The Top 5 Things to Do in Sri Lanka - This is Paradise Island!

Sri Lankan or Ceylon Tea is famous all throughout the world. Its strong, bold flavour has tea experts all over the world talking about it. Regardless of whether you're a fan of the beverage or not, a visit to a tea plantation will prove to be an interesting and wonderful experience. Coffee production was the country's prime produce until it was struck with diseases, and thus from the mid-1800's, it was tea production that took over. Sri Lanka has now grown to become the fourth largest tea producing country in the world with most of its tea estates being located in the hill country. Many of these tea plantations host tours for tourists and locals alike. Notable locations for this would be Nuwaraeliya and Ahangama.

Sri Lanka is the whole package in terms of a dream holiday location. If you're interested in wildlife, the country is home to many wild animals that you can witness through safaris offered throughout the country. If you want to see elephants in the wild, the Uda Walawe National Park is an excellent place. However, one of Asia's most spectacular sights that is "The Gathering" can be witnessed at the Minneriya National Park. Here you will see over 200 elephants come together in one spot during the months of August and September each year. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage offers an elephant attraction where you can get close to these majestic creatures and is only a relatively short distance from Colombo. One other wildlife offering most seek is the wildlife safari offered at the Yala National Park. Here you will be able to witness wild leopards and an incredible variety of birds that roam the area.

One of the biggest draws for this gorgeous island is its offering of beaches. Whether you seek the thrill of a party atmosphere or peaceful seclusion, you'll find many options for both. The Unawatuna beach near Galle is considered one of the liveliest beaches on the island. Here you'll be able to enjoy scuba diving as well as a host of other water activities. You'll also find activities like Whale-watching, surfing, and snorkelling at the Mirissa Beach which is just south of Unawatuna. Another great Beach to explore is the Weligama Beach in the Matara district. The things to do in Weligama are plentiful; you'll find that surfing is very popular in the area with many tourists and locals joining in on the waves. Weligama is also home to turtle and whale watching as well. If you're looking for accommodation in Weligama you'll find plenty of options around, one such example is We Escape hotel.

This small island is home to an astounding 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Two of these sites are the major cities of Galle and Kandy. Galle is located on the southwestern tip of the Island and boasts a lavish sense of style. This city was founded by the Portuguese in the 16th century and was developed further by the Dutch in the 17th century. Galle is most popular for the Galle Fort which makes for some incredible scenery. Kandy is the second largest city in the country and is widely known for its culture and heritage. An Iconic location here would be The Temple of the Tooth Relic that was built as a part of the royal complex and hosts a tooth believed to have belonged to the Buddha.

Sri Lanka hosts a plethora of shops around most of its attractions that feature amazing handicrafts, tea and spices that would make for perfect gifts and memorabilia to take back with you. The key when it comes to markets is to always bargain.