SRI LANKA
Indian Ocean Gem
Sri Lanka has emerged from decades of conflict to become one of the most popular places in Asia for photographers to visit. With its booming capital city of Colombo, and the gorgeous tea plantations of its mountainous interior regions, this island nation is a treasure trove of photographic opportunities. It’s a destination most photographers will love to visit.
The capital city of Colombo is a great place to start an epic journey through this beautiful country. But once you get into the mountainous regions of the interior, you’ll be treated to some truly spectacular scenery. The numerous tea plantations, wildlife sanctuaries, tribal villages, and a train trip you won’t forget, all add up to a wonderful tour filled with great memories.
To visit Sri Lanka today, means to visit its colonial past. Although the country has been independent from Britain since 1948, it’s hard to ignore the existence of the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British influence on the nation. Visible references are everywhere, in architecture, street and village names, and even cuisine.
But there’s also Sri Lanka’s influence in the region, trading in tea and religion. The country’s massive tea industry began commercial production in the 1850’s and grew to become the largest exporter in the world at one point. It continues to employ millions of citizens, and blankets much of the hillsides all over the country.
Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism of any Buddhist nation. And the Theravada form of Buddhism that’s commonly practiced in Southeast Asia originated in Ceylon. The countries of Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Laos are all primarily observing this form of Buddhism that was imported from Ceylon. Transiting through Sri Lanka today, you’ll see many temples and monuments dedicated to this religion, and all of them are worth the time and effort to see.
Plan for about 10 days, and if you want a deep dive into what makes the country tick, or you want to visit many locations, maybe as much as 2 or 3 weeks.
As always, the length of the journey is your call, since it’s your private tour.
SRI LANKA HIGHLIGHTS
Sri Lanka's Cultural Visuals
Sri Lanka's Cultural Visuals
• Stilted fishermen
• Mountain trains
• Sacred city of Kandy
Sri Lanka's Natural Wonders
Sri Lanka's Natural Wonders
• Sigiriya Rock
• Rolling hills of tea plantations
• Dambulla Cave
• Yala National Park
• Mirissa whale watching
UNESCO World Heritage sites
UNESCO World Heritage sites
• 6 cultural sites
• 2 natural sites
Architectural Marvels
Architectural Marvels
• Galle Fort
• Jetavanaramaya stupa
• Polonnaruwa Vatadage
• Nine Arch Bridge
• Colombo’s tower boom
When to Travel to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is located near the equator, so the temperature is pretty constant throughout the year. The most important thing to take in to account when considering travel to Sri Lanka are the monsoons.
The southern monsoon affects the south and west part of the island, while the northern monsoon affects the north and east part of the island. Fortunately they don’t happen at the same time.
Overall, the best time to visit where the weather is good everywhere would be January through April. August and September can also be pleasant in most areas. If you have specific dates in mind, please let us know.
• Monsoon season in the south and west is May through July. The best time to visit this part of the island would be the months between December and March.
• Monsoon season in the north and east is October through January. The months between March and September would be the best time to visit these parts of the island.
Combines Nicely With...
If you’re thinking of combining a visit to Sri Lanka with a visit to another country, you should consider:
THAILAND
Maybe consider combining your
trip to Sri Lanka with a trip to Thailand.
Check it out...
At Private Photo Tours, the safety and wellbeing of our guests is very important. We do our best to keep up with the latest developments concerning the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, but things are changing pretty rapidly. So we rely on an outside source that collates the latest information in one handy location.
If you would also like more information about travelling to Sri Lanka during the current COVID-19 pandemic, please visit these websites for up-to-date details: TravelBans.org or Sherpa
With this site, you can identify your nationality or residency, and it will give the most recent information about travel to each country, and any medical requirements or quarantines needed.
