Located just south of India is the beautiful tropical island nation of Sri Lanka. Known for its rich heritage and blissful scenic beauty, Sri Lanka is a great place to visit if you are looking for vibrant and colourful cultural experience. With its many historic landmarks, pristine beaches and coastal features, lush forests and exotic wildlife, thriving hospitality and tourism industries, and diverse society, Sri Lanka is a land that offers you a range and experiences and opportunities. Located in the southern city of Galle is the Galle Fort, one of Sri Lanka’s most famous cultural historic landmarks. Declared as a world heritage site by the UNESCO, this fortress is known for its many cultural attractions and highlights which have dazzled both locals and tourists. …

The much anticipated Vishu Festival is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm in all sections of Kerala, an Indian state located in the southern region of the country. All over Kerala, people of all ages involve themselves in the festivities of this distinctive and elaborate festival. As the occasion is considered to feature light and sound, Keralites illuminate their homes with decorative lights and enthusiastically light bunches of firecrackers. Many interesting festivities and rituals are associated with this event. The central ritual of the festival is the time-honoured Vishukkani, which is a special arrangement of a number of auspicious items considered to symbolize prosperity. These include vegetables and fruits, rice, arecanut, leaves of betel, yellow konna flowers, a metal mirror, coins and sacred texts, which …

The remarkable Aoi Festival is a unique event conducted in the Japanese city of Kyoto. This event which falls on the 15th of May is counted amongst the three biggest festivals in this city. The festival is centred on the Kamigamo and Shimogamo shrines, both of which are involved in the activities of the festival. Officially called the Kamo Festival this distinctive event originated in the middle of the 6th century. The ruler of the time Emperor Kinmei decreed that a ceremonial celebration be held so as to placate the gods and thereby end a disastrous famine. The objective of the festival was achieved and since then this celebration has been conducted each year, becoming especially popular amongst the wider public during the Edo era. …

Rice constitutes a staple in most South Asian countries and while in nations such as Thailand, rice is only a component of a meal, in countries such as India and Sri Lanka, rice tends to be the primary focus of any meal and all other curries are considered subsidiary or complementary. Given the radical importance placed by most South Asian and South East Asian countries on this type of grain, it is no surprise that a number of traditional ceremonies conducted throughout centuries tend to focus on the ploughing season. Most such nations place a great degree of importance on celebrating the beginning of the season, the reaping of the grain and often, communities pledge the first meal made from rice, to the gods or …

Scheduled to be held over three days, from 5th to 8th May 2014, the annual Arabian Travel Market or ATM is the premier travel & tourism event that assists travel and tourism professionals to gain access to the inbound and outbound travel market in the Middle East region. The trade show is one of the biggest travel events in the world. The Dubai International and Convention Centre will play host to more than 16,000 participants and showcase more than 2,000 products from over 70 exhibitors related to the travel and tourism industry in 23,500 sq metres of space. New products relating to the industry have been successfully launched at previous events therefore there is reason to believe several new products will be released this time …

Paying tribute to a millennial tradition, the Lotus Lantern Festival held with the aim of paying tribute to Buddha’s coming into the world, is a grand and vibrant event celebrated over a period of 3 days. It would be a good idea to seek out an appropriate Seoul apartment to fully soak in the activity during this period. Somerset Palace Seoul is a recommended Somerset Palace Seoul offers comfortable Seoul serviced apartments that would prove to be ideal for the purpose. According to Buddhist beliefs, lanterns, more importantly light signifies wisdom. Therefore, the lantern festival is held in respect for the Lord Buddha, who brought immense wisdom and enlightenment to his followers. Bringing throngs of foreign and local tourists together, Seoul sees hundreds and thousands of magnificent lotus lanterns …

The vibrant metropolis of Bangkok is a hotbed of culture, leisure, commercial aspects and colourful festivals. If in search of Sukhumvit accommodation, a preferable choice is Anantara Baan Rajprasong Bangkok which offers a selection of elegant Bangkok serviced apartments. Every year, a wide range of unique art installations, sumptuous food festivals, colourful temple fairs, spectacular stage productions and fabulous sales take place in the city, catering to the whims and fancies of locals and visitors. Apart from the Chinese New Year, Loy Krathong and Songkran, there are numerous other fantastic annual events including Bangkok International Jazz Festival, Royal Ploughing Ceremony and Moon Festival noted for their fascinating cultural aspects.   Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a …

White tipped amber bubbling as with life, glistens in tall glasses filled to the brim, while friends gather together to celebrate the gift of good times. Laughter will resound as more glasses are emptied here at the Dalian Beer Festival, where fond memories are to be created. The festival will commence with a grand Opening Ceremony at 7.30 pm on the 28th of July at the Huabiao Center Stage of Xinghai Square. The Opening Ceremony will be 30 minutes of great entertainment which will comprise of a stage performance, a fireworks show, a flag rising, festive singing as well as a ceremonial beer cask opening which will set the tone and mood for the good times which will follow. The Dalian Beer Festival is a …

Showcasing the best of light and sound technologies to the outside world, PALME 2014 is the Middle East’s grandest stage of modern day technology which is held on annual basis. Should you be on the lookout for a Dubai luxury hotel in time for the next edition, consider staying at Grand Millennium Dubai which is rated among the most sought after of 5 star hotels Dubai has to offer. Scheduled to be held between the 15th -17th of April 2014 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, the showpiece event is destined to capture the hearts of the ardent entertainment and gadget guru. Be fascinated by the biggest gathering of professionals in the categories of lighting, audio-visual, music and entertainment whose expertise and products are sure to leave …

If visiting UAE during a business trip be sure to make your reservations at a reputed Abu Dhabi hotel. Grand Millennium Al Wahda is an exemplary hotel Abu Dhabi UAE has to offer. Providing the ideal platform of exposure and opportunity for influencing international and local meetings and events industry, GIBTM guarantees optimized business and networking opportunities. Boasting of a global audience of more than 3000 professionals, GIBTM is a key event to attend in order to achieve your business objectives. Make your mark as a key player in the industry meeting with top level buyers and obtaining competitive intelligence at GIBTM 2014.   Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest …