Island Life of Srilanka
You might say Sri Lanka has been hiding in plain sight. Countless scores of travellers have passed overhead on their way to someplace else, but years of uncertainty kept Sri Lanka off many itineraries.Now, however, all that has changed.The country is moving forward quickly as more and more people discover its myriad charms. Lying between the more trodden parts of India and Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka's history, culture and natural beauty are undeniably alluring. It's the place you haven't been to yet, that you should.ew places have as many Unesco World Heritage Sites (eight) packed into such a small area. Sri Lanka's 2000-plus years of culture can be discovered at ancient sites where legendary temples boast beautiful details even as they shelter in caves or perch on prominent peaks. More recent are evocative colonial fortresses, from Galle to Trincomalee.Across the island, that thing that goes bump in the night might be an elephant heading to a favourite waterhole. Safari tours of Sri Lanka’s pleasantly relaxed national parks encounter leopards, water buffaloes, all manner of birds and a passel of primates.Distances are short: see the sacred home of the world’s oldest living human-planted tree in the morning (Anuradhapura) and stand awestruck by the sight of hundreds of elephants gathering in the afternoon (Minneriya). Discover a favourite beach, meditate in a 2000-year-old temple, exchange smiles while strolling a mellow village, marvel at birds and wildflowers, try to keep count of the little dishes that come with your rice and curry. Wander past colonial gems in Colombo, then hit some epic surf.Sri Lanka is spectacular, affordable and still often uncrowded. Now is the best time to discover it.
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General information
Planning on visiting Sri Lanka? It would seem wise to be aware of a few, general facts about Sri Lanka in order to avoid any surprises and be more familiar with the new and exotic environment that you will find yourself in. Read through to find out a little about the beautiful island nation. Currency: Rupee. Coins: Rs1, Rs2, Rs5, Rs10. Notes: Rs20, Rs50, Rs100, Rs500, Rs1,000, Rs2,000, Rs5,000. Electricity: 230 volts AC Time: GMT plus 5 hours 30 minutes International Dialing Code: + 94 Official name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Area: 65,525 sqkm Location: Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal. Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 74.5%, Sri Lankan Tamils 11.9%, Indian Tamils 4.6%, Moors 7.2%, other 1.8% Time zone: GMT +5 1/2. Daylight saving time is not observed Climate: No marked seasons—two monsoons; Northeast monsoon occurs from December to March and Southwest monsoon occurs from June to October. A tropical climate is observed throughout most of the island, whereas the hill country is cooler Languages: Sinhala, Tamil and English (English is widely spoken throughout Sri Lanka) Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Commercial capital: Colombo Administrative divisions: Nine Provinces; Central, North Central, North, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western and Eastern Province Religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam Independence day: February 4 Holidays: Saturdays and Sundays are generally non working days. Shops and restaurants are open on weekends. Poya is a religious holiday in the Buddhist calendar and is a monthly public, bank and mercantile holiday for all. Most places (all liquor outlets including hotel bars)are closed on Poya Days Major exports: Tea, textiles, gems, rubber, and coconut products Highest peak: Pidurutalagala (Mt Pedro) at 2,524m National bird: Jungle Fowl (Gallus) National tree: Ironwood - Na tree (Mesua nagassarium) National flower: Blue water lily (Nymphaea stellata) Voltage requirements: 230/240 volts AC, 50Hz (Round three-pin plugs are common, with bayonet lamp fittings) Keep in Mind; Credit cards: Accepted in main cities ATM: Common in larger towns Tipping: A service charge of 10% is included in restaurant and hotel bills. A tip above that is appreciated, but it is not compulsory and when tipping drivers use your discretion