Sri Lanka

Pearl of the Indian Ocean

Sri Lanka is an island that everyone loves at some level inside themselves. A very special island that travellers, from Sinbad to Marco Polo, dreamed about. A place where the contours of the land itself forms a kind of sinewy poetry
Romesh Gunesekera

Sri Lanka is a small island almost like a tiny tear drop that lies in the Indian Ocean which is popularly referred to as the “pearl” of the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka has splendid beaches for water lovers and it is well known for scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing on famous beaches. Apart from water spots Sri lanka has palaces, reservoirs, parks, temples, monasteries, monuments and works of art bore testament to the character, imagination, culture, philosophy and faith of the people of Sri Lanka.

Top places in Sri Lanka

Colombo

Gangaramaya Temple, Galle Face Green, Mount Lavinia Beach

Sigiriya

Ancient city ruins, climbing

Kandy

Tooth Relic, International Buddhist Museum, Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage, Perandeniya Botanical Gardens, Ceylon Tea Museum, Spice Garden

Bentota

Madu Ganga River Safari, Galle Dutch Fort, Cinnamon Island, Water Sports, Beaches, Turtle Hatchery

Trips in Sri Lanka

3 Nights / 4 Days

Stunning Sri Lanka

4 Nights / 5 Days

Weekend Getaway to Sri Lanka

5 Nights / 6 Days

Explore Sri Lanka

6 Nights / 7 days

Best of Sri Lanka

7 Nights / 8 Days

Ramayana Trail

About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a small island almost like a tiny tear drop that lies in the Indian Ocean which is sometimes known by other names such as “The Lost Paradise”, “The Land Of Serendipity”, “The Resplendent Land” and “The Pearl Of The Indian Ocean” among others by non-natives . Sri Lanka lies to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. The island seperates itself from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait (named after James Palk ). According to the Indian epic poem Ramayana, written thousands of years ago in Sanskrit and an important Hindu text, states how Rama, with the help of an army of vanaras, built a bridge of stones across the sea to Lanka to rescue his wife Sita from the Asura king Ravana.

The climate of Sri Lanka can be described as tropical and warm which is an excellent condition to house one of the world’s largest bio-diversities.

Sri Lanka is known for its splendour and new life experiences ranging from mouth-watering delicacies to its extraordinary culture and glamorous festivals. Long before civilization took place in the west Sri Lanka was already full of vitality , beauty and a well-civilized culture providing a home for many ethnic groups. The cities, palaces, reservoirs, parks, temples, monasteries, monuments and works of art bore testament to the character, imagination, culture, philosophy and faith of the people of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is an island which is situated in the northern eastern side of the Indian ocean. The Polk straight separates Sri Lanka from India. Bay of Bengal is situated to the west of Sri Lanka whereas India is situated to the east of Sri Lanka. Colombo is considered to be the biggest city in the coastal line.it is also the commercial city in Sri Lanka. The land area is about 65610sqkms.The longest distance from north to east is 44km.The right half of the country is narrow and it is 220km in length. The coastal line spreads to 1300km.Srilanka is a country with different temperature levels and climatic changes. Furthermore the coastal area spreading around the country and the natural forests enhance the bio diversity of the country. The most remarkable fact is that the tourists who visit Sri Lanka will get the opportunity to witness all these things within a short time period.The population of Sri Lanka is nearly 20 million while the majority is Sinhalese. Agriculture plays the most important role of the economy of Sri Lanka.

Best time to travel:

First, here are some facts about Sri Lanka’s climate:

Sri Lanka is a year-round tropical destination.
Monsoon is a major factor that may affect your Sri Lanka trip as it can bring rainfall. Sri Lanka experiences two monsoons every year, what’s more, the monsoons affect different parts of Sri Lanka. From May to August, the South-west Monsoon (Yala Monsoon) brings rain to the south and west coast and central Hill Country (such as Nuwara Eliya); from October to January, a weaker second monsoon (Maha Monsoon) hits the north and east of the island and central Cultural Triangle(Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa).
There is also an inter-monsoon period in October and November, during which rainfall can occur across the island.
The plus side of monsoon is that, whenever you come to Sri Lanka, you will find good weather on some parts of the island.

Therefore, January, February, March and April are the best months of the year to visit Sri Lanka when most parts of it are not affected by monsoon. In addition, May, August and December are also good time to visit Sri Lanka.

Best Time To Visit Different Parts Of Sri Lanka

Destinations	Dry Season (Best Season)	Wet Season (Monsoon)	Annual Average Temperature (Celsius Degree)
West Coast (Galle, Bentota, Colombo, Negombo)	December-March	May-August	27
South Coast (Weligima, Matara, Tangalle, Yala)	December-March	May-August	27
The Cultural Triangle (Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa)	May-September	October-January	20-25
North & East Coast (Passikudah, Trincomalee, Arugam Bay, Batticaloa)	May-September	October-January	25
Kandy & the Hill Country (Nuwara Eliya)	December-March	May-August	16

National Symbols

National language	Sinhalese & Tamil
National Tree	Ceylon ironwood (naa)
National Flower	The water lily
National Bird	The Sri Lankan junglefowl
National Animal	There is no official national animal in Sri Lanka even though the elephant, lion, and grizzled giant squirrel are locally considered as such. Lions are the most celebrated animal for Sinhalese people, symbolizing heraldry. The Sri Lankan lion is a prehistoric subspecies of lion.

National Dress	Men’s traditional dress is the sarong/dhoti and shirt and women’s traditional dress is a sari.
National Sports	Men’s traditional dress is the sarong/dhoti and shirt and women’s traditional dress is a sari.
Currency	Sri Lankan Rupee
National Day	4th of February

Food	Sri Lankan cuisine is very unique and exotic. The culinary delicacies of Sri Lanka is very aromatic and healthy. Most of the time the recipes have some influence from the colonists and Indian and Arab traders from back in time.
Arts & Crafts	Sri Lanka has a proud heritage of arts and crafts and you’ll find a distinctive memento to take home among the wide range of items for sale in Colombo. Popular handicrafts include gold and silver jewellery set with gems, wooden masks, intricate lace-work, lacquerwork and ceramics.
Architecture	The architecture of ancient Sri Lanka displays a rich diversity, varying in form and architectural style from one end of the country to another. Predominantly religious, Buddhism has had a great impact on the style of architecture in this region, with more than 25 styles of Buddhist monasteries – including the Stupas of Jetavanaramaya and Ruvanvelisaraya in the Anuradhapura kingdom.
Living Culture	The culture of Sri Lanka mixes modern elements with traditional aspects and is known for its regional diversity. Sri Lankan culture has long been influenced by the heritage of Theravada Buddhism passed on from India, and the religion’s legacy is particularly strong in Sri Lanka’s southern and central regions. South Indian cultural influences are especially pronounced in the northernmost reaches of the country. The history of colonial occupation has also left a mark on Sri Lanka’s identity, with Portuguese, Dutch, and British elements having intermingled with various traditional facets of Sri Lankan culture. Additionally, Indonesian culture has also influenced certain aspects of Sri Lankan culture. Culturally, Sri Lanka, particularly the Sinhalese people, possesses strong links to both India and Southeast Asia.

Getting To Sri Lanka

By Air

The easiest way to reach Sri Lanka is by taking a flight from India and reaching there probably on the same day of your departure. Sri Lanka has a busy international airport and it is called the Bandaranaike Internal Airport. Located in Colombo, Sri Lankan flights from the major countries of the world arrive here.
By Road

Being a separate island country away from India, Sri Lanka is completely inaccessible by train and road. Sri Lanka is easily accessible by air. SriLankan Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, Mihin Lanka, Air Asia, Oman Air and many other airlines operate flights to and from Sri Lanka.
By Sea

There used to be ferry services from Chennai to Colombo that carried tourists from one country to the other at economic rates. However, the services were suspended indefinitely in 2011 for various reasons. Now, there are just a few ships that operate from Mumbai port that take you to Colombo on a luxurious cruise-liner. The 7-day cruise departs at Mumbai and reaches Colombo, taking you to all the essential destinations like Kandy and Nuwara Eliya along the way. The prices depend on the luxury class you intend to travel in and also feature a few adventure and water sports during the course of the cruise. The packages also feature a number of live shows and entertainment options on board and feature a fixed itinerary with preplanned places to see and things to do. Though cruise ships are fun, the best way to reach Sri Lanka is by taking a direct flight from the Indian cities. Since the seas also get violent during storms and monsoons, it is best to go for flights when you are looking for a fun holiday.