About Sri Lanka

A beautiful island nation in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is geographically located to the south of the Indian subcontinent. Comprising of beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and numerous attractions, Sri Lanka is a pleasant destination to spend a leisure holiday. A priceless pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka boasts of unique cultural and geographical features.
One falls short of words while describing the beauty of Sri Lanka. This island nation is full of romantic landscapes, tall mountains, lush green tea gardens and golden beaches. With no dearth of beauty, Sri Lanka promises to captivate you with amazement at every step.

History
Sri Lanka has a rich history, which can be traced back to over 500,000 years. The country also plays a crucial role in the Indian mythology, Ramayana. One of the early inhabitants of Sri Lanka is considered to be the ancestors of the locals, called the Veddas. The country has witnessed invasions, colonization and evolutions to become what it is today. It is the rich history of Sri Lanka that gives rise to a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

People, Language and Culture
The people of Sri Lanka are mainly Sinhalese, and speak Sinhala. However, the commercial language of Sri Lanka is English. The island is fairly multi cultural, due to its vibrant history. The four major ethnic groups here are the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers. Sri Lankan culture is a blend of modern elements with traditional aspect. A diverse country like Sri Lanka is inhabited by people from diverse religions like Hindus, Christians, Muslims and Theravada Buddhists.
The country is famed for its regional diversity and the culture here has long been influenced by the heritage of Theravada Buddhism passed on from India. Sri Lankan culture includes a lot of rituals. The glorious culture of this country is reflected in its arts, architecture, sculptures and even its food. One of the main features of the culture here is its Indian and European influence.

Fairs and Festivals
One of the most interesting features of Sri Lanka is that it has more festivals than any other country. The festivals of Sri Lanka offer visitors an amazing chance to experience the diverse cultures and traditions of the local lifestyle.
One of the prominent festivals of Sri Lanka is Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Sinhala and Tamil New Year is celebrated by not only the Buddhists, but Hindus as well. The festival generally falls on the 13th or the 14th of April every year, and marks the end of the harvest season and spring.
Another major festival here is Vesak, which is a religious and cultural festival in Sri Lanka. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the lunar month of Vesak. All the streets, shops and houses are decorated with colourful lanterns, signifying the light of the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha. During the festival, the entire country and mainly Colombo shines bright with decorations.
Poson Festival, also known as Poson Poya Day is another popular festival of Sri Lanka. It is celebrated by Buddhists to commemorate the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. The festival is of great historical and religious significance, and is the second most important festival for Buddhists right after the Vesak.
Another festival is the Kandy Esala Perahera festival, also known as the Festival of the Tooth. This grand festival is celebrated annually on the full moon day in July or August, as homage to one of the only two survival sacred tooth relic of Gautama Buddha.
Other major festivals of Sri Lanka are Kataragama Festival, Vel Festival, and Deewavali.

Cuisines
Foods in Sri Lanka can be hot and mild, and Sri Lankan food is unique for their culture. Majority of the food items of Sri Lanka are derived from Chena cultivation. The cultural festivals here are celebrated with milk rice and special sweets with coconut milk, floor and Honey.
The curries in Sri Lanka come in many verities of colours and flavours blended in Sri Lankan Hot Spices. Majority of Sri Lankans prefer vegetarian food. Famed for its fiery hot spicy flavours, coconut milk is a distinct feature of Sri Lankan cuisines. The specialty in Sri Lankan food is that same food is differently made in different regions.
The dominant spices of Sri Lankan cuisines are Cloves, Cardamoms, nutmeg and pepper. Staple diet of Sri Lanka is ‘Rice and curry’. From Soups, meat, Sea food, Lentils, Vegetables, Sambols, Mallums, Phies to Achcharus, the country serves variety of food options to try from. Sri Lankans also enjoy several juicy sweetmeats like Kavum, kokis, Halape, Thalaguli and Wattalapam etc.

Wildlife
Sri Lanka is an exotic enchantment when it comes to natural beauty and wildlife. Home to the most impressive wildlife found in Asia, the land is famous for Asian Elephants, leopard, hairy sloth bear and flamboyant birds. It welcomes every wildlife enthusiast with its 22 National Parks which are undoubtedly the best in the world. No one can deny the visual treat provided by elephant herds, enormous whales, leopards, dolphins and colourful reefs perfectly teeming with rainbow-coloured fish.

Beaches
The Island of Sri Lanka is famous all over world as a beach destination. Immaculate with gorgeous hue of azure waters, white sands and lush jungles, the country encompasses beauty in every form. From thrilling adventure activities, monuments, attractions or rich national parks; Sri Lanka has everything for everyone. So, choose this romantic getaway for yourself and your family and spend a wonderful holiday in the quiet and peaceful beaches with a plethora of adventure activities.

Ayurveda and Spa
The beautiful island country of Sri Lanka rejuvenates your mind, body and soul, healing every tired nerve in your body.? For thousands of years, popular methods have been used to restore and rejuvenate through Ayurveda. Ayurvedic programs in Sri Lanka consist of a range of herbal treatments and various types of revitalizing methods like yoga, meditation and special diets. For those seeking spiritual nourishment, Sri Lanka is the place to be.

Best time to visit
December to March is the best time to visit Sri Lanka. If you plan on seeing the east coast, you'll get the best weather from April/May to September.

How to reach
By Air: The busiest international airport of Sri Lanka is the Bandaranaike Internal Airport. Located in Colombo, Sri Lankan flights from the major countries of the world arrive here.
By Road & Train: Being a separate island country away from India, Sri Lanka is completely inaccessible by train and road.
By Sea: There are few ships that operate from Mumbai port to Colombo on a luxurious cruise liner. The 7-day cruise departs at Mumbai and reaches Colombo, taking you to all the essential destinations like Kandy and Nuwara Eliya along the way.