SRI LANKA

Gal Viharaya Stone Temple

The island of Sri Lanka lies off the southern tip of India in the Indian Ocean, a verdant paradise that is the cradle of the Buddhist faith. Apart from hundreds of miles of the world’s most beautiful palm-fringed beaches, Sri Lanka boasts no fewer than seven World Heritage Sites listed by Unesco, ranging from sacred cities, palaces and cliff-top citadels to colonial strongholds, spanning close to 3,000 years of history. To complete the picture of perfection, Sri Lanka is situated just three degrees north of the Equator, meaning the weather is constantly hot, humid and tropical. Sunny skies are the order of the day; even in the brief monsoon season there is always a daily spell of sunshine.

There has, however, been trouble in paradise. Modern Sri Lanka has experienced indigenous terrorism, particularly in the north of the island and the metropolis of Colombo city, but the beautiful beaches and towns of the south and southeast coast have been unaffected. Visitors who enjoy some mystery and wonderment will marvel at the ancient sites of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Panduwasnuwara, where the remains of a great civilisation are to be seen. The cities of Colombo and Kandy show the influence of the foreign colonial powers that fought for control over the strategic, lush island in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Dutch-inspired buildings stand cheek to jowl with Victorian British mansions and Portuguese fortifications.

Sri Lanka offers leisure and pleasure opportunities at a gentle pace; this is no package holiday destination but rather one to be savoured by discerning travellers who enjoy discovering their own diversions.

COLOMBO

Dambulla Rock Temple

A pretty metropolis sounds like a contradiction in terms, but it is a description that fits Colombo, Sri Lanka's largest city, a beehive of commotion with more than a million inhabitants.

Frenetic traffic fills the main Galle Road that runs through the city from the district of Fort, parallel with the coast, connecting all the suburban enclaves down to the town of Galle in the south. Fort is the historic centre of the city that has become the main business district, filled with shops, office blocks and government buildings. It is here that most of the gracious old buildings from the Dutch, Portuguese and British colonial eras are to be seen. East of Fort is the exciting Pettah bazaar district, where the streets are crammed with shops and stalls selling all manner of goods from vegetables to gemstones. Further south the city's seafront is known as Galle Face Green, where locals enjoy games of cricket, fly kites or take evening strolls watching the sunset. Beyond this lies Colombo's smart neighbourhood, Cinammon Gardens, boasting elegant mansions, tree-lined streets and the lovely Viharamaha Devi Park. The closest beach resort to the city is Mount Lavinia, about six miles (10km) from the city.

Main tourist attractions include museums, historic buildings and churches, and beautiful parks. What is especially enjoyable is the variety of cuisine that can be sampled at any one of the city's plentiful bars, restaurants, sidewalk cafes and kiosks.

National Museum

Sri Lanka's oldest museum was established in 1877 and today boasts a massive collection of antiques and objects d'art, encompassing the cultural heritage of the island. Exhibits include artefacts from archaeological sites all over Sri Lanka, and more than 4,000 ancient palm leaf manuscripts. Among the exhibits is displayed the regalia of the Kandyan Kings dating back to the 17th century. Alongside the archaeological museum in Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha is the Natural History Museum which features the island's fauna and flora in dioramas. The dual museums are a good introduction for visitors interested in discovering the culture and 2,500 year history of the island.

Telephone: (1) 694 366; Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm. Closed Fridays.

Pettah

Colombo's bazaar district, the Pettah, presents a real treat for shopaholics who can wander through the hustle and bustle of whole streets dedicated to selling a particular type of merchandise, from local handcrafts to brand name clothing. The area was once an exclusive residential area filled with stately homes and large gardens in gas-lit streets. A relic of the colonial era, the Dutch House Museum, is open to the public on Prince Street. The mansion house dates from the 17th century and was the residence of Count August Carl Van Ranzow. It has now been restored and stands among the traders and boutiques as a museum displaying the life and times of the Dutch occupation, its exhibits including furniture, ceramics, coins and all the trappings of daily life at the time.

Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm; closed Fridays

Zoological Gardens

Colombo's zoo has a fine collection of animals, birds, reptiles and fish from all over the world, but in particular showcases the fauna of the island. The complex includes an aquarium, which is the only one of its kind in Asia displaying more than 500 varieties of aquatic life. There is also a walk-through aviary, reptile enclosure and butterfly park. One of the most popular attractions at the zoo are the daily elephant shows, which take place at 5.15pm.

Address: In Dehiwala, south of the city; Opening time: Daily 8am to 6pm; closed on the last Thursday of every month

Hotels

Whether you stay in them or not, Colombo has some grand old hotels with plenty of legends and history attached that are well worth visiting, even for a sundowner on the veranda. The Grand Oriental Hotel faces the once-bustling passenger harbour terminal and in the age of elegance played host to the rich and famous travelling on the famed Cunard and P&O passenger liners. The Galle Face Hotel faces the Green with a haughty, beautiful façade. It oozes with charm and is believed to be the oldest hotel east of the Suez Canal. The Mount Lavinia Hotel at the city’s beach resort was originally the residence of the British Governor.

Anuradhapura

The remains of the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura are sited about 130 miles (205km) north of Colombo, standing majestically in the jungle that for generations hid away the palaces, monasteries and monuments, which have been there since the third century BC. The ancient city was capital of the island for more than 10 centuries, until an invasion in 993, having initially been founded around a fig tree grown from a cutting of Buddha’s ‘tree of enlightenment’. The remains visible today consist of several magnificent dagobas (domes built to enshrine sacred relics), sculptures, carvings, ruined palaces and monasteries, bathing ponds and irrigation tanks. Tourist facilities and hotels are available in the nearby ‘new town’ of Anuradhapura. A recommended way to view the many scattered archaeological treasures is to hire a bicycle, or travel between sights on a ‘Tuk-tuk’.

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage

Among the green hills of Kegalle, about 50 miles (85km) from Colombo on the road to Kandy in the hill country, a herd of about 60 elephants roam free in the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage. This popular attraction, established as a sanctuary covering 25 acres of lush forest by the Sri Lankan Government in 1975, is unique. Its purpose is to feed, nurse and house young elephants lost or abandoned by their mothers. Recently the sanctuary has also started a breeding programme. Visitors are invited to observe and assist the baby elephants as they are fed from giant feeding bottles, before the pachyderms are lead down to the river for their daily baths at 10am and 2pm.

Address: Near Kegalle town, which is 77 km from Colombo on the Colombo- Kandy. The turn off to the orphanage is at the Karandupona Junction.; Telephone: (1) 698 086; Website: www.elephant.se/pinnawela_elephant_orphanage_Sri_Lanka.php; Transport: The orphanage is accessible from Colombo by car, bus or train; Opening time: Daily 8.30am to 5.45pm

Adam’s Peak

The legendary mountain peak towering 7,297ft (2,224m) over the island of Sri Lanka is known as Sri Pada or Adam’s Peak, and has been venerated as a place of pilgrimage and worship for all major faiths for many generations. The holy mountain bears the imprint of a foot on a rock on its summit. Depending on their faith pilgrims believe the print was left there by Buddha, the God Shiva, St Thomas, or Adam after he was expelled from Eden. Whether you believe the footprint to be holy or not the climb to view it, protected in an enclosure at the pinnacle of the peak, is well worth it for the panoramic views of tropical forest afforded from the top. The stairway up the mountainside is believed to be the longest in the world and climbers are entitled to ring the bell sited at the top once they have made the journey.

Kandy

The relaxed and peaceful atmosphere of the town of Kandy in the heart of Sri Lanka's hill country, about 75 miles (120km) from Colombo, is probably the result of being beautifully situated around a tranquil lake in a bowl of hills. The town is also the bastion of the island's pervasive Buddhist faith, and plays host to the country's most venerated religious relic, the sacred tooth of Buddha. The octagonal Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Tooth, attracts hundreds of pilgrims to daily ceremonies honouring the relic, and each year in July and August the tooth is carried in procession on an elephant during the ancient Esala Perahera parade. According to legend, the tooth was taken from Buddha as he lay on his funeral pyre and was smuggled to Sri Lanka hidden in the hair of a princess in the 4th century. Vistors can't actually see the tooth as it's in a casket, but the temple is an interesting place all-the-same. The ancient city also sports a good museum, the lovely Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, a bird sanctuary and an auditorium where folk dances are performed and local crafts are on display.

Trincomalee

The ancient port of Trincomalee on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka has a perfect natural harbour, which has made the town a prize to be fought over by foreign powers for generations. The Danes first took the trophy in 1617 on behalf of the Dutch, but the Portuguese put up a fort and staked their claim a few years later. By the mid-17th century the port was Dutch again, until the British and French both had a turn at occupation in the late 18th century. During the Second World War the harbour was a strategic British naval base, and now is home to the Sri Lankan Navy. The beaches in the area, especially those north of Tincomalee at Nilaveli and Uppuveli, are broad, soft and white, lapped by warm gentle waters. Among the sights to visit is Fort Frederick, built by the Portuguese, and Wellington House, once home to the Duke of Wellington. The Tirukoneswaram Temple is an important modern Hindu shrine at Swami Rock.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya is an important Buddhist site in central Sri Lanka, about 100 miles (161km) northeast of Colombo. The remains of an ancient royal fortress and city dating from 477AD stand on a vast rock, which rises 600ft (180m) above the surrounding plain. King Kasyapa built it to safeguard against attack from his brother, Mogallana from whom he had stolen the throne after having killed their father. The only way into the city it through the massive carved jaws of a lion - the name Sigiriya is taken from 'giriya', meaning 'jaws and throat' and 'sinha' meaning 'lion'. The site is one of the best preserved first-millennium city centres in Asia and is also renowned for its 5th-century rock paintings and its magnificent, symmetrical water gardens.

Transport: Two or three hours from Colombo by rail, bus or car; Opening time: Daily 8.30am to 6pm; Admission: SLR1.500; concessions available

MATARA

Hikkaduwa Beach © Sri Lanka Tourist Board

Matara is the largest town on Sri Lanka’s popular south coast, hosting the terminus of the railway line from Colombo. Today it is a quiet town, but in past centuries was a thriving port central to the spice and gem trade with the East and Holland. The original town was established on a narrow peninsula in the estuary of the Nilwala River, which was fortified by the Dutch. The original walls still stand, containing some rather dilapidated old buildings dating from the Dutch colonial era. Matara is scenically attractive, surrounded by paddy fields and tea estates on the fertile river floodplain. The area also boasts some sandy, safe beaches. These assets have ensured that the town is a popular tourist destination removed from the trouble spots in the north of the island, where civil unrest remains a threat.

Star Fort

During their occupation of Sri Lanka the Dutch built a small outpost fort on the north bank of the Nilwala estuary at Matara in the form of a five-pointed star, in order to guard the river crossing. The fort, dating from 1763, now contains a museum featuring a collection of historic paintings and frescoes on wooden panels.

Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm

Wewurukaimala Temple

Not all Buddhist temples are ancient, nor are they all conservative affairs. The colourful, somewhat garish, modern Wewurukaimala Temple at Dikwella village near Matara is quite an eyeful, featuring hundreds of brightly painted and gilded models depicting scenes from the life of Buddha, and numerous murals, some of them rather ghoulish. There is also a Buddha effigy that is one of the world’s tallest, equalling the height of a five-storey building, which visitors can ascend on the inside to enjoy the view from the top.

Opening time: Daily from dawn to dusk

Yala National Park

Elephants are the most often-spotted inhabitants of the vast Yala National Park in the southeast of Sri Lanka, east of Matara, but they share the reserve with 130 different species of birds and other creatures like sambhur, spotted deer, sloths, crocodiles, monkeys, wild boar and porcupines. There is also a large concentration of leopards in this, the country's oldest protected area. The park is somewhat remote, the nearest town being Tissa, and is situated about 190 miles (305km) from Colombo. Yala is also dotted with a number of fascinating archaeological sites, like the Magul Maha Vihara ruins, dating from the 1st century BC. The damage caused to the eastern section of the park caused by the tsunami tidal waves on 26 December 2004 is negligible; the few hundred meters of coastline that were affected is a tiny percentage of the park area, and their was very little loss of life to fauna and flora.

Galle

The port town of Galle, about 60 miles (100km) south of Colombo and a short distance west of Matara, is steeped in the heritage of the Dutch presence in Sri Lanka, dominated by the 36-hectare (89-acre) Dutch Fort, built in 1663, with its massive ramparts on a promontory. Inside the walls of the fort is the old part containing Galle houses, Dutch homesteads, museums and churches, as well as the New Oriental Hotel, originally the home of the Dutch governors. The town has a small beach but most sun-lovers find better beaches a little out of town along the coast road.

Beaches

The southern beaches of Sri Lanka are the most popular for tourists, the main season extending from October to April when the monsoon has moved on and the sea is calm and tranquil under bright blue skies. Bentota is one of the loveliest resorts on the coastal road, featuring good hotels, watersports and a beach at the river mouth. Divers enjoy Hikkaduwa, where there is a marine sanctuary abundant with coral and tropical fish. Close to Galle is Unawatuna with its beautiful stretch of safe sandy beach. At Kudawella a novel feature is a blowhole that throws huge columns of water into the air when ocean waves break on the rocks. The Kirinda beach just south of the town of Tissa is renowned for offering spectacular scuba diving opportunities.

Basics

Time: GMT +6.
Electricity: 230 volts, 50Hz. Round, three-pin plugs are used.
Money: The unit of currency is the Sri Lanka Rupee (SLR), which is divided into 100 cents. Major credit cards are widely accepted, and travellers cheques in US Dollars are recommended. ATMs are becoming more common, but outside the main cities they are unlikely to accept international cards. Credit cards should be used with caution due to the potential for fraud. Foreign currency can be exchanged at bureaux de change, banks and hotels. Banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Currency Exchange Rates
LKR 100.00	LKR 1,000.00	LKR 10,000.00	LKR 100,000.00	LKR 1,000,000.00
GBP 0.57	GBP 5.69	GBP 56.85	GBP 568.52	GBP 5,685.18

Note: These rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.

Language: Most people speak Sinhala which is the national and official language. Tamil is also spoken, and English is spoken at most tourist establishments.

Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK citizens require a passport valid for at least three months beyond the period of intended stay. A visa allowing for 30 days for tourist purposes will be issued on arrival at Colombo airport. A return ticket or proof of onward travel is also required.

Passport/Visa Note: Visitors may be required to deposit a sum of money not exceeding LKR 500 on arrival. This is refundable, less any expenditure incurred on the visitor's behalf by the government of Sri Lanka. Visitors also should be able to satisfy the immigration officials they have sufficient funds for their stay in Sri Lanka (minimum US$15 per day). Entry can be refused to visitors who do not comply with a required standard of general appearance: men with long hair are not favoured.

Health: Food and waterborne diseases are a primary cause for ill health in travellers. Visitors should only drink bottled water, avoid ice in drinks, and take care to eat well-cooked food. Cholera is regarded as a serious risk and precautions are advised, while typhoid is more of a problem in rural areas. Yellow fever vaccination certificates are required by travellers coming from infected areas. Malaria and dengue fever are a risk throughout the year. Travellers are strongly advised to take out good travel insurance, and seek medial advice at least three weeks before leaving for Sri Lanka. Following the tsunami on the 26 December 2004, there is a real risk of disease in affected areas. If you do need to visit affected areas, you should ensure that your inoculations are up to date and be particularly careful to drink only bottled or purified water as local water sources may be contaminated. There is also a particular danger from contaminated seafood.

Tipping: A 10% service charge is added to most restaurant and hotel bills. Tipping is a customary way to show appreciation for almost all services and small amounts are sufficient, otherwise 10% of the amount due is standard. There is no need to tip taxi drivers.

Climate: Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with high humidity, tempered by sea breezes on the coast. The average temperature is about 81ºF (27ºC). January is the coolest month, becoming especially cold in the highlands, and May is the hottest time of year. Monsoon season is between May and July, and December and January.

Safety: There is a risk of terrorism in the country, and although foreigners have not been the targets of previous attacks, there is a risk of being caught up in incidents, such as the attacks on 29 November and 11 December 2004 where grenades were thrown into a bus in Trincomalee and in a concert in Colombo respectively that caused death and injury. The Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been involved in long-standing conflict which has resulted in indigenous terrorism, particularly in the north and northeast of the country. A ceasefire agreement has now been signed, but the threat of further conflict is not entirely ruled out and visitors should keep themselves informed of developments and remain vigilant. As a result of the conflict much of the north and east remains heavily mined, particularly around the A9 road to Jaffna, and travellers are advised to avoid the area unless travel is essential, except for Trincomalee, Nilaveli and Arugam Bay. Violent crime against foreigners is infrequent, but there have been cases of sexual assault and robbery in rural areas and women are advised to take care when travelling alone. On 5 November 2003 a State of Emergency was declared in Sri Lanka as the President sacked three ministers. However, the situation in the country remains calm and stable and governments have not changed their travel advice and business is continuing as normal. Asian Tsunami: The tsunami on 26 December 2004 caused large scale damage and extensive casualties along the eastern, southern and south-western coastline of Sri Lanka. A number of the hotels in the south and south-west are now functioning as normal. Anyone planning to travel to those areas should check with their tour operators and/or the hotel before departing that the hotel has re-opened for business. Most hotels on the east coast in Trincomalee, Nilaveli and Arugam Bay suffered major damage and remain closed. There are, however, no security reasons why travellers should not visit these areas. Travellers intending to visit the affected areas should be careful to drink only bottled or purified water as local sources may be contaminated.

Communications: The international country dialing code for Sri Lanka is +94. The outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Sri Lanka also has area codes. International direct dial facilities are available in Colombo and other major cities. Four mobile phone operators provide GSM 900 and/or 1800 frequency networks with coverage across all the main parts of the island. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts.

Sri Lanka Contacts

Ministry of Tourism, Colombo: +94 (11) 238 5241 or www.srilankatourism.org
Sri Lanka Embassy, Washington, United States: +1 202 483 4025-28
Sri Lanka High Commission, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7262 1841
Sri Lanka High Commission, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 233 8449
Sri Lanka High commission, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6239 7041
Sri Lanka High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 460 7690
Consulate of Sri Lanka, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 560 5817
United States Embassy, Colombo: +94 11 2-448 007
British High Commission, Colombo: +94 11 2437336-43
Canadian High Commission, Colombo: +94 11 2-695841-3
Australian High Commission, Colombo: +94(11 2-698767-9
Honorary Consul of Ireland, Colombo: +94 11 2587 895
New Zealand Consulate, Colombo: +94 11 2556 701
Emergencies: 691 095/699 935

Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (CMB)

Location: The airport is situated 20 miles (32km) from the city of Colombo. Time: GMT +6. Contacts: Tel: +940 1225 2861. Transfer to the city: Most hotels and tour operators offer transport from the airport; if possible confirm in advance. Buses and taxis are available but visitors are advised to arrange their own transportation. Car rental: Cars can be hired with a driver through most tour operators. Facilities: Facilities at the airport include a bank, post office, and a duty-free shop. There is a restaurant open 24 hours and a bar and snack bar. Departure tax: A tax of SLR1,000 is payable, except for transit passengers and infants under two years.

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