A tear drop shaped island in the middle of the Indian Ocean , Sri Lanka is a land of wonderful scenic beauty, glory of the ancient past and spiritual grace of Buddhism. The ruins of regal primeval cities lay scattered on the island, some hidden inside dense forests, speak volumes about the rich past and divulge generously about the architectural magnificence of the gone days.

There are not one or two but six cultural sites at Sri Lanka acknowledged as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. These names include ancient remnants of the Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa , the ancient city of Sigiriya , the sacred city of Anuradhapura and the sacred city of Kandy . Another cultural World Heritage site is the Golden Temple of Dambulla, which is some 22 centuries old sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site. The temple is surrounded by five sanctuaries. It is the largest cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka , fantastically preserved for ages now. The site is beautifully adorned with mural paintings and 157 statues.

While the sacred city of Anuradhapura was the original capital city of the country, Polonnaruwa became the second capital after Anuradhapura was invaded and abandoned in 993. The highlights of the city are the Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas and the ruins of the stunning garden city built in 12th century by Parakramabahu I.  

The city of Galle was founded in the 16th century by the Portugese. It was the capital of Sri Lanka during the Dutch rule, before the Britons took over and made Colombo their capital city. The world heritage site at the city is a fort complex that represents an interesting amalgamation of European architecture and South Asian traditions.

The dense tropical Sinharaja forest reserve is a natural world heritage site of Sri Lanka . It is home to many rare trees, wild life, reptiles, amphibians, birds and butterflies.  Other prominent sites at Sri Lanka favored by tourists for their outstanding features are the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, Horton Plains National Park , Knuckles Range and Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara.

The warm, beautiful and clean sea around Sri Lanka invites tourists for a feast to their senses. With a coastline of over one thousand six hundred kilometers surrounding the island, there are numerous beaches at Sri Lanka that are appreciated by tourists for their characteristic beauty. Nilaveli beach, Hikkaduwa beach, Beruwala beach, Unawatuna Beach , Mirissa, Weligama & Ahangama Beaches , Batticoloa Beach amd Bentota beach are the famous beaches in the country.

Besides, heritage sites and beaches, Sri Lanka is also popular for its distinctive Elephant orphanage at Pinnawela. The orphanage houses more than 60 orphan elephants at present, which reflects handsome progress as the orphanage started off in 1975 with six beasts only.

In short, Sri Lanka is increasingly becoming popular among international and local tourists for obvious reasons. The island offers something for all kinds of tourists - be it sports fanaticism or love for environment or history.