There has never been a better time to visit Sri Lanka

Caroline Dobson on 07 October 2019
A year ago, Sri Lanka topped Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2019 list. Tourism was booming, with visitors attracted to the country’s golden sandy beaches, stunning highland scenery, diverse wildlife and rich heritage.

The Easter Sunday suicide bombings killed more than 250 people – coming as a bolt from the blue and threatened to wreck Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. In the weeks following the attacks, arrivals dropped by 70%. However, since then Travel Advisories have been lifted and visitors are starting to return.

In fact, there has probably never been a better time to visit Sri Lanka. British visitors can now obtain a free visa, the hospitality has never been more welcoming and many of the hotels and resorts are offering extremely good deals with up to 50% off the normal rates.

For a relatively small country Sri Lanka boasts an incredible diversity of sights and experiences. In just ten days you could discover the historic delights of the Cultural Triangle, enjoy an elephant safari in Minneriya National Park, mix with pilgrims in spiritual Kandy, trek though the luscious green scenery of the Tea Country and finish up on a stunning beach!

Let’s discover more…

Commonly referred to as the ‘Cultural Triangle’, the central plains area boasts no less than four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the striking rock fortress of Sigiriya, Dambulla’s incredible cave temples and the crumbling ancient capitals of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. With the added bonus of viewing elephants at wonderful Minneriya National Park, a stay in this region is a highlight of any trip to Sri Lanka.

Away from the heat of the coastal regions, the Hill Country contains some of Sri Lanka’s most stunning scenery. From the rolling tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the Hill Country is a land unto itself, pulsating with adventure and charm. Watch out for monkeys in the mist-filled jungle, and the sounds of waterfalls nearby.

The most famous of Sri Lanka’s national parks is Yala, located on the South East coast of the island. Yala is home to a variety of animals and boasts the highest concentrations of leopard in the world. You can also see elephants, sambar and spotted deer, wild boar, wild buffaloes, macaque and langur monkeys, sloth bears, jackals, mongooses, pangolins, porcupines, rabbits, wild cats, and crocodiles.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, sitting on a peninsula on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast, Galle Fort is surrounded by water on three sides. The enchanting small streets are a delight to explore, with dozens of restaurants, cafés and quirky shops nestled amid decaying colonial buildings and grand fort walls. Soak up the atmosphere with a stay in one of the fort’s boutique hotels.

With 1,340 km of tropical coastline, Sri Lanka is certainly not short of beautiful beaches. The south and East coast are driest during out winter, while the West coast is dried during our summer so any time of year is a good time to visit a Sri Lankan beach.