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National Tourism
- Facts
Time Zone GMT + 5:30
year-round since 15 April
2006
Currency 1 Rupee (LKR) = 100 cents
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Exchange Rate
Visas and Immigration
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General
Sri Lanka offers beaches, ancient
cities, historical colonial buildings, vast tea and rubber
plantations, a historic hill country capital, World's End:
a steep, seemingly endless, drop for the less faint
of heart (just for the view!) and a Little England "Nuwara
Eliya", all within 200km. There are
three 18-hole golf
courses. It is rated as one of the most biodiverse islands
on the planet, and boasts
two game parks,
many national parks and one natural
rainforest.
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Security
Since the end of the Terrorist problem on May 19, 2009,
the country has enjoyed peace and an ever growing number of
visitors. You may continue to see checkpoints and
security arrangements for your own protection in the
city of Colombo.
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Beaches
The beaches on the under-developed East
and South coasts are at least a match for the finest in
the world. Water-sports, eco and adventure tourism are more
common elsewhere. Arugam Bay has been rated as one of
the finest surfing beaches in the world.
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Shopping
Number one for most tourists in terms of shopping, would
be the clothes complexes that have promulgated throughout
Colombo. House of Fashion, ODEL and Beverly Street continue
to attract busloads of appreciative tourists, raking in the
bargains. Local handicraft and curiosity shops such as
Barefoot, Lakpahana and Paradise Road are
recommended too. Check with your hotel concierge or host family for the best
places and times
to visit, and shop away.
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Airport Transfers
From the airport, the best way to the
centre of Colombo is by Official Airport Taxi, or other
transport (e.g. Seat-in-Coach) arranged by your tour
operator. If you really want to rough it out, there is
the no. 187 to Colombo Fort Bus Station. From 1
June 2010, an
Airport Express Train runs from
Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake to The
Secretariat Railway
Station, located opposite the Colombo Hilton. Tickets
are priced at Rs. 500 or USD5 one way. There is also an Airport Highway
planned for opening in 2011.
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History and Culture
Sri Lanka has a documented history of over 2500 years. The ancient
ruins of Panduwasnuwara (4th century BC) Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa are
stark contrasts to the more recent royal treasures of Dambulla and
Kandy. There are
Eight World Heritage Sites to choose from, including
two Natural Heritage Sites, perhaps the most
concentrated number of sites for its small area in Asia.
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Colonial History
Sri Lanka was colonised in order, by the
Portuguese, Dutch and the British.
Here is the timeline. The cities are dotted with buildings from
these eras, and the old Dutch Fort in Galle takes pride of place
among these. The temperate climes of Nuwara Eliya, called
"Little England" at 2187m above sea level, also features
gardens, villas and Lake Gregory, which is reminiscent
of the smaller lochs of Scotland. Tea Plantations which
were owned by adventurous Scots are still to be seen.
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Things to watch out for
Tourists are all deemed to be rich, and
able to pay much more than the average Sri Lankan.
Therefore, they are sometimes charged more for
everything, including three-wheelers (tuks tuks) and entry to
historical sites. Get a little advice from your
hotel reception or a trusted Sri Lankan friend.
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Tourist Cards, Attractions and
Cost-Saving
We recommend the Central Cultural Fund
card, priced at US$32.50, for those taking a long round
trip. This is valid for 2 months and offers unlimited access
to all the historical sites, except the Dalada Maligawa in
Kandy, the Isurumuniya temple in Anuradhapura and two others.
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Hygiene
Sri Lanka is not the cleanest place on
earth, and Colombo (which is quite small) is congested and has its share of slums.
There is a beautification project on at the moment, and you
can see the first fruits of this on Perahera Mawatha in
Colombo. It is considered less polluted when compared to
other capitals in the region, due to much lower levels of
industrialisation.
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