globetrotter pick the ideal destination for a perfect Sri Lanka holiday. The modern traveler will find the insightful information provided on various destinations in the country to be of great use and will enable you to make the most of your Sri Lanka travel experience.

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