| For a small island, Sri Lanka has many nicknames: Serendib, Ceylon, Teardrop of India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma, Pearl of the Orient. This colourful collection reveals its richness and beauty, and the intensity of the affection it evokes in its visitors.
Head for the rolling hills to escape the heat of the plains in the cool of tea plantations. The entire Sri Lanka island is teeming with bird life, and exotics like elephants and leopards are not uncommon. To top it all off, the people are friendly, the food is delicious and costs are low.
Marco Polo considered Sri Lanka the finest island of its size in all the world, and you'll likely agree after exploring the country's fabled delights. What takes your fancy? Beaches? The coastal stretch south of Colombo offers palm-lined sandy expanses as far as the eye can see. Culture? Try the Kandyan dances, a procession of elephants or the masked devil dances. Ruins? You'll find enough ancient and inspiring architecture in the cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa to satisfy that inner archaeologist.
Local Travel
Travel within Sri Lanka can be done cheaply by train. Air-conditioned Japanese cars are commonly available and not too costly - but Driving in Sri Lanka is a nightmare. Being a small country almost any city can be reached by car within 6 hours from the airport. Travel by bus is very uncomfortable and not recommended.
Safety
Despite the bad press Sri Lanka used to recieve, Terrorist activities were very rare in Colombo. It no longer matters anyway because we have had a ceasefire for two years. The LTTE was never known to target tourists, and bombs have never gone off in any of the major tourist resorts. Overall Sri Lanka which is free of muggers and drive by shootings is probably a lot safer than your home city.
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