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Sri Lanka located in the southern tip of India has become increasingly
popular as a travel destination. About twenty million people
reside on this relatively small island that used to be called
as Ceylon. People who come over to Sri Lanka can expect a great
beach holiday where Hikkaduwa is well known for its beach-resorts
and for its brooding turtles.
The country is proud of its warm sandy beaches with calm clear
water which give way to majestic mountains and lush tea plantations
rising out of the hill country. Some of the worlds engineering
marvels like Sigiriya and the Anuradhapura ancient cities are
all part of Sri Lanka. Marco Polo himself called it "the finest
island of its size in the world."
Fact File
Official Name : Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka
Government :Democracy
Nationality : Sri Lankan
Ethnic groups : Sinhalese 74%,
Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Location : Sri Lanka is located
off the southern tip of India.
Continent : Asia
Currency : Sri Lanka Rupee(LKR)
; 1 LKR = 0.4358 INR = 0.01001 USD = 0.008285 Euro (subject
to change).
Capital city : Colombo
Population : 18,500,000
Languages : Sinhala, Tamil, with
English widely-spoken
Religion : Buddhism, Hinduism,
Islam & Christianity
Area : 25,322 square miles
Famous for : Lush jungles, abundant
wildlife, cool mountains and glorious beaches
Major cities : Colombo, Kandy,
Galle.
Clothing : Light cottons, lightweight
suits and loose clothing, hats, sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen
lotion, insect repellent, etc. The hill towns require warmer
evening wear.
Major events : Kandy Esala Perahera
(July/August), the Duruthu Perahera (January), held in Colombo,
which celebrates a visit by Buddha to Sri Lanka, National Day
(February), New Year (March/April, Vesak (May), the Hindu Vel
festival (July/August) in Colombo, the predominantly Hindu Kataragama
festival (July/August) in Kataragama.
Things to Buy : Silk sarees, handicraft
items, tea, gems, jewelry.
Things to do : Adventure sports
like Biking, white water rafting, paragliding, canoeing, jungle
camping and elephant and wildlife safari.
Cuisine: Rice and curry, dishes
of vegetables, meat and fish. Indian curries such as vegetarian
thali, delicately flavoured biriyani and kool, a boiled, fried
and dried-in-the-sun vegetable combo. Hoppers is a unique Sri
Lankan snack, served with egg or honey and yoghurt. Coastal
towns have excellent fish like the local tuna.
Beverages : Tea and Beer.
Visa Permit
Visa is not required for stay of up to 30 days for tourist purposes
only. 30 days visa is issued at the border free of charge. Long
stay (3 months) visas are available only in advance.
Culture
Sri Lankan culture is an amalgamation of diverse cultural patterns
both indigenous and derived from, trade, religions, as well
as, western colonization. The cultural patterns of Sri Lanka
today show the lasting impact of a diverse range of cultures.
The overall culture is largely the result of the impact of the
introduction of Buddhism, more than 2,300 years ago. This does
not remove the heavy influence of Hinduism, together with the
lesser impact of Islam, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity, in
addition to the pre-Buddhist worship of deities and animism,
some of which still remain in the traditions and rituals of
the country.
When to go
Climatically the driest and best seasons are from December to
March on the west and south coasts and in the hill country,
and from May to September on the east coast
It does not rain all the Time. Reefs may protect a beach area
and make swimming quite feasible at places like Hikkaduwa, which
during the monsoon can be quite pleasant.
Climate
Average temperatures are: January/March 22 - 28 (degree celcius)
April/June 27- 30(degree celcius); July/September 25- 28(degree
celcius); October/December 20 - 25(degree celcius). Temperatures
in the highlands are normally some 7 - 9(degree celcius) cooler.
The main High Season is November/April, when the weather is
normally settled and sea conditions permit watersports. May/August
is the usual monsoon period on the west coast
Getting There
By Air : The only way to enter
Sri Lanka is by flying. The Bandaranaike International Airport
is the only international airport in the country located 35
km. north of Colombo and Srilankan Airways is the international
airways in the country.
Colombo is the international gateway for direct flights from
Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
Getting Around
By Road : There are no domestic
passenger flights in Sri Lanka, which leaves buses and trains
as the dominant modes of transport. Motorbike and self-drive
car hire are becoming increasingly popular comfortable. It's
common to rent a car with a driver for a day trip or a few days'
tour of the island.
By Train : Train travel, while
slower, is more comfortable. The trains are the most cheapest
traveling method in Sri Lanka. From the Pettah railway station
which is the central railway station travelers can take their
trains to different destinations. You can take trains to most
of the important places in the island. Badulla, Colombo Fort,
Kandy, Maradana, Matara, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee and Vavunia
are various cities connected by the railways.
Local transport consists of buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws.
Use your nous and agree a fare beforehand.
Major attractions
Colombo(capital city) : Colombo,
the island's largest city, is noisy, wild - and just a little
crazy. The city is made up of 15 small towns, each of them being
unique. One such town Maradana is perhaps the most densely populated
areas within the whole country. In stark contrast the fort area
is almost completely devoid of houses or apartments. Many of
the high rises in the country are concentrated near the Fort,
which gets its name from being a British fortress in the 19th
Century.
To the north of the centre is the Fort district, the country's
business centre. South is Galle Face Green, a seafront expanse
of occasional green graced by cricket games and trysting lovers.
Cinammon Gardens, further south, is the most fashionable neighbourhood,
with mansions and tree-lined streets.
Sri Lanka Beaches : Over one thousand
kilometers of palm fringed sandy beaches encircle the Island.
Sri Lanka is never out of season for a beach holiday. There
is always some part of the beach that has friendly and warm
waters. The beach resorts in the North Coast, West Coast, East
Coast and the South Coast are popular among the tourists who
enjoy taking a dip in the warm waters and relaxing on the sandy
beach.
The important beaches in the country are:
North Coast - Jaffna beach, Mannar
Island
West Coast - Negombo beach, Mount
Lavinia
East Coast - Batticaloa beach,
Trincomalee beach, Nilaveli beach, Arugam bay
South Coast - Berawela Beach, Bentota
beach, Ambalangoda beach and Galle beach
How to plan your tours:
We are pioneer travel agents and tour operators for International
tours. We also offer most ideal tours itineraries to explore
Indian tourism destinations. For more tour options write us
your choice of destinations to design a tour for you with travel
period and budget to: info@easytravelindia.com
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