Guide to Sri Lanka in Russian. Useful Links. To the local monastery: studying the charter

Although many tourists from Russia come to Sri Lanka, there is still not such a large selection of operators offering group excursions with Russian-speaking guides. Additionally, due to the large size of the island, many excursions here last at least 2 days. This is why Sri Lanka is so attractive to independent travelers who want to create their own itinerary and travel around the island at their own pace.
If you are not one of those travelers who are capable and, what is also important, are not afraid to travel around the island on their own, then you can seek the services of one of the Russian-speaking guides in Sri Lanka. Fortunately, there are plenty of such guides here. Some Sri Lankans studied in Russia and mastered the Russian language well. Upon returning to their home country, they began to use their knowledge of the Russian language and knowledge of the history, culture and attractions of the island in order to help tourists from Russia get to know Sri Lanka better. Naturally, all this is done without thanks, but still the cost of an excursion with a private Russian-speaking guide in Sri Lanka is relatively inexpensive.
As a rule, Russian-speaking guides in Sri Lanka have their own car, in which they conduct excursions. But sometimes the guide only offers the services of your assistant, and you will need to take care of transport yourself (although often the guide offers the opportunity to rent a car with or without a driver for little money). Naturally, in this case, the cost of the guide’s services will not be very high, but you will have to pay for the transport yourself. But still, I repeat, in most cases a private Russian-speaking guide in Sri Lanka has his own car. That is, in essence, by contacting such a guide, you get a car with a driver and a guide rolled into one.

The main advantages of contacting a Russian-speaking guide:
+ Communication in one language allows you to discuss all the details down to the smallest detail. There should be no misunderstanding.
+ The guide usually has his own car, so the cost individual excursion turns out to be low, since you, in fact, only pay for gasoline and guide services.
+ You can create any route and spend as much time as you want in the place you like.
+ The guide can also act as a translator and your assistant, so it will be easier for you to travel with him.

Excursions around Sri Lanka with a Russian-speaking guide

How to find a Russian-speaking guide in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is unique world, where in a small area there is such a variety of cultures, landscapes and climatic zones that you will not find even in countries whose territory is tens of times larger

GENERAL INFORMATION:

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Sri Lanka weather map:

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Bentota: how to fall in love with Sri Lanka in 10 days

Visiting Sri Lanka has been my dream for many years. I'm not a fan of air travel and this has always scared me away from vacationing here. beach paradise. But we only live once and when, if not now? We chose the Bentota resort for our holiday because of the combination of passive and active recreation. When we arrived at the resort and I saw the ocean for the first time, I was simply overwhelmed with feelings. This is worth going through a multi-hour flight. The ocean fascinated me and frightened me with its power at the same time, I had never known such a feeling before. We bought a tour and knew very well which hotel we would stay in. In Sri Lanka you can rent a bungalow, a room in a villa or a standard hotel.
Prices vary, but don't count on being cheap. If you have chosen Bentota for your holiday, you will probably love active recreation. There is a great center here water activities"Confifi Marina". You can master water skiing, surfing, windsurfing and diving. There is a lot at the resort travel companies, ready to sell you an excursion to suit every taste. And there is plenty to choose from! I wanted to go everywhere, but we settled on some options. Dambulla will surprise you with its cave temple, which houses a large collection of Buddha statues. Be sure to visit the Royal Botanical Garden. I have never seen such a combination of various plants and flowers. We also really liked the elephant nursery. Here you can see how they are fed and cared for. They are such amazing animals. Looking at the elephants...

Food and products

We usually had dinner at Passat, a small family restaurant in close proximity to the hotel. It cost 2-5, sometimes 10 $ per person. The staff is friendly, they speak Russian. Dinner at the fishermen's was cheaper than $1-2 and was even more tempting. Fresh seafood, straight from fishing nets, was prepared in front of us on the ocean shore. You can also control the amount of spices in food, which local restaurants overused, for my taste.

Souvenirs and other goods

Prices for souvenirs are negotiable. You can and should bargain. In addition to magnetic plates (maximum of $1), I bought local beach accessories: handbags, panama hats, slippers, scarves and pareos from local handicraftsmen from $1 to $10. The same thing, but made in China is even cheaper.

Cost of services and entertainment

By renting a tuk-tuk for $10 per day, you can visit the surrounding attractions, admire the views, and explore the plantations. Trip to local market for fruit it costs $1 and takes 10 minutes one way. In short, the vacation turned out to be quite economical, and for a traveler who loves the ocean, silence and solitude, it is almost ideal.

IN major cities The beaches are poorly equipped, there is no need to talk about comfort. Negombo was voted the most beautiful beach. Firstly, it is located close to the airport, has a wide coastline and all the amenities for recreation. Hotels and hotels are located nearby.

What can you buy?

You can buy cheap things in Sri Lanka. Initially, you cannot say that the population of the country can be called fashionistas and fashionistas. Because most of the inhabitants are Hindus, and they wear traditional clothes. Tourists can buy a sari only as a souvenir, but will not wear it. Maximum once. But in spontaneous markets they sell other goods: tracksuits, sweaters, shorts, jeans. Shopping has one more feature. In Sri Lanka they sell branded items for pennies. Lots of fakes. I will tell you a simple way to distinguish a quality product on the shelves in Sri Lanka from a low-quality one. A low-quality one will be cheap, just don’t rush to buy. Uneven seams, poor quality fabric - all these signs should stop you. A branded item will be sold for pennies only if there is a defect. For example, buttons are sewn incorrectly or a dirty collar. They actually sell branded items on the shelves, but they are difficult to find. I decided to buy Ceylon tea. I definitely can't go wrong with this purchase. First I went to the tasting. The expert tasted 50 types of tea; just imagine, the taster manages to try all the presented varieties in 10 minutes. Of course, I tasted for a long time. It was difficult to choose one variety. Remember: if you want to buy delicious tea, it must be pure black without additives.

Entertainment

As entertainment, a tourist can choose to visit temples. There is one interesting ritual in Sri Lanka. I saw him through. Local residents offer to perform the ritual right near the temple. You need to buy a coconut and make a wish. If the coconut breaks and milk spills out, it means your wish will come true. In Sri Lanka, you can have fun for free: watch fishermen work early in the morning.

Sri Lanka, also known as Ceylon, is an island in the southeast of the Hindustan Peninsula. You should go here to take a break from city life, dissolve in peace and tranquility, make several excursions to see the main attractions, and spend the rest of the time on the beach. And, of course, try the local tea “first hand”, because it is thanks to tea that the former name of the island “Ceylon” is known throughout the world.

How to get to Sri Lanka

Let's look at the website, which will find the best deals from air carriers, how much it will cost us to fly to Sri Lanka and back from Moscow in May 2016. At the time of writing, there is still almost six months left until May, but we all know that it is better to look for tickets in advance, otherwise you will have to pay more, or even run out of tickets. By the way, we have already written a detailed article “” about searching for tickets.

So, round trip tickets cost on average about 30 thousand rubles. The most profitable option is to fly with a company Etihad Airways for 29,748 rubles in both directions. You will have to make a transfer in any case - there are simply no direct flights from Russia to Sri Lanka, so 1 transfer is already included even in the most optimal route.

There are also few options for exactly where to fly in Sri Lanka itself, or rather just two - the capital Colombo or Hambantota Airport. Here, when choosing, you should be guided by which place on the island you have chosen for your vacation, and which airport is closer to this very place.

Currency and visa of Sri Lanka

Currency

Coming to Sri Lanka with only rubles is not the best idea, since even if you find an exchanger ready to exchange Russian rubles, the rate there will definitely not please you. The best option- bring US dollars to Sri Lanka, which you can exchange for local currency anywhere.

If you still have money from other people from previous trips Asian countries, for example, Indian rupees or Thai baht - feel free to take them with you on your trip, changing them will not be difficult.

Bank cards they accept it on the island, but you can often become victims of fraud, so it’s better to leave the card as a last resort.

Visa

Climate of Sri Lanka

Transport on the island

Buses are convenient for short trips inside cities. This is not the most convenient and comfortable form of transport on the island, since most buses are long overdue for retirement. But there is also a plus - you will pay nothing for the trip, about 1-3 rupees per kilometer. Commercial buses cost a little more, but are often equipped with air conditioning. In general, it is easy to determine the level of comfort of a bus by the letter assigned to the route number - regular N, semi-comfortable S and comfortable A/C.

For longer trips between cities, you can use regular express buses, which differ slightly in their level from regular ones for the better. The stops of such buses are most often located at bus stations and near railway stations.

Trains also come in different comfort classes. You can view train schedules and their routes on the official website of the Sri Lankan Airlines railways www.railway.gov.lk. However, there is often a problem with the schedule - trains are constantly late, so take this into account when planning your route.

If you don't want to depend on schedules public transport, then you can rent a car. We wrote how to do this in the article “”. I would like to add that in Sri Lanka there is left-hand traffic, which takes some time to get used to, as well as a completely different driving culture than ours: a lot of horns, little space, chaotic traffic, constant overtaking on highways in turns and more, as well regular violation of all possible rules. In principle, persons over 21 years of age are allowed to rent a car in Sri Lanka, but we still recommend this type of transport to slightly more experienced drivers.

Main cities and attractions of Sri Lanka

Temple Gangaramaya- the most popular religious place among tourists in Colombo. The temple was built about one hundred and twenty years ago and immediately became not only a spiritual center, but also a center for training future monks. You can visit some of the school’s premises and a museum that tells about Buddhism and the famous “graduates” of the school and their achievements in the field of Buddhism. Entrance to the temple grounds is free and it is open from 6 am to 6 pm every day. The temple is located at Sri Jinaratana Rd Slave Island, Colombo 2.

National museum- one of the main art centers on the island. It houses a collection of paintings by local artists, as well as works by local artisans. No better place, to get acquainted with the colorful Sinhala art than this museum. The museum is located on Sir Marcus Fernando Mw. and is open every day from 9am to 6pm, except national holidays. Entry costs 600 rupees for adults and 300 rupees for children.

Park " Viharamahadevi" - one of the many parks in the city. This one is considered the largest of them, and, of course, the most popular among tourists. The park was built by English colonists, which is why it could be called a “quintessentially English park” if it were for the famous Buddha statue. It is located in the prestigious Cinnamon Gardens area of ​​the city and is open to the public from 8 am to 6 pm.

Halle- large port city in the southwestern part of Sri Lanka. His fort is recognized as a UNESCO monument, and the nature around is worthy of all praise. If your holiday in Sri Lanka takes place near Galle, it would be a crime not to come here. Now let's use examples to explain why.

The Halle Lighthouse is a historical, albeit restored, landmark that is part of the Utrecht Bastion in the Galle Fort, which, as already mentioned, is included in the List World Heritage UNESCO. The fort, like the lighthouse (more precisely, its predecessor) played a significant role in the life of the city and its port. You can view the lighthouse for free at any time of the day or night. By the way, Galle Fort is the only surviving fort in Asia built by colonists many centuries ago.

Temple Yatagala Rajah Mach Viharaya- one of the oldest Buddhist temples on the island, whose history goes back more than two thousand years. Another feature of it is its location, because the temple is located in a rock. The caves and artificially created rooms were painted by masters thousands of years ago, and today all this is available to visitors, because the temple has been perfectly preserved. Entrance inside is free, it does not have specific opening hours - you just need to have time to visit it during daylight hours. The temple is located about five kilometers from Galle, in the village of Unawatuna, where you can easily get there by bus, tuk-tuk, rented vehicle or taxi.

Reserves Halle- attract tourists with a variety of landscapes, alluring mountains, clean beaches and, of course, such unusual flora and fauna for you and me. The most iconic reserves: Sinharaja, rich in rare species of plants and animals; Mount Rumassala, the climb to which will not be easy, but will be more than compensated by the impressions from the views opening from the peaks; Kottawa, famous for its arboretum. The nature reserves of Sri Lanka are interesting because a huge number of plants and animals can be found only on this island and nowhere else.

Cultural capital of Sri Lanka, famous rich history and a huge number of spiritual centers. The city is located in the center of the island, which makes it unsuitable for a beach holiday, but an excellent choice for a cultural holiday. And given the fact that transport between Gandhi and major resorts Sri Lanka is well organized; you can easily combine these two types of holidays.

Temple tooth Buddha- The temple, located in the former residence of the kings, is famous for its relic - the tooth of Buddha, one of the four that survived the cremation of Buddha. Always worth going to the shrine huge queue, but besides this, the temple has something to look at - frescoes, statues and even a library. Entry to the temple costs 1000 rupees and is open from 5:30 am to 8 pm. It is located on Sri Dalada Veediya Street.

Museum tea- as you know, Ceylon has long been considered the world capital of tea. So it would be strange not to visit a museum that will tell you about the history of growing tea bushes and harvesting, as well as the process of producing the tea drink itself. The museum is located on Hantane Street, in the building of an old tea factory. Entrance - 500 rupees, from 8:15 to 16:45 any day except Monday.

Palace complex- residence of kings until the beginning of the 19th century. On the territory of the palace today there are not only the living quarters of the royal family, but also the Temple of the Tooth Relic, as well as National Museum Kandy, which houses a huge collection of art from all over Sri Lanka. There is also an artificial lake and a beautiful royal park for walking. Visit the territory Palace complex You can visit for free (except for the temple and museum, where there is a separate fee) during the daytime.

Natural attractions - the incomparable nature of Sri Lanka can surprise even tourists who come to the island not for the first time. Mountains, waterfalls, lakes, lagoons and tropical forests - what else can you say? Here is a small list of where you can go on your own or book an excursion directly from your resort or from the city of Kandy: Udawattakelle Nature Reserve, national park Horton Plains, Hunas Falls, Pusevalle Falls, Mount Sigiriya and much more.

Nuwara Elia- small resort town ok, famous for its tea production, nearby waterfalls and golf courses. Many excursions to neighboring reserves are sold in local travel agencies and on the streets, and the city itself in some places resembles Europe, since many of its buildings were created by the colonists.

Botanical garden Hakgala- this botanical garden is one of a kind. This is all because of its location, because Hakgala is considered a high-mountain botanical garden, which makes it unique. More than 6,000 plants grow here, many of which are unique to Sri Lanka. You can visit it all year round; it is located 10 kilometers from Nuwara Eliya along the A5 highway.

National park Yala- the most famous and very first national park on the island. From Nuwara Eliya and closer cities (for example, Hambantota or Tangala), excursions to this amazing corner of Sri Lanka are regularly carried out. Here in the middle wildlife There are ruins of ancient cities and monasteries, which are now occupied by wild animals. The best way see the park - safari (from 6 am to 6 pm), which costs 5-6 thousand rupees.

Waterfalls- a separate attraction of the city of Nuwara Eliya. There are so many of them here that you definitely want to see them all, because each of them is unique in its own way. There are also very tall ones, such as Bambarakanda Ella, more than 240 meters high, there are also romantic ones, dedicated to lovers, like the Bridal Waterfall, and there are also completely unusual ones, for example, local beer is brewed from the water of the Laksapana Falls waterfall.

Teahouses plantations- the heart of Nuwara Eliya. This is where the main tea production on the island is concentrated. You can buy an excursion to one of the tea plantations, which is offered by local guides, or you can just enjoy delicious fresh tea and don’t forget to buy a few packs as souvenirs for friends and family, because you won’t find the same quality of tea as here in a store near your home .

Beaches and resorts of Sri Lanka

Bentota- the most popular beach on the island, famous for its cleanliness and comfort, and is also proudly included in the list of ten best beaches Asia. Except beach holiday, here you can also practice water sports: windsurfing or diving.

Arugam Bay- resort on south- east coast favored by servers all over the world. The waves here are simply amazing, but the passive beach holiday is not so much - due to the special microclimate here, the beaches are especially hot and exhaustingly thirsty every second.

Batticaloa- one of the hottest cities on the entire island, located on its east coast. There are a lot of sandy beaches in the city of the same name, because it is located on a wide sandy spit and is surrounded by lagoons and all kinds of reservoirs. A great place to combine city sightseeing with a beach holiday.

Beruwela- a resort preferred by wealthier tourists. The weather and water temperatures here are excellent almost all year round. This is where the 130-kilometer-long beach begins, so you don’t have to worry about running out of space (as on any beach in Sri Lanka)!

Wadduwa- a resort town near the capital Colombo. Very popular place among tourists due to easy accessibility from the airport, and of course, because of the golden beaches and beautiful scenery.

Marissa- this beach takes a well-deserved place in the list of the best beaches in Sri Lanka. The tourist infrastructure is not very developed here, and there are not many hotels and restaurants. But this is precisely what makes the beach attractive to many travelers - privacy, originality, magnificent scenery and tranquility. Marissa is perfect for traveling with children, as there are several budget guesthouses here, and a smooth depth change allows children to swim near the shore.

Negombo- resort town west coast Sri Lanka. "Golden Mile" - that's what they call it local beaches cities. The tourist infrastructure is well developed, and the city itself and its surroundings are also very interesting from the point of view excursion holiday.

Tangalle is a resort town in the south of Sri Lanka, which is famous for its very mild climate. Sandy beaches stretch for several miles, there is a wide choice of hotels and apartments, and you can grab a bite to eat in one of the many tourist cafes. The width of the beaches is not very large - literally a couple of tens of meters, and you are already surrounded by palm trees, but this only adds to the originality of Tangalle. This resort is also great for surfing.

Unawantuna- a resort in the south of the island, which is most often chosen by travelers with children. The weather here is always pleasant and the climate is mild, but more importantly, due to the reefs that separate Unavantuna Lagoon from the ocean, waves are not dangerous and storms are not a threat.

Uppuveli And Nilaveli- resorts in the northeast of Sri Lanka, which are increasingly becoming popular among tourists. The reason for this is ideal conditions for everyone aquatic species sports (especially diving). And also whales and dolphins, which you can accidentally see from afar or specially on a thematic excursion.

Hiksaduwa- another mecca for diving lovers, and all because of the incredible beauty of the coral reef stretching along coastline. Moreover, this great place for a holiday in the off-season, since the climate even in summer months moderate, and there are beaches suitable for swimming and relaxing.

Sri Lanka, one of the colorful countries in the world, has something to surprise its guests. Interesting story, unique culture, unusual traditions and rituals - all this is complemented by beautiful sights and opportunities for an excellent holiday on the coast Indian Ocean.

A nice bonus only for our readers - a discount coupon when paying for tours on the website until June 30:

• AF500guruturizma - promotional code for 500 rubles for tours from 40,000 rubles
• AF2000TGuruturizma - promotional code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Tunisia from 100,000 rubles.

And you will find many more profitable offers from all tour operators on the website. Compare, choose and book tours at the best prices!

The country has long realized its potential as a tourist paradise, so all conditions have been created for the convenience of visitors. Just one list sightseeing tours can impress even the most experienced travelers. There are walks along beaches with golden sand under a piercing blue sky, and breathtaking cascading waterfalls, and amazing diversity of tropical flora and fauna.

How to get to Sri Lanka on your own - read our article.

Particular attention, of course, is paid business card Sri Lanka - tea plantations. It is this product that the country is most proud of, and every local resident can long and colorfully describe the process of growing and producing the aromatic drink.

This country is an ideal holiday destination at any time of the year, because Sri Lanka is incredibly lucky with climatic conditions- almost all year round the air temperature stays at around 27 degrees. We advise lovers of water sports to plan their visit for November-April: this is the time when the weather is most suitable for active entertainment on the water.

Read our article about what to do if you miss your plane.

Listing all the resorts in Sri Lanka is a thankless task; something always gets forgotten. The most popular are Hikkaduwa, Bentota, Nuwara Eliya, Negombo and others. They all have one thing in common - these places seem to be created for a great beach holiday. The beaches in these cities delight with the purest golden sand, the water is clear and warm, and in the shade of high coconut trees You can easily wait out the midday heat. A distinctive feature of these particular latitudes are the unique coral gardens under water, teeming with colorful fish.

Hotels and resorts vied with each other to offer all sorts of attractions: the already beloved diving, snorkeling (snorkeling), interactive safaris, surfing and windsurfing, kayak and canoe tours. You can also admire the marvelous landscapes from a bird's eye view by booking a helicopter excursion.

Paradise, tea and waterfalls - Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya resort is recognized as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. Located high in the mountains (1884 m above sea level), the city has a particularly mild climate. The temperature here always fluctuates between 15-20 degrees Celsius. Like any highland area, the surroundings of Nuwara Eliya are amazing picturesque landscapes: majestic mountains on the horizon, bright green meadows, shady valleys.

Tourists, tired of the heat in other cities, have been flocking here for years. Local residents also began to follow this tradition, started by the British during colonization. The slopes of the nearby mountains are irrigated by waterfalls, which creates a unique microclimate for growing the world's best varieties of tea.

Nuwara Eliya will not offer you a stormy nightlife, the whole city falls asleep along with the last departing rays of the sun. However, during the day there is a clear revival - people take to the streets, relax in restaurants, and a large number of entertainment programs are provided for tourists. For lovers of excitement and horse racing, the hippodrome operates throughout April. Not far from the racetrack is the picturesque Lake Gregory, the distinctive feature of which is a farm for breeding a special type of brown trout, brought here in 1882.

Adam's Peak

If you leave the city, you will see Adam's Peak - a mandatory stopping point for photographs, included in all excursions. There are constant pilgrimages to the top of the peak, as religious people go there to worship the sacred footprint. According to legend, it was here that God banished Adam after the latter dared to disobey God’s orders. The largest number of pilgrims strive to climb the peak in December. For convenience, the steep steps are illuminated.

The way up is very difficult and tiring, however, once there certain time, you can enjoy the unique spectacle of the sunrise and a bird's eye view of the city itself.

Tea

It is in this region that the best varieties are grown Ceylon tea. This plant was brought to Sri Lanka from China back in 1824. A little later, in 1839, Indian varieties also appeared here. The first tests were carried out on state level by the staff of the Peradeniya Botanical Garden. Tea from Nuwara Eliya has a special taste, thanks to the unique growing conditions - at an altitude of about three thousand above sea level, surrounded by eucalyptus and cypress trees.

For sun and water lovers - Bentota

Not far from the capital Colombo there is another wonderful resort - Bentota. The city is located in unique place- between sea ​​coast and the mouth of the river flowing there. The climate here is pleasant: air temperature is between 25-30 degrees, water temperature is about 25-26 degrees all year round. Experts advise planning a trip to Bentota for the period from October to April.

Masquerade

If you are lucky and choose the right time to visit, you will get a unique chance to see the annual masquerade taking place on the streets of the city and in the open theater. Festival participants dress up in costumes of fairy-tale creatures and put on real shows under open air. Theatrical performances, performances with puppets and colorful masquerades are also included in the daily entertainment program many hotels in Bentota.

Water sports

Connoisseurs of water sports gather in Bentota all year round. It is here that the largest sports center in Sri Lanka and a world-famous diving club are located. In addition to organizing excursions, fishing trips and cruises, the center provides rental services for catamarans, kayaks, canoes and water skis. The conditions of the Indian Ocean are ideal for sailing, and the wealth underwater world is striking in its diversity, which could not but affect the popularity of underwater excursions. Local instructors will always help beginners get used to the equipment and diving techniques.

After completing a short training course, you can make your first dive, since the absence of underwater currents and calm waters are only beneficial for beginners, and experienced divers can dive to a depth of 35 meters.

Churches, fortress and fishing - Negombo

Forty kilometers from Colombo there is another wonderful resort - Negombo. This is where most sightseeing tours in Sri Lanka begin. The climate in Negombo is pleasantly constant - the air temperature rarely drops below 25 degrees. When planning a trip, just remember that in October and November there is a high level of precipitation.

Ancient fort

The main attraction of Negombo is the ancient fort, built by the Dutch at the end of the seventeenth century. Little remains of it - just fragments of walls, a central gate and a moat connecting the fortress with the sea. In addition, the city is considered the center of the Catholic faith in Sri Lanka, although there are many representatives of other religions in the country. That is, in addition to a large number of Catholic churches, you can also consider other sacred buildings in Negombo.

Angunukaramulla Temple

Particularly interesting will be the large Buddhist temple of Angunukaramulla, which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over Sri Lanka and from neighboring countries. The Hindu temple of Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, in the vicinity of Negombo, annually becomes the center of colorful celebrations with parades featuring elephants, fakirs, acrobats and dancers. A visit to such a festival can leave unforgettable experience even among tourists who have seen a lot.

Along the canal by canoe

In the city itself, it is worth renting a small canoe and taking a ride along the banks of the central city canal. On the way you can stop by the largest on the island fish market. And if you want to go fishing, then go to Baikal - a small village where you can take part in fishing yourself and return home with a good catch of fish and shrimp. If you are lucky, you may even catch a large lobster among the fish.

Beaches and corals - Hikkaduwa

On south coast Tourists especially loved the city of Hikkaduwa. Its peculiarity is that it is here foreign tourists were able to discover Sri Lanka for the first time. A developed infrastructure has been created for guests, which contributes to the further improvement of tourism in the region.

The resort boasts crystal clean water Indian Ocean, beaches with coarse sand and unusually beautiful coral reefs. Coral is a unique symbol of the city; its image can be found almost everywhere: in shop windows, in the design details of bars and restaurants, and, as you might guess, it is the most popular souvenir in local shops.

To enjoy natural beauty coral gardens, you can book one of the many excursions around the underwater reserve. To do this, it is absolutely not necessary to take a diving course - special boats with a transparent bottom are used for this purpose. For those wishing to dive, there are centers for equipment rental and training in the basics of scuba diving.

The beaches of Hikkaduwa allow vacationers, if desired, to hide in the thickets of coconut palms, and the heavy sand will not get under their clothes or fall asleep in their eyes at the slightest breath of wind.

To the local monastery: studying the charter

When going to Sri Lanka, it would be useful to get acquainted with the local way of life and traditions. The locals are very friendly and cheerful people. All kinds of holidays and folk festivals are especially popular here: they are celebrated almost every third day - 166 times a year. The main holiday is the Esa La Perahera festival, the program of which includes ceremonial processions with the participation of richly decorated temple elephants, dancers in colorful costumes, fakirs and fire eaters. The celebrations continue for several days.

If fate takes you to the shores beautiful lake Beira, then you can see how Navam Perahera is celebrated. These days, the god Skanda, the youngest son of Shiva, is revered. Thousands of people take part in the celebrations every year.

Sri Lanka is not strict in choosing clothes, reality tourist place make themselves known. However, you should not neglect local hospitality and when visiting temples and places of religious significance, it is best to choose clothing that covers your knees, shoulders and back. When entering Buddhist and Hindu temples, you must remove your shoes; this rule also applies to mosques. There are also rules regarding clothing on the beaches - topless sunbathing is prohibited here. In addition, some hotel restaurants have a dress code - you will not be allowed in in shorts, swimsuits or beach shoes.

Ayurveda, an ancient teaching about a healthy lifestyle and the art of healing, is widespread on the island. Followers of this system claim that if you follow all its canons, you can live a long and healthy life. Some techniques are designed to heal a person not only physically, but also psychologically. A distinctive feature of Ayurveda is the complete absence of contraindications and side effects.

Hotels: excellent service, varied cuisine, entertainment program

The wrong hotel can ruin the experience of even an otherwise ideal holiday. In Sri Lanka, this has long been understood, so almost all local hotels compete for the right to please the country's guests with excellent service, varied cuisine and an interesting entertainment program.

Finding a suitable place to live is available to almost everyone - the choice is truly huge. Hotels are located both on the coast and in the interior of the island. South West Coast offers a large number of hotels from two to five stars. In the central part of the country, the so-called Cultural Triangle, there are also a large number of hotels.

Most hotels offer their own diving centers, equipment rental and a large selection excursion tours. North coast can't brag a large number There are only a few places to stay, in fact, there are only a few hotels themselves, but they are always popular with the arrival of the tourist season.

The most popular beaches in Sri Lanka

There are a great many beaches in Sri Lanka, and each one seems to have come out of a picture depicting paradise. Let's take a closer look at a few of them.

Casuarina Beach

The northernmost beach in Sri Lanka. Suitable for young people who prefer active recreation. This area has all the conditions for ideal windsurfing. However, there are also disadvantages, namely the beach is somewhat remote, the journey to which will take some time.

Mirissa Beach

Located on the south coast. Here, unlike the noisy Casuarina, calm and a relaxed atmosphere reign. You can get to the beach from the very southern city islands - Matara, the path will be about 25 kilometers.

Unavantuna Beach

One of the most beautiful places on the island. This beach is visited by a huge number of people, largely because of its safety, because it is surrounded on all sides by a coral reef. Here are the best conditions for relaxing with children. By the way, Unawatuna is in twelfth place in the ranking of the most beautiful beaches peace.

Hikkaduwa Beach

Located in the city of the same name. The beach is perfect for lovers of active nightlife. This is where the most famous beach parties and discos are held. The length of the beach is about two kilometers.

Bentota Beach

The most famous beach in Sri Lanka, favorite place newlyweds as romantic trip. This place is not cheap, so either wealthy people or those who want to celebrate important events in life can come here on vacation in a special way.

Best bars

When in Colombo, be sure to visit the luxurious nightclub"The Blue Elephant" The bar of this club is considered the best in the country, but getting there is not so easy, sometimes you even have to stand in a long line.

Dance lovers will definitely appreciate “My Kind of Place” (“The Place is Just for Me”) - an excellent disco with the most modern music of various styles. If you prefer good old jazz, then welcome to the Echelon Pub, where world-famous musicians of this genre perform. "Rock Cafe" offers its visitors a wide selection of cocktails, a modern stylish disco and an original interior with a waterfall. For those who want to have a good evening and try real Ceylonese cuisine, the Curry Leaf establishment is highly recommended.

Sri Lanka - travel guide

Mount Sigiriya

Every guidebook advises starting your sightseeing with Mount Sigiriya and the fortress located on its top. Initially, the structure was intended for shelter and defense in case of attack. The fortress is decorated with eleven beautiful frescoes, preserved thanks to a special coloring composition.

Royal Botanic Garden

The largest Royal Botanical Garden in Asia, covering an area of ​​about 70 hectares, is worthy of a separate visit. There is a huge collection of plants and trees from all over the world. Large quantity exhibits have their own unique story, such as the spruce planted by Yuri Gagarin.

Turtle farms

At the turtle farms in Kosgod, you can watch miniature turtles hatch from eggs laid on the coast and collected by farm staff. This is done in order to protect the animals from predators, and when the young animals are strong enough, they will be released again into their native ocean waters.

It will not leave anyone indifferent - here you can closely observe the life of little elephants who were left without parents. Zoo staff nurse them and adapt them to future life on the island. These animals play an important role in the cultural traditions and agriculture of Sri Lanka, and the attitude local residents corresponding to them.

Temple in the caves of Anuradhapura

And the highlight of the visit to Sri Lanka will be a trip to temple complex, located in the caves of the holy city of Anuradhapura. There is an ancient royal palace here, the distinctive feature of which is an incredibly developed irrigation system and seven reservoirs. In addition, it is there that the oldest monastery complex still operates, and the second largest buddhist stupa. There, according to legend, the sacred Buddha tree, brought from India, grows.

Possible travel route

If you want to see as many sights of Sri Lanka as possible in a certain period of time, then good option will use the following route: Cultural Triangle - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Bentota.

During a trip to the Cultural Triangle, you will be able to visit cave temples and see rock figures that are amazing in their size. You can stay in one of the many four- or five-star hotels. Be prepared that monkeys roam freely around the premises of many hotels.

It’s worth visiting Kandy to visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic, where the sarcophagus with the tooth itself is shown to the public twice a day. On your way to Nuwara Eliya, visit the Botanical Garden. The city itself was described in detail earlier; you just need to take care of booking a hotel in advance, especially at the height of the tourist season.

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Development Internet in Sri Lanka is moving at a rapid pace.
Currently, the level of coverage by broadband and wireless internet from various mobile operators has achieved significant indicators, and boldly competes with the level of development and prevalence of the Internet with neighboring countries Asia.

As a rule, tourists arriving in Sri Lanka prefer to use the services of operators mobile communications, in addition to calls and SMS, the offer packages also include the option of using the Internet, that is, one SIM card is bifunctional.
Lankarus clients prefer to connect to tourist SIM cards with a validity period of 30 days. As a rule, such cards are provided with a local phone number in Sri Lanka, include various packages of welcome services at different times of the promotion (for example, free SMS within the country or for sending abroad), as well as a package for accessing and using the Internet . By connecting just one number, you can make calls and use the Internet.

Guests of the Lankarus company note fairly low tariffs for cellular communications with their homeland. This allows you to significantly reduce the cost of mobile and Internet communications while traveling around Sri Lanka. In addition, you do not need to worry about roaming when arriving in our country. Using a SIM card from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other countries will cost you significantly more.
In this regard, we recommend that you connect to the services of one of our local mobile operators during your trip. In our experience, guests prefer offers from Dialog, Mobitel, Airtel or Hutch. Please read the terms and conditions and the choice is yours!

The Internet in Sri Lanka is quite transparent in terms of receiving absolutely any tourist information, as well as information from the resources of state, government services and institutions. Sri Lanka is often cited as an example of openness to receive any information about the functioning of government agencies, institutions and power structures. You can easily verify this if you set a goal to obtain any detailed information on a topic that interests you, related to the work of the government and public sector.
You can easily find service and information portals of almost all ministries and departments. Informing citizens of Sri Lanka, as well as transparency with foreign partners and guests of the island, is one of the positive specific features of the attitude towards information in Sri Lanka. This is part of the declared rights and freedoms of citizens.

The Internet in Sri Lanka is practically uncensored, however, we would strongly recommend that you adhere to the established rules and norms of behavior, respectful attitude towards local customs, religion, culture and traditions. We do not recommend that you watch or publicly display videos from the Internet containing scenes of violence, as well as intimate content. Please also try to avoid public listening to music containing lyrics with double meanings or obscene language. This will help avoid misunderstanding of you by those around you and will prevent local residents from being put in an awkward situation.

Due to the enormous possibilities of the Internet, It’s difficult for us to highlight any specific resources that could be useful for you during your trip.
However, we ask you to refer to our links if you are interested in expanding your knowledge about Sri Lanka before and during your trip to the country.

Emergency service - 120

Fire service - 122

Police - 133

Ambulance - 1990

Tourist police - 11 2433744

Colombo General Hospital - 11 2686143, 11 2691111

Department of Immigration and Emigration - 11 2436353, 11 2436367

Colombo Airport (Katunayake) - 11 2252861, 11 2255555

Literature on Lankan studies and Sinhalistics for downloading:

Sinhala-Russian Dictionary, 1970 (DjVu)
Compiled by: Belkovich A.A., Vykhukholev V.V. M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1970. 824 pages.
The Sinhala-Russian dictionary contains the most commonly used vocabulary of the modern Sinhala language (about 37,000 words and expressions) and can serve as a guide for translators and students, for reading the press, fiction and socio-political literature. The dictionary contains a grammatical outline of literary Sinhala, giving only some elements of the colloquial forms. The essay will be useful for beginners to learn the language independently or under the guidance of a mentor, as a reference guide.

Self-instruction manual of the Sinhala language, 1977 (pdf)
Belkovich A.A. Self-instruction manual of the Sinhala language. - M.: Publishing house "International Relations", 1977. - 214 pages.
The self-instruction manual is intended for independent study of the literary Sinhala language and a number of grammatical forms of the spoken language within the limits that allow you to read and translate simple texts with a dictionary and explain on a number of everyday topics. The self-instruction manual consists of 20 lessons and is equipped with a lesson-specific thematic dictionary. Recommended for beginners to learn the language either independently or under the guidance of a mentor.

Minor Peoples of South Asia, 1978 (pdf)
The collection contains articles that provide ethnographic characteristics of the main small peoples of the countries of South Asia. The position of different ethnocultural groups in the conditions of modern states (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka), in whose territories certain small nations are settled, is reflected.

Guide to Colombo. In Russian, illustrated (pdf)

Royston Ellis, Maldives, 2010 (pdf)
In this guide you will find information about the entire Maldives archipelago, including new resorts. Palm fever, passport checks and local dialects - this guide will help you understand all the nuances and spend your vacation in a tropical paradise with benefit and pleasure. 2010, 272 pages

Tales of the Island of Lanka. Jan Filipski, Slovart Publishing House, 208 pages, 1984 (DjVu)
The Sinhalese culture is, of course, closely related to Indian roots, but it cannot in any way be denied specificity and originality. Evidence of this is not only music and dance, visual arts and literature, in which all introduced influences are transformed into their own, very original synthesis, but also oral folk traditions. As in the Indian epic, in Sinhalese folklore a special role is given to the terrible demons-rakshasas; none of the heroes can escape the inevitability of fate, and learning is valued above all else. However, the unique atmosphere of the stories presented in the book, as well as the folk wisdom contained in them, are all the result of the unique thinking of the Sinhalese, their national perception of the world around them.

Art. Sri Lanka. 1974 (pdf)
Tyulyaev S.I. and Bongard-Levin G.M., Moscow, publishing house “Iskusstvo”. 205 pages with illustrations.
Essays on history and theory fine arts. This edition of “Essays” is dedicated to the wonderful art of the island of Ceylon (renamed in 1972 the island of Sri Lanka). This interesting topic for the first time finds detailed reflection in our literature. The book is intended for the attention of both specialists and the general reader. The art of Sri Lanka rightfully occupies one of the honorable places in the art of the East, and many of its monuments constitute the golden fund of world culture. Already in ancient times, Sri Lanka, this pearl of Asia, was well known both in the ancient world and in Far East. The soldiers of Alexander the Great knew about the wealth of Taproban, and Roman traders conducted brisk trade with the island. During the Middle Ages, the fame of the “lion island” spread throughout many countries of the Middle East.

Audio guide to Sri Lanka created by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow:

1. Sri Lanka. About the Country
2. Sigiriya. Lion Rock
3. Dambulla Cave Temple
4. Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
5. Polonnaruwa. History of the City
6. Polonnaruwa. Parakramabahu statue
7. Polonnaruwa. Potgul Vihara
8. Polonnaruwa. House of Councils of the King of Nissankamalla
9. Polonnaruwa. Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu
10. Polonnaruwa. Reception Hall of King Parakramabahu
11. Kandy. Last Royal Capital
12.