Travel Guide to Srilanka

INTRODUCTION TO SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka has seduced travellers for centuries. Marco Polo described it as the finest island of its size in the world, while successive waves of Indian, Arab and European traders and adventurers flocked to its palm-fringed shores, attracted by reports of rare spices, precious stones and magnificent elephants. Poised just above the Equator amid the balmy waters of the Indian Ocean, the island’s legendary reputation for natural beauty and plenty has inspired an almost magical regard even in those who have never visited the place. Romantically inclined geographers, poring over maps of the island, compared its outline to a teardrop falling from the tip of India or to the shape of a pearl (the less impressionable Dutch likened it to a leg of ham), while even the name given to the island by early Arab traders – Serendib – gave rise to the English word “serendipity”.

Marco Polo’s bold claim still holds true. Sri Lanka packs an extraordinary variety of attractions within its modest physical dimensions, and few islands of comparable size can boast a natural environment of such beauty and diversity. Lapped by the Indian Ocean, the coast is fringed with idyllic – and often refreshingly undeveloped – beaches, while the interior boasts a compelling variety of landscapes ranging from wildlife-rich lowland jungles, home to extensive populations of elephants, leopards and rare endemic bird species, to the misty heights of the hill country, swathed in immaculately manicured tea plantations. Nor does the island lack in man-made attractions. Sri Lanka boasts more than two thousand years of recorded history, and the remarkable achievements of the early Sinhalese civilization can still be seen in the sequence of ruined cities and great religious monuments that litter the northern plains.

  The glories of this early Buddhist civilization continue to provide a benchmark of national identity for the island’s Sinhalese population, while Sri Lanka’s historic role as the world’s oldest stronghold of Theravada Buddhism lends it a unique cultural identity that permeates life at every level. There’s more to Sri Lanka than just Buddhists, however. The island’s geographical position at one of the most important staging posts of Indian Ocean trade laid it open to a uniquely wide range of influences, as generations of Arab, Malay, Portuguese, Dutch and British settlers subtly transformed its culture, architecture and cuisine, while the long-established Tamil population in the north have established a vibrant Hindu culture that owes more to India than to the Sinhalese south.

  It was, for a while, this very diversity that threatened to tear the country apart. For almost three decades Sri Lanka was the site of one of Asia’s most pernicious civil wars, as the Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE, or Tamil Tigers, battled it out in the island’s north and east, until the final victory of government forces in 2009. The subsequent hard-earned peace was marred by the increasingly corrupt rule of former president Mahinda Rajapakse, although following his electoral defeat in 2015 the island is now looking once again to the future with renewed optimism.

FACT FILE

• Lying a few degrees north of the Equator, Sri Lanka is slightly smaller than Ireland and a little larger than the US state of West Virginia.
• Sri Lanka achieved independence from Britain in 1948, and did away with its colonial name, Ceylon, in 1972. The country has had a functioning democracy since independence, and in 1960 elected the world’s first female prime minister.
• Sri Lanka’s population of 21 million is a mosaic of different ethnic and religious groups, the two largest being the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese (75 percent), and the predominantly Hindu Tamils (15 percent); there are also considerable numbers of Christians and Muslims. Sinhala, Tamil and English are all officially recognized languages.
• Sri Lankans enjoy a healthy life expectancy of 75 years and a literacy rate of 91 percent, though they have also set some less enviable records in recent years, including achieving the world’s highest suicide rate and one of the highest death rates from snakebite.
• The country’s main export is clothing, followed by tea; rubber, coconuts and precious gems are also important. Revenues from tourism are vital to the national economy, while remittances from the hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans working overseas (mainly in the Gulf) are also significant.

Where to go

All visits to Sri Lanka currently begin at the international airport just outside Colombo, the island’s capital and far and away its largest city – a sprawling metropolis whose contrasting districts offer an absorbing introduction to Sri Lanka’s myriad cultures and multilayered history. Many visitors head straight for one of the west coast’s beaches, whose innumerable resort hotels still power the country’s tourist industry. Destinations include the package-holiday resorts of Negombo and Beruwala, the more stylish Bentota, and the old hippy hangout of Hikkaduwa. More unspoilt countryside can be found north of Colombo at the Kalpitiya peninsula and in the vast Wilpattu National Park nearby, home to leopards, elephants and sloth bears.

  Beyond Hikkaduwa, the south coast is significantly less developed. Gateway to the region is the marvellous old Dutch city of Galle, Sri Lanka’s finest colonial town, beyond which lie a string of fine beaches including the ever-expanding village of Unawatuna and the quieter stretches of coast at Weligama, Mirissa and Tangalla, as well as the lively provincial capital of Matara, boasting further Dutch remains. East of here, Tissamaharama serves as a convenient base for the outstanding Yalaand Bundala national parks, and for the fascinating temple town of Kataragama.

  Inland from Colombo rise the verdant highlands of the hill country, enveloped in the tea plantations (first introduced by the British) which still play a vital role in the island’s economy. The symbolic heart of the region is Kandy, Sri Lanka’s second city and the cultural capital of the Sinhalese, its colourful traditions embodied by the famous Temple of the Tooth and the magnificent Esala Perahera, Sri Lanka’s most colourful festival. South of here, close to the highest point of the island, lies the old British town of Nuwara Eliya, centre of the country’s tea industry and a convenient base for visits to the spectacular Horton Plains National Park. A string of towns and villages – Ella, Haputale and Bandarawela – along the southern edge of the hill country offer an appealing mixture of magnificent views, wonderful walks and olde-worlde British colonial charm. Close to the hill country’s southwestern edge, the soaring summit of Adam’s Peak is another of the island’s major pilgrimage sites, while the gem-mining centre of Ratnapura to the south serves as the best starting point for visits to the elephant-rich Uda Walawe National Park and the rare tropical rainforest of Sinharaja.

  North of Kandy, the hill country tumbles down into the arid plains of the northern dry zone. This area, known as the Cultural Triangle, was the location of Sri Lanka’s first great civilization, and its extraordinary scatter of ruined palaces, temples and dagobas still gives a compelling sense of this glorious past. Foremost among these are the fascinating ruined cities of Anuradhapura andPolonnaruwa, the marvellous cave temples of Dambulla, the hilltop shrines and dagobas ofMihintale and the extraordinary rock citadel of Sigiriya.

  The two main gateways to the east are the cities of Trincomalee and Batticaloa, each boasting a clutch of colonial remains backed by bays and lagoons. Elsewhere, the east’s huge swathe of coastline remains largely undeveloped. A cluster of brand-new resort hotels dot the seafront at Passekudah, north of Batticaloa, although most visitors prefer the more laidback beachside charms of sleepy Nilaveli and Uppuveli, just north of Trincomalee, or the chilled-out surfing centre of Arugam Bay, at the southern end of the coast. Newly accessible by rail, the north is – like the east – emerging after years of civil war; increasing numbers of visitors are making the journey to the absorbing city of Jaffna, while a side trip to remote Mannar, closer to India than Colombo, is another enticing possibility.

FROM TOP LEFT TRADITIONAL ORUWA FISHING BOAT; PERADENIYA BOTANICAL GARDENS; PEDLAR STREET, GALLE

ELEPHANTS

No animal is as closely identified with Sri Lanka as the elephant – and few other countries offer such a wide range of opportunities to see them both in captivity and in the wild. The kings of Anuradhapura used them to pound down the foundations of their city’s huge religious monuments, while the rulers of Kandy employed them to execute prisoners by trampling them to death. During the Dutch era they helped tow barges and move heavy artillery, and under the British they were set to clearing land for tea plantations – even today, trained elephants are used to move heavy objects in places inaccessible to machinery. Elephants also play an integral role in many of the island’s religious festivals, and remain revered creatures – killing an elephant was formerly a capital offence, while the death of the great Maligawa Tusker Raja in 1998 prompted the government to declare a national day of mourning.

When to go

Sri Lanka’s climate is rather complicated for such a small country, due to the fact that the island is affected by two separate monsoons – though this also means that there is usually good weather somewhere on the island, at most times of the year. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that the basic pattern described below can vary significantly from year to year, and that global warming has disrupted these already complex weather patterns.

  The basic rainfall pattern is as follows. The main southwest (“yala”) monsoon brings rain to the west and southwest coasts and hill country from April/May to September (wettest from April to June). The less severe northeast (“maha”) monsoon hits the east coast from November to March (wettest from November to December); there’s also a inter-monsoonal period of unsettled weather preceding the Maha monsoon in October and November during which heavy rainfall and thunderstorms can occur anywhere across the island. In practical terms, this means that the best time to visit the west and south coasts and hill country is from December to March, while the best weather on the east coast is from April/May to September.

  Sri Lanka’s position close to the Equator means that temperatures remain fairly constant year-round. Coastal and lowland areas enjoy average daytime temperatures of around 26–30°C (often climbing up well into the 30°Cs during the hottest part of the day). Temperatures decrease with altitude, reducing to a temperate 18–22°C in Kandy, and a pleasantly mild 14–17°C in Nuwara Eliya and the highest parts of the island – nights in the hills can be quite chilly, with temperatures sometimes falling close to freezing. Humidity is high everywhere, rising to a sweltering ninety percent at times in the southwest, and averaging sixty to eighty percent across the rest of the island.

  There is more on Sri Lanka’s climate, with a rainfall and temperature chart, in our Basics section.

BENTOTA

SRI LANKAN BUDDHISM

Buddhism runs deep in Sri Lanka. The island was one of the first places to convert to the religion, in 247 BC, and has remained unswervingly faithful in the two thousand years since. As such, Sri Lanka is often claimed to be the world’s oldest Buddhist country, and Buddhism continues to permeate the practical life and spiritual beliefs of the majority of the island’s Sinhalese population. Buddhist temples can be found everywhere, often decorated with superb shrines, statues and murals, while the sight of Sri Lanka’s orange-robed monks is one of the island’s enduring visual images. Buddhist places of pilgrimage – the Temple of the Tooth at Kandy, the revered “footprint” of the Buddha at Adam’s Peak, and the Sri Maha Bodhi at Anuradhapura – also play a vital role in sustaining the faith, while the national calendar is punctuated with religious holidays and festivals ranging from the monthly full-moon poya days through to more elaborate annual celebrations, often taking the form of enormous processions (peraheras), during which locals parade through the streets, often accompanied by elaborately costumed elephants. For more on Buddhism, turn to our Contexts chapter.

< Back to Introduction

FROM LEFT MINNERIYA; NUWARA ELIYA

AUTHOR PICKS

Our much-travelled author has visited every corner of Sri Lanka in order to uncover the very best the island has to offer. Here are some of his own personal highlights.

Classic journeys Ride the hill-country train through tea plantations to Badulla or drive the long A9 highway north to Jaffna.

Multi-faith island Make an eclectic pilgrimage to one of Sri Lanka’s great religious melting pots at Kataragama, Madhu or Adam’s Peak, held sacred by Buddhist, Hindus, Muslims and Christians.

Rugged rambling Take a walk on the wild side through the spectacular hill country at Adam’s Peak,Horton Plains or the Knuckles Range – Sri Lanka at its most scenically dramatic.

Colonial Ceylon Step back in time amid the colonial streetscapes of Galle or the old British tea-town of Nuwara Eliya.

Once more unto the beach Escape the crowds at the unspoilt beaches of Alankuda, Talalla,Kalametiya and Arugam Bay.

Wildlife on land and at sea Experience Sri Lanka’s wonderful range of fauna with highlights including whales at Mirissa, turtles at Rekawa, dolphins at Kalpitiya, birds in Sinharaja, elephants at Minneriya and leopards at Yala.

Boutique bliss Crash out in style at one of the island’s dazzling array of boutique hotels, ranging from stylish contemporary beachside villas like Rock Villa in Bentota to atmospheric old colonial-era lodgings like Ferncliff in Nuwara Eliya.

Flavours of Sri Lanka Dive into a hopper, unpack a lamprais, crunch some chilli crab or feast on a classic rice and curry – the Colombo Hilton’s Curry Leaf is a great place to get your taste buds oriented.

Our author recommendations don’t end here. We’ve flagged up our favourite places – a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric café, a special restaurant – throughout the Guide, highlighted with the   symbol.

25 THINGS NOT TO MISS

It’s not possible to see everything that Sri Lanka has to offer in one trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows, in no particular order, is a selective taste of the country’s highlights, including astonishing religious and historic sites, unforgettable wildlife, scenery and beaches, and vibrant festivals. All highlights have a reference to take you straight into the Guide, where you can find out more.

1 Cricket Take part in a knock-around on the beach, or join the crowds of cricket-crazy spectators for a Test match in Colombo or Kandy.

2 Adam’s Peak One of Sri Lanka’s foremost pilgrimage sites, this soaring summit bears the revered impression of what is said to be the Buddha’s own footprint, and offers the island’s most magical – and enigmatic – views.

3 Big Buddhas The Buddha’s superhuman attributes are captured in a sequence of massive statues which dot the island, from the majestic ancient figures of Aukana, Sasseruwa and Polonnaruwa’s Gal Vihara to the contemporary colossi at Dambulla and Wehurukannala.

4 Galle Sri Lanka’s most perfectly preserved colonial townscape, with sedate streets of personable Dutch-era villas enclosed by a chain of imposing ramparts.

5 Yala National Park Sri Lanka’s most popular and rewarding national park, home to birds, monkeys, crocodiles and elephants, as well as the island’s largest population of leopards.

6 World’s End Marking the point at which the hill country’s southern escarpment plunges sheer for almost 1km to the plains below, these dramatic cliffs offer one of the finest of the hill country’s many unforgettable views.

7 Rice and curry Eat your way through this classic Sri Lankan feast, with its mouthwatering selection of contrasting dishes and flavours.

8 Birds Sri Lanka is one of Asia’s classic birdwatching destinations, with species ranging from delicate bee-eaters and blue magpies to colourful kingfishers and majestic hornbills.

9 Kataragama Join the crowds thronging to the colourful nightly temple ceremonies at this remote pilgrimage town, held sacred by Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims alike.

10 Anuradhapura This vast, mysterious ruined city bears witness to the great Sinhalese civilization that flourished here for some two thousand years.

11 Bawa hotels With their blend of modern chic and superb natural settings, the hotels of architect Geoffrey Bawa exemplify contemporary Sri Lankan style.

12 Sigiriya Climb the towering rock outcrop of Sigiriya, home to the fascinating remains of one of the island’s former capitals, complete with ancient graffiti and elaborate water gardens.

13 Ella Sri Lanka’s most beautiful village, offering marvellous views and walks among verdant tea plantations.

14 The Pettah Colombo’s colourful, chaotic bazaar district offers an exhilarating slice of Asian life.

15 Whale- and dolphin-watching Take to the waves in search of magnificent blue and sperm whales, or pods of acrobatic spinner dolphins.

16 Polonnaruwa Quite simply the island’s finest collection of ancient Sinhalese art and architecture.

17 Bentota The unspoilt southern end of Bentota beach is home to a fine selection of luxury beachside hotels.

18 Kandy Esala Perahera One of Asia’s most spectacular festivals, with huge processions of magnificently caparisoned elephants, ear-splitting troupes of Kandyan drummers and assorted dancers and acrobats.

19 Sinharaja Unique region of pristine rainforest, home to towering trees, opulent orchids and rare endemic birds, lizards and amphibians.

20 Ayurveda Sri Lanka’s ancient system of healthcare uses herbal medicines and traditional techniques to promote holistic well-being.

21 Arugam Bay This remote east coast village has great sand and surf, lots of local wildlife and an appealingly chilled-out atmosphere.

22 Kandyan dancing and drumming Traditional Sinhalese culture at its most exuberant, with brilliantly costumed dancers performing stylized dances to an accompaniment of explosively energetic drumming.

23 Dambulla These five magical cave temples are a treasure box of Sri Lankan Buddhist art, sumptuously decorated with a fascinating array of statues, shrines and the country’s finest collection of murals.

24 Mirissa Laidback beachside village with a fine stretch of sand and world-class whale-watching.

25 Kandy Beautifully situated amid the central highlands, this historic city remains the island’s most important repository of traditional Sinhalese culture, exemplified by the great Esala Perahera festival and the Temple of the Tooth.

FROM LEFT SPOTTED DEER, YALA NATIONAL PARK; MIHINTALE

ITINERARIES

Sri Lanka is one of the biggest little countries in the world. The island’s modest size means that it’s possible to get a good taste of what’s on offer in just a couple of weeks, although, equally, attractions are crammed together so densely that you could easily spend a year in the place and still not see everything.

THE GRAND TOUR

Two weeks suffices to see Sri Lanka’s headline attractions, while an extra week would allow you to add on the places listed in the itineraries below.

1 Kandy Start in Kandy, cultural capital of Sri Lanka and a marvellous showcase of Sinhalese religious art, architecture and dance.

2 Dambulla Drive north to the cave temples at Dambulla, crammed with Buddhist statues and decorated with Sri Lanka’s finest murals.

3 Sigiriya The nearby rock citadel at Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka’s single most dramatic attraction: the remains of a fifth-century palace perched on the summit of the vertiginous Lion Rock.

4 Polonnaruwa Another short drive leads to the marvellous ruined city of Polonnaruwa, home to some of medieval Sri Lanka’s finest art and architecture, including the giant Buddha statues of the Gal Vihara.

5 Horton Plains National Park Return to Kandy and then continue to Nuwara Eliya for a trip to Horton Plains National Park, a marvellously rugged stretch of unspoilt hill country culminating in the spectacular view at World’s End.

6 Ella Continue to lively little Ella village, set in a dramatic location amid tea plantations on the edge of the hill country.

7 Yala National Park Drive south to Yala National Park, home to one of the world’s densest populations of leopards, and much more besides.

8 Mirissa Spend some time on the beach and go on a whale-watching trip at the village of Mirissa.

9 Galle Continue around the coast to the city of Galle and its time-warped old Dutch Fort – colonial Sri Lanka at its most perfectly preserved.

10 Colombo Finish with a day or two in the nation’s energetic capital.

WILDLIFE AND NATURE

The following itinerary, which picks up on some of the best natural attractions not covered in the Grand Tour, could be done in a week, at a push, and could thus be combined with other attractions en route during a fortnight’s visit to the island.

1 The Knuckles Range Hike from Kandy into the rugged Knuckles Range, one of the island’s most beautiful and biodiverse areas.

2 Nuwara Eliya Head south to this venerable old colonial town in the heart of the hill country, with spectacular walks in the surrounding countryside.

3 Horton Plains National Park Sri Lanka’s most scenically stunning national park: a misty mix of moorland and cloudforest, home to rare indigenous flora and fauna.

4 Haputale Dramatically perched on the edge of the southern hill country and with fine hiking through the surrounding tea plantations, particularly the walk down from nearby Lipton’s Seat.

5 Bundala National Park One of Sri Lanka’s premier birdwatching destinations, spread out around a stunning string of coastal lagoons.

6 Rekawa Watch majestic marine turtles haul themselves ashore to lay their eggs on beautiful Rekawa beach.

7 Uda Walawe National Park Superb elephant-watching opportunities, either in the wild or at the attached Elephant Transit Home.

8 Sinharaja Stunning area of unspoilt rainforest, home to an internationally significant array of rare endemic flora and fauna.

BUDDHISM AND BEACHES

A slightly offbeat alternative to the Grand Tour, featuring less mainstream destinations and mixing religion, culture and wildlife.

1 Kalpitiya Superb dolphin-watching, kitesurfing and some of the island’s finest eco-lodges on beautiful Alankuda beach.

2 Wilpattu National Park Enormous and very peaceful park famous for its leopards and elephants.

3 Anuradhapura The greatest city in Sri Lankan history, packed with monuments from over a thousand years of the island’s past.

4 Mihintale The birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, with a cluster of absorbing monuments clinging to a jungle-covered hillside.

5 Polonnaruwa Medieval Sri Lankan art and architecture at its finest, from the flamboyant Vatadage to the brooding statues of the Gal Vihara.

6 Batticaloa Vibrant but little-visited east coast town, famous for its “singing fish” and with a fine beach and lagoon.

7 Arugam Bay This quirky village is one of the most appealing places to hang out for a few days around the coast.

8 Kataragama Vibrant multi-faith pilgrimage town, a holy place for Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims.

9 Adam’s Peak The strenuous climb to the top of Adam’s Peak is the island’s ultimate pilgrimage, rewarded by a glimpse of the Buddha’s own footprint at the summit.