Want to visit a land full of fascinating places that offers a one-of-a-kind experience? Consider Sri Lanka Tours to explore this amazing destination, rich in breathtakingly beautiful places, natural wonders, ancient ruins, historical sites, lush jungles, and an enriching culture and tradition.
Tourists of the reliable tour operators will be able to immerse in the beauty of the region. The best way to start the trip, is to first visit the ancient cities that is Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy (where the ancient temples like Temple of the Tooth is located), and later explore the colonial charm of Sri Lanka, that is Colombo (find here colonial buildings where now next to it stands the modern buildings).
For those who want to be close to nature, Sri Lanka has some of the best scenic locations that will woo your senses. Visit Ella and Nuwara Eliya for gorgeous tea plantations and foggy mountain panoramic scenes. For exploring the wildlife, visit Udawalawe National Park and Yala National Park. Hoping to simply relax and explore the exotic beaches, head to Mirissa and Bentota.
Not to forget the authentic Sri Lanka cuisines, made with its locally grown spices and adds a complete different flavor to the food. Some of the popular cuisines include the rice and curry, kottu roti, sambal, hoppers, etc.
With ample places to visit and explore, friendly people, and budget-friendly travel options, Sri Lanka truly stands out as one of the best holiday destinations. Every tourist would love to experience the diverse offerings on Sri Lanka Tours, making unforgettable memories along the way.
Breathtaking landscape to escape in Sri Lanka
We all love to be close to nature whenever we plan a holiday, the main reason is we want to get out of the chaotic lifestyle and have some peaceful time to ourselves. We always look for a place which would provide us peace of mind during our escape from daily routine. Sri Lanka is loaded with such magical places that will take you to another world:
Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya is an enchanting place that is blessed with lush-green tea estates and has a cool pleasant weather. The region is perched in between the foggy mountain ranges that offer the perfect escape from the hustle-bustle of the city lifestyle and the heat waves.
Nuwara Eliya, apart from the tea estates has the Gregory Lake and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens. Tourists can learn more about the history of the tea estates; know the entire tea manufacturing process, right from plucking to finally packaging. Enjoy boat ride at the Gregory Lake and see the exotic flora at the Hakgala Botanical Gardens.
Ella
Ella is a beautiful town situated in the gently sloping hills of the central highlands of Sri Lanka. The region is dramatically stunning for its verdant valleys, stunning landscape and undulating hilly terrain and dense forests.
Tourists can enjoy hiking to the famous Ella Rock, which is a bit challenging but will provide views of the distant valleys. Another famous hiking spot is Little Adam’s Peak which provides a less challenging trail and also offers breathtaking views.
Another highlight of this spot is Nine Arches Bridge that is perched in between the verdant valleys and beautiful scenery. For a refreshing dip you can opt for a short hike to the Ravana Falls.
Sigiriya
It is an ancient rock fortress that offers one of the best historical experiences. Once you reach the top of the rock fortress, you will be able to enjoy the mesmerizing views of the vast landscape, dense forests, stunning gardens, etc.
Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains National Park is one of the important biodiversity parks of the region and is a mist-covered plateau. It is in fact designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the highlight of this place is the trek to the World’s End, which is a 1,200 meters tall dramatic cliff.
Once you reach the top of this undulating cliff covered with mist, you will be able to enjoy the spectacular views of the valleys below. The Horton Plains National Park is home to some of local wildlife like the sambar deer and exotic bird species and has a waterfall called Baker’s Falls.
Knuckles Mountain Range
Adventure lovers who are planning for trekking can choose to trek in the Knuckles Mountain Range which is a biodiversity reserve and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Knuckles Mountain Range is home to dense forests, waterfalls, and varied species of flora and fauna which makes this bio-reserve more popular among tourists.
Mirissa
For beach lovers who are hoping for some relaxation and exploring the stunning beaches of Sri Lanka, can head to Mirissa. Here, tourists can not only have a peaceful time relaxing on the beach but will able to enjoy whale watching as well. To watch the marine creature up close you can opt for snorkeling and whale-watching tours as well.
The above mentioned are some of the destinations in Sri Lanka which offers a wonderful retreat of the landscape.
Cultural experience in Sri Lanka
Due to its rich history, culture, and traditions, Sri Lanka offers one of the best cultural experiences for a Cultural Tour. The land showcases the influences of Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim traditions, which can be seen in its temples, festivals, and historical sites. Here is a list of places for those interested in a Sri Lanka Cultural Tour.
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura is one of the ancient places and is an important sacred place as it is home to the sacred Bodhi tree, the oldest tree planted by humans, and many stupas and monasteries are built nearby it.
This sacred fig tree (Bodhi tree) is believed to have grown from the cutting down of a tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Anuradhapura is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it is an ancient sacred land and the main center of Buddhist culture.
Polonnaruwa
This is another important cultural site to visit comprising of ancient ruins, has enriching history of the past, comprises of ruins of the royal palaces, sculptures and statues.
This ancient ruin presents the rich history of the rulers and the skilled craftsmanship used to build these ancient cities. Here tourists will be able to explore the ruins of the palaces, see the Buddha statues, and the grand rock temple, Gal Vihara temple.
Kandy
Kandy is renowned around the world as it is home to the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic which has a fragment of the tooth of Lord Buddha. Every year in this temple, the Esala Perahera festival is celebrated which is combined with chanting of the prayers, colorful processions with beautiful traditional dance performances, drummers and includes elephants as well. In Kandy, tourists can observe the Kandyan dance performances in one of the cultural centers of the region.
Galle
Galle Fort is a Dutch colonial fort built in the 17th century, tourists will be able to have a glimpse of the colonial architectural buildings, its quarters inside the fort which are now converted into shops and boutiques. Here you will be able to witness a blend of Dutch and Sri Lankan tradtions.
Sigiriya
One of the must-visit places in Sri Lanka is the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya, which transports you back to the architectural wonders and rich history of the region, complete with stunning wall paintings and the famous Mirror Wall.
Once you reach the top of the hill, you can enjoy breathtaking views. A visit to Sigiriya and the other listed sites on your Sri Lanka Cultural Tour will deepen your understanding of the local culture and traditions.
Local cuisines to try in Sri Lanka for an authentic experience
Sri Lanka’s cuisine represents its rich culture, history and the influence of its diverse religions and the influence of the colonial rules. However, despite of so much influence and diversified religion, some of the original traditional favorites of the locals are still passed on from generations like:
Kottu Roti
Kottu rotis is one of the common street food of Sri Lanka which comprises of a flatbread (known as roti) and is accompanied with vegetables, spices, eggs and meat.
Rice and Curry
One of the favorite of the locals here is the rice and curry. The curry comprises of vegetables meat or fish and is made of coconut milk, blend of spices, and turmeric, which adds to the creaminess to the curry. So the rice is usually accompanied with sambols and papadams to enhance the taste of the rice.
Pol Sambol
Pol Sambol is like a curry made of grated coconut, onions, chili, and lime which is usually eaten with rice and flatbreads.
Lamprais
It is prepared by using spiced-up rice, fried eggplant, meat curry and sambols, all these are wrapped together in a banana leaf and steamed.
Hoppers (Appam)
Another common dish is the hoppers/appam which is crispy pancakes made from coconut milk and fermented rice flour. You can eat the hoppers/appam with chutneys, spicy curries or sambols.
For a deeper immerse into the culture of the region, trying theses local Sri Lankan cuisines will surely let you have a wonderful experience.
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