Which city is the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. Excursions in Sri Lanka. Official language of Sri Lanka
Full name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
Area: 65,610 sq. km.
Population: 21,675,648 people.
Official languages: Sinhala, Tamil and English.
Official currency: Sri Lankan rupee.
IN warm waters In the Indian Ocean, not far from the coast of India, there is a small island shaped like a drop.
Everyone has heard about it at least once, and every day they probably enjoy its gifts - delicious black or green tea. His real name is rarely spoken, but his “nickname” Ceylon is heard by many. This is Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka is separated from the Hindustan Peninsula by the narrow Palk Strait.
The people of Sri Lanka are called Sri Lankans.
At the beginning of the 19th century. the island was a colony (dependent territory) of Great Britain and was called Ceylon, and in 1972 it became independent and received a new name - Sri Lanka, which means “blessed land” in Sinhala.
Due to former British rule, almost everyone in Sri Lanka today speaks English. Only he is not quite familiar. Often, a resident of the British Isles or the USA will not fully understand a Sri Lankan, although both will communicate in the same language. This is because local residents add a lot of “their” words to their speech.
The flag of Sri Lanka is one of the oldest. It features a Sinhalese lion and two multi-colored stripes. The lion is the symbol of the ancestors of modern Sri Lankans, the green and orange stripes mean the few Muslims and Hindus, and the red part of the flag symbolizes the predominant Buddhists on the island. In the corners of the flag there are 4 leaves of paipula, a tree sacred to Buddhists.
Sri Lanka - island precious stones. In its depths are rubies, garnets, moonstone, and amethysts. But the “king” of stones is sapphire - blue, pink, yellow, white and very rare star. A Lankan sapphire even adorns the English crown!
As in others Asian countries, motorized pedicabs are popular in Sri Lanka. Here they are called "knock-knock". This is the only thing safe remedy movement, since it can easily go around any obstacle. Chaos is happening on the streets of Sri Lankan cities! Locals don't follow the rules traffic. They can stop their vehicle whenever you want and wherever you want just to let a cow pass or go out to say hello to an acquaintance whom you suddenly saw on the street...
This is interesting!
Taking Sri Lankan rupees abroad, even as a souvenir, is prohibited by law.
An umbrella in Sri Lanka is not a means of keeping out the rain, but the main protection from the sun. It won’t save you from the downpours that happen here, but it won’t save you from the hot sun without an umbrella. That's why umbrellas are sold even in grocery stores.
In a cafe, before putting a dish on a plate, they put a plastic bag on it. In this way, Sri Lankans maintain hygiene, and there is no need to wash dishes after eating.
One state - two capitals
The small state of Sri Lanka can boast that it has not one capital, but two! This is the large metropolis of Colombo and the little-known town with the complex name of Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte. The first houses the residence of the President of Sri Lanka, and the second houses the country's parliament and the Supreme Court.
Colombo means “mangrove harbour” in Sinhala. The city is indeed located in an area with many mangroves. But there is another version of the name. It is believed that the Portuguese, who conquered Sri Lanka in the past, could have named the city this way in honor of the navigator Christopher Columbus.
Colombo is the most big city on the island and the largest port in Sri Lanka. It's noisy and crowded here all the time, the streets are filled with cars and tuk-tuks. Colombo is the only city in Sri Lanka where there are high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. And only here temples belonging to representatives of three religions at once coexist safely - churches (Christianity), mosques (Islam) and Buddhist temples.
Colombo is home to one of the best botanical gardens in Asia. Its highlights are the Orchid House and the Spice Garden. The world's rarest species of these plants grow in the Orchid House. And in the Spice Garden all the aromatic plants and herbs of the island of Sri Lanka are collected. The king of the garden is pepper, and the queen is cinnamon. It is thanks to the huge amount of spices that the island was interesting for many European countries. Their rulers always dreamed of capturing plantations of allspice, vanilla, cloves, and ginger, which had no equal in the world.
Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte is a town in the suburbs of Colombo. When at the beginning of the 16th century. Envoys of the Portuguese king arrived on the island, the guides managed to stretch the five-kilometer route between Colombo and Kotte into a three-day hike around the entire island! This was done to confuse uninvited guests and hide the exact location of the capital from them. The expression “to go to Kotte” for modern Sri Lankans means “to take a roundabout route.”
The city of Colombo was the capital during the domination of Ceylon by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. When the state became independent, the city of Kotte received the capital function.
Today Kotte is a beautiful, quiet town with many universities and colleges. The Sri Lankan Parliament sits here. A luxurious building was specially built for him in the center of the city lake. Various festivals and fun carnivals are often held on the streets, in which brightly and beautifully dressed elephants - the symbol and pride of Sri Lanka - always take part.
Elephant City
In the past, elephants were the main transport in Sri Lanka. They transported people and cargo in the mountains and jungles. Today this is done by tractors and trucks, but the elephant is still the main animal and symbol of the island. 
The Sri Lankan elephant is different from its African brother. The inhabitants of the hot continent are larger, their ears are of a different shape and they always have powerful tusks. Among Sri Lankan elephants, tusks can be seen on about one in 20 animals.
An elephant lives as long as a person - 70-80 years. An adult animal weighs about 5 tons. He needs 250 kg of reed leaves per day or coconut tree and 200 liters of water.
For us, elephants are a symbol of wisdom and tranquility. But Sri Lankans think differently. They consider giants a natural disaster and fight them. Most animals are not killed by poachers. They are shot... by farmers. Elephants wander into fields, destroy crops and even destroy houses. A herd of angry elephants can destroy an entire village! The giants are not stopped by either fences or traps, and it is useless to try to “negotiate” with them. Sri Lankan elephants are considered more aggressive and “clueless” than their African relatives.
There are fewer and fewer elephants in Sri Lanka every year. To protect the animals from extinction, the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was built on the island. This is a huge nursery where elephants left without parents, disabled elephants and retired elephants live. By the way, the oldest animal here is more than 60 years old, and the youngest is only two months old. He is given warm milk from the nipple to make him stronger and feel good.
Elephants are the main participants in all holidays and festivals in Sri Lanka. They are dressed in special mask costumes and decorated with jewelry.
Elephants have been trained for performances for many years. When elephants grow up, they “work off” their care and maintenance by giving tourists rides on their backs. This is the most popular attraction among visitors and the main business local residents. Before riding, the elephant is saddled. This is done only for the sake of tourists. Sri Lankans ride bareback. Maintaining balance while riding is very difficult, but an excellent view opens from the back of the animal. Traveling on horseback, you become convinced that the elephant seems clumsy only from the outside. Despite its impressive weight, it moves almost silently. Usually an elephant walks at walking speed, but if necessary, giants can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h.
An elephant that has worked up an appetite during the trip must be thanked. The best way to do this is to feed him bananas, the elephant’s favorite dessert.
Animal world Sri Lanka is very diverse. Animals and birds on the island feel free, they are not afraid of humans and live next to him.
Based on materials
Colombo - Pinnawela - Sigiriya - Polonnaruwa - Dambulla - Matale - Kandy - Peradeniya - Nuwara Eliya - Labukelle - Yala - Galle - Colombo
5 nights / 6 days
1 day. Colombo Meeting with a company representative in Colombo.In the afternoon sightseeing tour by Colombo, visiting shopping centers.
Dinner and overnight at the Colombo hotel. Day 2. Pinnawela - Sigiriya Transfer to Sigiriya. Along the way visit to the elephant nursery in Pinnawala, founded in 1975 to take in orphaned elephant calves and those killed by poachers. Currently, more than 65 elephants have found shelter in the nursery, including babies born in captivity. This is a unique opportunity to observe up close the process of feeding and bathing amazing animals.
In the afternoon Climbing Mount Sigiriya “Fortress in the Sky”. The picturesque mountain, also known as "Lion Rock", is one of the main attractions of the country. At an altitude of about 180 m, King Kassapa built a palace in the 5th century, the entrance to which was “guarded” by a huge stone lion. The citadel was surrounded by gardens with pools and fountains. At the top, lion paws, a giant throne, a bathhouse, a “wall of mirrors” and world-famous colored frescoes depicting “heavenly maidens” (apsaras) are preserved. The rock gallery was decorated with about 500 frescoes, but only a few of them have survived to this day.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Habarana/Dambulla/Sigiriya. Day 3. Polonnaruwa - Dambulla - Matale - Kandy Excursion to Polonnaruwa- the second ancient capital of Sri Lanka (XI-XIII centuries). Here, during the reign of King Parakramabahu I, a complex irrigation system was built - a huge artificial lake-reservoir "Sea of Parakrama", as well as canals and pools. The main attractions of Polonnaruwa are: stone temple Gal Vihara, which has four Buddha statues in various poses carved into its granite wall; the large stupas (dagobas) of Rankot Vihara and Kiriveera, the remains of the great surviving shrines of Vatadage, Lankantilaka, Thuparama and Tiwanka.
In the afternoon moving to Kandy. Along the way it will pass excursion to Dambulle cave temple, located on the top of a cliff 350 m above sea level. The temple, consisting of five caves and famous for the largest collection of Buddha statues (some of them over 2000 years old), was founded in the 1st century BC, but was completed and supplemented with each subsequent change of royal power. In addition to the Buddha statues, the temple contains colorful frescoes decorating the walls and ceilings of the caves. An important place among them is occupied by scenes from the life of Buddha (jataka).
Visit to the Matale spice garden, batik factory and gem museum.
Sightseeing tour of the city of Kandy. The small picturesque town, located at an altitude of 488 m above sea level, is the last capital of the reign of the Sinhalese kings, and to this day it is rightfully considered cultural capital countries. In the center of the city, near an artificial lake, there is the Dalada Maligawa Temple, where the main relic of the country - the Sacred Tooth of Buddha - is kept. Once a year, during the colorful festival-procession Esala Perahera, which takes place in late July - early August, the shrine, resting on the back of the main elephant of the temple, is brought out for public viewing.
In the evening viewing national dances.
Dinner and overnight at a Kandy hotel. Day 4 Peradeniya - Labukelle - Nuwara Eliya Visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya- the largest in Southeast Asia. On an area of 147 acres, you can see more than 4,000 thousand different trees, plants and flowers, including rare species of palm trees, medicinal and spicy herbs, and more than 300 species of orchids. The garden is famous for its alley of memorial trees planted by outstanding personalities of different eras. Among others, there are trees planted by Russian Tsar Nicholas II and Yuri Gagarin.
Visit to the Labukelle tea factory provides a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the production and sorting process of the world famous Ceylon tea. Sri Lanka ranks third in the world in tea production and first in its exports, providing about 25% of global demand.
Transfer to the mountainous region of Nuwara Eliya. This high mountain resort (1884 m above sea level) is located at the foot of Mount Pidurutalagala (2524 m), highest peak Sri Lanka. Cozy town Nuwara Eliya with its Anglican church, colonial post office building with a clock tower, houses in victorian style, with a racecourse and manicured lawns, it is not without reason that it is called “Little England”.
Dinner and overnight at the Nuwara Eliya hotel. Day 5 Yala Transfer to Yala. Jeep safari in the national park- one of the oldest and largest parks in the country. The main territory of the park is occupied by forest, the rest by pastures, ponds and mangroves. This is a great opportunity to see herds of elephants, wild buffalos, wild boars, and sika deer. It is also home to several species of forest cats, leopards, mongooses, monkeys, monitor lizards and crocodiles.
Dinner and overnight at the Yala/Kataragama hotel. Day 6 Galle - Colombo After breakfast, transfer to Colombo, on the way a sightseeing tour of Galle. Famous for its fort, built by the Dutch in the 17th century, the city of Galle was the main commercial port countries before the 19th century Even after centuries, the spirit of an ancient Dutch town hovers behind the fortress walls.
Many people know about the beautiful resorts on the island in Indian Ocean. Where is Sri Lanka?
The state is located on an island with the same name. Let's see where Sri Lanka is on the world map. Surely everyone knows how to find India on the map. The island is located near the Hindustan Peninsula, off its southeastern shores. The location of Sri Lanka, its proximity to the equator, determines the climate of the island. The climate of Sri Lanka is monsoonal, with wet and dry seasons.
History of Sri Lanka
This state has an ancient history. The first inhabitants appeared on the island in the 6th century BC (official opinion, results archaeological excavations do not confirm it). Three centuries later The Buddhist religion appears in the state.
Since the 3rd century AD, the kingdom of the Sinhalese appeared on the island of Sri Lanka (in Russian translation - “blessed land”). In the 13th century, the decline of the monarchy began. In the 16th century, the island was captured by the Portuguese.
In the 17th century, the newly formed Holland (Kingdom of the Netherlands) displaces the Portuguese colonists. At the beginning of the 19th century, the British Empire declared Ceylon (this name appeared after the Portuguese invasion) as its colony. There were on the island tea plantations created, and Ceylon became one of the main suppliers of tea.
After the Second World War, almost all of Great Britain's colonies became independent (however, the vast majority independence was relative, because the USA, the stronghold of imperialism, has become the metropolis). In 1948, Ceylon changed its status from “colony” to “dominion”. In 1972, the state returned to its former name - Sri Lanka.
In 1983, civil war began in the country. The main participants in the war were the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrilla movement. The fighting went on with varying degrees of success; several times the government sought a truce. In 2009, partisanship was eliminated and the civil war ended.
The name of the country changed several times: at first it was called Sri Lanka, later Ceylon, and since 1972 the previous name has returned. Today the state is called the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Capital and largest city countries - Colombo.
Sights of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a country ancient culture, interesting for tourists. There are located popular resorts, where many thousands of tourists come. In addition, there are sacred places for people who practice Buddhism, and many pilgrims come here from all over the world. On the map of the island there is There are many interesting sites that tourists visit. Popular excursion tours:
- Colombo;
- Halle;
- Anuradhapura;
- Dambulla;
- Sigiriya;
- Polonnaruwa.
Temple of the Tooth Relic
To see this attraction, need to go to Kandy city(one of the tea varieties is named after him). In the temple you can see a golden stupa, inside of which lies a relic - the tooth of Buddha.
There is an interesting story associated with this relic. After the deceased Buddha was sent to the funeral pyre (540 BC), four teeth were removed from the ashes. One of them ended up on the island of Sri Lanka and became a talisman for the royal dynasty. At the beginning of the 18th century, the talisman came to the city of Kandy. For storage a temple was built for the legendary tooth. The relic itself was hidden in seven caskets, each of them was hidden inside another (analogous to a Russian nesting doll).
Botanical Garden in Peradeniya
After seeing the sights of the city of Kandy, it is worth visiting the suburb of Peradeniya, where a large botanical garden. Lovers of tropical exotics will visit the greenhouse of orchids - the queens of tropical forests.
In the palm alleys you can meet different types palm trees - date, coconut and so on. One of the varieties of palms, talip, is notable for the fact that in the 50th year of its life it blooms and immediately dies. The leaves of the thalip palm “have a history”: Buddhist texts were once written on them, and today the horoscope is written down.
The botanical garden has a Memorial Garden - trees planted here grow famous people(among them the Russian Emperor Nicholas II and the first cosmonaut Yu. Gagarin).
Ancient city of Anuradhapura
This oldest city in Sri Lanka and the first capital of this state. As a result of archaeological research, it was possible to find out that the first buildings appeared not in the 6th, but at least in the 10th century BC.
Since the 1950s, residents of Anuradhapura have been moved to the so-called new city" This was done to protect archaeological sites. IN " old town» lovers of ancient history drop by.
Plateau "End of the World"
This outlandish name was given to two observation platforms, and one of them is called the “Little End of the World”, and the other – the “Big End of the World”. The only difference is the depth of the cliff. Co observation platforms there are views of the mountains and valley.
Interesting fact: at both observation platforms there are no fences or railings. Just beyond the edge there is a sheer cliff. The price of carelessness is very high: an awkward step can result in a fall from a great height and death.
Adam's Peak
This is the second highest mountain in Sri Lanka. The name of the mountain is translated from Sinhala as “mountain of butterflies”. On the flat top you can see a depression similar to a human footprint. According to legend, this is the footprint of the legendary saint - Buddha. Another legend says that the water collected in this depression-trace has healing properties.
A small open temple was erected at the top of Adam's Peak. Buddhist pilgrims and tourists come here.
Beach resorts in Sri Lanka
The wonderful climate and warm sea attract lovers of surfing, diving and just the lazy beach holiday. The map of Sri Lanka has many beach resorts, where excellent conditions are created for vacationers. Here are some of the resorts:
- Beruwela;
- Koggala;
- Mirissa;
- Negombo;
- Colombo.
Tea kingdom
Impossible to leave this beautiful island without packaging with the famous tea. It was from here that tea came to England, and then to Europe. Fine varieties of tea are grown on numerous tea plantations. Here you can buy real high-quality elite tea at very affordable prices.
Video
The video will introduce you in more detail to the history of this remarkable country.
Fly to Ceylon just to swim in the Indian Ocean and bask in the sun is pointless, if only because besides the jungle and endless beaches there is a lot of interesting things on the island.
Let's start with the fact that over the centuries Sri Lanka 8 (!) capitals changed. As a result, of the 130 world historical values protected by UNESCO, seven are located here: Adam's Peak - the famous mountain, shaped like a pyramid, over the mirages of which scientists have been puzzling for many years; An invaluable relic for Buddhists - the Tooth of Buddha; The Bo tree is the oldest historically documented tree on Earth.
It is best to start your journey from today's capital - Colombo. This city was founded by the Arabs, and in 1517 the Portuguese built a fort here, in 1948 Colombo became the capital of the state Ceylon, and in 1972 the Republic Sri Lanka. The mixture of cultures affected its appearance: Eastern temples here coexist with mosques and Catholic cathedrals; colonial mansions with skyscrapers, and huge shopping centers with small benches. Unlike the resort areas of the island, there are practically no Europeans on the streets of Colombo; usually in these cases there is no discomfort, and only children can be surprised by their “exotic” appearance.
Actually on Sri Lanka 2 capitals: Colombo and administrative Jayavaranapura. The first capital of the island known to us was Anuradhapura, located in the north of the island. It’s worth going here to see one of the tallest weapons built in ancient times - a stupa 120 meters high, as well as the Bo tree, sacred to Buddhists.
In the center Sri Lanka
The golden triangle Polonnaruwa-Singiriya-Dambulla is located. They are several hours away from each other. They are located in the middle of the jungle, so there is a high probability of meeting elephants, monkeys, mongooses, snakes on your way; in the evening you often have to brush off bats. All these horrors are redeemed by the beauty that can be seen here.
In Polonnoruwa there are four huge Buddha statues carved directly into granite rocks, representing one of the most famous rock groups in the world. Here, right in the middle of the jungle, there are the ruins of ancient palaces, baths, chapels, as well as Buddhist and Hindu temples. Not far from Polannoruva there is a reservoir from the 12th century, Parakrama Samudra, which is still considered one of the largest reservoirs on the entire island.
Skala - Singiriya fortress - one of the most legendary places on the island. No one knows how a huge block could appear on the plain. Another miracle of Singiriya that is worth seeing is the “mirror corridor”, the walls of which are in some unknown way polished to a mirror shine. From the top of the rock there is a stunning view of the surrounding area.
Another city worth visiting is Kandy, it is the cultural capital Sri Lanka. It is famous all over the world primarily thanks to the Dalala Maligawa Temple, where the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha is kept. After an attack on the shrine by terrorists, the Tooth was hidden from prying eyes in a casket weighing 120 kg. Only once a year, at the beginning of August, during the ten-day Perahera holiday, a piece of Buddha leaves the temple, the casket is taken out on an elephant, which is accompanied by dozens of his fellows, decorated with bells, hundreds of torchbearers, musicians, acrobats and dancers. For Buddhists, this holiday is one of the most significant of the year, and therefore attracts thousands of tourists to Kandy.
Just four kilometers from the city is the Royal Botanical Garden, one of the largest in Asia and the most beautiful in the world. There are more than 170 species of ornamental orchids in the palm grove.
The main thing to remember is Sri Lanka, - look carefully not only around, but also under your feet, because the fauna here is very rich, and anything can crawl below.
On the island Ceylon so good that you want to follow the example of Arthur C. Clarke and stay here forever. After all, on Sri Lanka the most beautiful sunsets, and according to one legend, the Garden of Eden is located here. About what's on Ceylon Once upon a time there was paradise, Chekhov said, but he showed perseverance and did not stay on the island.
Sri Lanka- a state located on the island of the same name in South Asia, not far from southeast coast Hindustan, widely known as a world resort. The official name of the country is the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
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Language in Sri Lanka |
Sri Lanka has three official languages: Sinhala, English and Tamil. The largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka are the Sinhalese, who speak the Sinhalese language, which belongs to the Indo-Aryan group of the Indo-European language family. Sinhala is spoken by about 16 million people in the country; it also has its own written language - the Sinhala script. |
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Currency in Sri Lanka |
Official monetary unit Sri Lanka - Sri Lankan rupee, the currency used is cents. 1 rupee = 100 cents. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 rupees and coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 rupees, 10, 25, 50 cents. |
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Religion in Sri Lanka |
The people of Sri Lanka practice mainly four religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. The majority of the population, predominantly Sinhalese, professes Buddhism (about 69%). The Tamil population is dominated by Hindus (15.4% of the country's population). Malians and Moors adhere to the Muslim religion (7.5% of the country's population). There are about 7.6% Christians on the island. Other religions are practiced by 0.2% of the population. |
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Capital of Sri Lanka |
The capital of Sri Lanka is the city of Colombo. |
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Visa to Sri Lanka |
For citizens of Kazakhstan, a visa is issued upon arrival at the airport, the cost is $40 Full description by VISA >>> |
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Time in Sri Lanka |
The state of Sri Lanka is located in the GMT+5:30 time zone. Thus, local time in this country is ahead Moscow time for 2 hours 30 minutes, and Kyiv and Minskoe - for 3 hours 30 minutes. |
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Climate in Sri Lanka |
Sri Lanka has an equatorial, warm and humid climate. The seasons here differ not in temperature changes, but in differences in precipitation patterns. More precipitation occurs in the summer, when monsoon winds from the southwest dominate on the island. |
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Statein Sri Lanka |
Sri Lanka is socialist democratic republic And independent state, formerly known as Ceylon. Legislative power in the country is in the hands of parliament, whose members are elected by direct popular vote for a term of 5 years. |
Historical dates of Sri Lanka:
- 6th century BC – arrival of the Sinhalese from northern India to the island.
- 3rd century BC - penetration of Buddhism to the island.
- 3rd-13th centuries AD - the existence of large Sinhalese kingdoms on the island with capitals in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.
- 1506 - discovery of the island of Ceylon by the Portuguese navigator Lourenço d'Almeida, later - occupation of the coast of the island by the Portuguese.
- 17th century - Dutch domination on the island.
- 1802 - the island becomes a colony of the British Empire.
- 1948 - the state gains independence and is called the Dominion of Ceylon.
- 1971 - the youth uprising of the Popular Liberation Front, which failed.
- 1072 - the country ceases to be a dominion and is renamed Sri Lanka.
- Since 1983, there has been a civil war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrilla organization and the government.
- December 2004 - Sri Lanka suffers heavy losses as a result of the tsunami. More than 38 thousand people died, 6 thousand were missing, and the homes of hundreds of thousands of residents were destroyed.
- May 18, 2009 – end civil war, victory of government forces.
Geographical location Sri Lanka:
The state of Sri Lanka is located on an island in the Indian Ocean, which is located south of the peninsula Hindustan. The length of the island from south to north is 445 km, and from east to west – 225 km. The main part of the state's territory is located in flat terrain, the height of which practically does not exceed 100 m.
In the center of the island is Central mountain range 1000-2000 m high, located here highest point islands - Mount Pidurutalaga (2524 m), but Adam's Peak (2243 m) is most famous. Many rivers of the state flow from the mountains, the largest of which are the Ganga, Malvanuna Oya, and Kelani Ganga. Many rivers are navigable, and the mountains contain many waterfalls, the most famous of which are Koslanda Bryda Vale (aka Bridal Veil) and Babarakanda, which are over 200 m high.
East Coast Sri Lanka comprise hundreds of continuous snow-white beaches, turquoise ocean with many coral reefs and diverse flora.
14% of the state's territory is occupied by national parks, reservations and nature reserves, the most famous of which National Park Yala, Udawalawe National Park, Wasgamuwa National Park, Wilpatu National Park, Bundala National Park.
South West Coast The island is represented by continuous golden beaches, hotels and small towns, where a resort atmosphere reigns everywhere
The city of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, is located on the ocean in the western part of the island.
Sri Lanka is interesting to tourists not only for its beaches, but also for its numerous attractions. There are many architectural monuments, ancient cities, royal palaces and gardens, ancient monasteries. The country's painting and sculpture speaks of the great cultural and technological achievements of the ancient inhabitants of this island.
There are many religious shrines in Sri Lanka. These include: the holy mountain of Sri Lanka, Adam's Peak, a rock with the footprints of Buddha, the ancient royal city of Anuradhapura, the Temple of the Tooth Relic, the Bo tree under which Buddha rested, the huge ark of Ruwanwelisiya Dagoba and others.
In the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, it will be interesting to visit the fort in the old part of the city, the Presidential Palace, the Royal Botanical Garden of Kandy, the elephant nursery, the Yami-ul-Affa Mosque, the palace of the last king of Kandy.
Lion Mountain, located in Sigiriya, is a giant monolith with a fortress on top. This attraction is interesting for many facts related to Buddha.
Of great interest to tourists is the elephant nursery, where little elephants who have been killed by poachers or left without parents are regularly brought in.
No less interesting is a visit to the turtle farm, where every year 5 species of sea turtles swim from far away to lay their eggs. All these turtle species are protected by law.
While in Sri Lanka, you can always find many exotic and even extreme entertainment: diving, snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing, rafting, fishing, camping safari, sea or river walk kayaking and canoeing, helicopter tour, fly on hot air balloon, take a jeep safari or even an elephant safari.
National characteristics:
The national characteristics of the people of Sri Lanka have developed over many centuries, mainly under the influence of religions and, first of all, Buddhism.
In general, local residents are always welcoming, friendly and ready to provide any help. But when going on vacation to this country, you should be aware of some rules of politeness.
- When entering the temple, you must always take off your hat and shoes, and your back, knees and shoulders must be covered. This rule also applies to ancient, dilapidated churches.
- You cannot shake hands with monks or even touch them. You can say hello by putting your palms together and raising them to forehead level. You also cannot sit on the same level with a monk, only below him. Under no circumstances should you sit if a monk is standing next to you. Front seats in public transport always reserved for monks.
- It is considered bad form to walk down the street in an embrace, holding hands and kissing public places.
- Women should not sit in the front seat next to the driver in public transport, wear too revealing clothes, or sunbathe topless.
- To photograph local residents, you must first ask their permission. You cannot take pictures with a Buddha statue with your back to it.
- Men are not allowed to wear shorts at dinner in restaurants.
Traditions and customs:
In Sri Lanka, five days a week are considered working days, and days off, in addition to Saturday and Sunday, are full moon days, which are intended for meditation. Basic religious holidays here are determined by lunar calendar.
Independence Day is celebrated here on February 4th. Celebrations take place in Colombo at Independence Square and in Jayawardenapura in front of the new Parliament House.
New Year Sinhalese and Tamils celebrate April 14th. This holiday is not considered religious and is celebrated differently everywhere. The time of the new year is always calculated by astrologers. At the appointed hour, it is customary to light a fire in the kitchen and cook traditional dishes Kiribath and curry. On this holiday, residents wear new clothes and exchange gifts with each other.
Each month has its own special full moon festival.
KitchenSri Lanka:
Sri Lankan cuisine. Sri Lankan cuisine is quite similar to Indian cuisine. The same basic products are used in preparing dishes here: fish, tropical fruits, a lot of herbs, spices.
The basis of the usual daily diet here is rice and curry. Curry is a whole group of dishes made from fish, various seafood, meat, poultry, legumes, vegetables and fruits, united by a peculiar combination of spices, ground into powder, called curry. The required components of the mixture include black pepper, hot chili pepper, coriander, mustard seeds, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, turmeric, garlic and leaves of the evergreen curry bush. There are a lot of options for this mixture.
Essential components of many Sri Lankan dishes are coconut shavings, coconut oil, coconut juice and palm nectar.
In addition to curry, Sri Lankan cuisine is characterized by dishes made from rice flour, for example, vermicelli or flatbreads.
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EurasiaTravel
Almaty
st. Satpayeva 50/13 (corner of Zharokova St.)
