Sri Lanka is a Unique

Sri Lanka will surprise and delight. It is a country with a long and proud history. You’ll be amazed at the diversity of landscapes, climates and things you can see and do within small travel distances. We will help you create a great trip, ensuring you take in all the sights and experiences.

Ceylon Tea

Sri Lanka is home to the best tea in the world and is one of the largest exporters. Learn about the great tea industry,  meet planters in their homes, walk through lush green manicured tea fields, understand and learn the ancient art of making tea, take an old tea train through the mountains.

Buddhism and the Sacred Tooth Relic

Sri Lanka is a cradle of Buddhism. Monks in robes, temples, temple trees and flowers, chanting, blood red skies, sacred hidden caves, reclining Buddhas, banyan trees, ancient art and iconography depicting scenes from the Ramayana and Mahavansa chronicles.

Gems: The Tear Drops of Buddha
“The interior of this mountain (Adam’s Peak) produces red rubies, blue sapphires, yellow oriental topaz, and other gems; they have each and every precious stone. Whenever heavy rain occurs, the water rushes out of the earth and flows down amidst the sand, and the people search in the sand for the stones. They say that the precious stones are the crystallized tears of Buddha.”

Wonders of the Ancient World
There are 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Cultural Triangle alone. Sigiriya Rock is a great fortress built in the 5th century AD by King Kasyapa who murdered his father to behold his kingdom. In 14 years he built a great fortress in the sky, to protect himself from the rightful heir, his brother, who had sworn revenge and returned from India to fight an epic battle unto death with armies of warrior elephants. The ancient cities of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, hidden monasteries, cave temples and sacred rocks.
 

Extraordinary Wildlife
Sri Lanka is amongst the most bio-diverse countries in the world, and a little known fact is that it has the world’s largest density of leopards in Yala National Park. Monkeys, crocs, elephants, innumerable species of birds, lizards, deer… The Horton Plains in the mountains at 1800 meters look like the African savannah whilst Uda Wallawwe National Park is ripped by the Wallawwe River where you swim by the camp site every morning and enjoy views of the interior mountains.

The Story of Spices and Sri Lanka’s Colonial Heritage
500 years of colonization by the Portuguese, the British and the Dutch have left the remains of beautiful colonial architecture and period furniture. A journey around Sri Lanka is an opportunity to understand how the prospect of extraordinary profit attracted and confronted Europe’s colonial powers. Understanding the anthropology of Sri Lanka with communities like the Burghers of European descent or the Kaffirs, descendants of African slaves who were brought here by the Portuguese and Dutch to build their forts and bastions. The impact of colonisation on Sri Lanka’s customs, language and food bare their mark on Sri Lanka.

Palm-fringed Beaches
Sri Lanka has excellent beaches all around the island and they are all very different. Whales and dolphins can be seen in Kalpitiya and Mirissa. Fishing communities abound all around the coastline. Explore the wide open beaches of Bentota or the shell-shaped coves further south in Tangalle. Dive to the depths of the ocean to explore numerous shipwrecks and amazing coral reefs. Or try world-class surfing in Hikkaduwa or Arugam Bay.

Bawa: A Prolific and Inventive Architect
Geoffrey Bawa was one of the most important architects of the 20th century. He built many private homes, 12 spectacular hotels, and a university campus. Bawa has legions of disciples who spread his style around the world. He died in 2003 at 84. A journey around Sri Lanka is a chance to connect with the works and vision of this extraordinary man.

Sri Lanka is best place to Travel

Sri Lanka is really one of the most amazing countries in the world. It has marvelous waterfalls, tropical rainforests, and vast mountain scenery. It has become a famous destination with so many tourists staying in holiday villas with self-catering holiday apartments. Sri Lanka is indeed a country blessed with ancient cities, white sandy beaches, lush greenery, attractive landscapes, and very hospitable people. A land of hope, wonder and mystery, all who step on to shores of Sri Lanka are soon enthralled with the beautiful landscapes, friendly people and the magic all around.
On the amazing geographical features such as wetlands, lagoons, tropical rain woods and rivers, copiously surrounded by a broad expanse of scenic beaches and crystal-clear waters at the fringes; on the varied indigenous flora and fauna; and obviously, to the rich cultural variety on the men and women - a nicely assimilated mix of ethnicity, religion, festivals, customs and traditions, and food, descriptive with the island's continuous encounter with foreign traders and immigrants through its colored background.

Discover a world of attractions that include historical monuments, fortresses as well as religious sites, beautiful nature related attractions and more. Travel to the ancient fortress of Sigiriya, journey in to heart of Sinharaja Rainforest, or bask in the calm and clear blue waters of Hikkaduwa. From a proud history, strong religious past to modern day facilities and activities on the beach and in the city, Sri Lanka offers something for everyone.

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 war and challenges such as tsunamis have kept Sri Lanka off many itineraries. But now, as you have probably heard that the war was over and Sri Lanka’s looking up.

Sri Lanka’s attributes are many. Few places have as many Unesco World Heritage Sites (eight) packed into such a small area. Its 2000-plus years of culture can be discovered at ancient sites filled with mystery. Legendary temples boast beautiful details crafted by artisans through the centuries.

Across whole swaths of the country, 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, grouchy water buffaloes, all manner of birds and a passel of primates.

When you are ready to escape the tropical climate of the coast and lowlands, head for the hills, which are verdant, virescent and virally infectious with allure. Impossibly green tea plantations and rainforested peaks beckon walkers, trekkers or just those who want to see it on a spectacular train ride. There are the beaches with dazzlingly white and all so often untrod, they ring the island so that no matter where you go, you will be near a sandy gem. Should you beat the inevitable languor, you can surf and dive world-class sites without world-class crowds.

Distances are short: see the sacred home of the world’s oldest living tree in the morning in Anuradhapura and stand awestruck by the sight of hundreds of elephants gathering in the afternoon in Minneriya. Find a favourite beach to call your own, 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. Stroll past colonial gems in Colombo and then hit some epic surf.

Sri Lanka is spectacular, it’s affordable and it’s still mostly uncrowded. Now is the best time to discover it.

Sri Lanka - Best Place for Family Holidays

Sri Lanka is a wonderful place to enjoy a family holiday and for children of all ages. There are so many experiences to be had whether its seeing an elephant in the wild for the first time; spotting a blue whale off Mirissa, the largest mammal to have ever existed on the planet; learning how rice grows and is harvested; discovering the health properties of spices and rainforest plants and understanding the basic ideas behind Buddhism by visits to some of the island’s temples.

Accommodation

Almost all of the hotels and villas are geared up for welcoming families with fantastic facilities, and friendly, experienced staff. The concept of the family is as important in Sri Lanka as anywhere and so you will find that travelling with your children and loved ones will actually enrich your journey through the island.

Families with young children

For families with children a beach holiday in Sri Lanka is probably the best option. Between September and March the south coast is ideal. The currents can be strong but there are safe bathing beaches and pools. Wijaya Beach, close to Galle, is particularly good for young children as there is a large pool sheltered by a reef, so the water is shallow and the waves are not too high. There are several luxury villas and hotels on this stretch of coast with large suites and interconnecting rooms that are suitable for families.

A family holiday itinerary in Sri Lanka should include a visit to the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage where children can see baby elephants being bottle-fed and also the elephants bathing in the river. Many of these are wild elephants that have been rescued after injury and sickness. The Elephant Gathering in Minneriya National Park, which takes place between July and September is a must if you are in Sri Lanka at this time. It is thought to be the largest coming together of the animals in the world and is a real wildlife spectacle.

Families with older children

For older children staying in a tented safari in Yala National Park is a popular way to spend part of a family holiday in Sri Lanka. A BBC study has found this area of land in Sri Lanka’s deep south to have the highest density of leopards in the world. It is great fun traveling along dirt roads in a jeep, looking out for the elusive cats, sloth bears, pythons and rare birds.

If you are considering taking a family holiday in Sri Lanka with older children, then there are plenty of other adventure activities to try. These include white water rafting in Kitulgala, which was the setting for the film Bridge over the River Kwai. Another wonderful way of discovering true Sri Lanka is walking through the Knuckles Mountain Range where you will come across remote villages, stunning views and waterfalls.

For those feeling really energetic, then it is well worth climbing Adam’s Peak, one of the highest mountains on the island and a place that is sacred for four religions.

Families who are interested in history and culture will find that their imaginations come alive in Sri Lanka’s ancient cities. Anuradhapura is home to soaring red brick dagobas, which until a few years ago were covered in plants and trees after lying abandoned for almost one thousand years. Sigiriya Rock Fortress is also fascinating; especially to imagine that King Kasyapa lived here in the 5th century and even bathed in luxurious baths right on top of the rock.

The incredible variety of landscapes, climates and activities make Sri Lanka a fantastic destination for a family holiday. Sri Lankan government has given top priority for this sector and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has been in the process of upgrading Sri Lanka Tourism and visitors can enjoy freely in the peaceful environment.

Sourced from SrilankaInStyle

Arrival of 1,000,000 th Tourist to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Tourism has achieved record-breaking One Million Tourist Arrivals in 2012 and the revenue Hit Over 1 Billion US$. Sri Lanka warmly welcomed the guest Ms.Jiang Ying and her husband Mr.Yang Bo who arrived in Sri Lanka via flight UL 889 from Beijing at 10.00 p.m. on 30th December. Sri Lanka Tourism took steps to arrange a special ceremony to welcome the 1,000,000th guest. Sri Lanka Tourism were given special gifts for being the lucky couple from China to pass the milestone, so that their next stay in Sri Lanka will be absolutely free.

Ms Jiang Ying being the happy visitor to arrive in Sri Lanka as the 1,000,000th tourist for the year 2012, said "I had heard a lot about Sri Lanka from my friends. I found out details about your country before deciding my holiday destination. I was simply bewitched by the photos on the internet. Sri Lanka is as beautiful and breathtaking as presented in the photos. Moreover, Sri Lankans are very hospitable and kind."

The 950 000th tourist landed in Sri Lanka on the 18th of this month, allowing the tourist industry to rejoice over its success in achieving the set target of 950,000 arrivals for the year 2012. However, all the previous arrival records of the Sri Lanka tourism history were broken with the arrival of the 1,000,000th tourist in Sri Lanka. Compared to the previous year, the present number of tourist arrivals indicates a growth of 17 %. Besides, the total revenue also surpassed 1 billion US$.

Sri Lanka Tourism

Sri Lanka which is the finest island in the whole world as endorsed by the famous explorer Marco Polo of the 12th Century had been a great tourism destination for centuries particularly for European Travellers. However the 30 year long internal conflict and terrorism had a negative impact of Tourism and the growth of the industry got stagnated. But after the end of the conflict in 2009 the country’s tourism prospects look promising. In 2010 immediately after the end of the war Sri Lanka had a growth of 46% in Tourism arrivals. From 2009 to 2011 the Tourism arrivals got doubled with the number of arrivals reaching 855,975 as at end 2011. In 2012, post office worldwide holiday costs barometer named Sri Lanka as the best valued destination for holidays

Sri Lankan Government has identified tourism as a vital area in the policy framework of defines by his excellences the president Mahinda Rajapaksha. It has been identified as capable of effectively driving the country's socio economic development. The program's vision for the tourism sector is to make Sri Lanka the foremost leisure destination in the South Asian Region. The program believes the human resources and natural and cultural endowments values and ethos will be fundamental in transforming Sri Lanka into a centre of excellence and offer tourists the highest values of authentic experiences in its unique setting. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) is committed towards transforming Sri Lanka to be Asia’s foremost tourism destination. The SLTDA will strive to develop diverse, unique and quality tourism services and products that would make Sri Lanka as a unique destination, globally.

 Sri Lanka has three advantages to be positioned as one of best Tourism destinations in the world firstly it is a genuine Tourism destination, Secondly it is a compact island of 65,610 sqkm where a tourist can travel the length and breadth of the country within a few days, thirdly the diversity of the tourism product is unparalleled. For the purpose of communicating the diversity of Sri Lanka in 2010 the tourism authorities started positioning the country around 8 different products namely; beaches, heritage, wildlife, scenic beauty, mind and body wellness, festivals, sports and adventure and Essence. The Essence of Sri Lanka include what is unique to the country such as its people, art and culture, spices, tea, gems, handy crafts etc.

The year 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the past civil war have reduced tourist arrivals but Sri Lanka received over half a million tourists in 2006. The International media reports published about the improvements in industry of January 2008 by 0.6%, March 2008 by 8.6% when comparing to last year's 2007 figures. It was reported that in the year 2011, total revenue from the tourists arrival to the country is $830.3 million from 850,000 tourists inflow. Further, the tourism board expects over 1 million tourists in 2012 with revenue of more than $1 billion. The number of arrivals from the Meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE) sector is also growing, in particular from India. The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau is targeting a 20% growth rate for MICE arrivals from India.

Being an island Sri Lanka is surrounded by sea and a perfect destination for a beach holiday. When the seas are rough on one side of the island it is calm waters on the other side. So it is a year round beach destination. 

Sri Lanka has a rich heritage with a recorded history of more than 2500 years . There are 8 world heritage sites within the country which include; the hill capital kandy, the sacred city of Anuradapura, The Dutch fort of Galle, The ancient city of Polonnaruwa, The rock fortress of Sigiriya, The golden rock temple of Dambulla, the beautiful Horton plains and the Singharaja rain forest. Apart from these famous sites there are hundreds of heritage sites in the island which are frequently visited by tourists. 

Sri Lanka is a country with high biodiversity and home for a wide variety of mammals, birds, fish, butterflies and snakes. Three big five of Sri Lankan wildlife are the elephant, the leopard, the sloth bear, the blue whale and the sperm whale. 

Due to varying climate conditions and geography Sri Lanka is an ideal destination for sports tourism. Some of the popular sports include golf, surfing, Diving & Snorkeling, Hot Air Ballooning, Rafting and Canoeing, Scuba Diving, fishing, Cycling, Hiking, Trekking and Rock Climbing. 

Sri Lanka is also famous for traditional Audrveda hospitals and spas, yoga training and a large number of meditation centers. 

Sri Lanka is very rich with scenic beauty and has some beautiful waterfalls and two main botanical gardens. Sri Lanka has always maintained religious harmony among communities where people practice four main religions in thr country. With Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity playing imports roles of lives of people Sri Lanka has religious or cultural festivals throughout the year.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island located in the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent and is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait and lies in the vicinity of India and Maldives. Sri Lanka was also named as Ceylon until 1972 and Ceylon tea is well known brand of tea around the world. Sri Lanka's documented history spans three thousand years and the country is the home of many religions, ethnicities and languages. The country's recent history has been marred by a 3-decade inter-ethnic conflict which successfully ended in a military victory in 2009.

Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state governed by a presidential system. Colombo is the commercial city of the country and Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte is the capital of Sri Lanka. The country has had a long history of international engagement, being a founding member of SAARC and a member of United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, G77 and Non-Aligned Movement.

Sri Lanka is an important producer of tea, coffee, gemstones, coconuts, rubber and the native cinnamon and Ceylon tea has a good name in the world. Sri Lanka has been called by various names such as "The tear drop of India", "The Pearl of the Indian Ocean", "The nation of smiling people and Ceylon. The island contains tropical forests, and diverse landscapes with high biodiversity.

Sri Lanka is as one of the best Tourism destinations in the world and the peaceful environment prevailing in the country has added more value for tourism. Sri Lanka is wonderful country for tourism and the advantage of Sri Lanka as a Tourism destination is threefold. Firstly it is an authentic Tourism destination. Secondly it is a compact island of 65,610 sqkm where a tourist can travel the length and breadth of the country within a few days, thirdly the diversity of the tourism product is unparalleled . For the simplicity of communicating the diversity of Sri Lanka it has been positioned the country around 8 different products namely; beaches, heritage, wildlife, scenic beauty, mind and body wellness, festivals, sports and adventure and Essence. The Essence of Sri Lanka include what is unique to the country such as its people, art and culture, spices, tea, gems, handy crafts etc.