About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island country located in the middle of Indian Ocean. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is its capital city and the largest city is Colombo. The beautiful country leaves you in awe of its palm-fringed beaches, oldest fishing industries and timeless Buddhist sites. You will have an eyeful of scenic locations where you can relax with a rejuvenating Ayurveda therapy. Catch the magnificent views of waterfalls, ride the elephant, walk in the tea and spice plantations having an up-close experience of nature.

People and culture
The island is a multi-religious country with the highest population of Buddhists and Hindus. Its culture is one of the oldest dating back to over 2500 years. There are two main traditional cultures followed by the people:  the Sinhalese and the Tamil. Sinhala and Tamil are the two official languages of Sri Lanka. The local cuisine is influenced by South Indian, Indonesian and Dutch cuisines. The highest producing staples are rice, coconut and spices; the most common ingredients in local cuisine. Fish ambul thiyal (sour fish curry), Kukul mas curry, Kottu and Kiribath are the famous dishes reflecting its culture. The classical dance forms are given importance and performed during festivals. There are three main styles of Sri Lankan classical dance: Kanyadan dances, low country dances and Sabaragamuwa dances.

Festivals in Sri lanka
The people celebrate festivals and important events with full fervor. Sinhalese and Tamil New Year is the biggest festival celebrated every year in April. The grand scale celebration of Vesak Poya, the Buddhist festival, is a boisterous event. It commemorates the important life events of Lord Buddha. Another important religious festival is the Festival of Tooth in which people pay homage to the sacred tooth relic in Kandy. The Christians celebrate Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and Easter to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Pongal and Maha Shivaratri are famous festivals among Tamils.

Top attractions in Sri lanka
The breathtaking scenery of island nation is a magnet to seasoned travelers and nature lovers. Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy is a famous UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy a cultural dance performance show of Kandyan dance in the premises. The suburb of Kandy city is home to Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, where the Impressive collection of orchids will warm your heart. Travel to Yala for enjoying jeep safari in the second largest National Park in Sri Lanka, Yala National Park. Enroute visit the two stunning waterfalls – Ella gap waterfall and Rawana waterfall. Set off to the North Sri Lankan city, Dambulla and halt midway to visit a spice garden. Continue your journey and get surprised by the magnificence of the largest cave temple in Sri Lanka, Dambulla Cave Temple complex. Head to another famous UNESCO listed World heritage site - Sigiriya rock Fortress. You also get a chance to have a cheerful time with the elephants at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The cultural triangle of Sri Lanka also includes Anuradhapura, which will show you the tallest Dagoba in Sri Lanka, Jetavanaramaya. Your trip to Sri Lanka is incomplete without a visit to Nuwara Eliya, the coolest city famous for tea production in the country. Enjoy the scenic routes and capture its velvety green carpets of tea plantations.

Best time to visit
The climate in the tropical country varies according to the location. If you are planning to visit the East coast, then the ideal time is from April to September. On the other hand, South and West coasts are welcoming between December and March.