The most beautiful island in the world: Marco Polo said it without fear of denial. Sri Lanka, the ancient Ceylon,is one of those places on the planet that is closest to the idea of heaven on earth, a destination that combines the amazing beauty of nature,tens of kilometers of pristine beaches, to an ancient and exceedingly intriguing culture. Due to its distinctive shape and location, not far from the Indian peninsula, the island has been dubbed the “India’s Tear”.
Sri Lanka has a whole host of natural wonders, ranging from whale and dolphin watching in the beautiful Mirissia, which dispenses incredible thrills with almost physical contact with huge humpback whales, to night hikes to see turtles in Rekawa and a visit to elephants in Pinnawela. And sports activities range from rafting, even at night on nights before the full moon, to canoeing and kayaking to reach remote temples, to day and night treks that touch national parks and archaeological sites.
snorkeling island – Sri Lanka is one of the most popular places for divers in the world: the best spots on the west coast include the well-equipped Kalpitiya, Beruwala and Bantota.
In particular, Nagombo attracts the most interest with its large sandstone cliffs, which have the characteristic of being covered with corals at an average depth of about eighteen meters. Large schools of fish, groupers, barracudas and moray eels roam around there: there is the gigantic Napoleon fish. On the coast of The Coast, the most significant places are Hikkaduwa and the famous Great and Little Basses:the coast is full of wrecks of shipwrecked ships. Beaches for all tastes – For those who simply want to relax and take a magnificent Unawatuna bath is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
On the south coast Mirissa and Weligama are popular with surfers, on the east coast the famous Trincomalee offers fantastic waves for windsurfing enthusiasts especially during the southwestern monsoon period when the wind is strong and the sea is choppy. On the northeastern coast is still the beautiful Kalpitiya,a resort ideal for relaxing on the white sand, but also for those who want to do kitesurfing, kayaking and fishing. It is also a great area, such as Missiria, for the sighting of cetaceans (whales and dolphins). Located 60 km south of Colombo,the capital, the popular seaside resort of Bentot is a narrow tongue of golden sand between a lagoon and the sea.
An ancient history – The ancient capital Polonnaruwa is worth a visit with its huge dagoba (Buddhist relics) and statues of the Buddha, a World Heritage Site.
Also very interesting is the ancient archaeological site of Sigiriya, which dates back to the 6th century BC. Many consider it theeighth wonder of the world:it is a steep rock 370 meters high and is overlooking all sides, visible from all sides of the plain. From here you can set off for the temples of Dambulla,which are considered among the most extraordinary examples of Buddhist art, to then reach Kandy,a regal city where you can witness unusual performances of traditional dances. Among the traditional festivals is in fact the Kandy Esala that takes place at the end of July : ten days of celebration of parades of elephants bared in spectacular fashion and dances of Buddhist and Hindu tradition in the streets.
