The island of Sri Lanka, popularly known as the pearl of the Indian ocean, is located at the southern tip of India's mainland. Its geographic location and deep harbors made it of great strategic importance. It is well connected to the world through water and air.
Colombo airport is the only international airport in Sri Lanka and all the tourists fly in and out of Sri Lanka from Colombo.
Visitors must have a current passport with six months validity, adequate funds to support themselves and a return airline ticket. Visa is available on arrival and for Indians it is free. You have an option of an online visa too.
I visited five southern cities of this beautiful island in the month of December 2019 and here is my frank opinion.
1. The country is tourist-friendly. It is clean and green. The air is pure everywhere, except Colombo.
2 The weather is just like South India. The climate is tropical and consists of distinct wet and dry seasons. Make sure to carry loads of sunscreen.
3 The roads are good and the people observe traffic discipline. On highways, all you have to do is just stand the side of the road and all the vehicles will stop. They have to allow pedestrians to cross the road first.
4. It is peaceful and the people are law-abiding. I did not notice any kind of harassment, thefts or eve-teasing during my stay.
5. You get all types of meals, but the seafood delicacies are the clear winners. You must also try the local cuisine.
6 The lodging can be chosen according to your budget. I found it pocket-friendly and the service was excellent.
7. It is full of exquisite fruits. The king coconut is the best. Mangoes, bananas, and guavas are a specialty.
8. It's a paradise if you are interested in different types of teas, woodcraft, gems, and gardens.
9. There are many temples and Buddhist stupas to visit.
10. For those who love to spend some quiet time and rejuvenate to take up new challenges back home, Sri Lanka is a good choice.
Sri Lanka has documented history spans 3,000 years. Two World Heritage Sites, the 3rd Century BC ancient city in Anuradhapura, home to the largest stupa in the Buddhist world and the 5th Century AD Sigiriya Rock Palace, are the most valuable historical monuments and known as the 8th Wonder of the World.
The two official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil, but many of the people speak English. You must get acquainted with some useful vocabulary and sentences to communicate well with the people there. The currency is Sri Lankan rupee which is around 40 paise compared to the Indian rupee.
Being in the proximity of the Equator keeps the temperatures fairly constant throughout the year. Coastal and lowland areas average daytime temperature is around 26 to 30°C.
Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons with the wettest time of the year being December and January in the North. Humidity is high everywhere.
Last, but not the least, Sri Lanka being so exquisite and at the same time so close to our country, it will be very easy to return back to your home town in India.
Happy Journey
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