Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka sits in the Indian Ocean, separated from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu by the Palk Strait. Colombo serves as the commercial capital, while Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital. Sinhala and Tamil are both official languages, with English widely used in urban areas. The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee. The country's cultural identity is shaped by Theravāda Buddhism, a rich mercantile history, and centuries of Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial presence.

Many nationalities can obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) online before arrival through Sri Lanka's official government portal. The ETA system covers both tourism and short business visits. Visa-on-arrival is available for some travellers, though arrangements change periodically. Always verify current eligibility and fees on the official ETA website before travel, as requirements shift without wide announcement.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a fifth-century citadel rising 200 metres from the central plain, remains one of Asia's most dramatic archaeological sites. The ancient city of Anuradhapura preserves some of the oldest surviving Buddhist monuments in the world. Ella, set in the hill country, offers the Nine Arches Bridge amid tea-draped ridges. Yala National Park in the southeast holds one of the world's highest densities of leopards. The Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy draws pilgrims year-round, and Mirissa's coastline is a reliable base for blue whale sightings.

Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with two distinct monsoon seasons that affect different parts of the island at different times. The southwest receives heavy rain from May to September; the northeast monsoon runs from October to January. The western and southern coasts are best visited December through March, when temperatures sit between 27°C and 32°C. The hill country around Nuwara Eliya is notably cooler, often dropping to 10–15°C at night — a light layer is worth packing even in peak season.

• Home to one of the world's oldest human-planted trees.
• Ceylon cinnamon originated exclusively on this island.
• Sri Lanka was the first country with a female prime minister.
• The island has over 1,500 recorded species of flowering plants.
• Ancient hydraulic civilization built thousands of reservoirs here.

• eta.gov.lk — official Electronic Travel Authorization portal for visa applications
• srilanka.travel — Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's national visitor information site
• meteo.gov.lk — Department of Meteorology for weather forecasts and climate data
• railway.gov.lk — Sri Lanka Railways official site for train schedules and routes