Sri Lanka: Pearl of the Indian Ocean

Visit the ancient, mystical sites of Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya, the temple of the tooth in Kandy and the colonial, hill-top, tea plantations. Experience the colourful religious festivals, delicious seafood and gracious, friendly people. 

 

With its luscious rain forests and mangrove swamps, Sri Lanka is one of the most bio-diverse regions in Asia. With its 9 National Parks, 7 bird sanctuaries, reserves and jungle corridors, visiting Sri Lanka is ideal for wildlife and nature lovers. Conserving the environment was deeply ingrained in traditional Sri Lankan society from roughly the 3rd century BC. This has helped maintain the high proportion of endemic species remain on the island. Some of the animals you can see are the elephant, leopard, sloth bear, spotted deer, sambhur, porcupine, ant-eater, loris and giant squirrel. In addition there are 482 migratory bird species, 171 reptiles and 83 snake species.

 

Its history dates back over 2000 years therefore there are many Asian monuments. They are some of the best preserved and 8 are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. A rich culture still remains as well as the way of life with cultural beliefs and traditional lifestyles of the Sri Lankan people.