Some of the delights of a Sri Lankan beach.

Where beaches are concerned you will be spoilt for choice in Sri Lanka. Beaches totalling 1,340km fringe the island, from the long-established tourist destinations of the southern coast, to the vast beaches of the deep south, and the less-visited expanses of the north and east. No matter what time of the year, you can find a beach that is in season and just waiting to welcome you to its warm sands.

Parks and Gardens

Influenced by Buddhist respect for all living beings, Sri Lanka has a well-entrenched conservation ethic. Indeed, Udawattakelle Sanctuary in Kandy is probably the world’s oldest wilderness protected area. There are 12 National Parks and 52 Sanctuaries, which together account for 13% of Sri Lanka’s land area.

A national park safari offers the chance to see some of Sri Lanka’s 92 mammals (16 endemic) - elephant, leopard, sloth bear, sambhur, spotted deer, mouse- and barking-deer, porcupine, ant-eater, civet cat, giant squirrel, and monkeys such as the macaque, purple-faced leaf monkey and grey langur.

Yala National Park is believed to have the world’s highest concentration of leopards. Uda Walawe National Park is famous for its elephants, but Minneriya National Park boasts the awesome dry season “Gathering”, in which herds of elephants congregate to drink the region’s remaining water.

Hill country

Mist-shrouded mountains, rolling tea plantations, cascading waterfalls and quaint hilltop villages - these are some of the aspects of the enchanting hill country, which rises to over 2,500m in the island’s central heartland. A 125km distance by car or rail from Colombo, this region offers you the chance to escape to a world that scarcely seems possible in the tropics. With surreal landscapes, cool climes and a rich heritage, the hill country is a haven for nature lovers, hikers, adventure-seekers and those simply in search of peace and tranquility.


Whether you want to go rock climbing, fish for trout, play golf in stunning natural surroundings, climb a sacred mountain or trek through the rugged wilderness, the beguiling hill country has it all and will reinvigorate the body and refresh the soul. No wonder the hill country is a small miracle.

Royal City of Kandy
Nestled in lush green hills and built around a scenic lake, the Royal City of Kandy, at 500m above sea level, is the hub of any visit to the hill country. Kandy (Colombo 116km) a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the last bastion of resistance to colonial rule. Even today, Kandyans pride themselves on their distinctive architecture, music, dance and art. The showpiece of the city is the Dalada Maligawa or Temple of the Tooth, which hosts the Buddha’s tooth relic, an item of veneration to all Buddhists. Each year, in July or August, the city holds the Esala Perahera, a spectacular procession and display of medieval pageantry - replete with caparisoned elephants, whirling fire-dancers and pulsating drummers - the main purpose of which is to parade the tooth relic. Strolling around the lake or exploring the numerous temples that dot the hills nearby is an ideal way to experience the atmosphere of this historic city.

Waterfalls

In comparison to its size, Sri Lanka has a surprising abundance of many things, including waterfalls . about 100, but there may be some undiscovered. Many of these waterfalls are of impressive height, the tallest being Bambarakanda, which is 263m. Even if they aren't, they are usually distinctive for some reason or another.

climate

The climate of Sri Lanka can be described as tropical and warm. Its position between 5 and 10 north latitude endows the country with a warm climate moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture. The mean temperature ranges from about 16 °C (61 °F) in the Central Highlands, where frost may occur for several days in the winter, to a maximum of approximately 33 °C (91 °F) in other low-altitude areas. The average yearly temperature ranges from 28 °C (82 °F) to nearly 31 °C (88 °F). Day and night temperatures may vary by 4 °C (7 °F) to 7 °C (13 °F). During the coldest days of January, many people wear coats and sweaters in the highlands and elsewhere. May, the hottest period, precedes the summer monsoon rains. The rainfall pattern is influenced by monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal: as the winds encounter the mountain slopes of the Central Highlands, they unload heavy rains on the slopes and the southwestern areas of the island. Some of the windward slopes receive up to 2,500 millimetres (98 in) of rain each month, but the leeward slopes in the east and northeast receive little rain. Periodic squalls occur and sometimes tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and rains to the southwest, northeast, and eastern parts of the island. Between December to March, monsoon winds come from the northeast, bringing moisture from the Bay of Bengal. Humidity is typically higher in the southwest and mountainous areas and depends on the seasonal patterns of rainfall, and places like Colombo experience daytime humidity above 70% all year round, rising to almost 90% during the monsoon season in June. Anuradhapura experiences a daytime low of 60% during the monsoon month of March, but a high of 79% during the November and December rains. In the highlands, Kandy's daytime humidity usually ranges between 70% and 79%.

Geography

The island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. According to Hindu mythology, a land bridge to the Indian mainland, known as Rama's Bridge, was constructed during the time of Rama by the vanara architect Nala. Often referred to as Adam's Bridge, it now amounts to only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level.[19] According to colonial British reports, this is a natural causeway which was formerly complete, but was breached by a violent storm in 1480.[20] The width of the Palk Strait is small enough for the coast of Sri Lanka to be visible from the furthest point near the Indian town of Rameswaram.[citation needed] The island consists mostly of flat-to-rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part. Amongst these is the highest point Pidurutalagala, reaching 2,524 metres (8,280 ft) above sea level.