SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka is an island known for its natural beauty. Sri Lanka has stunning beaches all along its coastline, great wildlife and biodiversity, tea plantations, orchards, temples, monuments, and a cultural heritage dating back several millennia. Its cultural landscape includes the (mostly Buddhist) Sinhala and the (mostly Hindu) Tamil ethnic groups, with substantial Muslim and Christian communities.
Main Destinations
Yala National Park, Colombo Lotus Tower, Sri Lanka National Museum, Pinnawalla Zoo, National Museum of Natural History, Pinnawalla Elephant Sanctuary, Gangaramaya Temple, Red Mosque, Sigiriya, Adam's Peak, Golden Temple of Dambulla, Galle Dutch Fort, Pedro Tea Estate, National Museum of Kandy, Temple of the Tooth
The Location
Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, island country lying in the Indian Ocean and separated from peninsular India by the Palk Strait. It is located between latitudes 5°55′ and 9°51′ N and longitudes 79°41′ and 81°53′ E and has a maximum length of 268 miles (432 km) and a maximum width of 139 miles (224 km).
Capital City
Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 in the city proper. It is the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination.
Main Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport (airport code CMB) at Katunayake, is the main International Airport in Sri Lanaka located 30 kilometers north of the island nation's capital of Colombo.
Currency
The rupee is the legal tender of Sri Lanka. A rupee is divided into 100 cents and its ISO code is LKR.
Peak Season
The best season to visit the west, south, and Hill Country is during winter, from December to March. This is consequently the most touristic season in Sri Lanka. The southwest monsoon goes from May to September in these areas. During this period, a lot of rain is expected and the sea is rough.
Low Season
May to August — Monsoon / Low Season
Avg. Temperature: 87 – 91° F / 31 – 33° C (in Colombo)
Rainfall: 538 – 1249 mm.
Season: Monsoon.
Highlights: This is the best time to explore the beautiful beaches on the east coast, as they experience little to no rainfall during this season.
Temperature
With an average temperature of around 27 - 28°C, Sri Lanka is one of the hottest countries in the world. Sri Lanka's commercial capital, Colombo, experiences average temperatures of 28 - 29°C and, like much of the rest of the country, has little monthly variation in temperature.