Travelling is like a therapy and it works wonder when you decide to explore the places full of adventures, ancient history, beautiful beaches, topography, etc. away from the daily chores of life. Sri Lanka has different strokes for different people starting from the specialty in tea with huge tea gardens, coconut palms to elephants which keep the country atmosphere vibrant. Elephants also participate in various cultural festivals throughout the year.
The top-most picks for Sri Lanka will definitely become the life changing experience for you. India is on number one position, in terms of visitors, visiting Sri Lanka in 2016, 2017, 2018 followed by China and United Kingdom.
Galle(Sri Lanka):
Galle is known as one of the most visited and favorite city of tourists for enthralling sight-seeing and exquisite beach experience. The Galle Fort attracts tourists for its cobblestone roads, delicious delicacies of food, eateries and cafes. The place is blessed with various galleries and shops if one wants to explore more in depth.
Yala National Park:
Sri Lanka doesn’t have the dearth of national parks in the country, but Yala National Park is counted as one of the most fascinating experiences amongst all.
This place is best suitable for those who like to cherish the wild life and nature. Incredible variety of species, safari ride, animals sight-seeing make the trip exciting and valuable.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress:
The astonishing fortress is also known as Lion’s Rock for its astounding structure on top of the rock named after lion’s paws made at the entrance of it. It has been counted as eight wonders of the world for its history, ancient paintings, man-made moats, mirror wall and more. The tourists guide advice to make a journey to this beautiful place at early morning with lots of water and snacks.
Kandy and the Temple of the Tooth:
Kandy is the second largest city in Sri Lanka which is located in the heart of the island. It has beautiful green hills and home to one of the most auspicious Buddhist temples in the world known as Temple of the Tooth. The interesting artifacts, mind-boggling mountains view and robust set-up make this temple worth a visit.
Where should I stay in Sri Lanka?
Best Places to stay are listed below
- Colombo: This is the capital of Sri Lanka, port on ancient east-west trade routes. Also Colombo National Museum located there.
- Galle and Matara: probably the most touristic part with plenty of of shops.
- Arugam Bay: Located on the east-south coast, the best surfing place and historic settlement of the ancient Batticaloa Territory.
- Kandy: Large city, surrounded by mountains, Kandy Lake and many other places around to visit while you stay there.
Bentota Turtle Sanctuary:
Sri Lanka’s turtles are known world-wide but 2004 tsunami devastated huge number of turtle species which heritage society is trying to preserve and protect on large-scale. The turtle eggs are suggested as major healthy food but their eggs are sold to locals more than restaurants to generate the better source of income. Lots of tourists visit this sanctuary every year and even sponsor turtle pools to resurrect it with passion and dedication.
Apart from the above places, tourists can also visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Mirissa, Dambulla, Arugam Bay, Nuwara Eliya, City of Colombo and Adam’s Peak. Sri Lanka is a country which you can visit with innumerable times to cherish locales, mouth-watering cuisines, rich tea gardens, picturesque mountains and lots more.
So, what are you waiting for? Take a break from your anxiety and stressful lifestyle and visit this awesome country which offers more than just a tourist experience. It will transform your life on various platforms and captivates you in its spell for longer than you expect.
Visa in advance for Sri Lanka
Currently, there are 21 country people, that must obtain the visa from one of the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions before entering in Sri Lanka. This is excluding honorary consulates. One additional remark for your information that people from Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Nigeria and Somalia must hold return or onward tickets. The complete list of countries is below:
1) Afghanistan
2) Cameroon
3) Republic of the Congo
4) Democratic Republic of the Congo
5) Cote d’Ivoire
6) Egypt
7) Gabon
8) Ghana
9) Guinea
10) Guinea-Bissau
11) Kenya
12) Liberia
13) Mali
14) Myanmar
15) Nigeria
16) North Korea
17) Sierra Leone
18) Sudan
19) Syria
20) Uganda
No Visa required for these Countries:
Good news for the countries listed below. Holders of diplomatic(D), official(O) or service(S) passports from below countries can visit Sri Lanka without a visa.
1) Bangladesh(D, O)
2) Belarus(D,O)
3) Brazil(D,O,S)
4) Chile(D,O)
5) China(D,O,S)
6) Cuba D
7) Georgia(D,O,S)
8) Hong Kong(D,O,S)
9) India(D,O)
10) Indonesia (D,O,S)
11) Iran (D,O,S)
12) Kazakhstan (D,O)
13) Kenya (D,O)
14) Maldives (D,O)
15) Myanmar (D,O,S)
16) Nepal (D,O)
17) Pakistan (D,O)
18) Philippines (D,O)
19) Romania D
20) Russia (D,O,S)
21) Seychelles (D,O)
22) Singapore (D,O)
23) Thailand (D,O)
24) Vietnam (D,O)
Read: Best place for Sky Diving in the World
Write us your memories and golden time spend in Sri Lanka at [email protected],
For more and updated info, check Sri Lanka Official Tour and Travel Website
Content Credit: Gurpreet Dhariwal.