Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka
Location
Coat of arms and flag
Capital	Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte
Government	presidential republic
Currency	Sinhala rupee (LKR)
Surface	65,610 km²
Inhabitants	19.900.000
Tongue	Sri Lankan (Official and state language) 74%, Tamil (Official and state language) 18%, Others 8%
Religion	70% Buddhist, 15% Hindu, 8% Christian, 8% Muslim
Electricity	230V / 50Hz (British plug)
Prefix	94
TLD	.lk
Time zone	UTC 5:30
Website	Sri Lanka Tourist Board

Sri Lanka is the name of an island state of the Indian subcontinent.

To know

Entrance to the gold temple

Landscapes around Kandy

Having emerged in 2009 from a long and bloody civil war that devoured huge financial resources, forcing many of its residents to choose the path of emigration, the country is acquiring first-rate tourist infrastructures, thanks also to ambitious government projects that they aim to make Sri Lanka a far more renowned competitor Thailand.

Although the possibility for the country to attract such a large number of tourists remains doubtful, it is worthwhile to take advantage of it to enjoy an individual holiday at prices, all in all, still negligible.

They are mainly the provinces ofEast he was born in north, remained excluded from tourism throughout the civil conflict, to be stormed by hoteliers.

Geographical notes

Located at the southern end of the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka has an area of ​​65,610 km², larger than Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearic Islands combined.

Its territory is mostly flat but at its center there is a mountainous massif that culminates in the Pidurutalagala mountains (2,524 m.) And in the Adam's peak (2,243 m.). About twenty short rivers originate from the central massif and are interrupted in the first part by numerous waterfalls. The landscape is very varied and extremely green. The areas oriental however, they are more arid and have the typical characteristics of the savannah. This climatic difference results in a privilege for potential tourists as they can count on a greater number of sunny days.

Population - The majority of the population is made up of Sinhalese people who speak an Indo-Aryan language evolved from Pali, a language related to Sanskrit. They profess the Buddhist religion in the Theravada form. The Tamils ​​constitute a sizeable minority, speak a Dravidian language and profess Hinduism. They are mainly attested in north and inEast of the country while the Sinhalese appear to be allocated in the provinces ad west it's at south. About one million Muslims, descendants of the Moors of Sri Lanka. They constitute a wealthy minority, engaged in lucrative businesses. The term "Burghers", on the other hand, indicates individuals deriving from the crossing with European colonizers, especially Portuguese and Dutch. Christianity in the Catholic form is professed by 8% of the population. Thanks to the intense work of proselytism carried out by the Portuguese who did not hesitate to destroy Hindu and Buddhist temples. On the other hand, the efforts of the Dutch to convert the premises to Protestantism were in vain.

Tea plantation in Sri Lanka

Flora - More than 3000 species of flowers have been recorded on the island. The orchid grows wild and comes in a thousand varieties. The tea plantations introduced by the British in the nineteenth century gradually expanded to the detriment of the forests that covered the flanks of the central massif. Today only a few flaps remain, among which the most interesting are the Sinharaja forest and that of Udawattekele near Kandy. Both areas are protected areas. Among the trees, the coconut palm (Cocus nocifera) is a very common tree of life. All of the plant is in fact exploited. From the dried pulp of the coconut (copra) an oil is obtained that is used for frying but also glues and soaps. By scraping the white pulp of the fruit, coconut milk is obtained which also has culinary uses. The bark provides fibers to make ropes, carpets and even brooms. The wood of the trunk and the leaves are used for the construction of huts and boats. From the sap extracted by carving the inflorescences an alcoholic drink known as Arrack or palm wine is obtained by fermentation.The Bodhi tree whose scientific name is Ficus Religiosa, has a sacred character. The most revered of these trees is found in Anuradhapura. According to popular belief it is believed to have sprouted from a seed of the original Bodhi tree, under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment while engrossed in meditation.

Elephants in the Pinnawela orphanage

Fauna - Monkeys, elephants, zebu make up the local fauna. When winter falls in Europe, 400 species of birds flock to the island, gathering on the shores of lakes and lagoons or in protected areas. The marine fauna consists of turtles, whales and dolphins. The latter can be seen more easily between February and March in the localities of Trincomalee is Hambantota or, better still, in the waters around the Great and Little Basses Reef, two coral formations off the southern coast at the height of Yala National Park.

When to go

In general, the best time to visit the country is from December to March in correspondence with the dry season. The accommodations, especially the more modest ones, are sold out at the most important religious festivals in the country shown below. The most renowned hotels, on the other hand, fill up with Western tourists to coincide with the Christmas holidays. They are generally tourists who have signed up for an all-inclusive package, which is why those traveling individually will not find a place in luxury hotels or will find it at higher prices.

According to a minority, the second fortnight of October is a good period for a visit as the vegetation is at its fullest thanks to the rains that have just stopped.

The country is subjected to a double monsoon regime:

1) From mid-May to October, the western monsoon blows, bringing with it abundant rains that find a barrier in the central massif.

2) From December and March a much weaker monsoon blows, which mainly affects the Oriental Coast saving the western one thanks to the barrier represented by the Massif Central.

The temperatures do not know significant annual excursions, being the country a handful of degrees north of the equator. However, if you intend to visit areas of the central plateau it will be necessary to pack a waterproof garment to defend yourself from the morning mists.

The weather is fickle in Sri Lanka and the umbrella must always be at hand. In this regard it must be said that the rains are never continuous, not even during the monsoon season and the sun never fails to peep throughout the day.

Background

Representative of the Veddah tribe engaged in archery

Sigiriya: The fortress of the Lion

The first inhabitants of the island were the Veddah, a population with australaloid features reduced today to a few hundred individuals residing in the park of Gal Oya, province of Uva. They still lead a primitive life today, drawing their livelihood from a type of hunting conducted with equally primordial tools.

In the 6th century BC people of Indo-Aryan race appeared on the island probably from Bengal or, according to a minority, from today's state of Gujarat. The descendants of these invaders are today's Sinhalese who make up the majority of the population. The newcomers professed the Brahmanic religion and had advanced knowledge of engineering as shown by dams and artificial reservoirs created for irrigation purposes. At the end of the 5th century BC this people became a kingdom with capital Anuradhapura. According to legend the emperor Ashoka who ruled the North of India sent an embassy headed by his own son Mahinda and with the aim of spreading the Buddhist doctrine on the island. The meeting between the evangelizer Mahinda and the king of Anuradhapura, Devanampiya Tissa happened to Mihintale and was marked by the sovereign's conversion to Buddhism. The following centuries were characterized by invasions by Tamil populations from southern India. Elara, a Tamil chief managed to storm Anuradhapura and to take the throne. Although of Brahman faith, Elara did not oppose Buddhism. The resurgence of the Sinhalese started from the small kingdom of Ruhuna constituted in south of the country. the ruler Dutthagamani defeated and killed Elara in battle, reconquering Anuradhapura.

Fresco in the fortress of Sigiriya

Under the reign of Dutthagamani's successors, large artificial reservoirs and a complex of dams and canals were built to facilitate irrigation. Kassapa was the ruler who linked his name to the fortress of Sigiriya. Lived in the 5th century AD, he had killed his father to seize the throne. Fearing his brother's revenge, he ordered the construction of a fortress in this apparently impregnable place. In the stronghold, the ruler led a luxurious life for 11 years until 495 AD. when his brother showed up at the head of a large army. Kassapa, in order not to fall into the hands of his brother, preferred to kill himself by cutting his throat. As evidence of the reign of Kassapa remain the frescoes that decorate the corridors that lead to the top of the fortress, frescoes that have aroused the admiration of the whole world.

New invasions followed from the south ofIndia. In 993 Anuradhapura was taken and most of the island was annexed to the kingdom of Chola which occupied the present state of Tamil Nadu. As in the past, the Sinhalese revival departed from the small kingdom of Ruhuna. The Vijayabahu ruler recaptured Anuradhapura but preferred to reside in Polonnaruwa, 100 km southeast. The city was considerably embellished under his successors but in 1214 it was taken by Magha, ruler of the Kalinga dynasty who came from the territory that today constitutes the state of Orissa. Magha ruled tyrannically. The Sinhalese resistance did not know how to react to this new invasion and shattered into a series of small kingdoms formed in thewest is in the south of the country. Some of these had an ephemeral life. Others like Kotte's were able to see the Portuguese coming. The longest-lived of all was the reign of Kandy occupied by the British only in 1815. The island was also visited by Marco Polo on his return journey.

Colonial period - I. Portuguese they landed on the island in November 1505. They settled on the coast under the concession of King Parakramabatu VII who then reigned in Kotte, now a suburb of Colombo. They built forts and churches in the typical Manueline style spreading the Catholic religion. Their colony prospered for over a century until in 1658 they were ousted by the Dutch. The new masters developed the spice trade even more and like their predecessors married local women. The descendants of these mixed unions are now known as Burghers and constitute an educated minority.

At the end of the 18th century i British, taking advantage of the vicissitudes of the Netherlands who had been subjugated by Napoleon, ousted the Dutch and settled on the island and managed to stay there until 1948. In 1802 the island was declared a British colony but a small territory around Kandy it still managed to maintain its independence under the rule of Sinhalese rulers. Also on February 14, 1815 Kandy fell under British rule. The new owners reclaimed vast swampy areas eradicating malaria while large areas of the central highlands were used as tea plantations. They equipped the town with a road and railway network and became interested in archeology, bringing to light the ruins of Polannaruwa that had been swallowed up by the jungle.

Independence - In 1948 Ceylon obtained the statute of autonomous dominion within the British Commonwealth with a British governor and a freely elected prime minister. On May 22, 1972, the bond with the British crown ceased and the free and independent republic of Sri Lanka was born.

The Civil War - From 1976 to 2009 the country experienced the civil war perpetrated against the official government by military formation "Tamil tigers"who advocated the creation of an independent state in the east and in the north of the country. The long conflict seems to have ended in May 2009 with the killing of the leader of the group, Velupillai Prabhakaran, at the hands of the government army.

Spoken languages

The Sinhalese (or Sinhala) is the language spoken by the Buddhist population. It is an Indo-Aryan language related to Sanskrit and with a rich literature behind it.

The Tamil, on the other hand, it is a Dravidian language widespread mainly in southern India (It is the official language of the state of Tamil Nadu).

The government's decision to recognize Sri Lankan as the only state language led to the disagreement that resulted in a guerrilla waged by the Tamil Tigers that bloodied the country until 2009.

L'English it is widely spread and chewed even by school-age children. It is also the language used by the government in drafting official documents.

Suggested readings

Towards the edge of the world by Guido Gozzano (ISBN 9788879804332)

Territories and tourist destinations

      Central Province - The central region is occupied by a mountain massif and largely corresponds to the "Country Hills" of the colonial period. The British rulers particularly appreciated its cooler climate than on the coastal plains which reminded them of that of the motherland. In this province it is located Kandy, one of the most important tourist destinations in the country where every year, on the full moon of July, Esala Perahera takes place, a spectacular Buddhist festival that no foreign visitor should miss. Nuwara Eliya, on the plateau, at the center of vast tea crops, is a health resort in vogue especially in colonial times. In the district of Matale, just north of Kandy, are the Buddhist temples of Dambulla, carved in the rock and declared byUNESCOWorld Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. Also the fortress of Sigiriya with beautiful frescoes from the 5th century AD. it is located in the territory of Matale.

      Northern Province - Populated predominantly by a Tamil population. Long excluded from tourist flows due to the presence of Tamil Tiger bases, the Northern province is still at risk due to uncleaned minefields. Jaffna is its main center. Rebuilt after the looting of the war period. Also includes Kilinochchi, Vanni is Mannar.

      Central-Northern Province - Here are the ruins of Anuradhapura is Polannaruwa, capitals of ancient Sinhalese kingdoms that testify to the high degree of civilization reached by the Sinhala people in remote times (over 2500 years ago). This area is known as the cultural triangle. Also includes Sigiriya is Dambulla.

      Eastern Province - Kilometers of sandy beaches. A surfer's paradise. The east corresponding to the area of ​​the eastern coast of the island still presents a certain risk due to the possible presence of minefields not yet cleared. The risk is greatest in parks and nature reserves. The centers of greatest interest are the seaside resorts of Trincomalee is Pottuvil, both lying on splendid bays, in particular Trincomalee which hosts a rare natural harbor. Also includes Beat it is Arugam Bay.

      North-Western Province - Coconut plantations, dolphin watching and salt production. Less frequented by tourism, the North-Western Province extends north of Negombo. It boasts long beaches bordered by dense palm groves. Chilaw is Marawila they are small towns on the coast with some hotels. Beyond is the Vilpathu National Park, whose visit is not recommended due to the presence of minefields. It was in fact a hideout of the Tamil Tigers at the time of the civil war. There is no shortage of archaeological sites of secondary interest such as Yapahuwa is Laugh viharaya, (silver temple). Also includes Kurunegala is Puttalam.

      Sabaragamuwa - The most important mining area for precious gems in the country. Here they are Ratnapura, the city of gems and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, a strip of rainforest declared by theUNESCO one of the World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. In the district of Kegalla is located the elephant orphanage of Pinnawela, much visited by foreign tourists. Kitulgala is a village in an enchanting position on the Kelani River where scenes from the film were shot "The bridge over the River Kwai"of 1957.

      Southern Province - Plenty of bathing beaches. Galle, a city with memories of the colonial era included in the list of World Heritage Sites is the most important center in the south. A few kilometers away you will find the town of Unawatuna, with one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Going along the coast in the direction of the Yala National Park meet other centers of interest. Meanwhile, the landscape changes its face taking on the appearance of the savannas ofEast Africa. Also includes Weligama, Matara is Tangalle.

      Province of Uva - Plateaus and tea. A largely mountainous territory, the province of Uva stands out for its green landscapes interrupted by numerous waterfalls, vast reservoirs and forests. Recommended the train from Kandy to Badulla that especially in the last stretch reveals panoramas that would be lost using the car. The Veddah, the first inhabitants of the island now reduced to a few hundred individuals, find refuge in the reserves of the province. Also includes Haputale is Bandarawela.

      Western Province - The capital Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte and its metropolitan area on the outskirts of the former capital Colombo facing towards the coasts of Tamil Nadu. Some of the country's most popular seaside resorts are found along the stretch of coast from Colombo to Galle. Beruwala, Bentota, Hikkaduwa they are the most famous centers where European tour operators send their customers and therefore to be avoided by individual tourists during the Christmas holidays. Also includes Gampaha is Negombo.

Urban centers

Other destinations

Panorama from Adam's Peak

The Sinharaja forest, declared a World Heritage Site

Beach resorts

Arugam beach photographed shortly after the passage of the tsunami (December 2004)

Surely the country reserves good opportunities for those who love to spend their holidays in postcard-worthy tropical beaches. However, keep in mind the following three points:

• The waters of the ocean are, with few exceptions, constantly agitated.
• The beaches, whether golden or white, are often dirty.
• The locals do not have a similar bathing culture to that of the West. As in neighboring India and most Muslim countries, families and groups of friends go to the beach for picnics or just to chat but avoid undressing and bathing.

Below is a review of the main seaside resorts with a brief comment:

On the coast south of Colombo are the renowned centers of Beruwela, Bentota is Hikkaduwa. The first two are places where Tour Operators from around the world sent and continue to send their customers to give them the "sop" of the day spent under the umbrella after visiting the places of the so-called "Cultural Triangle". Hikkaduwa offers more opportunities for solo travelers. However, you can discard all three locations a priori and without regret, also in consideration of the fact that the coastal road from Colombo to Galle was submerged in concrete. It is certainly worth taking the toll motorway that unwinds inside to reach it as soon as possible Galle and the nearby beach of Unawattuna where you begin to breathe the air of a real holiday.

The stretch of coast north of Colombo was spared by the tidal wave called tsunami. Along this coast there are the following centers:

• Negombo - Lively fishing center with a large beach. Its fortunes in tourism are largely due to its proximity to the international airport.
• Marawila - Tiny and modest seaside resort among dense palm groves.

On the east coast, the most popular locations are:

• Arugam Bay - Near the village of Pottuvil. Arugam Bay it is popular with surfers, mostly Australians. However, it offers the possibility of magnificent excursions to the surrounding nature reserves.
• Passikudah & Kalkudah - Two contiguous coastlines on the east coast. Undoubtedly the best the country can offer to lovers of sunbathing and doing nothing.

How to get

Italian citizens are required to have a passport with at least three months of validity. A visa is not required for stays of up to 30 days but you must prove that you have enough money with you and that you have a return or transit ticket. For business travel, the invitation letter from the Sri Lankan company is required.

• Address of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Italy:
  • Via Adige 2 - 00198 Rome Tel. 39 06 8554560 Fax. 39 06 84241670
• Address of the Italian Embassy in Sri Lanka:
  • 55, Jawatta Road - Colombo 5 Tel. 94 11 2588388 Fax: 94 11 2596344

By plane

The Adam's bridge seen from the plane

Airbus A340-300 (4R-ADF) of Srilankan Airways

The only possibility to enter the country is by plane, since the road and rail connection with the city has been interrupted for decades.India which exploited the cordon of islands known as "Adam's Bridge".

There is only one international airport located north of Colombo. Its official name is Bandaranaike International Airport. [1].

Flights from Italy without a stopover are currently operated by Sri Lankan Airlinesfrom Rome-Fiumicino. This airline also flies from London- Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle. It serves the Maldives and some localities ofIndia Which Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Tiruchirappalli, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)

Scheduled flights with intermediate stopover are offered by some Middle Eastern airlines listed below:

• Emirates Airlines - Flights from Italy with a stopover in Dubai
• Qatar Airways - Flights from Italy with a stopover in Doha
• Royal Jordan Airlines^{[link not working]} - Flights from Italy with a stopover ad Amman
• Kuwait Airways - From Rome-Fiumicino with a stopover in Kuwait City

The airlines that in 2009 operated at the airport of Colombo were the following:

• Aeroflot - Moscow-Sheremetyevo, Bad.
• Air Arabia - Sharjah
• Air-India Express - Chennai
• Air Asia - Kuala Lumpur-Sepang
• Cathay Pacific - Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong, Singapore
• Condor Airlines - Frankfurt
• Edelweiss Air - Zurich
• Emirates Airlines - Dubai, Bad, Singapore
• Kuwait Airways - Kuwait
• Malaysia Airlines - Kuala Lumpur-Sepang, Bad
• Maldivian - Bad
• Oman Air - Muscat
• Qatar Airways - Doha
• Royal Jordanian - Amman
• Saudi Arabian Airlines - Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam
• Singapore Airlines - Singapore
• SriLankan Airlines -Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Bangalore, Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Beijing-Capital, Calicut, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Dammam, Delhi, Doha, Dubai, Goa, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Jakarta, Jeddah, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur-Sepang, Kuwait, London- Heathrow, Bad, Mumbai, Muscat, Riyadh, Singapore, Tokyo-Narita, Tiruchirappalli, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
• TUI FlightsLondon-Gatwick
• Thai Airways InternationalBangkok-Suvarnabhumi

Organized trip

Some of the major Italian tour operators offering travel packages to Sri Lanka are: Francorosso is Adventures in the World. Prices start from a minimum of € 1700 per person for a stay of 7 days and including the flight (year 2010). Often packages to Sri Lanka also offer a stay at Maldives a week or less.

If you opt for individual travel by choosing to travel with a rental car plus driver and stay in higher category hotels, you will probably spend a little more. Calculate at least a couple of extra € 100 bills -

If, on the other hand, the basic package price seems high to you, you can certainly save money by planning the trip yourself, but it all depends on your organizational skills. In principle, you will have to forget about luxury hotels and fall back on guest houses which are not bad at all, so much so that they appear in the same all-inclusive packages. Also keep in mind that you will face inconveniences of a certain weight if you are not careful in the use of public transport (trains and buses) for your travels. Much depends on the period chosen as air fares soar during the Christmas holidays. You could save yourself by booking well in advance. For the rest, Sri Lanka is an extremely cheap destination and the living expenses (food, accommodation, transport, etc.) have little impact on the final budget. A train ride from Colombo to Badulla it will cost you less than 10 € (couchette or seat in 1st class panoramic carriage with air conditioning). Also know that a double in superior category hotels, even better than those present in the travel packages, is included in a price range between 110 and 140 US $ (year 2010). Don't forget to take a peek at the luxury hotel sites, even if you think they are out of reach of your wallet: they may launch surprising offers to coincide with your stay.

How to get around

By plane

• Deccan Lanka^{[link previously not working]} is a company that operates domestic flights by helicopter. The locations served are Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Kattugurunda, Kogalla, Minneriya, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Trimcomalee, Weerawila.

By taxi

Tuk-Tuk

If you don't feel like hiring a car with driver, you can also contact a taxi driver for your travels from one city to another. He will be delighted to be at your disposal but you will need to know how to negotiate. He will also be insistent not to say nagging in offering you a hotel but you had better decline the offer. The fare is related to the cost of fuel. In 2008, 95 octane petrol cost 170 rupees per liter (about € 1), 110 for diesel. However, calculate a minimum of 40 rupees per km.

The most popular means of transport is a familiarly named 3-wheeled vehicle tuk-tuk and similar to the Piaggio API of good memory. Tuk tuks operate in a similar way to taxi drivers and are certainly the cheapest way to get around the provincial centers and their surroundings. In big cities they tend to disappear, supplanted by taxis.

Of course you have to be skilled in negotiating the fare in advance otherwise it is better to turn to taxi drivers who have the advantage of being more comfortable and of practicing equally low prices.

By car

The most expensive way to get from one city to another is via a chauffeured rental car. Many of these "chauffers" are licensed by government institutions, are often bilingual (mainly English) and offer services as guides to various tourist locations as well as to nature reserves. With a little luck you can find driver-guides who speak Italian. The food and accommodation of your driver will not burden your pockets. In fact, local usage wants the driver serving foreign tourists to be entitled to free meals in hotels. He actually pockets a commission from the hotel where you are staying because it is assumed that you ended up there thanks to his advice. However, it is good to leave him a tip at the end of the trip. A list of agencies offering this type of service can be found on site of the National Tourist Board. It is necessary to be cautious in choosing the agency and be wary in case a deposit is required unless you are absolutely sure of the honesty of the counterparty; alcuni turisti ingenui l'hanno vista volatizzare e vane sono state le loro proteste presso l'ente del turismo nazionale che si è limitato ad apporre un avviso sul suo sito web di non responsabilità per gli accordi tra privati.

On the train

Cartina schematica della rete ferroviaria

Stazione ferroviaria di Badulla

La rete ferroviaria del paese risale al periodo coloniale britannico. Fu realizzata nella seconda metà del XIX secolo per portare le foglie di tè che veniva coltivato sugli altopiani centrali ai porti dove venivano caricati su navi dirette in Gran Bretagna. Da allora la rete non è stata elettrificata se non in minima parte. I treni rimangono più lenti e meno frequenti rispetto agli autobus, sono spesso soggetti a ritardi considerevoli ma tutto sommato risultano più comodi se si riesce nell'impresa di conquistarsi un posto. È importante evitare i treni ordinari ed effettuare sempre la prenotazione in prima classe sugli intercity express là dove siano disponibili. I vagoni di 1^ classe sono gli unici a disporre di impianto di aria condizionata. Le prenotazioni sugli intercity express sono obbligatorie e possono essere effettuate fino a 10 giorni prima della partenza. L'agenzia di riferimento, consigliata dall'ente del turismo, è JF Tours che dispone di uno sportello presso la stazione "Fort" di Colombo.Ricordate che se acquisterete un biglietto per un tratto superiore ai 100 km l'ente delle ferrovie vi dà facoltà di interrompere il viaggio in una qualsiasi località intermedia senza pagare alcun sovrapprezzo.

Di seguito un riassunto delle linee principali:

1. Colombo-Kandy-Badulla (Main Line) — Salire su un treno che percorra questa strada ferrata è un dovere per chiunque progetti un viaggio a scopi turistici. La linea si dipana tra i contrafforti del massiccio centrale svelando panorami mozzafiato altrimenti non visibili dalle strade statali che versano oltretutto in pessime condizioni. Il treno "Udarata Menike" (La vergine dei monti) parte dalla stazione di Fort (Colombo) ogni giorno alle 9 del mattino ma già un'ora prima la piattaforma è piena di passeggeri impazienti di dare l'assalto al treno. Per compiere l'intero tragitto impiega dalle 9 alle 13 ore. Alla vergine dei monti preferirete senz'altro uno degli intercity express avendo cura di prenotare almeno nell'ultimo tratto (Nuwara Eliya-Haputale-Badulla) un buon posto nella carrozza panoramica (Observation Saloon) di 1^ o 2^ classe.
2. Colombo-Galle-Matara (Coast Line) — Tocca i più rinomati centri balneari del paese (Bentota, Beruwala, Hikkaduwa, etc). È in fase di realizzazione il suo prolungamento fino a Kataragama.
3. Colombo-Kurunegala-Anuradhapura (Northern Line) — La linea deve essere presa in considerazione da quanti sono interessati alla visita del cosiddetto "Triangolo culturale" che racchiude siti archeologici inseriti nella lista dei Patrimoni mondiali dell'umanità in Sri Lanka. Nei dintorni di Kurunegala si trovano altri siti archeologici di minore importanza. All'altezza della stazione di Maho si distacca la linea per Polonnaruwa. Una trentina di km prima (Gal Oya Junction) la linea si sdoppia ulteriormente: un ramo conduce a Trincomalee, l'altro a Beat it, sempre sulla Oriental Coast, ma più a sud.
4. Colombo-Puttalam — Corre parallela alla costa a nord di Colombo, una zona ancora poco frequentata dai turisti stranieri. Fa capolinea a Puttalam e tocca il centro peschereccio di Negombo.

Troverete orari dei treni seguendo questo link oppure sul sito dell'ente delle ferrovie.

By bus

Matale - Capolinea degli autobus extraurbani

Gli autobus extraurbani sono a gestione sia statale che privata. Collegano anche i villaggi più remoti ma sono estremamente affollati e privi della benché minima comodità. In compenso il prezzo della corsa è assolutamente ridicolo. Per un prezzo doppio ma sempre irrisorio si possono usare autobus con aria condizionata. Ciò nonostante nemmeno questi possono definirsi confortevoli.

La loro pecca principale è costituita dalle dimensioni limitate del bagagliaio ragion per cui non potrete servirvene se avete una valigia voluminosa.

Non esistono orari fissi e le corriere partono quando i posti sono stati tutti occupati. Tenete presente inoltre che le stazioni degli autobus extraurbani delle città maggiori sono il regno del caos più totale.

What see

What to do

Centri di meditazione Vipassana.

Currency and purchases

The national currency is the Rupia singalese (LKR). L'istituto emittente è la Central Bank of Sri Lanka (website). Ne è vietata l'esportazione e l'importazione. Circola in monete da 25 e 50 cents, 1, 2 e 5 rupie. Le banconote invece hanno tagli da 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 e 2000 rupie. Quest'ultimo taglio è il più recente, essendo stato immesso in circolazione nel 2006. Una peculiarità di queste banconote è che sul retro sono stampate in verticale.

Below are the links to know the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:

Banche e alberghi dispongono di un servizio di cambio che però viene praticato a tassi svantaggiosi. È consigliabile conservare le ricevute che potrebbero essere richieste al momento di uscire dal paese.

Le maggiori banche del paese sono la Bank of Ceylon, la e la People's bank, entrambe a conduzione statale. A gestione privata sono invece la Commercial Bank of Ceylon, the Hatton National Bank and the Seylan Bank. In genere l'orario feriale delle banche va dalle 9 alle 13.30. Qualcuna protrae l'orario fino alle 15. Le carte di credito internazionali sono accettate negli esercizi commerciali di categoria superiore. I prelievi tramite Bancomat richiedono attenzione in quanto sono stati segnalati casi di frode a danno di ATM a Colombo it's at Kandy.

Shopping

Tessuti tradizionali come batik, pietre preziose, maschere in legno, oggetti artigianali in bronzo raffiguranti Buddha o animali sono i souvenir più richiesti dai visitatori stranieri, insieme a tè, spezie e prodotti ayurvedici.Colombo offre le maggiori opportunità di Acquisti, seguita a distanza da Galle is Kandy.

Ratnapura è un centro minerario dove si estraggono pietre preziose.

Ambalangoda, villaggio sulla statale A2 tra Colombo is Galle, è un centro di produzione di maschere in legno che venivano usate per rituali esorcisti.

Kalutara, sempre sulla A2 è un centro di produzione dell'Arak o vino di palma come dimostrano i vasi collocati in alto sulle palme di cocco nel periodo della loro fioritura.

At the table

"Appam", un tipo di cibo servito soprattutto a colazione

Buriyani

In genere cibo e ristoranti sono molto a buon mercato con un costo di pochi euro; i più cari sono quelli orientati ad una clientela occidentale ma anche qui il prezzo difficilmente supera i dieci euro. Il piatto tipico cingalese è il riso al curry. Il curry non è in polvere come si usa in Europa ma è costituito da varie spezie grattugiate all'istante e tostati in padella senza condimenti di sorta. Secondo i Cingalesi la freschezza delle spezie garantisce la bontà del piatto. Per i nostri palati comunque si tratta di una miscela micidiale che brucia la bocca e ci induce a bere subito acqua ghiacciata nel vano tentativo di spegnere quel fuoco. Per fortuna molti ristoranti servono una varietà di riso al curry meno forte e più adatta ai palati occidentali. Miriadi di piccoli snack bars, denominati stranamente "Hotels" servono quasi esclusivamente riso al curry e vari tipi di "short eats" (Letteralmente: cibi corti), specie di fast foods costituiti da sfoglie ripiene di tonno, patate o vegetali vari altamente speziati. Comunque non si può affermare di aver visitato lo Sri Lanka se non si è entrati almeno una volta in uno di questi "Hotels". Anche ammesso che siate una persona vorace difficilmente potrete spendere oltre un euro.

• Kakuluo è granchio bollito in latte di cocco e curry.
• Kottu (Kothu) Roti un miscuglio di vegetali e carni di vostra scelta finemente tritati e arrostiti.
• Sambol con questo nome si indicano vari tipi di condimenti estremamente piccanti. In genere sono a base di cocco grattugiato, peperoncino verde o rosso piccante e cipolle tritate.
• Buriyani carne di montone e riso aromatizzati alla menta.
• Lambrais riso bollito in un brodo di carne e quindi passato al forno su foglie di banano.

Ma la vera chicca è costituita dalla frutta straordinariamente varia:banane, papaya, mango, ananas e soprattutto noci di cocco che contornano la maggior parte dei litorali dell'isola.Tenete presente che i Cingalesi mangiano con la mano destra in quanto la sinistra è ritenuta impura.

Naturalmente ci sono ristoranti di categoria superiore che, soprattutto a Colombo sono all'interno degli alberghi di lusso.

Drinks

• Thambili — Si tratta del succo di una varietà di noce di cocco dal caratteristico colore giallo. È facilmente reperibile lungo le strade. Gli ambulanti tagliano il frutto a metà con il machete e il succo viene bevuto direttamente dalla noce
• Arack — Bevanda alcolica ricavata dalle infiorescenze delle noci di cocco. Non incontra più il favore popolare ed è stata soppiantata dal whisky

Tourist infrastructure

Tra le catene alberghiere presenti a Sri Lanka, Taj hotel con un paio di alberghi di lusso, il Samudra a Colombo e il Vivanta a Bentota.

Aitken Spence è presente a Kandy, Beruwala is Bandarawela.

Ceylon Hotels Corporation^{[link not working]} gestisce 19 alberghi. Di questi il più famoso è il Galle Face Road di Colombo.

Se volete soggiornare nelle guest house dovrete prenotare in quanto la disponibilità di posti è limitata. Dovrete anche specificare l'ora del vostro arrivo.

Events and parties

Particolarmente ricco è il calendario festivo, essendo il paese abitato da seguaci della religione buddista, induista, musulmana e cristiana cattolica. Le feste religiose sono a data variabile e molte vengono fissate dal clero buddista secondo un calcolo astronomico.

• Poya è una festa buddista che viene celebrata le notti di plenilunio di ogni mese. Un Poya interessante ha luogo a Duruthu a fine dicembre inizio gennaio. Particolarmente sentito ovunque è quello del mese di Navam corrispondente ai nostri mesi di gennaio - febbraio. Il giorno di plenilunio del mese di Poson (giugno) una suggestiva processione ha luogo a Mihintale. I giorni di luna piena da dicembre ad aprile sono invece occasioni per ascensioni al Picco di Adamo, montagna dal carattere sacro.

Torana: Addobbo con luci colorate posto nelle strade di Colombo in occasione della festa del Wesak

• Aluth Sahal Mangalle — Festa della raccolta del riso - Ricorre in genere il plenilunio di gennaio. Particolarmente sentita la festa che si tiene ad Anuradhapura, intorno l'albero della sacra bodhi.
• Duruthu Perahar — Festa che si svolge nel mese di gennaio presso il tempio di Kelaniya, 12 km dalla città di Colombo
• Thai Pongal — Festa indù celebrata dall'etnia Tamil. Ha carattere propiziatorio per raccolti abbondanti. Ricorre a metà gennaio.
• Giorno dell'indipendenza nazionale — Ricorre il 4 febbraio
• Maha Sivarathri — Festa indù che ricorre agli inizi di marzo
• Aluth Avurudhu — Festa del Nuovo Anno. Ricorre a metà aprile, nel giorno in cui il sole passa dalla costellazione dei Pesci a quella dell'Ariete. È celebrata sia dai buddisti che dagli induisti ed è molto sentita.
• Festa del Lavoro — Ricorre il 1° maggio.
• Wesak — Festa buddista che celebra la nascita del Budda. Ricorre il plenilunio di maggio e dura una settimana.
• Festival di Kataragama — Festa indù durante la quale i devoti si esibiscono camminando a piedi nudi su braci ardenti. Ricorre a luglio.
• Esala Perahera — La più famosa festa del paese che attrae anche visitatori stranieri si svolge a Kandy nel mese di agosto. Dura 11 giorni. Nella notte di luna piena si svolgono processioni (perahera) di elefanti seguiti da cortei di danzatori e musicanti.
• Festival di Vishnu — Si tiene in agosto a Dondra
• Festival di Vel — Festa della comunità induista di Colombo. Ricorre nel mese di agosto.
• Festa di Deepavali — Festa induista delle luci. Simboleggia il trionfo del male sul bene. Ricorre ad ottobre.

Safety

• Numeri di emergenza:
  • Pronto Intervento Polizia: 119
  • Vigili del Fuoco: 110

In caso di emergenza una unità speciale detta "Tourist Police" è messa a disposizione dei turisti nelle località di Sigiriya, Bentota, Negombo is Hikkaduwa

Numerosi i posti di blocco sulle strade statali e sulle arterie delle grandi città. Per questo motivo è necessario avere sempre il passaporto a portata di mano. In genere gli agenti si limitano a una veloce occhiata appena si rendono conto di avere a che fare con turisti occidentali.

Le donne che viaggiano sole rischiano di essere molestate specialmente se si trovano in spiaggia. L'incrociarsi di sguardi, per quanto fugaci o distratti possano essere, sono considerati come un invito a farsi avanti dai maschi locali. Sui treni e sugli autobus ci si siede sempre accanto a una persona del proprio sesso.

I rapporti omosessuali tra maschi sono perseguibili penalmente ma la legge non viene applicata da più di 50 anni. Una legge più recente penalizza i rapporti sessuali tra donne. La società è fortemente contraria a questo tipo di relazioni.

Health situation

Nessuna vaccinazione è obbligatoria per i turisti italiani ma nel caso si provenga da zone infette potrebbe essere richiesta l'esibizione del certificato di vaccinazione contro la febbre gialla.

È consigliabile farsi vaccinare contro il tifo e l'epatite A e B. Alta è infatti la presenza di portatori del virus HBV responsabile dell'epatite B.

Il rischio di contrarre malaria esiste soprattutto se si viaggia durante la stagione umida. Tutti i letti, sia negli alberghi che nelle case private, sono muniti di zanzariere. Consigliabile mettere in valigia rimedi adeguati come repellenti e spirali.

Lungo il litorale sud-occidentale sono stati registrati casi di filariasi.

Nella zona orientale dell'isola si sono verificate epidemie di dengue anche in forma emorragica.

L'acqua del rubinetto non è mai potabile nonostante le abbondati dosi di cloro che vi vengono immesse per cui fare attenzione nel caso vengano servite bevande con cubetti di ghiaccio. Evitare di mangiare verdura cruda e sbucciare la frutta per evitare diarree o malattie ben più gravi quali colera, dissenteria, febbre tifoide ed epatite A ed E.

L'assistenza ospedaliera è giudicata discreta. I medici locali sono a un buon livello di preparazione. Una lista di dottori che parlano italiano dovrebbe essere disponibile presso l'ambasciata italiana. Da notare che il servizio di ambulanze è ancora limitato.

È senz'altro consigliabile stipulare, prima della partenza, una polizza assicurativa che garantisca il rimborso di spese sostenute per eventuali cure e degenze in ospedali o cliniche locali. È importante che la polizza contempli l'immediato rientro in patria del viaggiatore che abbia contratto una malattia che necessiti di cure adeguate.

I farmaci d'importazione sono notevolmente cari, per cui è meglio metterli in valigia. Quelli di uso comune come l'aspirina sono invece reperibili anche nei supermercati e nei centri commerciali di Colombo. In genere le farmacie sono aperte fino alle 22:00.

Respect the customs

Ci sono alcune usanze locali cui noi occidentali ci conformiamo con una qualche difficoltà iniziale.

• La nudità è illegale e le donne devono evitare di esibirsi sulla spiaggia in topless per quanto ciò sia possibile in alcuni alberghi a gestione europea.
• Se si visitano i templi occorre porre particolare cura al modo di vestire. Miniskirts e pantaloncini corti sono banditi. Al momento di entrare in un tempio o in una casa privata si tolgono scarpe e cappello ma non è una norma imperativa.
• È bene non voltare le spalle alle statue del Buddha quando ci si trova vicino ad esse. È possibile comunque fotografarle ma mai arrampicarsi sopra.
• I monaci, come in altri paesi buddisti, godono del rispetto della popolazione. Sugli autobus affollati, ad esempio, si cede sempre loro un posto a sedere. Astenersi dal toccare la testa dei monaci o dei bambini. Ciò è permesso soltanto al barbiere. Se si vuol fare un'offerta al monaco che ci ha accompagnato nella visita al tempio, immettere il danaro nell'apposita ciotola. I monaci, infatti, non possono toccare denaro.
• La mano sinistra è considerata impura e non dovrebbe mai essere usata né per stringere l'altrui mano né per toccare oggetti. La popolazione è comunque tollerante nei confronti dei visitatori occidentali che non si adeguano alla norma
• La carta igienica qui come in molti altri paesi asiatici non è un bene di uso comune per cui è meglio portarsi qualche rotolo da casa se non si ha intenzione di soggiornare in grandi alberghi o in alternativa comprarla in uno dei centri commerciali di Colombo.

How to keep in touch

Sri Lanka Telecom è l'operatore di telefonia fissa.

Due sono le maggiori compagnie di telefonia mobile operanti nel paese:

1. Mobitel gestita da Sri Lanka Telecom
2. Dialog ha il maggior numero di abbonati. È partner di Vodafone.

Entrambe le compagnie dispongono di sportelli all'aeroporto dove poter acquistare una sim. Le tariffe sono superconvenienti

Al di fuori dei grandi centri, il segnale lascia ancora molto a desiderare e spesso non si è raggiungibili.

Il wifi è abbastanza diffuso nonostante gli alti costi di connessioni ADSL praticati dalla compagnia nazionale. In genere per connettersi alla rete i locali usano tessere a tempo o a megabyte proposte da privati,

Keep informed

Per aggiornarsi sulla situazione del paese prima di partire si può semplicemente digitare la parola "Sri Lanka" nella casella "News" di Google oppure consultare le pagine Country Profile della BBC

• Daily News — Pubblicazione governativa in inglese.
• Lankapuvath — Agenzia stampa governativa.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Sri Lanka
• Commons contains images or other files on Sri Lanka
• Wikiquote contains quotes from or about Sri Lanka
• Wikinews contains current news on Sri Lanka
  

States of Asia

 Afghanistan ·  Saudi Arabia ·  Bahrain ·  Bangladesh ·  Bhutan ·  Burma ·  Brunei ·  Cambodia ·  China ·  North Korea ·  South Korea ·  United Arab Emirates ·  Philippines ·  Japan ·  Jordan ·  India ·  Indonesia ·  Iran ·  Iraq ·  Israel ·  Kyrgyzstan ·  Kuwait ·  Laos ·  Lebanon ·  Maldives ·  Malaysia ·  Mongolia ·  Nepal ·  Oman ·  Pakistan ·  Qatar ·  Singapore ·  Syria ·  Sri Lanka ·  Tajikistan ·  Thailand ·  East Timor ·  Turkmenistan ·  Uzbekistan ·  Vietnam ·  Yemen

States with limited recognition:  State of Palestine ·  Taiwan

Only physically Asian states^[1]:  Armenia ·  Azerbaijan^[2] ·  Cyprus ·  Georgia^[2] ·  Kazakhstan ·  Russia ·  Turkey

States de facto independent:  Abkhazia^[2] ·  Artsakh ·  Northern Cyprus ·  South Ossetia^[2]

Addictions Australian:  Cocos and Keeling Islands ·  Christmas Island

Addictions British: UKAkrotiri and Dhekelia^[3] · British Indian Ocean Territory

Partially Asian states:  Egypt (Sinai) ·  Greece (North Aegean Islands, Dodecanese) ·  Russia (Asian Russia)  Turkey (Asian Turkey)

1. ↑States generally considered to be European from an anthropic point of view
2. ↑ ^2,02,12,22,3It was considered physically wholly Asian only by some geographical conventions
3. ↑Physically Asian state or dependency but generally considered European from an anthropic point of view