NUS MBA Class of 2021 – Sri Lanka Global Immersion Tour Itinerary
Duration : 6 Days/5 Nights
Period : 4th – 9th August 2024
Serendipity Travels Service Begins
Sunday 4th of August
Arrival in Sri Lanka Welcome by Serendipity Travels Representatives Transfer from Airport to Heritance Ahungalla (2.30 Hours drive) Check in to Heritance Ahungalla
5.30PM: Welcome & Tour Briefing by Dinal Edirisinghe – CEO – Serendipity Travels (NUS MBA Class of 2021)
6 – 7PM: Lecture and Q&A on “Can Sri Lanka Compete in the Dynamic Asian Century?” by Mr. Chandra Jayaratne
SpeakerProfile
Former Chairman of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Awarded Sri Lankan of the Year in 2001 by LMD – Sri Lanka’s most prominent Business Magazine
Former Board Director of diverse companies
Good Governance Activist
7PM: Beach Dinner at Heritance Ahungalla Overnight Stay in Heritance Ahungalla
Monday 5th of August
Breakfast at Heritance Ahungalla 9AM: Transfer from Heritance Ahungalla to Baddegama – Sri Lankan Cultural Village with a history of 2200 years to the time of Sri Lanka’s Greatest King Dutugemunu (1 Hour Drive)
Serendipity Baddegama Tour 10AM: Visiting Dutugemunu Raja Maha Viharaya (Royal Temple named after King Dutugemunu) 11.30AM: St. Anthony’s Church and School – Baddegama 1PM: Lunch at Serendipity Heritage Home 3 – 4.30 PM: Guided Tour on “Surmount AgriTech Blockchain Traceability Pilot Project for Rice, Cinnamon and Tea” by Dinal Edirisinghe
Transfer from Baddegama to Galle Fort (45 Mins Drive)
‘’Basking on the southern coast of Sri Lanka in the bay of Galle, the Fort was first built by the Portuguese in 1588 before being extensively fortified by the Dutch in the mid 1600s. Recognized by UNESCO for its cultural heritage value, the Fort was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988 as a unique exposition of “an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries.” Today a museum occupies the stables; jewellery shops abound; cafes emerge from behind restored columns; interior design shops mingle with bookstores and fashion outlets.’’
Dinner at Galle Fort Transfer from Galle Fort to Heritance Ahungalla (1.5 Hours Drive) Overnight Stay in Heritance Ahungalla
Tuesday 6th of August
Breakfast at Heritance Ahungalla 9AM: Check out from Heritance Ahungalla Transfer from Heritance Ahungalla to Ambepussa Rest House (3 Hour Drive) Lunch at Ambepussa Rest House
Transfer from Ambepussa Rest House to Earl’s Regency Kandy (2.5 Hour Drive)
6.30PM: Transfer from Earl’s Regency to Sri Dalada Maligawa
‘’The Temple of the Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha, Sri Dalada Maligawa, is the most venerated Buddhist Temple in Sri Lanka. The beautiful and magnificent temple was built by late king Vimaladharmasooriya 1st in 1592 AD and is located in the Royal Palace Complex of the Former Kingdom of Kandy. The Temple is located at the heart of Kandy Town’’
Transfer from the Sri Dalada Maligawa to Earls Regency Kandy (20 mins drive) Cultural Dinner at Earl’s Regency Overnight Stay in Earl’s Regency
Wednesday 7th of August
Breakfast at Earl’s Regency 9AM: Transfer from Earl’s Regency to Kandy City Center (20 Mins Drive) 10 – 11AM: Lecture and Q&A on the “Winning in Retail by Combining Modernity with Tradition” by Mr. Thusitha Wijayasena
Speaker Profile
Chairman of Kandy City Center (Kandy’s Premier Mall)
Chairman of Property Finance & Investments Kandy Pvt Limited
A Compassionate Philanthropist
11AM – 12PM: Tour of Kandy City Center Lunch at Kandy City Center Transfer from Kandy City Centre to Victoria Dam (1 Hour Drive) 3 – 5PM: Visit to Victoria Dam
“Victoria Dam is an arch dam located 209 km upstream of Sri Lanka’s Longest River – the Mahaweli River’s mouth and 6 km from Teldeniya. It is named in honour of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, Empress of the British Empire and the lead figure of Victorian Era. Its main purposes are irrigation and hydroelectric power production. It is the tallest dam in Sri Lanka spanning with a height of 122 meters, and supports a 210 MW power station, the largest hydroelectric power station in the country“
Transfer from Victoria Dam to Earl’s Regency (1 Hour Drive) Dinner at Earl’s Regency Overnight Stay in Earl’s Regency
Thursday 8th of August
Breakfast at Earl’s Regency 9.30AM: Checkout from Earl’s Regency Transfer from Kandy to Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel Colombo (4 Hour Drive) Lunch at Cinnamon Lakeside Check in to Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo
4 – 5PM: Lecture and Q&A on “Leading Sri Lanka’s No.1 Blue Chip Conglomerate” by Mr. Krishan Balendra
Speaker Profile
Chairman of John Keells Holdings
Chairman of the Employers Federation of Ceylon
Deputy Vice Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
6 – 8PM: Final Dinner Party at Kuuraku Restaurant at Park Street Mews
Transfer from Park Street Mews to Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel (20 Mins Drive) Overnight Stay in Cinnamon Lakeside
Friday 9th of August
Breakfast at Cinnamon Lakeside hotel Transfer from Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel to South Asia Gateway Terminal 9.30 – 11AM: Tour of South Asia Gateway Terminal (owned and managed by John Keells Group)
“South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), the first public private partnership container terminal (PPP) in Sri Lanka, commenced operations in 1999 launching the Port of Colombo as global trade’s preeminent gateway hub to South Asia. As a leading global container terminal, SAGT continues to present the international container shipping community, a competitive best in class service predominantly for Indian transhipment Cargo while competing with South Asian and ASEAN ports.”
Transfer from South Asia Gateway Terminal to Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel 12PM: Check out of Cinnamon Lakeside Lunch at Cinnamon Lakeside 3PM Onwards – Meeting with the President Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe
Speaker Profile
9th President of Sri Lanka and Minister of Finance and Technology
Architect and Project Leader of Sri Lanka’s Turnaround from 2022 April Bankruptcy
Experience in successfully implementing an International Monetary Fund (IMF) aid package from 2022 August onwards
5PM – Shopping at Laksala “Laksala is the only State-owned Gift & Souvenir Boutique and was established under the National Skills Act of 1982. With 10 branches located island wide and offering a wide variety of all Sri Lankan products at a reasonable price. Most importantly, Laksala is a sustainable venture that gives back to its suppliers who are predominantly small producers. Today you will find an eclectic blend of items ranging from selections of beautifully packaged tea and spices to, colourful batik ware to an elaborate collection of arts and crafts as well as the finest collection of traditional Sri Lankan Gems and Jewellery.”
Surmount Ventures 