Major Cities : Colombo

A hot and bustling city which few locals or tourists seem to love - far better to escape beyond it as soon as possible - but it's likely that you will end up spending a day/night there either end of your trip.

Do some shopping, the best places are - Barefoot (704 Galle Road) has great sarongs and furnishing fabrics and Paradise Road (213 Dharmapala Mawatha Street and the Gallery Café) sells antiques, homeware and good quality crafts. Have lunch at the cool Gallery Café (the former offices of Sri Lanka's best known architect, Geoffrey Bawa at 2 Alfred House Road).

Sri Lanka Cuisine

Rice and curry - often fiery hot - dominate meal times and usually include small side dishes of vegetables, meat and fish. Indian curries such as vegetarian thali, delicately flavoured biriyani and kool, a boiled, fried and dried-in-the-sun vegetable combo, are also available. Hoppers are a unique Sri Lankan snack, similar to a pancake, served with egg or honey and yoghurt. Coastal towns have excellent fish and most travellers are happy to live on the delicious local tuna. There's plenty of tropical fruits to choose from, the tea is terrific and the beer acceptable.

Sri Lanka Beach Resorts

Over one thousand kilometers of palm fringed sandy beaches encircle the Island. Sri Lanka is never out of season for a beach holiday. There is always some part of the beach that has friendly and warm waters. The beach resorts in the West Coast, South Coast and the East Coast are popular among the tourists who enjoy taking a dip in the warm waters and relaxing on the sandy beach.

Ancient Cities

Remains of this ancient civilization reflecting the character, imagination, culture, philosophy, and the faith of its people are seen in the form of ruined cities, buildings, palaces, reservoirs, parks, dagobas, Buddha images, temples, sculpture and painting throughout the little Island. However it is at the major archaeological sites of Anuradhapura, Mihintale, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Kandy that the glory of the Island's past can be seen in its true form still living among the several ruins. These ancient cities can be reached easily from Colombo in a comfortable morning's drive through green paddy fields, acres of coconut palms and alongside deep jungle where wild animals roam.

Hill Country

The mountain slopes are covered with acres and acres of tea with its fragrant aroma mingling with the fresh air. Nestled among the mist covered central hills in a cool basin is Nuwara Eliya, the hill resort, resembling a little English village. Road leading to this hill station winds through miles and miles of 'green carpet' of tea bushes where tea pluckers are seen busily picking the 'bud and two leaves' that go to form the most popular brew in the world, the 'Ceylon Tea'.