TikaWeeks #45/2025: Sri Lanka update
Posted by John on 7th November 2025
Tending to time: Soham Kacker on preserving Geoffrey Bawa’s garden vision
Soham Kacker serves as the Curator of Living Collections at the Geoffrey Bawa and Lunuganga Trusts, where his work revolves around nurturing the living legacy of Lunuganga. Surrounded by over 300 species of plants, he draws on archival materials to conserve the garden’s intricate interplay of built and natural features. In an interview with Teardrop, Soham discusses how he bridges heritage and ecology to ensure Bawa’s vision endures and remains relevant for generations of visitors and scholars alike. Go to article
In the presence of giants: a guide to Sri Lanka’s elephant hotspots
Sri Lanka offers some of the most accessible and authentic wild elephant sightings in Asia. With an estimated population of over 6,000 of its own unique subspecies (Elephas maximus maximus), Sri Lanka’s elephants are the largest found in Asia, weighing up to 5.5 tonnes, and standing over 3 metres tall – only slightly smaller than their African counterparts. In this guide to the best places to see elephants in Sri Lanka, we share the deep connection that elephants have with the island, the best time to see elephants in Sri Lanka, and how to have the most memorable and responsible encounters with these majestic pachyderms. Go to article
A guide to eating your way through Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cuisine is a feast born of history, geography, and spice. Sitting at the heart of the ancient maritime Silk Route, the island was a trading post for centuries, drawing Arab, Indian, Malay, Portuguese, and Dutch influences into its kitchens. Merchant ships once left Sri Lanka laden with cinnamon – still among the world’s finest – along with cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper. These spices remain the soul of the island’s cooking, blended into roasted curry powders or infused into fragrant coconut milk gravies. Local staples such as rice, lentils, fresh curry leaves, pandan, and fiery chillies anchor the cuisine in its tropical roots, while seafood from surrounding waters, earthy jackfruit, and kithul treacle bring distinct island character. With so much on offer, we’ve put down a guide to the dishes that are well worth the extra pounds on your next trip through Sri Lanka. Go to article
The ultimate guide to Sri Lanka’s national parks, rainforests & sanctuaries
Sri Lanka is one of 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world, and among Asia’s most rewarding wildlife destinations. Due to its compact size, a diverse collection of ecosystems can be experienced within hours from each other – from leopard-haunted grasslands in the island’s south and misty cloud forests in the hill country and emerald rainforests (a relic of Gondwanaland) and coral-fringed reefs of the east coast, the country’s protected areas are astonishingly varied, its landscapes shaped by monsoon rains, ancient reservoirs, and centuries-old myths.
Over 20 national parks, rainforest reserves, marine sanctuaries, and UNESCO World Heritage sites protect this natural wealth, providing havens for elephants, leopards, sloth bears, dugongs, and an incredible variety of endemic birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Below is our guide to the country’s most remarkable national parks, rainforests, and marine sanctuaries – each with its own personality, seasonality, and signature wildlife encounters. Go to article
For more blogs from Teardrop Hotels, please visit Tales from the Teardrop Isle.
Categories: Culture, News, Sightseeing, Sri Lanka, Travel tips, Wildlife
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