Things to Do Sri Lanka

Beach Holidays

The sun kissed coastline surrounding the island with its glimmering blue waters offers a variation of stunning beaches with little coves and bays, most creating ideal spots for sun bathing, snorkeling, diving or just a walk down its serene golden shores, with only the sound of the wave crashing into soft sandy shores. The most prominent beaches are those which lie in the south region of the island stretching from Bentota to Tangalle, and the more un-spoilt beaches such as Arugambay, Trincomalee and Pasikuda lie on the north east coast, with fine white glimmering sands and azure waters the un-spoilt beauty of this coastline is an absolute treat.

Tea Trails

The hills of this tropical isle are famed for its tea cultivation. Rows of neatly trimmed and tendered tea bushes carpeting the hills for acres, creating mesmerizing scenery of bright green mountains kissed by blue skies. Pioneered during the colonial era of the island, by Scottish planter James Tailor in the 1866, the production of tea has taken a new phase by becoming one of the principal exports of the island, its most sought after production being the Ceylon black tea known to be the finest black tea produced in the world. Apart form the acres of tea that carpets tha land, the region flourishes with misty green pine forests with ravines, rivers and gushing waterfalls. A train ride through these misty green mountains will refresh and rejuvenate your senses.

Nature & Wild Life

Explore the wild side of the heart of this island best explored on a safari. The island has many national parks, among which Yala, Udawalawe and Wilpattu being the most sought after. With breath taking sceneries, the regions rich bio diversity include the leopard, elephant and peacock and many magnificent endemic tropical birds which makes bird watching in Sri Lanka a favorite activity on the list of many travellers. You may select to stay over night at the available camp sights, which will allow you to experience the sights and sounds of the night, heightening your experience of nature and wildlife in Sri Lanka.

Culture & Heritage

A visit to the historical sites on this island will take you on a journey to the colorful and exciting ancient times of the past. The principal locations being Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, and Dambulla forming the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. Buddhism flourished during this period causing many architectural wonders to be built to honor Buddhism; the land is strewn with ancient statutes, temples and paintings, enriched with rich history, which predates 2000 years. The Sigiriya rock fortress, a 600ft rock monolith, which was transformed into a complex city and fortress in 477 AD, however stands out from all the islands ancient wonders. It is famed for its amazing frescos of royal ladies. Further up in the mountains is the last royal city of Kandy; famed for the temple of the tooth which houses the tooth relic of Lord Buddha.

Adventure

The land is blessed with much variety when it comes to landscapes all bottled in a compact region making this the ideal holiday location. If adventure is what you seek, you will have plenty to quench your thirst for adventure. From trekking through the tropical rain forest of the Singhraja, the vast cool grasslands of Horton Plains, or a climb to the ascend of the holy mountain of Adams peak, surrounded by mesmerizing sights sounds and smells time stand still here. If you seek for something to get your adrenaline pumping there’s white water rafting, kayaking or abseiling to select from, water sport activities which are available  in the regions of Kitulgala and Ella.

Whale & Dolphin Watching

Situated within international whaling commission's protected zone in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has become a major hot spot for whale and dolphin watching. Tours can be arranged from Mirissa, Kalpitiya or Dondra. There is a high percentage of spotting sperm whales and blue whales as the migration path from Africa and Australia lie just off Point Dondra. Dolphins can generally be spotted along with whales as they frequent the regions of whales. Trips commencing from Dondra last up to 3 hours; giving you ample time to enjoy the sights and sounds of these magnificent creatures.

Snorkeling & Diving

When you think Sri Lanka the first thing to cross your mind would be its sun kissed beaches and glimmering blue waters that hug the shores. The reefs are scattered with a diversity of marine life ranging from colorful tropical fish and amazing coral reefs to shipwrecks to be explored underneath the turquoise water. The islands western, southern and eastern coastal belt provides the perfect spots for scuba diving and snorkeling. A hot spot for scuba diving not to be missed is Pigeon Island, located just north of Trincomalee, it is a colorful paradise of fish and coral life. Hikkaduwa and Galle provide snorkeling and scuba diving hot spots as well.

Yoga & Meditation

The island offers many yoga and meditation centers situated in fine settings, which are located island wide. The island is blessed with amazing scenic locations and surrounding thus providing the perfect environment for yoga and meditation. Talk to us if you seek to sooth your mind and body through these serene activities.

Rail Trails

The railway lines were laid out during the colonial period to transport tea to the low land of Colombo, which was the greatest commercial export during colonial Ceylon. Most of these old lines are in use to this day. There is no better way to experience the misty mountain region of the island than by train. The island has its general public train service which offer up meager conditions. Or you may chooses to take a ride on our very own “Viceroy Special”, a luxury train complete with dining, recreational, and bar facilities, the perfect way to enjoy a long journey to the hills or any part of the island. The train journey to the hills, which offers up spectacular views, is rated as one of the best train journeys in the world. So what better way to experience Sri Lanka than by rail.

Colonial Footprints

With the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505, followed by the Dutch and the British the island was under colonial rule till 1948. The foreign rule, which was imposed upon the island, had its positive and negative effects alike. Many suffers the loss of property during this period, like wise the tea, rubber and spice industry was established, the tea industry which is currently one of the principal exports of Sri Lanka. Among the colonial footprints the Dutch fort in Galle stands out for its magnificent walls, ancient colonial style buildings, streets and lighthouse most of which remain unchanged and intact to this day. A walk through this fort is a walk straight into the past. The fort is now a bustling with colonial style villas, boutique hotels, restaurant and shops. While the Galle fort is the best preserved colonial momento, the island is scattered with ruins of many other forts and light houses, located in Kalpitiya, Batticaloa, Jaffna and Dondra.

Pilgrimages

Buddhism is the principal faith of the country, the unaltered and ancient form of the philosophy, which was introduced in the 3rd century BC, is still strongly followed by the majority of the island. The island has a great number of Buddhist temples visited by many devotees, with the most sacred Buddhist pilgrim location being Adams Peak. The trek to the summit of this holy mountain takes up to a days hike. The summit has been revered ah a scared site for centuries as it is believed to have been visited by Lord Buddha who left his foot print at the summit of this mountain. Although Buddhist pilgrims frequent it, Christians, Hindus and Muslims pay homage to this scared site as well. The other foremost visited holy site is the Hindu kovil at Katragama also frequented by people from various casts and creeds