SpaDreams Guide - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Pearl of the Indian Ocean

Picturesque sandy beaches, crystal clear blue sea, colourful coral reefs, coconut trees and se-cluded bays: Sri Lanka is the epitome of tropical paradise.

ContentsLAND & PEOPLE

Sri Lanka in Brief

Highlights

Cradle of Ayurveda

USEFUL INFORMATION & ADVICE

Security

Climate

Food and Drink

Healthcare

Money

Shopping

Language and Communication

Power

Etiquette

ARRIVAL & STAY

Entry Requirements

SpaDreams Service and Quality

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Pg. 4

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SpaDreams Sri Lanka Guide

Sri Lanka SpaDreams Guidebook1

Although Sri Lanka, compared to its not far distant neigh-bour, India, is tiny, you will find there incomparably great variety. The 1330 km (approx. 830 British miles) of beautiful coastline also features tea plantations fringed by mountains of lush, flowering vegetation, a rich, over 2000 years old, cul-tural heritage of cities and fascinating temples, the age-old tradition of Ayurveda and, last but not least, incredibly warm and friendly people.

Sri Lanka in Brief

• Island nation in the Indian Ocean with a population of approx. 20.6 million. Up to 1972 called Ceylon.

• Capital: Colombo. Seat of Government: Sri Jayawar-denepura (Kotte).

• Length from north to south: 440 km (approx. 275 British miles). Widest point: 220 km (approx. 140 British miles). Total approx. 65,500 km² (40,700 British sq. miles).

• Most important export: Tea (Ceylon), coffee, rubber and coconuts.

• Landscape: Central Highlands with tea growing regions and up to 2,500 m (approx. 7220 ft) high mountains, fertile lowland plains, coastal area with fisheries and palm beaches.

• Population groups and religions: about 74% Sinhalese (mostly Buddhist), about 18% of Tamils (mainly Hindus), the rest of the population: Moors (Muslims), Burgers (mainly Catholic) and other minorities.

Highlights

Sri Lanka is rich in cultural and natural treasures. As many as five of the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites are located in the so-called cultural triangle in the central highlands of Sri Lanka: the ancient ruined cities of An-uradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the palace of Sigiriya, the cave temples of Dambulla and the holy city of Kandy.

The cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the former seats of Sinhala king dynasties are particularly well known for their many Dagobas, typical of Sri Lanka’s hemis-pherical temples. In addition to old monastery sites, there are bronze palaces and temples with numerous Buddha figures and the cityscapes characterize many magnificent gardens, in addition to park and palace complexes. In Anuradhapura, there is also the famous Bodhi tree, the destination of many Buddhist pilgrims. The tree was grown from a branch of the tree under which Buddha became enlightened.

Security

Sri Lanka SpaDreams Guidebook 2

Land & People

The impressive palace of Sigiriya was built about 500 A.D. on a steeply sloping rock (“throat of the lion”), which is traver-sed by numerous caves. The increase on the rocks is incre-dibly worthwhile because about midway there are charming coloured frescoes of the famous “Cloud Girl”.

In the caves of Dambulla, you can admire beautiful pain-tings and Buddha statues, which have developed over a period of 2,000 years.

The holy city of Kandy is Sri Lanka‘s religious centre. The last royal capital of the Sinhalese, it is gorgeously situated in the middle of a wild, romantic mountain landscape and hosts a variety of fascinating religious sites. From the region of Kandy comes the best tea in the world.

Adam‘s Peak is the most sacred mountain of Sri Lanka, which is climbed daily by hundreds of pilgrims. At the top, there is a depression in the rock that looks like a footprint and is interpreted differently by followers of different religions. For Christians and Muslims, it is the footprint of Adam; for Buddhists it is the footprint of Buddha, and for the Hindus it is a sign of Shiva.

Nature and environmental protection is a top priority in Sri Lanka. The country offers a total of 15 national parks. One of the largest and most impressive parks is the Yala National Park in the south of the country. On organized safaris you can discover the amazing wildlife of Sri Lanka to include cro-codiles, monitor lizards, leopards, the fascinating bird life with peacocks, pelicans and storks and, of course, elephants.

The capital of Colombo, the entrance and exit for all visitors to Sri Lanka, is worth a visit. Spacious parks and wide streets lined with colonial magnificent buildings dominating the cityscape of the bustling metropolis.

The port city of Galle in the southwest of Sri Lanka is with

its own fort, which originates from the Dutch colonial period in the 17th century, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is surrounded by an impressive walk-on fortress wall, from which there are beautiful views of the sea, port and town. The colonial air radiating in the town centre invites you with its many small boutiques and other tourist attractions in addition to extensive adventurous walks.

Cradle of Ayurveda

Nowhere in the world, not even in the country of India, is Ayurveda as alive and present as in Sri Lanka. Many hotels and resorts employ experienced Ayurvedic doctors and offer authentic Ayurveda Cures in a fantastic location.

The millenia-old natural medicine teaching, Ayurveda is a holistic approach to man as a unity of body, mind and spirit at the centre. The treatments of the Indian doctrine of salvation, which are always tailored to the constitution of the individual, are based on a comprehensive herbal medicine and include a variety of purification techniques (e.g. Panchakarma), oil massage and many other beneficial treatments. Their goal is to obtain the internal balance to establish well-being and pre-vent disease. In the context of an authentic original Ayurveda treatment, many diseases, especially chronic ailments such as rheumatism or hypertension, can also be cured or alleviated.


Land & People

chicken curry or white curry (based on coconut milk).So-called hoppers are the usual for breakfast and are hol-low hemispherical pancakes of rice flour, coconut milk and coconut flakes. Moreover, the country offers a wide range of tropical fruits such as mangoes, papayas, passion fruit and various types of bananas.

Delicious local drinks of coconut milk directly from a fresh-ly opened coconut and tea (usually served with milk) are famous in Sri Lanka. Alcohol is obtained in licensed shops. It is worth trying out the so called arrack made from ingredients derived from Kittul palm trees, coconut and Palmya trees. On the main festive days and the periods of monthly Poya (full moon), no alcohol is sold and consumption is only allowed in the private sphere of hotel rooms.

Useful Information & Advice


Security

With the end of the civil war of 2009, security in Sri Lanka has improved enormously. All tourist areas are safe again. In the north, however, there is partly a higher risk of mines. In addi-tion, an increased military presence there is to be expected. Daily updated information on the security situation in Sri Lanka can be found at: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka.

Otherwise, Sri Lanka is one of the safest travel destinations in the tropics. Attacks on tourists hardly ever occur, as pickpo-cketing and small scams are more likely.

Climate

Sri Lanka lies in the tropics so the temperatures in the coastal regions throughout the year are relatively high. Differences between day and night temperatures are hardly noticeable. Only in the mountainous regions can nights be cold. In the lowlands, temperatures range between 24°C and 32°C (75 °F and 90 °F) in the shadowy areas. Due to monsoons in the west and south of the country, journeys are recommended from November to April, but from May to October there are also many beautiful days and many hours of sunshine. Water temperatures range at a comfortable 25°C to 27°C (77 °F to 80 °F).

Food and Drink

The traditional cuisine of Sri Lanka comes with many influ-ences, but the main course of the locals is curry. Sri Lankan curry has nothing to do with the spice blends that we know. The curry of Sri Lanka is a highly individual blend of various spices such as coriander, chilli, mustard, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon and garlic. Curry also refers to the respective main ingredient of some dishes, for example, vegetable curry,

Healthcare

Sri Lanka has a thousand-year-long experience in Ayurvedic medicine, but there are also doctors who are trained in We-stern medicine. However, some factors should be considered.

There is no vaccination, which is mandatory for entry to Sri Lanka. It is recommended to have booster shots of polio, diphtheria and tetanus prophylaxis and immunization against typhoid and hepatitis A. In addition, the usual recommenda-tions apply with respect to water and food hygiene: do not drink tap water (only bottled mineral water), do not take any drinks with ice cubes, eat only peeled fruit and wash your hands regularly. Even with ice cream, caution is advised.

Malaria is in Sri Lanka is present, but to contract it, the risk is fairly low. Anyone who wants to do without prophylactic agents should protect themselves against mosquitoes, sleep under a mosquito net and rub with insecticides.

Do not forget sunscreen (hat, sunglasses and cream)! In rural areas, pharmacy density is not too high, so you should bring your own medications. In addition, a standard first aid kit is ful-ly sufficient with drugs against diarrhoea and colds, fever, pain, wound disinfectants, insecticides and sunscreen products, ointment for insect bites or other skin irritation, fever thermo-meters and bandages.

For detailed and up-to-date medical information, visit the Foreign Travel Advice website www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/health.

In case of an emergency, you should have abroad travel health insurance with coverage of emergency return flight risk.


Jetwings Ayurveda Pavilions

Money

In Sri Lanka, money is in the form of the Sri Lanka Rupee (LKR). € 1 equals approx. 170 LKR, £ 1 equals approx. 200 LKR. The daily uptaded updated rates can be found at www.cbsl.gov.lk. Currency exchange is possible at the airport around the clock. Money exchange is cheaper in professio-nal offices. In hotels, you can also usually exchange money uncomplicated, but not always at a favourable rate. Banks are usually open from Mon-Fri 9 a.m. -1 p.m. There are also ATMs that accept credit cards as well as Visa and MasterCard debit cards. In hotels and major restaurants, most major credit cards are accepted.Make sure that you have small rupee notes and coins for smaller services.

Shopping

Whether handicrafts, batiks, tea, jewellery, spices, colourful printed fabrics, herbal remedies or wooden elephants: the markets and shops Sri Lanka offer a wide selection of beauti-ful souvenirs for remembering your Sri Lanka holiday.

The government department stores and self-service shops have fixed prices and opening times. Most smaller shops dealers are, however, open until late in the evening and on Sundays. These dealers and street vendors bargain, provided it is not about food staples such as bread or rice.

Please note that the export of antiques, tortoiseshell and ivory is not allowed. Upon returning to the EU, you may export 200 cigarettes or 250 g (approx. 2 cups) of tobacco, 4 l of wine, 16 l of beer 3 kg (6.6 lbs) of tea and other goods in the value of € 430 duty free.


Etiquette

Different countries, different customs: There are Western ways that do not fit the culture of Sri Lanka and can hurt the feelings of the natives. Below you will find tips and informati-on on suitable and typical sensitivities behaviour:

• “Ayubowan” (“May you live a long life”) is the traditional greeting of the Sinhalese, but is said also for farewell. Both hands are folded up over the chest.

• Use your right hand to take or give something, to eat and for shaking hands. The left hand is considered uncle-an in Sri Lanka.

• In Sri Lanka, emphasis is put on comfortable but proper clothing. Jeans, dress pants and t-shirts are fine. Skirts should be at least knee length. Too tight or skimpy clothing is not appreciated in Sri Lanka.

• In rural areas, women and men do not shake hands.

• Although it may occur on some hotel beaches: Enjoying the sun topless or even naked is banned in Sri Lanka as it shameful to the locals.

• Swaying shake of the head means “yes”.

• Many Sri Lankans working in the tourism industry do not live primarily from their salaries but from the tips. It is therefore common in Sri Lanka to show gratitude for good service with a tip.

• Hotel porters / bell boys receive 50-100 LKR per suitcase, taxi drivers 50 LKR and for general assistance we recommend 250 LKR. In restaurants, about 10% of the bill is attached as a tip.



Language and Communication

The official languages are Sinhala and Tamil. Of the approxi-mately 21 million inhabitants of Sri Lanka, about 74% speak Sin-hala, Tamil 25% and less than 1% are native speakers of English. English is widely spoken as a language. Place and street signs are in English and Sinhala or Tamil and English, sometimes in all three languages.

Power

In Sri Lanka, the AC voltage is 230 - 240 volt. The usual so-ckets are known as three-pole sockets arranged in a triangle with contacts. Adapters for three-pole sockets are usually provided at the hotel reception. Be careful with sensitive equipment - the power voltage varies in Sri Lanka! Power outages are not rare.

Entry Requirements

There are passport and visa requirements for Britons visiting Sri Lanka. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months. Apply for the visa in good time before the trip either at a Sri Lankan diplomatic mission or online at www.eta.gov.lk. The cost is about 30 USD. Visas for Children under 12 years are free of charge. For the stay, which may last a maximum of 30 days, you should also have a return or onward ticket and sufficient funds (foreign currency in worth of 15 USD per day of stay or internationally valid debit card) and be able to prove your location (hotel voucher). Please note that your entry regulations can change at short notice. Updated information is available under www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/entry-requirements or http://www.srilankahighcommission.co.uk. You are welcome to contact us directly as well.


Resort „Paradiese-Island“

Dambulla

SpaDreams Service & Quality

SpaDreams will assist you in organising your Sri Lanka trip with a personalised service and excellent advice for everything and ensures a comfortable and cheap arrival. Whether you want to make a comfortable holiday on the be-ach, an authentic Ayurveda treatment, a tour of the highlights of Sri Lanka or a combination of all - our experts will make your perfect Sri Lanka travel together. For each of our hotels and resorts in Sri Lanka, we have longstanding contacts and secure regular quality standards.

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SpaDreams Guide - Sri Lanka