Best time to visit
Feb - Apr
Visa
On Arrival
Ideal Duration
7 - 8 Days
Website
www.srilanka.travel
Officially popular as Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, this is an island which is situated in the North-east of Maldives and South-east of India. This island could be more than 3000 years old, however, there is documented history of 3000 years. This documented history has the evidences of prehistoric humans and their settlement which are 125,000 years old.
The culture of the country is diverse and has different ethnicities and their religions. The most populous and found ethnicity is Sinhalese. These make the majority residing here, whereas Tamil communities make the minority. However, despite being known as the minority, Tamils have played an influential part in making the significant history of the island. Both these communities have Christians in the majority which are recent converts, keeping their traditional culture intact. On the island, Burghers, Moors, Chinese and Malays are other significant groups, adding to the population of the country.
Sri Lanka is a part of Indian Plate which was earlier a major part of Indo-Australian Plate. There is a land bridge between India and Sri Lanka and the religion and practices are more like common. This land bridge is even described in Hindu Mythology as the link to Lanka, which was the home of Demon Ravana where Devi Sita was kept hostile. Therefore, you indulge more into the religious practices of the country and temples and get glimpses of the Ramayana.
Sri Lanka is a vast country with so many tourist attractions, pristine location and places for adventures. It is a gemstone nation along the Indian Ocean where tourism in Sri Lanka is rapidly adjusting to the needs of the rising clients and a comprehensive range of things to offer to the international visitors. There are a total of eight world heritage sites marked by UNESCO, including some of the temples, telling the 3000 years’ history of ancient practices and all. Some of the names to include are Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Dambulla Cave Temple, Dambulla, Kandy, Polonnaruwa, Sinharaja and colonial fortresses like Galle, Tricolomalee. Despite the popular attractions, it has also secured some of the wilderness for their tourists, including some wild safari tours like Udawalawe National Park, Wilpattu National Wildlife Park, Ridiyagama Safari Park, Wasgamuwa National Park, and much more. You can see leopards, water buffaloes, several migratory birds, elephants, and a lot more.
Going Sri Lanka for the first time is not that hassle task yet you would require a Sri Lanka travel guide to get started. In terms of cheap accommodations, private rooms cost at least $15 per night together with air conditioning. Sri Lankan food is cheap and very delicious. Local foods such as a dish made of chapatti and pancakes cost about $3. Different cuts of meat, eggs, vegetables, or rice will cost you about $5. Moreover, outside the key cities such as Kandy and Colombo, you will find non-Indian and Sri Lankan foods. Nevertheless, go for the local food, as it is super delicious.
The ideal way to move within the country is by trains and Tuk-Tuk. Tuk-Tuk is quite cheap as you have to pay approximately $20 for a whole day visit. Various typical routes to travel by Tuk-Tuk are Galle to Colombo that costs $2, Kandy to Nuwara is around $2, and Jaffna to Colombo is about $3.