Why you need to visit Sri Lanka in 2023 

With a sunny climate during most of the year, the island of Sri Lanka at the southern tip of India was claimed as the finest island of its size on earth by Marco Polo the 13th-century explorer. Today his insightful remarks resonate well as this tiny island boasts some spectacular beaches in the world and packs a myriad of other experiences which can be covered in a few days. Be wowed by these as valued visitors of Sri Lanka as it tries to regain stability post-COVID and ensuing economic turmoil.

Touring Colombo

Colombo is the commercial capital of Sri Lanka with many interesting places to be explored by the curious visitor such as the views of old Colombo and new Colombo as it had been transformed over the years and many other iconic sites. This provides a deeper understanding of the city and the people.

Colombo City Tours are offered on colourful double-decker buses in three different categories (based on the visitors’ choice). The categories are branded as Glimpse of Colombo, Heritage of Colombo, and Colombo at Night. These 3-hour tours commence from the Galle Face Hotel in the heart of the city and are among some of the best things to do near Colombo.

Visitors from hotels around the city such as Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo will be picked on the way.

People, food, and festivals

Embracing diverse ethnicities and cultures Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims are the predominant ethnicities resulting in a exotic cuisine, a blend of all cultures. The staple food is rice or rotis consumed with a variety of mouthwatering dishes including seafood and meat.

Sri Lankans are a friendly race and visitors are always greeted with a warm smile.

With many ethnicities, it is not surprising that there are festivals throughout the year such as Wesak, Diwali, Sinhala and Tamil New Year and Kandy Esela Festival are some of the colourful ones with celebrations and parades taking place.  

Wildlife and Nature

This tiny island must be explored layer by layer from the South to the North or vice versa picking up the natural and manmade vistas that appeal to your many senses.

National Parks - An abundance of wildlife from amazing blue whales of Mirissa to majestic elephants to cunning and elusive leopards to sloth bears, spotted dear and varieties of birds and many more can be seen in Sri Lanka. A whale watching tour in the south (Mirissa) and visiting various National Parks across the island such as Minneriya National Park and Yala National Park etc to see other species on land can be selected according to the stay.

Botanical Gardens – While there are 04 notable botanical Gardens on the island, the Royal Botanical Gardens Peradeniya and Hakgala Botanical Gardens in Nuwara Eliya are irresistible attractions offering an array of experiences for nature lovers with blooms, fragrances and the natural aesthetics of these parks.

Waterfalls – Many enchanting waterfalls grace the misty mountains across Sri Lanka like shimmering curtains or gurgling cascades. St Clair’s Falls, Baker’s Falls and Dunhinda Falls are just a few of these beauties.

Beaches

Irrespective of the time of the year there will be diverse beach experiences you can experience in Sri Lanka. The fine sand, clear water, and cerulean skies are aplenty awaiting beach lovers. Enjoy the beaches, the breathtaking coral reefs and incredible water sports such as surfing, diving, water skiing and more.

Culture and Heritage

Small in size yet mighty in their rich history and culture, the ancient Sri Lankan Kingdoms of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Kandy still carry the historical splendour and all these kingdoms, and a few other sites and locations are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Be awed by the architectural creativity of the Sigiriya Rock fortress, the amazing craftmanship of the ruins of Anuradhapura, and the beautiful structures and serenity of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy venerated by Buddhists from all over the world.

These are only a handful of experiences encompassed on this charming Pearl of the Indian Ocean, do plan a visit to woo the many attractions here and go away with a load of happy memories.