Location: South Asia, the island in the Indian Ocean, separated from India by the Palk Strait.
Capital: Colombo
Tourist Attractions: The island nation of Sri Lanka is a resplendent country with Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte being its legislative capital. While traveling to Sri Lanka, do check about the tsunami updates and also refrain from visiting Batticaloa, areas north of Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Nilaveli and Jaffna Peninsula that are heavily mined and prone to sporadic clashes between the Army and LTTE insurgents. The major tourist attractions are the 5th century Aukana Buddha that is over 12m in height, the Buddhist hermitage of Dimbulagala and the half-excavated site of Panduwasnuwara that has a small museum. The Uda Walawe National Park and the temple of Ridi Vihara having beautiful frescoes and the unusual Dutch tiles also figure on tourist itineraries. The cities of Anuradhapura, Colombo and Kandy are a must visit. Sri Lanka also has beautiful beaches and venues for water sports. The tea plantations in the highlands offer opportunities for nature treks and bird-watching.
Access: Sri Lanka can be accessed by air by direct flights from Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.
Climate: The climate is tropical in nature with hot, humid summers. Sri Lanka is subject to two phases of monsoon – the southwest monsoon from May to August and the northeast monsoon from October to January. The hilly areas are cool and pleasant throughout.