Overview
From Andrew Harper
Sri Lanka, the former Ceylon, is an island nation of 20 million inhabitants lying off the southern tip of India. The country offers grand colonial buildings, lush tropical landscapes, fine golden beaches and a rich Buddhist culture. Historically, it has been considered a serene and uniquely fortunate place, indeed, the English word “serendipity” derives from Serendip, the Persian name for Sri Lanka. Today, alas, it continues to struggle with the aftermath of a long and bitter civil war between the Sinhalese and the Tamil minority. The island is safe for foreign travelers, however; tourism is increasing, and it is possible to be guardedly optimistic about the future.
CLIMATE: Sri Lanka enjoys a tropical climate. Temperatures and humidity tend to be high, but sea breezes make the coast more agreeable. Rainfall is moderate to heavy throughout the year. The monsoon makes landfall in Sri Lanka before proceeding north up the Indian subcontinent. In consequence, May is the wettest month.
TIME: Ten and a half hours ahead of New York (EST).
CURRENCY: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR). Fluctuating rate valued at LKR114 = US$1.00 as of January 2012. Note: Our suggested hotels quote rates in US$.
U.S. EMBASSY: Colombo, Tel. (11) 249-8500.
DIRECT DIAL CODES: To phone hotels in Sri Lanka, dial 011 (international access) + 94 (Sri Lanka code) + local numbers in listings.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Passport and visa. Visit travel.state.gov, and for travelers’ health information, cdc.gov
GENERAL INFORMATION: Visit srilankatourism.org before your trip.
