Highlights of Srilanka

• Colombo
• Kandy
• NuwaraEliya
• Ella
• Negombo
• Tangalle
• Tissamaharama
• Bentota

Things to do in Srilanka

While planning your next vacation to this serene country, do check out these amazing Sri Lanka tourist places. Here is a complete list of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka where one can enjoy a great time away from the hustle-bustle.

• Climb Sigiriya
• Get up close to wild elephants in a National Park
• Explore ancient wonders in Anuradhapura
• Visit a tea empire in NuwaraEliya
• Ride the rails to Ella
• Relax on the beaches of Arugam Bay
• Spot leopards in Sri Lanka's National Parks
• Discover untouched islands
• Have a close encounter with whales
• Take time to explore the city of Kandy
• Succumb to Galle’s Colonial charms
• Tour the extraordinary temples of Colombo
• Experience true Tamil culture in Jaffna
• Seafood and eat it, wherever you go!

When to go

If anywhere deserves the title of a true year-round destination then it’s Sri Lanka. Like neighboring Maldives, its proximity to the equator ensures pleasantly warm, stable temperatures whatever the season, while its annual dual monsoons means that while one side of the country is taking a soaking, the other is primed for afternoons on the beach.

• High season in December to April is the best time to hit the beach
• Shoulder season (September to October and April) is the best time for exploring the whole country
• Low season in May to August is the best time to avoid the crowds

Good To Know

Sri Lanka has a population of around 22 million (2020) and is home to many cultures, languages, and ethnicities. The Sinhalese people form the majority of the nation's population, followed by the Tamils, who are the largest minority group and are concentrated in northern Sri Lanka; both groups have played an influential role in the island's history. Other long-established groups include the Moors, Indian Tamils, Burghers, Malays, Chinese people, and the indigenous Vedda.

Sri Lanka, an island in South Asia shaped as a teardrop or a pear/mango, lies on the Indian Plate, a major tectonic plate that was formerly part of the Indo-Australian Plate. It is in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal, between latitudes 5° and 10° N, and longitudes 79° and 82° E. Sri Lanka is separated from the mainland portion of the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait. According to Hindu mythology, a land bridge existed between the Indian mainland and Sri Lanka. It now amounts to only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level. Legends claim that it was passable on foot up to 1480 CE, until cyclones deepened the channel. Portions are still as shallow as 1 metre (3 ft), hindering navigation. The island consists mostly of flat to rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part. The highest point is Pidurutalagala, reaching 2,524 metres (8,281 ft) above sea level.

• Capital - Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative) /Colombo (executive and judicial)
• Largest city – Coombo
• Official languages - Sinhala and Tamil
• Religion - 70.2% Buddhism,12.6% Hinduism,9.7% Islam,7.4% Christianity,0.1% Other
• Ethnic groups - 74.9% Sinhalese,11.2% Sri Lankan Tamils,9.2% Sri Lankan Moors,4.2% Indian Tamils,0.5% Others (incl. Burghers, Malays, Veddas, Chinese, Indians)
• Total Area - 65,610.2 km2 (25,332.2 sq mi) and Water (%) - 4.4
• Population @ 2022 - Neutral increase 22,181,000
• Currency - Sri Lankan rupee (Rs) (LKR)
• Time zone - UTC+5:30 (SLST)