Pearl of the Indian Ocean is the most popular name given to the island of Sri Lanka. But there are so many other ways this island is called. Some of them are Serendib, Thabrobane and Teardrop of India.
Marco Polo had said “Sri Lanka the finest island of its size in the entire world”. Proving his point it is evident that you can go to a totally different vegetation and climate in a matter of a few hours. This makes quite easy for the travelers who want to do a lot in a few days.
Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean near the equator and the total land area is about 65,610 square kilometers. So you can call that Sri Lanka has the sun almost throughout the whole year. Of course, there is a monsoon, but it will be on and off rain offering enough sunlight for those who crave for it. The south west monsoon of the island is from May to July and the north and east monsoon rains start around December and January. So if you want the sun you always have a choice to choose a different part of the sun. So practically you can avoid the rain throughout the whole year as long as you are mobile and planned to move to the sunny areas accordingly.
Being a Buddhist country the most sacred place of worship for the Buddhists is the “Temple of truth” in Kandy while there are many other Buddhist temples of importance are spread all around the country. Being a multi-national and cultural country, there are many other places of worship for Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Being colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch and English there is a whole wide range of Roman Catholic churches as well. The total number of catholic churches all around the country can be quite surprising when you take into account the percentage of Catholics in the island.
For those who like wildlife Sri Lanka is definitely a place not to be missed. Despite its small size, there are top five biodiversity hotspots in the world. The wildlife enthusiasts who visit Sri Lanka are mostly focused on mammals such as Elephant, sloth bear, sambar deer and leopards. In addition to that, there are rare animals, including red slender Loris and purple-faced Langur that are named as an endangered species since their habitats are losing fast. Also the Indian ocean around Sri Lanka also is the home of blue whales and dolphins. Altogether there are about 26 species that had made the sea around Sri Lanka their home.
Even though the southern beaches of Sri Lanka are often praised as the best beaches in the island, the eastern beaches such as Arugam Bay have equally beautiful pristine beaches to offer. It is also the haven for the surfing enthusiasts as the waves are much more favorable for the surfers.
If you want to get to know Sri Lanka inside out it is best you explore the whole country. The pristine beaches, rolling hill country, the historical sites and culture will provide a comprehensive experience of this beautiful island.