Interesting Things.

Beaches

If Sri Lanka looked outlined in white form space it's due to the beaches that encircle the island. You can rarely travel any part of the coast for long without coming upon a simply stunning stretch of sand. More amazing is that many are almost empty.

01.Thalpe;

For Galle expats Thalpe with its smattering of boutique guesthouses and quiet sands, is the new Unawatuna and not a moment too soon.

02.Marakolliya Beach;

So what if the swimming isn't always safe for us this beach is simply stunning.

03.Arugam Bay;

Classic hangout for surfers and anyone who likes mellow easy vibes.

04.Uppuweli &Nilaveli;

Beautiful beaches near the old front line the location has kept them quiet and natural.

05.Batticaloa;

Most of the coasts around here are totally isolated for explorers adventurers and dreamers only.

Diving & Snorkelling

Sri lanka's diving scene is developing along with its tourist scene. Excellent places for diving and snorkelling can be found right around the coast but most are still seldom visited. The west coast south of Colombo has been the centre of diving but other better areas are ready to take off as the infrastructure develops.

01.Bar Reef;

Little exploited and near pristine reefs where dolphins play in their hundreds.

02.Great Basses Reefs;

It's tricky to access and conditions are very fickle but this might be the finest dive site in Sri Lanka.

03.Pigeon Island National Park;

A shallow coral reef with tons of fish and sharks that's equally satisfying to snorkel or dive.

04.Batticaloa;

The HMS Hermes a WWII era wreck is for Tec divers but the rock dives around here are for everyone.

Walking 

Sure it's bit hot during the day and it might rain but there are oodles of places where you can stretch your legs and appreciate Sri Lanka's remarkable natural beauty rich culture ancient monuments or maybe just go shopping.

01.Colombo;

The main streets maybe choked but other roads in the capital are tree lined and have a genteel charm. Stroll from the buzzing neighbourhoods from cinnamon Gardens to Galle Face Green

02.Polonnaruwa;

The ancient monuments here are in a lush park like setting that rewards workers ready to explore.

03.Adam's Peak;

On Adam's Peak you can walk in the footsteps of the Buddha with hundreds of pilgrims.

04.Knuckles Range;

Rain soaked and densely vegetated the Knuckles Range is no walk in the park but if offers the most exciting hiking in the country.

Buddhist Temples

More than 2500 years of religious heritage can be found in the temples great and small that dot this small island. Time your visit to a festival for an extraordinary experience.

01.Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic;

Containing a tooth of the Buddha, this is the heart and soul of Sri Lankan buddhism

02.Sri Maha Bodhi;

The world's oldest documented living tree is the focus of this very sacred site in the heart of Anuradhapura.

03.Mihintale;

This temple of legends has over 1800 legendary steps to its mountaintop location.

04.Colombo;

Gangnramaya Temple is one of the several temples in the capital that have high profile celebrations through the year.

05.Mulkirigala;

Hiding inside a series of cleft like caves and dangling off a rocky crag is this beautiful and little visited temples.

06.Nagadipa;

A simple temple on a little island in the far north where the Buddha legend goes once visited.

Wildlife

The island may be small but the animals are big especially the herds of Asian elephants that live inside and outside the national parks. Leopards and water buffaloes are just some of the other creatures.

01.Yala National Park;

Still drawing crowds like only a spotty big cat can a leopard safari in Yala National Park is a Sri Lankan highlight.

02.Udawalawe National Park;

If you've ever wanted to see a wild elephant you're unlikely to find a better place to do so that this park.

03.Minneriya National Park;

Already a good place to see elephants and other animals this park is the site of "the Gathering" When over 400 pachyderms gather in an awesome spectacle.

04.Kumana National Park.

Leopards, elephant and birds galore at this park that's much less crowded than its popular neighbour Yala.

05.Pottuvil;

Lagoon safaris may bring you titillatingly close to elephants, monitor lizards and crocodiles.

Shopping

Being a lush country it's not surprising that some of Sri Lanka's best goods are what it grows. Tea is an obvious purchase all manner of spices another. In addition there are various handicrafts and a growing range of designer items.

01.Colombo;

Of course the capital has good shopping. What's surprising is just how good it is. Stylish designer boutiques galleries and all manner of markets sell just about anything you might want with plenty of surprises on offer.

02.Negombo;

Charming and ramshackle Negombo has a busy town centre full of shopping Sri Lankans add a beachfront lined with tourist souvenir shops.

03.Galle.

With a surfeit of classy little galleries independent clothes shops and boutique bric a brac shops, Galle is a fascinating place for shoppers to explore.

04.Hill Country;

At tea plantation and factories you can buy excellent teas many hard to find elsewhere at good prices.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine and therapies designed to heal and rejuvenate. Ayurveda is widely used in Sri Lanka for a range of ailments and draws many visitors each year some book into clinics and spas and stay for weeks.

01.Colombo.

The backstreets of the old market district of Pettah have some Ayurveda shops where you can browse the vast rang of unguents, ointments, oils, scrubs and many other potions.

02.Siddhalepa Ayurveda Hospital;

South of Colombo this is a full service clinic where you can stay for a week or more getting treatments.

03.Suwamadura;

You can cleanse your mind on walks around the lush hills of lovely Ella, then head to this noted spa to get your innards cleansed and your kinks removed.

04.Sanctuary Spa;

A hard day swimming in the energetic surf of Unawatuna can be followed by long sessions getting your inner balance restored.

Heritage Sites

UNESCO has recognized eight World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka an impressive number for a small island.

01.Galle;

The Dutch Fort forms Sri Lanka's most beautiful urban environment stroll the walls at sunset.

02.Kandy;

The royal city and temples are the heart of culture.

03.Sinharaja Forrest Reserve;

One of the last remaining slabs of dense Montana rain Forrest in Sri Lanka is a bird watcher's dream.

04.Dambulla;

The cave temples and their extraordinary paintings are works of art.

05.Sigiriya

The rock monastery which yes many people still think was a fort or temple on a clear day you can almost see forever from the top.

06.Polonnaruwa;

A vast range of surviving structures of the medieval capital.

07.Anuradhapura;

The sacred and the secular come together in a sprawling precinct that spans centuries of history.

08.Central Highlands;

The forests and peaks of Sri Pada Peak Wilderness, Horton Plains and Knuckles Range house outstanding biodiversity.

Colonial Architecture

The Portuguese, The Dutch, The British, The Klingon, er, not them. Many of the world's great colonial powers had their way with Sri Lanks at one point. Their legacies are today's atmospheric sights.

01.Colombo;

The Dutch built Old Dutch Hospital is just one of many colonial beauties you can enjoy in the capital. The National Museum is in an Old British compound.

02.Galle Fort Walls;

Take a sunset walk along the perimeter of Galle's Dutch built fort walls and you can almost feel history seep out of the ground around you.

03.Nuwara Eliya;

Stay in one of the grand old hotels of Sri Lanka's favourite colonial hill station and the days of the Raj seem to come flickering back to life.

04.Jaffna;

Nineteenth century homes and Portuguese era churches, though damaged in the war, pepper the city's suburbs.