Attractions and Excursions in Sri Lanka – Uncover the multifaceted treasures within this tiny island in the Indian Ocean

Also known as Lady Manning Bridge in honour of the wife of the British Governor William Manning during whose tenure the bridge was erected, this remains the oldest and the longest iron bridge on the island crossing the Batticaloa lagoon. Associated with this unique bridge is the singing fish of Sri Lanka as the bridge is the ideal spot from which to hear them make music, especially on full moon poya nights as experienced by locals and visitors at Pasikuda beach hotels.

As a nation which had been a colony for many centuries, the city of Galle in the south of Sri Lanka remains the most noteworthy colonial city. The Galle Fort with fortifications and buildings carrying Dutch architecture is a famous tourist attraction worth a visit to feel the vibes of an ancient era, admire the views of the ocean on the ramparts and walk around the fort which has a cluster of great eating places, spa facilities and souvenir shops.

An endless stretch of sandy beach and gleaming blue waters entice visitors to savour the beauty of this beach, with shallow seas visitors can wade further into the ocean. An added natural feature is the horseshoe-shaped bay. An ideal beach to experience surfing, diving, water skiing, snorkelling and diving etc and be spoilt with the delicious seafood from the many restaurants around the beach as enjoyed by guests at The Calm Resort & Spa.

he capital of the Hill Country, Kandy is a historical city as it was the last kingdom in Sri Lanka. The sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is placed in an inner chamber of this temple and venerated by Buddhists from Sri Lanka and overseas. The temple is located within the former palace complex in Kandy. Being modest in dress and demeanour are appreciated within this sacred place of worship.

Rising from the surrounding verdant forest, this massive rock fortress was the palace precincts of Kashyapa a former King of Sri Lanka. Also called the Lion Rock due to the enormous statue of a lion at the main entrance, at present only the paws of the lion are visible at the bottom of the rock giving one an idea of the actual size of the lion statue in the olden days. Many passageways cut on the rock had led to the top of the rock While climbing rock can be a bit strenuous you can take it at your pace as the magnificent view from the top is worth the climb, plan to do this as an early morning excursion.

This is an experience not to be missed, with 26 national parks on the island there are many to choose from. Most visitors like to see the majesty of the elephants, leopards, peacocks and other animals and birds in addition to enjoying the beauty of the parks, A day tour is ideal to cover the attraction. Udawalawa, Yala, Wilpattu, Wasgamuwa etc are sought after parks by many visitors to Sri Lanka.