Often referred to as ‘The Original Paradise’ Sri Lanka is a diverse land with an amazing blend of golden beaches, historic temples and sites, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and wildlife. Spectacular steep winding roads lead to dreamlike misty hill stations providing glorious views of lush tea plantations in Sri Lanka. Doing a tour of Sri Lanka is well worth it. Sri Lanka is a great value for money holiday and is a fascinating country to visit. Wedding and honeymoon holidays in Sri Lanka are also very popular.
Apart from the wonderful beaches of course - with nearly 1600km of palm fringed coastline sun baked to perfection - Sri Lanka is a country full of history and culture. With a history expanding over 3000 years, Sri Lanka holds some of world’s most ancient cities including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mihintale, the mountain monastery where Buddhism was first introduced to the island in 247 BC, and, of course, Kandy, home of the Temple of the Tooth. A climb up Sri Lanka’s imposing rock-fortress, Sigiriya, will reward you with breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Sigiriya is a 5th Century AD fortress, and a water garden displays some of the most futuristic elements of landscaping and some of the oldest murals recorded in the country. Of all the ancient cities of Lanka, the most famed and most exquisite is the Kingdom of Anuradhapura. Sri Lanka’s third and the longest serving capital and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world is also one of the most sacred cities of World Buddhists. It was the capital of Sri Lanka from 4th Century BC up to the turn of the 11th Century.
Sri Lanka also boasts a rich array of plants and animals. Of the 91 species of mammals found in Sri Lanka, Asian elephants, sloth bear, leopards and wild buffaloes engage the majority of the attention of wildlife enthusiast. Meanwhile the ocean around Sri Lanka is home to large families of cetaceans including the mighty blue whales, sperm whales and dolphins. Altogether 26 species of cetaceans rule the waters surrounding the country, making it one of the best locations for whale and dolphin watching. But, birds are the glory of Sri Lanka’s wildlife. Boasting nearly 433 bird species of which 233 are resident, Sri Lanka holds 20 endemic species while another 80 species have developed distinct Sri Lankan races, compared to their cousins in Indian mainland.
Please note that Sri Lanka’s west coast is affected by high tides and coastal erosion during the monsoon season (May-Sep) when beaches can all but disappear! Sea bathing in general is inadvisable due to rough seas and strong undercurrents. Always seek the advice of the hotel/local representative.