The best guide to Sri Lanka. Russian speaking guide in Sri Lanka

What to see in Sri Lanka? We have collected in one article the best attractions of Sri Lanka that you should definitely visit during your holiday on the island: photo, video and description, as well as a map with their location.

Excursions or independent visit?

Most of the sights of the island of Sri Lanka can be seen either as part of a tour or on your own.

If you have time, it is more convenient to rent a car and travel to all the interesting places in Sri Lanka on your own. If you come on vacation on a tour for 5-14 days, you will have to choose only a few of the available places, since it is impossible to visit them all in a short period of time.

How to find cheap flights? They are easy to find through the search engines Aviasales and Skyscanner. It is best to search in both search engines and consider different departure dates.

What to visit in Sri Lanka: TOP 10 interesting places

Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura is the first capital of ancient Ceylon, located 200 km northeast of Colombo. You can get from the capital by bus, which takes 6 hours. There is a railway connection between the cities; the train takes 5 hours.

All attractions are concentrated in the old town of Anuradhapura. Entrance for tourists is paid everywhere, but you can purchase a single ticket for 3,700 rupees. With a ticket you can visit the Abhayagiri complex.

All monuments can be seen in two days. Due to the heat, it is recommended to explore the sights from some form of transport: a bus or a rented car. A parking space costs about 25 rupees.

It is also worth visiting the sacred Bodhi tree for Buddhists. This ancient ficus grew from a cutting taken from the tree under which Buddha became enlightened. Therefore, the Bodhi tree is the most sacred and oldest in Sri Lanka.

Inspection of the sacred tree will cost a tourist 200 rupees.

Video about the sights of the city of Anuradhapura:

What to see nearby:

• 50 meters from the Bodhi tree is the Bronze Palace. It was built before our era and has lost its original appearance. It is prohibited to enter the palace grounds.
• You can see the largest brick stupa, Jetavana, for free. This large structure was built in the third century AD. Located 300 m from the tree.
• At a distance of one kilometer from Bodhi is the Isurumuniya Palace, carved into the rock. It was built before our era. Entrance is paid and costs 200 rupees.
• You can visit the Ruvanvelisiya and Mirisaveti stupas for free. Both structures are located 200 meters from the tree.
• In the northern part of the city is the Abhayagiri complex. On its territory there is the second tallest stupa of the city of Anuradhapura, there are Buddha statues, a museum, a pond and two lakes.
• You can explore the Vessagiriya caves, the royal palace of King Vijayabahu and artificial ponds for free.
• A visit to the folk art museum will cost 300 rupees.

Gal Viharaya in Polonnaruwa

Monuments in Polonnaruwa are available not only for inspection with group excursions, but they can be visited independently and explored in 2 days.

A must see in Polonnaruwa is the Rock Temple or GalViharaya with its huge Buddha statues. This temple has no analogues and is located on the territory of a huge Archaeological Park. Entrance to the park is paid, the ticket price is 3250 rupees.

Tickets must be purchased in advance from the Polonnaruwa Museum. The park is huge and it is recommended to travel around it by car, motorcycle or bicycle.

In the park there are several temples and monasteries, a stupa, and a royal palace complex. There are also artificial ponds and stupas here.

Photo and description: Gal Viharaya © vasse nicolas,antoine / flickr.com

How to get there:

• Polonnaruwa is located 200 km east of Colombo. It is very inexpensive and convenient to travel to Polonnaruwa by train. There are two services: one train leaves early in the morning and arrives at noon. The second one departs at 7 pm and arrives in Polonnaruwa at midnight. Ticket costs from 185 to 600 rupees.
• The second option is bus service. Due to the heat, it is better to take the earliest possible flight. The trip from Colombo to Polonnaruwa takes 6 hours and the ticket costs 160 rupees.

Sri Lankan attractions nearby:

• Naipena Vihara Hindu Complex;
• King Nissankamalla Palace;
• The ruins of the library and the statue of King Parakramabahu are 2.5 kilometers from the park;
• Near the ruins of the library you can see the Sea of ​​Parakrama - a lake created by order of the king.

Sigiriya

One of the most famous attractions in Sri Lanka according to TripAdvisor is Sigiriya (Lion Mountain). This is a 370 m high rock with a complex of cultural monuments inside and on the top. It is the object of many tourist routes and is protected by UNESCO.

Tickets to visit cost 3900 rupees. The price includes a visit to the museum, where they will tell the history of all the buildings.

Panorama overlooking Lion Rock:

How to get there:

• You can get there by buses No. 48 and 49 from Pettah bus station in Colombo to the Inamaluwa stop. There you need to change to bus No. 490/1, following the route Dambulla - Sigiriya. The total travel time will be 6 hours.
• From Colombo, buses towards Lion Mountain depart every 30 minutes.

What to see near Sigiriya:

• Pidrunagala Cave Temple, located 1.5 km north of Sigiriya, entrance tickets cost 200 rupees;
• Dambula city and cave temple;
• The city of Polonaruwa with attractions.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy

Kandy is the second most populous city, located literally in the center of Sri Lanka.

The city is famous for its Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, which is the main Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. It is located on the shore of a man-made lake. The temple itself has retained its original architecture, which can be seen from the outside and inside. Entrance to the temple is paid - 1500 rupees.

How to get there:

• To get to Kandy from Colombo, you need to travel 120 km, traveling directly east by bus number 1, departing from Pettah bus station. Travel time will be 4 hours.
• You can get even faster from Colombo to Kandy by train, in just 2.5 hours.

In addition to this Buddhist shrine, there are other attractions in Kandy that are worth seeing:

• The largest botanical garden in Asia is located 12 kilometers from the city.
• An elephant nursery where little elephants left without mothers are raised.
• A stone's throw from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth is the National Museum of Kandy. It occupies part of the royal palace and houses the royal regalia and other historical artifacts. Ticket price is 500 rupees. Here, on the territory of the palace, is the International Museum of Buddhism. Entrance to the museum costs 500 rupees.
• Not far from the Temple of the Tooth Relic, there are four Hindu temples. There are also Hindu temples outside Kandy.
• Within the city limits there is the amazing Udawattakele Nature Reserve - a forbidden forest, a piece of the wild nature of Sri Lanka. You definitely need to visit it to understand what the real nature of the island looks like.

Wilpattu National Park

Wilpattu Park is located 180 km north of Colombo and 30 km west of Anuradhapura. Within its borders there are six dozen lakes. In terms of size, Wilpattu Park is the largest in the world. It is also the oldest park on earth.

To see more attractions in the park, it is worth renting a car. Entrance costs 2300 rupees.

There are a huge number of local and visiting birds here. There is a Bengal monitor lizard, a large and active predator. You can also see local marsh crocodiles, reaching 4 meters in length.

The park is home to deer and monkeys, as well as elephants and leopards.

How to get there:

• You can come here from Colombo and other cities by bus. The driver must be warned in advance to stop at Wilpattu Park.

What to see nearby:

• Sights of the city of Anuradhapura;
• Mihintale Temple.

Golden Temple in Dambulla

The Golden Temple is located in the small city of Dambulla and is part of a whole temple complex consisting of six temples and caves. The city is located near the rock of Sigiriya. You can see everything in 1 day.

The complex was built in the first century BC. In the twelfth century, more than 70 gilded Buddha statues were installed here.

Very close to the Golden Temple is the Museum of Buddhism. There are also ticket offices where you can buy tickets to the temple, which cost about 1,500 rupees.

There are many paintings on the theme of the earthly life of Buddha, as well as water that defies gravity and flows upward.

Panorama from the mountainside where the temple is located:

How to get there:

• You can get to Dambula from almost any city by bus. They arrive at the city station, from where you can walk to the temple in 20 minutes or take a tuk-tuk for 100 rupees.

Attractions of Sri Lanka nearby:

• If you move 100 m away from the temple, you can see the Museum of Buddhism. There is a collection of rock paintings here. A ticket there costs 250 rupees.
• You can tour the Somavati Stupa for free. It is located at the foot of the small mountain on which the complex is located.
• It will be interesting for tourists to visit the Dambula market, which is located near the bus station.

Unique Sinharaja Park

In Sinharaja Park you can see what the rainforests of Sri Lanka looked like. Rare plants and animals exist in a small area of ​​the park. Sri Lanka's last wild elephants, leopards, monkeys, three species of endemic deer, reptiles and a variety of insects are still found here.

The excursion to the park is on foot. The flora of the rain forest is very widely represented here. Many plants are now found only in this park. It is not uncommon to find a tree 50 meters high. There are beautiful waterfalls

Entrance to the park is paid and costs 500 rupees. If you were unable to arrive early, you can stay overnight in a special camp, which is located at each entrance, so that you can go on an excursion in the morning. A four-hour guided walk will cost 1,600 rupees, an eight-hour walk will cost 3,200 rupees.

How to get there:

• From Colombo you can get to Sinharaja Park by bus. The forest is located very close to the city of Galle.

The nearest attractions are located in the city of Unawatuna:

• Japanese Pagoda, free entry;
• Unawatuna Temple, also free entry;
• Yatagala Temple in the vicinity of Unawatuna;
• Turtle Farm, entrance – 400 rupees.

Adam's Peak

One of the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka is Adam's Peak. This is a 2243 m high mountain, the top of which can be climbed as part of an excursion.

At the top there is a depression resembling the imprint of a giant foot. This is the "sacred footprint" of the Buddha. For followers of Hinduism, this is a trace of the supreme deity Shiva. And Christians consider this imprint to be the trace of the Apostle Thomas. A temple was built over the trail.

To climb to the temple, you need to overcome more than 5 thousand steps. The length of the stairs is 8 km. Every 150 meters there are platforms on the stairs where you can rest, buy water and food.

Many people begin their climb at night in order to reach the top by dawn. The staircase is well lit. It is always windy and cold at the top of the peak, so you need to take warm clothes with you.

The ascent lasts from 3 to 5 hours, and the descent takes no more than an hour and a half. Entrance to the climbing stairs is free.

How to get there:

• You can get to Adam's Peak from Colombo by bus departing from Pettah bus station and going to Hatton. You can also come here by train.

What to visit nearby in Sri Lanka:

• Badulla city and attractions;
• Sinharaja Rain Forest;
• Elephant nursery in Pinavella.

Ratnapura

At the foot of Adam's Peak is the city of Ratnapura. From Colombo you can come here by bus or train. The length of the route is 100 km.

This is the center of mining of Sri Lankan gems. The world's largest sapphires were found here. The city does not have modern high-rise buildings or entertainment venues. Strange huts are visible everywhere, covering the entrances to the places where gems are mined.

Tourists who come here on an excursion will see how they are mined. The bravest ones can go down inside, underground and examine the structure of the mines.

The work of gem miners is very primitive. The rock is mined using a pick and shovel and then washed in the local river. The sediment from larger fractions is sorted out manually. The tour will continue at the factory for processing the mined jewelry.

What to see in Ratnapura:

• There is a state museum in Ratnapura, where there are collections of jewelry made from local precious stones, tools of the most primitive tribe of Sri Lanka - the Veddas, and the remains of prehistoric animals.
• There is a very revered Maha Saman Deval temple near the city.
• Local market, which is located right in the city center. Many people visit Ratnapura for this market. Here you can buy precious stones very cheaply.

Botanical Garden Peradeniya

The Botanical Garden of Sri Lanka is one of the best in the world.

The largest river in Sri Lanka, the Mahaweli, flows through the park. Here it forms a loop. The park was created on the site of the ancient royal gardens, which were laid out in the 13th century.

There are collections of heat-loving conifers, ebony trees, palms, bamboos, ficus, and ferns. The main asset of the park is the collection of decorative and species orchids.

There are corners dedicated to the design of gardens and parks. This is a suspension bridge, a Japanese garden, a flower garden, alleys of different palm trees, a spice garden, and its own waterfall.

The garden features personalized trees planted by famous people from around the globe. This includes trees planted by Nicholas II and Yuri Gagarin.

Entrance to the garden is paid. Entrance fee is 1500 rupees.

How to get there:

• From Colombo you can take a bus to Kandy. In Kandy you need to take buses No. 644 and No. 652 and get to the stop called “Botanicgarden”.

What attractions can you see nearby:

• Temple of the Tooth Relic;
• Sigiriya;
• Royal Palace of Kandy;
• Dambula.

Hikkaduwa

Sri Lanka has beautiful beaches with clear ocean water. Hikkaduwa is a resort located on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, about 100 km from Colombo. If you go from Bandaranaike airport, a taxi will cost about 9 thousand rupees.

The beaches here are large with a wide strip of excellent clean sand. There are windswept beaches with real ocean waves, and there are closed beaches where the waves are not felt at all.

There is also a coral reef here. It was severely destroyed by the waves of the 2004 tsunami. You can see sea turtles and a variety of fish swimming in the shallow waters.

The Hikkaduwa Coral Garden is one of the most popular attractions in Sri Lanka.

What else you can see in Hikkaduwa:

• National Park;
• Gem mines;
• Monument to Tsunami Victims;
• The Mask Museum is 10 kilometers from Hikaduwa.

Sights of Sri Lanka on the map

On the map below you will find the location of all the attractions of Sri Lanka in Russian.

To display only the points of interest on the map, click on the menu icon in the upper left corner and uncheck all categories except “attractions”.

Sri Lanka is a small island state located in South Asia near the Hindustan Peninsula. The country received its current official name, the Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, in 1972. Previously, the state was known as Ceylon. The official capital of Sri Lanka is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. In fact, the capital functions are performed by the largest city in the country - Colombo.

The population of Sri Lanka is 21.6 million inhabitants. Sinhalese and Tamils ​​dominate among the nationalities. The most common religion is Buddhism, which is followed by the majority of Sinhalese. In addition, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are widespread in the country. The form of government in Sri Lanka is a semi-presidential republic. Administratively, the country is divided into 9 provinces - Central, North Central, Northern, Northwestern, Western, Southern, Eastern, as well as the provinces of Sabaragamuwa and Uva.

The main sectors of the economy are agriculture, textile production and mining of precious stones. Recently, the tourism industry has been gaining momentum. The most popular holiday destinations in Sri Lanka are the resorts of Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Wadduwa, Beruwela and Kalutara.

Flight time:
Flights to Bandaranaike Airport, Colombo
from Moscow - from 8 hours 30 minutes.
from St. Petersburg - from 11 hours 25 minutes. (1-3 transfers)
from Kazan - from 12 hours 30 minutes. (1-4 transfers)
from Yekaterinburg - from 11 hours 55 minutes. (1-4 transfers)
from Novosibirsk - from 11 hours 50 minutes. (1-4 transfers)

Current time in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte:
(UTC +5:30)

The most developed sport is cricket, which is exotic for Russians. The state pursues an active foreign policy, Sri Lanka is a member of well-known international organizations - the UN (United Nations), IMF (International Monetary Fund), ADB (Asian Development Bank) and others.

How to get there

At present, the issue of direct regular flights between Moscow and Colombo remains open, but it is known that Aeroflot operates flights on this route during the season. Excluding this option, the best way to get to Sri Lanka at the moment are flights of Emirates Moscow - Dubai - Colombo, Qatar Airways Moscow - Doha - Colombo and Etihad Moscow - Abu Dhabi - Colombo. All aircraft arrive at Colombo International Airport.

Many people are interested in an important question when buying a ticket from Moscow to Sri Lanka: how long to fly? If you choose a non-stop flight on the route Moscow - Sri Lanka, the flight will take 8 hours 45 minutes (flight to the capital of the country - Colombo). With connections it will be about 14 hours, but it depends on the connection times, which vary among airlines.

Climate and weather in Sri Lanka

The climate in Sri Lanka is warm and humid. The temperature is very even, without sharp fluctuations throughout the year. The difference between the warmest and coldest months is only 2-3 degrees Celsius. The average monthly temperature usually does not exceed 30 degrees. The seasons here differ in the amount of precipitation that falls. Most rain falls in summer. The coastal areas of Sri Lanka are the most comfortable for living. In large cities located inland, the weather is hot and humid. The average water temperature in the Indian Ocean near the country is 27 °C, which differs from the air temperature by only a couple of degrees.

Cooler temperatures can be found in the mountainous areas of Sri Lanka. The town of Nuwara Eliya is located at 1884 meters above sea level. The local average annual temperature is 18 °C. In cold weather at night, the thermometer can drop to an unprecedented level of 10 °C for Sri Lanka. This kind of “frost” forces the owners of local hotels and inns to use heating devices that are turned on in the evening and at night. It will be useful and pleasant for tourists to know that it usually rains at night in Sri Lanka. Therefore, your holiday at the resort should not be overshadowed by precipitation. The even and favorable climate throughout the year allows vacationers not to think about choosing a month for their vacation in Ceylon. Local residents and tourists feel comfortable here at any time of the year.

Rainy season in Sri Lanka

It is quite difficult to understand how rapidly the climate in Sri Lanka is changing the first time, so you need to be more careful with its features. The island is dominated by an equatorial climate, the distinctive feature of which is the division into two seasons: dry and rainy season.

In addition, the Central Mountain Range rises in the middle of the island, creating a “rain shadow” for the southwestern part of Sri Lanka. This is the so-called “wet zone” of the island, where the southwest monsoons head from May to September. They form in the Arabian Sea and move towards the island as a large wall of warm, humid air. Moreover, due to the mountain range, the rest of the country (which is three-quarters of the island) is more or less dry at this time. These three quarters are the eastern and northern parts of the country, where the average annual precipitation is 1200-1800 mm. For comparison, in the southwest this figure is much higher - from 2540 to 5080 mm per year.

The north and east of the country are influenced by the northeastern monsoons, which occur here from November to February. Most of the cyclones that form in the Bay of Bengal hit Bangladesh and the coast of India, but Sri Lanka also sometimes suffers, even despite some remoteness.

The rainy season in Sri Lanka is characterized by heavy and short (about 15 minutes) downpours, most often occurring at night. The main disadvantage for vacationers in such a situation is the strong wind, which creates large waves in the ocean, so it is better to give up dreams of calm and safe swimming at this time.

The winter and autumn months on the island are characterized as inter-monsoon periods, when there are no heavy monsoon rains, but sometimes there are so-called “zenithal rains”, often found in equatorial regions. Thus, the best time to relax in the southwest, which is attractive to tourists, is winter, and, accordingly, in the north and east - summer.

Cities and regions

Provinces of Sri Lanka

• Central
• North Central
• North-Eastern
• Northern
• Sabaragamuwa
• South
• Western

Cities of Sri Lanka

There are many large and small cities in Sri Lanka. Below is information about the cities most interesting for tourists.

Colombo is the largest city in Sri Lanka, which is actually the capital of the country, located in the Western Province of the state. Colombo is a center of business, trade and culture. The population of the city is 740 thousand inhabitants, and the agglomeration (together with the suburbs, including the formal capital of Sri Jayawardenepura Kote) is 2 million 250 thousand inhabitants. Industry and high-tech manufacturing are booming in Colombo. The local port is one of the largest in the Asian region.

Interestingly, many areas have a specific vocational focus. This division has arisen since ancient times. In Colombo there is a district of artisans, poor people, traders, etc. Of course, today such a classification is gradually becoming obsolete, but is still largely relevant. A major international airport is located 30 kilometers from Colombo. The city is developed culturally and religiously - it has its own university, observatory, and religious institutions for various faiths.

The tourist center is located in the northern district of the city - Fort. Hotels, shops, restaurants and other entertainment venues are concentrated here. The main attractions of the city are Galle Face Green Park, the National Museum, the Local History Museum, the Presidential Palace and Independence Square. In the suburbs of Komlombo you can visit one of the largest zoos on the continent - Dehiwala Zoo.

Anuradhapura is the district capital of the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The city is named after its founder, the Indian prince Anuradha. Population: 50,000 inhabitants. The most developed economic sectors are agriculture and handicrafts. The air temperature is warm and favorable throughout the year; the climate is characterized by high humidity. The city is famous for its attractions: Anuradhapura has the remains of ancient temples, monasteries and other cultural monuments. Among the most famous sites are the Ruanvelli and Thuparama stupas, the Abhayagiri and Isurumuniya monasteries, and the famous Aukan Buddha statue located near the city.

Kandy is one of the oldest Sri Lankan cities. It is located in the central part of the country. The city was previously known as Senkadagalapura. The population of Kandy is more than 150 thousand people. The city is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and was formerly the capital of ancient Ceylon. The most significant cultural monument is the Dalada Maligawa Temple. The Sacred Tooth of Buddha is located here, and this famous artifact has become an object of pilgrimage for Buddhists. Every year, Kandy hosts the popular Esala Peraher festival, during which time the famous relic is put on display for the public to see. For ten nights in a row, a procession with elephants takes place on the streets, which is accompanied by ethnic music, fakirs and other local attributes. On the outskirts of Kandy is the largest botanical garden on the continent. It contains many rare species of tropical plants. In the vicinity of Kandy there is its own unique Spice Garden.

Negombo is a small town located 40 kilometers from Colombo. The resort is nicknamed "Little Rome". The fact is that Negombo is the unofficial center of Christianity in Sri Lanka. The city is quite developed, shops, restaurants, rental offices and other services are located here literally on every corner. Local beaches are deserted, so they are popular among lovers of a quiet and relaxing holiday. True, most tourists use Negombo only as a transit point for a day or two, and then head to other resorts. However, the city has a lot to offer and show vacationers. The most popular entertainment is fishing. Local villages have long been famous for fishing. The most significant attractions are the remains of a Dutch fort and a Buddhist temple in Kelaniya, which is located 10 kilometers from Negombo.

Resorts of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island where people go on vacation all year round. Beach holidays, swimming in the Indian Ocean, trips to exotic places, complete relaxation, meetings that will be remembered forever, authentic village life, age-old traditions - one way or another, this is what is expected from the island.

The main question that tourists going on vacation to Sri Lanka ask themselves is which resort to choose? Indeed, there are many good places here, each with its own character and flavor. Thus, Hikkaduwa gathers surfers, divers and young people on its beaches. Bentota is aimed at demanding tourists, Kogalla - at independent tourists and those who have arrived for the "winter", etc.

Below are the best resorts in Sri Lanka. Additionally, you can read about Sri Lankan beaches.

Bentota is a popular beach resort in Sri Lanka. This romantic spot is popular with young families and adventure seekers. Tourists have a full range of services to suit any budget. The resort will appeal to lovers of active recreation: the most popular Ceylon water entertainment center, Confifi Marina, is located here. Vacationers will be able to ride a boat, water ski, scooter or go scuba diving. The club also organizes excursions and boat trips.

Beruwela is a resort located in the southwest of the country, near Colombo. This place will appeal to tourists who prefer a beach holiday. However, lovers of a more active lifestyle will also find something to entertain themselves with. Large hotels have sports facilities - golf courses, tennis courts, and on the beaches tourists can enjoy traditional water activities. Along the coastline of the resort there are several hotels of different classes for people with different income levels. The main attraction of Beruveli is the ancient Kechimalai Mosque, to which thousands of Muslims from all over the world make pilgrimages every year.

Wadduwa is another Ceylon resort located near Colombo. The calling card of this place is its gorgeous coconut palms and amazing sandy beaches. The resort has a developed infrastructure. A large number of hotels, shops, restaurants and cafes are concentrated here. There is a popular scuba diving center on Wadduwa. Diving enthusiasts will be able to fully appreciate the beauty of the local ocean depths. Just a few kilometers away is another resort town - Kalutara, famous for the Buddhist temple Gangatilaka Vihara.

Kalutara is a resort town on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. From time immemorial, the resort was famous for its herbs and spices. Throughout its history, little Kalutara has been under the yoke of Portuguese, Dutch and British colonialists. However, today the place has become one of the most modern and dynamically developing Sri Lankan resorts. The local specialty is amazing and juicy tropical fruits, which are placed in baskets created by local craftsmen using their own methods. However, the famous Kalutara spices are still respected all over the world. The main attractions of the resort are the Gangatilaka Vihara Stupa and the February Navam Parade.

Kogalla is a small but famous Ceylon resort. The relative distance from civilization (Colombo is more than 100 kilometers away) attracts tourists here who dream of taking a break from the bustle of large cities. On the other hand, Kogalla has all the necessary infrastructure, including golf courses, diving centers, tennis courts and other entertainment. Not far from the resort is the town of Polonnaruwa. It is famous for the fact that the remains of the legendary palace of the ancient Sinhalese state have been preserved on its territory. Other historical monuments include the Watadage Temple and giant Buddha statues carved into the rocks.

Nuwara Eliya is a famous resort in the mountains of Sri Lanka. The place is known as one of the few islands of coolness in sultry South Asia. Numerous local waterfalls are popular with tourists. Among other attractions, it is worth noting the unusual architecture of local buildings in the British style. The main places for recreation are a magnificent modern golf complex, Victoria Park, the picturesque Gregory Lake and a hippodrome where horse racing takes place every spring.

Mount Lavinia is a popular Sri Lankan resort, located just a few kilometers from the country's capital. The place is a fairly large commercial, industrial and economic center. The population of the city is 155 thousand inhabitants. Tourists especially note the wide sandy beaches here. The resort has several modern hotels. The main attractions are the Dehiwela Zoo, which is home to more than 300 species of animals, and the giant Bolgoda Lake with rich flora and fauna.

Hikkaduwa is a resort town located in the south of Sri Lanka. This city is considered a diving Mecca. The unusually beautiful local coral reefs and other inhabitants of the underwater world attract vacationers from all over the world. The coral became the unofficial emblem of the city. In addition, there is a coral reserve on the territory of the city. Other attractions include a Buddhist temple and a large, beautiful lake.

What to see

Attractions

Museums and galleries

Entertainment

Parks and Recreation

Leisure

Transport

Private guides in Sri Lanka

Russian private guides will help you get acquainted with Sri Lanka in more detail.
Registered on the Experts.Tourister.Ru project.

Things to do

Water sports

Comfortable weather throughout the year, amazingly clear water and the beauty of the underwater depths of Sri Lanka attract many outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world.

Diving - scuba diving with scuba gear, mask, fins and other equipment. The Indian Ocean, in addition to the most beautiful marine life and underwater reefs, keeps many secrets and mysteries. Diving near shipwrecks and underwater caves heightens the senses and makes diving in Sri Lanka simply unforgettable. Lankan diving centers have modern equipment and equipment, and are scattered around the entire perimeter of the island. When planning a diving holiday, you should take into account the travel time. The fact is that diving centers located in the southwest of Sri Lanka operate from mid-autumn to mid-spring, and in the northeast - from early spring to mid-autumn.

Snorkeling also allows you to contemplate the splendor of the underwater world, but only at shallow depths: snorkeling requires only a mask, fins and a snorkel. The purity and transparency of Sri Lankan waters easily allows you to engage in this exciting activity, because the underwater delights are visible at a depth of several meters.

Surfing is riding waves using special boards. Surfers have chosen many areas of Sri Lanka. The picturesque landscape, the relaxed atmosphere of the resort and, of course, good high waves make the island ideal for practicing this sport.

Windsurfing is riding the waves using a board equipped with a sail. This sport can be practiced in Negombo, Trincomalee, Bentota. Equipment is rented at specialized rental points. Some hotels specialize in windsurfing and offer tourists all the necessary equipment. The gathering place for experienced athletes was Arugam Bay.

Ayurveda

Traditional treatment in Sri Lanka is very developed. Ayurveda, which literally means the science of life, is especially popular. This is a whole range of traditional treatment methods, including aromatherapy, relaxation, meditation, massage, and healthy eating. Ayurveda implies comprehensive healing of the body, and not the treatment of only diseased organs. The most important thing is that this direction has no side effects or contraindications. All medical products are made entirely from natural ingredients. Several hotels in Sri Lanka offer to combine relaxation with treatment according to the Ayurveda system.

Ecotourism

All over the world, ecotourism has long been a popular holiday destination. Recently, this type of recreation has begun to gain popularity among our compatriots. Tours to Sri Lanka offer a wide variety of ecotourism offerings. Vacationers can choose from rafting down mountain rivers, driving off-road vehicles over rough terrain, riding elephants, mountain climbing and other original excursions.

Camping and safaris

For tourists who are tired of the comfort of modern hotels and want to join the natural world, Sri Lanka offers a special excursion program with accommodation in tent camps in national parks. The tour program is compiled taking into account the individual wishes of vacationers. Tourists independently choose the parks to visit and other recreation criteria. Among the latter are the comfort of tent rooms, the number of days on the tour, and the purchase of additional excursions. The standard program lasts 9 days, during which all the main national parks of the country are visited. The camps provide all necessary living conditions and three meals a day.

Agritourism

Agritourism is the best holiday destination for those who want to get to know the peculiarities of Sri Lankan life from the inside. Tourists can not only live in the usual conditions of a Ceylon village, but also take part in agricultural work, as well as care for domestic animals. As part of agrotourism packages, vacationers get acquainted with local culture, customs, and learn to cook national cuisine.

Fishing

The coastal waters of Sri Lanka are replete with the number of fish and other representatives of the underwater world living there. The abundance of plankton attracts a wide variety of species - from tuna to sharks. Excursion fishing usually starts early in the morning. Tourist groups are taken out for fishing several tens of kilometers from the coast. Vacationers are accompanied by experienced local fishermen, and all necessary gear is included in the price of the excursion.

River Safari

The so-called boat safari is very popular on the island. This is a three-hour river boat ride. During the excursion you will be able to meet many exotic birds and animals. As you move away from civilization by boat, you can find more and more interesting and unusual things - small islands of land, aboriginal settlements and unique vegetation. A local guide will cost only $20.

Helicopter excursion

The opportunity to take a helicopter ride has appeared quite recently. This is a very expensive entertainment, but there are still people who want it. The helicopter base is located 15 kilometers from the capital of Sri Lanka. From here you can fly to almost anywhere in the country. The maximum allowed number of tourists in the cabin of one helicopter is four people. The most popular excursion to Sigiriya will cost $2,000 per helicopter, in addition, you will have to fork out another $112 for each hour you wait for the helicopter.

Hot Air Balloon Flight

Another excursion that allows tourists to admire the amazing Sri Lankan landscapes from a bird's eye view. Air travel is only carried out in light windy weather that is safe for flights. The standard duration of the excursion is one and a half hours, and the cost is approximately $1000 for the entire group, which cannot exceed four people.

Golf

This game began to develop in Sri Lanka back in the 19th century. Today, the country has created several high-quality golf complexes that meet international standards. Beginning athletes can also enjoy the game: golf clubs offer special individual and group lessons for beginners.

Sri Lankan wedding

Newlyweds from all over the world are increasingly choosing Sri Lanka as their wedding venue. The ceremony takes place according to local traditions - the bride and groom dress in bright national costumes, the procession is accompanied by elephants and the beating of drums, and boys and girls in colorful outfits dance nearby. After exchanging rings, the newlyweds give each other a taste of rice boiled in coconut milk and wash it down with water. This ritual symbolizes the future mutual care of husband and wife. There are a number of other traditional wedding rituals - tying the little fingers of the bride and groom with gold thread, breaking a coconut to sprinkle milk on the newlyweds' clothes and lighting an oil lamp together. The cost of the ceremony should be discussed in advance with the organizer. The amount will vary depending on the number of services selected. But on average you can spend $1000.

Beaches of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka boasts magnificent sandy beaches that stretch for 1000 km along the entire coast of the island. When swimming in the ocean, you should be careful: deep currents are quite dangerous, and you can cut yourself with fragments of coral. Topless sunbathing is not accepted in Sri Lanka.

The resorts offer all kinds of water sports: diving, surfing, yachting, snorkeling, sailing.
There are 2 beach seasons on the island: on the west and south coasts, from November to March, northern winds blow, the sea is calm, and the weather is comfortable. The western monsoon blows from April to October, bringing beach weather to the east coast.

Getting around the country

Bus

Buses are often crowded with passengers and very uncomfortable, but they can travel the entire island for almost nothing, for a few dollars. There are AC class buses, with air conditioning and guaranteed seats, they will cost twice as much.

Bus stops can be hectic, especially the larger ones, but almost everyone will be happy to practice their English and help out.

Private and municipal buses operate in major cities of the country. The fare for them is approximately the same. Public transport in Sri Lanka is one of the cheapest in the world.

Train

It is convenient to travel between Sri Lankan cities by train. From the capital you can get to any destination for no more than 300 rupees. Passengers have the opportunity to choose a carriage class with a suitable level of comfort. Sri Lanka has an extensive railway system, serving all the main cities of the island except the north and east.

Trains are more comfortable and colorful than buses, and thanks to the winding mountain railways, the railway network in the mountainous parts of Sri Lanka is very scenic, especially on the Badullu-Nanu Oya line. If possible, sit on the right side of the train as this offers the best views. For tourists who want to explore the local views, there are special excursion carriages with large windows.

Knock Knock

The most popular transport in Sri Lanka are small scooters with a cabin called tuk-tuk. They are unusual for us, but Sri Lankans regularly use them for everyday trips. A tuk-tuk is much cheaper than a regular taxi, the average price per kilometer is 15-20 rupees. It is not customary to pay tips in Sri Lanka.

Taxi

A more traditional type of transport will cost about 50% more. For a kilometer of travel you will have to pay about 30 rupees. If the taxi is not equipped with a meter, then the cost of the trip should be agreed upon in advance. You can “catch” a taxi driver right on the street or call him by phone.

Car rental

The country has a well-organized transport system, but Russians will be greatly surprised by two things - driving on the left and the possibility of animals driven by farmers and cars coexisting on the road.

With a driver

The car itself is often provided free of charge, and money is paid to the driver for his services. Some drivers/guides are licensed by the state to operate, some are extremely knowledgeable and speak multiple languages ​​and specialize in the history and culture of the country. They will tell those who go to see historical sites and nature reserves about the environment.

Without driver

Those who are not embarrassed by the oddities of traffic in Sri Lanka can rent a car for independent travel. Standard fee is 2400 rupees per day. This amount includes mileage of 80 kilometers, and for each additional kilometer you will have to pay an additional 8 rupees.

Airplane

The air carrier Aero Lanka operates domestic flights on the Colombo-Ratmalata, Colombo-Jaffna and Colombo-Trincomalee routes.

Communication

The main language of Sri Lanka is Sinhala, the second language is Tamil. English is used in government and tourism. Don't expect the entire population everywhere to speak English fluently. It is much more common in beach and tourist areas. Most people in rural areas do not know English at all, except for a few simple words.

• Sinhalese: The greeting in Sinhala is “aayuBOvan”, which literally means “stay longer”; thank you in Sinhala is "stuti";
• Tamil: The greeting in Tamil is “vanakkam”; thank you - “nanri”;
• Arabic(Lankan Moors): When meeting a Muslim, it is polite to say “Assalamu alaikum”; thank you sounds like “jaza-ka alla.”

Culture

The culture of Sri Lanka has managed to preserve many of its own ancient traditions, despite the fact that European colonialists had a great influence on it. The country has managed to preserve traditional customs in many areas. Most of the ancient national works of art are, in one way or another, connected with the dominant religion in the country - Buddhism. Painting, sculpture and architecture developed under his influence. Original dances and songs are also an important object of Sri Lankan culture. Contemporary art in Sri Lanka is actively developing cinema, radio and television.

One of the main holidays for Sri Lankans is New Year. True, unlike our country, in Sri Lanka it is celebrated in April. There are many rituals associated with this event on the island, and of course there is a traditional chic fireworks display.

Sri Lanka's number one sport is cricket. The national team even became the world champion in this sport in 1996. In addition, American football, rugby and various martial arts are very popular. Among the latter are the Sri Lankan martial arts Cheena di, which was taught by Chinese monks, and Angampora, a fighting style using swords, daggers and other weapons.

Kitchen

National Sri Lankan cuisine has much in common with Indian cuisine, due to the geographical proximity of the two countries. Herbs, spices, juicy fruits, seafood - all these elements are traditional in both countries. The basis of the daily diet in Sri Lanka consists of dishes made from rice and curry. The latter, by the way, is not only seasoned with meat. The curry island serves side dishes, fish, vegetables and other dishes.

Since Sri Lankan and South Indian food are very similar, many local restaurants will list Sri Lankan cuisine and South Indian cuisine on their menus. In addition, different regions have their own cooking options. Food is generally very cheap, with an inexpensive lunch costing around a dollar. Rarely can a meal cost more than ten dollars, except in the most expensive places aimed at tourists. Colombo has a large selection of high quality restaurants.

Ceylonese cuisine often uses coconut ingredients - coconut juice, butter and shavings. There are many other dishes with other unusual ingredients for us.

String hoppers are rice vermicelli that are rolled and steamed.

Umbalakada is a small fish that has been ground into powder.

Hoppers are local rice flour pancakes cooked with coconut milk.

Bittara arra - pancake combined with fried eggs. To prepare it, place a chicken egg in the middle of the pancake.

Hakuru arra is a delicacy similar to Bittara arra, but sweetened with coconut.

Kiribath is a traditional white rice cooked in coconut milk.

Rotti is a regular flatbread seasoned with curry sauce.

Pittu - Prepared from water, rice flour and coconut. Also served with curry sauce.

Kottu Rotti is a mixture of chopped unleavened rice cakes, vegetables and your choice of meat. This dish is found only in Sri Lanka, the most delicious Kottu Roti is from street vendors, freshly prepared.

Beverages

In Sri Lanka, you should not drink tap water, as it can cause intestinal disorders. Buy plain bottled water in stores. But it’s better to avoid buying local milk altogether. Thanks to the Sri Lankan climate, it spoils very quickly, although it is quite expensive.

The traditional non-alcoholic drink among Sri Lankans is Tambili, juice from the king coconut. Fresh juice can be prepared before your eyes right on the street, and it will cost less than what is sold in bottles.

Other local drinks include ginger oil and cream soda. If you prefer classic Coke or Pepsi, you can buy them in almost any grocery supermarket on the island.

The most popular beers are Three Coins (brewed according to a Belgian recipe), Lion Stout (buttery with a chocolate flavor) and Lion Lager.

For those who prefer strong alcohol, we can recommend the local drink - Arrack. It usually costs about $4 a bottle and is often drunk with ginger beer. Quality depends on price, but the Old Reserve brand is widely recommended and costs $7.50.

Purchases

Shopping in Sri Lanka is represented by both fairly modern shopping centers and traditional markets with all kinds of folk goods - from spices to clothes made from natural fabrics. Prices for goods from local producers are very reasonable. The greatest opportunities for shopping, of course, are in Colombo, but the Sri Lankan outback, and even more so the tourist centers, also have something to offer tourists in terms of shopping.

You can read more about store opening hours, what to buy, where to buy, and how to bargain in the article “Shopping in Sri Lanka”.

Connection

Telephone communications

Telephone service is available in almost any hotel, but calling from your room is usually very expensive. It is more economical to use special telephone cards and call from automatic machines or make calls from the nearest post offices. Cards in denominations of 100, 500 and 1000 rupees can be purchased at supermarkets, shopping kiosks and post offices. To call Russia you need to dial 007, the area code and the phone number.

Sri Lanka dialing code: +94.

Useful phone numbers

Internet

Cellular communications on the island are poorly developed and unstable. You can use a mobile phone only in the capital, as well as in large cities and popular resorts.

You can access the global network through Internet cafes located in large cities. In the outback of the country, gaining access to the World Wide Web is very problematic.

Safety

Tourists going on holiday to Sri Lanka should follow a number of simple measures to ensure safety. You should be careful when walking through parks and reserves - watch your step, do not turn off the tourist path and use mosquito repellents. If you are going on an excursion to the jungle, then before the trip, just in case, you need to take anti-malarial tablets. You need to be more careful with animals. There are often cases when monkeys steal various things from unlucky tourists.

As in many other tourist areas, in Sri Lanka you should be wary of pickpockets and do not leave valuables unattended. It is better for women not to be alone on the streets or on the beach at night. Over the past few years, there has been a slight increase in crimes against tourists, but these cases are rare.

Tourists are advised not to travel to areas controlled by the Tamil Tigers (LTTE). Some areas are mined, and armed clashes occur in cities. In addition, military action by the government is also possible. However, thanks to the large number of government checkpoints, the likelihood of entering military territory through negligence is extremely low. These areas are significantly removed from the places that tourists usually visit. However, it is not uncommon to see heavily armed soldiers on the streets, major highways and at the airport.

Before traveling to this country, it is recommended to be vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, polio, and tetanus. If you plan to travel outside of tourist areas, especially during the rainy season, you should be vaccinated against typhus. The areas of Gampaha (eg Negombo), Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, and Nuwara Eliya, as well as the city of Kandy (but not the district), are considered malaria-free. In other parts of the country, there is malaria and the greatest likelihood of getting sick is in Anuradhapura. During the dry season, during the day when traveling or traveling by train to Kandy (including trips to Peradeniya Gardens) or Nuwara Eliya, using a DEET repellent should be sufficient. The risk of infection increases after sunset. Antimalarial prophylaxis protects against infection when traveling to the north (especially Anuradhapura), east, and southeast (however, some types of drugs are not available there).

Try to respect local cultural values. You cannot appear in temples in shorts, short skirts or other clothes that are too revealing, and you must take off your shoes before entering the sanctuary. When buying jewelry and treasures, do not forget to ask for a license to export the goods from the country, otherwise problems may arise at customs. On full moon days, drinking alcohol in public places is prohibited on the island.

Some traditions take some getting used to, especially for Europeans.

Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka:

Address: Embassy of the Russian Federation, 62 Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha, Colombo-7, Sri-Lanka.

Phone: (8-10-941) 57-4959, 57-3555.

Where to stay

Standard hotels

Classic hotels with room capacity from 50 to 500 rooms. A suitable hotel of this class can be found for any budget. Because of their convenience, standard hotels are loved by vacationers with families or large groups. The all-inclusive system is often used.

Boutique hotels

Recently, hotels of this type have become increasingly popular. Boutique hotels are small hotels with 3-15 rooms. Guests of such hotels prefer silence, comfort and tranquility, which are so lacking in large hotels. Boutique hotels are on average more expensive than regular hotels, but they have their own unique look. Customers receive much more attentive service and service. The standard cost for renting a double room is $100-$250 per day.

Bungalow

Bungalows are usually small private houses, renovated and converted to suit the needs of tourists. Sometimes there is a private kitchen, maid or cook. Renting a bungalow is not cheap, but if you are going on vacation with a large group, then there is an opportunity to save money. Rental cost $100-$200 per day.

Villas

A villa is a luxurious home with many rooms, all possible amenities and maximum comfort. They are usually rented out entirely and are suitable for wealthy people. A villa, like a bungalow, is profitable to rent for a large group of people, for example, several families. The average rental cost is $300-$1000 per day. It varies depending on the level of the villa and the distance from the sea.

We cannot help but dwell on the issue of finding a guide. The fact is that we usually prefer to travel on our own, but it was in Sri Lanka that we spent the first part of our trip in the company of driver and guide Akila. Traveling with a person for even a short period of time is not so easy. Therefore, a guide should always be selected based on reviews to make the trip successful and interesting. And the main thing is that the guide does not deceive you. So we decided to leave a review for our guide in Sri Lanka. What kind of person is this, is it worth hiring him, if you meet him, read our article.

Can also be your driver. It is needed to help you understand the country and draw the tourist’s attention to important details during excursions, and will also be useful with its stories and interesting stories. In other words, the guide will be of great help to those who do not have time to independently study information about Sri Lanka. Or maybe you just don’t want (or don’t know how) to plan your route around the country yourself, studying books or websites on the Internet, then a guide to Sri Lanka will definitely come in handy for you!

I’ll say right away that guides can talk very interestingly about their country, invite you to visit or to various ceremonies. If you find a good guide in Sri Lanka, then he becomes like a friend during the trip, a mentor and guide. And of course, all tourists want the time spent with a guide not to be remembered as a nightmare. After all, it is very important that the guide does not interfere or interfere in conversations when this is not necessary, but at the same time does not forget to take photos of everyone traveling with him.

The question arises, how to choose a good guide in Sri Lanka? I answer: only based on recommendations from friends or experienced travelers on the Internet.

Next, I will tell you about my experience traveling around Sri Lanka with a guide. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a negative experience. But it’s worth knowing about this in advance, so as not to repeat mistakes, and most importantly, not to hire the driver with whom we rode.

Read also:

How a guide to Sri Lanka found us himself

I'll start by telling you a little background about our trip to Sri Lanka with a guide-driver. We arrived by plane to Colombo from Male late in the evening. Therefore, we decided to spend the night in Negombo, and then in the morning we went by bus to the north of the country, to Anuradhapura (this is one of the cities included in the so-called Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka). Since the road was difficult, we planned to rest the rest of the day and only the next day begin exploring the ruins of the old city of Anuradhaputra.

Everything went according to plan, and now we arrived at the bus station in the city of Anuradhapura. And while we were getting our things out of the trunk, we were immediately approached by a man who, in principle, I didn’t really like. He said: let me give you a ride to the hotel. And he named a very small price of 50 rupees. We happily agreed as we were very tired. I also had a headache, and I rather wanted to rest.

On the way, Aquila started talking about how he would be very happy to show us the city and give us a tour of the ruins.

“Tomorrow,” we said.

- Why tomorrow? Today! - Akila exclaimed joyfully.

“It’s too late,” we objected. After all, it was already almost 4 o'clock in the evening.

“So we’re in a car,” he flashed his gold tooth, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction. “It’s a long walk and takes a whole day, but I’ll take you for a ride in a car in two hours.” Fast! - he put an end to it.

And although we usually don’t trust the first people we meet, here we suddenly agreed. Akila quickly brought us to a very nice hotel, which we immediately liked. We freshened up and decided that we could actually see the sights of Anuradhapura today (we didn’t yet know how many there really were), and tomorrow morning we’d go to Polonnaruwa. This seemed to us at the time a good plan that would save our time and effort.

Review of guide and driver Akila in Sri Lanka

Now I’ll tell you how everything went in the end. In general, an hour and a half before sunset, we went on a tour with guide Akila around the ancient city of the Sinhalese. It was actually very easy to travel by car, unlike how we are used to walking. And while guide Akila took us around the dagobas and other attractions of Anuradhapura, he several times started talking about hiring him as a guide-driver throughout the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka.

It turned out that we, lulled by his flattery and very tired, hung our ears and agreed. Although we had never encountered guides before, because we had always traveled independently. We immediately discussed the price - $170 for the entire trip. It included a visit to Polonnoruwa, accommodation at a hotel near the rock of Sigiriya, a tour of Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy and a hotel recommendation in Kandy. In addition to the agreed amount, we had to pay all entrance fees, of course. Akila hastily took a $70 advance from us so that we wouldn’t change our minds during the evening.

Why we decided that we couldn’t handle it ourselves, but would go with a guide-driver, forgetting for a while about the logistics of travel, still remains a mystery to me. Maybe I just didn’t want to strain myself too much, and the price for the entire tour of the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka seemed quite normal. Akila was happy. And he even took a happy photo with me at the pool of the ancient Sinhala king.

Sri Lanka guide Akila is still trying very hard to make a good impression on us

Of course, having read reviews on the Internet, we guessed that in addition to excursions to tourist attractions, the guide to Sri Lanka would definitely try to get us to spend more money. And so it happened - he also tried to take us to his friends in tea factories, batik shops and jewelry workshops, so that we would leave our money there, and the satisfied owners would thank the guide for this. After all, all guides and drivers bring tourists to “their” hotels, where they again receive part of the cost of your stay, and for lunch and dinner they recommend going to “their” restaurants. All their own, mafia everywhere. This is inevitable, and we must come to terms with it.

But we were not as simple as Akila expected. We surprised him on the very first day when in the morning we said - take us, Akila, to a restaurant for locals. We want something not very expensive, but tasty, rice with dal, a couple of spicy wadi pies. Akila grimaced: how can they say that this is not a restaurant for tourists, but for Sri Lankans? But he brought it and even had breakfast with us.

Our guide in Mihintale

Then we went to Mihintale, where he handed us over to his friend, a local guide. He turned out to be very nice, knowledgeable and friendly. And in principle, it’s not even a pity that we overpaid him. Although we even saw him give something to Akila.

Then we arrived in Polonnaruwa, and Akila again gave us to another driver. We transferred from the minibus to a tuk-tuk. It turned out that we did not have to pay anything, Akila took care of everything. But we also found out that not only did we not pay the tukker for his work, but also for the tickets. That's how it was.

He drove along an old road through backyards and a hole in the fence into the territory of ancient Polonnaruwa. We were surprised, but did not suspect anything. Then the tuker took us to all the sights of Polonnaruwa, especially without talking or explaining anything, since he knew almost no English. And we hired a guide-driver in Sri Lanka so that he could tell us everything, remember? But it so happened that for the second time he handed us over to other people, probably his friends.

And then another omission occurred. We missed the famous cave monastery in Polonnaruwa, interesting for its several very valuable Buddha statues. The guide did not take us there, because at the entrance to this monastery they check tickets, which we did not have.

Our driver in Polonnaruwa

- So how did you like it? - Akila asked, beaming with his smile and stroking his plump and well-fed belly, meeting us at sunset on Lake Bendivewa.

“Wonderful place,” we mumbled, suspecting that now we wouldn’t really like the continuation of the conversation.

And so it happened. Akila said:

- You forgot to give me the money for the tickets. I let you go, and then I just remembered.

Silent scene. Everyone throws up their hands. We pretended that we did not understand him.

And so, while we were traveling to Sigiriya, our guide Akila raised this issue about paying for tickets several times. But we laughed it off: “No ticket - no money.” Akila cried that he paid the tukker a very, well, simply a very large amount of money. We knew the approximate cost of tukker services in Polonnaruwa, since we ourselves planned to hire someone so as not to have to walk. And Akila blatantly lied, tripling the amount.

In the evening we still didn’t give Akila the money for the tickets to Polonnaruwa. He was very angry and almost cursed us then.

We conferred, wondering whether we should let him go altogether and continue to travel on our own. We have already paid the seventy dollar deposit, including payment for the hotel. But there is one more day left, with big moves. On our own it would have taken us three days for the remaining journey. Therefore, to save time, we decided to drive with Akila to Kandy, pay the remaining $100 as agreed, and forget about it. Of course, this was our mistake.

In the morning, Akila was again joyful and satisfied, did not contradict anything, and did not start talking about money. He quickly brought us to Sigiriya and left us at the ticket office. After exploring Sigiriya, we returned to the car, and again Akila was silent. Then we went to Dambulla in silence, and again walked around the temples on our own. And finally, our silent guide-driver in Sri Lanka brought us to Kandy.

On the roads of Sri Lanka

Let me remind you that Akila was silent the whole way, and in Kandy he first brought us to a hotel with his friends. We decided not to be capricious and see if the place was good? But no, like the place where we spent the last night in Sigiriya - it was a rather dirty hotel, and not at all the promised “inexpensive, clean, with wi-fi, air conditioning and TV” room. We persistently asked Akila to take us to the hotel that we chose. He was terribly unhappy, but did as we said.

And now the time has come to say goodbye. Dima took out the promised money. But then Akila put on a whole performance. Crumpling the piece of paper where all our calculations were recorded, shouting to the whole street that he would ask Buddha to punish us, he began to refuse to take the money, demanding more. And he even locked the car and refused to give us our things until he received money for tickets to Polonnaruwa. I had to call him a thief and threaten him with the police. Only then did he get scared and quickly calm down, and we took our backpacks from the car. Having given him the initially agreed upon amount - 100 bucks, we said goodbye with relief.

The old owner of a guesthouse in Kandy, forced to witness this terrible scene, did not interfere with what was happening with Buddhist fortitude. Only after Akila left did he simply say, “This is a bad man!”

Here is a review about the Sri Lanka guide Akila, who did not fulfill even half of what was agreed upon and tried to cheat. I hope that this story will be useful to you, and you will not only avoid Akilu, but also immediately bring other similar guide-drivers to the surface and be more decisive than he and I.

Good luck on your travels!

• By the way, choosing the right guide and driver is very important not only in Sri Lanka, but also in - for inspection. We share the experience of our relationship with Cambodian tukers: read about it.

P.S. Do not confuse this guide Akila from Anuradhapura with another excellent guide in Sri Lanka Akila, who has long established himself among Russian tourists, and also speaks Russian. This man is younger and prettier.

As we drove around Sri Lanka with a driver-guide, we came to the conclusion that the sights of the Cultural Triangle are indeed best explored by car. This is very convenient when it takes you to yet another ancient ruin, and you don’t have to think about how to get there. The main thing is that you need to clearly stipulate all the conditions, the amount of remuneration, the timing and all the details convenient for you in advance.

But it’s better to travel around the mountainous part of Sri Lanka or along the coast on your own, choosing those cities and beauties that interest you.

A guide to the island of Sri Lanka will help you plan your trip in advance so that you have time to visit the most beautiful temples, waterfalls, and relax on snow-white beaches, and see huge Buddha statues, wide tea plantations, waterfalls and many other places on the island. The guide presents the most important attractions of Sri Lanka. In addition, you can find a description of local entertainment - surfing, diving, yachting, fishing and others. Many of the island's national parks and monuments are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The orange guide to Sri Lanka will help you find out what these attractions are, when you can visit them, and how much the entrance ticket costs. We have thought of five exciting routes for you - through the ancient cities of the island, along the South-West coast, along the beaches, temples, caves of the far south, through tea plantations and battlefields of the East Coast. With this guide in your hands, you won't miss anything, you'll be able to go everywhere, you'll see everything!

The work was published in 2018 by Eksmo Publishing House. The book is part of the "Orange Guide" series. On our website you can download the book "Sri Lanka. A Guide" in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format or read online. Here, before reading, you can also turn to reviews from readers who are already familiar with the book and find out their opinion. In our partner's online store you can buy and read the book in paper form.

Sri Lanka, one of the colorful countries in the world, has something to surprise its guests. An interesting history, a unique culture, unusual traditions and rituals - all this is complemented by beautiful sights and opportunities for an excellent holiday on the Indian Ocean coast.

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The country has long realized its potential as a tourist paradise, so all conditions have been created for the convenience of visitors. The list of sightseeing tours alone can impress even the most experienced travelers. There are walks along golden sand beaches under a piercing blue sky, breathtaking cascading waterfalls, and an amazing variety of tropical flora and fauna.

How to get to Sri Lanka on your own - read our article.

Particular attention, of course, is paid to the calling card of Sri Lanka - tea plantations. It is this product that the country is most proud of, and every local resident can long and colorfully describe the process of growing and producing the aromatic drink.

This country is an ideal holiday destination at any time of the year, because Sri Lanka is incredibly lucky with its climatic conditions - the air temperature remains at 27 degrees almost all year round. We advise water sports lovers to plan their visit for November-April: this is when the weather is beautiful, most suitable for active entertainment on the water.

Read our article about what to do if you miss your plane.

Listing all the resorts in Sri Lanka is a thankless task; something always gets forgotten. The most popular are Hikkaduwa, Bentota, Nuwara Eliya, Negombo and others. They all have one thing in common - these places seem to be created for a great beach holiday. The beaches in these cities delight with the purest golden sand, the water is clear and warm, and in the shade of tall coconut trees you can perfectly wait out the midday heat. A distinctive feature of these particular latitudes are the unique coral gardens underwater, teeming with colorful fish.

Hotels and resorts vied with each other to offer all kinds of attractions: the already beloved diving, snorkeling (snorkeling), interactive safaris, surfing and windsurfing, kayak and canoe tours. You can also admire the marvelous landscapes from a bird's eye view by booking a helicopter tour.

Paradise, tea and waterfalls - Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya resort is recognized as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. Located high in the mountains (1884 m above sea level), the city has a particularly mild climate. The temperature here always fluctuates between 15-20 degrees Celsius. Like any highland area, the surroundings of Nuwara Eliya amaze with picturesque landscapes: majestic mountains on the horizon, bright green meadows, shady valleys.

Tourists, tired of the heat in other cities, have been flocking here for years. Local residents also began to follow this tradition, started by the British during colonization. The slopes of the nearby mountains are irrigated by waterfalls, which creates a unique microclimate for growing the world's best varieties of tea.

Nuwara Eliya does not offer you a vibrant nightlife; the entire city falls asleep with the last rays of the sun. However, during the day there is a clear revival - people take to the streets, relax in restaurants, and a large number of entertainment programs are provided for tourists. For lovers of excitement and horse racing, the hippodrome operates throughout April. Not far from the racetrack is the picturesque Lake Gregory, the distinctive feature of which is a farm for breeding a special type of brown trout, brought here in 1882.

Adam's Peak

If you leave the city, you will see Adam's Peak - a mandatory stopping point for photographs, included in all excursions. There are constant pilgrimages to the top of the peak, as religious people go there to worship the sacred footprint. According to legend, it was here that God banished Adam after the latter dared to disobey God’s orders. The largest number of pilgrims strive to climb the peak in December. For convenience, the steep steps are illuminated.

The way up is very difficult and tiring, however, once you get there at a certain time, you can enjoy the unique spectacle of the sunrise and a bird's eye view of the city itself.

Tea

It is in this region that the best varieties of Ceylon tea are grown. This plant was brought to Sri Lanka from China back in 1824. A little later, in 1839, Indian varieties also appeared here. The first tests were carried out at the state level by employees of the Peradeniya Botanical Garden. Tea from Nuwara Eliya has a special taste, thanks to the unique growing conditions - at an altitude of about three thousand above sea level, surrounded by eucalyptus and cypress trees.

For sun and water lovers - Bentota

Not far from the capital Colombo there is another wonderful resort - Bentota. The city is located in a unique place - between the sea coast and the mouth of the river flowing into it. The climate here is pleasant: air temperature is between 25-30 degrees, water temperature is about 25-26 degrees all year round. Experts advise planning a trip to Bentota for the period from October to April.

Masquerade

If you are lucky and choose the right time to visit, you will get a unique chance to see the annual masquerade taking place on the streets of the city and in the open theater. Festival participants dress up in costumes of fairy-tale creatures and stage real open-air shows. Theatrical performances, puppet shows and colorful masquerades are also part of the daily entertainment program at many Bentota hotels.

Water sports

Connoisseurs of water sports gather in Bentota all year round. It is here that the largest sports center in Sri Lanka and a world-famous diving club are located. In addition to organizing excursions, fishing trips and cruises, the center provides rental services for catamarans, kayaks, canoes and water skis. The conditions of the Indian Ocean are ideal for sailing, and the richness of the underwater world is amazing in its diversity, which could not but affect the popularity of underwater trips. Local instructors will always help beginners get used to the equipment and diving techniques.

After completing a short training course, you can make your first dive, since the absence of underwater currents and calm waters are only beneficial for beginners, and experienced divers can dive to a depth of 35 meters.

Churches, fortress and fishing - Negombo

Forty kilometers from Colombo there is another wonderful resort - Negombo. This is where most sightseeing tours in Sri Lanka begin. The climate in Negombo is pleasantly constant - the air temperature rarely drops below 25 degrees. When planning a trip, just remember that in October and November there is a high level of precipitation.

Ancient fort

The main attraction of Negombo is the ancient fort, built by the Dutch at the end of the seventeenth century. Little remains of it - just fragments of walls, a central gate and a moat connecting the fortress with the sea. In addition, the city is considered the center of the Catholic faith in Sri Lanka, although there are many representatives of other religions in the country. That is, in addition to a large number of Catholic churches, in Negombo you can also consider other sacred buildings.

Angunukaramulla Temple

Particularly interesting will be the large Buddhist temple of Angunukaramulla, which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over Sri Lanka and from neighboring countries. The Hindu temple of Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, in the vicinity of Negombo, annually becomes the center of colorful celebrations with parades featuring elephants, fakirs, acrobats and dancers. A visit to such a festival can leave an unforgettable impression even for experienced tourists.

Along the canal by canoe

In the city itself, it is worth renting a small canoe and taking a ride along the banks of the central city canal. On the way you can stop by the largest fish market on the island. And if you want to go fishing, then go to Baikal - a small village where you can take part in fishing yourself and return home with a good catch of fish and shrimp. If you are lucky, you may even catch a large lobster among the fish.

Beaches and corals - Hikkaduwa

On the southern coast, tourists especially love the city of Hikkaduwa. Its peculiarity is that it was here that foreign tourists were able to discover Sri Lanka for the first time. A developed infrastructure has been created for guests, which contributes to the further improvement of tourism in the region.

The resort boasts crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean, coarse sand beaches and incredibly beautiful coral reefs. Coral is a unique symbol of the city; its image can be found almost everywhere: in shop windows, in the design details of bars and restaurants, and, as you might guess, it is the most popular souvenir in local shops.

To enjoy the natural beauty of the coral gardens, you can book one of the many excursions around the underwater reserve. To do this, it is absolutely not necessary to take a diving course - special boats with a transparent bottom are used for this purpose. For those wishing to dive, there are centers for equipment rental and training in the basics of scuba diving.

The beaches of Hikkaduwa allow vacationers, if desired, to hide in the thickets of coconut palms, and the heavy sand will not get under their clothes or fall asleep in their eyes at the slightest breath of wind.

To the local monastery: studying the charter

When going to Sri Lanka, it would be useful to get acquainted with the local way of life and traditions. The locals are very friendly and cheerful people. All kinds of holidays and folk festivals are especially popular here: they are celebrated almost every third day - 166 times a year. The main holiday is the Esa La Perahera festival, the program of which includes ceremonial processions with the participation of richly decorated temple elephants, dancers in colorful costumes, fakirs and fire eaters. The celebrations continue for several days.

If fate takes you to the shores of the beautiful Beira Lake, then you can see how the Navam Perahera holiday is celebrated. These days, the god Skanda, the youngest son of Shiva, is revered. Thousands of people take part in the celebrations every year.

Sri Lanka is not known for its strictness in choosing clothing; the realities of a tourist place make themselves felt. However, you should not neglect local hospitality and when visiting temples and places of religious significance, it is best to choose clothing that covers your knees, shoulders and back. When entering Buddhist and Hindu temples, you must remove your shoes; this rule also applies to mosques. There are also rules regarding clothing on the beaches - topless sunbathing is prohibited here. In addition, some hotel restaurants have a dress code - you will not be allowed in in shorts, swimsuits or beach shoes.

Ayurveda, an ancient teaching about a healthy lifestyle and the art of healing, is widespread on the island. Followers of this system claim that if you follow all its canons, you can live a long and healthy life. Some techniques are designed to heal a person not only physically, but also psychologically. A distinctive feature of Ayurveda is the complete absence of contraindications and side effects.

Hotels: excellent service, varied cuisine, entertainment program

The wrong hotel can ruin the experience of even an otherwise ideal holiday. In Sri Lanka, this has long been understood, so almost all local hotels compete for the right to please the country's guests with excellent service, varied cuisine and an interesting entertainment program.

Finding a suitable place to live is available to almost everyone - the choice is truly huge. Hotels are located both on the coast and in the interior of the island. The southwest coast offers a large number of hotels from two to five stars. In the central part of the country, the so-called Cultural Triangle, there are also a large number of hotels.

Most hotels offer their own diving centers, equipment rental and a large selection of excursion tours. The northern coast does not boast a large number of places to stay; in fact, there are only a few hotels themselves, but they are always popular with the arrival of the tourist season.

The most popular beaches in Sri Lanka

There are a great many beaches in Sri Lanka, and each one seems to have come out of a picture depicting paradise. Let's take a closer look at a few of them.

Casuarina Beach

The northernmost beach in Sri Lanka. Suitable for young people who prefer active recreation. This area has all the conditions for ideal windsurfing. However, there are also disadvantages, namely the beach is somewhat remote, the journey to which will take some time.

Mirissa Beach

Located on the south coast. Here, unlike the noisy Casuarina, calm and a relaxed atmosphere reign. The beach can be reached from the southernmost city of the island - Matara; the journey will be about 25 kilometers.

Unavantuna Beach

One of the most beautiful places on the island. This beach is visited by a huge number of people, largely because of its safety, because it is surrounded on all sides by a coral reef. Here are the best conditions for relaxing with children. By the way, Unawatuna is in twelfth place in the ranking of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Hikkaduwa Beach

Located in the city of the same name. The beach is perfect for lovers of active nightlife. This is where the most famous beach parties and discos are held. The length of the beach is about two kilometers.

Bentota Beach

The most famous beach in Sri Lanka, a favorite place for newlyweds as a romantic getaway. This place is not cheap, so either wealthy people or those who want to celebrate important events in life can come here on vacation in a special way.

Best bars

In Colombo, be sure to visit the luxurious nightclub The Blue Elephant. The bar of this club is considered the best in the country, but getting there is not so easy, sometimes you even have to stand in a long line.

Dance lovers will definitely appreciate “My Kind of Place” (“The Place is Just for Me”) - an excellent disco with the most modern music of various styles. If you prefer good old jazz, then welcome to the Echelon Pub, where world-famous musicians of this genre perform. "Rock Cafe" offers its visitors a wide selection of cocktails, a modern stylish disco and an original interior with a waterfall. For those who want to have a good evening and try real Ceylonese cuisine, the Curry Leaf establishment is highly recommended.

Sri Lanka - travel guide

Mount Sigiriya

Every guidebook advises starting your sightseeing with Mount Sigiriya and the fortress located on its top. Initially, the structure was intended for shelter and defense in case of attack. The fortress is decorated with eleven beautiful frescoes, preserved thanks to a special coloring composition.

Royal Botanic Garden

The largest Royal Botanical Garden in Asia, covering an area of ​​about 70 hectares, is worthy of a separate visit. There is a huge collection of plants and trees from all over the world. A large number of exhibits have their own unique history, such as the spruce planted by Yuri Gagarin.

Turtle farms

At the turtle farms in Kosgod, you can watch miniature turtles hatch from eggs laid on the coast and collected by farm staff. This is done in order to protect the animals from predators, and when the young animals are strong enough, they will be released again into their native ocean waters.

It will not leave anyone indifferent - here you can closely observe the life of little elephants who were left without parents. Zoo staff nurse them and adapt them to future life on the island. These animals play an important role in the cultural traditions and agriculture of Sri Lanka, and the attitude of local residents towards them is appropriate.

Temple in the caves of Anuradhapura

And the culmination of the visit to Sri Lanka will be a trip to the temple complex located in the caves of the holy city of Anuradhapura. There is an ancient royal palace here, the distinctive feature of which is an incredibly developed irrigation system and seven reservoirs. In addition, it is there that the oldest monastic complex still operates, and the second largest Buddhist stupa is located. There, according to legend, the sacred Buddha tree, brought from India, grows.

Possible travel route

If you want to see as many sights of Sri Lanka as possible in a certain period of time, then a good option would be to use the following route: Cultural Triangle - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Bentota.

During a trip to the Cultural Triangle, you will be able to visit cave temples and see rock figures that are amazing in their size. You can stay in one of the many four- or five-star hotels. Be prepared that monkeys roam freely around the premises of many hotels.

It’s worth visiting Kandy to visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic, where the sarcophagus with the tooth itself is shown to the public twice a day. On your way to Nuwara Eliya, visit the Botanical Garden. The city itself was described in detail earlier; you just need to take care of booking a hotel in advance, especially at the height of the tourist season.

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