About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a long and colourful history. It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature’s beauty remains abundant and unspoilt. Few places in the world can offer a traveller such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural, rich heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location. Sri Lanka travel adventures let you discover attractions that are truly diverse and exotic; within an area of 65, 610 kilometres lies 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometres of coastline – much of it pristine beach, 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, and 25,000 water bodies, not forgetting a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years.

Explore Sri Lanka, an island of magical proportions, once known as Serendib, Taprobane, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and Ceylon.



 

Climate & Seasons
 

In the lowlands the climate is typically tropical with an average temperature of 27°C in Colombo. In the higher elevations it is cooler with temperatures going down to 16°C at an altitude of over 2,000 meters.

Bright, sunny, warm days are in abundance 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 from December to January.


 

Seasonal Events
 

Sri Lanka is a multi ethnic country and celebrates a wide range of Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim festivals. The Kandy Esala Perahera (July/August) is one of the country’s most important and spectacular pageants. 10 days of vibrant processions bring together torch-bearers, whip-crackers, Kandyan dancers, drummers, colorfully dressed Elephants, throngs of devotees from all over the country and spectators from around the world.

The Sacred Tooth Relic is honoured with great respect by the end of the festivities.

Other celebrations include the Duruthu Perahera (January), Independence Day (February), which is celebrated with parades, dances and national games; Sinhala and Tamil New Year (March/April) celebrated with elephant races, traditional games such as pillow fights; Vesak (May), a sacred full moon festival commemorating the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha; the Hindu Vel festival (July/August), where the ceremonial chariot of Skanda, the God of War, is hauled between two temples in Colombo; and the predominant Hindu festival in Kataragama (July/August), where devotees gather in hundreds to worship their respective deities and partake in various religious ceremonies that exhibits their undying devotion.

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