Sri Lanka Resorts

Sri Lanka resorts are plentiful and we will cover all the wonderful options available. There is so much to see in this fascinating country formerly known as Ceylon.

We will also delve into other aspects of this intriguing area. Learning about the culture and history of this country is a most absorbing subject.

A Bit About the History of Sri Lanka

The country has a very unique history as its inhabitants date back 38,000 years ago based on human remains discovered. The Pali Chronicles indicate that the historical period begins around 3 BC.

These chronicles contain the earliest documents of settlement on the island. The chronicles describe the arrival of Prince Vijaya from Northern India.

Over the next few centuries the island was divided into several kingdoms. In the 16th century the Portuguese, British, and Dutch controlled some coastal areas.

In the late 16th and 17th centuries the Portuguese controlled a large part of the island but lost their control due to Dutch intervention. In 1815 the island came under British rule.

Independence was gained in 1948 but remained a Dominion of the British until 1972. At that time the Dominion of Ceylon became Sri Lanka as a Republic.

The country introduced a constitution in 1978. A civil war broke out in 1983 and lasted until 2009. Civil unrest has been prevalent throughout the history of this country.

Sri Lanka Resorts and Some Facts about the Country

• the country was previously known as Ceylon and is now officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
• Colombo is the capital
• it is an island in the Indian Ocean in South Asia
• the population is approximately twenty-two (22) million
• there are over four thousand resorts, hotels, and other types of accommodations on the island; 470 of these are resorts
• the Sinhalese people are the majority of the population although the country is a mix of several ethnicities, languages, and culture
• Sinhala and Tamil are the two (2) official languages. English is used for education and commercial purposes.
• Buddhism is the official religion of the country
• the country has a literacy rate of 92.9% which is one of the highest among developing nations
• the culture is mainly influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism
• in terms of development, it is the highest-ranked South Asian nation
• it is a democratic republic and a unitary state governed by a semi-presidential system
• the country is divided into nine (9) provinces and twenty-five (25) districts. The judicial and executive capital is Colombo, while a suburb, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, is the legislative capital.
• Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the President of Sri Lanka
• there are one hundred and three (103) rivers on the island as well as forty (40) lagoons and forty-five (45) estuaries
• the country has a tropical climate
• for flowering plants and all vertebrate groups except birds, it has the highest biodiversity among Asian countries
• the country has industrialized in the areas of telecommunications, textiles, finance, food processing, and textiles, but its main economic sectors are clothing, tea export, tourism, rice production, and other agricultural products
• the country has an extensive road network as well as a railway network and deep-water ports
• the country celebrates many festivals throughout the year
• there is an abundance of music, dance, and performing arts
• the national sport is volleyball but the most popular sport is cricket. Rugby, football, tennis, and aquatic sports are also popular.
• Colombo’s International Airport is the main airport

Sri Lanka Resorts — Things to Do

In addition to spending time at one of the exotic resorts there is plenty to do in Sri Lanka. Let’s begin by naming a few of the all-inclusive resorts and then get into activities.

— Club Hotel Dolphin — very remote location with excellent food

— Royal Palms Beach Hotel — friendly and helpful staff in a fabulous setting with excellent food but a limited drink menu

— Occidental Eden Beruwala — relaxed upmarket resort

— Ekho Surf — best value with excellent food

— Ranweli Holiday Village — excellent service in a beautiful setting at this eco-friendly resort. Located on a twenty-two (22) acre peninsula with winding rivers and mango forests meeting at the sea. Great place to learn about the history and culture of the area in a natural setting. Bungalows and rooms are available on Waikkal Beach. Many activities available.

— Tangerine Beach Hotel — spacious rooms with large pool area and access to beach. All amenities provided.

— Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon — great all-inclusive amenities with other great restaurants in the area

— Mermaid Hotel & Club — good value with all-inclusive drinks

— Uga Chen Huts — one of the best with breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, tea, and cocktails. Lots of flexibility. A ranger guides a safari tour.

— Cinnamon Bay Berwuwala — excellent all-inclusive experience

— Hotel Riu Sri Lanka — family friendly with the highest standards with live music and an abundance of activities

— Nh Bentota Ceysands Resort — breakfast, lunch, and dinner with certain drinks unlimited

— Club Palm Bay — diverse menu with great food and drinks

— Dickwella Resort & Spa — beautiful peaceful setting with amazing food and friendly staff

— Ceylon Tea Trails — three (3) meals, wine, drinks, afternoon tea, with maps for hiking, and a tea factory tour

— Pandanus Beach Resort & Spa — located on a beautiful beach with a great all-inclusive experience

— Santani Wellness Kandy — a mountain retreat with a wellness program with excellent food personalized to dietary requirements. Morning bird-watching walks with a naturalist guide.

— Citrus Hikkaduwa — friendly and helpful stay for this all-inclusive experience

— Suriya Resort — excellent food, service, and drinks

— Avani Kalutara Resort — good food and drink with excellent service

— Lanka Princess — excellent Ayurvedic hotel catering to German speakers. Ayurvedic treatments available. Food is superb .

— Era Beach — quiet and relaxed with only eight (8) rooms. Helpful and friendly staff. Hotel located on a secluded beach with excellent seafood.

— The Garden Beach Ayurveda Resort — cute little hotel with competent, helpful, and friendly staff with doctors and medical staff on-site. Excellent food with fresh flowers in the room each day. Hotel overlooks the Indian Ocean.

— Udekki — spacious villas with lunch at the beach with excellent rice and curry

Now for some things to do…

• Visit the town of Mirissa — a small town on the southern part of the island, it is a great place for beach lovers. It is known for its beach and nightlife. It is a very charming seaside town with a very mellow vibe. Along the beach there are several surf shops for rentals and lessons. Check out Coconut Tree Hill for a marvelous view of the ocean. Sunrise or sunset are great times to visit Parrot Rock. Watching the sunset or sunbathing is great at Secret Beach as well as fresh coconuts to drink. Also, many great places to eat.
• ,Whale Watching — the southern tip of Sr Lanka is a favorite place for blue whales since it is close to the continental shelf. This is a part of the world where these sea creatures swim close to land. January to April is the best time for sightings as the whales travel from the Bay of Bengal to the western Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka’s one hundred and three (103) rivers provide plenty of squid and krill in these waters. A great place to view the whales other than in a boat is Dondra Head, which is the island’s tallest lighthouse.
• Jaffna — in the Tamil north, this city with its ancient fort has much history and culture to experience. Nallur Kandaswamy Hindu Temple and the lively markets provide much to see and do. Keerimalai Hot Springs is a popular bathing area to cure what ails. The beaches are uncrowded.
• The Temples of Colombo — on the streets of the country’s capital there are many beautiful temples. Gangaramaya Temple is a Buddhist temple next to Lake Beira, Sri Kailawasanathan Swami Devasthanam Temple is an ornate Hindu temple and one of the oldest. Koneswaram Temple is surrounded by the sea perched on a headland with fantastic views of the sea.
• Sigiriya — this rock-top fortress is one of the country’s seven (7) UNESCO World Sites and dates back to the fifth (5th) century when it was a Buddhist monastery and royal palace. There are original paintings, called Sigiriya Ladies, on the rock surface that can be viewed during the rock climb. The area also has some of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. There is also a mirrored, masonry wall that the king used to see his reflection.
• Arugam Bay — located on the south-east coast this soft sandy beach has coconut palms and a great place to surf or just relax. The bay is a top surfing destination.
• Kandy — this is the last capital of the ancient kings and is located in the central highlands next to a lake. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is within the temple complex. The relic is believed to belong to Buddha. In late-June, early-July there is the Esala Perahera Festival. that celebrates the Sacred Tooth Relic.
• Train Trip to Ella — this Hill Country rail route provides beautiful scenery during the eight (8) hour train ride between Kandy and Badulla. It passes through tea country as the British originally built the train to transport tea.
• The National Parks — Udawalawe National Park has many elephants roaming the expansive grasslands, riverine forest, and scrub jungle. It’s also a great place for birdwatching. Gal Oya National Park has elephants swimming across Senanayake Samudra Lake where a boat safari brings you close up. This park also has fewer visitors than other parks, Kadulla or Minneriya NP in June to September (dry season) is where you can see the largest congregation of Asian elephants. Leopards can be sighted most easily at Yala National Park on the southern coast. It is the country’s leading leopard sanctuary. This park has the highest density in the world of leopards. At Wilpattu, the country’s largest national park in the northwest, leopards can be viewed without the crowds. There are also water buffalo elephants and sloth bears to check out.
• Nuwara Eliya — this is the heart of the country’s tea industry. Tours available of tea estates. Hill Country’s Haputale Mountains, is where Sir Thomas Lipton launched his tea empire.
• The Walled City of Galle — built in 1663 by the Dutch, located on the southernmost top of the country, this walled city is surrounded by the ocean on three (3) sides. Within the fort are Dutch Colonial buildings, museums, churches and mosques, and plenty of cafes and restaurants. It is surrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches on the island. In nearby Koggala is the famous stilt fisherman made with sticks and twine and perched on the ocean.
• Other Islands — off Sri Lanka’s northernmost tip there are a number of islands that offer more seclusion. Other than a few hotels and guesthouses they provide a slow pace with friendly locals. There is a thousand year old Dutch fort constructed from coral and the giant baobab tree to check out. Neduntivu is the largest of these islands with about 4500 people and lots of wild horses.
• Anuradhapura — this is Sri Lanka’s original royal capital and has many ancient wonders among its 1500-year-old ruins. Thuparamaya Stupa is a Buddhist temple and the earliest Dagoba (dome-shaped shrine with relics) built on the island. Built in the 3rd century, Jetavanarama (a shrine), was once the third (3rd) largest building in the world with two (2) Egyptian pyramids being larger.
• The Cuisine — Sri Lankan food is similar to Indian food in the north. Seafood is plentiful and caught that very day. Jaffna Crab Curry is considered the world’s best. In the south squid curry is prevalent. The cuisine is highly centered around many varieties of rice with herbs, spices, fish, vegetables, and fruits.

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Why Visit Sri Lanka?

The popularity of Sri Lanka is increasing but it is still highly underrated as a travel destination. Spend enough time here and it will capture your heart.

With breathtaking views, golden sand beaches, friendly and engaging people, incredible wildlife, and fantastic food, this is an area of the world worth considering. There really is so much to see and do.

Travel Advisory — Even though this is a wonderful and mysterious part of the world Sri Lanka has experienced much civil unrest throughout its history, and it continues today. It may be preferable to postpone any trip there currently or exercise extreme caution while traveling there. Here is the Travel Advisory from the U.S. Government.

When visiting the country there are a variety of Accommodations from which to choose including private tours. Sri Lanka Resorts are only one option.

This is such a beautiful country with much to see and do but caution is necessary because of the current political climate. In any event, it is definitely a country with beautiful people and scenery.

Happy travels,

Joseph William

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