Sight and Sounds of Polonnaruwa

Referred to as the pearl of the Indian ocean and situated in the Southern tip of India this beautiful Island is packed with remarkable sites that will leave you breathless…..

Destination SRI LANKA offers White sandy beaches , Amazing wild life, Spectacular cities depicting ancient history and much more. A true paradise that have attracted some of the worlds famous celebrities and heads of states await you with her warm and friendly people ready to welcome you with their smiles that have caught the attention of their guests from around the globe.

We will attempt to walk you through a guide to help you understand what Sri Lanka has to offer and hopefully leave you with some valuable information that will help you enjoy the lush beauty of this remarkable island.

Sri Lanka.

The Island was previously known as CEYLON and was controlled by the British Empire from 1815 to 1948. After gaining independence the country wanted to establish a new identity and as a result the one time British Colony was introduced to the world over as SRI LANKA in 1972.

The name this beautiful Island once bore under the British rule is still alive as Sri Lanka is the world leader in Tea Exports and its products are made famous as CEYLON TEA.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka as it is know today is located approximately 31 kilometres off the Southern cost of India. This country which is home to some twenty million people is strategically located at the cross roads of East Asia and West Asia and serves as a vital location for international trade but more importantly as the point of entry to South Asia.

Its unique location in this very important route between West Asia and South East Asia has caught the attention of many world leaders. Its leisure industry is poised to do well as Sri Lanka is currently planning in making the island a shoppers paradise by introducing a high scale duty free shopping complex with all modern amenities in the heart of its capital COLOMBO.

Predominantly a Buddhist country made famous to tourist world wide with various programs on meditation is today a multi religious and multi ethnic nation with more than a quarter of the population following faiths other than Buddhism, notably Hinduism, Christianity and Islam.

However, Sri Lankans have managed to live in peace respecting other religions as most the Buddhist would celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ by springing into an early Christmas mood with the dawning of the holiday month December. The city of Colombo is packed with vendors selling Christmas trees to all kinds of fancy gadgets and shoppers crowd the biggest malls to prepare themselves with gifts for their loved ones.

The Holiday season also brings in a large number of Sri Lankans residing in other parts of the world to celebrate Christmas with their family and friends. With brand name products ranging from clothes to bags etc, at unbelievable prices your vacation to Sri Lanka will still leave you with enough cash to hit the beach and the surrounding hotels to take advantage of their super deals.

The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape, as well as its rich cultural heritage, make it a world famous tourist destination.

After over two thousand years of rule by local kingdoms, parts of Sri Lanka were colonized by Portugal and the Netherlands beginning in the 16th century, before the control of the entire country was ceded to the British Empire in 1815.

During World War II, Sri Lanka served as an important base for Allied forces in the fight against the Japanese Empire.A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century with the aim of obtaining political independence, which was eventually granted by the British after peaceful negotiations in 1948.

Sri Lanka is a free, independent and sovereign nation with a population of 20,926,315 (July 2007 est.). Legislative power is exercised by a Parliament, elected by universal franchise on proportional representation basis.

A President, who is also elected by the people, exercises executive power inclusive of defence. Sri Lanka enjoys a multi party system, and the people vote to elect a new government every six years.

Country Name:
Sri Lanka

Size:
65,525 sq km

Location:
An island off the south-eastern cost shores of India, 880 km north of the equator, in the Indian Ocean.

Languages:
Sinhala, Tamil and English are widely spoken throughout Sri Lanka, with the exception of remote villages where it might be Sinhala only or Tamil only.

Ethnic Groups:
Sinhalese - 74 per cent; Tamil - 18 per cent; Muslim - 7 per cent; Burgher (descendants of Dutch and Portuguese colonist) and others - 1 per cent

Religions:
Buddhism - 70 per cent; Hinduism - 16 per cent; Christianity - 7 per cent; Islam - 7 per cent

Climate:
Low Lands – tropical, average 27C Central Hills – cooler, with temperatures dropping to 14C. The south-west monsoon brings rain to the western, southern and central regions from May to July, while the north-eastern monsoon is from December t0 January. Sri Lanka climate is ideal for holiday - makers throughout the year.

With some of the best Hotels in the world and reputable tour companies readily available to serve your thirst to explore this remarkable Island, visitors from many countries are granted visas on arrival. You may check with the Sri Lanka High Commission, Ottawa, or the Sri Lanka Consular office, Toronto, for more accurate information on visa requirements.

The Airport is also equipped with a counter operated by The Sri Lanka Tourist Board and other tour operators who would be happy to help you in case you do not have a prior booking.

Plan Your Wedding In Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has also emerged as one of the most elegant wedding destination with its romantic surroundings with gentle waves lapping on its elegant beaches creating a magical touch to that very special day! All this and much more come at an unbelievable price as Sri Lanka is one of the most economical places in Asia for holiday seekers and shopaholics alike.

My wedding ring - BLING! BLING!

Quality precious stones (Gems) flood the market allowing you the choice of world class design and one could purchase them at very reasonable prices from approved dealers and such purchases come with a certification of guarantee by the Gem corporation of Sri Lanka. Your wedding ring comes for a fraction of what you would pay in North America

Investing in Sri Lankan

With an open economy in place and a dedicated work force Sri Lanka has been an attractive country for many investors. The staff at the Board of Investment, Sri Lanka (BoI) are well equipped to serve any firm or individual seeking to take advantage of its tax free investment policies. Sri Lanka has the highest literacy rate in South Asia and have attracted investors in areas of Tourism, Apparel, BPO and many more.

Invest in Sri Lanka

Vision:
Through creative products and optimum utilization of resources transform Sri Lanka to be the foremost tourism destination in Asia by end of this decade.

Mission:
Plan and Develop diverse, unique and quality tourism product and services, to delight our guests from world over.

Sri Lanka is strategically located at the cross roads of both east and west sea routes and serves as the point of entry to South Asia. Growing acceptance of Sri Lanka as a major tourist destination offers excellent opportunities for strategic investments in the leisure industry.

Sri Lanka has much to offer the investor in Sri Lanka, yet we have remained largely undiscovered.
1. The strategic location of Sri Lanka on international shipping routes offers many opportunities for ship repairing, ship breaking and entrepot trading.

2. The island offers some magnificent locations for investments as golf courses, leisure complexes and theme parks. There is also a massive potential in hotels and resorts.

3. A demand also likes in telecommunications services such as cellular telephone services, wireless local loop systems and pay telephone networks.

4. Investments in the power sector, ranging from mini-hydro systems to large-scale generation plants and the port sector are also being implemented.

5. Other opportunities in infrastructure investments include housing & property development, hospitals, voice and data communication systems, public transport and environment.

6. Sri Lanka has all the required attributes for successful investment in the electronics industry.

7. Sri Lanka also has many other investment opportunities in the electronics industries, machinery, household machineary, tea industry, garment industry, software, rubber, gems and jewellery, minerals and healthcare products. For a complete list of investment opportunities please check www.boi.lk.

Retire in Sri Lanka

With a country built on care and respect for the elderly you may find Sri Lanka to be a wonderful place to spend your retirement. Its peaceful environment will help you catch up on your writing, reading , painting, etc and you would hardly feel lonely. Sri Lankans also enjoy the benefit of having access to Medical Consultant without much hassle. Choose Sri Lanka to spend your years of wisdom.