The South Asian country of Sri Lanka can be found just off the southern coast of India and is known as the "jewel of the Indian Ocean". They share much in common with their Indian neighbours such as language, religion and a common culture but although mainly Hindu; it has one of the last remaining Buddhist cultures in South Asia. Sri Lanka changed its name from Ceylon in 1972 and its population is split into different communities, with the majority being Sinhalese.
It is located three degrees north of the Equator which gifts perennial sunshine; there are tropical forests and hundreds of miles of palm-fringed golden sand beaches from the popular southern coast to the deep south and untouched expanses of the north and east, and it"s all surrounded by the rich blue of the Indian Ocean. Combined together, they help make Sri Lanka the exotic paradise you see today.
Recovering gracefully from the effects of the tragic tsunami in December 2004, there is plenty to see and do. Delve into the country"s history and follow their traditions and customs through the Unesco World Heritage Sites including the sacred cities of Anuradhapura and Kandy, the ancient cities of Pollonaruwa and Sigiriya, the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, the Old Town of Galle plus the Golden Temple of Dambulla. These offer palaces, cliff-top citadels and colonial strongholds that represent over 3,000 years of history. There are also museums and art galleries and the Ramayana Trail which follows the intriguing story of a legend.
Discover the trades that made Sri Lanka famous like their production and export of rubber, tea and coffee, coconuts and the native produce of cinnamon. Enjoy the Dutch, Victorian British and Portuguese inspired architecture when you visit the other main cities including Hambantota, Jaffna, Kalutara, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara, Eliya, Ratnapura and Sri Lanka"s commercial capital of Colombo, which was once considered a garden city and still offers accessible areas of green and abundant wildlife around its metropolis.
Committed to their natural environment, you can find a wealth of parks and gardens and about 100 waterfalls including the imposing Bambarakanda, which stands at 263m. The captivating hill country in the heart of the island is a haven for lovers of scenic natural history. The landscapes are surreal with majestic mountains shrouded in mist, quaint villages perched on hilltops, verdant rolling tea plantations and cool climes with ecotourism guided tours in operation to see their climate, diversity and ecosystems at work. Other nature guided tours include whale and bird watching, elephants, monkeys, turtles, reptiles and sloth bears. The hill country also offers activities such as fishing, rock and mountain climbing, golf and trekking.
Watersports are another popular activity with surfing off Mirissa and Arugam Bay, wind-surfing in Tangalle, wake-boarding in Negombo and most other activities available in Bentota. Diving and snorkelling is hugely attractive in Sri Lanka due to the fact that the Indian Ocean houses many historical ship wrecks and its coastline is surrounded by a wide coral reef and colourful marine diversity of tropical fish and other aquatic life. Some of the larger species on offer include barracuda, whale sharks and different varieties of turtle when exploring around Pigeon Island on the east coast and at the Marine Sanctuary in Hikkaduwa on the west coast.
