Imagine the lushest, most idyllic island possible and chances are you still won't conjure up anything as wonderful as Sri Lanka, lying off the southern tip of India.

 The beautiful beaches are a magnet, but you MUST explore the island. Attractions include the beautiful hill town of Kandy, the ancient Sinhalese city of Anurandhapura, the amazing hilltop fortress of Sigiriya and the Dutch colonial port of Galle. Other highlights include atmospheric old hill stations and breathtaking national parks, many now World Heritage Sites.

Delicious food includes typical Sri Lankan curry made with chilli, coconut, and cinnamon. Indian, Chinese, Malay and Western fare is also readily available. The tea is, of course, top quality (you might like to take some home, along with batiks, ceramics and silver jewellery). Arrack, made from fermented palm tree sap, is a potent local brew!

During July/August, the 10 day Kandy Perahera pageant provides a scintillating and colourful spectacle of acrobats, performers and decorated elephants.

 Negombo

 A characteristic fishing town north of Colombo, it is a mere 6 km from the international airport. Set amidst lush groves of coconut palms, it breathes the spirit of the sea. Negombo is a gourmet's paradise with sea food in plenty. Old - world fishing craft, like the outrigger canoe and the catamaran, bring seer, skipjack, herring, mullet, pomfret and amber jack, while lobster and prawn are caught in the lagoon .

 Mount Lavinia

 Mount Lavinia is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the sea. The beach is crowded on Sundays and public holidays with large crowds gathered to participate in many beach sports activities such as swimming, surfing etc. The Governors House built in 1805 by Sir Thomas Maitland , now forms part of the famous Mount Lavinia Hotel.

 Kalutara

 An important spice-trading centre controlled at various times by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Today it has a reputation for fine basket ware (visit basket hall) and also for the best mangosteens on the island. 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 bodhi tree where drivers often stop to make offerings to ensure a safe journey to Wadduwa is 8kim north of Kalutara.

 Beruwela

South of Colombo, Beruwela marks the beginning of a 130 km-stretch of beaches, where resort development has made immense strides in recent years. Good bathing in the bay all year round.

 There's a wealth of wildlife on the island. Meet the elephants in the national parks and at the elephant sanctuary, and go birdwatching in the rainforest of Sinharaja. To cool down, head for the atmospheric old hill stations. During Jul/Aug, the 10-day Kandy Perahera Pageant provides a scintillating and colourful spectacle of acrobats, performers and decorated elephants. It's a romantic island, beloved of honeymooners, where you can get married with the unique backdrop of an ancient city's atmospheric ruins. When you've consumed the sights, leave some room for the food. Delicious cuisine includes typical Sri Lankan curry made with chilli, coconut and cinnamon. Indian, Chinese, Malay and Western fare is also readily available. The tea is, of course, top quality (you might like to take some home, along with batiks, ceramics and silver jewellery). Arrack, made from fermented palm-tree sap, is a potent local brew!

Getting There

Flight Details
Sri Lankan Airlines' flights to Colombo depart daily from London Heathrow.

Flying Time
Approx 10 hours 35 min to Colombo.

Flight Upgrades
Business Class available from £549 supplement per person each way.

Time Difference
GMT +6 hours

Currency
Sri Lanka Rupee (SLR)

Visa Requirements
British Citizens do not require a visa.

Language
Official language is Sinhala, English widely spoken.

Additional Information

Beaches

Many of our hotels are on the island's beautiful beaches. At Mount Lavinia, just 12km from Colombo, relax and enjoy the sea, joining the locals playing cricket and surfing on Sundays. The typical fishing town of Negombo, set amid lush coconut groves, has great, spicy seafood. And south of Colombo, Beruwela marks the beginning of a glorious 130km stretch of beaches, with great bathing in the bay year-round.

Culture

Sri Lanka's tally of 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites is truly impressive, spanning the country's rich history from 380BC to the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial eras. It's a treasure trove of both natural and man-made wonders including ancient and sacred cities, colonial strongholds, cave temples and virgin forests. The sacred city of Anuradhapura once had 9-storey palaces and dagobas (domes). Wander its ruins, glimpsing beautiful statues. Explore the cave temples of Dambulla, and the magnificent temples and palaces of the royal city of Kandy.

Nature

The largest elephant population is found in Uda Walawe. At the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage you can feed the babies - great fun. Sinharaja is Sri Lanka's last remaining virgin rainforest with amazing birdwatching. Yala National Park is the country's premier wildlife reserve and is said to have the world's highest concentration of leopards. Other animals include elephants, sloth bears and crocodiles. See exotic fish while snorkelling or diving, visit the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens and check out the island's highest waterfall at Bambarakande.

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.