"In 2014 we were living in Colombo and we decided that we wanted to purchase a vernacular bungalow near Galle, which we would restore as a heritage project. Soon after, we met with Ivan Robinson, the Director of Lanka Real Estate (LRE) and felt that he understood our vision. The house we found was a suitable size and it had retained most of its original features, but it was uninhabitable and in need of...

When travelling around Sri Lanka or poring over maps have you ever wondered about the preponderance of certain words in the place names? As you would expect, many settlement names are hundreds of years old and are often literal descriptions of the topographical location. With Sri Lanka's miles of beautiful beaches it should be no surprise that "Wella", meaning sand, features highly combining for example...

Picture courtesy of Shikra Cinnamon, Dondra An essential ingredient in global cuisine, cinnamon as we would recognised it is the peeled bark of the cinnamon tree rolled in to "sticks" and often thence ground to a powder. Louis IX of France reportedly believed that cinnamon was fished up in nets at the source of the Nile "on the edge of the world",  In fact Cinnamomum Verum...

For family or friendship groups especially, renting a holiday villa is the best accommodation choice for a Sri Lankan holiday. Incredibly cost effective when compared to a hotel but with the priceless addition of absolute privacy. No sharing the pool or having to get up early to bag a sunbed! So what should you expect? The main difference compared with renting villas and houses in Europe is that almost...

At first sight the Ambuluwawa Tower looks more Gormenghast than Sri Lanka. This extraordinary structure sits atop the stupa of the Buddhist Temple at Ambuluwala and should definitely be on the "must see" list for any visitor.  It is possible to climb right to the top of the 48 metre spire via an external staircase, and whilst the ascent is not for the faint hearted,  the views from the top are...

Anyone reading this will probably already know that Lanka Real Estate sells properties - something we are exceedingly good at and well known for. What many people don't know is that we also offer a full range of property services of which selling a property and taking care of all the associated administrative and legal requirements is really only the beginning. Pictured is work ongoing at a stunning...

The accompanying photograph is of Pasikuda Beach and was taken by Charuka Herath The East Coast has undoubtedly some of the best powder white sand beaches in Sri Lanka - mile upon mile of pristine, largely empty, palm fringed perfection lapped by crystal clear turquoise hued waters. From the faded colonial charm of the regional capital Trincomalee, to the surf hotspot of Arugam Bay which...

In July and August you don't have to travel far along any main road before stumbling upon a pop-up stall groaning under the weight of mountains of bright crimson balls. These are rambutan and on opening their hairy casing you will find inside a milky-white juicy nugget of deliciousness. Very similar to a lychee they are usually eaten raw but can also be cooked into curries and desserts - if you manage to...

For tourists and residents alike, the quickest and most convenient way of making short journeys is by the ubiquitous tuk-tuk. The colourful three-wheelers, often adorned with stainless steel "bling", multi-coloured transfers and (sometimes incomprehensible) slogans and mottoes, are so synonymous with Sri Lanka that it is hard to believe that they were only first introduced to the island in 1981. There are...

One of the stranger backdrops to Sri Lankan life is hearing the high-pitched tinny strains of Beethoven's Für Elise drifting though the air two or three times a day. This will often be accompanied by a flurry of activity amongst your neighbours or house staff as they know that the metallic jingle signals the arrival of the Choon Paan Man. Choon Paan literally translates as "musical bread" and is the...