Travel Guide to Sri Lanka

Location

Known as the ‘teardrop of India’, the island of Sri Lanka lies just south of India’s mainland, almost on the equator, surrounded by the Indian Ocean.

Shopping

There are interesting antiques in the Kandy area, many of Dutch origin, but check regulations on export.

Shopping for gems is a must in Sri Lanka, which mines sapphires, rubies, garnets, aquamarines, zircons and alexandrites, but has no diamonds or emeralds. Cats-eye, moonstones and sapphires are particularly common and since Ratnapura is the ‘gem capital’ of the island, there are also a few interesting gem museums to visit where you can purchase unset stones.

Local handicrafts and produce are widely available and include tea and spices, weaving and embroidery, ceremonial masks – particularly from Ambalangoda, ceramics, sarongs, saris, batiks and fabrics, basketware, lacquerware, wood carvings, and brassware.

Geography

The population is about 17 million on an island roughly the size of Ireland. Although there is poverty, the local people are friendly and welcoming. The level of literacy is much higher than in India. There are four main ethnic groups: the predominantly Buddhist Sinhalese, Hindu Tamils of Indian origin, Muslims, descended from medieval traders, and Burghers, whose lighter skins and European names derive from 16th- and 17th-century colonisation.

History

The Portuguese arrived in Colombo in 1505 and gained a monopoly on the invaluable spice trade. By 1597, the colonisers had taken formal control of the island. However, they failed to dislodge the powerful Sinhalese kingdom in Kandy, which, in 1658, enlisted Dutch help to expel the Portuguese.
The Dutch were more interested in trade and profits than religion or land and only half-heartedly resisted when the British arrived in 1796. The British wore down Kandy’s sovereignty and in 1815 became the first European power to rule the entire island. Coffee, tea, cinnamon and coconut plantations (worked by Tamil labourers imported from southern India) sprang up and English was introduced as the national language.
Then known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka finally achieved full independence in 1948.
The country’s ethnic and religious conflicts escalated as competition for wealth and work intensified. When Solomon Bandaranaike (then Prime Minister of Sri Lanka) was assassinated in 1959, trying to reconcile the two communities, his widow, Sirimavo, became the world’s first female prime minister.
There then began a period of intense rivalry between the Tamils and Sinhalese that has, at times, led to virtual civil war. Throughout this period the tourists were left mostly unaffected.

Climate

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Av Temp(F)	88	88	90	88	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	86
Sunshine Hours	8	8	9	8	7	6	7	7	6	7	7	7
Rain(inches)	2	3	5	10	15	7	5	4	9	15	12	7

Please note the temperature drops significantly in the Hill Country.

Basic Information

Language
Tamil and Sinhala are both official languages although English is widely spoken, especially in establishments catering for tourists.

Currency
Sri Lankan rupee (LK or LKR) is divided into 100 cents. Coins range from 1 cent to 10 rupees, banknotes from 10 to 1,000 rupees.

Electricity
230–240 V, 50 cycles A.C. English style 3 pin flat plugs are usually used.

Banks
Banks are generally open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 15:00.

Driving
Traffic drives on the left. Car hire is availalble, but chauffeur-driven cars are surprisingly cheap and readily available.

Time Difference
GMT plus 5.5 all year round.

Tipping
Most hotels will add 10 % service charge and taxi drivers expect about 10%.

Water
Bottled water is recommended

Visas
Visas are issued free of charge for a period of 30 days on arrival at Colombo Airport (for tourist visits only). Passport must be valid for at least six months from date of entry required.

Tourist Inf
www.srilankatourism.org

What makes it so special?

The mixture of history, culture, beautiful scenery, interesting shopping and beautiful beaches. The devastation caused by the recent tsunami means that the people of Sri Lanka need the income of their tourist economy more than ever to help regenerate their country.

Where to visit?

Colombo is a chaotic, noisy and not particularly beautiful city, but there is a quaint charm about it with good shopping opportunities and great food to be had. South of Colombo is Galle Face Green, a seafront expanse of occasional green, famed for its cricket games and trysting lovers. Cinnamon Gardens, further south, is the most fashionable neighbourhood, with mansions and tree-lined streets. To the north lies the Fort area – the administrative district.

Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka’s first capital, a potent symbol of Sinhalese power and the most extensive and important of Sri Lanka’s ancient cities. It became a capital in 380 BC and for over 1000 years Sinhalese kings ruled from this great city.

The port of Galle was built by the Dutch in 1663, and has withstood the elements over centuries. Its massive ramparts surround the promontory, which form the older part of Galle, and shelter sturdy Dutch houses, museums and churches within its walls. The New Oriental Hotel, built for Dutch governors in 1684, is a colonial gem with a wonderfully atmospheric bar.

Kandy is the main town of the Hill Country and the historical centre of Buddhist power. It was constructed on the banks of a tranquil, man-made lake and is cradled in a picturesque natural bowl between the hills. It has a distinctive architectural character and the town centre is a delightful compendium of old shops, buses, markets and hotels. The ‘Sacred Tooth of Buddha’ is the holiest relic here.

Sigiriya’s spectacular rock fortress is not only an impregnable stronghold, but also a monastic retreat and rock-art gallery. Built in the 5th century AD, to fend off a feared invasion, it is situated atop a 200m (656ft) high rock. At the height of its glory, it must have been akin to a European chateau being built on top of Uluru.

Once the favourite hill station of the British, Nuwara Eliya still retains the vestiges of Empire: a blend of Tudor and Georgian architecture, gabled roofs, immaculate lawns and moss-covered gravestones. Soak up the quaint atmosphere by visiting the Hill Club - by jove, where there’s a golf course, tennis courts, even copies of Country Life! Or visit the botanical gardens and tea plantations in the surrounding hills.

Most popular tours

Kandy