There are hundreds of reasons for you to visit Sri Lanka… But here’s my list of the top 10 reasons that would make you want to book your flight right now!
1) Heritage
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| The Vatadage in Polonnaruwa |
Did you know that Sri Lanka has more UNESCO
World Heritage sites than Egypt? That’s pretty impressive for such a tiny
Island… Our rich history left us with an incredible collection of ancient ruins
that date back to the 1800s. Most of which are adorned with some of the most
intricate stone carvings you will ever see. Just that is enough reason for
anyone to book a holiday to Sri Lanka.
2) Wildlife
Sri Lanka boasts of its ‘Big Five’ which
include the Blue Whale, the Sperm Whale, the Asian Elephant, the Leopard and
the Sloth bear. But it’s not just that, we’ve got a lot more to see here. Our
jungles and forests are home to a varied collection of animals and bird life as
well as insects and reptiles. You don’t have to be a wildlife enthusiast or a
naturalist to be awed by what you see on a game drive at one of our many
national parks and forests.
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| The Wildlife at Yala National Park |
3) Beaches
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| Wadduwa Beach |
Now this I’m sure you already know about.
When someone mentions Sri Lanka, most people would immediately think of its
beaches. Why wouldn’t they? We are an island after all and our beautiful
country is surrounded by miles and miles of unspoiled beaches. And it’s not
just that, you won’t be disappointed when snorkelling and diving off our
coastlines because we are home to many beautiful coral reefs and some
interesting ship wrecks.
4) Religions
The four main religions in Sri Lanka are
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Each of them hold a big place in
Sri Lanka’s history and there are many beautiful establishments that you will love
to see no matter which religion you follow. Kataragama, a religious town in the
Southern part of the country has a few Hindu Kovils, a Buddhist Temple, a
Mosque and a Church all of which are a short distance from each other. The Sita
Amman Kovil in Nuwara Eliya is a place that plays a huge role in the famous
story of Rama and Sita.
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| The art on the pillars of the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy |
5) Tropical Climate
One of the things I personally love about
Sri Lanka is its climate. Being a tropical country, most of our days are sunny
and bright. Most travellers love to show off their holiday tan once they go
back home. Sri Lanka is the best place for that. If it’s rainy while you’re
here… that’s still pretty great because
if you’re anything like me, I love a nice walk in the rain! It isn’t cold like
the winter rainfall that I had to deal with when I was in England!
6) Arts and Crafts
Sri Lanka’s got a lot of art and
handicrafts that been around for generations. Whether it is colourful mask
[ves-muhuna] that is used to ward off the evil eye or a shopping bag woven out
of straw… We’ve got some useful and decorative souvenirs for you to take back
to decorate your home with. You’re definitely going to want something to
remember the amazing time you had in Sri Lanka!
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| A Ves-Muhuna |
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| A local form of crochet called Biralu |
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| Purses made out of coloured straw woven together |
7) Food
I’m a big time ‘foodie’… So you can trust
me when I say, Sri Lanka has so many different and delicious dishes that
everyone must try at least once in their lives. There are so many amazing
curries, vegetables, fruits and ‘short eats’ that you could spend your entire
holiday eating, but you still would not be able to taste all of it! It’s not
just Sri Lankan food that you should try either. We’ve put our own spin on food
from other countries as well. The Chinese food here might not taste anything
like it does in China, but it is so good that you tend to over eat and open the
top button of your trousers to give your tummy more space!
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| My Mom's delicious crab curry |
8) People
I know that I’m biased when I say this, but
Sri Lankans are very friendly and they most often go out of their way to be
hospitable. They would always greet you with a warm Sri Lankan smile. If you’re
planning on meeting some friendly people and making friends while on holiday,
head down to Sri Lanka and you won’t be disappointed!
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| The warm Sri Lankan smile! |
9) Cheap
One of Sri Lanka’s lesser advertised
selling points is how cheap it is to travel here. The food, transport and
shopping are far cheaper than most other countries and it is absolutely worth
it. It’s only your flight expense that will weigh down your budget. Once you get
here though, you’d be pleasantly surprised by how affordable things are.
10) Compact
Reading about all of these reasons to make
Sri Lanka your next holiday destination, you might be thinking that it can’t
all be done in one holiday. If that is the case, you’re wrong! Unlike India,
where everything is so spread out, Sri Lanka is a tiny island. This allows you
to see and experience almost all of the things I mentioned. You could be
relaxing on a beach and in a few short hours be in the middle of a thick jungle
or in the chilly hill country…
Sri Lanka is an amazing country with so
much to offer. Come and experience it!
