Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island country located off the southern coast of India. Sri Lanka is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the Maldives. Shaped like a teardrop, the island of Sri Lanka measures about 255 miles (415 km.) from north to south, and about 135 miles (220 km.) from east to west, with a total land area of about 25,300 square miles (65,600 square km.). It has more than 830 miles (1340 km.) of coastline. The island is ringed by a broad coastal plain, rising to an inland terrain of gently rolling hills. A range of mountains dominates the south-central interior, with the highest peak, Mt. Piduruthalagala, reaching more than 8200 feet (2524 meters) in height.

Colombo is the commercial capital of Sri Lanka and has a fascination of its own. Nearly every visitor to Sri Lanka begins or ends their stay here. More than anywhere else in the country it's a city where the old and new co-exist. There are high-rise complexes & colonial mansions, supermarkets & street bazaars, flashy western fashions & traditional sarongs, speedy sports cars & one-man rickshaws. Most of the remnants found in Colombo today are the legacy of the British, Dutch & Portuguese.

Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka and lies in the midst of hills. It is the Capital of the Central Province. It is both an administrative ad religious city. Kandy is very famous among tourist for three main reasons: It is home to the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic ; Dalada Maligawa ), The Botanica Gardens (Located in Peradeniya) and it always has a special place when it comes to festivities such as the astounding procession of the Esala Perahara.

Trincomalee is a port city on the east coast of Sri Lanka. The city is located on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Trincomalee boasts a record as the fifth largest natural harbor in the world In the map. The Bay of Trincomalee is openly accessible to all types of sea crafts in all weathers. The beaches are used for recreational purposes such as surfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching. The city is renowned for housing the largest Dutch fort in Sri Lanka. It is home to major Sri Lankan naval bases and a Sri Lankan Air Force base. The rare hot springs in Trincomalee are also always a major tourist attraction. There are the seven hot springs of Kanniya on the way to Trincomalee. The seven springs are enclosed by a high wall, each of which is again enclosed and bound by smaller walls to make up wells.

Ella, often described as ‘’lonely planet’’ and ‘’waterfall’’ is a town located in Sri Lanka. Ella is pure natural beauty, with its waterfalls, greenery, and hills it is just jaw-dropping. It has views that one hasn’t witnessed before, scenes one hasn't seen before and nature one hasn't felt before. One of Ella’s wonders is the Ella Rock. Ella rock might be a long way up but it’s worth all the struggle. Every day, tons and tons of people go and climb the Ella Rock. The view from the top of the Ella Rock is difficult to put in such simple words. Another wonder of Ella is its waterfalls. The views overlooking the valley are breath-taking, and the trek up into the mountains to see the 2nd and 3rd tier waterfalls to witness views of a fairy-tale of some sort as having just discovered a magical fountain!

Hikkaduwa is the name of a small town which is located on the south coast of Sri lanka. It is well known for the Hikkaduwa beach which is labelled as one of the best surfing site in Sri Lanka and for Hikkaduwa Coral Sanctuary which is located a few meters away from the shore. The Beach is considered to be one of the finest places in the country for surfing and it is also well known for seafood curry which gives an extraordinary touch while having the perfect day on the beach. You can enjoy Surfing to the fullest in the months of November to March when waves rise up. You can also enjoy snorkelling and watch and enjoy all the beautiful aquatic and marine life up close and personal.

Sigiriya also known as the Lion's Rock is a rock fortress and a palace located in the Matale district of Sri Lanka. This ruin is surrounded by gardens, ponds and other structures. Sigiriya was built by King Kassapa and it is included as a World Heritage site. The gardens of Sigiriya are amongst the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. The gardens are divided into three distinct but linked forms; water gardens, Cave and boulder gardens, and terraced gardens. The Sigiriya Frescoes belived to have been painted around 480AD on the western surface of Sigiriya Rock are a popular tourist attraction as well, while the well preserved mirror wall has inscriptions dating back to the 8th century.

Anuradhapura is one of the ancient cities in Sri Lanka, well known for its ruins depicting early Sri Lankan civilization. It is very famous among Buddhists pilgrims. Anuradhapura was earlier the capital of the Island (in ancient times) and most of the Kings who ruled Sri Lanka resided in this vast city. It is famous for its Eight great places for veneration Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanwelisaya, Thuparamaya, Lovamahapaya, Jetavanaramaya, Abhayagiri Dagaba, Mirisaveti Stupa and Lankarama.

In the wet zone forest area you'll find one of Sri Lanka's finest locations, splendid and rich with nature's gifts. The town is called Kitulgala, where wildlife lives, plants grow, fishes and water creatures strut about with no inhibitions at all. Kitulgala is famous for the exotic birds that roam the sky above it, the mouth-watering rice-curry lunch that's served and the Kelani River. The Kelani River is a safe and secluded area to enjoy swimming and water sports like rafting while having a picnic beside the lake, while Exotic birds like mountain hawk eagle, crested tree swift and layard's parakeet can be spotted in Kitulgala’s exotic world of flora and fauna and is tourist’s or explorer’s dream destination.