Sri Lanka is a mesmerizing small island situated at the southern tip of India. Blessed with a diverse landscape ranging from lush green tropical forests to highlands, arid plains, waterfalls, and pristine sandy beaches, as well as vibrant biodiversity, exotic wildlife, and a rich cultural heritage, Sri Lanka has tourism products for everyone. While there is a long list of reasons why one should visit Sri Lanka, this article presents the top 10 reasons that have been the mainspring to attract tourists to Sri Lanka. The reasons are:
1. Golden Beaches
Sri Lanka is iconic for its golden beaches. With nearly 1600 km of palm-fringed coastline baked to perfection surrounding the country, Sri Lanka is the ideal destination for beach lovers worldwide. The beautiful, breath-taking, and panoramic views of the western, southern, eastern, and northern coastlines are yet another proof of why you should choose this island as your ultimate holiday destination. Sun-bathing and sea-bathing all year round because the country is a tropical one.
2. Nature and landscape
Sri Lanka is endowed with diverse types of landscapes comprising mountains, rivers, waterfalls, vegetation including paddy fields, coconut groves, tea estates, spice gardens, cascading waterfalls, and a riot of flowers and fruits. Cool climates, misty views, and breathtaking sunrises and sunsets offer a mellow experience to any traveller to Sri Lanka.
3. Hospitable and ever-smilingly friendly people
Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation whose people live together in extreme harmony. The people of Sri Lanka are warm and very friendly, a fact reflected in their smiling faces and eagerness to help all travellers to Sri Lanka.
4. Biodiversity and exotic wildlife
Unarguably, Sri Lanka is one of the best biodiversity hotspots in the world. Amazing wildlife is yet another. There are so many species endemic to Sri Lanka in its forest reserves. Further, the vast sea around the country houses a lot of marine species as well. With this blend of diverse wildlife and sanctuaries, Sri Lanka has become a land to enjoy the premium bliss of biodiversity and wildlife. Safari tours, visiting elephant orphanages, bird watching, whale watching, and dolphin dancing are some of the activities that provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience to tourists.
5. Rich Cultural Heritage
Sri Lanka’s history dates back more than 2500 years. These ancient cities and their glorious remains, which are temples, fortresses, statues, and irrigation feats, can still make people gaze at them with reverence as evidence of a very rich civilization. Sri Lanka is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
6. Delicious Food
Sri Lankan cuisine is a culmination of diverse food items from various cultures in the country. The staple food of Sri Lanka is rice, which is accompanied by several different curries rich in spices and flavour which is a phenomenal gastronomical adventure. From fine dining establishments to roadside eateries and street food vendors, Sri Lanka offers a unique and flavoursome food experience to all travellers.
7. Adventure and Sports
Sri Lanka features a wealth of adventures, from the tops of the hills to the depths of the oceans. Scuba diving and surfing are the most popular beach sports in the country, aside from swimming in the water or snorkelling. Besides, Sri Lanka has some of the best diving in the world. The sea around Sri Lanka is also one of the most challenging sites for marine game fishing, white-water rafting, kayaking, and canoeing. Moreover, hiking and trekking, golf, and elephant polo are some of the sports that will also give new experiences to travellers.
8. Accommodation
Sri Lanka is an exceptional holiday destination because it offers every conceivable variety of accommodation, from luxury camping to glamorous five-star hotels that can be found on the island. Sri Lanka also has special theme hotels such as heritage hotels, wellness and ayurveda properties, contemporary or colonial boutique mansions and villas, eco-friendly resorts, opulent beach retreats, homestays, guest houses, and apartments. The wide range of accommodations caters to every type of visitor, from budget-minded travellers to big spenders keen on enjoying the luxuries of life.
9. Year-round festivals
With a population composed of many races and religions, Sri Lanka is never short of festivals and celebrations. Every month brings a celebration of either religious or cultural importance, making Sri Lanka one of the countries with the highest number of celebrations. The Sinhala-Tamil New Year festival in April is the most important traditional festival in the country. The full moon day in the month of May is called Vesak, which is one of the most important religious celebrations in Sri Lanka, where Buddhists celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Lord Buddha with many celebrations. The Kandy Esala Perahera is the largest cultural parade in the world and showcases the best of Sri Lankan dancing and music and the best of the domesticated tuskers in the country.
10. Compact climate zones
The ability to experience entirely different climate zones and terrains in Sri Lanka is a unique experience. In Sri Lanka, a traveller may experience entirely different-themed cities or provinces within hours, with changes in the terrain, sea level differences, ambience, and environment in general. This is a magnificent phenomenon that is hard to come by in other countries.
Sri Lanka would be heaven on earth since it has everything that a traveller wants to see. With its vivid diversity, Sri Lanka is a magical wonderland that is a dream come true for any tourist who wants to have the perfect holiday and take back home a lifetime memory to cherish