For General Knowledge

01.Spoken languages in Sri Lankan people:-

•  Sinhala - Main Language
•  Tamil
•  Muslim
•  English - International Language

02.Currency :-

• Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

03.Money :-

• ATMs available in cities and large towns.(Every tourist zone places available ATMs now)
• Credit cards accepted at some mid range and all top end hotels.      

04.Mobile Phones :-

• Local SIM cards cheaply available for unlocked phones.(eg: Dialog,Mobilel,Hutch etc..)

05.Transport :-

• Buses go every where often and cheaply.
• Trains are less convenient but fun.
• Hire cars and vans with drivers are popular and affordable.
• Place by place transport use tuk tuk so enjoy.

06.Arriving in Sri Lanka :-

• Bandaranayake International Air Port.(Colombo Air Port)
• Maththala Rajapaksa International Air Port.

07.Country Code :-

• +94

08.What to Bring :-

• You can get basic items you might need in Colombo and the major tourist town but            many essentials and conveniences are best brought from home;

                    *Raincoat, Waterproof jacket or Umbrella- for when you run into                                                                                              a monsoon.
                    *A good pair of earplugs- in case you end up staying near a busy                                                                  strip such as Colombo's Galle road.                              *Sunglasses- if you wear prescription glasses or contacts get the                                                sunglasses in your prescription so they can be                                                      backup glasses.
                    *Bottle opener- for those times you're on a lovely beach with a                                                      cold bottle of Lion lager
                    *Mosquito repellent- very hard to find in Sri Lanka.
                    *Sunscreen- maybe another surprisingly hard to find item.
                    *Tampons-impossible to find outside Colombo

09.Season :-

• High Season; (December to March)

*The Hill Country plus west and south coast beaches are busiest        and driest
*With beds in demand prices peak
*The Maha monsoon season (October to January) keeps the East        North and Ancient Cities wet.

• Shoulder; (April & September to November) 

               *April and September offer the best odds for good                               weather countrywide.
               *New Year's celebrations in mid April (13th and 14th)                         cause transport to fill beyond capacity.         
               *A good time to wander with out a set schedule of                               bookings.

• Low Season; (May to August)

*The Yala monsoon season (May to August) brings rain to the            south and west coasts plus the Hill Country
*The weather in the North and East is best.
*Prices nationwide are at their nadir.
                             

         

Grate Ideas Keep In Your Memory-4

16.Feeling The Healing Ayurveda

If you start to feel the burden of the centuries while in Sri Lanka you might appreciate an irony while you feel the tensions melt out of your body in an Ayurvedic sauna the design is more than 2500 years old. Ayurveda is an ancient practise and its devotees claim enormous benefits from its therapies and treatments. Herbs, spices,oils and more are used on and in the body body to produce balance. Some people go on multi week regimens in clinics others enjoy a pampering afternoon at a luxury spa.

17.Richly Spiced Food

Venture in to the entertaining pandemonium of a large Sri Lankan market such as those found in Colombo and Kandy and you'll soon see and smell the rich diversity of foods and flavours that come from the fertile land. An average Sri Lankan cook spends hours each day tirelessly roasting and grinding spices while mincing slicing and dicing all manner of foods. A seemingly humble rice and curry can consist of dozens of intricately prepared dishes each redolent of a rice and yes at times fiery goodness.

18.Horton Plains & World's End

The wild windswept Horton Plains high up in Sri Lanka's Hill Country are utterly unexpected in this country of tropical greens and blues but there are far from unwelcome You'll need to wrap up warm (a morning frost isn't uncommon) for the dawn hike across these bleak moorlands it's one of the most enjoyable walks in the country. And then suddenly out of the mist comes the end of the world and a view over what seems like half of Sri Lanka.

19.Visiting A Tea Plantation

It wasn't really all that long ago that Sri Lanka's Hill Country was largely a wild and ragged sweep of jungle clad mountains but then along came the British and they felt in need of a nice cup of tea. So they chopped down all the jungle and turned the Hill Country into one giant tea estate and you know what? The result is mighty pretty! Sri Lankan tea is now famous across the world and visiting a tea estate and seeing how the world's favourite cuppa is produced is absolutely fascinating.

20.Colonial Legacy

Yes the Brits were chased out at independence in 1948 but their legacy lives on in much more than an often impenetrable bureaucracy addicted to forms. Colombo has wide tree shaded streets where you'll see the structures of the empire at its most magnificent. The National Museum building is redolent with empire. Look around a little and you'ii find the colonial legacies of the Dutch and Portuguese as well. Just head to Fort and wander a bit. pausing at the new sensation the restored Old Dutch Hospital

Grate Ideas Keep In Your Memory-3

11.Ancient Anuradhapura

Here big bits of Sri Lanka's cultural and religious heritage sprawl across 3 sq km. In the centre is the world's oldest tree the Sri Maha Bodiya (more than two thousand years old). That it has been tended uninterrupted by record keeping guardians for all those centuries is enough for shivers down the spine. The surrounding fields of crumbling monasteries and enormous dagobas (stupas) attest to the city's role as the seat of power in Sri Lanka for a thousand years. Biking through this heady past is a thrilling experience.

12.Polonnaruwa's Stupendous Structures 

Arrayed around a vast grassy quadrangle like the chess pieces of giants these intricately carved buildings and monuments offer a visitor friendly briefing on what was the centre of the kingdom some thousand years ago. Handy plaques are loaded with information although you may find the buildings too extraordinary to switch your concentration to signage. Catch sight of the ruins at sunrise and sunset. When the rosy rays of light bathe the complex in a romantic glow. 

13.Kandy Cultural Capital

Kandy is the cultural capital of the island and home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic said to contain a tooth of the Buddha himself. For the sinhalese this is the holiest spot on the island but for tourists Kandy offers more than just religious satisfaction there's a pleasing old quarter a pretty central lake a clutch of museums and in the surrounding vicinity some beautiful botanical gardens. In case you need further blessings from the gods there's also a series of fascinating ancient temples.

14.Soaring Sigiriya Rock

It was just the rolling gardens at the base of Sigiriya. they would still be a highlight. Ponds and little man made rivulets put the water in these water gardens and offer a serene idyll amid the sweltering countryside. But look up and catch your jaw as you ponder this 370m rock that erupts out of the landscape. Etched with art and surmounted by ruins Sigiriya is an awesome mystery one that the wonderful new museum tries to dissect. The climb to the top is a wearying and worthy endeavour.

15.Adam's Peak Pilgrims

For over a thousand years pilgrims have trudged by candlelight up Adam's Peak to stand in the footprints of the Buddha. breathe the air where Adam first set foot on earth and see the place where the butterflies go to die.Today tourists join the throngs of local pilgrims and as you stand in the predawn light atop this perfect pinnacle of rock and watch the sun crawl above waves of mountains the sense of magic remains as bewitching as it must have been for Adam himself.

Grate Ideas Keep In Your Memory-2

06.Travelling By Train

Sometimes there no way to get a seat on the slow but oh so popular train to Ella, but with a prime standing room only spot looking out at a rolling carpet of tea who cares? Outside the colourful silk saris of Tamil tea pickers stand out in the sea of green in side you may get a shy welcome via a smile. At stations, vendors hustle treats, including some amazing corn and chili fritters sold wrapped in some body's  old home work paper. Munching one of these while the scenery creaks past?

07.Udawalawe National Park

This huge chunk of Savannah grassland centered on the Udawalawe reservoir is the closest Sri Lanka gets to East Africa. There are herds of buffalo (although some of these are domesticated!), somber deer, crocodiles, masses of birds, and elephants and we don't just mean a few elephants. We mean hundreds of the big nosed creatures. In fact, we'd go so far to say that for elephants, Udawalawe is equal to or even better than many of the famous East African national parks.

08.Bundala National Park

With all the crowds heading to nearby Yala National Park the Ramsarrecognised Bundala National Park often gets over looked. But with the parks huge streets of shimmering waters singing to the sound of bird song, skipping it is a big mistake. Bundala has a beauty that over parks can only dream of and is one of the finest birding destinations in the country. Oh and in case herons and egrets aren't glam enough for you the crocodiles and resident elephant herd will put a smile on your face.

09.Shopping In Colombo

Part of the magic of Colombo yes you read that right is going on a retail binge. We don't necessarily mean the kind where you buy more than will fit in a fleet of three wheelers rather we mean binging on the experience itself. Even as parts of the world race to a big box future Colombo's market in Ptah heave and hurl with goods and offers and just general chaos. And if you'd like something a bit more stylish Colombo has a growing collection of chic boutiques and stores.

10.Jaffna & The Rediscovered North

In Jaffna every thing seems different especially the language the rapid fire staccato of spoken Tamil is a real change from singsong Sinhala. So too the cuisine singularly spiced and in season complemented by legendary mangoes. And perhaps even the light it has a distinctive quality reflected as deep garden greens in Jaffna's suburbs. Revel in the uniqueness of Jaffna from the towering ornate Hindu temples to colourful saris draped over women on bicycles.

Great Ideas Keep In Your Memory

01.Stunning Beaches

There are long golden specked ones, there are dainty ones with soft white sand there are wind and wave battered ones and ones without a footstep for miles. Some have a slowly vibe and some have a lively party vibe, but whichever you choose, the beaches of Sri Lanka really are every bit as gorgeous as you've heard. and we guarantee that after you've returned home, every time you sit in rush hour traffic on a wet and clod Monday morning an image of palm trees and azure Sri Lankan waters will float into your mind

02.Surfing

The heart of Sri Lanka's nascent surf scene the long right break at the southern end of Arugambay is considered Sri Lanka's best. From April to September you'll find surfers riding the waves stragglers catch the random good days as late as November. throughout the year you can revel in the surfer vibe there are board rental and ding repair joints plus plenty of laid back cheep hangouts offering a bed on the beach. And if you need solitude there are fine breaks at nearby Lighthouse and Okanda.

03.Beloved Galle Fort

Man and nature have joined force in Galle Fort to produce an architectural work of art. The Dutch

built the streets and buildings, the Sri Lankans added the colour and style, and then nature got busy covering it in a gentle layer of tropical vegetarian humidity and salty air. The result is an enchanting old town that has recently become home to dozens of art galleries, quirky shops and boutique cafes and guesthouses. For tourists it's without doubt the number one urban attraction in the country.

04.Whale watching at Mirissa

People once visited the beaches of southern Sri Lanka to laze under palm trees and maybe go and peer at a few little fish on a diving excursion. then somebody realised that the deep blue was home to more than just a few little fish. It turns out that the waters off Sri Lanka are home to the planet's biggest creature the blue whale (not to mention the slightly smaller sperm whale).Now every morning in season boats leave Mirissa in search of creatures like no other . 

05.Exploring Undiscovered Beaches

Off limit due to war. inaccessible due to bad roads not really on the map these are all factors that have kept some truly magnificent east coast beaches off traveller  itineraries. But just take one look at these beautiful ribbons of sand and you won't want to leave. And you may well have the stands to yourself. A few areas to consider Navalady Vakarai the islands near Batticaloa, Lighthouse, beaches down the strip from Uppuveli and Nilaveli. 

WELCOME TO SRI LANKA

The Undiscovered Country

                 You might say Sri Lanka has been hiding in plain sight. Countless scores of travelers have passed overhead on their way to someplace else, but years of war and challenges such as tsunamis have kept Sri Lanka off many itineraries.

                 But now  as you've probably heard the war is over and Sri Lanka's looking up. If you've 'done' India, grown blase about Southeast Asia or simply want to explore a place whose appeal and pleasures are myriad, then it's time you dropped in.

So Much In So Little

                       Sri Lanka's attributes are many. Few places have as many Unesco World Heritage  Sites (eight) packed into such a small area. Its 2500 plus years of culture can be discovered at ancient sites filled with mystery .Legendary temples boast beautiful details crafted by artisans through the centuries.
                       Across whole swaths of the country, that thing that goes bump in the night might be an elephant heading to a favourite waterhole. Safari tours of Sri Lanka's pleasantly relaxed national parks encounter leopards, grouchy water buffaloes, all manner of birds and a passel of primates.
                      When you're ready to escape the tropical climate of the coast and lowlands, head of the hills, which are verdant, virescent and vitally infectious with allure. Impossibly green tea plantations and rain forested peaks beckon walkers, trekkers or just those who want to see it on a spectacular train ride.
                      And then there are the beaches. The beaches! Dazzlingly white and all so often untrod, they ring the island so that no matter where you go, you'll be near a sandy gem. Should you beat the inevitable languor, you can surf and dive world class sites without world class crowds.

It's So Easy

                            Distances are short; see the sacred home of the world's oldest living tree in the morning (Anuradhapura) and stand awestruck by the sight of hundreds of elephants gathering in the afternoon (Minneriya). Find a favourite beach to call your own, meditate in a 2000 years old temple, exchange smiles while strolling a mellow village, marvel at birds and wildflowers, try to keep count of the little dishes that come with your rice and curry. Stroll past colonial gems in Colombo and then hit some epic surf.
                            Sri Lanka is spectacular, it's affordable and it's still mostly uncrowded. Now is the best time to discover it.