Sri Lanka; The Bradt Travel Guide

by Royston Ellis

• ISBN13: 9781841620213
• ISBN10: 1841620211
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2002-09-01
• Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides

Summary

Famed for its sandy beaches and fine teas, Sri Lanka offers so much more. A complete range of coastal resorts are covered for the tourist looking to unwind, with a variety of activities and attractions that will tempt visitors to explore the interior of the island. Suggestions on places to visit include the following: temples and shrines, the elephant orphanage at Pinnawela, botanical and zoological gardens, and a pilgrimage to the top of Adams Peak by night to watch the sunrise over Sri Lanka. Niche interests are well catered for, ranging from vintage motorcar rallying and steam rail travel to cricket tours and Buddhist monastery meditation courses. At last, the definitive travel guide to this island by travel writer in residence, Royston Ellis provides personal recommendations for accommodations, restaurants, and bars for all tastes.

Author Biography

Royston Ellis is a travel writer and biographer with a specialist knowledge of the Indian Ocean islands. He contributes regularly to airline magazines and has lived in Sri Lanka for over 20 years. He is also author of Bradt’s Maldives and Mauritius, Rodrigues and Réunion.

Table of Contents

Introduction	vi
PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION	1	(58)
Background Information	3	(16)
Geography	3	(1)
Climate and seasons	3	(1)
Natural history and conservation	4	(1)
History	4	(3)
Politics	7	(2)
Economy	9	(1)
People	10	(1)
Language	11	(1)
Religion	11	(1)
Tourism	12	(7)
Practical Information	19	(40)
When to visit	19	(1)
How long	19	(1)
Highlights	19	(1)
Suggested itineraries	20	(1)
Tour operators	20	(4)
Red tape	24	(3)
Health	27	(5)
Security and safety	32	(4)
Getting there	36	(1)
Travellers with special needs	37	(1)
What to take	38	(2)
What to wear	40	(1)
Money	40	(2)
Getting around	42	(4)
Accommodation	46	(2)
Eating and Drinking	48	(2)
Public holidays and festivals	50	(2)
Time	52	(1)
Business hours	53	(1)
Shopping	53	(1)
Photography	53	(1)
Media	54	(1)
Communications	55	(2)
Business	57	(1)
Culture shock	57	(2)
PART TWO THE GUIDE	59	(214)
Colombo	61	(22)
History	61	(1)
Getting around	62	(4)
Where to stay	66	(2)
Where to eat and drink	68	(4)
Nightlife	72	(1)
Cyber cafes	73	(1)
Shopping	73	(2)
What to see	75	(3)
Day trips	78	(5)
The Cultural Triangle	83	(50)
History	84	(1)
Getting there	85	(1)
Getting around	86	(1)
Kandy	87	(25)
Anuradhapura	112	(7)
Dambulla	119	(2)
Giritale	121	(2)
Habarana	123	(2)
Mihintale	125	(1)
Polonnaruwa	126	(4)
Sigiriya	130	(2)
Yapahuwa	132	(1)
The Hill Country	133	(40)
History	134	(1)
Getting there	134	(6)
Badulla	140	(2)
Bandarawela	142	(4)
Belihul Oya	146	(1)
Ella	146	(3)
Haldumulla	149	(1)
Halpe	150	(1)
Haputale	151	(4)
Hatton	155	(2)
Kotmale	157	(1)
Nuwara Eliya	158	(11)
Ramboda	169	(1)
Talawakele	170	(3)
National Parks and Interior Towns	173	(34)
National parks	173	(19)
The interior towns	192	(15)
The West Coast	207	(30)
Getting there	212	(3)
Beach resorts	215	(22)
The Deep South	237	(28)
History	237	(2)
Getting there	239	(3)
Getting around	242	(1)
Resorts	242	(23)
The Eastern Seaboard	265	(8)
Trincomalee	265	(8)
Appendix 1 Language	273	(2)
Appendix 2 Further Information	275	(3)
Index	278

Excerpts

Perhaps the pattern to experiences and places that intrigue me in Sri Lanka can be defined with one word: contrast. The romantic may envisage Sri Lanka as a land of serenity (it is, usually) while the sports fan sees it differently, as the home of dynamic cricket. There are rolling hills clad in close-cropped tea bushes in the frosty chill of nearly 2,000m (6,561 ft) above sea level. Yet they are only a morning's drive from the surf-lapped beaches of the Indian Ocean, where temperatures sizzle at 30-plus degrees Celsius.

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Excerpted from Sri Lanka by Royston Ellis
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