For many, the ancient highland capital of Kandy is still the true heart of Sri Lanka, where the last Sinhalese kings held out against the European powers, protected by the natural defences of their steep hills and dense tropical forests. Portuguese expeditions reached Kandy in the late 16th century, only to be trapped and put to'the sword. The more pragmatic Dutch reduced the Kandyan kingdom by blockading its supply routes, but Kandy was finally defeated and its last king overthrown by the British in 1815.

The journey of 115km (73 miles) inland from Colombo takes up to three hours by rail or road, and as your vehicle crosses deep river valleys, negotiates numerous hairpin bends and winds upward through increasingly steep hill country -where cinnamon and nutmeg plantations scent the breeze, tame elephants trudge by under heavy burdens, and flying foxes like ragged umbrellas hang from high branches -it is easy to see how Kandy maintained its independence for so long. In fact, its kings banned the building of roads to the coast, to hinder would-be European conquerors still further. 'The ways are many but very narrow, so that but one can go abreast: wrote Robert Knox, the Scots venturer who was held captive in Kandy for 20 years in the late 17th century.

Surrounded by cool, lush mountain scenery, Kandy is the,gateway to a very different aspect of Sri Lanka, one Which those visitors who restrict their stay to the 1 country's coastal resorts never see South of Kandy, the cool green slopes of Sri lanka's tea country around Nuwara Eliya, beneath the Country's highest peak, Pidurutalagala. Here, the hills rise to an average height of more than 900m (2952ft) with several summits which rise to more than 2000m (6562ft). With its waterfalls, caves and lush woodland sheltering unique animal, bird and butterfly species, this region is a delight for walkers and explorers with an interset in Sri Lanka's natural wonders as well as its ancient cultural hertiage.

Kandy
At 500m (1640ft) above sea level, Sri Lanka's Second city has a Climate that comes as a Pleasantly cool contrast to hot and humid Colombo. A mid lush green fields and plantations - evidence of the region's well-watered fertility - the city stands within a loop of the Mahaweli Ganga, one of Sri Lanka's more Substantial rivers, on the north shore of Kandy Lake an artificial island in the centre of the lake, and had a number of his enemies drowned slowely, tied to stakes and gasping for air as the waters of the lake rose.