ABOUT SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka is a country full of natural abundance, historical pride, virgin beauty and many more attractions mingled in one tropical paradise. From the skies above, this country is seen as a small tear-drop hanging off in the blue eyes of the Indian Ocean. Referred as Serendib by ancient wayfarers and Pearl of the Indian Ocean by the merchants sailing across the silk-road, the charms this small country has to offer stretch beyond the limits of imagination.

Sri Lanka is a proud Island nation with over 2500 years of recorded history. The country consists of seven UNESCO world heritage sites standing tall as a testament of a proud civilization. The colossal ancient monuments and pagodas in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa are only second to the pyramids of Giza in Egypt in scale and craft. The sheer majesty of Sigiriya rock fortress –the palace in clouds with maidens and mirror wall is often referred as the 8th wonder of the world. Stone-carved ancient palaces, statues and pagodas of cultural triangle will immerse one’s thoughts in historical marvels so intricately weaved into precision, showing the wisdom of 2500 year old ancient civilization, standing so gracefully to speak the heritage of Sri Lanka. The cave temples of Dambulla, Sacred tooth relic of Kandy and Siharaja Rain Forest Reserve are some of the other heritages sites Sri Lanka has to offer to the travelers.

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Travel Essentials

Weather
Sri Lanka is tropical, with distinct dry and wet seasons. The principal tourist season in Sri Lanka is during November to March when it is the dry season for South western and Southern beaches and the Central Highlands.  The average daily temperature for the month of November in Colombo is 27°C (81°F) which can reach highs of 30°C (86°F) or drop to 23°C (73°F).

Currency
The local currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee, divided into 100 cents. Currency notes are Rs.5,000,  Rs2,000, Rs1,000, Rs500, Rs100, Rs50, Rs20 and Rs10. Beware of mistaking the Rs500 note for the somewhat similar Rs100 one. To check whether notes are genuine when not given at a bank, look for a lion watermark.

Time Difference
Sri Lanka Standard Time is five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for summer-time changes in Europe.)

Electricity
230, 240 volts, 50 cycles AC. If you travel with a laptop computer bring a stabilizer.

Language
Sri Lanka has two official languages. Sinhala and Tamil - with English as a link language. Most people have some knowledge of English, and signboards are often in English.

Clothing
Cotton clothes are useful at any time of the year but you will need light woolens for the hills and waterproof clothing or an umbrella. Modest dress for women is advisable especially off the beach and when visiting religious sites. Don't forget comfortable shoes, sandals or trainers and cotton socks.

Water
Tap water is not safe to drink, and boiling and filtering is sometimes done too hastily in some hotels and restaurants, so the best solution is to drink bottled water. There are now many brands available, mostly using spring water from the highlands of the island. Make sure that the bottle carries an SLS certification and that the seal is broken only in your presence.

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Explore Sri Lanka

There's lots to see and do in Colombo. You may want to consider looking into the following suggestions during your leisure time while in Colombo.

› 12 Things to Do in Colombo
› Colombo City Tour
› Tourist Shops

For more suggestions: www.srilanka.travel