Sri Lanka

Rainforest, Highlands and beautiful Beaches

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Of course, there are beautiful beaches all over the world, as well as in Sri Lanka, especially on the west and south coasts.

But Sri Lanka has so much more to offer. The Cultural Triangle with its ancient capitals of Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura.

Deep green tea plantations, in the highlands, nature, waterfalls, paddy fields in the north, jungle and national parks.

The last royal city of Kandy and old British colonial buildings in Galle or Nuwara Eliya.

Wildlife, Elephants, Humpback Whales, Turtles and so many more. As if another time was being written here and as if the animals had fled here.

A little information about Sri Lanka

Did you know that the island is also called the tears of Buddha. The shape of the island resembles a teardrop. Until 1972 Sri Lanka was called Ceylon.

Sri Lanka is world famous for exporting Ceylon tea, rubber and spices.

The country is also known for its Ayurveda - traditional healing arts and cultural heritage.

Location and landscape of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean, separated from India only by the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka has a lot of coastal areas, lowland plains and mountains up to 2,524 m in the highlands. Tea is grown in the highlands. Those who can afford it spend the summer days here to escape the heat. Even the British did this. Nuwara Eliya and Ella became the summer resorts.

History

From the 6th century BC to the 11th century AD, the capital was Anuradhapura. After that, the capital changed several times between Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya in the 14th century AD.

Many wars were fought over the Tooth Relic of Buddha, in 1284 and 1410 with the Chinese.

The island has always been a maritime hub between Europe and Southeast Asia.

During the colonial period, Sri Lanka was conquered several times by European colonial powers. In 1518 the Portuguese conquered the coastal regions. In 1658 the Dutch rulers took over and both left beautiful colonial style buildings.

In 1796 British rule over Ceylon and coffee cultivation began, followed by tea cultivation in 1860 when it was accidentally discovered how well tea grew here. Indian Tamils were recruited to the highlands to work on the tea plantations.

Sri Lanka has been independent since February 4th. 1948

I made my first visit in the middle of a civil war in 1999 and I couldn't visit many places because of the war. After the civil war between the Tamils and the Sinhalese in 2009, the country could finally be visited again and I came back.

Corona and growing conflicts have driven the country to the brink of national bankruptcy and if tourists don't come back to the country soon, Sri Lanka will be in a bad way.

Beliefs and religions

Around 247 BC The Maurya Emperor Ashoka sent his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka to spread Theravada Buddhism. After that, the first Buddhist monastery in Sri Lanka was built in Mihintale. Buddhism has been the state religion of the kingdom of Anuradhapura since 200 BC.

Today about 70% of the population are Buddhists, 13% Hindus, 10% Muslims and 7% Christians.

What to see in Sri Lanka

culture and history

wildlife! do e.g. a safari in Minneriya or Yala

Ayurvedic vacation

Visit a station for turtle eggs

How do I get to Sri Lanka?

Best by plane

The international airport is Colombo – IATA code CMB then finding flights is usually easier.

Where to sleep

We've tried everything from luxury hotels to homestays, and we've even stayed in an old tea factory. Not necessarily the best place to stay, but a great experience, especially for Alejandro. Booked through Booking

A little hint

You can combine Sri Lanka with the Maldives! More info about the Maldives coming soon!

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Country destinations already described:

Kandy - visit the Temple of the Tooth of Buddha

Galle - Our tour to the city with many beautiful colonial buildings

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Coming soon to my site:

• - Colombo - The city has some beautiful temples and is worth a city tour. The mixture of modern and colonial buildings is simply very special.
• - Highlands - Waterfalls - Tea growing area
• - Galle – Fort and Old Town. The colonial rule of the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century left beautiful colonial buildings. Galle has a natural harbor and was mentioned by seafarers in records as early as the 14th century.
• - Dambulla Cave Temple - A temple complex hidden in nature and built into caves. The ascent from the parking lot is spectacular.
• - Polonnaruwa - Exploring the old capital and temple ruins by bike, we loved it.
• - Sigiriya - Lion's Rock and its legend. The climb is challenging but the view is rewarding. There are some rocks in the area that are suitable for hiking and climbing and from which you can take great photos of Sigiriya Rock.
• - Pinnawala – Elephant Orphanage – there are many excursions here. However, I knew that there is a hotel right on the river and I had booked it for one night, so we could watch the elephants bathing in peace and quiet at breakfast.
• - Minneriya - nature reserve, i.e. sanctuary for elephants. A safari in Africa will cost you almost 5 times as much as a jeep visit here in Sri Lanka.
• - Peradeniya Botanical Garden – listening to the ficus grow & flying dogs
• - Unawatuna – Hippie paradise that suffered from the tsunami but is thriving again
• - Devon Falls - Waterfall in the highlandsPlease give me a little time ;-)