Sri Lanka

There’s a little of everything in Sri Lanka: the colour and richness of India; the beaches befitting of any Indian Ocean island; Indonesia's ancient ruins; and cuisine that compares with any in Asia: all in one treasure-packed, teardrop-shaped gem. <br /> <br /> Unexpected delights can be found all over Sri Lanka: from its World Heritage Sites, 15 national parks and exciting leopard safaris to being just one of a handful of places where you can see the world’s biggest land and sea mammals – the elephant and the Blue Whale – all in one day.<br /> <br /> The island’s lush scenery is equally varied, with dense rainforest, rolling misty highlands, peaceful waterways, spectacular waterfalls and beautiful, heavily fragranced botanical gardens; not forgetting the 807 miles of pristine tropical beaches and the 500,000 acres given over to verdant tea plantations. But this is all just a small part of Sri Lanka’s heritage. Add to this the people that unfailingly welcome visitors with pride, and you’ve got one pint-sized powerhouse of a destination.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

CAPITAL CITY | Colombo
TIME DIFFERENCE | GMT +4 hours
BEST TIME TO VISIT | Dec-Mar
CURRENCY | Sri Lankan Rupee