Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka or Ceylon is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean in close proximity to the southern tip of India and Tamil Nadu. It has distinctive Buddhist stupas or dagobas, sandy beaches, exotic wildlife, rolling hills, tea plantations, and towns with a colonial past. The island has a long history of contact with foreign merchants and powers and Buddhist, Tamil, Roman, Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and British influences can all be seen here.

Sri Lanka Introduction

Sri Lanka or Ceylon is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean, in close proximity to the southern tip of India and Tamil Nadu. It has distinctive Buddhist stupas or dagobas, sandy beaches, exotic wildlife, rolling hills, tea plantations, and towns with a colonial past. The island has a long history of contact with foreign merchants and powers, and Buddhist, Tamil, Roman, Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and British influences can all be seen here.

Cultural Sites

The ‘Cultural Triangle’ of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya, along with Dambulla form four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is a must-see region for any first-time visitor to Sri Lanka. Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa host a fascinating and exquisitely crafted collection of ancient Buddhist monuments, statues, shrines and temples. The 200m high Sigiriya rock, with its fresco paintings is one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic landmark. Dambulla cave temples, thought to date back to the 1st century BC are still an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists.

Kandy, a picturesque lake town is home to the hugely popular ‘Temple of the Tooth Relic’, thought to be a tooth of Gautam Buddha. The town also hosts the ten-day Perahera festival every summer. A feast of colours, the festival showcases dozens of ornately robed elephants, musicians and dancers parading the streets of Kandy.

In the south of the country lies Galle, a sleepy colonial UNESCO world heritage town, once hugely coveted by the Portuguese, Dutch and English for its strategic location. An atmospheric town, the fort walls enclose streets full of boutique shops, restaurants, colonial buildings and even a lighthouse.

Tea Country

Famous for its tea, Sri Lanka’s central highlands are covered with verdant tea plantations. A stay in one of the converted tea factories or bungalows, learning about tea cultivation and taking a scenic train journey through the plantations offers a welcome change of pace after visiting the cultural sites of the country.

Nuwara Eliya was a favourite haunt for pioneering British and Scottish Tea Plantation owners during colonial times. Today, its colonial-era buildings and Tudor-style hotels makes the town a popular halt for exploring Sri Lanka’s tea country.

Horton Plains, just over an hour’s drive from Nuwara Eliya, makes an excellent excursion for those wanting to add a bit of walking and hiking in their holiday. The spectacular views from ‘Worlds End’ make it a worthwhile trip, with the excellent birdlife an added bonus.

Wildlife

One of the world’s 25 biodiversity hotspots, Sri Lanka boasts a remarkable collection of flora and fauna, with a surprisingly high number of them being endemic. Excellent Whale watching opportunities and an abundance of wild elephants and leopards, besides other mammals like sloth bear, small loris, wild boar and pangolins, make the country one of the best wildlife experiences in Asia.

Yala National Park is the most popular of Sri Lanka’s national parks. While elephants and sloth bears can be seen here, it is the leopard sightings that most visitors come for. With one of the highest leopard densities in the world, chances of spotting this elusive animal are high.

Minneriya National Park in the cultural triangle is one of the best places for those interested in seeing the magnificent Asian elephants in the wild. Centred around the ancient Minneriya reservoir, the park is also great for birdwatching and spotting sambar deer and crocodiles.

Uda Walawe National Park is another excellent park for seeing elephants, with the Horton Plains adding a scenic backdrop to the park. Wild buffalo, excellent birdlife and various species of deer are other attractions of the park.

Wilpattu National Park in the north of the country is Sri Lanka’s largest national park. Natural waterholes intersperse with sandy wetlands, making it an ideal habitat for leopard, sloth bear, elephants, water buffalo, crocodiles and birdlife.

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is Sri Lanka’s last remaining area of tropical rainforest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A delight for the serious wildlife enthusiast, it has over 50% of the country’s endemic mammals and 19 of the 20 endemic bird species. The dense forest of the reserve is best explored by foot.

Whale watching – Sri Lanka offers visitors the unique opportunity to spot leopards, elephants and Whales, all in one trip. Excellent Whale sightings are possible from Mirissa off the southern coast and up to ten different species of whales can be seen, including the Humpback, Sperm and the majestic Blue Whale. Spinner Dolphins are also a common sight.

Trincomalee, Jaffna and the East Coast

Open to tourists after decades of isolation, this lesser visited region of Sri Lanka offers plenty more to the visitor with some time on their hands. Dutch forts, ancient and contemporary Hindu temples, Buddhist monuments and the 26-day long Chariot festival are just some of the attractions of this area. The East coast also has splendid sandy beaches, with plentiful accommodation and dry weather in summer when the rest of the country experiences the monsoons.

Beaches

And if all the culture and wildlife was not enough, Sri Lanka delights visits with a vast choice of gorgeous, golden sandy beaches, with an equally large selection of accommodation, from simple to deluxe luxury.

Beaches on the Western and Southern coast are generally better in terms of choice of hotels, accessibility and opportunities for water sports. Bentota, Wadduwa, Kalutara, Hikkaduwa, Balapitiya, Unawatuna, Ahangama and Tangalle are some of the select beaches in this region.

Beaches on the east coast, though not as developed, are arguably better in terms of sand quality and swimming in the sea. Trincomalee, Uppuveli, Nilaveli, Kuchchaveli, Pasikuddah Bay and Arugam Bay are some of the best options on the east coast.

For those looking for a bit extra to finish off their tour, Maldives is just a short 90min flight away.

When is the best time to travel to Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is a warm, tropical destination throughout the year. December to March is the best time for the cultural triangle and beaches in the South and West. May to September is ideal for the east coast and north of the country. Blue Whales are best seen between February and mid-March. Hill stations experience monsoon rains in October and November and can be avoided.

How long is the flying time to Sri Lanka?

Direct, non-stop flights on Sri Lankan Airlines take about 11 hours from London to Colombo. Various excellent options are available on carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad, with the shortest indirect flight being just under 13 hours. There are plenty of short flight connections to India as well as the Maldives.

What is the time difference between UK and Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is 5hrs 30min ahead of UK winter time. Since the country does not observe daylight savings, it is 4hrs 30min ahead in UK summer time.