Whale-Watching at Mirissa
19
People once visited the beaches of
southern Sri Lanka to laze under
palm trees and maybe go and peer at a
few little fish on a diving excursion. Then
somebody realised that the deep blue was
home to more than just schools of worka-
day fish. It turns out that the waters off Sri
Lanka are home to the planet’s biggest
creature, the blue whale (not to mention
the somewhat smaller sperm whale). Now,
every morning in season, boats leave
Mirissa (p 124 ) in search of these crea-
tures unlike any other.Shopping in Colombo
20
Part of the magic of Colombo –
yes, you read that right – is
going on a retail binge (p 80 ). We don’t
necessarily mean the kind where you buy
more than will fit in a fleet of three-wheelers;
rather we mean bingeing on the experience
itself. Even as parts of the world race to a
big-box future, Colombo’s markets in Pettah
heave and hurl with goods and general cha-
os. And if you’d like something a bit more
stylish, Colombo has a growing collection of
chic boutiques, stores and malls to choose
from. Manning Market (p60), ColomboLIZ LEYDEN / GETTY IMAGES ©
DIANA MAYFIELD / GETTY IMAGES ©
1920PLAN YOUR TRIP
Sri Lanka’S
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