Sri
Lanka, a tropical island off the south-eastern coast of Indian subcontinet,
is around 31 kms south of India and 880 kms north of the equator. Situated
in the Indian Ocean, the island covers an area of 65,610 sq.km; from north
to south it is 430 kilometers and at its widest is 225 kms. The central and
south-central regoins of the country are hilly and mountainous, while rest
of the area is mainly flat land. Sri Lanka has a poulation of 19 million,
comprising mainly Buddhists. Other religions include Christianity, Hinduism
and Islam. Main languages of the island are Sinhala, Tamil and English. Sri
Lanka was a British crown colony for more than a century and got
independence in 1948. Despite its smallness, Sri Lanka is known all over the
world for its beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient
monuments and several other delights to please the visitors.
Climate & Clothing
In the low lands, the climate is tropical with an average temperature of 27°C.
In the higher altitude regions, the climate can be quite cool with
temperature dipping to a minimum of 16ºC. The southwest monsoon brings
rain in the western, southern and central regions of the country between May
and July. The northeast monsoon brings rain in the northern and eastern
regions from December to January. Sri Lanka can be visited any time of the
year, as bright sunny days are common with frequent monsoon rains. Cotton
clothing is ideal for summers, while for hill areas you can carry woollens.
Accommodation
Popular hotels in Sri Lanka include Taj Samudra Hotel Colmbo (5 Star/ 25
Galle Face Centre Road), Hotel Taj Exotica (5 Star/ Bentota), The Light
House Hotel Galle (5 Star/ Dadella), Galadari Hotel Colombo (5 Star/ 64,
Lotus Road), Hilton Colombo (5 Star/ Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha),
Cinnamon Grand Resort (5 Star/ 77, Steuart Place), Taj Airport Garden Hotel
Colombo (5 Star/ 234-238,Colombo-Negombo Road), Ceylon Continental Hotel (4
Star/ 48 Janadhipathi Mawatha) and Riverina Hotel (4 Star/ Beruwela).
Attractions
»
Colombo : Colombo the capital of Sri Lanka is a fascinating city and
famous as the commercial centre of the country. First evolved as a fort town
under the Portuguese Colombo became a garden city under British rule. The
capital remains dotted with Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, mosques,
churches, parks, zoo, museums and art galleries.
» Anuradhapura : Located 206 kms away from Colmbo,
Anuradhapura is Sri Lanka's well known ancient city. Founded around the 4th
century B.C., Anuradhapura was the first capital of Sri Lanka. The sacred
city houses a number of Buddhist monuments dating back over 2,200 years.
» Polonnaruwa : Situated at a distance of 216 kms
from Colmbo southeast of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa is the medieval capital
of the country. The city has beautiful parks and gardens and many shrines
and sacred places.
» Kandy : Known as the hill capital of Sri Lanka,
Kandy is located at a distance of 116 kms from Colmbo. Kandy houses numerous
shrines and temples that exhibit rare collections of paintings, frescoes and
stone carvings.
» Dambulla : 148 kms away from Colombo, Dambulla is
famous for its cave temples. Dating back to the 1st century B.C., the cave
temples of Dambulla have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
» Galle : Located at a distance of 116 kms from
Colmbo, Galle is a bustling provincial capital and administrative centre of
the south. The Galle Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1619 is the main
attraction of Galle.
Airports
Bandaranaike International Airport is the only international airport of the
country. The airport is located in Katunayaka at a distance of 35 kms from
Colmbo. Sri Lankan Airlines flies to a number of nternational destinations.
Ratamalana Airport is the major domestic airport located at Colmbo.
Local Modes of Transport
Transportation
in Sri Lanka is based mainly on the road network and railway network. Buses
are the principal mode of transport within the country. Buses of Sri Lanka
Transport Board and private operators run across the country. Trains, taxis
and cars are the other means of transport.
Entertainment Options
Cinema is one of the popular entertainment options for local people. There
are several air-conditioned cinemas in Colombo, which screen American,
British, Continental, East European and Sinhala films. Hindi and Tamil films
are also screened at few cinema halls. Cultural shows like Devil Dancing and
the Kandyan dances are other entertainment options which are regularly
organized at several venues. Most of the star hotels in Sri Lanka have night
clubs that offer dinner, dancing and occasional floor shows.
Adventure Activities
Sri Lanka is an adventure lovers' paradise, for the country offers plenty
of adventure sports. Some of the most famous adventure activities are
caneoing, kayaking, white water rafting, hiking and trekking, mountain
biking, jeep safari, elephant safari, rock climbing, camping, diving, wind
surfing, paragliding, whale watching, banana boating and ballooning.
Shopping
Colmbo is the main shopping centre of Sri Lanka; the capital city has a
large number of shops dealing in a wide range of products. Sri Lanka is
known all over the world for its art and crafts, gems and tea. Among the art
and crafts items one must buy coconut shell ware, wooden masks, lace work,
handloom and pottery. Sri Lanka is ranked as one of the top five gem
producing nations in the world, as much of the surface of country contains
gemstone minerals. Sri Lanka is the leading producer of high quality tea.
What more the visitors are allowed to export 3 kgs of tea as well.
Tourist Office
Sri Lanka Tourist Board
212/1 Bauddhaloka Mawatha,
Colombo 7,
Sri Lanka +94-1-587912, +94-1-5007
