Set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to the birth of time.  It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature’s beauty remains abundant and unspoilt.

Few places in the world can offer the traveler such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location.  Within a mere area of  65,610 kilometers lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometers of coastline - much of it pristine beach - 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years.

Also, it has huge Buddhist temples and stone buildings which witness to the history of this country and its historical and religious importance, especially in the central and north-central regions of the island.

This is an island of magical proportions, once known as Serendib, Taprobane, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and Ceylon.

Sri Lanka is famous for producing finest tea, rubber and coconut, as well as exotic spices. Sri Lanka ranked tenth in terms of the diversity of natural environments according to the United Nations classification for countries with heritage. Varieties of animals, birds and other objects are living in these diversified environments. It has blessed with precious Gem stones.

Therefore, Sri Lanka was the focus of the colonists, and it has colonized by Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Because of the external influences, there are numerous religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam.

Sri Lanka is a country plagued by a civil war for three decades. After it ended in May 2009, this beautiful Island became a favorite destination for many tourists. Sri Lanka topped the list of the best selected places to spend summer holidays by travelers from the Middle East in recent times. The tourism statistics shows a considerable increase in the proportion of the number of tourists coming from the Middle East. They have chosen this green Island as a place to spend their summer vacation away from the desert heat, attracted by its features.

Travel tips

Entry

Entry visa can be obtained through online on the link (http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/) after filling the application on the link (eta) and payment of US $ 35 fee for tourist visas. Also Entry visa can be obtained on Arrival at the Bhandaranaike International Airport after paying US $ 40 entry fee.

Also the traveller may enquire with the local Sri Lankan Embassy or travel & tourism offices in this regard.

How to use the site to get an electronic visa

1. Enter into the link (http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/).
2. Choose your preferred language.
3. Click on the tab (APPLY) and then it will show another page which has the terms and conditions. After reading it and the confirmation, Select (I Agree).
4. There will be a page appeared showing the types of electronic visas (Tourist) - (Business) - (Transit). Choose what suits you. And fill out all the fields correctly and accurately in English.
5. Pay the fees.
6. Print e-visa and keep the code number (Confirmation Code).
7. In order to make sure the visa, enter into the link (https://eta.gov.lk/etaslvisa/pages/checkStatus.jsp?locale=en_US) and type the security code (Confirmation Code) and then the passport number and then choose citizenship, then press (Check).

The duration and fees for Visas

• Tourist visa for 40 US dollars for a period of 30 days. (Access only twice).
• Business visa for 50 US dollars for a period of 30 days. (Multiple entry).
• Transit visa does not have visa costs if two days or less.
• Entry visas for children from any nationality under the age of 12 years are free.  

Accommodation

Sri Lanka offers a diverse mix of luxury hotels with scenic nature and archaeological sites that make this Island a good place for families and travelers looking for relaxation and comfort.

Sri Lanka offers many options for the accommodation, hotels at all levels, resorts, villas and chalets in all cities. There are some cities that may not have five-star hotels, but 4 stars and below. Those hotels are in good condition.

Five-star hotels in the capital city of Colombo (Hotels in Colombo):

• Shangri-La
• Cinnamon Grand
• Cinnamon Lake
• Hilton
• Kingsbury
• Galadari
• Taj Samudra etc.

Sri Lanka considered one of the countries which have multiple tourist cities. Travelling among those cities needs prior arrangements for accommodation and transport.

Therefore, we suggest the tourists to communicate with a travel & tourism office before traveling well in advance in order to make sure the bookings for accommodation are available, and preferably get the drivers from travel & tourism offices.

Places of Entertainment

Colombo

Colombo, commercial hub and capital of Sri Lanka, is the first stop for the majority of visitors, where the most of the shops, restaurants and banks located. President’s Palace, National Museum, Museum of the Arts, as well as a number of Temples and Mosques are some of the landmarks of this city.

Colombo is throbbing city that reflects the trade culture of the past and showcases some historic colonial buildings. The city served as the principal seaport in the past and it continues to do so.

Colombo is situated on the east-west coast of Sri Lanka and its strategic position grabbed the attention of the traders some 2000 years ago. The temperature in Colombo is around 27 degrees during the day time.

Tourist places in Colombo

• Shopping Centers like Majestic City, Odel, Laksala, House of Fashions.
• Leisure World Water Park in Avissawella which is two hours away from Colombo.
• National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwala.

 

Kandy

Kandy is a beautiful city away from Colombo around 115 kilometers, and situated 500 meters above sea level.

Kandy is the large city in central Sri Lanka. It's set on a plateau surrounded by mountains, which are home to tea plantations and biodiverse rainforest. The city's heart is scenic Kandy Lake (Bogambara Lake), which is popular for strolling and dug during the era of King “Sri Wickramarajasingha" in 1782. Kandy is famed for sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) shrine, built in 1593 during the era of King "Wimaladharma Suriya”.

Entertainment places in Kandy

• On the way to Kandy you may stop at the spice garden in "Mawanella" and watch a lot of plants in the garden, medicines, oils extracted from them.
• The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: it is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, on the way from Colombo to Kandy. If the visitor likes elephants and nature this place would be a suitable place before arriving in Kandy. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department in a 25 acre coconut property adjoining the Maha Oya River. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned Elephants found in the jungles of Sri Lanka.
• Peradeniya Botanical Garden: As Sri Lanka’s largest garden established in 1912 an elegant and spacious 147-acres (60-hectares) plenty of time is needed to stroll Peradeniya’s imposing Avenue of Royal Palms.
• Kandy is famous as a popular market for wooden statues handicrafts and antiques, especially elephants, as well as antiques and gifts made of various metals. Also Kandy is characterized by colorful arts religious rituals.
• Tour around the Kandy Lake and the surrounding highlands.
• Visit "Kandy City Centre" shopping a mall.

 

Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara-Eliya located in the 'heart' of Sri Lanka at an elevation of 1980 meters in the central highlands.

Nuwara Eliya is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. This city is located around 160 kilometers away from the capital Colombo. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Asia at all.

Nuwara Eliya is often referred to by the Sri Lankan tourist industry as ‘Little England’.

The city is famous for its beautiful hotels and houses, offices built according to English architecture. This beautiful city blessed with finest landscapes in Asia, which is filled with forests and waterfalls and green mountains covered by monsoon rains.

Weather in Nuwara Eliya almost cool and have an annual temperature of 14 degrees.

Entertainment places in Nuwara Eliya

• Waterfalls: Sri Lanka has large number of waterfalls, such as Ramboda Falls (100 meters), Devon falls (86 meters) and (Sent Clair) (73 meters).
• Tea plantations on the road and Tea Factories: Sri Lanka produces the best Tea in the world. Tea production is one of the main sources of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka.
• Most of the visitors who visit the central region of this country love to visit tea plantations, and taste the tea at the "tea shops" set up in some of the tea plantations.
• Hakgala botanical garden
• Horton Plains (Worlds end).
• Victoria Park close to the "Grand" Hotel.
• Ambewela Farms.
• Gregory Lake

 

Dambulla

Dambulla is a large town, situated in the Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka, situated 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy.

Entertainment places in Dambulla

• Sigiriya: is an ancient rock fortress. The name refers to a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 metres (660 ft) high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.

• Elephant Safari in "Habarana".
• Minneriya National Park in "Kandalama".
• Sri Pada or Adam's Peak

Though not the highest mountain of Sri Lanka, the striking pyramid of Adam's Peak (7,360 ft) is certainly the most remarkable. A depression in the rocky summit resembles a huge footprint, which has been venerated as a sacred sigh from remote antiquity. This was identified by Buddhists as the Buddha's footprint, by Hindus as that of Shiva, and by Muslims as Adam's. Later the Portuguese attributed it to St. Thomas the Apostle.

Anuradhapura

The sacred city of Anuradhapura, now in picturesque ruins, was once a major center of Sri Lankan civilization. The fascinating ancient ruins include huge bell-shaped stupas built of small sun-dried bricks, temples, sculptures, palaces, and ancient drinking-water reservoirs.

Although people may have lived in this area since as early as the 10th century BC, Anuradhapura became a great city after the arrival of a cutting from the Bodhi Tree ('tree of enlightenment'), the Buddha's fig tree, in the 3rd century BC. The sacred branch was brought to Sri Lanka by Sanghamitta, the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns.

 

Beaches

Sri Lanka is endowed with over a thousand miles of beautiful golden beaches that are fringed with coconut palms making it the ideal destination for a beach holiday. A large percentage of luxurious resorts and villas as well as budget hotels are located along the coastal areas to offer tourists some of the best beach holidays in Sri Lanka.

Beaches in Sri Lanka

• Negambo
• Mount Lavinia
• Beruwala
• Bentota
• Unawatuna
• Hikkaduwa
• Mirissa

Gems

The Gem industry in Sri Lanka has been in existence for over 2500 years.

Sri Lanka has the highest density of gem deposits compared to its landmass. “Ratnapura” region contains the most gem deposits and derived its name from the gem industry. Ratnapura means “city of gems”. Other areas which largely have gem deposits are “Palmadulla”, “Balangoda”, “Nivithigala” and “Eheliyagoda”.

Wildlife

Despite its small size Sri Lanka boasts of one of the highest rates of biological endemism in the world whether in plants or animals and is included among the top five biodiversity hotspots in the world. Of the ninety-one species of mammals found in Sri Lanka Asian elephants, sloth bear, leopards, sambar and wild buffaloes engages the majority of the attention of wildlife enthusiast. Yet the rarest mammals of Sri Lanka are the red slender Loris, Toque Macaque, and Purple-faced Langur, who according to IUCN clarifications are endangered due to habitat loss.

Meanwhile the ocean around Sri Lanka is home to large families of cetaceans including the mighty blue whales, sperm whales and lively dolphins. Altogether 26 species of cetaceans rule the waters surrounding the country, making it one of the best locations for whale and dolphin watching.  

Despite the mighty elephants and rare amphibians found in the country birds are the glory of the 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.

Although less celebrated, Sri Lanka has one of the richest diversity of amphibians in the world, containing over 106 species of amphibians of over 90 of which are endemic. The country has long claimed to have the highest amphibian species density in the world with a high concentration in the Sinharaja rainforest.

Adventures

Sri Lanka is an island that promises all kinds of adventures. This little nation of the magnificent vistas and awesome adventures has something for all the adventurers that go seeking their adrenalin fix to Sri Lanka. There’s everything from surfing to paragliding to whale watching to hiking to be done while in Sri Lanka.

 

Festivals

With a population composed with many a races and religions, Sri Lanka is never short of festivals and celebrations. Every month brings a celebration either religious or cultural importance, making Sri Lanka one of the countries with highest number of celebrations and holidays.

The Sinhala-Tamil New year festival in April is the most important cultural festival in the country. The festival marks the beginning of the New Year and the end of harvesting season.