Sri Lanka - India’s Teardrop

You want to know
We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us

Despite being a relatively small island, Sri Lanka is endowed with a diverse collection of landscapes, climates and natural features. Sri Lanka’s infamous beaches have been enticing visitors for many years. However, the rest of the island harbours many more idyllic vistas.

The central highlands are carpeted with emerald tea plantations interspersed with occasional waterfalls. Cool climates, misty views, and quaint estate bungalows are a throwback to bygone eras.

The cultural triangle in the centre of the island holds a certain magic, with ruins from several ancient kingdoms, majestic tanks, hidden rock caves, and ancient sacred temples, revealing the fascinating and almost unbelievable ancient architecture, art, and engineering.

The North of Sri Lanka is a vibrant concoction of essences, with a unique flavour and culture. Despite still bearing the scars from the civil war, the north truly bears testament to the diversity and variation that comprises the island. Influences include Portuguese, Dutch, Tamil, Muslim, and British characters. Chains of islands are scattered off the shoreline, with their own unique habitats, waiting to be explored.

The east of the island is home to lush paddy fields, spectacular sunrises, and a quieter more rural pace of life. Colourful places of worship, national parks, ports and harbours, and pristine clear waters offer a mellow experience to any weary traveller.

We choose for you
Want something extraordinary? So...enjoy the ride

Kingdom of Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Of all the ancient cities of Lanka, the most famed and most exquisite is the Kingdom of Anuradhapura. Sri Lanka’s third and the longest serving capital and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world is also one of the most sacred cities of World Buddhists. It was the capital of Sri Lanka from the Fourth Century BC up to the turn of the eleventh Century and was one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia.

Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

Polonnaruwa, the second most ancient kingdom of the country boasts of Irrigation systems that are far superior to those of the and they still provide irrigation water to the farmers in and around Polonnaruwa.Digamadulla, the Eastern kingdom of Sri Lanka was the agricultural and spiritual capital of the country during the Anuradhapura kingdom.

Kingdome of Kandy
Kandy, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s last kingdom the Kingdome of Kandy is a testament to the Sri Lankan’s ability to pick up and rise from ashes. After being burned and ravaged more than thrice by the invading Portuguese the Kandyan Kingdom still holds beautifully carved and built houses, palaces and temple preserved for nearly 500 years.

Jaffna & the Islands
Jaffna, Sri Lanka

In Jaffna, everything seems different, especially the language: the rapid-fire staccato of spoken Tamil is a real change from singsong Sinhala. So too is the cuisine: singularly spiced and, in season, complemented by legendary mangoes. The city has never looked better, with new hotels and energy. Sights include its vast colonial fort, leafy suburbs and ancient relics of a lost kingdom. Get a bike and catch a rickety ferry to the nearby islands like Neduntivu, where you can get lost in their end-of-the-earth appeal.

You cannot afford to miss
All you need to know is

Location

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. The island is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.

Transportation

Many Sri Lankan towns are small enough to walk around. In larger towns, you can get around by bus, taxi or three-wheeler. 

Languages Spoken

Sinhalese and Tamil are the two languages that enjoy the status of being official languages in the country. The principal foreign language spoken on this island nation is English. It is spoken by around 10% of the population. Its primary use is for business purposes.

Currency

The rupee is the currency of Sri Lanka, divided into 100 cents. The abbreviation is generally Rs., but "LKR" is occasionally used to distinguish it from other currencies also called rupee. One dollar is currently worth 107.4252 Sri Lankan rupees.

Visas

Only nationals of three countries (Seychelles, Singapore and the Maldives) do not need a visa to Sri Lanka. All other nationals, including those referred to in chart above, must get a visa before visiting Sri Lanka or obtain one at the port of entry.

Electricity

In Sri Lanka the standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. You can use your electric appliances in Sri Lanka, if the standard voltage in your country is in between 220 - 240 V (as is in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa). Manufacturers take these small deviations into account. If the standard voltage in your country is in the range of 100 V - 127 V (as is in the US, Canada and most South American countries), you need a voltage converter in Sri Lanka.

Vaccinations

For most short-term travellers the usual recommended vaccinations for Sri Lanka include cover against the childhood diseases (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Poliomyelitis, Measles, Mumps and Rubella) as well as cover against the food and water borne diseases of Typhoid and Hepatitis A. For those trekking in the Sri Lankan countryside or staying for longer periods then cover against Hepatitis B and Rabies should be considered. Standard tourists should have their initial consultation for vaccinations for Sri Lanka at least 4 – 6 weeks in advance of departure.

Emergency Calls

Police Emergency Hotline - 118 / 119

Ambulance / Fire & rescue - 110

Accident Service-General Hospital-Colombo - 011-2691111

Tourist Police - 011-2421052

Police Emergency - 011-2433333

Government Information Center - 1919

Report Crimes - 011-2691500

Emergency Police Mobile Squad - 011-5717171

Fire & Ambulance Service - 011-2422222

When to visit
Best time to visit the destination

The favorable months are usually December - March for the west coast and south coast, and from April - September for the ancient cities and the east coast. The northeast monsoon is usually November – March and the southwest monsoon is June – October.

What to do?
Don’t miss to challenge your world

Travelling by Train

Sometimes there’s no way to get a seat on the slow but oh-so-popular train to Ella, but with a prime standing-room-only spot looking out at a rolling carpet of tea, who cares? Outside, the colourful silk saris of Tamil tea pickers stand out in the sea of green; inside, you may get a shy welcome via a smile. At stations, vendors hustle treats, including some amazing corn and chilli fritters sold wrapped in somebody’s old homework paper. Munching one of these while the scenery creaks past? Sublime.

Uda Walawe National Park

With herds of elephants, wild buffalo, sambar and spotted deer, and giant squirrel, this Sri Lankan national park is one of the nation's finest. In fact, for elephant-watching, Uda Walawe often surpasses many of the most famous East African national parks. The park, which centres on the 308.2-sq-km Uda Walawe Reservoir, is lightly vegetated, but it has a stark beauty and the lack of dense vegetation makes game-watching easy.

Bundala National Park

Bundala National Park is a fantastic maze of waterways, lagoons and dunes that glitter like gold in the dying evening sun. This wonderland provides a home to thousands of colourful birds ranging from diminutive little bee-eaters to grotesque open-billed stalks. It is a wetland sanctuary of such importance that it has been recognised under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Many big mammals are also present, with between 15 and 60 elephants depending on the season (December is the best month).

Whale-Watching at Mirissa

People once visited the beaches of southern Sri Lanka to laze under palm trees and maybe go and peer at a few little fish on a diving excursion. Then somebody realised that the deep blue was home to more than just schools of workaday fish. It turns out that the waters off Sri Lanka are home to the planet’s biggest creature, the blue whale (not to mention the nearly as huge sperm whale). Now, every morning in season, boats leave Mirissa in search of creatures like no other.

Horton Plains National Park

Horton Plains is a beautiful, stark world with excellent hikes in the shadows of Sri Lanka’s second- and third-highest mountains, Kirigalpotta (2395m) and Totapola (2357m). The ‘plains’ form an undulating plateau over 2000m high, covered by wild grasslands and interspersed with patches of thick forest, rocky outcrops, filigree waterfalls and misty lakes. The surprising diversity of the landscape is matched by the wide variety of wildlife, although many of the larger animals are very elusive. Birdwatchers will be well rewarded.

You ask, we answer
FAQs about Sri Lanka

Is Sri Lanka a safe country?

For decades, Sri Lanka was battling political unrest. A civil-war between Tamil insurgents and the Sinhalese government almost destroyed the tourism industry. The riots have ended and a peaceful environment has been restored. As with any international travel, be aware of your surroundings. Do not leave your valuables unattended on the beach, the balconies or terraces. Be cautious in markets and in open areas with crowds to avoid pickpockets.

Unfortunately, you can't drink the water in Sri Lanka as most of the supply is unsafe. It is advised that drink boiled or treated water to avoid any potential gastro bugs. Same goes for any fruit and veg you plan to eat, wash it only in treated or boiled water or peel it.

The dengue mosquitos do not travel far from where they are born. So if your hotel or the residence practice good mosquito control, the risk is low. No pools of dirty water, no rubbish dumps and so on. And the dengue mosquitoes fly by day, so if you get bitten at night you won't get dengue.

Across Sri Lanka, drinking raucously in public is frowned upon, but still some parts have a robust drinking culture. Licensing laws—though not always enforced—mean that some places serve no alcohol between 2-5pm any day of the year.

support@tripxv.com

Have questions?

support@tripxv.com

24 / 7 customer support

© 2018 Orpheus Club Wellness. All Rights Reserved.