The tropical island of Sri Lanka, known as the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean", is a popular tourist destination not only due to her sandy beaches but also because of the rich heritage and the tea highlands.
What's most remarkable, is the extrordinary diversity of natural and cultural attractions Sri Lanka has too offer. There are three very different climate and vegetation zones on the island. The monsoon-fed southwest is lush green, the highlands are mild or even cold, wheras the dry zone jungles are wildlife areas inhabited by elephants and leopards. Sri Lanka's Buddhist heritage sites are much older than those in Southeast Asia and Buddhist traditons have shaped the Sinhalese majority till the present day. Significant minority groups of three other world religions and indigenous animistic Weddas form parts of the island's vibrant culture, too. The reason why Sri Lanka's heritage attractions are so appealing and memorable for travelers is that ancient sites are mostly embedded in a quite charming natural setting. Actually, this intimate relationship of culture and nature has drawn attention from the earlist times onwards.
What's most remarkable, is the extrordinary diversity of natural and cultural attractions Sri Lanka has too offer. There are three very different climate and vegetation zones on the island. The monsoon-fed southwest is lush green, the highlands are mild or even cold, wheras the dry zone jungles are wildlife areas inhabited by elephants and leopards. Sri Lanka's Buddhist heritage sites are much older than those in Southeast Asia and Buddhist traditons have shaped the Sinhalese majority till the present day. Significant minority groups of three other world religions and indigenous animistic Weddas form parts of the island's vibrant culture, too. The reason why Sri Lanka's heritage attractions are so appealing and memorable for travelers is that ancient sites are mostly embedded in a quite charming natural setting. Actually, this intimate relationship of culture and nature has drawn attention from the earlist times onwards.