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POLITICAL STABILITY: There are often dire warnings about terrorism carried out, by Tamil separatists in Sri Lanka. But don't let them put you off a visit. Tourists are rarely anywhere close to the trouble. In fact, on guided and package holidays, you will be kept clear of the trouble which is mostly in the north and east of the Island. It's a pity because one of the best national parks is on the eastern side. It is not in an area of high danger but many operators refuse to take tourists there. It depends on the intensity of terrorist activity at the time and you'll have to check with your foreign office before embarking. The conflict goes on pretty much all the time and is close to civil war in the northern part of the island, but it only really gets world attention when it affects a westerner eg Prince Charles had to cancel a visit to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy because a bomb had gone off in the old hill capital. I was kept away from the temple when I was there in February 1998 for the same reason. But that was the time the country was celebrating its 40th anniversary of independance. The main terrorist target is the capital Colombo. You will fly into Colombo but all tourist companies whisk you through and away as quickly as possible and advise you not to visit the city. Frankly it's probably less dangerous than visiting London and lots of people disregard the advice to stock up on cheap clothes. Sri Lanka makes many quality clothes for the international market and you'll find Next and Marks & Spencers clothes at very low prices. CONTINUE DOWN THE PAGE FOR PLACES OF INTEREST |
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Most of the tourist hotels are in the south eastern part of the Island, all within striking distance of the orphanage, which features on just about every holiday programme about the island. There are hundreds of elephants there. It's best to arrive at feeding time! Beware, they are not tame and have been known to charge the unwary tourist. UDIWELAWI NATIONAL PARK Take a day's safari here and you will get charged by an elephant. We did, and very exciting it was,too. Crocodiles, monkeys and exotic birdlife feature, too. It's tough to get to. Most of Sri Lanka's roads are pretty dodgy and getting there from the coast can take the best part of the day. It is usual to stay the night at the Centurion hotel. It's basic but clean and the food and staff are very good. TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH One of Buddhism's most highly esteemed places of worship, the temple is said to house one of the Buddha's teeth. Hang around long enough and you'll get to see it. He must have been a big fellah judging by the size of it. The temple itself has a golden roof, and I mean gold, not gold coloured! The temple is in Kandy, the old hill capital. It's a good place to go to get away from the heat because it is up in the mountains. SIGIRIYA An ancient hill fortress that has recently been officially listed as the eighth wonder of the world. Best visited as part of a week-long tour around the island which can often be included as part of a package. GALLE An old Dutch colonial port, now listed as a world heritage site. Nice, but to be honest, if this is your thing you can see as good in Europe. SOUTHERN BEACHES The most beautiful beaches seem to be reserved for fishermen. In this part of Sri Lanka you can find unspoilt tropical paradise and the famous stilt fishermen. Stop and take a picture and they'll probably ask you for a few rupees – they aren't that unspoilt! MORE WILL BE ADDED... CLIMATE: See below (it's usually hot. The monsoon season can be wet and is usually on kind of September to December, I think. Global climate changes mean this is getting harder to predict) |
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