Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is an island nation south of India in the Indian Ocean. Its diverse landscapes range from rainforest and arid plains to highlands and sandy beaches. It’s famed for its ancient Buddhist ruins, including the 5th-century citadel Sigiriya, with its palace and frescoes. The city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's ancient capital, has many ruins dating back more than 2,000 years.
The history of Sri Lanka is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Indian Ocean. The earliest human remains found on the island of Sri Lanka date to about 35,000 years ago (Balangoda Man). The proto-historical period begins roughly in the 3rd century, based on chronicles like the Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa, and the Culavamsa. The earliest documents of settlement in the Island are found in these chronicles. These chronicles cover the period since the establishment of the Kingdom of Tambapanni in the 6th century BCE. The first Sri Lankan ruler of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Pandukabhaya, is recorded for the 4th century BCE. Buddhism was introduced in the 3rd century BCE by Arhath Mahinda (son of the Indian emperor Ashoka). The first Tamil ruler of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Ellalan, an invader, is recorded for the 2nd century BCE.
The island was divided into numerous kingdoms over the following centuries, intermittently (between CE 993–1077) united under Chola rule. Sri Lanka was ruled by 181 monarchs from the Anuradhapura to Kandy periods. From the 16th century, some coastal areas of the country were also controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Between 1597 and 1658, a substantial part of the island was under Portuguese rule. The Portuguese lost their possessions in Ceylon due to Dutch intervention in the Eighty Years' War. Following the Kandyan Wars, the island was united under British rule in 1815. Armed uprisings against the British took place in the 1818 Uva Rebellion and the 1848 Matale Rebellion. Independence was finally granted in 1948 but the country remained a Dominion of the British Empire until 1972.
In 1972 Sri Lanka assumed the status of a Republic. A constitution was introduced in 1978 which made the Executive President the head of state. The Sri Lankan Civil War began in 1983, including an armed youth uprising in 1971 and 1987–1989, with the 25-year-long civil war ending in 2009.
The culture of Sri Lanka mixes modern elements with traditional aspects and is known for its regional diversity. Sri Lankan culture has long been influenced by the heritage of Theravada Buddhism passed on from India, and the religion's legacy is particularly strong in Sri Lanka's southern and central regions. South Indian cultural influences are especially pronounced in the northernmost reaches of the country. The history of colonial occupation has also left a mark on Sri Lanka's identity, with Portuguese, Dutch, and British elements having intermingled with various traditional facets of Sri Lankan culture. Additionally, Indonesian culture has also influenced certain aspects of Sri Lankan culture. Culturally, Sri Lanka, particularly the Sinhalese people, possesses strong links to both India and Southeast Asia.
The country has a rich artistic tradition, with distinct creative forms that encompass music, dance, and the visual arts. Sri Lankan culture is internationally associated with cricket, a distinct cuisine, an indigenous holistic medicine practice, religious iconography such as the Buddhist flag, and exports such as tea, cinnamon, and gemstones, as well as a robust tourism industry. Sri Lanka has longstanding ties with the Indian subcontinent that can be traced back to prehistory. Sri Lanka's population is predominantly Sinhalese with sizable Sri Lankan Moor, Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian Tamil minorities.
With an economy worth $93.45 billion $298.310 billion Purchasing power parity and a per capita Gross domestic product of about $4,310, $13,480 Purchasing power parity as of 2018 Sri Lanka has mostly had strong growth rates in recent years. The Sri Lankan economy has seen robust annual growth at 6.4 percent over the course of the 2003-2012 period, well above its regional peers. In GDP per capita terms, it is ahead of other countries in the South Asian region. The main economic sectors of the country are tourism, tea export, apparel, textile, rice production and other agricultural products. In addition to these economic sectors, overseas employment contributes highly in foreign exchange: 90% of expatriate Sri Lankans reside in the Middle East.
Weather and Best time to visit Sri Lanka
The weather in Sri Lanka’s is rather complicated for such a small country. This is due to the fact that the island is affected by two separate monsoons, the presence of which will play a factor in deciding when to go to. On the bright side, this means that there is usually good weather somewhere on the island at most times of the year.
January to March
A fantastic period to travel across Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka enjoys sunny weather throughout these months. Most of Sri Lanka has warm/mild temperatures. Beaches on both sides of the island are dry, hot and sunny. The central Hill Country and Cultural Triangle areas are likely to be receiving a little rainfall. Temperatures in the Hill Country, especially around Nuwara Eliya, remain cool due to the high altitude.
April
April is usually the hottest month of the year for Sri Lanka. Even the central Hill Country gets hot in April. It’s a great month to go for the beaches for clear skies and long, sunny days but make sure to avoid the hottest hours of the day (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.) when sightseeing during April.
May
The Southwest Yala Monsoon wind starts blowing in to the west and south coast where there are short and sharp showers. Despite this, you can still expect plenty of sunshine and dry days especially in the first half of May. The east coast during that time is quite dry, so it's a good time to visit there. The Hill Country, especially the western side, is usually wet and misty.
June - July
The Southwest Yala Monsoon is in full swing, meaning that the west and south coast as well as the Hill Country see increased rainfall. Temperatures remain high along the coast (avg temp: 28 °C), whilst it can be chilly up in the Hill Country, especially at night. It’s a different story in the north and along the east coast and Cultural Triangle area, where dry and bright weather are expected.
June - July
The Southwest Yala Monsoon is in full swing, meaning that the west and south coast as well as the Hill Country see increased rainfall. Temperatures remain high along the coast (avg temp: 28 °C), whilst it can be chilly up in the Hill Country, especially at night. It’s a different story in the north and along the east coast and Cultural Triangle area, where dry and bright weather are expected.
August
Despite the monsoon is still blowing, the south and west coast region often sees a significant dip in rainfall compared with the previous and the following months. Temperature remains high on the coast but relatively low in the Hill Country, especially at night. Good weather is also expected in the north and along the east coast. Therefore, August is a month that beach lovers can head to any of Sri Lanka's beaches.
September
Although the south-west monsoon starts to wind down, this does not mean that blue skies and sunshine return soon. The rainfall increases, especially towards the end of September, bringing heavy rain and high wind. The east coast is in its final month of good weather, however, rainfall is expected to increase towards the end of the month.
October - November
October and November are two of the wettest months of the year for whole Sri Lanka. The Northeast Maha Monsoon starts hitting north and east coast of Sri Lanka. There will be thunderstorms and heavy showers there, which typically don't last long.
December
December is usually a good month to travel to Sri Lanka. Along the western and southern coast, the rainfall starts to decline; plenty of sunshine and dry days are expected means the peak beach conditions return. Kandy & the Hill country stay a brilliant green for the rains they have received from monsoon season. In the north and along the east coast, rainfall continues to be high as the north-east monsoon blows.
The Sri Lankan currency is the rupee (Rs). Rupee coins come in denominations of one, two, five and 10 rupees. Notes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 rupees.
Any bank or exchange office will change major currencies in cash, including US dollars, euros and British pounds. Change rupees back into hard cash at the airport.
ATMs can be easily found in towns and cities of any size and MasterCard and Visa are the most commonly accepted credit cards. Cards are generally accepted at most midrange and all top-end hotels and shops.
Any bank or exchange office will change major currencies in cash, including US dollars, euros and British pounds. Change rupees back into hard cash at the airport.
ATMs can be easily found in towns and cities of any size and MasterCard and Visa are the most commonly accepted credit cards. Cards are generally accepted at most midrange and all top-end hotels and shops. Legal information In terms of tourism, local laws do not usually apply to visitors, unless they are laws that pertain to the safety of the community. There is a blurry difference between a law and a custom, whereas both can be enforced by the police and could have serious consequences, and a law might be completely disregarded for a foreigner.
- Some Buddhist temples and all government institutions do not allow photographs taken of the premises.
- Don’t touch statues and paintings
- Buddha tattoo not accepted
- It’s illegal to carry drugs
- Sri Lankan women cannot buy alcohol or work in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.
- Foreigners cannot work on the island without a resident visa.
- Sri Lankan women cannot have legal selective abortions.
Restrictions and dress codes at religious sites
Being a tropical country it is very warm and humid and it is very comfortable to wear a hat. The requirement of shoes is also great due to the paved gardens in Buddhist temples. But, as a rule, you are not allowed to have both hats and shoes while entering a Buddhist temple. Every visitor must remove the shoes and hats before entering the Buddhist religious places. Usually, a person, appointed from the temple secure the shoes of the visitors and he is provided with a permanent hut at the entrance of the temple. The visitors need to pay for protecting their shoes.
Modest clothing is the best temple of the tooth dress code and the same concept can be applied to all other Buddhist temples as well. While visiting the tooth relic temple or any other Sri Lanka Buddhist temple, tight attire for both men and women is not a suitable temple dress code. The Buddhists are very conscious about the dress code, especially the temple dress code and they wear white coloured clothing when visiting a Buddhist temple. The white colour is considered to be the colour of purity. The most suitable temple of the tooth dress code should need to cover the body least up to knee while the upper portion of the dress should cover the shoulders.
Restrictions
- Visitors should never make photos while standing back to Buddha statues. If you like to make a photo of the Buddha statue, stand sideways in front of the statue. In some historical places, the flashlight should be turned off while it harms the colours of the paintings.
- It is not allowed to touch the statues and painting in the Buddhist temples.
- Keep the silence
- Smoking is not allowed in Sri Lanka Buddhist temples.
- The flowers in the temple meant for offerings, you are not allowed to smell the offerings.
- And don’t try to enter a Buddhist temple after consuming alcohol.
Emergency Contact Numbers
Emergency Services |
Telephone Number |
Police Emergency Hotline |
118 / 119 |
Ambulance / Fire & rescue |
110 |
Accident Service-General Hospital-Colombo |
011-2691111 |
Tourist Police |
011-2421052 |
Police Emergency |
011-2433333 |
Government Information Center |
1919 |
Report Crimes |
011-2691500 |
Emergency Police Mobile Squad |
011-5717171 |
Fire & Ambulance Service |
011-2422222 |
