Known as a 'Tear Drop in the Indian Ocean', the island of Ceylon is actually a tear drop shaped state off the southern coast of India. Located in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, it's also referred to as the Emerald Isle as well as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, because of its lush landscapes, extreme greenery and scenic locales. It is really a varied region, housing many religions, cultures and languages. The capital is Colombo, an urban city in the heart the region. The nation is separated from India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. According to legends, a bridge of stone steps joined the island to the south of India, and such steps can still be seen jutting outside of the ocean. The geography of the island is mostly plains, with the landscape becoming a bit mountainous in the south. The current weather is humid and warm throughout the year.
Visiting Sri-lanka
It is not called the Emerald Isle for no reason. Because of its topography and climate, it's a biodiversity hotspot. With more than the usual 100 rivers, a few lagoons and estuaries and numerous wildlife sanctuaries, The state boasts certainly one of the densest biodiversities in the Asia, despite its relatively diminutive size. Sri Lanka Holidays is usually devoted to its natural beauty. The nation has bountiful flora and fauna, including indigenous elephants, leopards and tigers. The island's tea plantations are abundant and increase the scenic quality of its own landscape. Travelling in Sri Lanka is a joy, owing to its friendly locals, calm ambience and bluff verdancy. Maldives, another smaller island, is just an hour's flight from here. Tailor made tours to Sri-lanka usually give the choice of clubbing Maldives to the itinerary.
A favorite honeymoon destination
The island is continuing to grow to become a rather popular honeymoon destination today. Many honeymooners holidays in sri lanka to enjoy the serenity of the pristine beaches, lushness of the tea plantations, wildlife safaris in the national parks and mixture of Hinduism and Buddhism cultures. The country is dotted with many prominent and wonderfully designed Hindu and Buddhist temples. A popular area to visit is Kandy, where in fact the Temple of the Tooth is found. This temple is quite a important pilgrimage site for Buddhists, as it includes a relic of Lord Buddha - his tooth. Other destinations within the island include Colombo, Sigiriya, Pollonaruwa, Galle, and Anuradhapura.
Below are only some of the renowned sites that are well worth visiting:
Anuradhapura - the capital of the north central province of Sri Lanka was when the royal capital of the country from as far back as 380 BC. Centuries ago a branch from the sacred bo-tree under which the Lord Buddha achieved enlightenment was conveyed here and marked the spread of Buddhism on the other side of the land. Many Buddhists now make a pilgrimage to this holy city to pay homage to the Lord Buddha.
Polonnaruwa - this was where the Chola kings of Southern India once called capital as well as home while they fought against the Sinhalese for power within the north. The ruins stand on the east shore of the large artificial lake, the Topa Wewa Lake, created by King Parakramabahu I, whose reign was Polonnaruwa's golden-age. Within a rectangle of city walls stand palace buildings and clusters of dozens of dagobas, temples and different other religious buildings.
Sigiriya - some Sort Of Heritage Site and yet another revered religious relic, this giant rock is climbed by tens of thousands annually. On the way, one can find a few temples and other rocks to scale, and hiking is very famous the region. the moat around Sigiriya is a beautiful area to really go for a walk, and also the hotels nearby are quite suitable for this Go Here.