Srilanka Tour Information

SRI LANKA -Sri Lanka is famous for its unique Buddhism culture. Buddhism is the main religion of Sri Lanka where it was officially introduced in the third century B.C. during the reign of King Devanam Piyatissa by Venerable Mahinda who was son of Emperor Asoka of India.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a free, independent and sovereign nation. Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean is located to the south of the Indian subcontinent. encompasse beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and a thousand delights to please all tastes. The relief features of the island consist of a mountainous mass somewhat south of the centre, with height exceeding 2,500 metres, surrounded by broad plains. Palm fringed beaches surround the island and the sea temperature rarely falls below 27OC. Climate & Seasons In the lowlands the climate is typically tropical with an average temperature of 27OC in Colombo. In the higher elevations it can be quite cool with temperatures going down to 16OC at an altitude of nearly 2,000 metres.

Bright, sunny warm days are the rule and are common even during the height of the monsoon - climatically Sri Lanka has no off season. The south west monsoon brings rain mainly from May to July to the western, southern and central regions of the island, while the north-east monsoon rains occur in the northern and eastern regions in December and January. Economy Sri Lanka is mainly an agricultural country. The chief crop is rice with which the country is almost self sufficient. Tea, rubber and coconut are also important agricultural crops, with tea being a major foreign exchange earner. In addition, other crops of importance are cocoa and spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper and cloves.

In the last three decades tourism industry is emerge as an important industry in Sri Lanka. There has also been a rapid growth in manufacturing industries which offer a wide range of export goods such as petroleum products, leather goods, ready made garments and electronic equipment.

Colombo

Sri Lanka's capital upto recent times, Colombo, is a fascinating city, not only for a comfortable blend of east and west, but also for a cosy mixture of the past and present. It is still the commercial centre of the country. Situated 34 km. from the International Airport, Colombo has been a flourishing seaport for centuries. Today the bustle of the harbour mingles with the activity of its busy commercial, banking and shopping areas. The original trading settlers - the Portuguese, Dutch and the British have all left in their wake churches and monuments, names and religions, costumes and food and smatterings of their languages which have been absorbed into the speech of the Sri Lankans. Colombo, with its population of over half a million is divided into fifteen zones.

While in Colombo attractions worth seeing are:- Buddhists temples, Hindu temples, Mosques, Christian churches, Parliament building, Parks, Zoo, Museums and Art Galleries. A half day tour covering 40 km. and including visits to a Buddhist Temple, Hindu Temple, the Zoo and the residential areas will cost around US $ 18 for a car with a chauffeur guide

Palaces to Visit

Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, situated in the Indian Ocean and sharing the same continental shelf as India, is a unique location, hills, mountains and rivers that are virtually tailor made for adventure sports activities, couple this with the reefs and wrecks of the Indian Ocean and you have truly an adventure sports paradise.
You can choose one or more of the sports offered below :
· Scuba Adventure
· Cycle Adventure
· Rafting Adventure
· Trekking Adventure
· Rock Adventure







Sri Lanka's so-called cultural triangle stands on its point on Kandy, the last Singhalese capital. Within this area are the great sites of ancient Lanka: at top left is Anuradhapura, the first capital, where centuries of kings built ever-larger domed monuments to Buddha. Nearby is Mihintale, a monastic city that grew up around the cave that sheltered the first disciple of Buddhism, Mahinda. The medieval capital, Polonnaruwa, is further south. It contains complete buildings and colossal rock sculptures. In the middle is Sigiriya, where a usurper built his royal palace on top of a loaf-shaped rock. Any one of these four sites is enough to impress even the most worldly traveller, taken together they are overwhelming.


The tropical beauty of East Coast, lying completely land-locked, it forms a glassy lake surrounded by hills covered with the waving foliage of coconut tress and palms of great variety. The white bungalows with their re-tiled roofs, are dotted about along the shore, and two or here men of war are usually resting at their ease in this calm retreat.

The West Coast, Arthur C.Clarke, one of Sri Lanka's most celebrated residents, described it thus: "And always it is the same: the slender palm trees leaning over the white sand, the warm sun sparkling on the waves as they break on the inshore reef, the outrigger fishing boats drawn up high on the beach. This alone is real; the rest is but a dream from which I shall presently awake."

The South Coast, the road to the deep south plunges you into a region rich in history and cultural interest, and there are several vast and impressive nature reserves, including Yala, Bundala and Uda Walawe.
It all begins at Galle, which is believed to be the possible location of the city of Tarshish, of Biblical fame, the source of a thriving trade in "gold", silver, ivory, apes and Peacocks.

The coolestspring is 29°C (84°F) and the hottest not more than 46°C (115°F).

Hermann Hesse beautifully described this area, " The wind had just swept clean the whole valley, I saw deep blue and immense, the entire high mountain system of Ceylon piled up in mighty walls, and in it's midst the beautiful, ancient and holy pyramid of Adam's Peak. Beside it at an infinite depth and distance lay the flat blue sea, in between a thousand mountains, broad valleys, narrow ravines, rivers and waterfalls, in countless folds, the whole mountainous island on which the ancient legend placed paradise."

The mountainous region of Sri Lanka is most famous for its tea plantations, the abundant rainfall combined with sunshine, cold nights and mists offered the perfect climate for producing high gown, aromatic treas.
15°C (altitude 1800m)

Traveling eastwards through a landscape of thrilling waterfalls, the road dives dizzily to Haputale, which was one of tea millionaire Thomas Lipton's favourite haunts. Here, in the Benedictine monastery of Addisham, you'll find a natural bird sanctuary with blue magpies, paradise flycatchers, green barbets, brilliant orange plumaged mini-verts hornbills, golden orioles and a host of other bird life.

The house resembles Leeds Castle in Kent, England, and was in fact built by Kentish gentleman, who filled it with imported carpets, porcelain, furniture and glassware. He even had an English chauffeur for this Daimler. Today it is run as a monastery, which produces homemade jams and jellies from wild guavas and fruit cordials for sale (open 9am-12 noon and 3-5pm). Though in no way a full commercial guesthouse, Addisham can accommodate up to 12 people by prior arrangements.To stand on a mountain, with the trees about you alive with the twinkling lights of a galaxy of fireflies, and gaze on villages thousands of feet below, is to experience the spirit of this island. The visual spectacle is often paralleled by the hauntingly sweet perfumes of the queen of the night or the large, white, pendulous angels trumpets and all around the silver bell sounds of tree frogs tinkle a mysterious melody.

Traveling through the mountains of Sri Lanka is always a rewarding experience. The high country combines with the monsoons to give the island at least four distinct types of forest, each with its own peculiar complement of plants and animals. There are wildlife sanctuaries in each area and all are irresistible, and quite accessible. Sri Lankans have always taken conservation seriously, perhaps due to their Buddhist principles, with records of animal protection found even in the ancient text of the mahavamsa