What To Explore In Sri Lanka?

Natural scene with a nostalgic filter - featured image for the article WHAT TO EXPLORE IN SRI LANKA

WHAT TO EXPLORE IN SRI LANKA?

Are you planning your trip and wondering what to explore in Sri Lanka?

Unesco & Ramsar world heritage sites, vibrant culture enriched with religious values, and welcoming people are even more reasons why this island nation is loved by many!

Sri Lanka is one of the world’s most exquisite settings of nature and love. Enjoying a holiday with friends & family amid the green mountains is more than a blessing. Sri Lanka is a perfect place to eradicate negativity and relax under the pleasant climate and ascetic mountains.
The island is famous for its unique scenic beauty, diversified reefs of pristine sandy beaches and many eye-catching wildlife safaris. Pristine beaches, misty mountains, exotic wildlife sceneries, lovely tea gardens, and adventure sports could sum up to give you a remarkable holiday experience.

Almost 10 years after the end of its civil war, Sri Lanka has been named the best country in the world to visit in 2019 by Lonely Planet.

Sri Lanka is also famous for its hospitality, biodiversity, waterfalls, tea gardens, and a wide array of cultures living next to each other. Even though a small island, it has a significant number of destinations to explore. It provides an ideal destination for beach lovers with its wide range of exotic and intoxicating beaches and wildlife sanctuaries.

If you are still wondering what to explore in Sri Lanka, read on!


BIO-DIVERSITY

WILD SAFARI

Sri Lanka is a haven for wildlife lovers due to its abundance of leopards, Sri Lankan elephants, blue whales, and birdlife. The entire country is a compact area of tourism infrastructure. It is in fact, one of the best wildlife travel destinations in the world with such a diverse climate supporting the growth and habitation of some of the rare, endemic and endangered species of the world.

One of the prime attractions is Yala National Park, famous for its leopards and wild elephants. The Sri Lankan leopard, Kotiya is endemic to the island. Still, a keen leopard lover can spot them quickly as they lay lazily in the park.
The Yala National Park along with some other famous sanctuaries is in the southeast of Sri Lanka. You can reach there by bus or a private vehicle, which takes around 4 hours to reach(Colombo to Yala National park). The favourite time to visit is between February to June as it is easier to spot animals due to lower water levels in the park.

Udawalawe National park is another magnificent national park established in the 1970s, where tourists can experience wildlife sightings full of marshes, grasslands, and elephants
The park is on the border side of the Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces of Sri Lanka and is famous for its rich diversity. The elephants are a prominent sight in Udawalawa.
Some of the prime attractions include animals like leopards, water buffaloes, wild boars, spotted deers, and rare species of birds. If you wish to see Sri Lankan Elephant herds, then you must visit Udawalawe between October to January for a better experience.

If you are making a list of what to explore in Sri Lanka, a visit to a national park should make the top of the list.

Sri Lankan Elephant | Sri Lanka Travel - Pristine Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Sambar Moose | Moira Mulvey Photography
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BEACH LOVE

SANDY BEACHES

Sri Lanka, the pearl of the south Indian Ocean, is quite famous for its lonely and pristine beaches with luxury beach resorts. 

Unawatuna is a famous beach in the southern part of Sri Lanka, famous for coral reefs and surfing and rope swings. The purple-faced langur is an endangered species living in the forests of Unawatuna is a common sight. The presence of tropical climate and warm temperature together creates a fresh feeling for tourists coming for an exotic vacation.

The prime time to visit here is between December to April, and you can travel via public bus or train from Colombo.

Hikkaduwa is another beach town in the southwest part of Sri Lanka, near the coastal city Galle. There are many bars and beautiful restaurants here for the comfort of tourists. Sea surfing and diving are popular activities in this place for thrill-seeking tourists coming for fun and sports adventures. Hikkaduwa national park is a coral sanctuary that shelters many sea turtles and colourful fishes. It is also one of three marine national parks in Sri Lanka. Hikkaduwa Lake is home to vast wildlife like monitor lizards and seasonal birds.

Apart from these, there are many other beaches like Arugam bay beach, Negombo beach, and Kalpitiya beach in Sri Lanka. Together it creates an excellent experience for the people visiting here. Exploring sandy beaches and rope swinging should be on your list of what to explore in Sri Lanka. 


TASTE

SRI LANKAN CUISINE

Steamed rice with curry is a prominent feature in Sri Lankan cuisine. Coconut and spices play a vital part in the food culture of Sri Lanka. Milk rice is an ambassador of Sri Lankan food. Even though this cuisine has traces of Indian food culture and other neighbouring countries, it has become unique to the island. It stands alone as a prominent cuisine of its own.
Sri Lanka as an island is blessed with some heavenly bounties from the Indian ocean. The country exports about 18,000 mt of seafood per year to neighbouring countries. The seafood industry of Sri Lanka is showing continuous growth for the last many years.
Seafood, which is in demand, includes shrimp, tuna, prawns, crab, and lobsters. Sri Lankan hotels and resorts offer a different variety of both local and international cuisines to their guests.

Sri Lankan cuisine

INDULGE

CEYLON TEA

Sri Lanka is a place that not only refreshes your body and mind but also refreshes your soul and spirit through its unique Ayurvedic Spa facilities. Sri Lanka is quite famous for various Ayurvedic Spa centres ensuring deep nourishment for your skin and relaxation for your mind. A lot of Hotels provide Ayurvedic spa facilities leaving a long-lasting, positive effect on your body, mind, and spirit. They offer highly traditional ways of treatment in a delicate and luxurious setting.

Ceylon Tea | Pristine Sri Lanka

CULTURE

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Sri Lanka is a proud island to own many UNESCO World Heritage Sites of cultural, natural and Anthropological importance.

The sacred city of Kandy, home of the Temple of the tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. The mountain city of Kandy was home to many Sinhalese Kings during the period between 1592 to 1815. The high mountain ranges, lush green forests, beautiful colonial buildings, and Kandy lake are some of the prime attractions of this city.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress is a world heritage site and an 8th wonder of the world candidate. It is significant because of the architecture, the irrigation technology and an extensive network of reservoirs.

The runic city of Anuradhapura is another famous religious and archaeological site famous for its holy and sacred Buddhist temples and ruins of ancient civilizations. Apart from these, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, a fortified town of Galle, and Dambulla cave temples are some best-preserved destinations famous among visitors in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan cultural dancer
Ravana Cave Temple | Sri Lanka Travel - Pristine Sri Lanka

SPIRITUALITY

THERAVADA BUDDHISM

Sri Lanka is famous for its over 2500 years old rich Buddhist cultural heritage and Traditions. Many temples and monasteries in Sri Lanka offer pilgrims a remarkable religious experience. Buddhism is one of the foremost reasons which guides many pilgrims to Sri Lanka every year. Many come here from around the world to see and observe the contemporary sacred practices of Buddhism. The old-style engineering, model, and artistic creations of the island bear the Buddhist trademark. Buddhist Stupas are dissipated everywhere throughout the island. There are some most excellent Buddhist statues such as Aukana and Buduruwagala.

Anuradhapura is one of the holy cities, which holds many stupas and temples worth visiting including giant stupas and an ancient and holy tree, Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. The Temple of Tooth in Kandy is another most sacred site of Sri Lanka which hosts the tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. One can see thousands of Buddhist Monks, practising spiritualism and religious customs in Sri Lankan temples. Temples in Sri Lanka have a strict dress code. Avoiding shorts and sleeveless dresses and removing shoes and caps are necessary before entering a temple.


WELLNESS

AYURVEDIC SPA

Sri Lanka is a place that not only refreshes your body and mind but also refreshes your soul and spirit through its unique Ayurvedic Spa facilities. Sri Lanka is quite famous for various Ayurvedic Spa centres ensuring deep intimacy and relaxation. A lot of Hotels provide Ayurvedic spa facilities leaving a long-lasting, positive effect on your body, mind, and spirit. They offer highly traditional ways of treatment in a delicate, luxurious setting.

Pristine Sri Lanka_poornayapa photogrpahy (38)

EXPLORE

TRAIN RIDE TO HILL COUNTRY

Around six hours Train ride from the Kandy to Ella is one of the most scenic and memorable train journeys for a traveller in Sri Lanka. The Tickets are highly affordable here, which only cost a few dollars. You can buy tickets for various classes, i.e., from 1st class AC to 3rd class. There are online ticket booking facilities available. There is a special compartment in the train for those who like to enjoy the view. But any class is suitable to enjoy the rain ride.
In the route, you can enjoy beautiful hills with lush green forests, waterfalls, Endless Tea gardens, scenic views, and country life. At each station, one can enjoy fresh pieces of pineapple and mangoes served with chilli and salt, snacks like wade and hot coffee, etc. You can find yourself greeted by lots of local kids and village people running along the train tracks.

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