Sri Lanka, a tear drop shaped island off the southern coast of India is a land of unparalleled natural beauty. Her rich heritage and culture dates back to 500 BC. Ancient mariners who discovered the island for its exotic spices called this island Serendipity for its calm and peaceful beauty. The influence of the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and British conquerors is evident in its magnificent architecture, some of which have now been converted to luxury boutique hotels. Sri Lanka's unique cuisine, her smiling and friendly people and unmatched hospitality makes it an idyllic getaway. Within this tiny island you experience golden sands and palm fringed beaches, lush and cool mist covered mountains carpeted with tea, ancient Buddhist shrines and temples, remnants of the ancient Sinhalese kingdoms including the magnificent rock fortress of Sigiriya and fauna and flora with endemic species exclusive to this island.  This infinite variety makes Sri Lanka truly a land like no other.

(Click on above Map to View bigger Map)

Anuradhapura View Map Anuradhapura is the most celebrated of Sri Lanka’s ancient ruined cities. The city’s greatest treasures are its dagabas constructed of small sun-dried bricks and hemispherical in shape. The most notable of these dagabas dates back to the 2nd Century BC. The city’s most renowned relic is the sacred Bo-Tree which is said to have grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment. It was planted 2250 years ago and is the oldest historic tree in the world. Buttala View Map Buttala lies in south-eastern Sri Lanka. The region surrounding it provides an ideal base from which to explore the Yala National Park which was origianlly a reserve for hunters but was declared a protected sanctuary and a national park. It cnsists of a variety of different ecosystems which are essential for the diverse wildlife that inhabits it. Colombo View Map Colombo is a fascinating city, not only for its comfortable blend of East and West, but also for its cozy mixture of the past and present. It is the commercial capital of the county. Attractions: Fort, the former British administrative center and Military garrison, Sea Street the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazaar Area, a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings, and the Dutch church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. The historic Dawatagha Mosque, a replica of Avukana Buddha and the Independence Square. Dambulla View Map Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass 500 ft high and a mile around the base. The famous Rock Temple dating to the 1st century BC built by King Walagamba is found here. In the first cave is a recumbent image of the Buddha 47ft long cut out of the rock. The frescoes on the ceiling date back to the 15th - 18th centuries. In the second cave, the finest and the largest of all, there are 150 life-size statues of Gods from the Buddhist religion along with numerous images of the Buddha himself. Dickoya View Map Dickoya is a town in the Nuwara Eliya District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka and is blessed with a cool climate, breathtaking views of valleys, meadows, mountains and greenery. Temperatures are 14C-21C (Jan- April) 16C-18C (May-Aug) 15C- 18C (Sept-Dec).   Galle View Map Dutch presence is still visible in this coastal town. Galle was an ancient port (said to be the legendary Tarshish of the Bible), and Sri Lanka’s first international commerce and trading center. Today, Galle is the bustling provincial capital and administrative center of the south. In the old Dutch ‘Star’ Fort (a World Heritage Site) which covers 90 acres, is the well-preserved Groote Kerk (Dutch Church), Dutch Government House and the New Oriental Hotel (built in 1684!), also built by the Dutch. Habarana View Map Kandy View Map Sri Lanka’s hill capital is, perhaps, the most beautiful city in the Island. It is 1600 feet above sea level. The focal point of the town is the golden-roofed Dalada Maligawa, where the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha is enshrined. The highlight of the year is the Esala Perahera, when a replica of the relic casket is taken in procession, accompanied by dancers, drummers and elephants during ten glittering nights in July/August. Do not miss the Paradeniya gardens, with its amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers. Kurunegala View Map Today, this city is an important cross-roads town.  Overlooked by huge rocky outcrops, situated at the foot of the black rock, Etagala, it enjoys excellent views of across the lake from the top and is within easy reach of a few sites which are not frequented by tourists. Negombo View Map Negombo is situated in close proximity to the airport and is famous for its fine sandy beaches. Equipment for water sports such as diving and wind surfing are available at most hotels and private vendors. Attractions in the city are the old Dutch Fort Gate built in 1672 now a part of the prison, the Dutch Canal which was then a supply route to the Dutch administration, old churches and fishing villagers. Nuwara Eliya View Map Set in the heart of tea-country, this beautiful town is where the British succeeded in creating an English countryside, with homes in styles from Georgian to Queen Anne to well-kept lawns with hedges. The “ Little England “ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls, acres and acres of tea with its lush green foliage that extends miles across the hills. Polonnaruwa View Map Polonnaruwa is an interesting mix of Buddhist and Hindu structures that are a testament to the different kings who reigned over this ancient kingdom.  Polonnaruwa’s heyday was during the reign of the famous monarch, King Parakramabahu I, whose greatest achievement was the construction of the Parakrama Samudra, a huge water reservoir spanning an area of 6280 acres. The ruins at Polonnaruwa are all within walking distance of one another – many of them set in tree-shaded areas, a welcome refuge from the tropical sun. Ratnapura View Map South-east of Colombo on the outskirts of the hill country, Ratnapura is known as Sri Lanka's gemstone capital. The town has fine views of Adam's Peak on the eastern horizon, and is surrounded by thickly forested hills. Precious stones are dug by hand from small pockets of gem-bearing gravel in the hills and fields around Ratnapura and include sapphires, rubies, moonstones, and a variety of semiprecious stones such as beryl, zircon, garnet and quartz, all of which will be offered on the street by shady looking characters offering a special price. Sigiriya View Map The rock fortress of Sigiriya was a royal citadel for more than 18 years. In a sheltered pocket, approached by a spiral stairway, are the famous frescoes. The summit of the rock, with an area of nearly two and a half acres, was the site of the old palace – the outer wall of which was built on the very brink of the precipice. The UNESCO-sponsored Central Cultural Fund has restored Sigiriya’s 5th century Water Gardens to its former glory. Sinharaja Rainforest View Map Sinharaja Rainforest  is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its lowland endemics and flocks of mixed species birds. According to a study of the mixed species bird, on average 42 individual birds occur in the flocks, which makes this the world's largest mixed species bird flock. The mixed species Bird flock study of Sinharaja forest has been continuing since 1981 and is considered as the World's longest bird flock study. Udawalawe National Park View Map The Udawalawe National Park, established in 1972 is situated in the dry zone. The long dry season is its characteristic feature. In this park one can observe elephants at any given time of the day. Other than elephants water buffalo, spotted & barking deer, wild boar, sambhur, jackal & ruddy, grey & striped necked mongoose are also found. The park is also famous for birdlife. Crested serpent eagle, changeable hawk eagle, white-bellied sea eagle & grey-headed fishing eagle are the main raptors found in the park. Painted stork, open bill, little & Indian cormorant, Indian darter, many species of waders are also found within the park. Wasgamuwa National Park View Map The Wasgamuwa National Parkk lies within the Polonnaruwa and Matale Districts. Tropical intermediate dry mixed evergreen forest dominates its environment. The inhabitants here are elephants, wild buffaloes, spotted deer, leopards, sloth bears, water monitors and crocodiles. Other livings are 143 species of bird. Plus there are 8 species of amphibians reported of living in this park which include the endangered skink, lizards like the Red Lipped Lizard and Earless Lizard. In addition, 17 species of fish and 50 species of butterflies are found here. Yala National Park View Map Yala is Sri Lanka's best known national park and popular for its elephants, leopards, bears, crocodiles and wild boar. More than three times larger than Undawalewe, it is the second largest of Sri Lanka's National Parks. Its open undulating terrain made it famous for elephants for many years but recently the park has also received much fame through publicity by National Geographic and the Discovery TV channels which focused on a leopard research conservation and identification project. Claims have subsequently been made that Yala National Park has the world s highest concentration of leopard per square mile. This park is primarily shrub jungle with several salt and fresh water lagoons.