Sri Lanka made it to Lonely Planet’s #1 Country (Best in Travel) to visit in 2019 and for good reasons. We list down six interesting things you probably did not know about Sri Lanka and in the process, will hopefully make you want to experience it now.

1. It is the shape of a tear drop and is called ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean.’ Located in the northern Indian Ocean, it was formerly called Ceylon and used to be part of the British empire. At present day, this independent republic has two capitals: the commercial capital and largest city,  Colombo and the legislative capital which is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, a suburb of Colombo.  It is also home to 8 World Heritage Sites.

Cinnamon is indigenous to Sri Lanka

2. While Sri Lanka has become the world’s third largest tea exporter to the world, its number 1 industry is textiles and apparel. Mining and tourism are also on the top industries contributing to Sri Lankan economy. That said, souvenirs you should get from this country are teas, jewelry (Sri Lanka is particularly proud of its blue sapphires), and spices.

Traditional Dances

3. It is roughly the size of Tasmania. Sri Lanka has a total area of 65,610 sq km while Tassie’s area is 68,401 sq km, with the main island a few square kilometers smaller at 64,519. But while Tassie’s population is only a little bit over half a million people, Sri Lanka has 21 million people. Sri Lanka’s evidence of pre-historic human settlements dates back to at least 125,000 years, with its documented history spanning back to 3,000 years. On the other hand, Tasmania was only put into the map by Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, who chanced into it in 1642. The point? There is so much heritage and culture in this tiny island republic off the Southeast coast of India.

Elephants in Sri Lanka

4. You will find the biggest mammals on land and on water in a matter of a few hours. This island nation is not only blessed with ancient cities, thick jungles and forests, stunning beaches, and a high biodiversity, but it also has a very small footprint. This means that you do not need to be driving for days to get a change in the landscape. In a day, you can see elephants and blue whales, all in the wild!

On the blue train to Ella

5. It is a year-round destination and is perfectly safe. In fact, over 4000 tourists have arrived from Australia to Sri Lanka, mostly by air, just during the month of June this year.

6. It is relatively cheap to travel. The historical and heritage experiences in the country are very under-rated and still quite under the radar. In fact, you can enjoy an all inclusive package including flights, accommodations, entrance fees, and your own private English-speaking chauffeur for 8 days for only A$2,300 per person.

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