Despite the fatigue that inherently comes from flying across times zones, having dinner at breakfast time and all that it takes to get from booking your trip to finding yourself in that airplane seat, the journey from the airport to our accommodation is one of my favourite periods of time. There’s the ‘I’m finally here’ sensation coupled with my insatiable impulse to get right in the thick of things. My eyes are glued to the window, knowing that sleep will have its time at the hotel.

We were headed for Cinnamon Lakeside, one of the luxurious Cinnamon Hotel properties we’d be staying at during our Sri Lankan adventure. Upon arrival, our car door was opened with a smile, our baggage taken away and we suddenly stepped into refreshing coolness. If there’s anything better than the welcome hug of heat, it’s stepping back into more moderate temperatures and sighing at the glorious contrast.

Our room on the third floor was spacious and overlooked the inviting pool. We made ourselves at home and sat down with some reading materials to map out the must’s on our month-long trip.

Sri Lanka may be quite small, but it’s still many hours on a bus to travel to all the most well-known locations. We were pleased to discover Cinnamon Air, Sri Lanka’s only domestic airline, that could get us everywhere we wanted to go in minutes, rather than hours. Plus, they use these awesome looking Cessna’s that would work perfectly for my own circa late 1920’s Amelia Earhart moment. Let’s see if we can’t make it happen.

When I first told a friend I was going to Sri Lanka, her first question was Are you going to climb that rock? That rock, she was referring to is called Sigiriya Rock, or Lion Rock. It’s the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka and one of the country’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sigirya Rock (Lion Rock) in Sri Lanka
And yes I did climb it!  Sigiriya Rock is an ancient palace that can only be reached by climbing the almost 200 metre massive rock massive.  Now seeing ancient palaces isn’t usually by goal of climbing mountains, but I was definitely game and this was definitely a unique experience, plus I LOVE castles…even if all that is left are palace ruins.

At one time Lion Rock was the capital.  King Kasyapa built his royal palace on top, which seems rather fitting for a king.  Or perhaps he was health conscious, or more likely he feared vengeance from his brother after he killed his father – oops!  Climbing up and down Sigiriya Rock  every day is a great way to stay fit!

After the king’s death the palace and capital were abandoned and later on it was used as a Buddhist monastery. As I made my  way up the seemingly endless stairs, I was greeted by several stray dogs whose ribs showed through.  If you’re an animal lover like me, it’s heartbreaking!

Fortunately though there was a mother who appeared to be taking excellent care to her clinging infant as she he clung to her chest and she kept her distance from tourists.

Today all that remains are the outline of where the palace once stood.   After you’ve ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhhed’ over the view of the lush plains stretching to the mountains, take a few minutes and plop yourself on one of the brick ruins (it’s allowed).  Take  a deep breath. I found Lion Rock to be serene and calming, whether it’s the leftover energy from the monks or the gratitude that you have for not having to climb anymore stairs, I don’t know.  But I do know that I as I started to make my way down, I was left with a All is right in the world type of feeling.

5 minutes later that changed. I had heard about the giant wasps and someone had pointed out their equally giant nests clinging to the cliffs but assumed they had been exaggerated.  As I entered into a swarm of wasps, I quickly realized the legends were true.  A local ahead of us instructed  to sit down and be quiet.  Apparently noise irritates the wasps.  We waited in silence for a few minutes and the wasps disappeared. Disaster averted! At the bottom there are vendors selling handicrafts and ice-cream!!!! Covered in sweat, I pulled out an equally sweaty 50 rupee.  At that moment I thought that ice-cream was as good as it gets…until I spotted several monkeys!

And that is as good as it gets for me…monkeys and mountains in one morning!!!

Make the Most of Your Visit to Sigirya
◾Go at 6:30 am when it opens. I know it’s early, but it gets really hot, so trust me, you’ll be happy you did!
◾Stop and check out Mirror Wall, it’s well labeled.  Look closely and you’ll see that it still retains some of its shine that it had 1500 years ago.
◾Directly above Mirror Wall look up and about halfway up you’ll see  the little remaining mural.  In King Kasyapa’s time, the entire wall was a mural.
◾When you come to the Lion’s Feet look to the left and you’ll see black things hanging to the side of the rock.  These are the wasp nests that I previously mentioned.
◾You can either return the same way down, or just before the Mirror Wall, take the stairs to the right.  This is where all the vendors are selling handicrafts…and ice-cream!
◾There are also historical gardens there, considered to be among some of the most important in Asia.  I didn’t visit them, but they looked lovely from the top of Lion Rock.
◾Expect it to be busy.  Remember this is Sri Lanka’s most visited historical site.
◾Bring water, you will sweat and there’s no place to buy it once you’ve started hiking up, until you’re at the bottom again.
◾Anyone in reasonably good shape can reach the top, just go slow and take breaks when you need them.  If you are extremely unfit, you may not get to the top.

Where to Stay
I stayed at Chaaya Village Habarana.  I really enjoyed the natural feel of this property where guests are greeted with cinnamon scented wash clothes and the open air lobby and restaurant.  The property  really does resemble a village with the thatched roof huts that guests stay in. Trees line the ample property and monkeys and giant squirrels are frequent visitors!  Even the paint used is in harmony with nature and is mixed with mud! If you’re seeking something more lavish, then try the Cinnamon Lodge Habarna. You can find both properties at Cinnamon Hotels.

How To Get There
Sigirya is approximately a 3 hour drive from Colombo.  If you’re short on time, then consider a Cinnamon Air flight, which only takes 30 minutes. Through October 2015 it costs $223 USD.   Note:  Thank you to Cinnamon Hotels for making my visit and stay possible.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Laurel Robbins – MonkeysandMountains

Blog Post – http://monkeysandmountains.com/sigirya-rock-sri-lanka

Laurel Robbins was hosted by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and SriLankan Airlines in partnership with the Professional Travel Bloggers Association for TBCasia – Asia’s First Ever Travel Bloggers Conference 2014 in Sri Lanka.

May in Sri Lanka is about coming back to life. The heat begins to reduce ever-so-slightly and the rains come pouring down. This month trees are in full bloom and fruits lay heavily burden to branches. And a world of amazing experiences are in store for you this month if you happen to be in Sri Lanka

1. Experience the Colours of Vesak

The birth, death and enlightenment of Lord Buddha is celebrated in maddening colours, lanterns and lights all across the country in a festival we call Vesak. No matter where you are during May’s full moon, heading out is most advised. Don’t forget to look out for Pandols, a traditional outdoor art installation that tells stories from the life of the Buddha.

2. Make a Vesak Lantern

The reason Vesak is so colourful owes much to the vibrant and conceptual lanterns that come together. Why don’t you try your hand at making one? Pick out some of your favourite colours when you buy the tissue paper, get yourself bendy straws or bamboo sticks and gather around the usual suspects: glue, scissors, tape, rope and of course your imagination. Having a local show you the ropes is also a good bet.

3. Indulge in a Rain Bath

After many months of endless heat, you’ll find our sheets of rain this May a perfect cool down in the tropics. Don’t be shy, get out from under the comfort of indoors and let our rains wash away our scorching days.

4. Surf’s Up!

Arugam Bay at the heart of Sri Lanka’s East Coast begins to come alive in May. Surfers from all across the world come here in hope of riding the perfect wave. This familial gathering of surfers also means that the nightlife in Arugam Bay becomes the stuff of legend.

5. Escape Inside the City

If you want to get away and still be close the conveniences of the city, plan an escape at one of Cinnamon’s 3 city hotels. Cinnamon Lakeside is especially designed to create the air of a far-away resort!

6. Immerse in our History

Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle is strewn with many historical sites housing the stories of ancient kings and powerful mythology. Anuradhapura and Pollonnaruwa are particularly recommended.

7. Sunrise Season

May begins our East Coast season and if you’re here this month we recommend you start at Yala and make your way up to Trincomalee, capturing the sunrise on your way.

8. Tuk-Tuk Rides

Travelling by 3-wheeler or tuk-tuk (especially outside city limits) is a must-do experience and the best mode of short distance travel in the country

9. Go Gallery Hunting

Sri Lanka’s contemporary art scene is spectacular, so we most certainly recommend that you spend a rainy afternoon inside one of Colombo’s many concept galleries.

10. Under the Sea

For the most daring of you, the best sights await. Ask for a try-dive or dedicate a few days to a PADI licence and you’re on your way to Sri Lanka’s kaleidoscopic underwater paradise and it’s haunting shipwrecks.

Thousands of visitors come to visit the once great kingdom of Polonnaruwa. Stupas, statues, tombs and temples are aplenty, making for an unforgettable experience. But there is more than history and ancient structures here; Polonnaruwa has the richest of stories among Sri Lankan history with hidden treasures strewn across the district and town.

We’ve uncovered 5 lesser known things about this magical old kingdom that might turn your trip into the best discovery ever.

1. No Bull Moonstones

Yes, you did read that right. There’s a strict no-bull policy that went into the sculpture and production of moonstones. Moonstones are the traditional semicircular base at the entrance to state and religious buildings, usually adorned with rows of animal figures. While its neighbouring kingdom Anuradhapura houses moonstones with cattle, the Hindu influence of the Polonnaruwa era shows to have removed the animal representing Lord Shiva’s mount, Nandi the bull from their entrances.

2. Disney Nature’s Monkey Kingdom

The critically acclaimed Monkey Kingdom released in 2015 by Disney Nature was shot entirely in Polonnaruwa. The film, narrated by Tina Fey follows a troupe of Macaques living in the ancient ruins in the Polonnaruwa jungles. The documentary is a breathtaking representation of Polonnaruwa and its world of hidden treasures. The legendary primatologist and Disney Nature Ambassador Dr. Jane Goodall also visited Sri Lanka, joining the crew in the Polonnaruwa jungles. When you visit the ruins, remember to watch out for the monkey whose kingdom this is today.

3. Duran-Duran in Polonnaruwa

The famed 80’s synth-pop band Duran-Duran spent a considerable amount of time in Polonnaruwa which went on to feature heavily in the music video of their 1982 hit Save a Prayer. The video features the band amidst the ruins – something you won’t be able to do now. Polonnaruwa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and sacred to Sri Lankans.

4. Sri Lanka’s Lake District

Ancient Sri Lankan architecture isn’t the only element on historical wonder; our ancient engineering techniques are still revered among archaeologists and engineers today. Both elements feature in harmony in Polonnaruwa, so when you visit the ancient sites don’t forget to also visit the breathtaking vistas of the district’s many ancient, manmade lakes.

5. Jananathamangalam

Polonnaruwa was briefly called Jananathamangalam. In 1012 AD, Sri Lanka briefly fell under Chola rule at which point the kingdom absorbed many elements of Dravidian culture.  The Chola empire would refer to Polonnaruwa as either Jananatha Mangalam or Jananatha Puram and called Sri Lanka, Mummudi Sola Mundelam.

Trinco is the land of the rising sun, with graphic sunrises, golden beaches and an altogether slower pace of life. Coming here forces you to relax, unwind and rejuvenate. But there are other things about this harbor town, things that you ought to know if you’re planning on heading to Sri Lanka’s beautiful North East coastline.

1. The World War II Memorial Cemetery

You might miss it if you aren’t looking for it, but somewhere between Trinco town and Nilaveli beach sits this magnificent green lawn, strewn with gravestones of many brave men, of different nationalities who fought and fell in the Second World War. Falling under the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this place in Trincomalee is one of 11 burial grounds strewn across the island and each with a similarity in terms of landscaping, headstone structure, layout and a significant cross that looms over each cemetery, known as the Cross of Sacrifice.

2. Sperm Whales & Spinner Dolphins

Scuba diving adventures and boat trips are a must when you’re in Trincomalee. Why? Because since of late, Trinco’s deep blue becomes the migratory home of one of the biggest pods of sperm whales in the world. Add to that the spectacular marine life including spinner dolphins and a vibrant shore reef and the world underwater might seem even better than the breathtaking sunrise.

3. Spotted Deer at Fort Fredrick

Trincomalee is home to the age old Fort Fredrick; built by the Portugese, reconstructed by the Dutch, claimed by the British and currently occupied by the Sri Lankan military – and a small herd of spotted deer! It is said that a couple of spotted deer were shipped here by the British as pets for their militia stationed here. Since the fort is opened to the public however, the incorrect disposal of waste and feeding the deer have caused the herd to get sick. If you are visiting the Fort, remember not to feed the animals and merely observe them from a distance.

4. Early Chinese Settlers

Something that’s not often known about Trinco is that it was once home to Chinese settlers brought here by the Dutch and Portugese during their colonial rule of the region. They were brought via the Trincomalee harbor into the island on the pretext of working on cinnamon plantations here. China Bay that sits a short drive away from Trincomalee town is thus named for those who stayed with the island long after the colonials left, having been away for too many generation with nowhere else but Ceylon to call home. Walk through the narrow streets of Trinco town and you just might find a family run Chinese restaurant serving the most authentic Chinese food in the region.

5. Multi-Ethnic Community

The many comings and goings, and the original settlements here combine to make Trincomalee a cornucopia of ethnic delights. Despite hundreds of years of occupation and a 30 year war, Trinco’s many faiths and cultures thrive here. On some days the church bells, temple chants, the Islamic call to prayer and kovil sounds emanate simultaneously in a glorious spiritual cacophony that could rival most other countries in the world. Trinco is a shining example of how people from different walks of life can live in harmony.

Photo Credits: Wikiepedia, Lucy Calder

The ever-changing needs of 21st century living are well met in the many integrated developments popping up all over Asia today. Fully functional cities, encompassing housing and commercial spaces, shopping and entertainment all within the same compound, make life more convenient and that much richer. Let’s look at some of the key developments in the region today:

CapitaLand is the largest real estate fund management businesses in Asia, with 9 Raffles City projects that are testament to CapitaLand’s leading position in integrated developments. The company’s main focus is on building quality spaces catering to discerning tastes while offering great value in the process. The already completed Raffles Cities in Shanghai, Beijing, Ningbo and Chengdu are landmarks in their respective cities, offering a better quality of life and a much sort after address.

Marina Bay Sands is an integrated development committed to meeting Singapore’s social needs while achieving the country’s’ economic and tourism goals. The destination offers a luxury hotel, state-of-the art convention and exhibition facilities, theatres, world-class entertainment and the best shopping and dining in the region. The three hotel towers are crowned by the spectacular Sands SkyPark located on level 57. Situated on 15.5 hectares of land, the property won over 320 awards since opening in 2010. Marina Bay Sands is also the first venue in Southeast Asia to attain the ISO 20121 Sustainable Events Management certification, making it a destination for those who appreciate luxury.

Another fast-growing integrated developer is Malaysia’s Sunway Properties. An award-winning developer, Sunway builds for a better tomorrow by creating an integrated environment for living, learning, working and leisure. Sunway successfully introduced the “Resort Living within the City” lifestyle concept “Sunway Resort City. The city is. home to the world’s largest man-made surf beach and the iconic Sunway Pyramid shopping mall with its landmark pyramid and lion’s head. The township is also home to a world-class centre for education and healthcare alongside the finest in retail and commercial facilities.

Colombo city’s upcoming Cinnamon Life is tipped to be a game-changer for Sri Lanka as the country gears up for a high volume of commercial development in and around the city. Dubbed Colombo’s life capital, Cinnamon Life is also the largest private sector led development project in Sri Lanka to date.

Cinnamon Life will feature residences, office complexes, a signature Cinnamon brand hotel, retail mall, conferencing facilities, entertainment venues, fine dining and more, making it a one-stop-shop for everyone’s need. Located in the heart of Colombo, this waterfront property’s multifaceted offerings are tipped to make it the most sought after location in the city.

The world over, integrated developments are increasingly becoming the preferred choice for families looking for better living environments and more time for the good things in life.

The ever-popular integrated development concept combines spaces to work, stay and play, giving you a city within a city to live in. As more of these developments become the preferred living option for 21st century families, it is important to take note of the aesthetic and design that bring these developments to life. An integrated development can be a solely functional space but it also has the potential to be a landmark, appealing to the highest echelons of society. Let’s look at some of the world’s leading architects and their one-of-a-kind, integrated designs:

World-renowned architect and urban developer, Moshe Safdie designed the award-winning Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore. Created to inspire future design, the unique architectural concept of Marina Bay Sands is present throughout the integrated resort. The architecture also follows fengshui principles, creating a perfect balance of energy, in harmony with the environment. Safdie is also known for his ground-breaking development Habitat ’67 – a complex residential project featuring a building-block design placed atop one another in a uniquely aesthetic and functional creation. This project propelled him onto the world stage and made Safdie one of the most in-demand architects and city designers in the world.

http://www.msafdie.com/

Dutch architect Ben VanBerkle of UNstudio designed the Raffles City project in Hangzhou, China. The Raffles City philosophy is about providing multi-purpose functionality in an urban context while harmoniously melding into the city’s existing landscape. With Hangzhou’s Raffles City, the design twists towards the landscape, whilst the landscape twists back towards the project’s urban elements, incorporating and consolidating these separate elements into a single gesture. Berkel and the UNstudio team went on to win the 2016 BNA Kubus award among numerous other accolades since the project’s inception.

http://www.unstudio.com/

Cecil Balmond of Balmond Studio is a British-Sri Lankan architect and principal designer of up-coming Cinnamon Life integrated development, responsible for its architecture, engineering and public-space interior design. An internationally renowned artist, architect and engineer, Balmond is a trendsetter, transcending conventional boundaries of design disciplines. His work is undoubtedly the perfect tribute to combining art with science. In this dynamic era of the integrated development, Balmond has re-invented the very concept of space, transforming the meaning of geometry, form and structure into personal, emotional spaces. He is the recipient of many awards including the Thomas Jefferson foundation medal in Architecture (2016); OBE for services to architecture (2015) and the Sir Banister Fletcher prize for best book on architecture 2005. http://www.balmondstudio.com/

Watch Cecil Balmond’s vision unfold as Cinnamon Life rises to redefine Colombo’s skyline.

Cinnamon Colomboscope, Sri Lanka’s only multi-disciplinary arts festival will present its fourth edition from 25 August to 1 September 2016. This year’s festival theme titled Testing Grounds: Art and Digital Cultures in South Asia and Europe, will present new artworks and performances of Sri Lankan artists, who will work with electronic and digital media in keeping with the festival’s theme.

Presented by EUNIC Sri Lanka together with Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Cinnamon Colomboscope will take place at the Old General Post Office Colombo. Each year, the event evolves and changes shape with a new curator. Testing Grounds was conceived by German curator, Susanne Jaschko, a renowned expert in the field of media arts. This year, the festival will provide ‘testing grounds’ for a new liaison between contemporary arts and digital technology in Sri Lanka.

For many artists living and working in Sri Lanka today, working with electronic and digital media remains a widely unexplored field. Testing Grounds, with its focus on contemporary art that creates awareness on how digital technologies impact society and cultures, has commissioned over 10 Sri Lankan artists and artist collectives to foray into this field,conceptualise and produce artworks that reflect on this theme.

One of the many highlights of this year’s programme will be presented by DJ and electronic music producer, Asvajit Boyle, and technologist and entertainment designer, Lalindra Amarasekara. Their performance, (De)Generative Processes II, will transform the domed roof of the Colombo Planetarium into a digital canvas for an immersive live performance of light, sound and movement. (De)Generative Processes will take place on 28 August at 7.00 p.m.

Also collaborating for Testing Grounds are actor, writer and director, Arun Welandawe-Prematilleke and experimental musician, Isuru Kumarasinghe who will present Close to the Bone – a theatrical production and sound art piece combined. Centred on a dinner hosted by a beautiful and young married couple for his difficult sister and her older girlfriend, and the events that unfold, Close to the Bone is an immersive performance. Through their phones, the audience will be able to enter the characters’ heads to hear their thoughts, memories and regrets. The performance will take place on all festival nights.

Testing Grounds will feature the works of many notable Sri Lankan artists. Photographer, Aamina Nizar and journalist/photographer, Megara Tegal will present The Colombo Project. This installation portrays the neighbourhoods alongside the Kirulapone Canal and explores the role of social media in the lives of the people in Colombo, a city that still faces a huge social divide. Poet, rapper and singer-songwriter, Imaad Majeed’s installation, Revery invites the audience to reflect on the minority segment of the Sri Lankan flag.

Visual artist, Kavan Balasuriya will exhibit Foundation, an abstract drawing that can be interpreted to the relationship between the individual and the increasingly dynamic virtual environment of post-war Sri Lanka. From Vendetta to Bend Data, a series of digital collages by independent filmmaker and artist, Muvindu Binoy depicts the paradox between Sri Lankan’s real- and virtual-selves.

Other Sri Lankan artists and performers contributing to this year’s festival include: the Collective of Contemporary Artists (CoCA), The Ramadan Project, Isaac Smith and Sumudi Suraweera, Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar, Malaka Dewapriya, DJ Sunara and sound artist, Dinelka.

Cinnamon Colomboscope will also invite over 50 international artists and speakers – from Europe and South Asia – to participate in this year’s festival. Visitors will be able to engage with audio-visual, responsive and interactive installations as well as image-based artwork. The programme comprises an exhibition, a film programme, audio-visual performances, workshops, artist and thematic conversations, and an online exhibition.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is the title sponsor of Cinnamon Colomboscope 2016 and the event is organised by EUNIC Sri Lanka comprising of the British Council, Goethe-Institut and Alliance Française de Kotte. The festival is supported by the John Keells Foundation, Cinnamon Life, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, MBC/MTV, iFilm Sri Lanka, Debug,Roar.lk, Embassy of Switzerland, Embassy of the Netherlands, Turkish Embassy, German Embassy Teheran and the Universite Laval. The festival is held in venue partnership with the Ministry of Post and Postal Services.

EUNIC Sri Lanka together with Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts presents the fourth edition of Cinnamon Colomboscope, a contemporary and multidisciplinary arts festival that takes place in Colombo. This year, the festival will be titled Testing Grounds: Art and Digital Cultures in South Asia and Europe and will be held from 25 August to 1 September.

Digital technology plays a significant role as Sri Lanka seeks to reimagine its future and find its unique position in an increasingly globalised, business-driven world. As in all other fields, the arts too will respond to the changes brought on – among others – by digitisation. This year, Cinnamon Colomboscope will provide ‘testing grounds’ for a new liaison between contemporary art and digital technology in Sri Lanka.

The main venue for the festival will be at the General Post Office, Fort; an iconic colonial building erected in 1895 and unused for the last 20 years. Visitors will be able to engage with audio-visual, responsive and interactive installations as well as image-based artwork in an extensive exhibition. Over 50 Sri Lankan and international artists will contribute to this year’s programme including screenings of experimental films, audio-visual performances and an online exhibition that can be accessed from anywhere. Through a series of workshops and public conversations, the festival will foster knowledge exchange between Sri Lankan and foreign artists, local and international technology specialists and the audience.

Cinnamon Colomboscope 2016 will be curated by Susanne Jaschko, a renowned expert in the field of media arts who can look back on an impressive list of international art events and exhibitions. “Testing Grounds,” she explains, “will be experimental in nature, and rich in contrast. For most local and South Asian artists, working with electronic and digital media is a new and widely unchartered field, while artists in Europe have been working with new media for over 25 years. Cinnamon Colomboscope will create an awareness of the impacts that digital technologies have on our societies and cultures – among which are data privacy and ownership issues – which need to be addressed in Sri Lanka.”

Established in 2012, Cinnamon Colomboscope is a festival that evolves and changes shape with a new curator each year.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is the title sponsor of Cinnamon Colomboscope and this event is organised by EUNIC Sri Lanka comprising the Goethe-Institute, British Council and Alliance Française de Kotte. The festival is supported by contributions from the John Keells Foundation, Cinnamon Life, Art TV, Swiss Embassy, Dutch Embassy, Turkish Embassy, German Embassy Teheran and the University of Quebec. The festival is held in venue partnership with the Postal Department.

The detailed program for the festival will be announced soon. Please visit the website www.cinnamoncolomboscope.com  for updates on the program.

If you’ve missed out on all the action at the Cinnamon Travel Blogger Awards 2016, here’s the full list of Bronze, Silver and Gold ‘Award Winners’.

Find out more information on the Cinnamon Travel Blogger Awards 2016 and the independent judging panel with just a click.

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The Travel Bloggers Conference Asia- more commonly known as CinnamonTBCasia, was initiated and conceptualized by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts in collaboration with the Professional Travel Bloggers Association(PTBA).

In 2014 and 2016, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts together with Sri LankanAirlines organized Asia’s first ever Travel Blogger Conference in Colombo Sri Lanka.