Thread: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean and located south of the Indian subcontinent, is also known as the Island of Serendipity. Sri Lanka lies between 5° 55' and 9° 55' north of the equator and between the eastern longitudes 79° 42' and 81° 52'. From North to South it has a maximum length of 435 km (270 miles) and at its widest point it measures 225 km. (140 miles), giving it a land area of 65,600 sq.km. (25,000 sq.miles). This entire stretch encompasses beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and a thousand delights to please all tastes.





The climate of Sri Lanka is typically tropical with an average temperature of 27°C. In the higher elevations it can be quite cool with temperatures going down to 16°C at an altitude of nearly 2,000 metres. Bright, sunny, warm days are the rule and are common even during the height of the monsoon - climatically Sri Lanka has no off season. The south west monsoon brings rain mainly from May to July to the western, southern and central regions of the island, while the north-east monsoon rains occur in the northern and eastern regions in December and January.

From sea level to 7000-foot high national parks, the country boasts of myriad geographical and climatic zones. A traveller to this country will never tire of the constantly changing patterns of the countryside. It is easy to imagine, when travelling across Sri Lanka, why Marco Polo called it the finest island of its size in the world!

The country is six hours ahead of GMT.



Mainly an agricultural country, the chief crop of Sri Lanka is rice with which the country is almost self sufficient. Tea, rubber and coconut are also important agricultural crops, with tea being a major foreign exchange earner. Other crops of importance are cocoa and spices. Sri Lanka is also a major exporter of precious and semi-precious stones. In the last three decades tourism has emerged as an important industry.


Sri Lanka has a population of 18.5 million of whom the majority are Sinhalese. Other ethnic groups are made up of Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils, Moors, Malays, Burghers (of Portuguese & Dutch descent) and others .Although a multi-religious country, Buddhists constitute the majority. Other religious groups are Hindus, Muslims and Christians Sri Lanka's literacy rate of 88.6% is one of the highest in Asia.

Sinhala and Tamil are official languages in Sri Lanka. English is widely spoken and understood. Place names and sign-boards on buses and trains are usually in all three languages. Sri Lanka is a land of religious freedom and tolerance. Wherever you travel you will come across a Buddhist Temple or Dagaba, a Hindu Kovil, a Christian Church or a Mosque, each with its own distinctive architecture. When visiting holy places please conform to the requirements as regards dress in order not to show disrespect.



In 247 BC the missionary labours of the monk Mahinda converted large groups to Buddhism and this pristine religion found a permanent home in Sri Lanka. The capital survived in Anuradhapura up to the 10th Century, and after several moves to other cities, including Kotte near Colombo, finally moved to the Kandyan hills where the Sinhala Kingdom made its last stand, before its capitulation to the British in 1815.

By that time however, two other European nations had left their imprint - in culture, language and religion on the northern and western regions of Sri Lanka. The Portuguese came first, bringing with them the legacy of the Roman Catholic religion and its own culture, which was quickly adopted by the western coastal belt of the country.

The Dutch followed, persecuting Catholics and building fortress bound centers on the coastal belt. Many Dutch period buildings still remain along the southwest coast.

Sri Lanka gained independence from the British in 1948.

Map of Sri Lanka

On the world map, Sri Lanka appears to hang like a tiny teardrop over the Indian Ocean whereas in reality, it is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world. Sri Lanka is a beautiful, colorful mixture of religions, cultures, races and geography. Sri Lanka is a veritable treasure trove of Rubies, Sapphires, Zircons, Garnets, Amethysts, Topaz and Cat's Eyes.

Sri Lanka is a happy island - a land of smiling people. Every where there is the color and fragrance of tropical vegetation. Whether you are bargain hunting in the Pettah (bazaar) of Colombo, marvelling at the ancient cities, sipping tea in the hill country, soaking up the Sun on some near deserted beach or strolling in the countryside, you will find that people are always friendly and outgoing.

Wherever you go, you will find the traditional Sinhalese welcome - "Ayubowan" which means "may you live long" or the traditional Tamil welcome of "Vannakam".

Nature

Imagine you are in Sinharaja, a sizable stretch of lowland rain forest. Over half the trees you see around you are found nowhere else in the world. Of the 52 species found in Sri Lanka 21 are endemic. A Tree Nymph - a black and white butterfly - may sail over your head, or a Common Bridwing with wings of translucent yellow patches may flutter past. Both endemics, they are two of the 242 species of butterflies and skippers found in the island. In comparison, a British lepidopterist would be content to see 35 species in the US. A Philaurus species of Tree Frog might croak, although they are more active at night.
You may be hearing one of the 200-plus species of frogs which are now in the process of being formally described by scientists. Eventually, Sri Lanka will surpass Costa Rica in the number of frogs found here, the majority of them endemic.
A harsh chatter may fill the air announcing the arrival of a mixed-species feeding-flock, with endemic Orange-billed Babblers, acting as a nucleus species. Yellow-fronted Barbets, Layard's Parakeets, enigmatic Red-faced Malkohas and garrulous Ashy-headed Laughing Thrushes are among the endemic birds which are part of this vacuum cleaner sweeping across the forest.
Examine a tree hollow or a freshwater stream, and you might see land crabs, all of which are endemic. Over 200 species of Land Snails can be seen on tree trunks, the underside of leaves and on the ground. In the streams are gaudy Comb-tailed Paradise Fish, while clinging to the rocks are drab Mountain Stone Loaches. Some fish, like Wilpita Rasbora, are only known from a small stretch of river, while some amphibians are known only from one forested valley, of less than a few square kilometers. This feature is known as point endemism, in which Sri Lanka has a high incidence.
A velvety red dragonfly may dart out and size its prey. It can climb, stoop, hover and manoeuvre better than any fighter aircraft. But yet, the aerodynamic design has remained unchanged from Carboniferous times, over a hundred million years ago. This is as close as you get to the real Jurassic Park. There is a one-in-two chance that the dragonfly you see is endemic. Nearly half the known species are endemic.
By now, you get the picture. Sri Lanka is one of the world's bio-diversity hot-sports. Its forests are amongst the most floristically rich in Asia, and for some faunal groups, it has the highest density of species diversity in the world. Paradise is indeed an apt name - an eco-paradise.

Attractions - Main Cities

Anuradhapura - Urban Culture Population

99,000 Distance from Colombo

206 km Climate



Sri Lanka's first capital is situated in the dry zone. It is one of Sri Lanka's premier ancient cities.
Attractions: The sacred Bo Tree, temples, Brazen Place, Samadhi Buddha, Kuttam Pokuna, an Mihintale (12 kilometers from Anuradhapura) - a rock dotted with shrines and dwellings - a grand stairway of 1,840 steps made of granite slabs that leads to a summit with a splendid view of the countryside.

Samadhi Buddha

Batticoloa Population

99,000 Distance from Colombo

303 km Climate

Batticoloa is surrounded by a large lagoon, home of the famous ‘singing fish’. Certainly in the months of April and September on moonlit nights, you can hear a musical vibration emanating from the waters. Batti is a quiet little place, with a small but well-preserved Dutch fort.

Beach in Batticoloa

Colombo Population

700,000 Distance from Colombo International Airport

31km Climate

Colombo is a fascinating city, not only for its comfortable blend of East and West, but also for its cosy mixture of past and present. It is the commercial capital of the country.
Attractions: Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, churches the old parliament building, the zoo, museums, and art galleries.

Colombo Cityscape

Dambulla Population

442,427 Distance from Colombo

148 km Climate

Like Sigiriya, Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass, which houses a rock temple (formerly caves). Some of its frescoes are over 2,000 years old – and there is a colossal figure of the recumbent Buddha caved out of the rock, some 14 metres long.

Dambulla Cave Temple

Galle Population

97,000 Distance from Colombo

116km Climate

In this costal town, the Dutch presence is still visible. Galle was an ancient port (said to be the legendary Tarshish of the Bible), and our first international commerce and trade centre. Today, Galle is the bustling provincial capital and administrative centre of the south. It is famous for its lovely Unawatuna Bay, where the sea is reef protected and therefore safe for swimming. The old Dutch ‘Star’ fort (a World Heritages Site) covering 36 hectaers, the well-preserved Groote Kerk (Dutch Church), Dutch Government House, the New Oriental Hotel (built in 1684) old bell tower and a tide-based Sewage-System, also introduced by the Dutch. In Gale they still make the Dutch ‘pillo-lace’ and do fine ebony-carving and gem-polishing.

Galle Fort

Hambantota Population

Distance from Colombo

237km Climate

Hambantota, in Sri Lanka' dry zone, is best-known for its beautiful Crescent-shaped bay and its slat pans,a very ancient industry, that is still thriving. The slat pans line the main road for over 16km.

Beach in Hambantota

Hikkaduwa Population

990,539 Distance from Colombo

99km Climate

The first area to be developed for tourism, this is still one of the most popular of our beach resorts. Hikkaduwa is famous for its coral and sub tropical fish. The reef, which runs parallel to the shore and is only a few metres below the water, can be explored with snorkel and fippers, or in a glass-bottomed boat. There are several wrecks in the area which offer interesting dives. Scuba equipment and the services of licensed instructions are on hire from PADI centers. A little further down the coast, there’s good surf for board or body-surfing. There is a generally a community of international surfers in and around Hikkaduwa.

Tropical Fish

Jaffna Population

129,000 Distance from Colombo

396km Climate

The peninsula is practically an island, connected the rest of Sri Lanka by a narrow spit of land which houses the Chundikkulam bird sanctuary and a causeway known as Elephant Pass because elephants would once cross the shallow lagoon at this point. Topographically quaint unlike the rest of lush Sri Lanka, only hard work and aggressive irrigation will coax a living out of this inhospitable northern soil. Jaffna is justly famous for the deliciousness of its mangoes and toddy from the palmyrah palm. There are plenty of beaches but no resorts. The Dutch ‘star’ fort in Jaffna is said to be Asia’s best example of Dutch fortification. Inside it are the King’s House and the Dutch Church. Since Jaffna’s population is predominantly Tamil, there are also many Hindu Kovils.

Hindu Kovil

Kalutara Population

1,060,800 Distance from Colombo

42km Climate

More or less synonymous with rush and reed ware, (try to visit the permanent exhibition in the town’s Basket Hall), Kalutara was also a famous spice-centre in the 16th to 18th centuries. There are fine beaches safe for swimming . Immediately south of the Kalu Ganga Bridge on the main road is the Gangatil Vihara, which has a hollow dagoba (Buddhist shrine) with an interesting painted terior. By the roadside there’s a small shrine and the bodhi tree where drivers often stop to make offerings to ensure a safe journey to Wadduwa ,8km north of Kalutara.

Kalutara Beach

Kandy Population

147,000 Distance from Colombo

116 km Climate

Sri Lanka’s hill capital is, perhaps, its most beautiful town. It is 488 metres above sea level, and next to Colombo,Kandy is Sri Lanka’s most visited place. The focal point of the town is the golden-roofed Dalada Maligawa, where the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha is enshrined. The highlight of the year is the Esala Perahera, when a replica of the relic casket is taken in procession, accompanied by exotically costumed dancers, drummers and some 100 elephants ,on ten glittering nights in July/August. There are numerous shrines and temples in and around Kandy, where you will see rare paintings, frescoes, and stone carvings.
Don’t miss the Paradeniya Gardens, with an amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers. Kandy is an exiting place for shopping, with souvenirs in wood, copper, silver, brass, ebony, and bronze.
Ceramics, lacquer work, handlooms, batiks, jewellery and rush and reed-ware can also be purchased.

Golden-Roofed Dalada Maligawa

Kotte

Population

109,000 Distance from Colombo

Climate

Kotte, renamed as Sri Jayawardenapura – Kotte is located 11km from Fort. Here, SriLanka’s new parliamentary complex and administrative capital was developed. It is surrounded by the water of Lake Diyawanna Oya. Kotte also had been a Capital City at the time of the arrival of Portuguese.

Parliment

Kurunegala Population

1,452,369 Distance from Colombo

93 Climate

Now a thriving regional centre and the National Capital for a brief period centuries ago. Kurunegala also lies within the best coconut growing area or the so called Coconut Triangle. It is famous for the range of mountains (rocks) – Ethugala or the Elephant Rock, Ibbagala or Tortise rock jumbled with ruins of carved stairs and doorjambs , Andagala or Eel rock , Kuruminigala or Beatle rock , Wanduragala or Monkey rock and Elluwagala or Goat rock.